United States Africa Command Public Affairs Office 7 November 2011

USAFRICOM - related news stories

Good morning. Please find attached news clips related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa, along with upcoming events of interest for November 7, 2011. Of interest in todays clips: In Nigeria: Foreign and domestic press report on the numbers of dead and wounded following terrorist attacks in northern Nigeria. Responsibility for the attacks has been claimed by Boko Haram which has threatened to continue the violence. In Liberia: The U.S. Department of State has issued a statement expressing disappointment in the Congress for Democratic Change's (CDC) intent to boycott the presidential run-off election on November 8. Al Jazeera reports that President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf is urging Liberians to ignore the boycott. In Kenya: Reuters reports that Eritrea has rejected Kenyan suspicions that it may be arming Islamist Al Shabaab rebels in Somalia, as a diplomatic row between the two countries intensifies. Al Jazeera and the BBC report on violence in a Kenyan game reserve and a grenade attack on a church that killed two. U.S. Africa Command Public Affairs Please send questions or comments to: [email protected] 421-2687 (+49-711-729-2687) -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Top News related to U.S. Africa Command and Africa At least 150 dead in wave of terror attacks in northeast Nigeria (AFP) http://www.france24.com/en/20111105-scores-dead-wave-terror-attacks-northeastnigeria-boko-haram-yobe 5 November 2011 At least 150 people died in a wave of overnight attacks that started on Friday in northeast Nigeria. Islamist group Boko Haram claimed responsibililty Saturday for the attacks. Nigerian forces hunt killers, locals demand security (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A503U20111106
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6 November 2011 By Mike Oboh Nigerian security forces said on Sunday they were hunting for Islamist militants behind a coordinated attack in the north that killed at least 65 people, as shocked residents demanded the government do more to protect them. Nigeria group threatens more deadly attacks (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/20111169858380467.html 6 November 2011 Nigeria's Boko Haram has threatened to carry out more attacks, a day after a series of blasts and gun battles claimed by the group killed more than 100 people in the country's northeast, the Nigerian Red Cross has said. Warning issued for Americans in Nigeria (CNN) http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/06/world/africa/nigeria-violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 6 November 2011 By Christian Purefoy Following an outbreak of violence that left more than 100 people dead, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria issued a warning to Americans on Sunday, saying more attacks may be imminent in the northeastern part of the nation. Liberia's Presidential Elections (Department of State Press Statement) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/11/176709.htm 5 November 2011 Victoria Nuland, U.S. Department of State The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) to boycott Liberias presidential run-off election on November 8. The CDCs charge that the first-round election was fraudulent is unsubstantiated. Challenger to boycott Liberia run-off vote (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/2011114124736670129.html 5 November 2011 Liberia's presidential challenger has said he will not take part in Tuesday's scheduled run-off vote against President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Liberia president asks voters to ignore boycott ( Associated Press) http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2011/11/06/liberia_president_asks_vot ers_to_ignore_boycott/ 6 November 2011 By Jonathan Paye-Layleh Liberia's president urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Kenya-Eritrea row over arms to Somalia grows (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A502320111106 6 November 2011
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By Richard Lough and Abdi Sheikh Eritrea has rejected Kenyan suspicions that it may be arming Islamist al Shabaab rebels in Somalia, as a diplomatic row between the two countries intensifies. Deadly attack in Kenyan game reserve (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/2011114121757315615.html 4 November 2011 Gunmen have attacked a safari vehicle in a north Kenyan game reserve, killing the Kenyan driver and wounding a Swiss tourist, according to local police. Kenya: Grenade attack on Church in Garisssa kills two (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15612162 6 November 2011 Two people have been killed in a grenade attack on a church in an eastern Kenyan town. At least three others were injured after the grenade was thrown into the compound of the East African Pentecostal Church in Garissa. Sudan oil state rebels claim to destroy tanks (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A500P20111106 6 November 2011 Rebels in Sudan's main oil-producing state claimed on Saturday to have destroyed four tanks during fighting near the state's capital, drawing a denial from the country's army. South Sudan rejects Sudan's complaint to UN over rebels (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A500320111106 6 November 2011 By Hereward Holland South Sudan on Sunday rejected allegations it was arming insurgents in two conflictstricken border regions in Sudan after its old civil war foe brought the charges to the United Nations Security Council. Pirates release Halifax tanker off Nigeria (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15609012 5 November 2011 An oil tanker seized by pirates off the coast of the Niger Delta last week has been released, officials in Nigeria say. UN begins return of Angolan refugees from DRC (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/20111156648182694.html 5 November 2011 The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has resumed a voluntary repatriation programme for tens of thousands of Angolan refugees after their displacement into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the civil war that ended in 2002. Will this year's Hajj have an Arab Spring effect? (CNN)

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http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/04/huge-hajj-gathering-comes-against-backdropof-arab-spring/?hpt=hp_c2 6 November 2011 By Dan Gilgoff and Dan Merica, CNN (The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the world's largest gathering of Muslims - the biggest annual gathering of humanity, period. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------UN News Service Africa Briefs http://www.un.org/apps/news/region.asp?Region=AFRICA Ban and Security Council strongly condemn terrorist attacks in Nigeria 5 November Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the Security Council have strongly condemned Friday's terrorist attacks in Nigeria which led to numerous deaths and injuries, and underlined the need to bring those responsible to justice. Security Council deplores failure by Sudan and South Sudan to withdraw forces from Abyei 4 November The Security Council today deplored the failure by the governments of Sudan and South Sudan to redeploy their troops from the disputed Abyei area and urged the two countries to do so immediately and without preconditions. Ban urges Liberians to maintain peace despite electoral disagreement 4 November Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon today urged the people of Liberia to refrain from violence despite political disagreement, and encouraged them to ensure that peace is maintained during the second round of presidential elections scheduled for Tuesday. UN peacekeeping chief discusses human rights, democracy with South Sudanese leader 4 November Protecting human rights, enshrining democracy and improving interSudanese relations topped the agenda today during talks today between the new chief of United Nations peacekeeping chief and South Sudans President. UN refugee agency restarts repatriation of Angolans from DR Congo 4 November The United Nations refugee agency today resumed the repatriation of Angolan refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) after a four-year hiatus, aiming to help more than 40,000 people go home. (Full Articles on UN Website) ###

