Re: [Ugnet] [DPNet] MPS quit DP -- What is going on ?
Mr Potosi OR they could have been discussing the land on which toput big farms with GM foods financed by Monsato. NumeMitayo Potosi [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Dear Comrade WB Kyijomanyi [EMAIL PROTECTED], Tumusiime-Mutebile is just implementing policies ordered by foreigners; which foreigners have really no interest in the wellfare of our people. Their main concern is to maintain a junta that enforces the "peace and order" of the oppressed. And with this facade of a cover they remmit their super-profits/loot out of Africa. We have to look beyond Mutebile and focus on the real enemy - neo-colonialism. I couldn't believethat Lynda Chalker now lives in South Africa!! Was Mark Thatcher alone in the "Zimbabwe/Equatorial Guinea mercenaries" saga? Onyango-Obbo speculates that when Lynda Chalker and de Klerk visited museveni recently they came to press him to abandon his third term quest. But they could as well have been reviewing the progress of the take-over of theoil reserves in the southern part of Darfur. = WB Kyijomanyi [EMAIL PROTECTED] Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: September1,200412:10:45AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [DPNet] MPS quit DP -- What is going on ? | | | Inbox Members: This is encouraging. I suggested some of the very things: how can DP hold a delegates conference outside Uganda? I pick Kenya for obvious reasons. We need a vision, a bold one at that. Uganda has gone to the dogs and anything less than a revolutionizing vision will not do it. We need a vision on governance that is, on the federal question. We need a vision on the military. On the economy. We need a vision to addressUganda's dilemma: why is it that the economy is growing, yet poverty and hopelessness are also rising? We must be credible on all fronts. I realize how some on this list will ridicule the fact that Uganda's economy is growing, but that isan empirical fact. We need a vision on the democratic deficit too. Why is it that parties, the "gatekeepers" of democracy are themselves undemocratic? We need bold ideas on how to make MPs voices heard. How? We must embrace a presidential system where MPs can take free votes. Parliament under the parliamentary system is a rubber stamp, not just in Uganda but virtually anywhere in the world. Today, a Nigerian friend of mine shocked me: the leading candidate to succeed Obasanjo is Ibrahim Babanginda! Apparently there is no one to beat him at the polls! Without a vision we may as well forget and discard any pretense about our chances. It is time those dreaming of leading our party came out at least with their vague ideas on where they want to take our country. I find it strange that Uganda, a country where unemployment is the norm rather than the exception is so much obsessed with fighting inflation. DP has virtually said nothing about the economy. We must come out strongly against Mutebile's suicidal policies. They are hindering the real expansion of our economy and keeping our people in poverty. Ugandans must stop taking Mutebile as the semi-God. He is a disaster for Uganda. People do not eat inflation. People need jobs. Without jobs, it is useless to dwell on inflation. For starters inflation is mostly a monetary phenomenon. When people talk about inflation, they are talking about wage inflation. Now, are wages rising in Uganda? Mark you; unemployment is the norm-what is the unemployment rate in Uganda? It is fair to say no one knows. Who is in charge in Uganda: workers or employees? Why then has DP not taken on Mutebile's costly policies? A case could be made that Mutebile's tight money policies are costing Uganda real not just nominal growth of 3 percent. One percent inflation (over) tightening costs the economy 3 percent growth. That is the famous Okun gap. Why has DP given Mutebilea free pass on the economy? We need to reassure our people that we have a plan. That we are credible. Mutebile is tretaed likea semi-god when our educated manpower is unemployed and his policies are driving our educated people into kyeyo. We need our people home working for our country. It is about time DP came out swinging. We need a credible rural policy. Why are our rural farmers languishing while MPs and mandarins sit in air conditioned offices planning on the basis of how much coffee, vanilla, fish, cotton, sim sim name it will be produced. I find it curious that we now have a national planning authority. Strange, but true. Guess who heads it. Dr Frank Mabirizzi a SWASA guy! I personally see no need for a national planning authority. It is a relic of the past. We need a position on issues that matter to Ugandans. If our candidates remain ambivalent, game over. Let all those with something useful to say, say it. Let DP become a party of ideas for ideas matter. But above all, let DP become the party of vision. Let me pose a question I have posed over the years on Fedsnet and so far,
[Ugnet] News update: Museveni wins referendum appeal - BBC
Last Updated: Thursday, 2 September, 2004, 15:42 GMT 16:42 UK E-mail this to a friend Printable version Museveni wins referendum appeal Museveni said the original ruling meant that all laws were invalidUganda's Supreme Court has overturned a lower court ruling, which had cast doubt on the entire political system. The government had appealed against the decision which nullified a 2000 referendum, in which a return to multiparty politics was rejected. President Yoweri Museveni made an angry television broadcast criticising the judges and his supporters protested in the capital, Kampala. Donors are urging Uganda to return to a multiparty system. Under Uganda's Movement system, parties are allowed to exist, but they are not allowed to contest elections. The Supreme Court ruled that the results of the 2000 referendum were valid but agreed that the act which set up the vote had been unconstitutional. Mr Museveni had said that the original judgement meant that all government acts since 2000 were null and void. He said it was "totally unacceptable". Under pressure from donors, the government has promised to hold multiparty elections in 2006. Mr Museveni is obliged to step down but his critics say he is preparing the ground to be allowed to run again. E-mail this to a friend Printable version Do you Yahoo!? Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Yahoo! Enter now.___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Fwd: NV: Besigye to attend America convention, NRM-O branch opened in America
