FOREIGN PRESS CENTER ROUNDTABLE WITH DR. REUBEN BRIGETY II, DEPUTY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE BUREAU OF POPULATION, REFUGEES, AND MIGRATION

THE WASHINGTON FOREIGN PRESS CENTER, WASHINGTON, D.C.

WEDNESDAY, JULY 14, 2010, 10:30 A.M. EDT

DR. BRIGETY: Great. Well, again, thank you very much for coming this morning. As mentioned, my name is Reuben Brigety. I’m the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State in the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration, which is the bureau in the State Department which manages all the U.S. Government’s assistance to displaced people around the world, but more broadly acts as the principal humanitarian policy advisor to the Secretary of State. There are three deputy assistant secretaries in our bureau. Each of us has a regional portfolio in addition to several functional portfolios. My regional portfolio is Africa, so I’m responsible for all USG assistance to refugees and IDPs and other people of concern on the continent, which, as we view it, encompasses some 11 million people, about 2 million refugees, about 9 million IDPs and other people of concern. And the U.S. Government does about $350 million worth of assistance to these people in Africa every year. That number varies a little bit, but it’s basically in that neighborhood.

I am reasonably new to the Department. As a political appointee, having started in December, I have – for the first three months of my tenure I was working on Haiti issues because Haiti was an all-hands evolution for the Department so I got to do something with that, and then back on my brief full-time since mid March.

But what I would like to do is talk to you a little bit about today of my most recent visits and the issues that we are facing in support of refugees and IDPs and humanitarian protection generally. In March, I was in Kenya and Djibouti examining the quite profound refugee crisis that has originated in Somalia. As you all know, there are at least 270,000 refugees that are in camps in northeastern Kenya, arguably as many as 100,000 or so urban refugees based mostly in Nairobi, some in Mombasa. The camp populations, particularly at Dadaab refugee camp, increase about 5,000 a month.

We remain increasingly concerned about the humanitarian situation inside south central Somalia, it’s an impact on the region, principally in our partners in Kenya and Djibouti, Ethiopia as well. Obviously, we share very much the Kenyan Government’s concern about the potential destabilizing effect of the increase in these populations, and yet we also remain incredibly grateful for the strong host the Kenyan Government has been towards refugees generally.

In April, I was able to go to Algeria as part of a international multi-donor mission to examine the Sahrawi refugee populations in the Tindouf refugee camps in western Algeria. The precise number of refugees in those camps has not been determined because those numbers are very sensitive politically* for a variety of reasons, but we do know that the Sahrawi refugees have been in those camps for some 34 years. The political circumstances that have led – not only led to the displacement but indeed perpetuate the displacement are essentially frozen at the moment and have been for several years with some dispute between the Moroccans on the one side and the Polisario Front on the other with regard to the implementation of the 1991 UN Security Council resolution that is to call for a referendum to determine the final status of the western Sahara territory and has yet to be established.

The U.S. Government is the largest single donor in support of the Sahrawi refugee population there. Not only we provide them with general humanitarian support, but we are also very supportive of the confidence-building measures that are designed to reunite Sahrawi families that are in the camps with those families and remain behind in the territories of the western Sahara.

Just two weeks ago, I returned from a two-week trip to Democratic Republic of the Congo and Rwanda to examine the displacement population situation there. I was in the DRC just shortly before the independence celebration, so I also had the great pleasure of being in DRC during the celebration of World Refugee Day, and as part of those celebrations UNHCR organized an 8-kilometer walk through downtown Kinshasa of about 200 people that was I was very pleased to be able to participate in.

After meetings in Kinshasa with the special representative of the secretary general, UNHCR, and others, I flew to Goma and spent several days in the eastern part of the country where violence continues in north Kivu and south Kivu, leading to an internally displaced population of almost 2 million people. In particular, the incidence of sexual and gender-based violence in eastern DRC is profound. Congo, as you know, is informally referred to as the rape capital of the world, given the significant sexual violence that continues to be perpetrated against women. We know that close to half of those rapes are conducted by the Congolese military itself, the FARDC. Close to half is also conducted by the FDLR, another major rebel group, the remaining 10 percent or so by various other armed groups.

Sexual and gender-based violence is a particular priority for this Secretary of State, Secretary Clinton having visited eastern DRC herself in August 2009. Part of my visit was not only to continue to highlight the issue, but indeed to continue to engage with our partners on the ground to determine what more we could do to help improve civilian protection in eastern DRC.

Following my trip to the Congo, I drove over the border and spent a couple of days in Rwanda as well. There are some 53,000 or so Congolese refugees inside Rwanda. UNHCR, the Government of Rwanda, and the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo have signed a tripartite agreement to begin to facilitate the return of those Congolese refugees, mostly Tutsi in origin, back to the Congo. Those camps in Rwanda have been in existence for about five to seven years, some longer than others. There are three different camps. I was able to visit the Nyabiheke camp, which has about 14,000 people, although it was originally designed for 4,000.

So in summary, I say those things just to let you know what I – about my most recent travels. As I say, I’m responsible for all our refugee situations across the continent in conjunction with not only our Africa office in PRM that I supervise but indeed with our refugee coordinators and with the great support of our various embassies across the continent, as well as in partnership, obviously, with our host governments.

At PRM, we are dedicated to basically doing two (inaudible) things. One is to continue to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to those people that need it, and the other is to continue to work politically for those durable solutions which allow those refugees either to return home or to be resettled within a third country or indeed be integrated locally in their host country so that they can begin normal lives. These are profound challenges in most places we work. We know that by technical definition, protracted refugee situations – or PRS – are situations in which people have been in displacement for five years or more. Virtually all of the refugee situations on the continent of Africa are protracted refugee situations, and they are protracted because one of those three permanent solutions – either resettlement, local integration, or repatriation to home countries – proves politically very difficult to achieve.

So part of what we do, as I mentioned, is to continue to engage in humanitarian diplomacy as a means of achieving permanent solutions for these people that are displaced and in desperate need of (inaudible).

So that is my basic summary, and with that I’d be more than happy to take your questions.

QUESTION: Regarding the Sahrawi refugees, what were the discussions you had with the Algerians or with the Sahrawi authorities?

DR. BRIGETY: Sure. I did not have any discussions with Algerian authorities there. We had multiple discussions with Sahrawi authorities in the camps. The Polisario Front, as you know, feels very strongly that – well, let me take a step back. I mentioned to you of the three durable solutions that are available to refugee populations: resettlement to a third country, integrating locally in the host country, or being repatriated to their country of origin.

The Polisario Front insists that the only option that is amenable to them is the repatriation to their home country, what they consider to be their home country, in the Western Sahara under the flag of the free Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic. In order – if that were to happen, there clearly would have to be an agreement between the Government of Morocco and the Polisario Front to initiate the referendum that is called for in the 1991 UN Security Council resolution. That – so the fact that both parties cannot agree on the terms and the timing of that referendum is the main obstacle which continues to perpetuate the displacement of the Polisario.

So our conversations basically revolved around two main themes: One, the insistence of the Polisario Front that they have been displaced for over 34 years, their desire for the international community to be supportive in finding a political solution. The second part of our conversation had to do with ways in which we could continue to be supportive of the immediate and near-term humanitarian needs of these people that are displaced, in part because the Polisario had always assumed that their displacement would be temporary. The humanitarian conditions in the camp were always approached from essentially a temporary sort of solution. So for example, things like water infrastructure in the camp was not sufficiently built up in a permanent way over time because they never thought that their displacement would be permanent, for example.

So – but it’s clear that the incredibly austere conditions in which they live requires improved investment in infrastructure like water, investments in improving the pipeline for food infrastructure and food distribution. And those are the sorts of things that were discussed not only with me, but indeed with the other governments that were represented in the donor mission. I should say that the government – our response to the entreaties on the part of the Polisario on the political side of the equation was that the Government of the United States continues to support the UN-led process, continued to support in a mutually agreed upon resolution of the problem. We remain prepared to continue to facilitate and support the work of the SRSG there. And we very, very much hope that a political solution is found so that both parties can be satisfied. And indeed, this – one of the longest humanitarian displacements in the world, indeed, can be brought to a close in reasonably short order.