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-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Upcoming Events of Interest: 7 NOV 2011 WHEN: 9:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. WHAT: Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University Conference on The Five Elements of Civil Society: A New Approach to Participation in Combating Trafficking in Persons. For a full conference agenda, visit http://www.sais-jhu.edu/events/pdf/2011-11-07_protectionprojectagenda.pdf. WHERE: SAIS, Kenney Auditorium, Nitze Building, 1740 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. CONTACT: Felisa Neuringer Klubes at [email protected] or 202-663-5626; web site: www.sais-jhu.edu SOURCE: SAIS event announcement at: www.sais-jhu.edu
WHEN: 10:00 a.m. 12:00 p.m. WHAT: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) Discussion on China's Rise and International Order. Speakers: Yan Xuetong, Douglas H. Paal. WHERE: CEIP, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW CONTACT: 202-483-7600; web site: www.carnegieendowment.org NOTE: Register at: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/events/forms/?fa=registration&event=3437 SOURCE: CEIP event announcement at: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2011/11/07/china-s-rise-and-international-order/6b3m WHEN: 12:00 1:30 p.m. WHAT: Woodrow Wilson Center (WWC) Discussion on Measuring Progress: A Launch and Discussion of the World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2011. Speakers: Jeni Klugman, Director, Gender and Development, Poverty Reduction and Economic Management, The World Bank; Laura Liswood, Secretary General, Council of Women World Leaders Senior Advisor, Goldman Sachs; and Saadia Zahidim, Senior Director, Head of Constituents, World Economic Forum. WHERE: WWC, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW CONTACT: 202-691-4000; web site: www.wilsoncenter.org SOURCE: WWC event announcement at: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/measuringprogress-launch-and-discussion-the-world-economic-forum-global-gender-gap-report-0 WHEN: 12:00 2:00 p.m. WHAT: Carnegie Endowment for International Peace (CEIP) Discussion on Will Economic Disruption Derail the Arab Spring? Speakers: Masood Ahmed, Caroline Freund, Robert Hormats, Marina Ottaway, and Uri Dadush. WHERE: CEIP, 1779 Massachusetts Avenue, NW CONTACT: 202-483-7600; web site: www.carnegieendowment.org NOTE: Register at: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/events/forms/?fa=registration&event=3434 SOURCE: CEIP event announcement at: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/2011/11/07/willeconomic-disruption-derail-arab-spring/68dj

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WHEN: 4:30 p.m. WHAT: Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), Johns Hopkins University Discussion on Tunisians and Their Hopes for Democracy: Toward Democracy. Speaker: Hatem Bourial, Tunisian TV personality and author. WHERE: SAIS, Room 500, Bernstein-Offit Building, 1717 Massachusetts Avenue, NW. CONTACT: Felisa Neuringer Klubes at [email protected] or 202-663-5626; web site: www.saisjhu.edu SOURCE: SAIS event announcement at: www.sais-jhu.edu

8 NOV 2011 UNITED STATES SENATE - COMMITTEE ON ARMED SERVICES There will be a meeting of the Committee on ARMED SERVICES Tuesday, November 8, 2011 9:30 AM Room SD-G50 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington D.C. Meeting is OPEN to the public To receive testimony on the Committees investigation into counterfeit electronic parts in the Department of Defense supply chain. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------New on www.africom.mil Botswana Defence Force Combats HIV http://www.africom.mil/getArticle.asp?art=7400&lang=0 4 November 2011 By Vince Crawley, U.S. AFRICOM Public Affairs GABORONE, Botswana, Nov 4, 2011 With assistance from the U.S. military, the Botswana Defence Force plays a leading role in helping to combat HIV/AIDS infection rates in the southern African country of 2 million people, where more than 20 percent of adults carry the deadly virus. The U.S. military health program supports a much larger U.S. government effort that since 2005 has invested more than $450 million to fight HIV/AIDS in Botswana. ### -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------FULL TEXT At least 150 dead in wave of terror attacks in northeast Nigeria (AFP) http://www.france24.com/en/20111105-scores-dead-wave-terror-attacks-northeastnigeria-boko-haram-yobe 5 November 2011
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At least 150 people died in a wave of overnight attacks that started on Friday in northeast Nigeria. Islamist group Boko Haram claimed responsibililty Saturday for the attacks. AFP - At least 150 people died in a "heinous" wave of gun and bomb attacks in northern Nigeria that were on Saturday claimed by the Islamist Boko Haram sect. President Goodluck Jonathan condemned the assaults which officials said included at least five suicide bomb blasts and "directed security agencies to ensure the arrest of perpetrators of these heinous acts," said a statement from his spokesman Reuben Abati. As corpses piled up in the morgue, a rescue agency official told AFP the body count stood at 150. "I was involved in the evacuation of corpses to the morgue. I personally counted 150 bodies," the official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said at the hospital. He said some families had already collected their loved ones for burial, reducing the number to 97 by end of the day. An AFP reporter counted 97 corpses still in the mortuary. The Red Cross earlier said the death toll stood at 63, while police spoke of 53, of whom 11 were members of its force. "From our inventory, 53 people have so far been killed in the attack," said local police chief Suleimon Lawal. The 15-nation UN Security Council released a statement saying it "condemned in the strongest terms" the attacks in Nigeria. The council expressed condolences to the families. A member of Nigeria's Boko Haram sect on Saturday claimed responsibility. "We are responsible for the attack in (northeastern) Borno (state) and Damaturu," Abul Qaqa told an AFP correspondent by phone. "We will continue attacking federal government formations until security forces stop persecuting our members and vulnerable civilians," Qaqa warned. The Friday bomb and gun attacks targeted police stations, an army base and churches in the cities of Damaturu, Maiduguri and two other small towns. Jonathan's spokesman said the attacks had forced him to skip his brother's wedding which took place in his village in southern Nigeria on Saturday. The military deployed to curb the violence in Maiduguri said there were four suicide bomb attacks in parts of the city, including an army base and on the outskirts of Maiduguri.
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The attackers bombed their targets then took on the security forces in gun battles in Damaturu. Residents said gunfire rang out for several hours across the city after the explosions. "It was a suicide bomb attack at one of our buildings. The attacker came in a Honda CRV and rammed into the building and explosives exploded," Lawal told AFP. An AFP reporter said no office was still standing at the police HQ which was still smouldering some 24 hours after the attack. Three burnt cars lay in front of the building. A journalist described scenes of chaos and destruction in Damaturu. "In fact, Damaturu is looking just like Libya... burnt cars and buildings." In a mainly Christian neighbourhood of Damaturu called Jerusalem, six churches were bombed in addition to a police station. "A police station and a mechanical workshop of the police were attacked. Six churches in the area were also bombed," said resident Edwin Silas, adding: "The whole city is traumatised." The string of attacks came two days ahead of the annual Muslim celebration of Eid alAdha, or the Feast of Sacrifice. Police have been placed on red alert nationwide. Militants from Boko Haram, whose name means "Western Education Is Sin" in the regional Hausa language, have in the past targeted police and military, community and religious leaders, as well as politicians. The sect, which wants to see the establishment of an Islamic state in northern Nigeria, staged an uprising which was brutally put down by security forces in 2009. Nigeria's more than 160 million people are divided almost in half between Muslims and Christians, living roughly in the north and south of the country respectively. Regions where they overlap are prey to frequent tensions. ### Nigerian forces hunt killers, locals demand security (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A503U20111106 6 November 2011 By Mike Oboh

