Museveni’s Military mercilessly beats up Journalists in front of United Nations Human Rights Offices: The UN should stop the pretence that Neo-liberal dictatorships can be democracies that uphold human rights

 

Military police beats up 8 journalists covering Bobi Wine at UN offices 

https://observer.ug/news/headlines/68514-military-police-beats-up-8-journalists-covering-bobi-wine

February 17, 2021

 

Written by BAKER BATTE

 

 

At least eight journalists from six media houses are nursing injuries after military police mercilessly pounced on them and beat them with batons near the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights offices in Kololo today. 

The journalists were covering National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi, who had gone to deliver a petition to the UN over continued human rights violations in the country which include arbitrary arrests, murders, kidnaps among others

Among those most injured were NTV journalist, John Cliff Wamala who was hit on the head causing a deep cut. Others include; Timothy Mulungi and Henry Sekanjako of New Vision, Josephine Namakumbi and Joseph Sabiti of NBS TV, Irene Abalo Otto of Daily Monitor, Geoffrey Twesigye of NTV and Amina Nalule of Galaxy FM, among others. The Observer photojournalist Nicholas Bamulanzeki's camera was also damaged. 

Kyagulanyi left the NUP offices in Kamwokya with a group of aides and party officials but the police had earlier warned the UN office was only expecting three people accompanying Kyagulanyi, a directive he defied.

He arrived at the UN offices located on Prince Charles Drive in Kololo, a few minutes to 1 pm, and only his vehicle was granted access by the heavily deployed security. As soon as his car entered the UN premises, security ordered other vehicles to leave the vicinity immediately. Within seconds after the directive, military police descended on Makindye East MP-elect Derrick Nyeko's vehicle shuttering its windows and windscreen. 

After the assault on Nyeko, the military withdrew from the scene, leaving security in the hands of the police. The police then mounted a human blockade near the Ethiopian Embassy barring anybody from accessing the UN High Commission for Human Rights offices.

The journalists then camped just behind the human blockade waiting for Kyagulanyi to leave the building which was quite some distance from where they were. For about 30 minutes it appeared as though there was a mutual understanding between the police and the journalists that this was the point that won’t be crossed.

Meanwhile, two military vehicles with about 20 officers returned to the scene and then drove away towards the UN office. After about 10 minutes, the same vehicles returned where the journalists together with some politicians and NUP bloggers who normally move with Kyagulanyi had pitched camp. As soon as the vehicles came to a stop, the commanding officer jumped out of it and then thundered.

“All of you get out of here.” But even before he could finish the sentence, the military had already pounced on journalists and everybody whipping them with batons indiscriminately.

For Nalule, the only reason why her head was not shuttered was that she has dreadlocks and was putting on a head scuff.
Aloysius Mukasa, the MP-elect for Lubaga South was also not spared by the military. He wondered why they would assault them in front of the seat of the United Nations High Commission for Human Rights. Mukasa whose coat was torn up by the military said its such actions that push the country to violence.

After chasing the media to about 300 meters from where they had camped, the military withdrew and again left the police to man the security. However, 15 minutes later they returned and chased them further away from the new spot where they had converged trying to catch some breath after a long chase.

This is not the first time that the military is assaulting journalists especially those covering Kyagulanyi. Throughout the two months of campaigning, journalists sustained injuries as police and other security agencies at times intentionally targeted them for reporting about what was taking place on the Kyagulanyi campaign trail.

 

Security forces accuse Bobi Wine, journalists of holding unlawful procession

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/national/security-forces-accuse-bobi-wine-journalists-of-holding-unlawful-procession-3295254

Wednesday February 17 2021

 By Job Bwire

Police and UPDF on Wednesday accused National Unity Platform (NUP) president Robert Kyagulanyi alias Bobi Wine of holding unlawful procession as they justified attack on journalists who were covering the former presidential candidate as he delivered his petition to the United Nation Human Rights offices in Kampala.

