Zimbabwe Parliament to Reconvene

Morgan Tsvangirai and Robert Mugabe
Power-sharing talks have not produced any solid agreement
BBC News: August - Zimbabwe's parliament will open next week, officials say, despite no deal being reached on power-sharing. The opposition Movement for Democratic Change, which won a majority in March's parliamentary election, says it is not opposed to the opening of parliament. But it said it would oppose any move by President Robert Mugabe, leader of the Zanu-PF party, to appoint a cabinet.

The two parties have been trying to thrash out a deal to share power, but have so far failed to agree terms. Parliamentary clerk Austin Zvoma told state TV that parliament would be convened on Monday or Tuesday. "The preparations for the swearing in of members of the seventh parliament [since independence] are at an advanced stage," AFP news agency quoted him as saying.

The Zanu-PF party lost its parliamentary majority for the first time since 1980 - taking 97 seats to the MDC's 109. But the main MDC, led by Morgan Tsvangirai, will rely on the backing of an MDC breakaway faction to preserve its majority. A cabinet is usually formed shortly after parliament reopens, but the MDC is adamant Mr Mugabe should not be allowed to form a government. MDC spokesman Tapiwa Mashakada told Reuters such a move would be "against the letter and spirit" of an agreement both sides had signed to hold power-sharing talks.

Mr Tsvangirai finished ahead of Mr Mugabe in the first round of presidential elections, which were also held in March. But he pulled out of the run-off vote in June, citing a campaign of violence against his supporters. Mr Mugabe went on to win the vote unopposed, with critics and the MDC accusing him of stealing the election. The two leaders have been holding power-sharing talks since mid-July, but have so far failed to reach a deal. The negotiations appear to have stalled on the issue of who should hold executive power. Correspondents say Mr Tsvangirai agreed to take on a beefed-up prime minister's post, with Mr Mugabe in a ceremonial role as president. But Mr Mugabe is believed to have rejected the proposal.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Mozlink’ for any or all of the articles/images placed here. The placing of an article does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Mozlink

UN approves Somalia Force for Six More Months

UNITED NATIONS Wed Aug 20th: (Reuters) - The U.N. Security Council authorized on Tuesday an African Union force in Somalia for another six months, a day after Somalia's government signed a peace agreement with some opposition figures. A unanimous resolution also asked U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to work with the AU to strengthen U.N. logistical, political and technical support to help bring the African Union Mission in Somalia, or AMISOM, up to U.N. standards. Somalia has been mired in anarchy since warlords overthrew a dictator in 1991. The waters off the Horn of Africa country are considered among the most dangerous in the world for shipping because of rife piracy.

The peace agreement, which was initialed on June 9 in Djibouti and signed on Monday, has been rejected by hard-liners and done little to quell violence. More than 8,000 civilians have been killed and 1 million uprooted in fighting since early last year pitting President Abdullahi Yusuf's interim administration and allied Ethiopian forces against Islamist rebels. Last month the AU said it was incapable of stabilizing the situation in Somalia and urged the United Nations to take over peacekeeping operations. The world body has been cautious of stepping in in before some kind of peace is established.

AMISOM has authorized the deployment of 8,000 troops but has only 2,600 on the ground. Nigeria said last week it would deploy a battalion of 850 officers and soldiers to Somalia in the next few weeks to join existing AMISOM forces. AMISOM is made up of soldiers from Uganda and Burundi. AMISOM was meant to replace Ethiopian troops whose presence inflamed the insurgency because they helped Somalia's government dislodge an Islamist movement at the start of 2007. A shortage of funds and the violence raging in the capital Mogadishu have prompted several nations to reconsider their offers of troops. The Security Council's resolution stated a willingness to consider at an appropriate time "a peacekeeping operation to take over from AMISOM, subject to progress in the political process and improvement in the security situation on the ground."
By Daniel Bases
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Mozlink’ for any or all of the articles/images placed here. The placing of an article does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Mozlink

China Fails to Approve 77 Protest Applications

BEIJING: August 9th. (Associated Press) -- Chinese authorities have not approved any of the 77 applications they received from people who wanted to hold protests during the Beijing Olympics, state media reported. According to the rules governing protests, today is the last day anyone could apply for permission to demonstrate during the Olympic Games. The state-run New China News Agency said Monday that the applications received since Aug. 1, a week before the Games opened, included such things as labor disputes and inadequate welfare. But 74 of the applications were withdrawn because the problems "were properly addressed by relevant authorities or departments through consultations," the news agency said, citing an unidentified spokesman for the Public Security Bureau. Two other applications were suspended because they did not provide sufficient information and one was rejected because it violated laws against demonstrations and protests, the spokesman said.

Protests have become common in China, including workers upset about factory layoffs and farmers angry about land confiscation. But the Communist leadership remains wary about large demonstrations, fearing that they could snowball into anti-government movements. In July, China said protests would be allowed in three parks far from Games venues. But there were also rules: Applications with detailed paperwork had to be filed five days in advance and protests must not harm "national, social and collective interests." A response would be provided 48 hours before the requested rally time, officials promised. There have been no demonstrations in the designated areas since the Games started, though small unregulated protests have occurred in other parts of the city. Most have been conducted by foreigners who were swiftly deported after unfurling "Free Tibet" banners.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Disclaimer
No responsibility or liability shall attach itself to either myself or to the blogspot ‘Mozlink’ for any or all of the articles/images placed here. The placing of an article does not necessarily imply that I agree or accept the contents of the article as being necessarily factual in theology, dogma or otherwise.
Mozlink