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KANO, Nigeria (Reuters) - Nigerian security forces said on Sunday they were hunting for Islamist militants behind a coordinated attack in the north that killed at least 65 people, as shocked residents demanded the government do more to protect them. The Boko Haram Islamist sect claimed responsibility for multiple gun and bomb attacks in the city of Damaturu on Friday evening that left bodies littering the streets and police stations, churches and mosques reduced to smouldering rubble. "We are ready for them, we are going to comb every place in the state to until we find and deal with them. Our men are ready," the police commissioner for Yobe state, of which Damaturu is the capital, told Reuters. He gave the official death toll as 53, less than the tally of 65 sent to Reuters by an emergency relief agency that counted bodies in the morgues -- 63 from the Damaturu attack and another two from a strike on a neighbouring village. Bewildered residents questioned how the gunmen were able to take over the city and wreak havoc with apparent ease. "I am a Muslim but what is happening in Nigeria now is unacceptable. President Jonathan and his security chiefs should take control of the situation. We are tired of these terrorist acts," said Abdulgafar Bello, 48, a market trader. In a statement, the U.N. Security Council said it "condemns in the strongest terms the terrorist attacks that occurred in Damaturu and Potiskum," and it called for global "measures to combat terrorism." GROWING MILITANT THREAT Boko Haram is growing in sophistication, and the increasing audacity and deadliness of its attacks, two of which struck the capital Abuja this year, have evolved into a big security headache for President Goodluck Jonathan's administration. Boko Haram deems all who do not follow its strict ideology as infidels, whether they are Christian or Muslim. It demands the adoption of sharia, Islamic law, in all of Africa's most populous country, which is split roughly evenly between Christians and Muslims. Friday's violence, which included a spate of bomb attacks in the northeastern city of Maiduguri, was some of the worst on record by the group, whose name means "Western education is forbidden" in the northern, Hausa language. The president rarely comments on frequent attacks in the north. But on Saturday, he said in a statement he had "directed security agencies to ensure the arrest of perpetrators of these heinous acts and assures Nigerians that all necessary will be done to ensure safety of lives and properties".

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Many Nigerians were unimpressed. "How can the president use the same cliche to address another mass murder of Nigerians he swore an oath to protect? Why not declare war on Boko Haram? What is wrong with his executive powers? What is wrong with Nigeria?" wrote a blogger called Ken on the website of the Nigerian daily This Day. But efforts to make war on Boko Haram in the past have done little to quell the insurgency and heavy-handed police tactics in the remote northeast have radicalised youths against the state -- creating a fertile breeding ground for more militancy. The conflict has heightened rifts between Nigeria's increasingly prosperous, oil-rich south and its economically deprived, semi-arid north. Boko Haram appears to be growing in sophistication, and security analysts believe it has made links with al Qaeda's north African affiliate. Apart from a greater presence of security on the streets of Damaturu, residents said, life was slowly returning to normal as Muslims there slaughtered sheep to celebrate the Eid al Adha, the festival of sacrifice. Nigeria, with a population of 150 million, is mostly peaceful but growing militancy in the north and spasms of violence in the ethnically and religiously mixed "Middle Belt" are an increasing worry. ### Nigeria group threatens more deadly attacks (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/20111169858380467.html 6 November 2011 Nigeria's Boko Haram has threatened to carry out more attacks, a day after a series of blasts and gun battles claimed by the group killed more than 100 people in the country's northeast, the Nigerian Red Cross has said. Ibrahim Bulama, an official from the humanitarian organisation, said on Sunday that the death toll is expected to rise as local clinics and hospitals tabulate the casualty figures from Friday's attacks in Damaturu, the capital of rural Yobe state. A spokesman for the Islamist armed group, using the name Abul-Qaqa, promised "more attacks are on the way", speaking hours after witnesses reported "scenes of carnage". Boko Haram, which means "Western education is sacrilege", has claimed responsibility for previous attacks and the latest was the deadliest since the group attacked a UN building in the capital Abuja in August, killing at least 20 people.