At least 10 journalists were left nursing injuries after military personnel attached to the Uganda People's Defence Forces (UPDF) assaulted them while covering Mr Kyagulanyi who was accompanied by relatives of Ugandans who have been abducted by security operatives during and after elections.

The injured journalists include John Cliff Wamala, Geoffrey Twesigye and Irene Abalo of Nation Media Group, Shamim Nabakooza of Record TV, Henry Ssekanjako, Timothy Murungi of New Vision, Rashida Nakaayi of Galaxy FM, Josephine Namakumbi, Joseph Sabiti and Thomas Kitimbo of NBS TV.

"Today we went to the UN Human Rights office in Kampala to deliver a petition against the continuing abductions, torture and murder of our supporters. The military was waiting. Right outside the gate of the UN office, they attacked and beat up journalists and elected leaders! In a very contemptuous manner, they descended on everyone they could land on and beat them without mercy. They smashed windscreens of the vehicles we went with. Several colleagues were rushed to hospital. Museveni will certainly not force us into submission," Mr Kyagulanyi tweeted.

However, Kampala Metropolitan Police Spokesperson, Mr Patrick Onyango said they have opened an inquiry at Jinja Road Divisional Headquarters in Kampala to establish the circumstances under which journalists and other citizens were battered by military police an left nursing injuries.

Mr Onyango further said Mr Kyagulanyi who was reportedly scheduled to appear with three other NUP officials due to the Covid-19 protocols allegedly disregarded the guidelines and held an illegal procession and assembly involving boda bodas, motor vehicles and supporters walking on foot.

 

“Although we respect the rights of citizens to freely assemble and express themselves, the health and safety of all Ugandans and visitors, and rule of law remains our top priority. As a reminder, all unlawful rallies, assemblies and processions are still restricted under the health protocols in place. Therefore, due to the acts of overcrowding at the security perimeters near the UN offices, there was a great potential of breaching the security perimeter, which led to additional reinforcement that helped disperse the uncontrolled crowds,” Mr Onyango said.

“Unfortunately, a few people sustained injuries including journalists. We have opened an inquiry at Jinja Road Divisional Headquarters, to establish the circumstances under which the victims were injured. The findings will inform management on the next course of action,” he added.

The UPDF spokesperson, Brig Gen Flavia Byekwaso said the group assaulted one of the security personnel at the cutoff point and that required they be pushed back forcefully.

"The procession with boda boda riders waited to force its way through carrying among them the non-identifiable journalists. The group assaulted one of the security personnel at the cut off point and that required they be pushed back forcefully. Hence the scuffle. Therefore, it is not correct to allege that journalists were targeted," she tweeted. 

However, Uganda Editors' Guild (UEG) and National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) have condemned the brutality and urged the leadership of security forces to rein in on the rogue officers, ensure justice is served and journalists are protected as they execute their duties.

"As we have noted before, we will continue to document collective attacks against journalists and the individual officers who carry them out and those with operational command. Attacks on journalists will not go unrecorded or unpunished. Impunity shall not be allowed to thrive," reads part of a statement issued by the Editors' guild.

According to the editors, attacks on journalists in Uganda is one of the continued sustained attacks on civil liberties including breaches to freedom of association prior and in the aftermath of 2021 General elections with the actions undoing all the efforts of constitutionalism and the rule of law that have been undertaken for many decades.

Since December last year, more than 20 journalists have been targeted and assaulted by security operatives while on duty.

 

When Americans fall prey to Neo-liberal banditry Systems Created by Babylon USA : American conned out of $6m by police officer in gold scam

 

American conned out of $6m by police officer in gold scam

https://observer.ug/news/headlines/68525-american-conned-out-of-6m-by-police-officer-in-gold-scam

February 18, 2021

 

Written by URN

 

 

The Criminal Investigations Directorate (CID) has charged two police deserters accused of conning $6m (about Shs 21.9 billion) out of an American national, Anastasios Belesis in a gold scam.