QUESTION: You also mentioned earlier that the U.S. is the biggest donor to the refugees in the Sahara.

DR. BRIGETY: That’s correct.

QUESTION: I wonder how much is the contribution – are your contributions to the (inaudible)?

DR. BRIGETY: I don’t have that number in my head. I think it’s close to around $10 million. But we – but I have your details and we will get that information back to you before the end of the day.

QUESTION: Okay. Thank you.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes, sir.

QUESTION: Mine was basically mainly on Kenyan refugees because I – you said you (inaudible)?

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: And I’m sure you saw the deplorable condition that the refugees are living in.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: One of the most – the problem that these people are facing is overcrowding.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: And these numbers keep coming in all the days.

DR. BRIGETY: Right. Right.

QUESTION: I don’t know what your organization is doing mainly in conjunction with UNHCR. Are you working in any ways to expand the camps?

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: And also to be with – the problems that arise as – from overcrowding to do with –

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- medical services and (inaudible), lack of education in these camps.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: And on top of that, are you working with – in any way with the Kenyan Government?

DR. BRIGETY: Yes. Those are all excellent questions. I think you’re absolutely right to raise the question of overcrowding in the camps in Dadaab. As you may know, there are basically three camps in Dadaab: Dagahaley, Ifo, and Hagadera, I believe, is the third camp. We have – had been in discussions for many, many months with the Government of Kenya on the expansion of the Ifo camp as a means of improving – of reducing the overcrowding in the camps. Just after I returned from that trip – and I think it’s sort of a coincidental manner, in early April – the local authorities in Dadaab agreed to the distribution of additional land at the Ifo camp to create basically a second Ifo camp, which is meant to hold – I believe the number is up to 80,000 additional refugees. Not only – which would serve not only to sort of ease overcrowding in existing camps, but indeed to – obviously to serve as excess capacity to absorb more refugees across the border.

That had been a major part of our humanitarian diplomacy for many, many months. My boss, Eric Schwartz, was in Kenya toward the middle of last year and Under Secretary Maria Otero was there earlier this year advocating for that. So we’re very, very grateful for the Government of Kenya and for the local authorities especially in Dadaab supporting that.

UNHCR has put out an appeal of, I think, around $29 million. We can go ahead – we will sort of get the precise figures for you later today – to support the Ifo camp expansion and the other things like improving sort of water infrastructure and security, all the sorts of things that are necessary in order to provide for an additional camp. We will contribute close to $10 million as a government in support of that camp expansion. And we continue to remain ready to do so.

I did indeed speak with members of the Government of Kenya on various refugee-related issues in Nairobi. While I was there, I met with Minister Saitoti, the minister of interior while I was there, as well as the new minister for the – for immigration and refugee affairs. We agreed clearly of the need – of the potential security threat of this porous border with the inability to identify, in many cases, people that are coming and going across the border, unless indeed they actually come to the camps and remain to be registered.

As a part of that, we have continued to suggest to the Government of Kenya that they should reopen a screening center at Liboi, which they have agreed to do, indeed agreed to do, while I was there at part of their press conference. We have said that we are prepared to be supportive financially of the reopening of that screening center, although we’ve not had a specific – conversations about specific numbers, but as part of our overall partnership with the Government of Kenya, we will be reasonably prepared to do so.

Were those – was that all the questions you had initially or did I miss –

QUESTION: Yeah, pretty much. But are you aware that the Kenyan-Somalia border is closed?

DR. BRIGETY: Yes, yes.

QUESTION: And the rest – and the reasoning for Somalis to still come into Kenya because of the situation –

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- that is still volatile –

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- in Somalia? Were you in any discussion with the Kenyan Government on ways to maybe systematically open the borders and screen the refugees that –

DR. BRIGETY: Right. We were not in discussions with the Government of Kenya with regard to reopening the border because clearly, that is the sovereign prerogative of the Government of Kenya. The point we did make, though, is that even though the border was closed, as you mentioned, people continue to come. And as such, we suggested that it is important to be able to have some way of screening those people that continue to come despite the closure of the border.

As such, it is important to note that the outpost at Liboi, for example, that I mentioned, is not a reception center because the Government of Kenya is not formally receiving people across the border. It is indeed a screening center to identify those people that are coming, and therefore, also work in partnership with those people that have legitimate refugee claims and can make their way to the camps in Dadaab in order to receive the assistance they require as refugees under international refugee law.

MODERATOR: Any other questions?

DR. BRIGETY: Yes, please.

QUESTION: First of all, how would you – how would you look upon the pressure that piracy is placing on refugees in Somalia? And as an outcome of it, the (inaudible) of refugees in Kenya and also the problems in Uganda we had – you had with –

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- the effects of (inaudible).

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: And presence of Lord’s Resistance Army –

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: -- also in conjunction with (inaudible). And how much is tha, in the view of your policy towards aiding refugees? Because to my mind, that is a new point of tension which is building up in northern Uganda, and even expanding in the area northwest.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes, yes. Well, to take your points in turn, with regard to piracy and refugees, we do not see a clear link between the piracy issue on the one hand, and the refugee issue on the other, except that both of them are essentially either caused or facilitated by the same instability that is occurring in south central Somalia.

Obviously, the failure of a strong, centralized government – or a strong government, period – in south central Somalia creates the lawlessness in which the piracy problem can thrive. And also, the failure of a centralized government that can create and establish authority across south central Somalia, creates – helps to facilitate the fighting, which makes people seek refuge outside of Somalia, either in Kenya for the most part, which will also extend to Djibouti, and even in Ethiopia.

So in that regard, we remain deeply concerned about the fighting in south central Somalia, both for its own sake politically, militarily, but also for the law enforcement issue it creates with regard to piracy, and also for the spill on humanitarian effects that it causes.

With regard to the problem of Uganda, there have been reports that Al-Shabaab is responsible for the bombing in Kampala. They have – various Al-Shabaab groups have claimed responsibility for it. Clearly, this demonstrates the – or only goes to further highlight the challenge, the profound security challenge, that Al-Shabaab creates not only inside Somalia, but now potentially – it seems potentially in the region. And as such, certainly from our perspective as humanitarians, it’s a major problem that dramatically complicates our ability to provide humanitarian assistance to people that desperately need it inside south central Somalia.

On the Lord’s Resistance Army, it is clear that the LRA is a massive threat to civilians throughout that entire swath of territory. To a lesser extent than northern Uganda, because of the effectiveness of the Ugandan People’s Defense Force, but certainly to a very large extent in northeastern DRC, in parts of southern Sudan, and also in parts of the Central African Republic, increasingly.

As you may know, President Obama signed a piece of legislation into law the middle of last month requiring the State Department and even the entire U.S. Government to develop a strategy to counter the LRA, and to present that strategy to him no later than November. The Bureau for Population, Refugees, and Migration continues to be engaged with our other colleagues across the whole of the U.S. Government in the development of that strategy, principally, from our perspective, on ways in which civilian protection can be enhanced, even as other means are explored to address the threat that the LRA poses to civilians.

QUESTION: Which are the major values of providing aid to the refugees in that area, from your agency?

DR. BRIGETY: Sure. Well, we – the U.S. Government – and PRM, in particular – provides about $45 million of assistance to DRC in support of refugees and IDPs, generally. And the way in which we do our work is through – by funding major partners. So, for example, we provide a sizeable portion of that money to the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, and also the International Committee of the Red Cross, which are two of our major refugee partners in DRC. And that funding goes to support everything from gender-based violence sorts of activities, whether it’s listening to so-called listening houses, or maison d’ecoute, which are effectively kind of homes to provide psychosocial and other sorts of support to women who are raped, obviously support sort of traditional refugee activities through shelter, healthcare, water, food, et cetera.

