A very interesting discussion by Michael Barutciski and Catherine Dauvergne on Australian asylum policies. In French and English.

http://globalbrief.ca/blog/2010/10/13/asylum-the-tamil-boat-and-the-australian-way/

Despite mentality that keyboarding has experts, not an individual can take expertise. For long typing, fingers pain and keyboarders error on documents. Secondly, if you think of somebody or something you love so; a girlfriend, wife, husband, boyfriend or favorite food, you end up typing it. After meeting Muthoni, I ended up typing Muthoni which was not the name I wanted. Jerome Sebwadaga of Digital computer training college, Kakuma and the executive director of Kanere told me he had once typed ant instead of weigh which the computer didn’t highlight.

They say keyboard enters errors but without a person it can’t. This shows that carelessness of a keyboarder is all it is. Rushing to send or post an article or a report onto the web or print out an office document make people find errors on the web and regret later when they read it unpolished standing as shame to them and chases some readers who think they can’t enter errors yet they do. Speed is valued more than accuracy by many keyboarders as well. It has no faith in it. Polishing before sending any issue or attaching any document is the treatment. Prevention works best. It stops spoiled printout of an office work too. To others who fear running time and later costs of internet, they can’t help it.

In areas like Kakuma where Cyber Cafe is only one with no printer, or use of Microsoft word to create documents, life is hard. Not going through the document that is polishing, is inevitable. Internet causes replication and words not correctly used by the writer or keyboarder are unlikely to be found. Running time threatens-a race. Incorrect grammar and sentences highlighted by the machine in most cases at some places are not.

Keenness, accuracy and speed need uniformity. NGOs in Kakuma and I believe elsewhere employ clerks based on these factors. Those who type without looking onto the keyboard but onto the monitor are the experts, leave alone how many errors they make. Once in this institutions, one is eager to work free from threats; for machines belong to the organization, thus ample time to do office work as you please.
Acceptable words in English intended not to be used still sneak into documents. Polishing is needed as well-a key to successful delivery of information.

Errors belittle writers and entirely keyboarders. Keyboarding is taught in various institutions as a programme opened on the computer. It’s called Mavis tutor/beacon. This directs learners on what and how to type. It gives exams, awards marks and sometimes print out certificates for the learners. Readers who need polished work too mistake. It’s a two-way critique.
What matters is:

Is the intended message delivered?

By Nyak Simon, Thor Dak and Sabbath De Yecouba

As the polling dragged this morning, at eight o’clock, amazement overrode southern Sudan refugees to march and run into the polling center, former Rajaf Primary School.

This delight was a reminder of the last civil war which had lost lives of Southerners. Some military drilled with woods or metals and sang military songs. “We don’t need results, we’re independent today,” said Peter in this group of delighted women, disables and young people celebrating referendum day before the results. Peter from Nairobi called on phone saying,”Let them cast votes first and celebrate later.” These two groups carried the flag of Southern Sudan and the cross which they said led them during the civil war.

This made the center unstable and the hands of influencers were felt. These were reported as men and a lady from an anonymous Southern Sudanese community. According to the report from the voters, men were seated in the queue neither moving forward to vote nor leaving. They influenced the people outside to vote for unity using their mother tongue and Arabic not understood by some Sudanese. The lady in the room influenced people from her tribe to cast votes of unity as well. She was said to be in a red T-shirt. Young men began opening windows and one of them said,”My dear friend, we don’t need unity.” Not only him, but others were eager to see and torture her.

Eventually, Mr. Manyok, in-charge of the center, classified this as an allegation yet others were insisting he was depending his staffs. “If it was perfect, I could have reported as a person in-charge,” he said.

This however didn’t affect willingness to vote. Sooner as the second group flagged in, Elizabeth said,”We need to vote for independence. I believe in God to bring peace.” Most of the voters were yearning,”Close that of unity.” This was not to confuse them vote for unity because the box had two different openings; one for unity and the other for separation. Aged, disables and some recognized personnel’s were directly taken into the voting room.