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"We will continue attacking federal government formations until security forces stop their excesses on our members and vulnerable civilians," Abul-Qaqa said in an interview with the the Daily Trust, the newspaper of record across Nigeria's Muslim north. Suleimon Lawal, the police commissioner of Damaturu, told Al Jazeera a suicide bomber drove a vehicle apparently laden with explosives into a building housing the anti-terrorist court. Lawal said the attack killed 53 people but he did not disclose how many among the casualties were security officials. "I know for a fact that there're Nigerian groups in and outside the government, including the media, who are suggesting that the government should try to talk to Boko Haram, but my own impression is that they don't seem to be particularly ready or inclined to talk." Lawal insisted the group was not gaining an upper hand and vowed that it would be crushed. "My strategy is a security strategy [that] I cannot disclose on air. So as they're not [Boko Haram] disclosing their security strategy, I don't think it is safe for me to tell the whole world what I am doing," he said. The violence followed a series of attacks reported in the neighbouring cities of Maiduguri and Potiskum on Friday afternoon. "There's that fear that something might possibly happen again," Ibrahim Bulama, a spokesman for the Nigerian Red Cross, said. Security vehicles torched News agencies, quoting officials, said after the attack on the building, armed men went through Damaturu, blowing up a bank and attacking at least three police stations and five churches, leaving behind their rubble. People began hesitantly leaving their homes on Saturday morning, after seeing the destruction left behind, which included military and police vehicles burned by the armed men, with the burned corpses of the drivers who died still in their seats. Boko Haram wants the strict implementation of Islamic law across the nation of more than 160 million people, which has a predominantly Christian south and a Muslim north. Nii Akuetteh, a former executive director of Africa Action, a Washington-based rights group, said the group appeared to be growing strong. "The government has been saying that it will deal with them and that it will get a handle on the problem, but it's not been able to," he told Al Jazeera.
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"Previously, the attempt made was to try and fight them militarily - to send the secuirty forces after them - but that has created its own problem. "I know for a fact that there're Nigerian groups in and outside the government, including the media, who are suggesting that the government should try to talk to Boko Haram. "But my own impression is that they don't seem to be particularly ready or inclined to talk." Split into factions The AP news agency, quoting a diplomat, said the government was facing an increasingly dangerous threat from Boko Haram, adding that the group had split into three factions, one allied with al-Qaeda's North Africa branch. It said one faction remains moderate and welcomes an end to the violence while another wants a peace agreement with rewards similar to those offered to MEND, which has been fighting for a greater share of Nigeria's oil wealth. The attacks occured just before Eid al-Adha, or the feast of sacrifice, celebrated by Muslims around the world. Police elsewhere in Nigeria had warned of violence in the run-up to the celebration in the country that has previously been rocked by religious violence. Goodluck Jonathan, Nigeria's Christian president who took office amid religious and political rioting that saw at least 800 die in April, cancelled a trip to his home state of Bayelsa for his younger brother's wedding on Saturday. His spokesman, Reuben Abati, said the president did not consider those who launched the attacks "true Muslims," as the assault came during a holy period. Abati also promised that "every step will be taken" to arrest those responsible - the same pledge made again and again as Jonathan has visited other sites bombed by Boko Haram. "The security agencies will tell you that what happens on this scale is even a fraction of what could have happened considering the scope of the threat," Abati said. "The security agencies are busy at work trying to make sure the will of the majority of the Nigerian people is not subverted by a minority [group] with a suicidal streak." Source: Al Jazeera and agencies ###

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Warning issued for Americans in Nigeria (CNN) http://edition.cnn.com/2011/11/06/world/africa/nigeria-violence/index.html?hpt=hp_t2 6 November 2011 From Christian Purefoy Lagos, Nigeria (CNN) -- Following an outbreak of violence that left more than 100 people dead, the U.S. Mission in Nigeria issued a warning to Americans on Sunday, saying more attacks may be imminent in the northeastern part of the nation. "Following the recent Boko Haram, aka Nigerian Taliban, attacks in Borno and Yobe State, the U.S. Embassy has received information that Boko Haram may plan to attack several locations and hotels in Abuja, Nigeria, during the Sallah holiday," the mission said. Sallah is the Nigerian name for the Eid al-Adha Muslim holiday. The Muslim militant group Boko Haram's stated goal is to establish a state based on Sharia, or Islamic law, in the predominantly Muslim states of northern Nigeria. Loosely translated, the group's name means "Western education is sinful." According to the U.S. mission, other potential targets may include the Nicon Luxury, the Sheraton Hotel and the Transcorp Hilton Hotel. U.S. government personnel were instructed to avoid those locations, and any previously scheduled events were canceled. "American citizens should expect additional police and military checkpoints, additional security and possible road blocks in Abuja for the foreseeable future," the mission statement said. Attacks have targeted police stations, mosques and churches in northeastern Nigeria, the Red Cross said. There was no official claim of responsibility from Boko Haram. Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday called for an end to the violence during his weekly Sunday Angelus prayer. "I am following with apprehension the tragic episodes that have taken place in Nigeria over the last days," the pope said. "While I pray for the victims, I invite an end to the violence, which doesn't resolve the problems but increase them, sowing hatred and divisions even amongst the faithful." Scores of people, potentially more than 100, were injured in a three-hour rampage in the Yobe state city of Damaturu, according to Ibrahim Bulama of the Red Cross. More than 100 people died in what he described as "a very bad scene." Bulama initially said 63 people died, but revised the death toll upward Sunday. Gunmen first attacked the police headquarters and the anti-terror office before moving to churches and mosques, he said. Most of the casualties were police officers. In Potiskum, also located in Yobe state, gunmen attacked a book shop near the police station, killing two and injuring five, the Red Cross said.
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Nigeria's main opposition party, the Action Congress of Nigeria, said in a statement Sunday it was "horrified" at the attacks. "It is now apparent that those saddled with ensuring the security of lives and property in the country are grossly incapable of doing so, hence the need to shake up the security agencies and put more capable men and women in charge," the statement said. "The shake up must not spare any of the security chiefs. This is about taking responsibility." The Friday attacks came the same day that suicide bombers suspected of belonging to Boko Haram targeted a military base in nearby Maiduguri. Three suicide bombers drove a stolen black SUV toward a Joint Task Force headquarters, but could not get through the gate, military spokesman Lt. Col. Hassan Mohammed said. The blast damaged the roofs and walls of the base. Mohammed said two other simultaneous explosions took place at other military facilities. An unspecified number of Nigerian soldiers suffered injuries. Saturday evening, a suicide bomber launched another attack in Maiduguri, Mohammed said. No casualties were reported except for the bomber. He also blamed Boko Haram for the attacks. The Red Cross official said Boko Haram is suspected in the Damaturu attack as well. CNN's Hada Messia in Rome and Marilia Brocchetto in Atlanta contributed to this report. ### Liberia's Presidential Elections (Department of State Press Statement) http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2011/11/176709.htm 5 November 2011 Victoria Nuland, Department Spokesperson The United States is deeply disappointed by the decision of the Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) to boycott Liberias presidential run-off election on November 8. The CDCs charge that the first-round election was fraudulent is unsubstantiated. As evidenced by international and domestic observers, Liberias October 11 first-round presidential and legislative elections were fair, free and transparent. We are supportive of moving forward with the November 8 election as called for by the National Elections Commission. Participation in elections is a fundamental part of democracy. We commend all Liberians for their peaceful participation in the elections, and encourage all Liberians to exercise their political voice and vote on November 8. The United States commends the leadership of ECOWAS, notes the important contributions of UNMIL in promoting security during the electoral period, for working
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with all sides to protect the integrity of Liberias democracy. The international community, including the United States, will again send observers to monitor the election process. Resorting to violence is unacceptable. ### Challenger to boycott Liberia run-off vote (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/2011114124736670129.html 5 November 2011 Liberia's presidential challenger has said he will not take part in Tuesday's scheduled runoff vote against President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf. Winston Tubman said his Congress for Democratic Change (CDC) party refused to "grant legitimacy to a corrupt political process", the Reuters news agency reported. Tubman, a lawyer educated at Harvard and Cambridge who worked at the United Nations, called on supporters to take part in a peaceful protest on Saturday and to boycott the vote next week. Sirleaf called on voters to ignore the poll boycott, saying the move was illegal and intended to intimidate Liberians. "Do not succumb to fear and intimidation. Do not allow any politician to hold our country hostage," she said in a radio address to the nation on Saturday. "Do not allow Mr Tubman to falsely claim boycott when what he is doing is forfeiting the rights of the finals because he fears defeat," she added. Liberia's election commission said the vote would still take place as planned. Election machinery 'flawed' Tubman said he would not recognise any government formed as a result of the polls. He told The Associated Press on Friday "the election machinery is still flawed as it was in the first round". Speaking to Al Jazeera from the capital Monrovia on Saturday, Tubman said the CDC came to the decision because the party "does not feel that we will be treated fairly in the run-off if we are still using mechanisms and procedures that we used in the first one". "All we are asking for is that we be allowed to have a closer involvement and being able to monitor and watch the process in the run-off and those requests have not been granted and becuase of that our people have decided that we should not participate in the runoff," he said.

