Author: staff reporter

To respond to a new wave of displacement in Northern Mozambique the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) distributed this week household essentials to 6,000 people. The displaced families arrived in Mieze, Cabo Delgado province, after the conflict drove them from Ancuabe district over the past weeks.

“It is heartbreaking to see the terrible condition people arrive in. Entire families leave their homes with nothing,” says Abdirizak Ahmed Maalim Mohamednoor, the ICRC Economic Security Coordinator in Mozambique. “People in Mieze opened their doors to the displaced, but they also have large families and  in some cases the conditions are precarious. Some families have no roof over their heads,” he adds.

Displaced people living in relatives’ houses or with host families in Mieze received tarpaulins, buckets, blankets, mosquito nets, soap and kitchen items, such as pots and cutlery. 

The ICRC is increasingly concerned by the cumulative humanitarian impact of the ongoing armed conflict. Many of the newly displaced families had come to Ancuabe from other places in search of safety and this was the second displacement they experienced. They had to flee by foot or by bus, reaching new destinations with no means to support themselves.

On the road family members often become separated, and many children find themselves without adult guardians. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 55% of the recently displaced are under 18years old.

Displacement leads to a rapid increase of population in host towns and villages, and access to essential services like education, healthcare and clean water becomes a challenge. 36,000 people fled the district of Ancuabe during the month of June. In total, more than 780,000 people in Cabo Delgado are displaced due to the armed conflict.

Four Points by Sheraton (https://bit.ly/3R7c5Cg), part of Marriott Bonvoy’s (www.Marriott.com) portfolio of 30 extraordinary hotel brands, announces the opening of Four Points by Sheraton Kigali, marking the brand‘s debut in Rwanda. Designed to appeal to both business and leisure travelers, the hotel offers a warm and welcoming atmosphere, approachable and relaxed design, and stylish comfort in the heart of the capital city.

With easy access from Kigali International Airport and just a few minutes away from the city’s main embassies, the hotel sits in an enviable location and seamlessly blends vintage and modern design elements with distinct local touches to create a vibrant aesthetic and a compelling sense of place.  

“We are very proud to work with Marriott International to bring the Four Points by Sheraton brand into Rwanda and we are confident this hotel will set a new benchmark for hospitality within the country,” said Mr. Hatari Said Sekoko, Chief Executive Officer of New Century Development.

“I am thrilled that Four Points by Sheraton is set to be among the top contributors of Rwanda’s tourism growth and am pleased the hotel has created more job opportunities for the local energetic youth and will support the growth of the country’s tourism, hospitality, and conference and events sectors,” said Mr. Matthias Widor General Manager, Cluster General Manager for Kigali Marriott Hotel and Four Points by Sheraton Kigali.

Signature global brand programing and the warm and welcoming atmosphere makes Four Points by Sheraton Kigali an ideal gathering place for guests and the local community to kick back and relax.

Designed for the modern traveler with an emphasis on delivering what matters the most, all 154 guestrooms offer magnificent views of Kigali, floor-to-ceiling windows, a 55-inch smart TV, ergonomic workspaces, and complimentary high-speed internet. The property comes complete with 12 Suites, including three Family Suites and one spacious Loft Suite for those looking to enjoy the company of family or friends.

The property features three distinctive dining venues offering a wide selection of global cuisine. The all-day-dining restaurant, FP Social, blends European and international cuisine with flavors from East Africa while the snack bar, Brew Bar, has a menu of light snacks and the brand’s signature Best Brews^TM program which offers local craft beers on tap. Guests can also enjoy a variety of cocktails, fresh juices, or light bites at Coco Fizz, the pool bar terrace.

A place for business and leisure, Four Points by Sheraton Kigali offers more than 700 square meters of dedicated meeting space featuring nine flexible meeting rooms including a 314-square-meter ballroom that can cater for up to 200 guests. All meeting rooms are equipped with sophisticated AV facilities and endless connectivity through high-speed WiFi. With creative menu options and thoughtful service, the hotel provides both choice and flexibility, making it an exclusive option for medium scale business meetings, social events, weddings or smaller intimate gatherings.

Leisure amenities include a state-of-the art fitness center with cutting-edge equipment available 24 hours a day, a spa and an outdoor pool for guests to relax and recharge for the day.

Four Points by Sheraton Kigali is Marriott International’s second property in Rwanda.

Burundi’s representative at the UN Human Rights Council has shut down hope, once again, that the country would cooperate with the newly appointed UN Special Rapporteur, who is responsible for monitoring and reporting on the country’s human rights situation. Burundi accuses the Council of politicized interference in its internal affairs.