Note: forwarded message attached.__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---BeginMessage--- NRM-O branch opened in America (to serve peasants?) By Fortunate Ahimbisibwe UGANDANS living in the US have launched a National Resistance Movement Organisation (NRM-O) branch. Former Vice-President Dr. Specioza Wandera Kazibwe has been elected the vice-chairperson in charge of business development. Edward Wanda is vice-chairperson in charge of political development. In a statement issued by the branch chairperson, Godfrey Sseruwagi, the interim executive of the NRM-O, USA is to prepare for their participation ahead of the 2006 polls. The committee was elected in Boston in June. Published on: Thursday, 2nd September, 2004 ps: I have it on good authority that Uganda's diplomatshave and are making calls around the country to recruit members. (Even our local ESOs are in on the act, some could not resist "running" for office locally other have dispense with pretension and have simply nominated themselves.) Besigye to attend America convention By Julius Mucunguzi FORMER presidential candidate Dr Kizza Besigye will today attend this years convention of Ugandans in the diaspora in the US city of Seattle, Washington. An organiser of the convention which starts today, said Besigye was already in the US. The source said former Army commander and a senior member of the Forum for Democratic Change (FDC), Rtd Maj. Gen. Mugisha Muntu, is also expected at the convention. It is organised by the Uganda North American Association. It is not clear whether Besigye will make a presentation and or whether he will meet Museveni. Besigye, a former National Political Commissar and senior military officer in Movement government, fell out of grace with President Museveni when he published a scathing dossier accusing the President of derailing the democratisation process. Besigye, who is the interim chairman of FDC, is currently living in self-imposed exile in South Africa. Munt u said the Movement system of government is conscripting Ugandans into belonging to it, adding that it is only the FDC that will restore democracy in the country. Published on: Thursday, 2nd September, 2004---End Message--- ___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Fwd: NV: Kabaka goes to State House, etc
Note: forwarded message attached. Do you Yahoo!? Win 1 of 4,000 free domain names from Yahoo! Enter now.---BeginMessage--- Kabaka goes to State House By Felix Osike PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has held private talks with Kabaka Ronald Mutebi over Bugandas demands for federo. Sources said the meeting took place at the State House, Nakasero, on Tuesday night. They had a one-on-one meeting from 8:00pm which lasted several hours, said the source. Details of the meeting were unavailable by press time. No date has been fixed for the next round of talks between Mengo officials and the Government to finalise the federal issue before the White Paper on the political transition is sent to Parliament for consideration. Mengo officials and the Government have in the previous talks disagreed over a proposal to have two nkiiko (councils), a cultural one headed by the Kabaka and the other composed of elected representatives from the districts forming a regional tier government. Mengo is advocating only one unelected lukiiko headed by the Kabaka, as has been the case since the kingdom was founded. It is the first time Museveni meets Mutebi over Bugandas demands for federalism since the saga broke out. The kingdoms Prime Minister Joseph Ssemwogerere has in the previous talks led the Buganda delegation. Museveni had said he wanted to meet the Kabaka but the latter said the Katikkiro would handle the matter. Buganda Anglican bishops, clan heads, the Mengo cabinet and sazza (county) chiefs have advised Mengo negotiators to pull out of the talks, accusing the Government of refusing to grant Buganda a federal status. The Cabinet says the regional tier is a significant basis of reaching a federation. Under the regional tier arrangement the 12 districts of Buganda will be deemed to have agreed to form a regional government. Mengo also wants Kampala district, the seat of the central government, to be listed in the Constitution as a district of Buganda. The Constitutional Review Commission, which gathered views nationwide, recommended that two or more districts should be free to form a regional government. The regional government should be based on the assembly and should have exclusive jurisdiction over matters specified in the Constitution. The CRC recommended that Kampala become a district of Buganda. However, no special benefits or obligations should arise by virtue of this, it said. Buganda is also demanding the 9,000sq miles of land scattered over various districts. The CRC report said only 30% of Ugandans supported federo and the majority of submissions called for decentralisation to be strengthened. Published on: Thursday, 2nd September, 2004 Baganda activists rap Museveni over federo TOUGH: Musisi talks to the press as a nun listens By Mariam Nalunkuuma THE bazukulu ba Buganda, a group of Baganda activists, have accused President Yoweri Museveni of fronting Dr. Sulaiman Kiggundu, Sam Njuba, Col. Kizza Besigye and David Tinyefunza to disorganise the Baganda. The activists said the Mengo negotiating team led by Katikkiro Joseph Ssemwogerere were Musevenis collaborators and that the talks would not yield any benefit for the Baganda. Addressing journalists at Bulange, Mengo, the groups publicity secretary, Ddungu Musisi, said Museveni was using Njuba and Kiggundu as a bait to win Bagandas sympathy as he used the late Yusuf Lule to win the Baganda in the 1980s. Musisi read from a four-page letter copied to the Kabaka, the speaker of parliament, diplomats, religious and clan leaders. The letter was not copied to the Katikkiro because they had lost trust and confidence in him and his negotiating team. Kiggundu is a former governor of the Bank of Uganda. Njuba is a co-chairpers on of the Forum for Democratic Change. All Mengo officials are Musevenis collaborators and they are paid for it. That is why they accepted the Government proposal that the 9,000sq miles be managed by district land boards and that instead of federo, Buganda gets a regional tier with two councils, the bazukulu said. They said Museveni and the Mengo team did not have power and authority to take decisions and discuss issues concerning Buganda Kingdom. Who did the Katikkiro and his team consult? Has the team explained all this to the grassroots people? We shall continue to enlighten the Baganda so that we prevent future blood spilling. The killings in the north can befall Buganda anytime because of fellow Baganda, Musisi said. However, Bugandas attorney general John Katende rubbished the claims, saying they have always opposed all initiatives in the kingdom. Ends Published on: Thursday, 2nd September, 2004 News briefs Lukiiko to hold meeting KAMPALA Lukiiko speaker Haji Muhabab Ssemakalu has called an extraordinary meeting tomorrow at Bulange, Mengo. He said yesterday the meeting is to explain to members how far the negotiations between Mengo and the central government had gone. The meeting follows two separate
[Ugnet] Fwd: Egyptian Mummy Unwrapped
Note: forwarded message attached.__Do You Yahoo!?Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com ---BeginMessage--- Egyptian mummy 'unwrapped' by modern scanning 10:3201September04 NewScientist.com news service Multiple imaging revealed the remains of an Egyptian artisan (left), allowing the reconstruction of his face (right) (Image: Cesarani et al) The face of an Egyptian artisan named Harwa has been seen for the first time in 3000 years using CT scans, X-rays and 3D modelling technology. The mummified corpse, which had been on display at the Egyptian Museum of Torino in Italy, was undisturbed by the imaging procedure which is often used in medical diagnostics. It was placed in a rotating scanner that took 355 X-ray images in under 30 seconds. The technique, called multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), provided multiple image slices, each up to 0.6 millimetres thick, which were computer processed to provide a 3D image of the skull shape and soft tissue structure under the mummys bandages. A plasticine and nylon model was then sculpted, based on the image, which revealed Harwa to have been 45 years old at time of death. The model was even detailed enough to reveal a mole on his left temple. The researchers avoided guessing at hair, beard and skin colour tones in the facial reconstruction. The only other way to have got this information would have been to unwrap, destroy and otherwise alter the conservation of the bandages and the mummy, said Federico Cesarani, the radiologist who led the study. The technique may also be useful for anthropologists studying how disease affected ancient people, he adds. Journal reference: American Journal of Roentgenology (vol 183, p 755) Gaia Vince www.newscientist.com/news/print.jsp?id=ns6340 © Copyright Reed Business Information Ltd.---End Message--- ___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Fwd: Buganda's Counties in Brief
Note: forwarded message attached. Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!---BeginMessage--- www.buganda.com/masaza.htm---End Message--- ___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Fwd: Museveni, Mutebi disagree on federo
Note: forwarded message attached. Do you Yahoo!? New and Improved Yahoo! Mail - Send 10MB messages!---BeginMessage--- Museveni, Mutebi disagree on federo By Robert Mwanje Ignatius Ssuuna Sep 3, 2004 MENGO Kabaka Ronald Mutebi and President Yoweri Museveni on Tuesday night disagreed on the issue of Lukiiko with two councils and a regional tier. I stand firm on Bugandas principal demands. I will never differ from what my negotiation team has always told you, the kingdoms Attorney General, Mr John Katende, quoted Mutebi as having told Museveni. Katende was addressing the Lukiiko at Mengo yesterday. He said Mutebi told Museveni Mengo was not ready for two councils and a regional tier instead of federo. TOGETHER: Buganda officials show loyalty to the Kabaka during a meeting at Mengo yesterday (Photo by Wandera wOuma) Kabaka reportedly opposed the proposed split of Kampala in two and the 9,000 square mile of land to remain under district authorities. Mutebi held private talks with Museveni at State House Nakasero. Mutebi, during the meeting, referred Museveni to the demands raised by Mengos negotiating team, Katende said. The extra-ordinary Buganda Lukiiko was convened to brief Baganda on the the progress of talks between the government and Mengo. Katende, who is the chairman of the Buganda Constitutional Commission, said Museveni had hoped that he would find an easy way with Mutebi. He (President) has been complaining about us that we are hardliners. He thought once he meets our king all would work in his favour, Katende told the packed Lukiiko amid foot stamping. Katende, also the vice chairman of the negotiation team, denied