Pledging pupils in South Africa

The Education Minister of South Africa, Naledi Pandor, has unveiled plans for a pledge to be recited by school children across the nation every morning. Pandor has stated that she's confident that no parents will object to this proposal that is "intended to internalise those values we as South Africans have thought to be important".

The idea does have its backers, including the National Association of School Governing Bodies, the opposition Democratic Alliance and the Afrikaans teaching union Suid-Afrikaanse Onderwysersunie to name a few. However, others in the media circle are less eager to embrace this pledge that is being accused of introducing totalitarianism and making the large population of white children feel guilty about something that is not their fault. 

The oath reads as follows:

“We the youth of South Africa, recognising the injustices of our past, honour those who suffered and sacrificed for justice and freedom. We will respect and protect the dignity of each person, and stand up for justice. We sincerely declare that we shall uphold the rights and values of our Constitution and promise to act in accordance with the duties and responsibilities that flow from these rights.”

Is this a guilt trip or a good idea? 

Aljazeera wants your views

Turban Obama

"A shameful and offensive fear-mongering" is the statement that the official Barak Obama camp proclaimed yesterday on the distribution of a photo of Presidential candidate Barak Obama dressed like a Somali elder in a turban. The photo, taken in 2006 during a visit to Kenya, is speculated to have been released by Hillary Clinton supporters and according to Obama's campaign manager David Plouffe "This is part of a disturbing pattern", alluding to a previous controversy in which a couple of Mrs Clinton's volunteers had been dismissed for forwarding an e-mail falsely stating that Mr Obama is a Muslim. The Clinton camp quickly denied knowing of the photo's existence by saying that it is a “transparent attempt to distract from the serious issues confronting our country”. 

Clinton is currently leading in the polls in Ohio but needs to win the March 4 primaries to slow Obama's  11 straight wins.

"Oxfamming the whole black world"

A witty and satirical article on Neo-colonialism in Africa and its effect on the African identity, written by the equally as witty Kenyan author Binyavanga Wainaina, a columnist for the South African Mail & Guardian and author of 'How To Write About Africa'. 

Here is a small excerpt:

"Would you like an Oxfam biscuit? Can we fly 103 of you to France to be loved? We can breastfeed you. We can save you from yourself. We can save ourselves from our terrible selves. Help us to Oxfam the whole black world, to make it a better place. We will shut all your industries and build our organic Jeffery Sachs-designed school inside your national parks, where you can commune with nature, grow ecologically friendly crops, trade fairly with eco-tourists and receive visitors from the United Nations every month who will clap when you dance. Instead of sweatshops, we will have Ubuntu shops where you can arrive in biodegradable loincloths to make bone jewellery for caring people who earn $1million a year, live in San Francisco or Cape Town and feel bad about this. In our future world you will have three balanced meals a day. Trust us. You can’t do it yourselves. We have dedicated our lives to you. Come kitties, come to mummy".

Help Fouad

Fouad, who was jailed awaiting trail for creating a fake facebook profile of a Moroccan prince, has been sentenced to three years in jail. His family sent a letter to the prince requesting clemency:

Fouad Mourtada, like thousands of people who create fake profiles of well-known personalities or celebrities on Facebook, has in no way acted in a willingness to cause nuisance to Your Highness, for whom he has always shown the greatest of respect

Help Fouad was launched, a website to help free Fouad. Moroccan bloggers also stopped blogging for 24 hours. His family also say that he was beaten unconscious at the time of his arrest.

This is just insane.

Fighting off pirates with noise

American army used noise to repel pirates off the coast of Somalia:

America’s armed forces are also accused of using loud rap music and television theme tunes to disorient and disturb prisoners both in Iraq and Gunatanamo Bay. Another technique is to impose absolute silence as part of a sensory-deprivation programme. And both American and Israeli armies and some less scrupulous police forces around the world are said to have used a sonic tool, the “long range acoustic device”. It emits unpleasant high-pitched wails that are intended to disperse crowds. In 2005 a cruise ship even reported its use to repel pirates off the coast of Somalia. But the effectiveness of the device is subject to much dispute.

