VOA News: USA: Trial Opens for Alleged New York Bomb Plotter

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

Trial Opens for Alleged New York Bomb Plotter Apr 17th 2012, 10:28 A Bosnian immigrant accused in a subway bombing terrorism plot has gone on trial in federal court in New York City. He faces life in prison if convicted on all nine counts, including conspiring to use weapons of mass destruction. A federal jury in Brooklyn is hearing the terrorism case against 27-year-old Bosnian-born Adis Medunjanin, who allegedly conspired with two former high school friends to bomb New York subways in 2009. Medunjanin is accused of nine counts of terrorism, including receiving bomb-making training in Pakistan with Najibullah Zazi and Zarein Ahmedzay, both of whom have pleaded guilty and are cooperating with federal prosecutors. The case opened Monday with a day of testimony from Ahmedzay, who described traveling to Pakistan with Medunjanin and Zazi intending to fight with the Taliban against American forces in Afghanistan. Once there, he said, they were taken instead to an al-Qaida training camp in northwestern Pakistan and urged to carry out a suicide mission in the United States. The men agreed, and after returning to the U.S., Zazi began assembling ingredients for the bombs, including nail polish remover and peroxide from beauty supply stores. Ahmedzay testified they discussed potential targets with their al-Qaida handlers in Pakistan, including Times Square, the New York Stock Exchange, Grand Central Station and Pennsylvania Station, but did not settle on a definite one. The goal, he said, was to strike a crowded subway station during rush hour, to maximize civilian casualties. Karen Greenberg, a terrorism expert with Fordham University Law School, said the case is different because it was not a sting operation set in motion by the government. "You know, we've seen FBI sting after FBI sting, in a number of courtrooms, as opposed to plots that were interrupted or plots that actually happened or something that didn't involve the FBI, and that therefore did pose a danger to the United States," she said. "As you know, in the FBI sting cases, the FBI has control of the case, they often provide the weapons, so there's not really a worry of somebody getting hurt." Medunjanin, whose family fled Bosnia-Herzegovina for the New York borough of Queens in the 1990s, was a devout Muslim, according to his former friend. His lawyer, Robert Gottlieb, said Medunjanin never intended to hurt anyone when he crashed his car into another vehicle on a New York City bridge just after calling a police emergency line to say that he "loved death more than you love your life." Prosecutors termed that a jihadist slogan, but Gottlieb told the jury that Medunjanin meant only to kill himself, rather than be falsely branded as a Muslim terrorist. Medunjanin's other confessed co-conspirator, Najibullah Zazi, is expected to take the stand Tuesday to testify against his former friend. Media files: ap_new_york_terror_Medunjanin_trial_300_eng_16apr12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.2 MB)

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VOA News: Asia: US Military: Official's Statement 'Mischaracterized' By S. Korean Media