But we are increasingly exploring other ways to support protection of civilians in that regard. We are working with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights to support so-called joint protection teams, which are teams of not only human rights activitists and lawyers and documenters, but teams that will work closely with – now MONUSCO, the UN peacekeeping operation, as a means of not only documenting human rights abuses, but also tracking them so that you can actually sort of have a very clear idea of – have a much clearer picture of where those abuses are being perpetrated.

We are exploring other means, for example, of – like, we just recently funded an action with UNOPS, the UN force of the UN, which basically sort of does contact support, as a means of doing road rehabilitation in certain parts in DRC, particularly in the parts that are affected by the Lord’s Resistance Army, so that there is greater access to these communities. Because part of the reason the LRA preys on many of these civilian communities is because they’re so isolated. And part of our protection strategy is if we could actually improve road access to make these communities less isolated, that makes them less vulnerable to LRA attacks, both as a means of ensuring that humanitarian actors and peacekeepers, for that matter, can have access to those areas, but also it’s a means of ensuring that those people that are in those areas can get out much more readily if they need to. And then we are beginning to explore any number of other strategies, as well.

What I would say is that we are deeply concerned about the LRA threat. We – this is a problem that has existed for two decades. I think that the initiative and the political will this president has shown by signing the LRA legislation into law demonstrates just how seriously we take it, and we very much hope that in the not-too-distant future, the LRA will no longer be in a position to threaten civilians in the very grotesque way it has for the last two decades.

QUESTION: Thank you.

DR. BRIGETY: Sure.

Yes.

QUESTION: Okay. I’ll – bringing it back to Kenya, and this time around, I will talk about the refugee status from Sudan. As you know, the camps that were in northern Kenya that were (inaudible) for Sudanese refugees has slowly been closed –

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: -- as repatriation goes back to Sudan.

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: My question is: UNHCR has been focusing on closing the camps and taking them back. We have a very large population of Sudanese refugees who have settled (inaudible). I don’t know why – what is the criteria of dealing with those ones who are not – who are not in camps?

DR. BRIGETY: Right. Well, the problem of urban refugees is a problem of increasing concern, not simply in Kenya, but indeed, in many places around the world, certainly around Africa.

There are – refugees often try to settle in urban areas for a variety of different reasons, either because camps are overcrowded or because they find economic opportunities more readily available in urban areas. It is a challenge. It is, frankly, a great challenge for us to address for a variety of reasons. Often, these populations are much harder to identify. They – it’s – and when they are spread out in an urban area, as opposed to in a particular camp, it frankly makes it harder to deliver sort of basic services like food distribution or access to healthcare or even education if they are not in a position to access those services on par with other local citizens in the country in which they inhabit.

The – while there are – while UNHCR has been in the business of closing down a variety of camps in sort of the northern, northwestern portion of Kenya, there is still a camp in Kakuma, as you know that houses the majority of the remaining Sudanese population, which not only continues to exist, but indeed, is getting somewhat larger, both as principally as – there was a big transfer about a year or so ago of refugees from Dadaab to Kakuma as a means of trying to decrease the overcrowding and the congestion in Dadaab.

So this is a very general way of saying that you’re right to raise the issue. We continue to work with UNHCR in ways so that – prove our response to urban refugees in Kenya, but it’s also, frankly, a problem that is of growing concern elsewhere, which is forcing us to think about new ways in which we can do refugee response, generally.

QUESTION: Were you in any meetings and discussion about the (inaudible) refugees in Kenya as a result of the (inaudible)?

DR. BRIGETY: The violence, yeah.

QUESTION: (Inaudible.)

DR. BRIGETY: Right, right, right. The short answer is no, I was not on this trip. But we certainly continue to remain very concerned about it for a variety of reasons. The – I mean, obviously, we were deeply concerned and deeply disturbed by the level of violence that accompanied the previous election. We certainly very much hope that that is not something we’ll see ever again as we ensure your country and then Kenya’s support as well.

We remain, obviously, supportive of attempts not only by the Government of Kenya itself to care for its own citizens that happen to be displaced, and we will continue to work closely with the government to do so. It was not a focus on this past trip, just because I was focused on the issues of Somalia. But I suspect that given the significance of the issue, that it’s something that I will continue to be focused on.

Yes, sir?

QUESTION: You mentioned the refugees in cities and urban areas.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes, yes.

QUESTION: Well, assisting the refugees in the Republic of Congo is one thing, and assisting the refugees in South Africa is another --

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: – because of the standard of development in both countries.

DR. BRIGETY: Right, right.

QUESTION: So, from what I know, South Africa is hosting about 4 million Zimbabweans. Most of them took refuge –

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: – in major cities.

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: Is the – your program – are your programs focusing on these other people? And what are the means to get to them and actually give them a hand?

DR. BRIGETY: Right. It’s very challenging. And I think you are correct to point out that not only is DRC different from South Africa, but indeed, every refugee situation is different in terms of how we respond.

The problem for response to refugees – principally Zimbabweans, but also from other parts of Somalia and other places that are in South Africa – in addition to their being in urban areas, is – of course, and our deep concern about xenophobic attitudes, and indeed, xenophobic violence towards these refugees and towards migrants inside South Africa. There have been reports of concern from a variety of different places, concern that such violence actually may spike in the wake of the World Cup festivities. We very much hope that will not be the case.

So we are – continue to try our best to work with the Government of South Africa to ensure that those people that are legitimately refugees are given the refugee protections that are required under international law, and those that may not technically qualify for refugee status but are economic migrants instead, are, at minimum, treated humanely and protected by law, even as local or national rules of migration and enforcement of those rules are done. And we obviously continue to remain in discussions with the Government of South Africa to ensure that these people are treated fairly, humanely, that they are not subject to particular forms of coercion or other deleterious treatment by security and police forces, all as a means of working with the South Africans to project the image to the world that they very much want to project to them, that they are as – sort of peaceful, welcoming government.

QUESTION: Thank you.

DR. BRIGETY: Sure.

QUESTION: I would like to return to the Sahrawi conflict if possible.

DR. BRIGETY: Please.

QUESTION: I mean, you’ve talked about the – all the difficulties the refugees are experiencing in the camps there. I mean, aren’t you concerned about the perpetuation of this conflict? I mean, it’s been going on for 34 years right now –

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: – and the situation is only getting more and more critical there. I mean, aren’t the U.S. concerned about it? And how could it push for a solution to end it?

DR. BRIGETY: We’re deeply concerned about it. The – as I say, the conditions in which these refugees live, have lived for 34 years, are incredibly harsh, incredibly difficult. They are completely reliant on assistance from the international community for everything: food, shelter, et cetera. Nothing would please us more for there to be a mutually agreed political solution that will allow this humanitarian problem to be resolved.

But that’s the point, is that the ultimate solution to this situation is a political one. There are any number of humanitarian interventions that we have made and will continue to make. But the parties themselves will have to come to an agreement. And we continue to work not only in our bilateral diplomacy with the Government of Morocco, with the Government of Algeria, to the extent that they are obviously a host country, with MONUSCO, the peacekeeping mission in – with the Office of the Special Representative of the Secretary General, to be supportive however we can in helping these two parties find a political solution to the conflict.

But at the end of the day, it is incumbent upon both parties to find that solution themselves. We can’t – we obviously cannot force it upon them. And we continue to hope that they will find a solution that is acceptable.

QUESTION: Okay. But the Algerian Government is the one who’s (inaudible). And also, it’s not only a hosting country, but it’s also part of it in (inaudible) and another. So isn’t the U.S. Government – also should put pressure on the Algerians?

DR. BRIGETY: Well, let me say this. The Algerians have been very gracious hosts to this population for over three decades. There are a number of parties that have an interest in how this conflict is resolved. Our position, as a government, is that – is the conflict should be resolved peacefully; that ultimately, the parties that – have to come to a resolution. Although there are a number of parties that have an interest, the two – the parties that have to come to an agreement are the Polisario and the Government of Morocco, which is not – which is to say that we clearly are engaged in a bilateral relationship with other parties that have an interest – especially the Algerians, as you mentioned – but we continue to be – to do everything we can to be supportive of the two principal parties coming to a mutually-agreed solution.

QUESTION: Thank you.

DR. BRIGETY: Sure.

QUESTION: I don’t know if you are the right person to ask this question, but we know Somalia now – the situation in Somalia is now getting worse. It’s now even spreading to other countries, as you mentioned, Uganda recently.

DR. BRIGETY: Right.

QUESTION: Are we going to see a situation where maybe the United States might decide to get serious about Somalia, and maybe even decide to send troops there to try to bring things to order?

DR. BRIGETY: Right. You are correct, that I am not the right person to ask that question – (laughter) – except to say that we have been serious about Somalia. Clearly, as you say, the decision to send armed forces ratchets our engagement – would ratchet our engagement up to an entirely different level. But my focus is the humanitarian part and I’m not about to get myself fired by talking about military action. All right.

MODERATOR: Dr. Brigety, it’s now 15 after.

DR. BRIGETY: Okay.

MODERATOR: We’ve got enough time for one or two more questions.

DR. BRIGETY: Okay.

MODERATOR: If people have questions.

DR. BRIGETY: Sure, great. Anybody else?

(No response.)

DR. BRIGETY: No? Well, great. Thank you very much for your time and your interest. I appreciate it. You have my card, so if you – and you asked a question about the specific number, amount – the dollar amount.

QUESTION: Yes.

DR. BRIGETY: We will get that – I’ll pass my card and we will get that answer to you before the end of the day.

QUESTION: Okay. You also mentioned the SRSG.

DR. BRIGETY: Yes.

QUESTION: What’s that?

DR. BRIGETY: The Special Representative of the Secretary General.

QUESTION: Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Okay.

DR. BRIGETY: Excellent. Great. Thank you all for coming.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much.

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Operation Black Vote & the Communities and Local Government’s MP Shadowing Scheme

The Dawn of New Politics

OBV, in partnership with the CLG, this week launched an MP Shadowing Scheme at the Houses of Parliament that will nurture the next generation of Black, Asian and Chinese MPs and community leaders.

With a track record second to none, OBV embarks on its most ambitious parliamentary shadowing scheme to date. Over a period of six months, 31 outstanding Black and minority ethnic individuals, will shadow MPs and Peers from all the three main parties, Plaid Cymru and the Green Party.

Participating MPs include Cabinet Minister Rt. Hon Oliver Letwin, CLG Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State Andrew Stunell, Party Leaders Caroline Lucas and Elfyn Llwyd and Labour Leadership candidates - David Milliband, Ed Milliband, Andy Burnham and Diane Abbott.

With guidance from their MPs and Peers and intense training in regards to policy, media, and activism, OBV expects the vast majority of participants to hold political or civic positions in the near future.

Others that have been on similar schemes or have been directly assisted by OBV include the First Muslim female cabinet member Sayeeda Warsi, former Cabinet Member Sadiq Khan, and the first female Conservative of African origin Helen Grant who shadowed Oliver Letwin on the last programme.

Speaking at Monday’s event, Andrew Stunell MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at Communities and Local Government, said: “The House of Commons is still disproportionately white, but things are moving in the right direction. This Government wants a fair society where race and ethnicity are no barriers to taking part. This scheme will provide 31 ambitious ethnically diverse people with invaluable experience and guidance to help them make parliament and local councils more truly reflect our communities. I'm looking forward to working with partners, such as OBV and am really proud to be acting as a mentor to one of the participants in this year’s project and hope to one day sit alongside him in the House.”
OBV’s Director Simon Woolley stated: “The calibre of this year’s participants is outstanding. Young men and women from varied backgrounds will inspire a generation, help transform their chosen political parties, and become the type of leaders all society will be proud of.”

Parliamentary Ambassador Gurvinder Sandher said: “The scheme will provide an opportunity for me and my other colleagues on the scheme to learn and develop new skills which we can take back into our communities and inspire them to get more actively involved in front line politics.”

Parliamentary Ambassador Rebecca Hemmings who is shadowing Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats said: “For years I have explored various aspects of politics through theatre to help empower and inform people. When I heard about this scheme I saw it as the ideal opportunity to take these aims to a larger stage where I can reach many more people and have a bigger impact.”
Picture Caption: The next generation of leaders

From left to right: Gurvinder Sandher, Phillip Olanipekun, Andrew Stunell - MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary at Communities and Local Government, Jacqueline Kibacha

From left to right: Simon Hughes – Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats, Rebecca Hemmings

List of Pairings
MP Shadow

LABOUR Harriet Harman Rashida Allie London
Ed Milliband Clive Lewis NorwichDavid Milliband Stephen Bediako LondonAndy Burnham Sol River Leeds
Sadiq Khan Chandni Tanna LondonDiane Abbott George Cole Leicester
Meg Hillier Nicole Reece London
Tessa Jowell Bayo Alaba LondonKeith Vaz Ranjit Arora Bradford
Anas Sarwar Alina Mirza Glasgow
Chukka Umunna Toib Olomomwe LondonFiona MacTaggart Zena Agha LondonShabana Mahmood Saima Mir Bradford/London
CONSERVATIVES
Oliver Letwin Phillip Olanipekun Epsom, SurreyEric Ollerenshaw Peter Boland SuffolkStephen McPartland Ellin Joseph Herts Peter Bottomley John Hughes PortsmouthMargot James Kiran Kaur Cheema Twickenham
Baroness Verma Sajda Mughal London
Justine Greening Jacqueline Kibacha London
Andrew Stephenson Gurvinder Sandhu Kent
LIBERALS Andrew Stunell Daniel Junor Nottingham
Baroness Scott Naheed Qureshi London
Simon Hughes Rebecca Hemmings Birmingham
Sir Menzies Campbell Alessandra Williams London
Jo Swinson Eldridge Culverwell LondonTom Brake Amanda Parker LondonJohn Leech Yinka Alli-Balogun WorcesterPLAID CYMRU Elfyn Llywd Tue Hong Baker Conwy, Wales
GREEN PARTY
Caroline Lucas Lianne DeMello Brighton
To interview a participant, please call 0208 983 5426/ 079177 86062.

BEN TV /RADIO INTERNS: Jack Stewart abd Rene Richardson

Mr John Aglionby

International Economy News Editor, Financial Times and former Jakarta-based Correspondent

Date: Tuesday 20th July 2010
Time: 9.00am for 09.30am - 11.30am
Venue: Asia House, 63 New Cavendish Street, London W1G 7LP
Nearest tube: Oxford Circus / Regents Park / Great Portland Street

By kind invitation of:


Tickets:
Free (Asia House Corporate Members)
£25.00 (Asia House Patrons and Government)
£50.00 (Non-Members)

You are cordially invited to attend a breakfast briefing where Mr John Aglionby, International Economy News Editor, Financial Times and former Jakarta-based Correspondent, will discuss Indonesia's role both in the region and the world beyond.

Indonesia is the world's fourth most populous country, the largest Muslim-majority country, a rapidly-maturing democracy, enjoying GDP growth of well over 5 per cent, a member of the G20 and extremely rich in myriad natural resources. Yet it is far from world power status. Why is this? Will it ever change? What will have to happen domestically for the world to start paying more attention to south-east Asia's largest nation? Or is Indonesia happy to play a second-fiddle role on the global stage?
John Aglionby is the FT's international economy news editor, a position he took up in November 2009 after spending 14 years as a journalist based in Jakarta. From 2006-2009 John was the FT's Jakarta correspondent, covering Indonesia, Timor-Leste and regional commodities. For the eight years before that he was the Guardian's south-east Asia correspondent, ostensibly covering the Association of South-East Asian Nations but travelling as far afield as Hong Kong and Fiji. He has covered everything from coups and revolutions to coffee-defecating civets and how to get off Bali's well-beaten tourist track.
The meeting will adopt the usual Asia House format and all comments will be unattributable.