Is that all what it takes!.

Kosovo declares independence

Kosovo has declared independence from Serbia. The long wait is over. It's a great moment, how often do you see a new country born, and what if it's a predominantly Muslim country in the heart of Europe?

EU and US recognition is expected to come tomorrow, together with many Muslim countries. Russia and Serbia have made it clear that, though unable to stop Kosovo from becoming independent, they'll make it painful for the kosovars.

Jailed for a fake Facebook profile

Fouad Mourtada was arrested in Casablanca for "villainous practices", for creating a facebook profile for Prince Moulay Rachid, the younger brother of the Moroccan King. Needless to say, this is the first such case anywhere. It must be devastating for something as simple and innocent as creating a fake Facebook profile. His family, interviewed on BBC Arabic, say that Fouad created the profile to impress the opposite sex, and has not sent or received any messages on the account.

Fouad is currently awaiting trial, and he could be facing anywhere between eight months or five years in jail: for a fake facebook profile!

The Moroccan government exercises heavy censorship on the media, specially when it comes to news about the royal family, but they've generally adopted a handsoff approach to bloggers and social networks; this latest incident signals a change.

Chad Update: Gov. wins the battle for N'Djamena

The government is in full control of the capital N'Djamena, after the army successfully thwarted rebel attacks. The president who remained in the presidential palace, and refused French offers to escape the country, spoke to the reporters, and as expected, lay blame wholly on Sudan. The two countries have been exchanging accusations of the supporting each others' rebels.

Haru Mutasa, Aljazeera English reporter, was one of the few journalists to stay in the N'Djamena throughout the rebel onslaught. Here's her latest report.

Chad update - Day 4 & 5

The government is in control of the capital N'Djamena for the moment. The rebels are saying they'll return. But the most development has been in the French position: it seems they've made their minds up in supporting president Idris Deby, though few days ago they seemed to be waiting to see who will win. The UN resolution calling on members of the Security Council to lend support to the Chadian president raised the prospect of French intervention. The French defense minister said that their helicopters have been monitoring the Chadian-Sudanese border to expose any foreign intervention.

Thousands of Chadians have crossed over to Cameron, and hundreds of civilians are reported dead or injured. You can watch the latest here.

Interview with Barak Obama's grandmother

Aljazeera Arabic interviewed Barak Obama's grandmother. Check out the interview below (in Arabic):

Luxury Mud Hut is the new Green

It’s no news that a large percentage of rural Africa has used mud as the foundation material in housing for centuries and whilst this is often associated with humble and simple housing structures, Englishman Simric Yarrow is currently building his own version in suburban Muizenberg in Cape Town, South Africa - a 1 million Rand (just under $135,000 USD) budget cot, claimed to be the first in the country. 

With up to 4 bedrooms, 2 lounges, 2 shower rooms and a garage amongst other things, this is by no means the traditional African home made out of mud but it’s promised to be run by solar power and use recycled water etc. This otherwise inexpensive and environmentally friendly mode of house building is not used to solve South Africa’s housing crisis due to the negative and misinformed view of these homes, as ‘mud huts’, being viewed as old fashioned and backwards. 

Yarrow, who works for an NGO in South Africa says: “What we've tried to do with this house is show something people can aspire to – seeing mud as chic. I didn't understand why people were continuing to build houses with bricks and cement when the resources are here and the climate is right to build it this way, which is much cheaper and more environmentally friendly.”

Chad Update - Day 3: fighting resumes in N'Djamena

Fighting resumed in the capital N'Djamena for the third day. Earlier the government claimed to have pushed the rebels back (rebels say they've retreated from the capital to allow the civilians to leave). Aid workers say bodies litter the streets.

