Page 10 - ARUBA TODAY

A10 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 21 december 2017
Congo forces backed deadly militia violence, report says

By CARLEY PETESCH ating with opponents of Human Rights report says. tensions over Kabila’s stay than 3,300 deaths, and the
Associated Press President Joseph Kabila’s The unrest in the once- in office beyond his man- United Nations has report-
DAKAR, Senegal (AP) — A government. peaceful Kasai region is date as presidential elec- ed at least 87 mass graves.
militia backed by Con- Testimonies from Congo- a concerted scheme by tions are delayed. The new report adds to al-
golese forces rampaged lese who fled to neighbor- Kabila to retain power The violence in the Kasai re- legations that Congolese
through a hospital and ing Angola during months “through chaos and diver- gion has been called one forces have been behind
killed more than 100 pa- of violence earlier this year sion,” the report says. of the world’s most over- much of the violence. It
tients, including pregnant said Congo’s security forc- The violence that erupt- looked crises, with well over says the Bana Mura militia
women, a new report es carried out targeted ed between another mi- a million people displaced attacked a dozen villages
by an international rights attacks against the Luba litia group, the Kamwina and hundreds of thousands this year, using machetes
group says, accusing secu- ethnic group that killed Nsapu, and Congolese of children said to be fac- and gunfire, with the sup-
rity forces of crimes against hundreds of people in the forces after the killing of the ing starvation. port of Congo’s army and
humanity in trying to de- central Kasai region, the group’s leader in August The Catholic church police.
stroy populations associ- International Federation for 2016 has widened to reflect months ago reported more
Uganda lawmakers pass contentious ‘life presidency’ bill

majority in Parliament, had unusually long session, ap-
argued that the age barrier parently because lawmak-
discriminated against the ers wanted to finish before
elderly. But critics, including Christmas. “It is a dark day
many lawmakers who wore and a backward move to-
red bandanas as a sign of ward disaster,” said Mwam-
their opposition, insisted the butsya Ndebesa, a political
measure was part of what historian at Uganda’s Mak-
they called Museveni’s erere University. “I don’t see
plan to rule for life. anything positive in that.”
The new law also imposes a Museveni once said he
two-term limit on the presi- despised African leaders
dency, starting in 2021. It “who want to overstay in
means Museveni could rule power,” but now says he
until 2031, when he would referred to those who ruled
be 87. By then he would without being elected. In
have served 45 years in recent weeks he has dis-
power. cussed his health habits on
Museveni is the latest in a Twitter, saying he doesn’t
number of African lead- “have time for sickness.”
ers who have tried to pro- Uganda once had term
long their time in office by limits but they were jetti-
Uganda’s long-time President Yoweri Museveni waves to supporters from the sunroof of his vehicle changing the constitution soned in 2005 amid accu-
as he arrives for an election rally at Kololo Airstrip in Kampala, Uganda. One of Africa’s longest- or other means. At least sations that lawmakers had
serving leaders, Museveni could rule until 2031 after lawmakers late Wednesday, Dec. 20, 2017 10 countries on the conti- been bribed to amend
passed contentious legislation that many in the East African nation saw as an attempt by the
president to rule until the grave. nent have seen term limits the constitution in favor of
(AP Photo/Ben Curtis) dropped, and “leaders in Museveni. That left the age
more than 20 countries ef- barrier the only obstacle to
By R. MUHUMUZA legislation that many in the from holding the presi- fectively do not face re- a possible life presidency.
Associated Press East African nation saw as dency. President Yoweri strictions on their time in Wednesday’s vote fol-
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) an attempt by the presi- Museveni, a U.S. ally who power,” according to the lowed heated exchanges
— One of Africa’s longest- dent to rule until the grave. took power by force in U.S.-funded African Center and even brawls as oppo-
serving leaders could rule The bill removes a measure 1986, is 73 and would have for Strategic Studies. Many sition lawmakers put up a
until 2031 after Ugandan in the constitution that pre- been ineligible to run again Ugandans on social media spirited struggle to prevent
lawmakers late Wednes- vented anyone younger in 2021. reacted angrily to news of the bill from becoming law.
day passed contentious than 35 or older than 75 The ruling party, which has a the bill’s passage during an q

Kenya watchdog says 92 people killed in election violence

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA ammunition that had been nyan security forces of kill- vote in a first in Africa. report earlier this month de-
Associated Press assigned to them,” accord- ing scores of his support- Odinga boycotted the scribed rapes of men and
KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) ing to the report of the in- ers. Police have denied it. court-ordered repeat vote women and cited victims
— Ninety-two people dependent Kenya National They also called a recent in October, saying elec- and witnesses in the slums
were killed during Kenya’s Commission on Human Human Rights Watch re- toral reforms had not been of the capital, Nairobi, and
months of election turmoil Rights.The group reported port alleging gang-rapes made. President Uhuru the opposition strongholds
and dozens of others were 86 cases of sexual or gen- by men in uniform in op- Kenyatta won that elec- of Kisumu and Bungoma.
sexually assaulted, a hu- der-based violence, saying position strongholds “utter tion with 98 percent of the “Some were raped in the
man rights watchdog said it was “extremely worried” falsehoods.” votes. presence of family mem-
Wednesday. by the emergence of sex- Odinga lost the August The new allegations add bers, including young chil-
Most victims “were felled ual violence “as a weapon presidential election but to pressure on the govern- dren,” that report said.
by the bullet” and authori- of subjugation” during po- successfully challenged ment to investigate allega- “Most women said they
ties must account for “how litical contests. the results while alleging ir- tions of violence targeting were raped by policemen
the officers under their Opposition leader Raila regularities, leading the Su- opposition supporters. or men in uniform, many of
command used the live Odinga has accused Ke- preme Court to nullify the The Human Rights Watch whom carried guns.q