Former police constable Martin Bwayo alias Capt Bob and his alleged accomplice Enock Katwesigye alias Col Frank, according to Belesis, masqueraded as senior UPDF officers who transact gold on behalf of key government officials. Belesis, in his statement at CID headquarters, Kibuli, said his woes started last year when he met a one Charles in Kenya who convinced him that he knew Ugandans who sell genuine gold and in large quantities.

Belesis has since identified himself to detectives as a minerals dealer from the United States, a business he has traded in for over two decades. The 46-year-old said he travelled from the US to Kenya in 2019 to purchase gold but did not succeed. As he was planning to fly back to the US, he met Charles who befriended him and later told him about available gold in Uganda.

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“Charles gave me the contact of Capt Frank [Bwayo Martin] who I later met when I travelled to Uganda. Capt Frank told me he deals with only registered and recognized mineral companies. He told me to register my the company, acquire a license from geological minerals department, a certificate from Uganda Revenue Authority and National Social Security Fund,” Belesis said in a statement.

After providing the list of requirements that Belesis needed to meet before he started gold transactions, Bwayo told him that the registration process would take almost two years but in order to speed up the process, Bwayo introduced him to Katwesigye, who told him that they needed about $3 million which he allegedly paid. He was later charged $2.5 million for hiring an office at Mukwano Courts and recruiting some workers.

“I paid the money hesitantly but I was convinced I was dealing with genuine people since they asked me to meet all these procedures. They took me to where gold was being sold. I examined five kilogrammes of gold which were all genuine. They told me that they had over 800 kilogrammes of gold and they were willing to sell it to me,” Belesis added.

After testing the gold, Belesis gave Bwayo and Katwesigye an additional $1.25 million But to his surprise, seven armed men dressed in military-like attires intercepted the box body truck in which the gold had been loaded. The armed men, Belesis said, claimed to have been sent by a government security agency because they had been tipped about an unlawful gold transaction. Katwesigye introduced himself to the seven armed men as a UPDF colonel and he was saluted.

“Col Frank told me he was engaging the security men so that they could allow me to take my gold. He engaged them on the side and he later told me they had refused. I was asked to pay $750,000 more, but I became suspicious of endless expenses,” Belesis said.

It was at that point that Belesis’s friend told him to file a case at CID headquarters. The case was entered on GEF 086/2021. Fraud and money laundering detectives were assigned by CID director AIGP Grace Akullo to trace the culprits.

The investigations led to the arrest of the two police officers and CID spokesperson, ASP Charles Twine, said detectives are now looking for other suspects who masqueraded as soldiers and hijacked the gold truck.

At the time of arrest, ASP Twine said the genuine gold has gone missing. Police have encouraged investors to avoid concealed transactions in order to avoid being duped by fraudsters. Police are now looking to attach the property which purchased using conned money.

 

 

The Development Darling of the West : Inside Paul Kagame’s Neo-liberal autocracy : Hotel Rwanda 'hero' goes on trial amid global calls for release

 

Paul Rusasabagina (C) arrives with some of his coaccused at the Supreme Court in Kigali on February 17, 2021 where he is facing charges related to their association with Mouvement Rwandais pour le changement démocratique (MRCD) and its armed wing FLN. AFP PHOTO

Hotel Rwanda 'hero' goes on trial amid global calls for release

Thursday February 18 2021

 By AFP

https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/hotel-rwanda-hero-goes-on-trial-amid-global-calls-for-release-3295518

Paul Rusesabagina, the polarising hero of the hit movie "Hotel Rwanda," went on trial Wednesday on charges including terrorism that drew international calls for his release.

Rusesabagina, whose actions during Rwanda's 1994 genocide inspired the movie, had been living abroad for years before appearing in Kigali under arrest in mysterious circumstances in October.

His family and lawyers say he was abducted overseas and brought back to Rwanda illegally. They say that as he is an outspoken government critic, he cannot receive a fair trial there and that he has not been allowed to meet with international lawyers.