Chad Update - Day 2: rebels pull back from the capital city

Rebels pulled back from the city saying that they want to give foreigners time to leave the city before waging another assault but the government claims they've pushed back the rebels.

Chad Update 04:00pm (N'Djamena time)

Eyewitness reports that the rebels have been pushed back, the sound of gunfire has been moving away from the presidential palace, and the meridian hotel where many expats and Chadians are sheltering. There were also reports of French helicopters flying over the presidential palace, together with Chadian helicopters. The president earlier refused a French offer to take him out of the capital.

Update: BBC is reporting that French troops have take some of their combat planes out of the country, which explains the French helicopters seen flying over N'Djamena.

Chad Update 11:30 (N'Djamena time)

There are reports the French have offered the president to take him out of the country but he refused. He remains in the presidential palace. There is now fresh fighting in the capital despite a Libyan brokered ceasefire. There are also reports that governments are retreating, that's yet to be confirmed.

Chad: rebels storm the capital

The latest news from Chad confirms the rebels are in control of most of the capital and are surrounding the presidential palace. President, Idris Deby, is reported to be inside the palace, the rebels said earlier they will allow him to fly out of the country. Gunfire can be heard around the city, and so far there are no reports of civilian causalities.

There are about 1200 French troops in the city as well, so far not engaged in the fighting, they are protecting expats in different parts of the city including the Meridian hotel. Government officials, however, dispute these accounts and insist that their troops are in control. The airport, TV and radio have all been closed.

The rebels took off just five days ago from the East of the country, near the Sudanese borders. Chad and Sudan have been exchanging accusations that each is supporting the others' rebels. Chad supported and armed rebels in Darfur and so did Sudan with Chadian rebels. In 2006, the rebels reached the outskirts of the capital N'Djamena but they were pushed back with the help of the French troops. There is no doubt that Sudan will be delighted with a change of leadership in Chad.

It also seems that the EU, and particularly France, sees president Idris Deby as a liability; he has presided over fraudulent elections and changed the constitution so he can have a third term. His ongoing rivalry with the Sudanese government is also making the deployment of UN troops in Eastern Chad and Darfur much more difficult.

The African Union, already overloaded with the crisis in Kenya, Darfur and Somalia, has said that Chad will be suspended from the organization if president Deby is deposed and "until normalcy and democratic rule is restored in that country".

Aljazeera's Haru Mutasa is one of the few reporters in N'Djamena. Check out her latest report and Aljazeera exclusive pictures below:

A good question

On Behind the News program, in Aljazeera Arabic, a representative of Chadian rebels, who are now in control of most of the capital, was asked about French reaction to their advance. He said that France realizes that the Chadian society desires change and no longer wants president Deby ...., at which point the presenter interrupted to ask him: "Since when did France care about what societies want".

An excellent question.

Al-Qaradawi debate, again

Some in the British parliament are calling for Sheikh Qaradawi to be banned from coming to England for medical treatement, on the basis that he's inciting hatred against Jews and homosexuals. Of course, the fact that he's a Muslim is the real reason:

Should he be banned from coming here for inciting hatred? There are two elements to this too. What's the objective evidence? And is it applied consistently or only to Muslim preachers?

The law seems pretty unambiguous on the first issue. A few years ago the Board of Deputies of British Jews compiled and presented a dossier to the Met police, who handed it to the CPS. Within two days they concluded the evidence was insufficient to charge him. Say what you want about the police and CPS, but you can hardly accuse them of appeasing British Muslims given Forest Gate, 28/42/90 days and Jean Charles De Menzes. Legally then, al-Qaradawi is not inciting hatred. And that's the measure we value, otherwise we'd be locking up the BNP for general nastiness too, right?

My issue is applying these standards consistently. The same baying mob that was saying "So fucking what?" when British Muslims said they were offended by the Danish cartoons are now falling over themselves to declare they're being offended by this preacher and therefore he shouldn't be allowed in. It's that stinking smell of hypocrisy again.