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

US Military: Official's Statement 'Mischaracterized' By S. Korean Media Apr 17th 2012, 10:24 U.S. military officials say South Korean media took out of context a comment made Tuesday at a Seoul news conference by the new head of the U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Admiral Samuel Locklear III. "Numerous reports following the event have mischaracterized his comments regarding U.S. response to possible future provocation of a nuclear test by North Korea, speculating that the U.S. is considering specific responses," according to a release issued by the U.S. military in South Korea. During a news conference with South Korean reporters from the Ministry of National Defense press corps, Locklear was asked whether the United States would again consider "surgical strikes" against North Korea if it is evident the country is preparing to conduct a third nuclear test. Such strikes reportedly were considered at the time of a nuclear test in 1994. The release quotes Locklear as saying, "I don't think it would be appropriate to comment on how we would pursue any further military operations, but I can tell you that, with the alliance, that we are continually looking at all options." Shortly after the briefing, South Korean media - including the widely viewed cable network YTN, the semi-official Yonhap news agency and newspaper web sites - quoted the four-star admiral differently. "If North Korea tries a third nuclear test, we'll consider all possible measures, including precision strikes on North Korea's nuclear test site," was how MBN television reported what Locklear said. Other South Korean media also said the head of the U.S. Pacific Command had indicated surgical or precision strikes are an option. Senior analyst Daniel Pinkston of the International Crisis Group expresses concern such misquotes give North Korea a pretext for military strikes. The misquotes "play right into their narrative," he said. There was no immediate reaction from North Korea, which typically takes two or more days to react to comments about the country by South Korean or U.S. officials. Pinkston, based in Seoul, predicts Pyongyang, through its official news agency, will certainly react and likely blast Locklear as a "warmonger" or use similar belligerent language typical of its frequent verbal attacks on the United States and South Korea. Locklear is making his first visit to South Korea since assuming command of USPACOM on March 9. His comment about North Korea comes four days after that country's defiance of U.N. resolutions with a failed space launch. USPACOM is one of six unified combatant commands of the United States armed forces and its area of responsibility encompasses about half of the Earth's surface. International news organizations had requested to attend the admiral's briefing at the Combined Forces Command at the Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison, but received no response from USPACOM explaining why they were excluded. The Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, which represents more than 100 international news organizations, had also requested that a representative pool of international reporters attend the news conference, coming as it did at a critical time on the Korean peninsula. The U.S. military-affiliated American Forces Network and Stars and Strips newspaper did have reporters present at the briefing, but made no reference to the controversial quote. Monday, the United Nations Security Council "strongly condemned" the launch and ordered tightened sanctions on the reclusive and impoverished country. The council said the launch of the rocket, which disintegrated over the Yellow Sea shortly after blast off, was a "serious violation" of U.N. resolutions 1718 and 1874. South Korea and the United States contend North Korea was attempting to test fire a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile. Locklear called North Korea's launch "a fairly catastrophic failure" that caused him to "question their competency in advanced missile technology," according to Stars and Stripes. It was the third failed launch by North Korea and particularly embarrassing because the reclusive country had allowed foreign reporters to tour the new Sohae launch site just days before the launch. North Korea's two previous attempted launches were soon followed by nuclear tests, which led to sanctions being imposed on Pyongyang. Japanese media quote diplomatic sources saying North Korea has rescinded an invitation for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities. The reports say the action was taken in retaliation for a U.S. decision to withhold food aid because of the attempted rocket launch. South Korean government sources last week distributed to international news organizations satellite imagery taken April 1 indicating fresh tunnels being dug near the town of Punngye-ri, where North Korea carried out its two previous nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. Additional reporting by Youmi Kim in Seoul. Media files: ap_us_locklear_south_korea_kim_17apr12_480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: USA: US Military: Official's Statement 'Mischaracterized' By South Korean Media

