Author: yreape

Recent protests in Iran are said to be mainly regarding extortionate increases in fuel prices. Economic hardship may be a factor. The protests, said to have begun on social media, have resulted, according to some, in a near total internet shutdown.
Iran’s government have blamed unfriendly foreign influences. The fuel increase will exacerbate Iran’s economic condition, said to be brought about by trade embargos.

There is news of a referendum in Ethiopia which took place yesterday concerning the Sidama people who say they are stateless.
Eritrea became independant of Ethiopia, being backed by the u.n. around 1991-93. There followed a border war according to some. A recent peace agreement in 2018 is reported to have instigated a border change.
Supporters of Jawar Mohammed, said to be a descendant of the Solomon dynasty and who was educated in the west, are said to be currently protesting. There has been violence according to reports, and various struggles for increased political freedom and ethnic representation in Ethiopia.
The current prime minister of Ethiopia is of the Oromo people who were said to have been lords during the mid 18th to 19th Century following the overthrow of the Solomon dynasty, a period known as the zemene mesafint.
Ethiopia is reported to have been divided into nine ethnic based regional states. The Southern Nations, Nationalities and People’s region is, according to some, made up of regions 7 to 11, although other reports disagree. Logged as a rural region, the SNNPR water resources bureau is said to be improving accessibility to drinking water but priority has been given to the Sidama people according to a report. A list of u.n. administrative bodies is unclear. Currently, many people living in the SNNPR are calling for its dissolution.
The Sidama people were seen queueing to vote yesterday.

Eight Bolivians who are thought to have been protesting, died reportedly outside some sort of fuel shortage depot in El Alto, which is said to have been barricaded.
The incident happened on Tuesday. The deceased, who are thought to have been in their twenties and thirties, are said by some to have died in a clash between Morales supporters and government troops.
The new interim government have been accused of racism, religious bigotry and trampling on democracy. Yesterday, thousands of protestors, reported to be mainly indigenous, packed the streets to denounce the killings. It is not known whether there will be an inquiry into the incident.

Zaire is said to have collapsed in the aftermath of the as called Rwandan genocide around 1994. The Rwandan genecide was said to describe incidents that occurred during a war between Rwandan tribes. Others have described it as an economic war. Reportedly a whole generation was lost, although many were accused of migrating to neighbouring Zaire.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is still called Zaire. Zaire has a long colonial past and is said to have been partitioned. Details unclear. There was a new constitution known as the Luluabourg Constitution in the then called Republic of the Congo (Léopoldville) in 1964. Details unclear. Patrice Lumumba became the political leader of his founding MNC party in 1958. Later, reportedly in 1960, he became the first prime minister of the Independent Democratic Republic of the Congo. He lasted three months, being assassinated on 17 July 1961. Later, Belgium officially apologised for overseeing the execution.
According to sources, on 5 July 1960 there was what a coup which led to the as called Congo crisis. The u.n. sent an estimated 20,000 soldiers in defence of European officers.
Following the death of Patrice Lumumba, Mobutu Sese Seko became prime minister. He is thought to have been heavily influenced by the west.
During the period that followed, due to public concern there was an African revival. During this period foreign assets were retransferred to state ownership, and european names were Africanised, such as Elizabethville becoming Lubumbashi, Jadotville becoming Likasi and Albertville became Kalemie.
In June 1989 Mobutu visited Washington for a meeting with the newly elected George Bush.
Mobutu is said to have fled to Morrocco, reportedly in May 1997. There is evidence of regime change.
According to official sources, as of 2018, up to 600,000 Congolese have fled to neighbouring countries.
Ebola virus originated in Zaire according to reports. Officially recognised in 1976, it is not documented whether the Ebola River is contaminated. There is a suggestion of bioterrorism.
According to official sources, forcible extraction of natural resources led to an enormous loss of life. Resources documented were gold, diamonds, cobalt, copper, tin and tantalum.

African nations are part of the commonwealth. Africa’s resources are documented to have once included gold, diamonds and oil. According to figures, 884 million people lack access to clean water, 3 million every year dying of water related diseases.

Many Africans need clean water. Charities only provide tablets that in many cases do not make unsanitary water safe.

Can the UK help by funding the digging of wells in Africa? The saving of so many lives will begin to make amends for colonial exploitation.

Hong Kong protests seem to largely involve students, many wearing face masks. Yesterday however, a high court ruled against a mask ban. The high court in Hong Kong was called the Supreme court before the alleged handover to China in 1997.
Protesters are said to have barricaded themselves inside a university in Kowloon, but many may be trapped. Some protestors are said to have set the entrance on fire. Others were seen abseiling to safety from a different entrance where they were met by motorbikes.
There is a call from Hong Kong’s chief of police, asking citizens to help end the turmoil.

Eva Morales was reported to be the first indigenous head of state in Latin America in recent times. Bolivia was said to have been politically and economically marginalised, yet, his biggest mistake, according to a compatriot was that he failed to groom a successor.
Mexico and Uraguay do not recognise the new as called interim government of which Jeanine Anez is leader. Hundreds of Morales supporters are claiming a coup and calling for him to come back.
The u.n. are reported to have sent Jean Arnault who is described as personal envoy of the Secretary-General for Bolivia, to help resolve the crisis. Bolivia is said to hold the second largest natural gas reserves on the continent. It is not known whether Morales will return.

According to news, a rocket hit Baghdad’s as called green zone yesterday, no casualties reported. Termed the green zone by officials, the roughly 10 square kilometre area is known as an international zone. It contains government buildings that were taken over by the u.n. council in 2003. Now contains military bases and personnel.
One person died yesterday, having been hit by a teargas cannister, and 32 were reported to have been injured during clashes with security forces.

References to a pay master regarding the abduction of Kevin Lunney has been a subject of complaint by a former director of Quinn holdings. Meanwhile Gardai are working with northern Ireland police and are said to be searching the homes of possible suspects. There have been a number of arrests who mainly have been released.
Cyril McGuinness died during a police raid regarding the abduction. An enquiry is called for. Meanwhile, former nationalists are believed to be the subject of procedural search and interrogation. No evidence suggests the crime was innitiated by nationalists.

Bridget Dirrane may have been born around 1896, her life spanning three centuries. She was born on the Aran Island of Inis Mór. One famous visitor she met was Padraig Pearse, the republican, activist and poet.
Bridget left Inis Mór and became housekeeper to Father Matt Ryan, a supporter of the land league. In 1919, the year of the beginning of the war of independence, she began to train as a nurse in Dublin.
She also nursed people in the community and on one occasion the house was raided by the black and tans. She was arrested but said to be released after nine days. One abiding memory of the war of independence was the execution of Kevin Barry. She took part in a vigil outside the prison where he was hanged. “We heard the deathbell and then there was silence”.
Bridget opposed the treaty and the civil war caused her great anguish.
In 1927, at the age of 23 she emigrated to the US, marrying a man who had been her neighbour in Inis Mór, Edward Dirrane, known as Ned, in 1932. Times were hard. Ned died suddenly in 1940.
Bridget worked as a nurse during the second world war. Later, campaigning for John F. Kennedy in many elections. In 1966, at age of 39, she returned to Inis Mór and married Patrick Dirrane: Among Bridget’s visitors is said to be Edward Kennedy.