claims by the government that 10 out of the 12 outstanding demands had been settled. He said no matter of substance had been reached. We have not agreed upon any thing with the President as he claims. Saying that 10 points have been settled intends to alienate Baganda from other regions that we are thankless, he said. Katikkiro Joseph Semwogerere said the government should not forget that the Kabaka contributed enormously to NRMs five-year struggle that saw Museveni capture power. Remember the Kabaka was instrumental in the struggle. Is this how best we can be rewarded, Ssemwogerere said. Ssemwogerere said the struggle started in Luweero Where whatever belonged to Baganda was eaten up. He wondered why the current establishment listens to those who take up arms against them and ignore Baganda who have waited for 18 years. Buganda officials said whatever appears in the Cabinets White Paper yet to be tabled before Parliament next week would be stage managed but not Bugandas position. Let Cabinet present the White Paper. We have nothing to contribute, Katende said. The Lukiiko also asked the Katikkiro to write to Museveni informing him that Buganda would not change its principal demands. Lukiiko members vowed they would fight for federo up to the last man. They vowed not to support any anti-federo candidate come 2006. © 2004 The Monitor Publications---End Message--- ___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Fwd: Mengo wont support anti-Federal politicians
Note: forwarded message attached. Do you Yahoo!? Yahoo! Mail is new and improved - Check it out!---BeginMessage--- Mengo wont support anti-Federal politicians By Dick Nvule Thursday, 02 September 2004 Bugandas Lukiiko has vowed not to support any politicians who are against Federal and other demands of Buganda. In a heated Lukiiko meeting that lasted five hours, the Attorney General for the Mengo Government John Katende said all the Kabaka and his subjects want is Federal. The Lukiiko has also resolved that governments white paper that will soon be tabled before parliament has governments views and not Mengos. The Katikkiro of Buganda Joseph Mulwanya muli Ssemwogerere thanked the Kabaka for his good leadership and urged the Baganda not to accept division by some politicians and the media. --- What took them so long to decide this?---End Message--- ___ Ugandanet mailing list [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://kym.net/mailman/listinfo/ugandanet % UGANDANET is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/
[Ugnet] Telling the sad tale of one teacher's trials.
Telling the sad tale of one teachers trials By Fred Buwuule Sep 3, 2004 Ugandas public service makes a teacher poorer and more miserable! When you qualify as a teacher you may have many expectations, ranging from high Standards of living, financial support to your parents, a decent home etc. On the ground however, the situation is totally different. Teaching vacancies are scarce, since the government banned recruitment of secondary school teachers to government aided schools in 1997. And yet teacher training institutions have doubled their output producing teachers every other year since then! For those already employed by government the situation is no better; it was only tending to normal when Prof. Apolo Nsibambi was still Minister of Education. He made teachers payments prompt and regular. Teachers appointments and confirmation was a regular exercise. Ministry offices were always occupied but not left unattended to. He could even afford to sacrifice time and listen to particular pressing problems of individual teachers. Professionals upgrading of teachers is another menace. They go for upgrading in universities, many times on private sponsorship, since government-sponsored vacancies in the universities are very limited. If the teacher dares to inform the school administration about the course, he/she has undertaken, he/she may be scrapped off the payroll, thrown out of the staff house, if there is any! The teacher then sacrifices his/her merger income for the course.He will never save enough money to fulfil any of the expectations already highlighted, let alone taking his family to recreation centres, but obliged to take other children he teaches as a school programme. I graduated as a physics/chemistry teacher in 1999 after upgrading and applied for appointment in February 2000. The officer in charge, at 4th floor Room 7 of Embassy house, which now houses the Ministry of Education and Sports, had promised that within the following six months, regularisation of my appointment would be ready. I promptly checked on him after that period. Of course it was not ready. He then told me to check after one other month, and I have checked on him every end of month since that time, to-date but all in vain. There are many other souls like me, who because of the teachers training are keeping dumb and are patiently waiting. Applying simple arithmetic you can calculate how much money I have wasted on transport alone for the 48 months (journeys) since August 2000 if each return journey to my place of work is Shs 8000. I eventually became bold enough in March 2004 and informed him that it was my right to know what had happened to my application.He then pulled out several booklets, which he said was a minute passed by the Ministry of Public Service appointing over 500 teachers. I sighed with relief on mere seeing my name in one of the booklets after a vigorous check through. This time with all the confidence I had accepted his promise of the following month, when I would come to collect my letter. To-date, all my hopes are gone, when he told me that I still have to be patient, since those letter are being typed. The main reason given for the delay in regularisation of appointments is the big number of teachers they have to handle. It is alleged that the numbers may be over