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

US Military: Official's Statement 'Mischaracterized' By South Korean Media Apr 17th 2012, 10:24 U.S. military officials say South Korean media took out of context a comment made Tuesday at a Seoul news conference by the new head of the U.S. Pacific Command, Navy Admiral Samuel Locklear III. "Numerous reports following the event have mischaracterized his comments regarding U.S. response to possible future provocation of a nuclear test by North Korea, speculating that the U.S. is considering specific responses," according to a release issued by the U.S. military in South Korea. During a news conference with South Korean reporters from the Ministry of National Defense press corps, Locklear was asked whether the United States would again consider "surgical strikes" against North Korea if it is evident the country is preparing to conduct a third nuclear test. Such strikes reportedly were considered at the time of a nuclear test in 1994. The release quotes Locklear as saying, "I don't think it would be appropriate to comment on how we would pursue any further military operations, but I can tell you that, with the alliance, that we are continually looking at all options." Shortly after the briefing, South Korean media - including the widely viewed cable network YTN, the semi-official Yonhap news agency and newspaper web sites - quoted the four-star admiral differently. "If North Korea tries a third nuclear test, we'll consider all possible measures, including precision strikes on North Korea's nuclear test site," was how MBN television reported what Locklear said. Other South Korean media also said the head of the U.S. Pacific Command had indicated surgical or precision strikes are an option. Senior analyst Daniel Pinkston of the International Crisis Group expresses concern such misquotes give North Korea a pretext for military strikes. The misquotes "play right into their narrative," he said. There was no immediate reaction from North Korea, which typically takes two or more days to react to comments about the country by South Korean or U.S. officials. Pinkston, based in Seoul, predicts Pyongyang, through its official news agency, will certainly react and likely blast Locklear as a "warmonger" or use similar belligerent language typical of its frequent verbal attacks on the United States and South Korea. Locklear is making his first visit to South Korea since assuming command of USPACOM on March 9. His comment about North Korea comes four days after that country's defiance of U.N. resolutions with a failed space launch. USPACOM is one of six unified combatant commands of the United States armed forces and its area of responsibility encompasses about half of the Earth's surface. International news organizations had requested to attend the admiral's briefing at the Combined Forces Command at the Yongsan U.S. Army Garrison, but received no response from USPACOM explaining why they were excluded. The Seoul Foreign Correspondents' Club, which represents more than 100 international news organizations, had also requested that a representative pool of international reporters attend the news conference, coming as it did at a critical time on the Korean peninsula. The U.S. military-affiliated American Forces Network and Stars and Strips newspaper did have reporters present at the briefing, but made no reference to the controversial quote. Monday, the United Nations Security Council "strongly condemned" the launch and ordered tightened sanctions on the reclusive and impoverished country. The council said the launch of the rocket, which disintegrated over the Yellow Sea shortly after blast off, was a "serious violation" of U.N. resolutions 1718 and 1874. South Korea and the United States contend North Korea was attempting to test fire a Taepodong-2 ballistic missile. Locklear called North Korea's launch "a fairly catastrophic failure" that caused him to "question their competency in advanced missile technology," according to Stars and Stripes. It was the third failed launch by North Korea and particularly embarrassing because the reclusive country had allowed foreign reporters to tour the new Sohae launch site just days before the launch. North Korea's two previous attempted launches were soon followed by nuclear tests, which led to sanctions being imposed on Pyongyang. Japanese media quote diplomatic sources saying North Korea has rescinded an invitation for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit its nuclear facilities. The reports say the action was taken in retaliation for a U.S. decision to withhold food aid because of the attempted rocket launch. South Korean government sources last week distributed to international news organizations satellite imagery taken April 1 indicating fresh tunnels being dug near the town of Punngye-ri, where North Korea carried out its two previous nuclear tests in 2006 and 2009. Additional reporting by Youmi Kim in Seoul. Media files: ap_us_locklear_south_korea_kim_17apr12_480.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB)

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VOA News: Asia: China Joins World Powers in Strong Warning to North Korea

VOA News: Asia Asia Voice of America

China Joins World Powers in Strong Warning to North Korea Apr 17th 2012, 09:07 China has joined other world powers in warning North Korea that they will not tolerate any more provocations after the isolated nation's failed rocket launch last week. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said late Monday in Brasilia that the U.N. Security Council members, including China, are agreed there will be "further consequences" in the event of another provocative act by North Korea. Recent satellite photographs show Pyongyang may be preparing for an underground nuclear test. China's state-controlled media are also showing signs of frustration with Pyongyang, noting that China took "a clear attitude in condemning" its longtime ally when it backed a U.N. Security Council statement criticizing the rocket launch. China's Communist Party-controlled Global Times newspaper said Tuesday that Pyongyang should not be misled into thinking it can ignore Beijing's wishes with impunity. The paper said North Korea will "pay the price if it tries to abduct China's North Korea policy." In its unanimous statement Monday, the Security Council condemned Friday's rocket launch as a "serious violation" of existing U.N. resolutions, and ordered its sanctions committee to tighten measures aimed at preventing North Korea from developing and exporting nuclear and missile technology. The statement said the council will respond accordingly to any further provocations. Pyongyang had announced the failed launch as an effort to put a weather satellite into orbit, but the United States and other countries condemned it as a covert attempt to test a ballistic missile that could later be used to fire a nuclear warhead. Existing U.N. resolutions bar it from any use of ballistic missile technology. Japanese media reported Tuesday that Pyongyang has also withdrawn an invitation for International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to visit its facilities in retaliation for the U.S. cancelation of a food aid package. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Susan Rice, who heads the Security Council this month, said in New York Monday that the failed space shot had caused "grave security concerns" across much of East Asia. "The swift and unanimous adoption of this strong presidential statement shows that the international community is united in sending a clear message to North Korea that such provocations are serious and totally unacceptable.  Critically, the Security Council made clear there will be consequences for any further North Korean launch or nuclear test," she said. "If North Korea chooses again to defy the international community, then the Council has expressed its determination to take action accordingly." Hours later in Brasilia, Clinton stressed China's commitment to punishing any further provocations. China has long been North Korea's most reliable ally and is believed to have more influence over its behavior than any other country. Several analysts have noted that two previous failed North Korean missile launches were shortly followed by underground nuclear tests. South Korean officials last week made available satellite photos of new activity at North Korea's nuclear test site. However, Global Times quotes the dean of the Center for Korean Peninsula Studies at Tongji University in Shanghai as saying Pyongyang knows the consequences of another nuclear test would be much graver than in the past. "The rocket launch has already cost the state roughly $850 million, enough to buy 2.5 million tons of corn," Cui Zhiying told the paper. "Does it have enough money to carry out another nuclear test? I seriously doubt it." Some information for this report was provided by AP and AFP. Media files: AP120327112591 230_edited-1.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Former Zambian Vice President George Kunda Dies

