Utawala wa Libya watoa pendekezo la kusitisha mapigano

Utawala wa kiongozi wa Libya Muammar Gaddafi umetoa pendekezo la kusitisha mapigano ili kuweza kupata kusitishwa kwa mashambulio ya NATO, wakati mahakama ya kimataifa ya uhalifu wa kivita inafikiria kutoa waranti wa kukamatwa kwa baadhi ya viongozi wa nchi hiyo leo Jumatatu kutokana na uendeaji kinyume haki za binadamu nchini Libya. Waziri mkuu wa utawala wa Gaddafi amependekeza usitishaji huo wa mapigano jana Jumapili kwa mjumbe maalum wa umoja wa mataifa anayefanya ziara nchini humo , Abdullah al-Khatib, wakati uasi dhidi ya serikali ukiingia katika mwezi wake wa nne.

Waziri mkuu Baghdadi Mahmudi , amenukuliwa na shirika la habari la nchi hiyo JANA, akisema kuwa baada ya kukutana na Khatib , Libya inataka kusitisha mapigano mara moja na wakati huo huo mashambulio ya NATO yasitishwe na kukubaliwa kwa wachunguzi wa kimataifa.

Ameongeza kuwa Libya, ina imani na umoja wa nchi hiyo pamoja na watu wake , na kwamba Walibya wana haki ya kuamua masuala yao ya ndani pamoja na mfumo wa kisiasa kupitia majadiliano ya kidemokrasia mbali na vitisho vya mashambulio ya mabomu.







Siasa za Ufaransa zatikiswa na kesi ya ubakaji dhidi ya Strauss-Kahn

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, akisindikizwa nje ya kituo cha polisi New YorkMkuu wa Shirika la Kimataifa la Fedha, IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn, anatarajiwa kufikishwa mahakamani hii leo jijini New York kujibu mashtaka ya jaribio la kumbaka mhudumu wa hoteli jijini humo.

Tukio hili limekuja wakati Strauss-Kahn akiongoza kampeni ya shirika lake kuyasaidia mataifa yanayotumia sarafu ya Euro kujikwamua kifedha na wiki chache tu kabla hajatangaza azma ya kuwania urais wa Ufaransa katika uchaguzi ujao.

Akiwa amefungwa pingu na akisindikizwa na maafisa wawili wa idara ya upelelezi ya New York, Mkuu wa Shirika la Fedha la Kimataifa, IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn alionekana na uso wenye fadhaa usiku wa jana, ikiwa ni mara ya kwanza kuonekana tangu shutuma za ubakaji dhidi yake zitajwe.

Wakili wake, William Taylor, amesema kwamba mteja wake alikubali kufanyiwa uchunguzi wa kitabibu kwa hiyari yake, na kwamba atayakana mashitaka yote mahakamani hivi leo. Strauss-Kahn anashitakiwa kwa makosa matatu: jaribio la kubaka, shambulio la aibu na kumfungia mtu ndani bila ya ridhaa yake. Kama atatiwa hatiani, mashitaka haya yanaweza kumpeleka jela kwa kipindi kisichopungua miaka 15.

Minong'ono imeanza kuzagaa kwamba kesi hii dhidi ya Meneja Mkurugenzi huyo wa IMF ni mtego wa kisiasa kutoka ndani ya taasisi yake ya IMF na pia kutoka kwa washindani wake nchini Ufaransa, ambako anaonekana kuwa na nafasi nzuri zaidi ya kushindana na rais wa sasa, Nicolas Sarkozy, kwenye uchaguzi wa mwakani.

Lakini polisi jijini New York inasema hakuna siasa yoyote, bali ni suala la kawaida la kisheria. Mapema polisi hiyo ilisema kwamba, mhudumu huyo wa kike alimtaja Strauss-Kahn kuwa ndiye aliyetaka kumbaka kwenye chumba chake kwenye hoteli ya Sofitel, wakati alipooneshwa kumtambua miongoni mwa wanaume wengine watano. Vyombo vya habari vya Marekani vimemnukuu mwanamke huyo akisema kwamba, aliingia chumbani kwa Strauss-Kahn, akidhani hamukuwa na mtu.