On June 29, after an update given by the Special Rapporteur, some states raised concerns about the “targeting of political opposition figures.” They also called for the authorities to “thoroughly investigate and prosecute cases of alleged extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, torture, and other human rights violations and abuses.” But at the same time, many praised the government’s efforts, supposed progress achieved, and the questionable work of its national human rights commission, which lacks independence.

From where we stand, it’s unclear what efforts the government is truly making to tackle systemic human rights violations in Burundi. Since President Évariste Ndayishimiye came to power two years ago, our reports have highlighted the same patterns of abuses that took place under the 15-year rule of Pierre Nkurunziza, his predecessor.

We have seen limited positive steps under Ndayishimiye. Burundi’s authorities did lift some suspensions of media and civil society and release several jailed human rights defenders and journalists. But much more is needed if the government is serious about its stated desire to implement reforms and improve its image.

Meanwhile, lawyer and former human rights defender Tony Germain Nkina, who was arrested in October 2020, remains unjustly imprisoned. Despite no credible evidence presented by the prosecution, he was convicted of collaborating with a Burundian rebel group operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo that is accused of attacks in Burundi.

The government’s repression remains entrenched, and our latest report documented yet more killings, disappearances, arbitrary detention, and torture of suspected government opponents. The judiciary is not independent. One egregious case involved eight Burundians who were detained incommunicado and tortured in Tanzania. When Tanzania forcibly returned the refugees, Burundi’s authorities put them on trial for participation in armed groups. Despite a Burundian judge saying the case was political, and the court acquitting them of all charges in August 2021, then again on appeal in March 2022, six of them remain jailed.

It’s time for Burundian authorities to turn promises into action. Giving access to the Special Rapporteur, releasing all those unjustly jailed, and arresting and prosecuting perpetrators of human rights violations would demonstrate its commitment to do so.

The task team investigating complaints about the stench experienced over parts of Gauteng and North West on 7 June 2022 has determined that a combination of weather events and emissions from industry were probably responsible for the sulphurous smell. 

The task team is comprised of environmental and air quality officials from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment and the provincial departments in Mpumalanga, Gauteng, North West and the Free State.   

The task team’s interim internal report, handed to Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister, Barbara Creecy, reflects that the sulphur smell may have emanated from industry operations in the Secunda and Mpumalanga regions and as a result of unusual air circulation patterns that saw the smell being blown over Gauteng and parts of the North West during the week of 5 to 12 June 2022.

The task team’s investigations are ongoing to determine whether there was an industrial emergency that could have contributed to the malodourous smell that many people had detected and to determine the possible role that the prevailing meteorological conditions could have played in this regard. 

At this juncture, the interim investigations show that a low-pressure system in the north of the Mozambique channel caused a relatively unusual circulation pattern over the region during the days on which the public raised complaints about the strong sulphurous odour. These conditions may have created prevailing south-easterly winds that transported air pollution from Mpumalanga into Gauteng and the North West, particularly over Ekurhuleni, Johannesburg and Pretoria.

Ambient air quality monitoring observations reflected on the South African Air Quality Information System (SAAQIS) show that despite industry complying with air quality standards in Gauteng and Mpumalanga, ambient levels of sulphur dioxide were higher than usual during the period in question.

The interim investigation reflects that no emergency incident (upset conditions, start-ups or shut-downs) were reported by any facilities in Mpumalanga, North West, Gauteng and the Free State with the potential to release large quantities of sulphur dioxide and/or hydrogen sulphide in the week of 7 to 12 June 2022. 

Some of the public complaints about the sulphurous odour coincided with incidents when sulphur dioxide was higher than usual during the period in question However, the elevated readings were unlikely to have caused any health effects on the surrounding communities.

The Task Team is to investigate and recommend possible policy interventions to further reduce hydrogen sulphide pollution and address concerns around public safety and the possible long-term health effects of exposure in order to improve the management of sulphur dioxide and hydrogen sulphide emission sources beyond the responses triggered by public complaints.

The ongoing investigation will include engaging with industries from identified areas where hydrogen sulphide is of concern, to discuss short-term and long-term management of sulphurous odorants.

HONG KONG, June 28 (Xinhua) — “We all predicted disaster of Hong Kong after 1997 and we all got it wrong. Hong Kong went very smoothly through the handover and has gone steadily upwards since then,” said a Sri Lankan journalist who has stayed in Hong Kong for nearly 40 years. #GLOBALink

Twenty-five years after its return to the motherland, Hong Kong, as a special administrative region of China, remains one of the world’s most dynamic cities.

Under the “one country, two systems” principle, Hong Kong has kept a steady financial system, free-flowing capital, abundant human resources, a fine legal environment, and a unique gateway connecting the mainland and the world.

#GLOBALink