teachers. But surely for five years any non bureaucratic officer would surely have produced appointment letters for this number. There are many qualified Ugandans out there who would efficiently and effectively work in these offices to produce results. Then there is this phenomenon called transfer of teachers, where one is transferred from Mpigi district to Kabale district because he is a national public servant. Many marriages and homes have gone to the dogs, because of the phenomenon. The officers in charge of transfers argue that a teacher and not his/her family makes a contract with them. I was transferred to another district in January 2004, which I regard as a normal routine, but in June 2004 I was deleted from the payroll! I have five children at school, two of them in secondary schools and of course other dependants. I am totally at a crossroads. My daily routine is to teach other children, although I am not sure whether mine will go back to school in term three 2004. One really wonders about the credibility of an officer who cannot even bother to look for relevant information before instructing a computer to delete a long serving, dedicated, permanent and pensionable staff. Such an officer is paid at the end of the month to do such work and he/she sends his children to us to teach. During his term of office as Minister of Education Prof. Nsibambi had transformed the ministry and many of these officers knew why they held these offices. The situation is now back and as bad as during Amins regime. The life expectancy for Ugandans is 40 years. I am now 39 years and I do not know whether I will live to enjoy the salary of my
[Ugnet] Re: [DPNet] Re: SEYA in news
How simple-minded can Ugandans get?? How can ability to speak fluent English, for crying out loud, somehow disqualify anyone from running for elected office? How can that be a qualification for leadership? What have all the fluent English-speaking rulers we have had, and have, done for Uganda in the last quarter century? Have any of the ignorami ever heardthe leaders of France, german, Russia, Japan, China, etc tec speaking English? Godfrey Sekisonge [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: Sebaggala shuns media By Jim Kalyesubula MAKINDYE East MP Michael Mabikke has said former Kampala mayor Hajji Nasser Sebaggala has been advised to temporarily stop addressing press conferences and featuring at radio talk shows. He said this follows the negative publicity he has lately been getting in the media. Mabikke was on Tuesday addressing a press discourse organised by the Uganda Journalists Association. Sebaggala had originally been expected to address the press discourse but Mabikke represented him. He said Al-Hajji Nasser Sebaggala Committee had advised the presidential aspirant to temporarily stop featuring at radio talk shows and addressing press conferences. Since Sebaggalas return in July, he has been under pressure to show his academic transcript. His inability to speak English fluently has also cast doubt on his claim that he had acquired a degree.Aloysius Lugira [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: DP QUINTET:See, Focus, Judge, Consult and Act. By Aloysius Muzzanaganda Mugerwa Lugira DPUSA Chairman Emeritus Kampala, August 27, 2004 Hannibal the African Punic Carthegian was a hero. Among his many achievements, as one of the celebrated military world leaders. He descended on the City State of Ancient Rome with his soldiers, using a herd of elephants as personnel carriers. He besieged Rome. But prematurely got carried away by the urge of celebrating the impending victory. His opponent, however, Scipio Africanus out-manouvered him. Instead of facing Hannibal, Scipio Africanus, opted for navigating his soldiers accross the Mediterranian Sea arrived in North Africa captured and destroyed the then defenseless Carthage, the home base of Hannibal. Since then colonialism established its roots in Africa. And from this the Roman saying came that: "Hannibal knows how to win, but does not know how to put victory into fruition. Hopefully DP must not be connected to this saying about Hannibal. Julius Caesar summarizedthe achievements of his military leadership in the line: " I came, I saw, I conquered." With this Hannibal situation and Caesar's summary let me suggest something to our DP. Without procrastination let DP keep the eye on the prize. Let DP see, focus, judge, consult and above all act. Inertia will not do. Of late, hope within DP was boosted by what was believed to be a great reconciliatory gesture. One believed that Dr. Paul Kawanga Ssemogerere's embrace with Mr. Francis A. W. Bwengye had established a vision for a new day. The Process Management Committee [PMC] was put in place with the hope of opportunely rejuvenating DP. Some DP peoples' hope became diminished when some observers still experienced the status quo. Many had understood that with the PMC, Dr.Ssemogerere and Mr. Bwengye would step aside and let the PMC take charge of the affairs of the Party. Some DP diehards are loudly heard asking questions like: "What is the PMC doing to make us palpablyidentify that it is doing something towards the rejuvenation of DP?" A Delegates Conference was suggested for August 4, 2004. It did not require a brain surgeon to realize how unrealistic this proposition was. It did not take place. Some cite shortage of proactivity as a cause of the casualty of that date. The PMC should make effort to see, to focus, to judge, to consult and above all, to act. To set the ball really rolling, the PMC at this point should help show that the DP leadership can firmly and agreeable address three things: One, the DP Leadership should shun the fact or even the appearance of taking members of the Democratic Party, for granted. Two, the DP Leadership should see to it that the Democratic Party is immediately registered and push for party participation of DP in the political life of our Nation-state Uganda without the blatant violation of the unalienable human and peoples rights. Three, the DP Leadership should avoid the fact and/or the semblance of a hand-picked candidate for the presidency of DP and eventually for the National Presidency. For that reason one should urgently encourage whoever is known to be nurturing the intension of standing for the party presidency to declare his or her candidacy before the end of the month of September 2004, so that the electorate can be given a chance to come to informed conclusions about the candidates. Itis also appropriate to be in such shape before the dateof the Golden Jubilee of DP takes place on October 6, 2004. Compatriot, what is your take on this DP QUINTET? Check out Election 2004 for