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Former Zambian Vice President George Kunda Dies Apr 17th 2012, 06:43 Former Zambian Vice President George Kunda died Monday at the University Teaching Hospital in the capital, Lusaka. Kunda served as vice president in former President Rupiah Banda's administration before his party lost to current President Michael Sata's Patriotic Front Party in last September's election. Gift Chanda, a journalist with the Zambia Post newspaper, said there has been no official government announcement on the exact cause of Kunda's death. "Mr. Kunda passed away in the capital city around 15 hours (Monday) in the University Teaching Hospital, which is the biggest hospital in the country. Both the National Assembly and the University Teaching Hospital managing director confirmed his death," he said. Chanda quotes hospital officials as saying the 56-year old Kunda died from anemia-related causes. He said Kunda campaigned alongside Banda during the 2011 presidential campaign, although it was rumored he was not well at the time. "During the campaign, yes, he was rumored to have been sick at some point.  But, he managed to campaign with the former president, Mr. Rupiah Banda," Chanda said. Chanda said, before his death, Kunda was critical of the Sata government's campaign against corruption, which the late vice president likened to a political witch hunt of former Banda officials. "One thing to also note is that Mr. Kunda was a strong critic of the government's strong fight against corruption.  He thought that the persecution of former top officials in his party was just a witch hunt and harassment," Chanda said. Media files: Zambia Curious Map.jpg butty-zambia-former-vp-dies-chanda-17april12.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Africa: Ghana Police Arrest Legislator for ‘Law Breaking’ Rhetoric

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Ghana Police Arrest Legislator for 'Law Breaking' Rhetoric Apr 17th 2012, 01:31 Ghana's deputy information minister has sharply denied the arrest of an opposition lawmaker is politically motivated. James Agyenim Boateng said the Criminal Investigation Division (CID) of the police arrested Kennedy Ohene Agyepong Monday after the legislator declared war during a radio show on Friday. He reportedly called for war against those who allegedly attacked party supporters registering to vote. Others say he allegedly called on opposition supporters to attack two ethnic groups who seem to support the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC). Agyepong is the main opposition New Patriotic Party's (NPP) Member of Parliament for the Assin North constituency in the Central region. Agyepong, a businessman who also owns a radio and a television station in the Ghanaian capital, Accra, is an avowed critic of the administration. "The arrest of [the lawmaker] has nothing political about it… He had gone on his own radio station to, in his own words, declare a war from today… he has called for the lynching of all Gas [people from Accra] and Ewes [people from the Volta region] in the Ashanti region." "The laws of Ghana frown on that, and what we have done as a government is to activate the laws against any such pronouncements and declaration of war." Boateng said the legislator had recently made similar remarks. He said the police invited Mr. Agyepong to question him about his behavior. They are also trying to ascertain the exact words he used during his interview. "It is a very fluid situation. The police are looking at it, and that is why he has been called in." Some supporters of the ruling party say the arrest of the outspoken lawmaker is a move by the government to silence critics. The deputy information minister disagrees. "All of us as politicians ought to be accountable [within the parameters of the law] to our people and be responsible for our pronouncements," said Boateng. "He is only being investigated at this point. I do believe that at the appropriate time, charges may be leveled against him, and he will have his day in court." Those charges, says his attorney Atta Akyea, could include treason. He said the arrest of his client is unwarranted, and that his remarks were misconstrued. "He was trying to prompt the conscience of the nation that if we don't rise up to the occasion and deal with such instances of lawlessness the nation will be on the verge of chaos. And that he is declaring war [and] that we should rise up to the occasion and stem the tide of lawlessness and thuggery," said Akyea. "I have a sense of fairness. If the police are fair, and there is nothing political about what they are doing my client should be administered bail because so far as I am concerned… he was talking metaphorically." Akyea said his client just engages in "hard talk", which he said, is normal among Ghanaian politicians. "For somebody's freedom of expression and also the way he does it to be convert into criminality, I'm afraid democracy is being [turned] upside down…I think this is a political jamboree that is not necessary." He said the arrest of the lawmaker will incense supporters of the main opposition party and likely lead to demonstrations against Agyepong's detention. Media files: AP_Obama_Ghana_8mar12.jpg (image/jpeg, 0 MB) 21-afp_ghana_Atta_Mills_president_03jan09_195_11.jpg clottey-ghana-mp-arrest-react-boateng-17april2012.mp3 (audio/mpeg) clottey-ghana-mp-arrest-react-akyea-17april2012.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: USA: NASA: 'Good Chance' for Historic SpaceX Launch April 30

