The November 2011 edition of AEFJN's Forum for Action is now online. It contains articles on the ethical responsibility of the Church on the climate issue, on the clean up of the Ogoniland oil spills, which will take decades, on the spread of Libyan arms in the Sahel, on the production of medicines in Africa and on the EU's attempt to force African countries to sign EPAs.
The national election campaign officially started the 28th October in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), exactly one month ahead of historic presidential and legislative elections, scheduled for November 28 2011. 41 humanitarian and human rights organizations, among them AEFJN, have expressed concern about the high political tension and deteriorating security situation. They have called upon all Congolese and international actors involved to take urgent measures to prevent electoral violence, better protect civilians and ensure credible, free and fair elections.Illicit small arms in Africa
Police have traced the source of the bullets used by a criminal gang, to a government armory in Nairobi. It seems there is weakness in the control of the production and distribution of the government-owned Kenya Ordinance Factory Corporation, or there might be cases of corruption within the factory.
The Russian newspaper Vremya Novostei reported that a Ukrainian weapons company has been shipping arms to rebels fighting in Darfur, with the assistance of intermediaries through the territory of Eritrea. The report adds that small arms and ammunition were also delivered to the Government of South Sudan (GoSS) through a private company registered in an offshore zone. If true, this would be a violation of UN Security Council (UNSC) resolutions, which prohibited the sale or supply of arms and military equipment to all warring parties in Darfur.
In 2008 Somali pirates hijacked a Ukrainian ship carrying 33 Soviet-era T-72 tanks and other weapons. Its seizure drew international attention. In 2009, a Ukrainian plane, loaded with ammunition, allegedly heading for the militants in the Niger Delta, was detained in Nigeria.
Last year China sold Sudan an unknown number of WS-2 multi-launch rocket systems. This is the first time this system has been exported by China to any country.