The former hotelier, who was played by American actor Don Cheadle in the 2004 film, has been charged with 13 offences including terrorism for starting an armed group in recent years that is accused of staging deadly attacks within Rwanda.

He appeared in court alongside 20 others facing similar charges for supporting the banned outfit, the National Liberation Front (FLN). The accused all wore face masks and the pink standard-issue uniforms assigned to defendants in Rwanda.

'I am not a Rwandan'
Rusesabagina's legal team has argued he cannot be tried in Rwanda until it is established whether his extradition was legal.
"Let me say this again as I have said before many times. I am not a Rwandan. I am Belgian. The case file on me should reflect that," Rusesabagina told the court.

 

He said he had been required to apply for an entry visa when visiting Rwanda on two occasions in 2003 and 2004: "This is how foreigners are treated," he added.

But lead prosecutor Bonaventure Ruberwa said Rusesabagina's parents were Rwandans and he had never renounced his citizenship.

"He was reported as a Rwandan to the Belgian authorities, also holding dual citizenship as a Belgian, so the court should disregard his claim."

Ruberwa said Belgian authorities had "fully cooperated" with their investigation and assisted by sending documents about Rusesabagina to Rwandan authorities.

The 66-year-old had already been denied bail, which he sought on account of poor health.

International outrage
Rusesabagina is credited with sheltering hundreds of Rwandans inside a hotel he managed during the 1994 genocide, in which 800,000 mostly Tutsis but also moderate Hutus were slaughtered.

But in the years after Hollywood made him an international celebrity, a more complex image emerged of the staunch government critic, whose tirades against the regime of long-serving Rwandan President Paul Kagame made him an enemy of the state.

Kagame has been in power since 1994 and is accused by critics of crushing opponents and ruling through fear.

The United States, which awarded Rusesabagina the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2005, said it has raised his case with Rwanda and asked for information on how he returned to the country.

"We've continued to urge the Rwandan government to provide humane treatment, respect for the rule of law and to provide a fair and transparent legal process, including access to legal counsel of his choosing," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

Thirty-seven members of the US Congress jointly urged Rusesabagina's release, echoing a resolution by the European Parliament.
In a letter to Kagame, the US lawmakers warned of risks to relations, saying that Rusesabagina is a US permanent resident and that Rwanda transferred him out of the United Arab Emirates.

"Your government's resort to the extrajudicial transfer of Mr. Rusesabagina demonstrates a disregard for US law and suggests a lack of confidence in the credibility of the evidence against him," said the letter signed by the top Republicans and Democrats on the Senate and House committees handling foreign affairs.

'We waged war on Rwanda'

In an earlier court hearing, Rusesabagina admitted to helping form the FLN, the armed movement of an opposition party he founded in exile, but denied any roles in its crimes.
Rwandan authorities blamed the FLN for a series of deadly attacks in 2018 in Nyungwe, a forested area which is popular among tourists coming to see endangered mountain gorillas.
The attacks prompted France, Germany, Canada and Australia to advise their nationals against travel to the area.

One of Rusesabagina's co-accused, FLN commander Callixte Nsabimana, appeared to have sided with the prosecution, however it was unclear why he had turned on a man he said had been "my president".

"He had ambitions to become the president of Rwanda. Now how do you have such ambitions when you're not Rwandan?" Nsabimana said.
"We waged war on Rwanda, and failed and were captured. It is embarrassing for him to now claim that he is not Rwandan," said Nsabimana, who was arrested in April 2019.

The Deception of Neo-liberalism : Nigerian former World Bank Economist and citizen of Babylon USA Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala becomes new WTO Boss: A black woman will do nothing to stop the criminality of WTO: She is an agent of the diabolic neo-liberal capitalism

 

 Nigerian economist Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, who is also a US citizen, emerged as the front-runner for the post of WTO director-general last year. PHOTO | FILE | AFP

 

Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, new WTO head 'loved' despite mixed record

 https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/news/world/ngozi-okonjo-iweala-new-wto-head-loved-despite-mixed-record-3292424

Monday February 15 2021

 By AFP

Twice Nigeria's finance minister and its first woman foreign minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala has been described as a trailblazer.