VOA News: USA USA Voice of America

NASA: 'Good Chance' for Historic SpaceX Launch April 30 Apr 17th 2012, 01:27 The only spacecraft to travel to the International Space Station have been produced by nations, not commercial enterprises.  But that could change if a previously postponed launch takes place at the end of this month, as planned.  The Dragon would be the first commercial craft to ever fly to - and dock with - the ISS.   Bill Gerstenmaier, NASA's associate administrator for Human Exploration and Operations, said there is a "good chance" that the Dragon capsule, built by SpaceX, will be launched at the end of this month. "There's still some more work we need to do, some more software testing that needs to get done, some other activities," said Gerstenmaier. "Everything looks good as we head toward the April 30 launch date, but I would caution us all that there is still quite a bit of work that needs to be done."   Gerstenmaier made the announcement during a news briefing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, Monday afternoon, a few hours after NASA managers, SpaceX officials and space station partners completed a flight readiness review.   The California-based company Space Exploration Technologies, commonly known as SpaceX, developed the reusable Dragon spacecraft and the Falcon 9 rocket. NASA is essentially the lead investor in this technology. Gerstenmaier praised the partnership. "I was very impressed with the discussion between the NASA teams and the SpaceX teams," he said. "When I hear the discussion back and forth, it's really one team. They're really focused on 'how do we deliver cargo to [the] space station? How do we get ready for this next phase?' And these teams have worked just phenomenally well together." The main objectives for this flight include a fly-under of the station at a distance of 2.5 kilometers to show that the Dragon's sensors and flight systems are working properly. If everything appears to be in order, the space station crew will use the station's robotic arm to maneuver the spacecraft for a rendezvous. Elon Musk is the chief executive officer and chief designer at SpaceX. He cautions that the Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon spacecraft are still relatively new technologies. Plus, Musk points out, the Dragon needs to meet up with an orbiting lab that is zooming around the Earth every 90 minutes.    "So you've got to launch up there, you've got to rendezvous and be tracking the space station to within inches really, and this is something that is going 12 times faster than a bullet from an assault rifle, so it's hard," said Musk. It was in December 2010 that the Dragon spacecraft made history when it became the first commercially made space capsule to ever launch into orbit, circle the world, and successfully re-enter the Earth's atmosphere. NASA plans to hold another assessment next week to determine if the Dragon is ready to make history once again. Media files: NASA-Dragon_capsule_eng_16apr12.JPG (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) NASA-Dragon_capsule_sq_eng_16apr12.jpg

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VOA News: Africa: Sudan ‘At War’ With Neighbor, Says Ruling Party Official