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"In order to have democracy in Liberia, we need opposition parties to exist and be viable. And the way this whole process has gone on, our party feels that we are not getting a fair hearing and a fair chance." The US state department on Saturday said it was disappointed by the CDC's decision and encouraged Liberians to participate in the run-off election. "The CDC's charge that the first-round election was fraudulent is unsubstantiated," state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in a statement. Leadership change Tubman previously threatened to withdraw from the run-off unless there was a change of leadership at the election commission. His party complained of fraud and irregularities, saying the commission was biased. The allegations led to the resignation of election body's director, James Fromayan, last week. "I chose to step down for the sake of Liberia and so that [Tubman's] CDC would not have an excuse not to participate in the run-off," Fromayan told the Reuters news agency on Sunday. Fromayan, who denied any wrongdoing, was replaced by his deputy Elizabeth Nelson. He said he did not know if it would be a permanent arrangement. "Nothing will stop the elections from going ahead as planned," Nelson told Reuters on Friday. In the first round of voting on October 11, Sirleaf won 43.9 per cent of the vote. Tubman, her closest rival, won 32.7 per cent. Sirleaf, who won this year's Nobel Peace Prize along with compatriot Leymah Gbowee and Tawakul Karman of Yemen, is a strong favourite for the run-off, having secured the backing of a former rebel leader, Prince Johnson, who was third in the earlier poll with about 11.6 per cent. Sirleaf was Africa's first democratically elected female president. She is viewed abroad as a Harvard-trained reformer, but Tubman's camp portrays her as out of touch with the impoverished population. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies ### Liberia president asks voters to ignore boycott ( Associated Press)
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http://www.boston.com/news/world/africa/articles/2011/11/06/liberia_president_asks_vot ers_to_ignore_boycott/ 6 November 2011 By Jonathan Paye-Layleh MONROVIA, LiberiaLiberia's president urged voters to go to the polls this week and to ignore a boycott by the opposition. Tweet Be the first to Tweet this!ShareThis Campaigning for the Nov. 8 presidential runoff ends at midnight Sunday, and incumbent President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is likely to remain unopposed. Her supporters drove around Monrovia Sunday calling for support over amplifiers mounted on pickups. Liberia's leading opposition candidate Winston Tubman had said he was pulling out of the presidential runoff election. He told The Associated Press Friday that he was boycotting the runoff because he was not convinced the process would be fair. President Sirleaf accused Tubman of violating the constitution as she spoke to her Unity Party supporters in an address carried lived on radio and television Saturday. "On Nov. 8, I urge you to go out and cast your vote for your favorite candidates," she said. "Do not succumb to fear and intimidation. Do not allow any politician to hold our country hostage." "If this is how they run their party, think of how they would run this country," she said of Tubman and his Congress for Democratic Change party. This is not the first time that Tubman's party has threatened a boycott. When it became clear in October that incumbent President Sirleaf was leading the first round of voting with over 45 percent, the Congress for Democratic Change joined seven other opposition parties in signing a statement saying they were pulling out of the presidential poll. They rejoined the electoral process days later, after the chairman of the National Elections Commission resigned following allegations he favored Sirleaf, the country's Harvard-educated president who was just awarded this year's Nobel Peace Prize. Sirleaf won the first round of voting but failed to reach the threshold needed to avoid a runoff. Tubman's decision to boycott the runoff would guarantee victory for the country's ruling party but would rob the electoral process of its legitimacy. "The election machinery is still flawed, as it was in the first round," Tubman said. The U.S. State Department said it was "deeply disappointed" by the decision of the CDC to boycott the runoff election.

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"Participation in elections is a fundamental part of democracy," a statement attributed to State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said Saturday. "We commend all Liberians for their peaceful participation in the elections, and encourage all Liberians to exercise their political voice and vote." It said the CDC's charges that the first round was fraudulent were "unsubstantiated." The international community, including the United States, will send observers to monitor the election process, it said. Sirleaf is expected to address a rally before her house in the Sinkor district of Monrovia Sunday evening. ### Kenya-Eritrea row over arms to Somalia grows (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A502320111106 6 November 2011 By Richard Lough and Abdi Sheikh NAIROBI/MOGADISHU (Reuters) - Eritrea has rejected Kenyan suspicions that it may be arming Islamist al Shabaab rebels in Somalia, as a diplomatic row between the two countries intensifies. Kenya's Foreign Affairs Minister Moses Wetangula said on Friday he had summoned the Eritrean ambassador and "raised concerns about intelligence that we have and information available that there is a possibility that arms supplies are flowing from his country to al Shabaab". He said Kenya, whose troops are fighting the al Qaeda-linked al Shabaab militant in southern Somalia, had "a series of options", which he did not specify, to deal with the alleged arms supplies. "The Government of Eritrea finds extremely regrettable the remarks attributed to the foreign minister of Kenya ... regarding the fabricated story of Eritrean arms shipments to al Shabaab in Somalia," Eritrea's foreign ministry said in a statement dated November 5. Eritrea denies arming the fighters and says such allegations are stirred up by regional rivals to sully its reputation. It described Kenya's implied threat of action as "unfortunate" ahead of an anticipated visit to Kenya by its own foreign minister. Kenya deployed troops inside Somalia three weeks ago to crush the al Shabaab militants it blames for a wave of kidnappings in Kenya and frequent cross-border attacks.