The 66-year-old made more history on Monday when she was appointed as the first African and woman to head the World Trade Organization (WTO).

Aside from her time in public office, the development economist also spent a quarter-century at the World Bank -- rising to be managing director and running for the top role in 2012.

"I think she has delivered, whether in Nigeria or in other countries where she worked," Idayat Hassan of the Centre for Democracy and Development research and advocacy group told AFP. 

Born in 1954 in Ogwashi Ukwu, in Delta State, western Nigeria, her father is a traditional ruler. She spent much of her life in the United States, graduating from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Harvard, where she sent her four children.

"She is not just liked in Nigeria, she is loved, because she is a symbol, and people are gunning for her because of what she represents for womanhood," said Hassan.

 

'She kept quiet' 

Not everyone agrees her track record is impeccable.

"Okonjo-Iweala may have done some box-checking technocratic transparency reforms in her ministry but the fact is, nearly a billion dollars a month were going missing from oil revenues when she was finance minister," said Sarah Chayes, author of "Thieves of State", a book about corruption.

"I think it's a shame she is even being considered for the role," Chayes said in an interview last year.

"There is an appetite for this kind of good news story at a time when diversity issues are paramount, being female and black doesn't hurt."

The former minister has portrayed herself as a champion against Nigeria's rampant corruption -- and says her own mother was even kidnapped over her attempts to tackle the scourge.

But critics insist she should have done more to stop it while in power.

"At the very least, she had the opportunity to resign from office and expose the corruption," said Olanrewaju Suraju, from the Human and Environmental Development Agenda campaign group.

"Rather, she kept quiet and allowed high level corruption to fester under the regime, only to complain after leaving office."

'Boldness, courage' 

Okonjo-Iweala has also brushed off claims she lacks experience as a trade minister or negotiator.

"I've been doing that all my life, working on trade policy issues," she said during a webinar organised by Chatham House in July. 

"Most of all," she said, the choice for director general should go beyond technical skills, "you need boldness, courage".

She was recently named the African Union's special envoy to mobilise international support for the continent's efforts to address the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic.

Okonjo-Iweala has warned that growing protectionism and nationalism have been spurred on by the crisis and insists barriers need to be lowered to help the world recover.

"One way to ensure the adequate supply and equitable distribution of vaccines is to remove some of the barriers created by intellectual property and technology transfer laws," she wrote in April in Foreign Affairs magazine.

Prosperity Gospel King pin Frederick K.C. Price, who built LA’s Faith Dome, dies from COVID-19: He one time said that the body of a sick born born again Christian can not be a temple of the Holy Spirit because he can live a house where the windows and doors are not functioning right

 

Frederick K. C. Price famous quotes

https://www.azquotes.com/author/37639-Frederick_K_C_Price

How can you glorify God in your body, when it doesn't function right?....What makes you think the Holy Ghost wants to live inside of a body where He can't see out through the windows, and He can't hear out the ears? 

 

The whole point is I'm trying to get you to see-to get you out of this malaise of thinking that Jesus and the disciples were poor and then relating that to you thinking that you, as a child of God, have to follow Jesus. The Bible says that He has left us an example that we should follow His steps. That's the reason why I drive a Rolls Royce. I'm following Jesus' steps.

 

Do you think that the punishment for our sins was to die on the cross? If that was the case the two thieves could have paid the price. No, the punishment was to go to hell itself and to serve time in hell separated from God.

 

But God has to be given permission to work in this earth realm on behalf of man. You are in control! So if man has control, who no longer has it? God. When God gave Adam dominion, that meant God no longer had dominion. So God cannot do anything in this earth unless we let Him. And the way we let Him or give Him permission is through prayer.