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Sudan 'At War' With Neighbor, Says Ruling Party Official Apr 17th 2012, 01:19 A prominent member of Sudan's ruling National Congress Party (NCP) says the country is officially in a state of war with South Sudan. Rabie Abdelati Obeid condemned as unacceptable the "illegal invasion" of its territory after forces from South Sudan seized the key disputed oil town of Heglig. Obeid's comments came after Sudan's parliament unanimously voted to declare South Sudan an "enemy." He said the people of the Republic of Sudan assign the same status to South Sudan's ruling party, the Sudan People's Liberation Movement (SPLM). "They are now angry," he said, "since the invasion of Heglig…," where "the Sudanese Armed Forces are now chasing the remaining rebels … from corner to corner." He says the government should take as tough a stance toward Juba as has Sudan's national assembly. Obeid said the country's southern neighbor continues to foment trouble by refusing to withdraw from the disputed border town it seized. "Their language is a language of war," said Obeid. "How can we talk to those people in the language of peace, when they are against peace and stability? And they have now intentionally invaded an area which doesn't belong to them." Violence has escalated along Sudan and South Sudan's border despite the United Nations Security Council's concerns about increasing conflict between the two neighbors. Obeid said South Sudan has failed to abide by the 2005 Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA), which effectively ended decades of war between the north and south. "They are not respecting the CPA, and they don't understand [it]. Their mind is actually oriented to war…and their culture is completely, different from a culture of peace," said Obeid. "There is no way now for talks unless we clean them out of the [Heglig] region...They started war; they invaded our area, and they distracted our localities. There is no way for any diplomacy." South Sudan said it will only withdraw from the oil town if the United Nations intervenes. The African Union, which was helping mediate talks between the two neighboring countries, condemned south Sudan's occupation of the town. Obeid denied accusations that Sudan's army uses Heglig as a base to launch attacks on unarmed civilians. "If we want to do so, we should not have [allowed them to have] self-determination and the referendum," he said, in reference to the ballot last year in which mostly Christian and black southerners voted to separate from the predominantly Arab and Muslim Republic of Sudan. "Now we have clear evidence that they violated the peace, they violated the CPA, they invaded our area, they have committed a lot of mistakes and atrocities [and] they have caused a state of instability and insecurity.  [Theirs is] is the behavior of rebels, not …of a government." Media files: reuters_sudan_bashir_kiir_480_08oct2011.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_sudan_bashir_kiir_230_08oct2011.jpg clottey-sudan-enemy-react-obeid-17april2012.mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Africa: World Bank Picks New President With Development Focus

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

World Bank Picks New President With Development Focus Apr 17th 2012, 00:41 A prominent U.S. economist says poor countries throughout the world should benefit from the World Bank's pick of Jim Yong Kim as its new president. Mark Weisbrot, co-director of the Center for Economic and Policy Research, highlighted Kim's achievements in increasing access to affordable HIV drugs in the developing world. "When he was at the World Health Organization he fought very hard and won successfully…he fought to extend treatment for HIV and AIDS to 3 million people. I think it's now up to 7 million in poor countries. And that was a hard battle and he was very dedicated," said Weisbrot of Kim's past work. The bank announced Kim as their new president on Monday. Kim, a Korean-American doctor, was a former director of the World Health Organization and a co-founder of global non-profit Partners in Health. But amid the praise of Kim, some also expressed worries that the new bank chief has no experience in the financial sector. "I think those critiques were not really valid," said Weisbrot. "Especially if you compare him to any of the past presidents who came from banking and finance, and who spent most of their adult life trying to get rich and powerful and you look at what he's done trying to help poor people." Weisbrot said Kim will be able to rely on the bank staff to handle the details of the bank's finances, and he said the main thrust of the job is development work. Kim won the post after an unprecedented challenge for the position from Nigeria's finance minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, and Colombia's former finance minister and development expert, Jose Antonio Ocampo. In the bank's 68-year history, an American has always headed the institution, while the top job at its sister organization, the International Monetary Fund (IMF), traditionally goes to a European. But emerging economies have recently been contesting that informal arrangement at both the IMF and the World Bank and presenting their own candidates. Kim's ascension was applauded by Weisbrot, and international aid agency Oxfam called him "an excellent choice," but both said it is time for the nomination process to change. "Dr. Kim is an excellent choice for World Bank president and a true development hero.  But we'll never know if he was the best candidate for the job, because there was no true and fair competition," said Oxfam spokesperson Elizabeth Stuart in a statement released shortly after the announcement. "The world deserved better than a selection process with a forgone conclusion. Poor and emerging countries are insisting the Bank be more accountable and open in how it does business. This sham process has damaged the institution, and sullied Dr. Kim's appointment." Weisbrot agreed it's time for an emerging economy to be given a shot at the World Bank's reins. "Of course, it's ridiculous that the U.S. should ever get to choose the head of the World Bank," he said. "The only reason they get away with it is that because the developing countries are not organized as any kind of a bloc within the bank." He added a prediction: this could be the last time the US chooses the leader so easily. Kim will begin his five-year tenure in July. Media files: reuters_us_kim_washington_world_bank_480_11april2012.jpg (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) reuters_us_kim_washington_world_bank_230_11april2012.jpg SHRYOCK 04-17-2012-DBA-SHRYOCK-WEISBROT-AFRICA - WORLD BANK.Mp3 (audio/mpeg)