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Nairobi has warned of air strikes on a number of rebel bases across southern and central Somalia in response to what is said were reports Eritrea had flown consignments of weapons into the militant enclave of Baidoa. One of al Shabaab's top commanders told worshippers on Sunday the insurgents would not surrender their key strongholds, even if subjected to aerial bombardments. "Kenya's fighter jets will never seize our towns, but they may injure or kill a few people," Sheikh Hassan Dahir Aweys said in Almada, in the outskirts of the capital Mogadishu, after leading prayers to mark the Muslim festival of Eid. Kenya has long cast a wary eye at its lawless neighbour, awash with weapons and mired in conflict since the overthrow of a dictator in 1991. The region's biggest economy is so worried by the anarchy in Somalia, where first warlords then Islamist insurgents have stepped into a political vacuum, that it has quietly supported the birth of a semi-autonomous Somali province dubbed 'Jubaland', comprising the three Somali regions bordering Kenya. The status of Jubaland, also sometimes called Azania, is not clear. Somalia's government says it does not support the Jubaland initiative. Kenya's military has denied its incursion was carefully planned for years with a view to annexing Somali territory that could act as a buffer zone between the two countries. Al Shabaab thinks otherwise. "Let them not deceive you with Azania. It is a Christian state, take care," said Aweys, whose militants are fighting to impose a hardline version of Sharia law on Somalia. ### Deadly attack in Kenyan game reserve (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/2011114121757315615.html 4 November 2011 Gunmen have attacked a safari vehicle in a north Kenyan game reserve, killing the Kenyan driver and wounding a Swiss tourist, according to local police. Friday's incident in the Shaba National Reserve, 300 kilometres north of Nairobi, the capital, comes with the country watchful following several attacks and abductions targeting tourists and aid workers near Kenya's border with Somalia. A policeman told the AFP news agency that two groups had carried out the attack.

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"The information we have is that the (first group of) attackers came from the forest and opened fire at the vehicle; it sped off and another group a few metres away, also from the forest, shot at it, fatally wounding the driver," he said. The Swiss embassy in Nairobi said that one female Swiss citizen was wounded and was receiving medical care. Another Swiss national, a male, was not injured. Marcus Ochola, a police commander, said the injured woman had sustained gunshot wounds and that a manhunt for the perpetrators of the attack was under way. The previous attacks, taking place near the Somali border in the last two months, left two dead and three Western Europeans abducted and taken across the border into Somalia. A British man was killed and his wife abducted from a beach resort in northern Kenya on Sept. 11. The gunmen fled to Somalia where the woman is still being held hostage. A French woman was kidnapped nearby in the Lamu archipelago three weeks later and taken to Somalia. She subsequently died. Two Spanish aid workers were snatched from the Dadaab refugee camp later in October and also abducted across the border. Those attacks were cited by Nairobi as one of the reasons it sent troops into Somalia last month to pursue al-Shabab fighters which it blamed for the abductions. Source: Agencies ### Kenya: Grenade attack on Church in Garisssa kills two (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15612162 6 November 2011 Two people have been killed in a grenade attack on a church in an eastern Kenyan town. At least three others were injured after the grenade was thrown into the compound of the East African Pentecostal Church in Garissa. Another bomb was placed near a military base in the town earlier on Saturday, but failed to detonate. Police suggested the attack could have been carried out by Islamist extremists sympathetic to Somalia-based al-Shabab. Accusations Ibrahim Makunyi, head pastor of the church in Garissa, said a house near the entrance of the church that belonged to a church elder had been bombed.
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"One of the dead is a member of the choir, and the other is the son of the church elder," he was quoted by the Associated Press as saying. Kenyan police chief Leo Nyongesa said that a woman and her two grandchildren were also injured, AP reports. Mr Nyongesa said another bomb was thrown at a busy taxi circle frequented by military officers also on Saturday, but failed to explode. Kenya sent its troops into Somalia last month to establish a buffer zone following a spate of kidnappings blamed on al-Shabab. Al-Shabab denies involvement and accuses Kenya of planning a full-scale invasion of Somalia. ### Sudan oil state rebels claim to destroy tanks (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A500P20111106 6 November 2011 KHARTOUM (Reuters) - Rebels in Sudan's main oil-producing state claimed on Saturday to have destroyed four tanks during fighting near the state's capital, drawing a denial from the country's army. Fighting has raged across the South Kordofan border state since June, stoking tensions between Sudan and its old civil war foe South Sudan and complicating talks over the oil industry, the disputed Abyei territory and other unresolved issues. Qamar Dalman, spokesman for the insurgent Sudan People's Liberation Army-North (SPLA-N) in South Kordofan, said rebel fighters engaged Sudan's army on Friday near the town of al-Hamra in an area about five kilometres (3 miles) from the state capital, Kadugli. "The SPLA (in South Kordofan) destroyed four modern tanks and a large number of military vehicles in fighting throughout the day yesterday in the area of al-Hamra," he said in an emailed statement. Al-Sawarmi Khalid, Sudan's army spokesman, denied the claim, saying the area was quiet. "There is not any fighting in the al-Hamra area," he said. Both sides claimed to have killed hundreds of their opponents in heavy fighting near the town of Taludi further to the south on Monday.

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Sudan's army said it repulsed the attack, while the rebels have claimed to continue to advance on Kadugli -- a potentially major prize for the insurgents if it is taken. Events in the state are difficult to verify independently because access for journalists is limited. STRAINED TIES Thousands of fighters in the South Kordofan and Blue Nile border states sided with the south during Sudan's decades-long civil war, but were left north of the border when South Sudan became independent in July. Both Khartoum and Juba have accused the other of backing rebels on their side of the border, and both have denied the others' claims. Sudan's army pushed rebels out of their Blue Nile stronghold of Kurmuk on Thursday, although insurgents there vowed to continue fighting. Dalman also accused Khartoum of arming tribes to fight rebels in South Kordofan, echoing accusations in other Sudan conflicts such as the western Darfur region that the government has denied. South Sudan seceded after voting overwhelmingly for independence in a January referendum promised in a 2005 peace deal that ended one of Africa's longest and deadliest civil wars. Border violence since then has worsened ties between Sudan and Western powers. U.S. President Barack Obama extended trade sanctions this week that have been in place since 1997. ### South Sudan rejects Sudan's complaint to UN over rebels (Reuters) http://af.reuters.com/article/topNews/idAFJOE7A500320111106 6 November 2011 By Hereward Holland JUBA (Reuters) - South Sudan on Sunday rejected allegations it was arming insurgents in two conflict-stricken border regions in Sudan after its old civil war foe brought the charges to the United Nations Security Council. South Sudan became the world's newest country in July after a referendum agreed under a 2005 peace deal that ended decades of war with Khartoum, but violence along the poorly-drawn border has strained relations between the two since then.

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The two countries -- which have yet to agree on issues such as how to manage the formerly integrated oil industry -- have accused each other of supporting rebellions in their territory. Some analysts say the conflicts risk sliding into a proxy war. This week, Khartoum submitted its second complaint to the Security Council, accusing South Sudan of supplying anti-aircraft and anti-tank missiles, ammunition, landmines and mortars to the insurgent Sudan People's Liberation Army North (SPLA-N). "This accusation is false. (We) are not supplying anybody. The north are supporting rebels in the south and they want to cover it up," South Sudan's army spokesman Philip Aguer told Reuters by telephone. "It should be the other way round. We should be complaining to the Security Council. We don't even have anti-aircraft missiles ourselves." The SPLA-N forces in Sudan's Blue Nile and South Kordofan states served as the 9th and 10th divisions of the southern rebel forces during the civil war, but the peace agreement placed the areas they fought for in the north. Many SPLA-N fighters' uniforms still show the flag of the former rebel group that won independence and now control South Sudan, although they severed formal ties in July. BASHIR IN KURMUK Sudan's President Omar al-Bashir visited the former SPLA-N Blue Nile stronghold of Kurmuk to mark the start of the Muslim holiday of Eid al-Adha on Sunday, after the country's army ousted rebels on Thursday. Bashir presented a "strongly worded message" to South Sudan to refrain from supporting the rebels, Sudan's state news agency SUNA said, adding that Bashir called on residents to return to Kurmuk now that it was "purified" of SPLA-N forces. Both South Sudan and the SPLA-N have denied the accusations of support. "After separation of the south, the rebels in the SPLA-N in Blue Nile and South Kordofan became independent and got new leadership," Suleiman Osman, SPLA-N spokesman for Blue Nile, said by telephone. "We are fighting our own war in our own way. We are not being supported by anybody in the south." Sudan and South Sudan have yet to agree on a raft of sensitive issues, such as who should control the disputed Abyei region and how much South Sudan should pay to use Sudan's oil pipelines and facilities.
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Osman accused Sudan's army of attacking and burning villages around Kurmuk over the weekend to prepare for Bashir's visit. "According to the commissioner of Kurmuk, 27,000 people have fled southwards into the forests," he said. ### Pirates release Halifax tanker off Nigeria (BBC) http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-15609012 5 November 2011 An oil tanker seized by pirates off the coast of the Niger Delta last week has been released, officials in Nigeria say. The vessel - the MT Halifax - was attacked near the oil city of Port Harcourt. The crew of 25, mainly Filipinos, were said to be safe and accounted for. The area has seen an increase in the number of hijackings of tankers as pirates target oil shipments moving out of Nigeria. In most cases the cargo of fuel is taken off before the ship and crew are released unharmed - unlike in Somalia where crews and their ships are held until ransoms are paid, often after several months. "The vessel is presently being escorted to Port Harcourt harbour by Nigerian Navy Patrol Team," a spokeswoman for the Nigerian Maritime Administration said. "Part of the cargo was siphoned," she said. The Halifax is operated by the Greek-based Ancora Investment Trust Inc and is flagged out of Malta. Piracy surge Ancora lost contact with the tanker on 30 October, according to the International Maritime Bureau (IMB). An official said it was located about 100km (60 miles) off Port Harcourt before it was hijacked. The United Nations this week urged West African nations to increase naval patrols following a surge of pirate attacks in the Gulf of Guinea.

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West Africa has seen a growing number of oil tanker hijackings in recent months as pirates target oil shipments from Nigeria, one of the world's biggest producers. Over the last eight months, piracy there has escalated from low-level armed robberies to hijackings and cargo thefts. In August, London-based Lloyd's Market Association - an umbrella group of insurers listed Nigeria, neighbouring Benin and nearby waters in the same risk category as Somalia. On Monday, a top UN official, Taye-Brook Zerihoun, said that Somali pirates were inspiring copycat attacks in other parts of Africa. ### UN begins return of Angolan refugees from DRC (Al Jazeera) http://english.aljazeera.net/news/africa/2011/11/20111156648182694.html 5 November 2011 The UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) has resumed a voluntary repatriation programme for tens of thousands of Angolan refugees after their displacement into the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) during the civil war that ended in 2002. On Friday, 252 refugees were transported in the first convoy of the repatriation programme jointly organised by the UNHCR, host countries and the Angolan government. The UN agency estimates that 113,000 Angolans remain in exile as a result of 27-year conflict. "Their interest in returning is driving this programme. They say they feel safe to return, and that they have family back home they could rejoin and that their future lies in Angola"- Celine Schmitt, UNHCR The civil war left an estimated 500,000 refugees in countries including Zambia, Namibia, Botswana and South Africa, as well as the Democratic Republic of Congo. About 57,000 Angolans returned home from the DRC between 2003 and 2007, but the programme was stopped due to logistical problems. Some 80,000 refugees were left behind in the country, many of them living in camps and dependent on aid. Celine Schmitt, external relations officer for the UNHCR in Kinshasa, told Al Jazeera that the programme had restarted following a survey with Angolan refugees still in the DRC.
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"Last year we did a survey among the refugees and found that there were still around 80,000 Angolan refugees in the country and from our survey we found that 43,000 want to go back," she said. "Their interest in returning is driving this programme. They say they feel safe to return, and that they have family back home they could rejoin and that their future lies in Angola." 'No deadline' A new agreement between the UNHCR and the two governments was signed in June and 20,000 refugees have so far signed up for help with returning, the UN agency said in a statement. "We are planning to send two convoys per week, which each convoy carrying a maximum of 290 returning refugees," Schmitt said. "There is no deadline for this project and it will continue until we are able to transport those who want to return home." Friday's convoy of seven buses departed from the Congolese city of Kimpese and travelled 80km to cross the Angolan border. "Today, my dream to go back home comes true," the UNHCR cited one of the Angolans as saying. The Angolan government has said it welcomes all refugees who want to return and will offer them conditions needed for their reintegration, including housing, schools and land for farming. 'Weak response' Joao Kussuma, the social reintegration minister, said last month that the government has had to pay repatriation logistics costs as "UNHCR's financial contribution, in the current international situation, has not met expectations given the weak response from the donor community". Schmitt said that there are financial and logistical obstacles, but the priority was to restart the project and get the refugees home. "We launched an appeal with the International Organisation for Migration for this operation and we still need more funds and of course this is one of the challenges since this type of transportation is extremely expensive," she said.

