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Scores of Sudanese civilians killed while fleeing war-torn Darfur for Chad

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Eyewitnesses have reported that scores of civilians fleeing from the war in Sudan’s Dafur city of El Geneina have been killed by militia fighters as they try to escape by foot to Chad.

A survivor who gave his name as Ibrahim, told undercover reporters on Wednesday that repeated militia attacks from Arab nomadic tribes along with members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on fleeing civilians, had escalated in El Geneina over the past two months since the war between the military and the paramilitary forces began.

“A large number of people tried to seek protection near the army headquarters in El Geneina on June 14 but were blocked by the militia who shot at them and killed many people,” