Support Free and Fair Presidential Elections in Rwanda to Prevent Another Genocide
Document submitted to the U.S Department of State through its Rwanda/Burundi Desk Office on March 10, 2010
OverviewSince the 1994 Genocide of Rwanda, open political space for democratic governance has eluded Rwanda. Although Rwanda is officially a multiparty system, only one political party, the Rwandan Patriotic Front (RPF) has ruled the country unchallenged. Currently, at least two political parties are seeking inclusion into the political sphere in vain. Opposition leaders are being prevented from registering their parties, and consequently, prevented from partaking in political activities to prepare for the August 2010 presidential elections. They are facing various forms of intimidation, sabotage, and violent attacks both physical and in the media.
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Vulture Funds: Ugly Name for an Ugly Reality
Posted February 9, 2010
By Rocco Puopolo, s,x, Executive Director
Vulture funds, often called “Distressed Debt Funds” are predatory hedge funds that siphon off newly freed resources from poor-country debt cancellation efforts. They do this by buying up a poor country’s debt in default for pennies on the dollar and then engaging courts in U.S., Britain and beyond to sue for the full amount of the debt plus exorbitant interest rates and court fees. Instead of this newly freed up money in a poor country going to poverty alleviation projects like building schools and treating HIV/AIDS, it goes into the bank accounts of these greedy vultures.
Peace and Obama: Reflections of a Concerned Activist
Posted February 1, 2010
By Allison Burket
This first decade of the century was one largely defined by America’s response to 9/11 terrorist attacks. By declaring war on an evasive and loosely bound transnational network of extremists, the Bush administration promised increased security for the American people. Yet, this “we’re at war” way of viewing the rest of the world has proved less than constructive for our relationships with friends and allies, fueled the anger of potential opponents and the next generation of extremists, and opened the door for U.S. Africa military command (AFRICOM), and thus the continuation of the all-too-familiar ways militaries in Africa serve to undermine peace and security.
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