Aged are willing to vote for freedom of their children, grand children and grand-grand children.

Civic educators are restless, encouraging people to vote. Most of the voters put ahead God to decide for what’s good for them casting their votes. “Be calm and vote. A citizen should do the best for their nation,” shouted Victoria, in Clinic-two, the next referendum center.

The center in clinic two is much organized. Augustino Loro, the head of that center assured the RRN Journalists to have collected information if they had permits or Identity cards showing their working with the NGOs. “Go and contact SSRC representatives in Nairobi by mail or the organization you are working with to give you either a permit or an Identity document,” he urged.

There is not much to say about the first day even though challenges emerged. Security is tight. They check people entering into the polling centres. Only those with voting cards are free to move in and out to vote. Different observers were available including various media groups.

The message still goes to the people to vote first and celebrate later.

Overconfidence is another enemy.

Better those who danced and sang after casting their votes successfully.
 

Copyright 2011 Jessica Keralis

Add Laurent Gbagbo to a long list of heads of state who do not understand the concept of losing gracefully.

On November 28, 2010, opposition leader and former Ivorian prime minister Alassane Ouattara was declared the winner in a run-off election against incumbent president Laurent Gbagbo. Despite several incidents of violence, the election was largely considered to be free and fair. The UN’s Independent Electoral Commission announced Ouattara as the winner on December 2, but unfortunately, this was not good enough for Gbagbo. Immediately after the Commission’s announcement, Paul Yao N’Dre, the president of the country’s Constitutional Council (and an ally of Gbagbo), declared the results invalid and, the next day, proclaimed Gbagbo to be the winner of the election. The Council threw out half a million votes from seven regions in the north (Ouattara’s support base), stating that “[t]he irregularities are of such a nature that they invalidate the vote.” The result is, as usual, chaos: both Gbagbo and Ouattara have declared themselves president and taken the oath of office. The military has closed the borders and implemented an overnight curfew; international news sources are suspended. Although the UN, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the U.S., and France have all recognized Ouattara as the winner, Gbagbo insists that he won and proclaims that he is “not looking to be loved by them.” He retains control of the country’s military, and the golden rule of international politics is (as we all know) whoever has the guns makes the rules. Gbagbo has also demanded that the UN peacekeeping force, which is guarding Ouattara and his newly-appointed cabinet in a hotel in Abidjan, leave the country. Youssoufou Bamba, Ouattara’s appointed UN envoy, has appealed to the UN to take action, warning that Côte d’Ivoire is “on the brink of genocide.”

As the pressure, and violence, escalates, Ivorians are leaving the country in droves. As 2010 came to a close, over 18,000 refugees had fled to neighboring Liberia, Guinea, and Ghana. UNHCR estimates that 400-500 Ivorians cross the border into Liberia every day; 55% are women, and 62% are children. Families have reported walking several hours, even days, through the bush to get to barges that will take them to neighboring countries. No political alliance predominates: the group contains both Gbagbo’s and Ouattara’s supporters, who have said that they are seeking asylum due to fear of another civil war. Many refugees show up injured, malnourished, or ill with conditions such as malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhea. Some have even reported being prevented from leaving the country by armed forces and having to travel extra distance to cross the border. UNHCR has spent $53 million to position aid and emergency services to assist up to 30,000 refugees, but they are struggling to deal with the influx of the displaced. Some houses have up to 20 family members crammed into one room. Others sleep in corridors, on verandas, or just outside.

Unfortunately, this kind of election fall-out is par for the course in Africa (and elsewhere); the world saw the same story in Zimbabwe and Kenya. What is different this time, however, is the response: African voices, in addition to international ones, are calling for Gbagbo to step down. ECOWAS has been attempting to negotiate a transfer of power. They have offered Gbagbo amnesty if he steps down, but if he does not, they will oust him by force. The outcome of this standoff will have significant implications for the future of African politics: if ECOWAS follows through and makes Gbagbo face the music, other leaders may think twice about ignoring election results. If they back down, however, and broker some kind of power-sharing agreement (à la Zimbabwe), then it will only reinforce the standard protocol of ignoring election results if you control the military. In addition to the political statement it will make, the ultimate result of the Ivorian election will determine the fate of a ballooning population of refugees whose memories of the country’s last civil war are all too fresh.

