Tag: Africa

bookmark_border20 Dead in Pygmy Caterpillar Tax Protests

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20 people are dead in the Congo after Pygmies and Bantu ethnic groups clashed over a new caterpillar collection tax.

Caterpillars are a food staple of the hunter-gatherer people. A local official said the civil war was cause by a disagreement over the harvest of the insects.

“The attacks since Sunday left four (Bantu) Lubas and 16 Pygmies dead in a row over the tax traditionally paid to the Bantus by the Pygmies,” said local official Kalunga Mawazo.

A priest (who asked not to be identified) said that “the Pygmies believe they now have the same rights as citizens as the others. They refused to pay this illegal tax and shot two Luba people dead with arrows when they demanded payment.”

bookmark_borderEbola Virus Disease

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The World Health Organization (WHO) believes the ebola outbreak is more severe than first thought. Because of fear and lack of education, many cases are going unreported. Ebola has a high instance of death due to bleeding from orifices.

“Ebola virus disease is a severe, often fatal illness and one of the world’s most virulent diseases. The infection is transmitted by direct contact with the blood, body fluids and tissues of infected animals or people. During an outbreak, people at higher risk of infection are health workers, family members and others in close contact with sick people and anyone who has died from Ebola. People who are ill with the disease need to receive expert care in appropriate facilities. Ebola outbreaks can devastate families and communities, but the infection can be controlled through the use of recommended protective measures. WHO is coordinating a global response to the latest outbreaks in Africa.”

  • Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.
  • EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.
  • EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.
  • The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.
  • Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus.
  • Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.

bookmark_borderTimbuktu

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Is there really a place called Timbuktu? Yes, though it has fallen into mayhem. No one knows who is in charge any more.

“”Omg! Just found out Timbuktu is a real place!”

The news that the city of Timbuktu has been seized by ethnic Tuaregs has had some tweeters scratching their heads, unaware up to now that it even existed.

While some people will be familiar with the Tuareg people, almost everyone will recognise the place name Timbuktu, even if they think it’s mythical.” — BBC

bookmark_borderSave Darfur

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by Danielle Brouse

The Darfur region is a drought-prone area of western Sudan. By area, Darfur is roughly the size of Texas and is divided into three states that had a collective population of approximately 6 million people before the crisis in Darfur began in 2003. The Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) and Justice and Equality Movement (JEM) launched attacks against government military installations as part of a campaign to fight against the historic political and economic marginalization of Darfur. In May 2006, the Sudanese government signed a peace agreement with one of the rebel movements. However, the Sudanese government continued to fight the two other groups) that refused to sign the agreement. The Sudanese government has obstructed the deployment of an international peacekeeping force, avoided serious negotiations with the rebel groups, refused to prosecute any individuals responsible for crimes against humanity committed in Darfur, and most recently expelled thirteen international humanitarian aid groups from Darfur. These actions continue to leave many civilians in Darfur unprotected and dispossessed of their basic human rights.

Want to know more? Go to… http://www.savedarfur.org/