Nchini Ufaransa, ambako nyota ya kisiasa ya Strauss-Kahn ndiyo imeanza kung'ara, kumekuwa na wasiwasi kwamba huu ndio mwanzo wa mwisho wake. Dominique Paille wa chama kinachofuata siasa kali za mrengo wa kati, amesema kwa taifa la Ufaransa, hili ni tukio litakalochukuwa muda kusahaulika.

Hata hivyo, serikali ya Rais Sarkozy imeonya kwamba bado ni mapema mno kumuhukumu Strauss-Kahn, licha ya kwamba kesi hii sasa inaipa serikali hiyo fursa nzuri zaidi kwenye uchaguzi wa mwakani.

Naye kiongozi wa chama cha National Front, Marine Le Pen, anayependa kujijenga kama mwanamke anayepambana na dunia ya wanaume kwenye siasa, amesema kwamba kashfa hii haimshangazi sana. Katika kura za maoni za siku za karibuni Le Pen, amekuwa nyuma ya Strauss-Kahn kwenye nafasi ya uraisi.

Makamu Mwenyekiti wa chama cha Kisoshalisti cha Strauss-Kahn na mshirika wake wa karibu, Jean-Marie Le Guen, amekiri kwamba huu ni wakati mgumu kwa chama chake, ambacho kimekuwa na ndoto ya kushinda uchaguzi ujao. Le Guen akizungumza na kituo kimoja cha televisheni nchini Ufaransa usiku wa jana alisema, "Tukio hili limetulemea vibaya. Ni wazi litakuwa na matokeo mabaya ya kisiasa ambayo kwa sasa hatuwezi kuyakisia. Tupo kwenye kipindi kigumu sana ambacho kinahitaji uvumilivu. Ni maisha ya Strauss-Kahn na heshima yake ndiyo iliyo kwenye hatari hivi sasa."

Hapa Ujerumani, ambako Strauss-Kahn alikuwa akielekea wakati wa kukamatwa kwake hapo jana, Waziri wa Fedha Wolfgang Schäuble amesema kwamba imebidi msaidizi wa Strauss-Kahn aje badala yake, lakini akakataa kusema lolote kuhusu kashfa inayomkabili Strauss-Kahn:

"Lazima tuangalie kila upande. Jambo hili linachunguzwa na litawekwa wazi huko New York. Kuhusu hilo siwezi kusema chochote. Kudhani tu mara nyingi huwa si sahihi."

Tayari IMF imeshamtangaza msaidizi wa Strauss-Kahn, John Lipsky, kukaimu nafasi ya meneja mkurugenzi. Ujerumani, ikiwa nchi inayoongoza kwenye mpango wa Umoja wa Ulaya na IMF kuyaokoa mataifa ya eneo la sarafu ya Euro yanayoporomoka kiuchumi, imekuwa ikifanya kazi kwa karibu sana na Strauss-Kahn.





Malkia Elizabeth kuzuru Ireland

Malkia Elizabeth wa pili wa Uingereza
Jamhuri ya Ireland inatekeleza operesheni kubwa zaidi ya kiusalama katika siku ya kwanza ya ziara ya Malkia Elizabeth nchini Ireland.

Ziara hiyo ni ya kwanza kuwahi kufanywa na kiongozi wa Uingereza tangu jamhuri ya Ireland ilipojinyakulia uhuru wake kutoka kwa Uingereza miaka 90 iliyopita.

Malkia ataweka shada la maua kuwakumbuka wale walioaga dunia wakipigania uhuru wa Ireland.
Ziara hiyo ya malkia imesifiwa na kutajwa kama njia moja ya kuimarisha uhusiano kati ya nchi hizo mbili.

Hata hivyo ziara hiyo inafanyika huku visa vya mashambulizi ya kidini vikiendelea kuongezeka kaskazini mwa Ireland, mkoa unaozozaniwa na nchi hizo mbili lakini unathibitiwa na Uingereza.

