“Jasmine Revolution”
Symbol of peace: Flowers placed on the barrel of a tank
in very much calmer protests than in recent days in Tunisia

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011

'The Protester' - Time Person of the Year 2011
Mannoubia Bouazizi, the mother of Tunisian street vendor Mohammed Bouazizi. "Mohammed suffered a lot. He worked hard. but when he set fire to himself, it wasn’t about his scales being confiscated. It was about his dignity." (Peter Hapak for TIME)

1 - TUNISIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


How eyepatches became a symbol of Egypt's revolution - Graffiti depicting a high ranking army officer with an eye patch Photograph: Nasser Nasser/ASSOCIATED PRESS

2 - EGYPT Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)


''17 February Revolution"

3 - LIBYA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

5 - SYRIA Democratic Change / Freedom of Speech (In Transition)

"25 January Youth Revolution"
Muslim and Christian shoulder-to-shoulder in Tahrir Square
"A Summary" – Apr 2, 2011 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll) (Subjects: Religion, Shift of Human Consciousness, 2012, Intelligent/Benevolent Design, EU, South America, 5 Currencies, Water Cycle (Heat up, Mini Ice Ace, Oceans, Fish, Earthquakes ..), Middle East, Internet, Israel, Dictators, Palestine, US, Japan (Quake/Tsunami Disasters , People, Society ...), Nuclear Power Revealed, Hydro Power, Geothermal Power, Moon, Financial Institutes (Recession, Realign integrity values ..) , China, North Korea, Global Unity,..... etc.) -
(Subjects: Egypt Uprising, Iran/Persia Uprising, Peace in Middle East without Israel actively involved, Muhammad, "Conceptual" Youth Revolution, "Conceptual" (without a manager hierarchy) managed Businesses, Internet, Social Media, News Media, Google, Bankers, Global Unity,..... etc.)
"The End of History" – Nov 20, 2010 (Kryon channelled by Lee Carroll)
(Subjects:Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Muhammad, Jesus, God, Jews, Arabs, EU, US, Israel, Iran, Russia, Africa, South America, Global Unity,..... etc.) (Text version)

"If an Arab and a Jew can look at one another and see the Akashic lineage and see the one family, there is hope. If they can see that their differences no longer require that they kill one another, then there is a beginning of a change in history. And that's what is happening now. All of humanity, no matter what the spiritual belief, has been guilty of falling into the historic trap of separating instead of unifying. Now it's starting to change. There's a shift happening."


“ … Here is another one. A change in what Human nature will allow for government. "Careful, Kryon, don't talk about politics. You'll get in trouble." I won't get in trouble. I'm going to tell you to watch for leadership that cares about you. "You mean politics is going to change?" It already has. It's beginning. Watch for it. You're going to see a total phase-out of old energy dictatorships eventually. The potential is that you're going to see that before 2013.

They're going to fall over, you know, because the energy of the population will not sustain an old energy leader ..."



African Union (AU)

African Union (AU)
African Heads of State pose for a group photo ahead of the start of the 28th African Union summit in Addis Ababa on January 30, 2017 (AFP Photo/ Zacharias ABUBEKER)

Nelson Mandela

Nelson Mandela
Few words can describe Nelson Mandela, so we let him speak for himself. Happy birthday, Madiba.

Wednesday, August 28, 2013

UN turns up the heat in the Congo

Deutsche Welle, 28 August 2013


In a bid to improve its image in eastern Congo, the UN is for the first time fighting alongside the Congolese army against M23 rebels. However, MONUSCO's new strategy has reportedly cost the lives of two civilians.

"I was shocked by what I saw. Body parts including arms and legs were scattered everywhere." That's how Isaac Warwanamiza described what had happened near Goma, in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Warwanamiza is a doctor working in the region. He says at least 82 people were killed during last weekend's (24/25.08.2013) fierce clashes involving the M23 rebel movement and the Congolese army.

Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
visited Goma in May
For the first time, the UN peacekeeping mission in Congo (MONUSCO) fought on a massive scale alongside the Congolese soldiers. Around 720 government soldiers are said to lie injured in Goma hospitals.

The battle was not only the most violent in months, but it was also a turning point for the UN peace mission which has been in the DRC for years. Previously, the UN never actively intervened in the conflict. This inaction led to discontent among the population. "We had completely lost faith in the UN mission," says Mustafa Mwiti, coordinator of NGOs in eastern Congo.

New force with a new mandate

But now there is a special UN combat brigade in Goma with a mandate to use military action against the rebels. That, says Mwiti, has raised hopes in many people that the unrest could soon end.

The recent escalation was initially a great disappointment for most Goma residents. Fighting began with attacks by the M23 rebels on army checkpoints outside of Goma. Civilians were later injured when hand grenades were thrown at them.

M23 rebels have previously threatened to take over Kinshasa

According to eye witnesses, amongst the victims were two children aged three and six.

It was not the first time that the rebels had attacked unarmed residents as well as the Congolese army and UN soldiers. In 2012, in full view of UN peacekeepers, the M23 rebel movement briefly seized control of Goma city with its one million inhabitants. This time, however, the blue helmets refused to be seen as useless spectator and responded by firing M23 positions with helicopter gunships.

Winning Goma's trust

MONUSCO's chief Martin Kobler told his soldiers at the weekend "to take necessary measures" to protect the population.

Congo's conflict has displaced at least
2.2 million people according to the UN
Kobler, a German diplomat who took over the leadership of MONUSCO just a few weeks ago, told DW in an interview that the UN would respond with all its might and force against further attacks by the rebels.

The attempt by MONUSCO to win the trust of the population by using military action did not go as planned.

As in the past, demonstrators again took to the streets to protest against the UN mission. They criticized the UN soldiers, saying the rebel attacks on the population could have prevented. As an angry mob tried to storm the UN camp in Goma, peacekeepers from Uruguay allegedly opened fire with live ammunition. Two demonstrators died. Kobler says his organization, together with the Congolese police, has launched an independent investigation into the deaths.

Accusations and counter-accusations

Many local and foreign observers suspect neighboring Rwanda is the mastermind behind the rebellion in eastern Congo. The North Kivu region is rich in mineral resources and anyone who controls the capital of Goma is assured of huge financial returns.

The M23 rebel outfit, which started a rebellion last year, is regarded as an ally of Rwanda.

Rwanda's President Paul Kagame
 has been criticized by human rights
organizations
Local residents report that the first grenade attacks on civilians, in last week's clashes, came directly from Rwanda. "We saw and heard the direction from which they came," an eyewitness said. The 1 kilometer (0.62 mile) border between the states runs right at the edge of Goma city.


Rwanda, however, has always denied interfering in the conflict in eastern Congo or providing any support to the M23 rebels. Instead, they accuse DRC of provocation. Rwandan army spokesman Joseph Nzabamwita recently accused the Congolese army of deliberately firing a rocket across the border.

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