Interested participants should register early for the meeting by email to pearly.tan@asiahouse.co.uk as spaces are limited.

I look forward to seeing you at Asia House.


Roddy Gow
Chief Executive




Forthcoming events:

SAVE THE DATE
13th and 14th October 2010 - Asian Business Leaders Summit and Gala Dinner


14th July 2010 - Lecture - China
The Rt Hon The Lord Heseltine of Thenford CH, Former Deputy Prime Minister, Chairman of the Haymarket Group and Founding Patron of the 48 Group Club

20th July 2010 - FT Briefing Series - Indonesia
John Aglionby, International Economy News Editor, Financial Times and former Jakarta-based Correspondent

21st July 2010 - Senior Business Leader Briefing - Asia
Sir David John KCMG, Chairman, BSI Group

22nd July 2010 - Reception - Asia
Asia House Corporate Networking Reception

7th September 2010 - Breakfast Meeting - Asia
Tony Brenton, former British Ambassador to Russia

29th September 2010 - Economists Briefing Series - Asia
George Magnus, Senior Economic Adviser, UBS Investment Bank

13th and 14th October 2010 - Conference and Gala Dinner - Asia
Asian Leaders Business Summit

10th November 2010 - Breakfast Meeting - Asia
Jonathan Porritt, Co-founder and Programme Director of Forum for the Future

2nd December 2010 - Seminar - Asia
Mr Miles Young, Worldwide CEO, Ogilvy


Dates To Be Confirmed:

December 2010 - Economists Briefing Series - Asia
Stephen King, Group Chief Economist and Global Head of Economics and Asset Allocation research

BE TV /RADION KNTERNS: Jack stewart and Rene Richardson

President Museveni inspecting the Ethiopian Restaurant in Kabalagala, one of the two sites terrorists attacked during the final World Cup match on Sunday
By Steven Candia

THE death toll in Sunday’s bomb attacks rose to over 74 people yesterday, the Government said. At least 57 people were admitted to Mulago and Kampala International hospitals. Another 14 were treated for minor injuries and discharged. Speaking at Mulago yesterday, Police boss Kale Kayihura said among the dead were 10 Eritreans who died at the Ethiopian restaurant in Kabalagala, one of the scenes of the deadly blasts. Six Americans, he said, were injured in the explosions, which Kayihura said were not new in Uganda. The country suffered similar attacks in 1997, 1998 and 1999. “This attack is similar but we are investigating whether it was a suicide bomber,” Kayihura said. The Police are working with various intelligence bodies and nations, he added. “We are working with Americans,” he said. Reports said a severed head, suspected to belong to a suicide bomber, was recovered at one of the scenes. However, Police spokesperson Judith Nabakooba would not confirm the report. Earlier, while inspecting the Kyadondo Rugby Club, where two of the blasts went off, Kayihura said a team headed by CID deputy director, Elly Womanya, was investigating the tragedy. Information on the attack can be sent to him on 0712667713 (International dialling code +256712667713). Kayihura said the US Federal Bureau of Investigations had promised to assist in the inquiry. Asked about reports that the attack was the work of Somalia-based insurgents, he said: “We are not ruling out suicide bombers. However, we do not want to rush to conclusions.” Security sources, said the attack on the Ethiopian-owned restaurant raised suspicion that al-Shabab was involved. Addis Ababa backs Somalia’s government. Al-Shabaab confirmed carrying out the attack. According to Kayihura, it was too early to tell whether the explosive devices were planted at the scenes earlier or hurled into the revellers. “It is unfortunate that this has happened because we have been vigilant. We will intensify our counter-terrorism measures,” he added. Kayihura expressed concern that after meeting several club proprietors, many had not implemented the security measures agreed. Army spokesperson Lt. Col. Felix Kulayigye dismissed demands from opposition leaders for Uganda to pull out peacekeepers from Somalia. DP president Norbert Mao said the attacks seemed to be linked to Uganda’s deployment in Somalia as the attacks were also targeted at Ethiopia, another country which has soldiers in Somalia. But Kulayigye said the “terrorists want a safe haven” having been dislodged from Afghanistan. He argued that if Somalia stabilised, they have nowhere to hide. “If Somalia is in chaos, they get a safe have and they have time to build capacity. That means we all cannot be safe,” he explained. “We have to stick in and ensure terrorism has no room on the African continent or anywhere else in the world.” Addressing journalists in Kampala on Monday morning, the head of the Media Centre, Fred Opolot, said the three explosive devices were detonated at an interval of 50 minutes apart. The first incident, he said, occurred at 10:25pm at the Ethiopian Village Restaurant in Kabalagala, while in the second, two explosives detonated at the Kyadondo Rugby Club at 11:15pm. Opolot allayed the fears that the incident would affect the planned AU summit in Kampala, saying it will run as scheduled. “There have been bomb blasts in many parts of the world. I can assure you the AU Summit will take place here. We will tighten security,” Opolot said. He conveyed the Government’s condolences to the bereaved families. Opolot said it was not clear whether the attacks were carried out by suicide bombers but said they were investigating two suspected suicide bombers who died in the blast. “The attacks could have been carried out by suicide bombers or they could have used timed devices. It is too early to draw conclusions but we are investigating,” Opolot said. No arrest had been made, he added. On her part, Nabakooba said the Police, the Joint Anti-Terrorism Unit and the Anti-Terrorism Unit were investigating the incidents, and added that foreign assistance to the attackers was very likely. She appealed to the public to be vigilant to avert such incidents. “Where you see suspicious people or objects, please notify the Police or security authorities,” she said. Opolot said identification and trauma centres were being set up at Mulago and the International Hospital Kampala. Toll free numbers for investigations and other inquiries, he said, would be communicated. The Government, he said, had not yet established the nature of explosives used. Neither has any individual or group claimed responsibility, he added. The Somali militants have been threatening Uganda for three years. The al-Shabaab militants in Somalia, moments after the blasts, were quoted as saying: “Whatever makes them cry, makes us happy. May Allah’s anger be upon those who are against us. Uganda is one of our enemies. ” On Friday, another al-Shabab commander, Sheik Muktar Robow, called for attacks on sites in Uganda and Burundi, the two nations which contributed troops to the 5,000-strong African Union peacekeeping force in Mogadishu. In addition, Uganda also hosts Somali soldiers trained in the US and under European-backed programmes. (Additional reporting by Herbert Sempogo, Ronald Ssebutiko)

COVER STORY: 'Prisoners 'cannot be kept in jail just to protect public''
Chief Inspector of probation Andrew Bridges suggests that the public may have to accept criminals who serve only the minimum jail sentence, even if they re-offend with 'serious' crimes, to keep down the cost of the rising British prison population. (Link)
'Barack Obama calls for capture of Ratko Mladic'
On the 15th anniversary of the Srebrenica massacre, President Obama called for the capture of Mladic, the mastermind of the 44 month siege on Sarajevo and the massacre of 8,000 Muslim men and boys in Srebrenica. (Link)
'Top general: courageous restraint must change'
Lt General Sir Nick Parker has claimed that it is necessary to re-examine McChrystal's policy of 'courageous restraint' as it might be unduly dangerous for British troops and so as not to risk 'overcorrecting.' (link)
'Libyan aid ship vows to break Gaza blockade'
The Libyan-backed ship Amalthea attempted to break through Israel's blockade on Gaza Sunday night with plans for the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation to bring in 2,000 tonnes of food and medical aid. (link)
The Guardian
COVER STORY: 'Victory for food firms as safety watchdog axed' The Food Standards Agency is to be abolished by Andrew Lansley, the health secretary, it emerged last night, after the watchdog fought a running battle with industry over the introduction of colour-coded "traffic light" warnings for groceries, TV dinners and snacks. (link)
'Lack of racial diversity at GCHQ 'hindering anti-terrorism effort'' p.9
A shortage of ethnic-minority staff with key language skills is hampering the intelligence services' ability to eavesdrop on terrorist conversations, according to a leaked Whitehall report. (link)
' Iran will not stone woman to death for now' p.1
Iran's judiciary has said that the stoning sentence for a woman convicted of adultery will not be carried out – for now. But the fate of Sakineh Mohammadi Ashtiani, which has generated huge international concern, remains uncertain. (Link)
'Srebrenica buries hundreds of massacre victims on 15th anniversary of killings' p.15
Hoisting hundreds of coffins aloft, a line of weeping relatives stretched for at least a mile today as they honoured Srebrenica massacre victims on the 15th anniversary of the most severe atrocity in Europe since the second world war. (Link)
'Italian judge orders Gaddafi's son to settle unpaid €392,000 hotel bill' p.16
An Italian judge has ordered Saadi Gaddafi, the third son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, to pay a €392,000 (£328,000) hotel bill he failed to settle. (Link)
'Israeli navy on alert as Libyan aid ship heads for Gaza' p.18
A Libyan ship carrying aid and activists is heading for Gaza in a mission that Israel has described as an "unnecessary provocation". The Israeli navy is monitoring the vessel's progress and preparing to intervene if it continues on a course to Gaza. (Link)
COMMENT: Ahmed Zewail:'The US needs a new soft era' p.24By focusing on science and education, America can rebuild its relations with the Arab world (Link)The Times
COVER STORY: 'Clegg the executioner'
Nick Clegg ended Gordon Brown’s desperate efforts to cling to power after the election by telling him to his face that he had to go as the price of a coalition deal, it can be revealed today. (Link)
'Gaddafi aid ship heads for showdown as Israel vows to defend Gaza blockade' p.25Israel warned yesterday that it would stop a Libyan aid ship heading for Gaza from breaking its maritime blockade on the Palestinian territory. The warning came as a senior military committee was due to wrap up an inquiry into the storming of a Turkish ship that left nine people dead in May. (Link)
'Fifteen years on, Srebrenica victims are laid to rest' p.29
Huddled around the hundreds of green-draped coffins, the mothers, wives and children wept for the men finally being laid to rest as others squatted near by in the dirt beside monuments to those already buried.
In all, about 8,000 Muslim men and boys were slaughtered in the Bosnian town of Srebrenica 15 years ago. (link)
'Mladic diaries may be used in Karadzic's genocide trial'' p.29
Fifteen years after his forces massacred thousands of Muslims at Srebrenica, Ratko Mladic is providing evidence to the UN’s Yugoslav tribunal while on the run from charges of genocide. (link)
'Imam to face trial for painting Saddam’s name on mosque wall' p.31
The imam of the central mosque in Saddam Hussein’s home town of Tikrit has been arrested for spray-painting the late Iraqi dictator’s name on the wall of the building. (link)
'Dubai world debt plan' p.38
Dubai World will present details of a £16 bilion debt restructuring to more than 70 creditors on July 22.
The Independent
COVER STORY: 'The real winners of the 2010 World Cup: South Africa'Ahead of the World Cup finals, many observers warned that the event would be overwhelmed by a damaging crime wave. Despite warnings of a possible crime fiasco, there has only been one single and non-fatal shooting of a US backpacker in Johannesburg. Police spokesman Colonel Eugene Opperman has said, 'With increased police activity everywhere, the criminals have been afraid to come out." (link)
'Israel warns it will stop ship heading for Gaza'
Israel warned yesterday that a ship sponsored by a group headed by the son of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi, which is currently crossing the Mediterranean, will not be allowed to reach Gaza. The ship, re-named as Hope, left for Gaza last Saturday with a crew of 12 to ten passengers on board. (link)
'15 years on, thousands bury victims of Srebrenica'
Tens of thousands gathered yesterday in the Eastern Bosnian town of Srebrenica to bury hundreds of massacre victims on the 15th anniversary of the worst crime in Europe since the Nazi era. The Srebrenica massacre occurred during the 1992-1995 Bosnian War, during which thousands of Bosnian Muslims were shot and killed by Serb forces. (link)
'Bangladesh outlaws punishment by fatwa'
The High Court in Bangladesh has ruled that religious rulings such as fatwas must be ignored and outlawed, after a series of cases of women being beaten, caned and whipped for 'offences.' Human rights campaigner and director of the school of law at Dhaka's BRAC University said: ' The cases of beatings, whippings and public humiliation of people, especially poor rural women would be drastically reduced following this verdict.' (link)
'Court upholds death sentences'
A Yemeni upeals court yesterday upheld death sentences against four al-Qaeda militants for lethal attacks that included the assault on the US embassy and the killing of two Belgian tourists in 2008, a court official said. (link)
'Anti-Western clerics deployed in schools'The Iranian government has said that it will send hundreds of clerics to Tehran schools to try to counter Western influence. This recent move is seen as an attempt by the government to tighten its grip on schools in the aftermath of last year's presidential elections. (link)
Al Jazeera
COVER STORY: 'Scores dead in Uganda bomb blasts' Over 64 were killed and many injured in bombs yesterday targeting World Cup watchers in Kampalan restaurants; there is rumour that it may be Somalia's al-Shabab that was behind the attacks. (Link)
'Karzai 'seeks terror list revision''As part of a plan to advance reconciliation talks, President Karzai is calling for the removal of 50 former Taliban members from a UN terrorism watch list. (Link)
'Bosnia marks Srebrenica massacre'
60,000 individuals attended a remembrance ceremony at Potocari for the Srebrenica massacre that occured 15 years back; they added the remains of 775 to those already buried from the massacre, which the UN war crimes court has termed a genocide . (Link)
'Libyan ship 'will continue to Gaza''
Yousseuf Sawani, director of the Gaddafi International Charity and Development Foundation, told Al Jazeera that the ship plans to continue to Gaza despite Israel's insistence that it dock in Egypt instead. (Link)
'Iran stoning sentence 'on hold''
Sakineh Ashtinai, to be stoned to death for adultery, has had her sentence put on hold, although a senior judicial official has claimed that the stoning will probably eventually go ahead despite international outcry against such an inhumane form of punishment. (Link)The Daily Mail
LEAD STORY: 'Tests on foreign nurses scrapped'Thousands of foreign nurses will be permitted to work in Britain without any safety checks due to EU laws which forbid them from being carried out. The Nursing and Midwifery Council will stop administering tests in the Autumn after being informed they could be sued by the EU. (Link)
'Don't set exams during Ramadan, schools told'
British schools are being encouraged to rearrange tests and stop teaching sex education during Ramadan in an effort to avoid offending Muslims. Head teachers in a school in Stoke on Trent have been issued with guidance for the treatment of pupils who may be fasting when the new term begins in September. (Link)
'Camel's milk is coming'
Camel milk producers in the United Arab Emirates have passed the first stage of an EU approval process which will allow them to sell their product in British shops. (Link)
'Kick asylum family out of £2m house, say neighbours'
The neighbours of an unemployed Somali family living in a townhouse worth £2.1 million at the taxpayer's expense are campaigning for them to be evicted. (Link)
The Sun

LEAD STORY: We foot bill for asylum family's new £2m house'
An unemployed Somali man is living with his family in a house which is costing the tax payer £2,000 a week. (Link)
'Veiled terror threat.'A new terror threat in the form of Somali women wearing burkas and carrying AK47 rifles has been revealed. The women were paraded for the first time at an extremist rally in Somalia and are thought to be linked to al-Qaeda (Link)
'Heroes on Taliban's trail show their steel'Deadly metal pellets and jagged shards of steel were discovered buried under the ground designed by the Taliban to harm British troops. (Link)
'£12m robotch'Defence chiefs have been accused of wasting money on bomb disposal robots which do not work. (Link)

Commonwealth announces Eminent Persons Group

Group will recommend options to sharpen impact, strengthen networks and raise profile of the Commonwealth

Commonwealth Secretary–General Kamalesh Sharma on 7 July announced members of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (EPG).