Uingereza na Ireland ni mataifa mawili ambayo kwa muda mrefu yamegawanyika kutokana na maswala ya kihistoria.

Malkia Elizabeth wa pili anatarajiwa kuzuru maeneo ya kihistoria yanayozungukwa na utata, ikiwa na pamoja na uwanja wa Croke Park, ambako maelfu ya raia wa nchi hiyo waliuawa kinyama mwaka 1920 na bustani ya kumbukumbu mjini Dublin.

Maeneo hayo kama inavyoashiria majina yake, ni maeneo ya kumbukumbu ya watu waliopoteza maisha yao wakati wa harakati za kutafuta uhuru wa taifa hilo, wengi wao wakipambana na wanajeshi wa uingereza.

Dhamira kuu ya ziara hiyo ni kuonyesha kuwa nchi hizo mbili zimejikwamua kutoka kwa minyororo ya tofauti zao za miaka iliyopita.

Kwa upande mwingine ziara hiyo ya malkia itachochea hisia kali kwa wale wanaoamini kuwa utawala wa Ireland haupaswi kumualika kiongozi wa uingereza huku taifa hilo likiwa limegawanyika.

Raia wa nchi hiyo wamegawanyika kuhusu ziara hiyo.



















IMF chief arrested for sexual assault

Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the managing director of the International Monetary Fund, was arrested over the weekend for sexually assaulting a maid at the New York hotel where he was staying. He was apprehended Saturday when police boarded a plane set to depart for France.

Strauss-Kahn was arrested Sunday:

“on charges of criminal sexual act, attempted rape, and an unlawful imprisonment in connection with a sexual assault on a 32-year-old chambermaid in the luxury suite of a Midtown Manhattan hotel yesterday” about 1 p.m., Deputy Commissioner Paul J. Browne, the department’s chief spokesman, said.

The report of the attack coming from the police is incredibly disturbing and triggering. According to the police, the maid entered Strauss-Kahn’s suite, when he emerged naked from the bathroom, grabbed the maid, locked her in the room, pulled her into the bedroom and sexually assaulted her. She broke free but he then dragged her down the hallway to the bathroom, sexually assaulting her a second time. The evidence, as reported by the police, also sounds overwhelming for a sexual assault: Strauss-Kahn left his phone behind when he fled the scene, the police found DNA evidence, and more evidence when he was examined.

I find the arrest surprising given the power dynamics at play. Strauss-Kahn led on the most powerful economic institutions in the world: the IMF oversees the global financial system and has played an active and public role in responding to the global economic crisis. John Lipsky has taken over running the IMF for the time being. Strauss-Kahn was also the expected frontrunner in the upcoming presidential election in France. Basically, he was one of the most powerful men in the world.

Strauss-Kahn was in the news in 2008 for an affair with a subordinate at the IMF. In 2007 a French writer brought up allegations she was sexually assaulted by Strauss-Kahn, though she tried to keep his identity hidden and did not press charges, reportedly because of her mother’s involvement in politics and an attempt to protect herself from the press. Since these new charges the writer, Tristane Banon, has said she will make a formal complaint.

As is seemingly standard when powerful men are charged with sexual assault, conspiracy theories are already popping up. Because of course a powerful man would never take advantage of his position, and women just love this sort of attention. Sadly, I think we all know how these stories play out in the press and popular conversation. Prove me wrong, everyone.