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"Also repairing bridges and roads are ongoing and it will be difficult, now that the rainy season has begun, but we needed to start this project as soon as we could." The UN agency said it has received just $8m of its $21m appeal to help Angolan refugees return home. Source: Al Jazeera and agencies ### Will this year's Hajj have an Arab Spring effect? (CNN) http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/04/huge-hajj-gathering-comes-against-backdropof-arab-spring/?hpt=hp_c2 6 November 2011 By Dan Gilgoff and Dan Merica, CNN (CNN) The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, is the world's largest gathering of Muslims - the biggest annual gathering of humanity, period. So it's no surprise that Middle East experts expect this year's pilgrimage, the first to happen since the Arab Spring began last year, to be different. The pilgrimage, called the Hajj, happens in the same global neighborhood as countries that have been roiled by protests, revolutions and war over the last 11 months. But there's uncertainty about exactly how this Hajj, which officially begins Friday, will be different. Some experts are watching for potential flare-ups in Saudi Arabia, a country governed by an unelected royal family and where freedoms are limited. They note that ordinary Saudis will be rubbing shoulders with Arabs making pilgrimages from countries that have staged anti-government demonstrations and have unseated long-entrenched regimes. "This idea of freedom and dignity is spreading like wildfire, and at a gathering like the Hajj it's conceivable that the electricity coming from these ideas will be picked up," says Akbar Ahmed, the chair of Islamic Studies at American University. "This is what scares the Saudi bureaucracy." "There are thousands of pilgrims who want to topple the established order of the Saudi monarchy," he says. But Ahmed and others say the Hajj's effects on the Arab Spring are just as likely to be much broader, as many pilgrims share notes on uprisings and overthrows before returning home to countries ruled by despots.

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"This is a venue where you can come into contact with hundreds of thousands of people, so for people who are coming from these newly liberated lands, it is a bit much to ask to say absolutely nothing about it," says Kelly Pemberton, an assistant professor at The George Washington University who studies Islamic reform movements. "Many people are going to see this (Arab Spring) as a sign of God's favor," she says. At the same time, experts on the region note that the Hajj is a solemn religious event that is physically and spiritually demanding and that affords little time for politicking, raising doubts in some scholars' minds about the magnitude of a Hajj effect on the Arab Spring. The Saudis haven't announced special security measures for this year's Hajj. But the event, which draws roughly 2.5 million pilgrims, has long been managed with military precision, and scholars say the government there has been preparing for months for its first Arab Spring-era Hajj. "They'll be on guard for a flashpoint moment or a riot, something that flares up and becomes something," says Ahmed, referring to Saudi security forces. "In Tunisia, one man set himself on fire and three months later the Egyptian president is toppled." There has been political violence during the Hajj in the past, most notably in the 1980s, on the heels of the Islamic Revolution in Iran. Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini's followers attempted to disrupt the pilgrimage throughout the '80s, though their plots were repeatedly quashed by Saudi security forces. In 1987, however, Iranian pilgrims incited a riot that killed more than 400 people, according to globalsecuity.org, a stark illustration of the rift between Shiite-ruled Iran and Sunni dominated Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has not seen the kind of protests now roiling countries like Syria, Yemen and Bahrain, but people there lack many basic freedoms. Political participation is limited. The Saudi government has been politically sensitive to its people since the outset of the Arab Spring, spending billions on domestic programs aimed at improving the lot of its citizenry. And scholars say that Saudi Arabia has supported anti-government forces in some Arab countries, including rebels in Libya and protestors in Syria. "I can't image anybody is going to show up in Mecca denouncing the royal family," says Juan Cole, a Middle East specialist at the University of Michigan. "A lot of people going to Hajj will be connected with the (Egypt-based) Muslim Brotherhood, which has longstanding good relations with the Saudis."

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Some experts speculate that Saudi Arabia, which tightly controls the numbers of pilgrims allowed to attend Hajj from each country, is reducing its quotas from certain politically unstable countries to curb the influence of would-be revolutionaries. The U.S. embassies in Egypt and Tunisia, two countries that have seen their governments overthrown this year, did not immediately reply to requests Thursday for statistics on slots for pilgrims granted by Saudi Arabia. Some scholars say the governments of other Arab countries are likely to be reducing the number of pilgrims allowed to attend Hajj in Saudi Arabia this year. "The leaders of Syria, Yemen, Iran and Saudi Arabia are somewhat worried about the Hajj providing a forum for people to trade ideas and strategies and coming home to pick up protests and really find the momentum to get things going," says Pemberton of George Washington University. Since late last year, some Muslim religious happenings in the Arab world have become forums for anti-government activity. In Egypt, Friday afternoon prayers - the most significant prayers of the week for Muslims - served as catalysts for the biggest anti-government demonstrations of the revolution. When Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak stepped down in Egypt, the announcement came on a Friday, hours after Egypt's Muslims had observed afternoon prayers. In Libya, rebels reached a turning point in a six-month old civil during Ramadan of this year, when evening prayers at mosques helped ordinary people organize against Moammar Gadhafi's regime. With Gadhafi dead, more Libyans may get to attend this year's Hajj than in years past. Other post-revolution Arab countries may send a more diverse mix of pilgrims. "The biggest effect is the allocation of Hajj visas," said Asim Khwaja, a Harvard University professor specializing in international development. "Some countries did a lottery, some did rationing, and with the government changes, if countries were doing rationing in the past, you can imagine they were sending friends and officials." "Now there may be a more egalitarian mix," Khwaja says. "This will be a more democratic Hajj for the Arab world." ### END REPORT

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