“This distinguished Group will set out decisive recommendations on how to strengthen the Commonwealth and fulfill its potential in the 21st century,” Mr Sharma said when he made the announcement in London. “The Group’s work will aim to ensure that the Commonwealth remains relevant to its times and makes the best use of its networks and partnerships to do so.”


At their 2009 meeting in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, Commonwealth leaders called for the “creation of an Eminent Persons Group to undertake an examination of options for reform in order to bring the Commonwealth’s many institutions into a stronger and more effective framework of co-operation and partnership.”



The Group is also tasked with looking at the format, frequency, and content of Commonwealth ministerial meetings.



The EPG will have its first meeting in London from 19 to 20 July 2010. The Group will present its recommendations to Commonwealth leaders at their next meeting in Perth, Australia, in October 2011. The Group is also expected to consult extensively with governments, civil society groups and professional associations, and individuals within the Commonwealth, as well as those beyond the membership with an interest in the Group’s work.



“All members of the Group have strong connections with the Commonwealth, have seen the Commonwealth in action, and also have wider knowledge and experience to contribute. They will be able to speak with authority about the Commonwealth’s challenges, how the association can be strengthened, as well as bringing a wealth of other experiences to bear on their deliberations,” Mr Sharma said.



The Group’s members are representative of the diversity of the Commonwealth. They will participate in their individual capacities and will not represent the views of any member government.



The members are as follows:

· Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Malaysia, Chairperson)

· Ms Patricia Francis (Jamaica)

· Dr Asma Jahangir (Pakistan)

· Mr Samuel Kavuma (Uganda) – (Commonwealth Youth Caucus)

· The Hon Michael Kirby (Australia)

· Dr Graca Machel (Mozambique)

· Rt Hon Sir Malcolm Rifkind (UK)

· Sir Ronald Sanders (Guyana)

· Senator Hugh Segal (Canada)

· Sir Ieremia Tabai (Kiribati)



Biographies



Tun Abdullah Ahmad Badawi (Malaysia) - Chair of the Eminent Person Group - is a former Prime Minister of Malaysia. Previously he served as minister of education, defence, foreign affairs, home affairs, finance and deputy prime minister. In 2003 he succeeded Mahathir Mohamad as Prime Minister of Malaysia, building a progressive and modern multi-racial society as well promoting wide-range reform. During his career, he attended Commonwealth Heads of Government Meetings and Commonwealth Foreign Ministers' meetings. He was a member of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group and earlier an architect of the Commonwealth Youth Programme.



Ms. Patricia R. Francis (Jamaica), an award-winning leader and business facilitator, joined the International Trade Centre as Executive Director in June 2006. ITC is a joint agency of the United Nations and the World Trade Organization that enables small business export success in developing countries. During her tenure at ITC she has implemented a change management strategy to build common values and strengthen key management functions. ITC has defined and restructured itself around five new business lines, and extensive consultation has led to a stronger Strategic Framework. The UN Millennium Development Goals have been mainstreamed within the organization, with new strategies and work around trade development related to gender, environment and poverty. New integrated country and regional programmes have been developed, and partnerships have been strengthened through active participation in the One UN initiative and greater coherence with many international and regional trade related organizations. ITC’s communications have been improved with the launching of a new brand and stronger common messaging, aligned with a refined mission, vision and brand values for the organization. Ms Francis comes to ITC from Jamaica Trade and Invest, where she served as President since 1995. She was also a member of Jamaica’s Cabinet Committee for Development. During her tenure Jamaica attracted more than US$ 5 billion in foreign direct investment. She served twice as President of the World Association of Investment Promotion Agencies. She has chaired Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development’s Caribbean Rim Investment Initiative as well as the China-Caribbean Business Council. She has received awards from the Washington D.C. based Caribbean-Central American Action Council and from the King of Spain for her leadership and support for investment and business advocacy.



Dr. Asma Jilani Jahangir (Pakistan) is a leading human rights lawyer, and Chair of Pakistan’s Human Rights Commission. She is known for her work in Pakistan and internationally to prevent the persecution of religious minorities, women, and exploitation of children. She is the United Nations Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief, at the UN Human Rights Council. Previously, she served as the UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Arbitrary and Summary Executions. She is co-author of “Democracy in the Commonwealth” (Commonwealth Policy Studies Unit & ERIS report) and a Board member of the International Crisis Group. In 1980, Dr. Jahangir and fellow activists and lawyers formed the first law firm established by women in Pakistan. In the same year they also helped form the Women’s Action Forum (WAF), a pressure group campaigning against discriminatory legislation. Dr. Jahangir was house arrested and later imprisoned for participating in the movement for the restoration of political and fundamental rights during the military regime in 1983 and 2007. She was one of the leading figures in the campaign waged by the women activists against the promulgation of the controversial Hadood Ordinances and draft law on evidence. Dr. Jahangir has gained international recognition for her achievements. In 1995, she received the Martin Ennals Award for Human Rights Defenders as well as the Ramon Magsaysay Award for "greatness of spirit shown in service of the people" She has also been awarded the Hilal-i-Imtiaz, the second highest civilian award of Pakistan, for her services to human rights.



Mr. Samuel Kavuma (Uganda) is the interim Chairperson of the Commonwealth Youth Caucus. Mr. Kavuma has been a student leader in Uganda since 1997 at the institution, district and national level. In 2004, Mr Kavuma was elected to the National Youth Council of Uganda and in 2007 he was elected to be the Regional Youth Caucus representative. During this time, he was elected by other country youth representatives to be the Regional Coordinator/Chairperson for the Commonwealth African Region Youth Caucus, and more recently, as the interim Chairperson of the Commonwealth Youth Caucus. Mr Kavuma has also worked as a youth worker with Students Partnership Worldwide, Youth and Women Initiative of Uganda, and the Africa Youth Trust; he has also served as the Director of Uganda Youth Action for Development. Mr. Kavuma has spearheaded a number of youth advocacy initiatives and campaigns in Uganda and has helped pioneer the establishment of the one-stop youth centre by UN-Habitat. Mr. Kavuma completed his formal education in Uganda. He holds a Diploma in Computer Science and is currently a student of Bsc IT. In addition to this, he has participated in training schemes by the Ugandan National Youth Council on leadership skills, reproductive health and human rights. He has also studied leadership, project management, MDGS and Africa Development programmes at Coady International Institute.



The Hon. Michael Kirby AC CMG (Australia) served as a Justice of the High Court of Australia between 1996 and 2009. When he retired from the Bench, he was Australia's longest serving judge. He also served as President of the Court of Appeal of the Solomon Islands 1995-6. He has held many international posts, including as President of the International Commission of Jurists 1995-8; UN Special Representative for Human Rights in Cambodia 1993-6; and member of the UNESCO International Bioethics Committee 1996-2005. He took part in the Commonwealth Secretariat Conferences 1988-95 that established the Bangalore Principles on domestic application of international human rights law; was independent co-chairman of the Malawi Constitutional Conference 1994; and member of the ILO mission to South Africa 1991-2. He is on the board of advisors for The Law Reports of the Commonwealth and regularly contributes to the Commonwealth Law Bulletin. Recent appointments include to the UNAIDS reference group on HIV and human rights and to the UNDP Global Commission on HIV and the Law. In 2010, he was named co-winner of the Gruber Justice Prize.



Mrs. Graça Machel (Mozambique) is a renowned international advocate for women and children's rights and has been a social and political activist over many decades. As Minister of Education and Culture in Mozambique (1975-1989) she was responsible for overseeing an increase in primary school enrolment from 40 per cent of children in 1975 to over 90 per cent of boys and 75 per cent of girls by 1989. Graça Machel is President of the Foundation for Community Development, a not for profit organisation she founded in 1994. FDC makes grants to civil society organisations to strengthen communities, facilitate social and economic justice and assist in the reconstruction and development of post war Mozambique. In 1994, the Secretary General of the United Nations appointed her as an independent expert to carry out an assessment of the impact of armed conflict on children. Her groundbreaking report was presented in 1996 and established a new and innovative agenda for the comprehensive protection of children caught up in war, changing the policy and practice of governments, UN agencies, and international and national civil society. Graça Machel has served on the boards of numerous international organisations, including the UN Foundation, the Forum of African Women Educationalists, the African Leadership Forum and the International Crisis Group. Amongst her many current commitments, she is a Board Member of the Global Alliance for Vaccines and Immunization Fund (GAVI Fund), Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (South Africa), Panel Member of the Africa Progress Panel, Member of The Elders and Member of the High Level Task Force on Innovative International Finance for Health Systems.