An anonymous lad has detested referendum to reserve a position in the heavenly kingdom. Inflated with fear he based his argument on two scriptures; Jeremiah 10:23 and Daniel 2:44 in the Bible.
“In Jeremiah, it’s stated that man has no right to direct his steps,” he explained. “Divine leadership’ll crash an earthly one.”
In addition, Daniel has written God’d set a kingdom which will overshadow the existing kingdom which he thought’d be Southern Sudanese’s in near future. For this he could not lose eternal life with this misconception.

He said he will not take side even after referendum. “Because of atrocities which perpetuate, why can’t they (Southern Sudanese) be a government?” he gave his opinion. His imagery’s that North and South are like water and oil which can’t mix freely. Not only him refused registration but also Anyuak and Nuer from Ethiopia.

In contact with Sudanese chairmen, Equatoria chairman interrogated. “Why do you investigate me like that?” he muffled on phone. “Come to my home, we talk it over secretly. Keep it in pocket brother,” he repeated severally. Minority like Anyuak has a single choice. “My people’re registered all because they need freedom,” boasted Ogwang, Anyuak’s chairman in Kakuma.

As viewed, repatriation’s likely to be declared if referendum favours Southern Sudanese in any way. Exhibition day’s scheduled for sixth January, 2011 and referendum a week and a day away. Here the dilemma is whether the vote of a person who dies before January ninth will be cast or not!
Lam of South Sudan Referendum Commission(SSRC) in Nairobi came with a round off answer. “Of course the name,” he answered to, if they can identify the card of a deceased.

For sure, is Southern Sudan good to support weak people supported by UNHCR?

Awan who’s a Dinka chairman who recently came from Sudan said no!
“In Sudan many people passed away due to lack of medical facilities as well as lack of knowledge to care for the aged,” he evidenced. “Children who were schooling in Kakuma after repatriation died, others became conductors to call passengers into vehicles all below eighteen years.” This leader, advanced that Southern Sudanese anticipated government’s support, they didn’t get back home. Once these people’re taken back suffering reiterates.

These’ve orphans, widows and widowers too who are savages. Their last job of cultivation’s neither commercial nor subsistence nowadays. In Southern Sudan currently one can’t harvest three sacks of their land’s bearings unlike previous years when they filled granaries. Surety’s their constant infiltration into refugee camps in spite of any outcome of referendum. A friend in Southern Sudan told me on the facebook chatting,”Life’s half good here. It’s just how the day presents itself.”
This may perpetuate no wonder what a long wait! Even God created the world in days not a day-with time, it gets fine.

Nhial-Nuer’s chairman too assured me that they will manage to let the ongoing ration cards verification continue as not affected by referendum. The like of some Southern Sudanese is that it’s better others have refused registration in lieu of casting votes of greed to overshadow theirs. Nhial and Awan’ll be available in referendum centers instructing people to vote not for a specific choice.

The security outside UNHCR’s compound-2 joked that they wanted an email from me to contact Dr. Qassim. “Do you know Dr. Qassim’s the head of sub-office? It takes steps to get him,” joked a guard. “Better you’re big, but a small person like you?”
“An ordinary person like me,” said another from the General Service Unit(GSU). Unfortunately the phone call was unanswered so I took back a message that all had gone on holidays and never returned yet.

Frankly I can’t tell the number of voters in Kakuma Refugee Camp.
We should keep on asking:
Will Southern Sudanese without bias engulf their dream?

Last night at one o’clock were gun shots in group eleven, zone six in Kakuma refugee camp.
This was an attempt to vandalise a single shop located alongside the road opposite, Jebel Marra Primary School and the booth which provides water to zone six. This is an area occupied by somali new arrivals from Daadab.

These criminals came and broke the gate. Meanwhile the shop was fenced out. They were unable to break the next gate to get people to ask for money as their normal routine. In a while came an ambulence heading for the hospital which they targeted with bullets to return to town where it came. The thieves shot four bullets, luckily nobody was harmed as Shemal, a neighbour said. While they had not got anyone to threaten or shoot dead they made their way to their dwelling shooting two bullets again.

The nearest police didn’t go to rescue, located at Rajaf Primary School. The rest of the people were praying specially the sudanese churches till the gun shot was over. “Police from Kakuma 4 came,” said Shemal. “This police here is not police.” These Somali men claimed that these people had been buying and inspecting the shop. Only shops located in Oromo community and Ethiopian community in zone five are safer. These shops were fenced at the time when shooting at night was on daily basis. Besides, they are populated thus the few bullets believed to be in their guns (criminals) eventually gets finished and they are caught. None of them was identified.

Refugee communities always device a mechanism of defense by throwing stones or holding spears or swords. Whoever comes to your home shooting is a murderer. Before you are killed you have to protect yourself. These somali told me that they protected themselves and that’s why the thieves were unable to take anything. Whichever means they used, they didn’t tell.

Kakuma in history had had these night attacks on Christmas day which led to lost of many lives. Three quarters of the graves you will find at the cemetry are from these attacks. Only a few can survive their bullets. In 2004, was a moment of dislocation of Sudanese by the nationals who claimed their wife and man were killed in Kakuma two phase two. These were said to have been thrown into the pit. Actually, it was believed that they were caught at night trying to vandalise a certain home.

In 2008, when Sudanese were repatriated, the crime rate was high. Fences were made to prevent them. They came up with camels skin. The skin helped them pass over the mbegu thorns(fence) to kidnap whatever they needed. The defense mechanism was also there using spears which scared them. Each an every community in the camp planned to buy whistles agreed by community and group leaders. When they attacked a family, they had to blow whistle to let the rest know. That made it easier to get the communities protected and security too was tight. Only a few communities still have this defense mechanism.

The current Somali who were relocated to Kakuma from Daadab are these suffering these hardship they claimed to be the reason for their relocation. These attacks did and most of them still occur in December though the rest of the months can have. 

This morning, this Somali family had began to close the gate enclosing the shop.
This issue in spite of security persist. I never know when it ends.

Copyright 2010 Jessica Keralis

In Iraq, the media focuses primarily on sectarian violence between the two major sects of Islam, the Sunni and the Shi’a. The country’s political life (and strife) is defined by relations between the Sunni and Shiite political parties. With Muslims comprising 97% of the population, it is easy to overlook the country’s tiny Christian minority. Unfortunately, it is precisely this disregard that makes them an easy target for extremists – which is why they are fleeing in droves.

Iraqi Christians have been leaving in a steady exodus after the October 31 attack on the Our Lady of Salvation cathedral in Bagdad. A group of Sunni insurgents stormed the cathedral during Mass, taking the church’s construction and cleaning crew and 100 worshippers hostage. After a four-hour stand-off with Iraqi defense forces, 58 victims were killed, including two priests. It was the second time the cathedral had been targeted.

No single population has been spared by the violence in post-war Iraq: thousands of Sunni and Shiite Arabs have been killed alongside Christians and Kurds. However, minority groups, including Christians, have been explicitly targeted by insurgents and have been driven out in disproportionate numbers: despite making up only 3% of the country’s pre-invasion population, they comprise 40% of the country’s refugees. More than half of them have already left Iraq, despite pleas from Christian leaders to stay. Compounding the problem is the government’s inability to protect them – or perhaps its apathy. While Christians and other minority groups are protected on paper, the legal protections in the constitution have done little to stop violence or discrimination against them. Christians have a grand total of 5 seats (and almost no political influence) in the new 325-seat parliament. And with the political stand-off that has left the country with no effective government for most of 2010, they have simply slipped through the cracks. Even worse is the fact that Iraqi refugees continue to be forcibly repatriated, despite the obvious danger and repeated insistence by UNHCR that they not be made to return to the most dangerous parts of the country.

The Kurdish Regional Government has offered safe haven to Christian refugees, providing assistance with housing and jobs. Those that can afford it have fled to this semi-autonomous region in northern Iraq; some have moved in with relatives. Still others hide in monasteries and churches. After each wave of attacks, fewer and fewer return to their homes and jobs. “I expect that a month from now not a single Christian will be left in Mosul,” said Nelson P. Khoshaba, an engineer who works for the city.

The conference hosted by Kwani trust which began last Sunday, the twelfth of December at Kifaru garden ended yesterday, the Seventeen of December, in Nairobi, Kenya. Kwani trust got the prince Claus award for their work of bringing up teenagers who spearhead writing as their profession. Prof. Ngugi wa Thiong’o got homage too with celebrity.

From the conference the following deductions are evident:

“Publishing house is not Magical. Anybody who needs assistance as a writer can deliver their manuscript despite their social backgrounds,” a publisher encouraged writers.

“Funding is the major setback to publishing of new books,” deduced from speeches delivered by various writers at the conference.

“Writers give their manuscripts and need to get it published tomorrow. It’s a process, they should wait,” partly quoted as a complaint from a publisher.

“There’s no school of writing, is it there?” withdrawn from an answer to the question of qualification in writing by a famous female writer.

“Writers begin writing if something burns from within them and need to express it,” taken from various speeches given by successful writers.

“Curiosity makes good writers,” shone in the words of successful writers and the olden ones.

“Current Kenya is better then the olden Kenya of neocolonialism and Mau Mau,” evidenced in the stories of struggle by writers. “If these refugees are here, then Kenya is now Kenya,” said a female writer in her speech on the first day of the conference.

“I came to learn my father being a writer after reading ‘The grain of wheat.’ I got used to how to write. “When I read ‘The River between’ I became an expert,” said an essayist, a journalist and an author.

I call it grace if the successful can look back to training teenagers who need writing. Kwani trust continues with its work. Wish this becomes the tradition of all journals and publishers world wide. It makes it easier for the young writers to learn and succeed in the battle.
Kwani trust holds an open Mic where they welcome poets and word spoken artists every Tuesday each month in Nairobi at club soundd on Kaunda street from 7-9 pm. The rest of the evening becomes open to anyone. Sign ups happen from5-7 pm.
There is a great welcome, yonder.

Kwani trust, Kenya hosting the festival to mirror aspects of African writing and literary life between successive literary generations shot the start yesterday.  The festival commenced at two o’clock and ended at eight of the night at Kifaru gardens. Writers among which were Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Micere Mugo and international writers who turned up for the workshop were conversing. This conference is intended to sharpen the wit of up and coming writers.

In the conversation between Marjorie Oludhe Macgoye, Micere Mugo and Wambui Mwangi, a newspaper writer, Tony criticized. “Why are these women telling us boring stories?” he asked. Wambui Mwangi asked why he said so yet his explanations were nagging. As Wambui Mwangi responded, she said clearly that it might be that to him yet another person may enjoy the whole work of art. Obviously, literary appreciation varies from one reader to the other. It’s that hard to make a art piece interesting from the first end to the other. Marjorie also put that selecting of an art work has some points which may make an art work to be left out, not being considered for publication.

The opening was inspiring. Conversations, performance, poetry reading and the music were convincing. Writers who attended must have carried slices of these talents home. As the writers olden, they have the heart of letting teenagers who are interested in writing know how to make it. They are ready to tell what made them good writers. This makes the cycle interesting.
Not only these writers mentioned but many more are present with their new books being sold currently. Like Mukoma Wa Ngugi, Thiong’o’s son and others.
To let you know more there exist a writer too who was a drop out primary School girl who underwent hardship and finally through Kwani Trust became a writer.
This means that practice is the biggest issue to make one a writers, not the level of education. In attendance was a Refugee Journalist from a Refugee camp.
From Yesterday on, the workshop continues…………………………………
 

“Living without a friend is useless”. This expression can take its meaning being a paradox. It’s a hard nut to chew when picking best friends. Beauty, skin color, origin, teeth, dressing and smile can’t determine the choice of a best friend. This outward ness may develop thorns to fringe you later. I don’t suppose it’s that easy as it’s not easy to study life of an individual in a day.