[Ugnet] War and Corruption keep Congo tottering
War and corruption keep Congo tottering Carter Dougherty IHT Thursday, September 02, 2004 http://www.iht.com/articles/536906.html GOMA, Democratic Republic of Congo After an unsuccessful attempt in 1965 to foment revolution in the newly independent Congo, the legendary Latin American guerrilla leader Che Guevara lamented the absence of visionary leadership in the enormous Central African country.But he did wrap up his 1966 memoir, "The African Dream," with the hopeful comment that a new corps of leaders was "probably today somewhere inside the country, beginning to write the real history of the liberation of Congo."But the dream is still just that. Nearly 40 years after Che wrote those words, leadership of any ideological stripe is a commodity in short supply. Men who were children or not even born when Che slogged over the hills of eastern Congo in the name of anti-imperialist solidarity now run the various political parties, rebel movements and freewheeling bands of armed thugs who constitute Congo's ruling elite.The country's supreme political leader is Joseph Kabila, whose father, Laurent-Désiré, was Che's principal Congolese ally in the 1960s.In the capital of Kinshasa, the 33-year-old Kabila presides over a transitional government that was inaugurated last year in an effort to end a five-year civil war that has killed more than three million people through combat, disease and starvation. With its one head of state, four vice presidents and 65 ministers and vice ministers, some Congolese call the government "the G-70."They despair openly that it could ever tackle the problems of simmering war, pulverized infrastructure and grinding poverty, and they fear that their leaders are hellbent on leading them, again, into war."The government is a market of people from different rebel groups trying to attain power," said Vital Katembo, a businessman in Goma."Something now has to come of this mess, and we will pay for it in blood."Two weeks ago, the political theater of the tottering transition, which in theory is preparing the election of a legitimate government next year, entered its most dangerous, and possibly final act.The Rally for Congolese Democracy, militarily the most potent of Congo's rebel groups, thanks to backing from neighboring Rwanda, announced it was leaving the government.Azerias Ruberwa, one of four vice presidents and the group's leader, said the Rally for Congolese Democracy was seeking a restructuring of the political order, though many Congolese believe it is itching to return to war. "The decision does not mean that war will break out again," Ruberwa said. "We do not want to fight; we want to go back to the negotiating table." The declaration came six years to the month after Ruberwa's group raised the red flag of rebellion over the town of Goma, on the border with Rwanda, triggering Congo's devastating conflict.It also capped a disastrous few months for Congo that included the seizure of a major eastern town by a renegade general who refused to acknowledge anyone's authority over him, and the dispatching from Kinshasa to eastern Congo by Kabila of at least 10,000 soldiers to prepare for a return to hostilities."Month after month, week after week, day after day, we predicted that what has arrived would arrive," said Le Soft, a Congolese newspaper based in Brussels.Ruberwa's announcement underscored how far Congo and its 58 million people are from a government that could make its name more than a geographical _expression.As visible as Africa's third-largest country is on a map, it maintains the trappings of the state while lacking state power, which has long since disint egrated since 1997, when the aged dictator Mobutu Sese Seko was overthrown.Several weeks ago, Kinshasa hummed with the rumor that Kabila had given the order for his soldiers in the east to attack Goma, but the reality was that Congo's atrophied command-and-control system probably made the order impossible to enforce. In any case, local press reports quickly disclosed that $15 million meant for the army's sustenance had disappeared from the military's logistics section.Establishing the state's power in Congo's nether region is hard enough without graft. In Kisangani, atop the mighty Congo River, rusting cranes testify to a land and river transportation system that once ranked among Africa's best, but now handles only minuscule bits of cargo. The rickety Russian planes that haul most of the freight and people around Congo offer an always costly and often terrifying experience in air travel. Customs agents staff the borders, but few travelers have not been asked for a b ribe - "un petit sucré," which is literally, in the Congolese parlance, "a little soft drink."Corruption and war have delivered one blow after another to the average Congolese's standard of living, which the World Bank put at a staggering $90 per capita annually in 2002, a figure hardly consistent with the country's rich deposits of diamonds,
[Ugnet] Half of New Yorkers Believe U.S. was complicit in 9-11 Attacks.