 

If satan can keep you in the sense realm, he will destroy you - but if you keep him in the faith realm, you'll put him under your feet.

Frederick K.C. Price, televangelist who built LA’s FaithDome, dies from COVID-19

https://religionnews.com/2021/02/13/frederick-c-k-price-prosperity-gospel-televangelist-faithdome-crenshaw-christian-covid-19-ever-increasing/  

A popular though sometimes controversial prosperity gospel pastor, Price built one of the largest church buildings in the country.

February 13, 2021

 

 

By

Bob Smietana

 

(RNS) — The Rev. Frederick K.C. “Fred” Price, a prominent Los Angeles pastor who built one of the largest church buildings in the country, has died at 89.

“Our Husband, Father & your Apostle has gone to be w/ the Lord this evening,”  the Price family said in a statement posted on social media. “We accept his decision to go as he got a glimpse of glory a few weeks ago. We are sad. Please allow us some time to process. He fought the good fight of faith & laid hold of eternal life.”

Price was the longtime pastor of the Crenshaw Christian Center, which he founded in 1973 and grew into a megachurch that claims 28,000 members. The church is perhaps best known for the “FaithDome,” which opened in 1989 and seats 10,145 worshippers, making it the largest house of worship in the country at the time, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The FaithDome was built on a former campus of Pepperdine University on Vermont Avenue and cost $9 million dollars, the L.A. Times reported. Price told the newspaper at the time that he wanted the entire congregation to be able to meet at the same time.

“Multiple services are horrendous,” Price said in 1989. “The purpose of the building is to have one service. And if I can get 10,100 people into one service, that’s more than we’re doing now.”

The Rev. Frederick K.C. “Fred” Price. Photo via Crenshaw Christian Center

Price, a charismatic pastor, taught a message of prosperity, which was featured on his long-running television program, “Ever-Increasing Faith.”

“If you know ANYTHING about the Prosperity Gospel Rev. Fred Price and Crenshaw Christian Center was it before Creflo Dollar and any of those folks made it big,” religion scholar and author Anthea Butler said on Twitter after hearing news of Price’s death. “He was an original.”

Price was the pastor of Washington Community Church, a small Christian and Missionary Alliance church in Los Angeles, when he experienced the “baptism of the Holy Spirit” in 1970, according to the Crenshaw Christian Center website. He later began to study the teachings of televangelist and prosperity gospel preacher Kenneth Hagin.

As he embraced these new teachings, the congregation expanded. Price eventually started a new church with no denominational ties, which grew from about 300 worshippers to a congregation of thousands.

In 2008, Price was named an “apostle,” according to the biography posted on the church’s website. Not long afterward, he retired as pastor of Crenshaw Christian Center, handing the pulpit over to his son, Frederick K. Price Jr.

 

Apostle Price and his wife, Betty, were married for 67 years and were partners in ministry. In 1962, the couple’s eight-year-old son, Frederick K.C. Price III, was walking home from school when a car struck and killed him, an incident recounted on the church’s website.  

“Fred and I tried to console each other as best we could, and leaned a lot on one another during this time of hurt,” Betty Price later wrote. “My husband particularly found it hard to get over this tragedy, but he knew and continued to say, that it was not God who had taken our son from us. Looking back now, we can see how the devil was trying to destroy us as a family.”

Members of the church gave Price a Rolls Royce in the 1980s, which he defended as a sign of his faith. He disagreed with those who said Jesus was poor and said that since the Bible told him to follow Jesus’ example, that is what he intended to do.

In 2005, the city council of Los Angeles voted to name the intersection of Vermont Avenue and 79^th Street after the pastor but refused to pay for a naming ceremony due to his anti-LGBTQ comments.

 During the COVID-19 pandemic, the Crenshaw Christian Center has served as both a testing center and a vaccination site. According to the L.A. Times, both Apostle Price and his wife tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this year, and Price was hospitalized due to the virus.