But who’s a best friend?

To sharpen understanding, they are not them who rush to conclusion of annoying you sooner. Even not them, who help if you’re in need, are best friends. This is because some people befriend you to be praised, spoil you or expose secrets about you. Some people who give with ease gossip with ease. Luck remains for in spite of these problems a gut friend’s got in a day.

What to keep in mind is, if poor, you can’t deny it unless ridiculed. Knowing of this fact can open ways of success rather than pretending. You’ll pretend until you discover you’ve not climbed any ladder. Friend can be assisted as well. Never be thinking your friend’s whom you defend on. Friendship should be mutual. If you’ve yours, you can share to polish life. With gorgeous things, chased after you by force, know that sorrow chases after them as well. Accept presents from people you didn’t know who have let you know what they are up to and who they are or need to be to you.

Once a present’s given by a pretending friend, hatred shows on the face suddenly. This makes you distinguish a hearty gift from a worse one.

Akinda changeable relationship too exists. Here, friendship takes a short length of time. These kinds of friends like new things. If they find new friends, it’s their need. They keep changing from one friend to the other till their world ends not knowing what exactly a friend is. Don’t waste time with them. They disclose secrets, therefore, not well for your health.

Love making too is dangerous geared by jealousy and may wreak havoc. Not all relationships between different gender parties lead to marriage. In my culture, a bride’s boyfriend can be paid a dowry like her brother when she’s married elsewhere. This doesn’t show my culture is the best. A contrast is that forced marriage’s a stuff of my culture. No child is required to disobey parents for it becomes disgrace to the family. The hardest is to get a true Dinka married to a foreigner. Many cultures are alike, others are parallel. One can stick to their culture where it demands to save you.

I was once traveling to South Sudan from Kakuma Refugee Camp. On my arrival, in Lokichoggio, there were no vehicles. The only lorry we got could not make it because it was rushing to evening and in South Sudan, no travels were expected at night. This was my first time to go to Sudan after completing my Secondary Education. I had no place to sleep. In hand I had a friend whom I met when I came to Kakuma from Eldoret, two days before this Journey. “Abraham, where do you spend night?” he asked.

“I don’t know any place,” I replied. This friend took me to his friends where we spent night and proceeded with the journey the following day. Do you need a friend as such?

It looks like it has God’s control. Even when you pronounce the words, “My friend” to describe your various friends, the accent differs. While greeting, a hateful face can be seen not by you. You hug keeping a foe in your arms. A few days back I was cheated to pay a clearance fee in order to receive my compensated fund. I ended up at a loss. If you were, what would you have done? I think it’s frustration. I think about why people think of putting me in problems. If I go wrong, I don’t forget to apologize. While young, if I got something belonging to someone, I had to give it to them. I have developed this way. To let you know, if I forget to give back what’s not mine, it destroys what’s mine. This shows that criminal acts are God forbid. Out there you have many enemies around you, look out! I was cheated with photographs of western union, names, website and emails.

The aftermath of any criminal act means a bullet in the head. You won’t like it.

Dear friends, have a secured life. Neither go for fraud nor enter their traps. Investigate well how you won. Delay the word, “Friend”, it can create friendship. Control your like of what belongs to other people. Don’t be ridden into misdeeds of crimes-drugs and drunkenness. Choose, a mindful personality, whose accent’s yours and hates are yours too. Befriend after a long and successful study. If relatives are harsh, friends are helpful not negligent. This explains why many people live with friends across the globe. Choose them wisely, who keep you in mood.