Half of New Yorkers Believe U.S. Leaders KnewAbout 9-11 AttacksZogby International Tuesday 30 August 2004 Half of New Yorkers Believe US Leaders Had Foreknowledge of Impending 9-11 Attacks and "Consciously Failed" To Act; 66% Call For New Probe of Unanswered Questions by Congress or New York's Attorney General, New Zogby International Poll Reveals On the eve of a Republican National Convention invoking 9/11 symbols, sound bytes and imagery, half (49.3%) of New York City residents and 41% of New York citizens overall say that some of our leaders "knew in advance that attacks were planned on or around September 11, 2001, and that they consciously failed to act," according to the poll conducted by Zogby International. The poll of New York residents was conducted from Tuesday August 24 through Thursday August 26, 2004. Overall results have a margin of sampling error of +/-3.5. The poll is the first of its kind conducted in America that surveys attitudes regarding US government complicity in the 9/11 tragedy. Despite the acute legal and political implications of this accusation, nearly 30% of registered Republicans and over 38% of those who described themselves as "very conservative" supported the claim. The charge found very high support among adults under 30 (62.8%), African-Americans (62.5%), Hispanics (60.1%), Asians (59.4%), and "Born Again" Evangelical Christians (47.9%). Less than two in five (36%) believe that the 9/11 Commission had "answered all the important questions about what actually happened on September 11th," and two in three (66%) New Yorkers (and 56.2% overall) called for another full investigation of the "still unanswered questions" by Congress or Elliot Spitzer, New York's Attorney General. Self-identified "very liberal" New Yorkers supported a new inquiry by a margin of three to one, but so did half (53%) of "very conservative" citizens across the state. The call for a deeper probe was especially strong from Hispanics (75.6%), African-Americans (75.3%) citizens with income from $15-25K (74.3%), women (62%) and Evangelicals (59.9%). W. David Kubiak, executive director of 911truth.org, the group that commissioned the poll, expressed genuine surprise that New Yorkers' belief in the administration's complicity is as high or higher than that seen overseas. "We're familiar with high levels of 9/11 skepticism abroad where there has been open debate of the evidence for US government complicity. On May 26th the Toronto Star reported a national poll showing that 63% of Canadians are also convinced US leaders had 'prior knowledge' of the attacks yet declined to act. There was no US coverage of this startling poll or the facts supporting the Canadians' conclusions, and there has been virtually no debate on the victim families' scores of still unanswered questions. I think these numbers show that most New Yorkers are now fed up with the silence, and that politicians trying to exploit 9/11 do so at their peril. The 9/11 case is not closed and New York's questions are not going away." Nicholas Levis of NY911truth.org, an advisor on the poll, agrees, "The 9/11 Commission gave us a plenty of 'recommendations', but far more plentiful were the discrepancies, gaps and omissions in their supposedly 'final' report. How can proposals based on such deficient findings ever make us safe? We think these poll numbers are basically saying, 'Wait just a minute. What about the scores of still outstanding questions? What about the unexplained collapses of WTC 7, our air defenses, official accountability, the chain of command on 9/11, the anthrax, insider trading FBI field probes? There's so much more to this story that we need to know about.' When such a huge majority of New Yorkers want a new investigation, it will be interesting to see how quickly Attorney General Spitzer and our legislators respond." SCOPE: The poll covered five areas of related interest: 1) Iraq - do New Yorkers think that our leaders "deliberately misled" us before the war (51.2% do); 2) the 9/11 Commission - did it answer all the "important questions" (only 36% said yes); 3) the inexplicable and largely unreported collapse of the third WTC skyscraper on 9/11 - what was its number (28% of NYC area residents knew); 4) the question on complicity; and 5) how many wanted a new 9/11 probe. All inquiries about questions, responses and demographics should be directed to Zogby International. SPONSOR: 911truth.org is a coalition of researchers, journalists and victim family members working to expose and resolve the hundreds of critical questions still swirling around 9/11, especially the nearly 400 questions that the Family Steering Committee filed with the 9/11Commission which they fought to create. Initially welcomed by the commissioners as a "road map" for their inquiry, these queries cut to the heart of 9/11 crimes and accountability. Specifically, they raised the central issues of motive, means and cui bono (who profited?). But the Commission
[Ugnet] How Soon Will the U.S. or Israel Bomb Iran?
How Soon Will the U.S. or Israel Bomb Iran?By Steve Weissmant r u t h o u t | Perspective Thursday 02 September 2004 I can just hear the Presidential conversation. "Did I say Iraq backed al-Qaeda?" he asks with a boyish grin. "Oh, heck, I meant Iran. I always get those two mixed up." Steve Weissman, "Americans: The Missionary Position" What should Iran do? What would you do if you were an Iranian Ayatollah? The President of the United States has branded Iran part of the "Axis of Evil." He has demanded that Iran "abandon her nuclear ambitions." He has claimed the right to wage pre-emptive war against any enemy he chooses. To add weight to these threats, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution on May 6, 2004, calling on the president "to use all appropriate means to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons." The vote was overwhelming: 376 for, three against. On July 22, the Senate passed a similar resolution with wording only slight less inflammatory. The Americans now have nearly 150,000 troops just across the border in Iraq. They also have aircraft and missiles in easy striking distance, as do the Israelis, who - as the New Yorker's Sy Hersh reported - are currently working with the Kurds to make raids into Iran. Put yourself in Israel's shoes. The Iranians are building a major nuclear industry, with the ability to enrich bomb-grade Uranium and reprocess plutonium from spent nuclear fuel rods. Iran has facilities in Tehran, Bushehr, Natanz, and Arak, and could soon produce 15-20 nuclear weapons a year, according to the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. The International Atomic Energy Agency has already found traces of the bomb-grade Uranium in Natanz and Tehran. The Iranians say this is only contamination from used centrifuges they bought from other countries. An Iranian Bomb would challenge Israel's nuclear monopoly in the Middle East, creating a short-range, hair-trigger stand-off that would continually encourage each side to strike first before the other could. Now think like an American neo-conservative. You and your fellow policy wonks have struggled for years to persuade both Democrats and Republicans in Washington and successive Likkud governments in Tel Aviv to play hardball throughout the Middle East. You urged them to expand control over the world's diminishing supply of oil and to overthrow nasty regimes, especially in Iraq and Iran. Your neo-con colleagues currently hold key posts in the Pentagon and elsewhere in Washington, but your policies and performance have made a hash of Iraq, causing President Bush to turn increasingly to other advisors. Worse, Mr. Bush could lose the November election amidst a burgeoning spy scandal that widely paints neo-cons, whether Christian or Jewish, as not-to-be-trusted Israeli agents. As in the perfect storm, the activities of the three groups - Iranian Ayatollahs, Israeli Likkudniks, and American neo-cons - are now creating just the right conditions for a ghastly outcome - an aerial attack on Iran's nuclear installations. While no one can predict with certainty where the madness might lead, it would clearly isolate Israel and the United States even more from most of the world, unify rival Shi'ite and Sunni Muslims, and encourage the Iranians to intervene massively in Iraq. On the other hand, an October Surprise to make America safe from an Islamic Bomb might help Mr. Bush win a close election. Can anything stop an attack on Iran, whether before the elections or - as I think more likely - after? At this juncture, even a cockeyed optimist has difficulty seeing much hope. From where they stand, the Iranian leaders have little choice but to press ahead with their quest for nuclear weapons. They may say - as did the Pakistanis, Indians, and Israelis before them - that they want only peaceful uses of atomic energy. They may see nuclear power as the best way to meet a growing population's demand for electricity. In fact, much of the program began under the Shah, and with American blessings. But the Bush Administration has given Iran the strongest argument yet for wanting atomic bombs - and the missiles to drop them on Tel Aviv. Nothing less seems as likely to hold the pre-emptive Bushies at bay. Given the way atomic energy works, the Iranians could move ahead with an entirely peaceful program to produce electricity, as they say they are doing. They could allow full inspections and monitoring from the International Atomic Energy Agency. But once they reprocess plutonium or enrich bomb-grade Uranium in sufficient quantities, they are only weeks away from having an atomic bomb. Senators Kerry and Edwards, the Democratic contenders, have suggested offering Iran "a great bargain." If the Iranians give up their capacity to produce bomb-grade materials and accept full supervision to ensure that they have, other countries - including the United States - will provide whatever nuclear fuel Iran needs. It's a great start. But a Kerry