Sir Malcolm Rifkind KCMG QC MP (UK) is a British Conservative party politician. He was educated at George Watson's College and Edinburgh University where he studied law before taking a postgraduate degree in political science. From 1967-69, he lived in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and taught at the local University. On return to Britain he was called to the Bar and practised as an Advocate until 1979. He was appointed a Queen's Counsel in 1985. In 1970 he fought his first Parliamentary campaign and from 1970-74 he was a local councillor in Edinburgh. In 1974 he was elected as MP for Pentlands and represented that constituency until 1997 In 1979, when the Conservatives were returned to power under Margaret Thatcher, he was appointed a Parliamentary Under Secretary of State, at first in the Scottish Office and then, at the time of the Falklands War, he was transferred to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office, being promoted to Minister of State in 1983. He became a member of the Cabinet in 1986 as Secretary of State for Scotland. In 1990 he became Secretary of State for Transport and in 1992 Secretary of State for Defence. From 1995-97 he was Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs. He was one of only four ministers to serve throughout the whole Prime Ministerships of both Margaret Thatcher and John Major. In 1997 he was knighted in recognition of his public service. Sir Malcolm was re-elected as a Member of Parliament in 2005.



Sir Ronald Sanders KCMG (Guyana) is an International Consultant, Writer, and former Caribbean senior diplomat. He has served in the private sector on the Board of Directors of media, telecommunications, banking and sustainable forestry companies in Antigua and Barbuda, Belize, Barbados and Guyana. In the public sector, he was High Commissioner for Antigua and Barbuda to the United Kingdom (1984-87 and 1996-2004) and Ambassador to the World Trade Organization (1997-2004). He also served on the Board of the International Programme for the Development of Communications at UNESCO (1983-1985) and as an elected member of the Executive Board of UNESCO (1985-1987). He was one of three Commonwealth High Commissioners elected in 1985 to liaise with the UN Committee on countering Apartheid propaganda; Member of the Commonwealth Advisory Group on Advancing the Small States Agenda, 2001; Member of the Advisory Board to World Bank/Commonwealth Secretariat Task Force on Small States (2000-2003); Deputy Chairman and Chairman of the Caribbean Financial Action Task Force against Drug Trafficking and money laundering (2002-2004). He is the author of several works on the Commonwealth including in The Round Table: Journal of Commonwealth Studies (London): Is Britain Indispensable to the Commonwealth, July 1987; The Commonwealth Must Not Wake-up Feeling Terrible, July 1996; The Growing Vulnerability of Small Sates, July 1997; Commonwealth Edinburgh Summit: A Beneficial Encounter for Small States, January 1998: The Commonwealth After Edinburgh, April 1998; and The Commonwealth as the Champion of Small States in The Contemporary Commonwealth: An Assessment 1965-2009, (Routledge, London, 2009).



Senator Hugh Segal CM (Canada) joined the Canadian Senate in 2005, after four decades of public service which included Chief of Staff to the Prime Minister of Canada, Associate Cabinet Secretary (Ontario) for Federal-Provincial Affairs and Policies and Priorities, Legislative Assistant to the Leader of the Opposition (Ottawa), President of the independent Institute for Research on Public Policy. Chair of the Special Senate Committee on Anti-Terrorism, he is a former Chair and present member of the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs. He headed a NATO parliamentary delegation to Washington and is a former Chair (Calgary 2004) of the annual Canada-UK Colloquium. A University of Ottawa graduate in history, he is a Senior Fellow at the Queen’s Schools of Policy Studies and Business, the Canadian Defence and Foreign Affairs Institute and a member of the Working Group on National Security at Cranfield University’s Centre for Security Sector Management. He chaired the Canadian Institute for Strategic Studies and was the founding Vice-Chair (Research) of the Canadian International Council. He sits on the Council of the International Institute for Democratic and Electoral Assistance (Stockholm) and sat on the Council of the International Institute of Strategic Studies (London) He was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2003 and holds honorary doctorates from his alma mater and the Royal Military College of Canada



Sir Ieremia Tabai (Kiribati) is currently a sitting member for the island of Nonouti in the national Parliament of the Republic of Kiribati. He was born in December 1949 and first entered Parliament in 1974. Apart from the six years he spent as head of the Forum Secretariat, a regional organization based in Suva Fiji, he has been in Parliament for a period of about thirty years. On Independence Day 12th July 1979 Sir Ieremia became the first President of the country. He stepped down in 1991 from that position as required by law after serving the maximum of three terms or twelve years as Head of Government. Sir Ieremia was educated in both Kiribati and New Zealand. He spent three years at St Andrews College in Christchurch before going to Victoria University in Wellington where he did a degree in commerce. On returning to Kiribati at the end of 1972 he joined the public service the following year before joining politics in 1974. Sir Ieremia is married to Meleangi Kalofia from Tuvalu and has three children, one boy and two girls. They now live in the village on the island of Nonouti which he represents in Parliament. His favorite topics for public discussion in the village Maneabas (village meeting house) are agriculture and family planning; the two areas that are critical to the development of Kiribati.

The former president of Nigeria General Ibrahim BABANGIDA is standing for presidency in the forthcoming elections in Nigeria next year





His official spokesman was in London to brief the Diaspora press about the same

Watch BEN TV SKY 184 TO FOLLOW THE PROCEEDINGS

The National Democratic Party. (NDP) has pledged its support for the presidential ambition of Gen. Ibrahim Babangida in the 2011 presidential election, saying he was the positive change that Nigerians have been clamouring for.

This was made known to LEADERSHIP in Abuja by the National Chairman of the party, Prince Chudi Charles Chukwuani.

THE TRADITIONAL TORO WEDDING OF CASSIM AND LATOYA

JStories abound about the promiscuity of the Batoro. It is, for example, believed that a good Mutoro woman never rejects a man - omusaija tayangwa, they say. Unlike the women in Ankole who choose to marry within the tribe, a Mutoro woman will readily marry not only outside the tribe, but race too. It's easy to find a Mutoro married to an Acholi or an Italian

It took months of formalities before a couple settled in as husband and wife. Prof. Oswald Ndoleriire, a professor of linguistics at Makerere University says it was the parents' duty to find partners for their children. "Marriage based on research was far better than today's marriage based on love, the love came later."
In the yet to be published manuscript Runyakitara Studies/Culture, Oswald Ndoleriire, a Mutoro and others write that a family would go looking for a suitable girl to marry or a father would have booked a wife for his son.

One form of betrothal was kuswera mu matundu or antenatal betrothal, where a father booked an unborn child for his son. Or, a man would tell a close friend, 'my wife is pregnant, I give her child to you.' If the child were a girl, this friend would have her as a wife for his son.
This young girl, who had been booked, attained the status of 'wife' at an early age. At five or six she was handed over to the family that had booked her where she grew up as a daughter and got groomed by her mother-in-law to be.
During this time, the boy meant to marry her had no knowledge that this was his future wife, and took her like a sister.

The colonialists later stopped this booking and it became a crime. The colonialists insisted that couples be united in marriage when they were old enough.
Those not booked earlier would start preparing for marriage at puberty. Girls would start applying special ghee on their skin, trimming their nails and shaving their hair.
A boy's family looked for a girl whose personal and family background was good and avoided families with chronic or hereditary diseases. When a good girl was spotted, Ndoleriire says a go-between, kiranga obuko, was dispatched.

"He would reach the compound and clear his throat loudly," said Amooti, "they would welcome him
and he would say he was looking for friendship."