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VOA News: Africa: Report: Congo's Security Sector Reform is Vital

VOA News: Africa Africa Voice of America

Report: Congo's Security Sector Reform is Vital Apr 16th 2012, 22:26 A new report directed by the U.S.-based Eastern Congo Initiative is calling for more political will inside the Democratic Republic of Congo and more help from outside to effectively reform the country's security sector, after years of failure.  The report is called "Taking a Stand on Security Sector Reform." More than a decade after the official end of Congo's war, an estimated 1.7 million people remain displaced internally because of ongoing violence, mostly in the east of the country, while about half a million Congolese remain refugees in neighboring countries. In eastern regions, gender-based violence and rape, the recruitment of child soldiers, militia and rebel activity, illegal mining and cross-border smuggling remain rampant.  The most recent election cycle was marred by violence across the country. Despite large quantities of highly sought minerals used to make cell phones and laptops, the Democratic Republic of Congo remains 187th out of 187 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index. A report released this week by the Eastern Congo Initiative and other groups, including Congolese civil society forums, says the main problem is Congo's security sector, which remains much more of a scourge than a help. A conference in Washington Monday started with the release of a video by the founder of the Eastern Congo Initiative, American actor Ben Affleck. "Armed groups continue to prey on Congolese families and their communities. Perhaps most troubling, they are not the sole violators of human rights," said Affleck. "The police, judiciary and most importantly the military are all too often perpetrators rather than protectors.  As a result, people suffer, investors are put off, the unemployed turn to militias to secure a living, and the cycle of violence continues." The first speaker was Cindy McCain, wife of U.S. Senator John McCain. She has made several recent trips to Congo and joined forces with Affleck in terms of Congolese advocacy.  She also underlined the urgency of security sector reform. "An effective security sector, organized, resourced and trained, is essential to solving problems from displacement, recruitment of child soldiers, and gender-based violence," she said. The report calls on Congolese civil society to take charge of the issue, while demanding Congo's government carry out repeated promises of security sector reform with clear benchmarks.  It calls for a more unified structure and command of Congo's military, with more recruitment of women and underrepresented social groups, while ending the integration of militias. The report says too little money, both channeled by Congo's government and coming from outside, is directed toward these types of reforms.  It says donors, who contribute about half of Congo's budget, have had poor coordination on the matter. One of those acknowledging the many challenges, despite continued attention to the problem, is U.S. State Department official Karl Wycoff. "We recognize that the DRC has struggled to make meaningful progress in the implementation of security sector reforms and has had little success holding security forces accountable for their human rights violations," said Wycoff. He also says the Congolese government has failed in its many attempts to integrate former rebel fighters into the army. Several Congolese audience members were angry the report focuses too much on eastern Congo and not on the entire country.  They also say the real problem is a lack of democracy and failed elections, which have twice returned President Joseph Kabila to power, since he took over after the 2001 assassination of his father, former coup leader Laurent Desire Kabila. Albert Moleka is a spokesman for Etienne Tshisekedi, the current president's main political rival.  Moleka says he believes if the Democratic Republic of Congo had properly elected leadership, the country would not need outside help to reform its military.  Moleka says he was not impressed by current security reform efforts, which already include the United States, other governments and the United Nations. A Congolese embassy spokesman, Yves Bashonga, denied there is a lack of political will with the current government in Kinshasa, but rather problems in how fast the reform is going and whether the right strategies are being employed. Media files: colombant_congo-police-standoff_eng_16apr12.JPG (image/jpeg, 0.1 MB) eci_congo_security_police_eng_16apr12.JPG

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