COMMENT

I don’t think this is about whether or not people believe that a powerful man would take advantage of his position. I think that many already believe that Strauss-Kahn is prone to leverage his power in his interaction with women as evidenced by his less than private history of affairs and sexual aggression. His behavior errs toward the side of inappropriateness, sure, but that’s not what’s in question here. What’s in question here is that inappropriateness brought to the level of sexual assault and attempted rape. It is about a man would be so stupid, so careless, so terribly indiscreet on the precipice of his possible run for president. The only testimony that sways my opinion toward Mr. Strauss-Kahn’s guilt is that of Tristane Banon who said of her experience in 2002, “He wanted to grab my hand while answering my questions, and then my arm. We ended up fighting, since I said clearly, ‘No, no.’ We fought on the floor, I kicked him, he undid my bra, he tried to remove my jeans,” but who never moved to press charges because she “didn’t wish to be the girl who had a problem with a politician for the rest of her life.” Maybe there are other women like Banon who were too scared to come forth, who’ve led Strauss-Kahn to believe that his alleged assault of this chambermaid would go unnoticed and unreported. Or maybe not, and it all really is a conspiracy. Either story is plausible and I think that there’s no way to exclude talk of conspiracy in the case of a man who has strategically managed to concentrate so much power in his hands, and yet so easily fumbles to predict the consequences of such reckless behavior. I will say however, that while I cannot speak to the possible sexism that might be floating in between the lines of other publications’ coverage, the NY Times has written fairly balanced articles in response to this scandal.








Mwandishi habari amshutumu Strauss-Kahn kwa usumbufu

Mkuu wa shirika la fedha ulimwenguni IMF, Dominique Strauss-Kahn atafikishwa mahakamani mjini New York baadaye leo , kwa madai ya kujaribu kumshambulia mfanyakazi wa hoteli kwa nia ya kumlazimisha kufanya nae mapenzi. Wakili wake William Taylor amesema kuwa Strauss-Kahn amekubali kukabidhi nguo zake kwa ajili ya uchunguzi wa DNA , na kwamba ana nia ya kukana kuwa madai ya kushambulia kwa nia ya kufanya ngono, na ubakaji.

Mwanamke anayehusika amemtambua Strauss-Kahn kutoka jumla ya watu sita jana Jumapili waliotambulishwa . Strauss-Kahn mwanasiasa mkongwe msoshalist nchini Ufaransa, anaonekana kuwa mgombea mwenye nafasi kubwa katika uchaguzi wa rais nchini Ufaransa uliopangwa kufanyika mwaka ujao.

Huko nchini Ufaransa, wakili wa mwandishi habari Tristane Banon amesema kuwa mteja wake huenda akawasilisha mashtaka tofauti dhidi ya Strauss-Kahn kuhusiana na madai ya tukio la kingono muongo mmoja uliopita.








Serikali ya Ujerumani inasema haifikirii kuhusu dhana

Wakati huo huo , msemaji wa kansela wa Ujerumani Angela Merkel amesema kuwa shirika la IMF linafanyakazi bila matatizo, licha ya madai ya jaribio la ubakaji yanayomkabili Dominique Strauss-Kahn. Steffen Seibert pia amesema

kuwa watu wasianze kutoa majibu kuhusu ushahidi, akisema suala hili litaamuliwa na mahakama za mjini New York. Msemaji huyo pia amesema kuwa umoja wa Ulaya hauna haki kimsingi kuiongoza IMF, licha ya kusema kuwa , likiangaliwa jukumu ambalo taasisi hiyo inachukua katika kile kinachoitwa mzozo wa madeni wa mataifa ya eneo la euro, huenda ni vizuri kuwa na kiongozi kutoka Ulaya kwa sasa.






Gadhafi na mtoto wake watajwa katika mahakama ya kimataifa

Mwendesha mashtaka mkuu wa mahakama ya kimataifa ya uhalifu wa kivita mjini The Hague, anataka patolewe waranti wa kuwakamata kiongozi wa Libya Moammar Gaddafi kwa uhalifu dhidi ya ubinadamu. Luis Moreno-Ocampo

amethibitisha kuwa Gaddafi ni mmoja mwa watu watatu walioorodheshwa katika waraka wake wa ushahidi , wenye kurasa 74 uliowasilishwa kwa jopo la majaji watatu kwa ajili ya uchunguzi zaidi.

Mahakama hiyo ya ICC pia inataka waranti wa kumkamata mtoto wa Gadaffi Saif al-Islam

na mkuu wa upelelezi nchini Libya, Abdullah al-Senussi.

Madai yanatokana na serikali ya Libya inavyokandamiza kwa nguvu waasi nchini humo.