- Five Sudanese journalists have exposed death threats on their lives and asked the government to launch a large-scale investigation into the issue.
The threatened journalists include a correspondent of Reporters Sans Frontières (RSF) in Sudan, Faisal El-Bagir, who also works with the privately-owned Arabic language weekly al-Midan. Others who all worked for another Arabic language daily al-Sahafa are Abdel Moneim Suleiman, Al-Haj Warraq, Al-Tahir Satti and Rabbah Al-Sadiq Al-Mahdi.
Suleiman told a news conference on Wednesday that he had received an anonymous call the previous day from a person in neighbouring Chad who said he had been offered 220,000 dollars by someone in Sudan to kill each of the five journalists. The caller said the journalists were being targeted for their oppositon to the government and their support for the deployment of an international force in Sudan's troubled Darfur region.
"The death threats against Bagir and his colleagues must be taken seriously and must be publicly condemned by the Sudanese authorities," the RSF protested. "It is essential that an investigation is carried out to establish the origin of the threatening call and to punish those responsible. We also call on the authorities in Chad, from where the phone call was made, to assist in the investigation in order to ensure that it is successful."
"I will continue the struggle for respect for human rights, peace, democracy and freedom of expression in my country and the entire world. Such threats should not prevent us from doing our work and living our lives," Bagir told RSF.
afrol News - It is called "financial inclusion", and it is a key government policy in Rwanda. The goal is that, by 2020, 90 percent of the population is to have and actively use bank accounts. And in only four years, financial inclusion has doubled in Rwanda.
afrol News - The UN's humanitarian agencies now warn about a devastating famine in Sudan and especially in South Sudan, where the situation is said to be "imploding". Relief officials are appealing to donors to urgently fund life-saving activities in the two countries.
afrol News - Fear is spreading all over West Africa after the health ministry in Guinea confirmed the first Ebola outbreak in this part of Africa. According to official numbers, at least 86 are infected and 59 are dead as a result of this very contagious disease.
afrol News - It is already a crime being homosexual in Ethiopia, but parliament is now making sure the anti-gay laws will be applied in practical life. No pardoning of gays will be allowed in future, but activist fear this only is a signal of further repression being prepared.
afrol News / Africa Renewal - Ethiopia's ambitious plan to build a US$ 4.2 billion dam in the Benishangul-Gumuz region, 40 km from its border with Sudan, is expected to provide 6,000 megawatts of electricity, enough for its population plus some excess it can sell to neighbouring countries.
front page
| news
| countries
| archive
| currencies
| news alerts login
| about afrol News
| contact
| advertise
| español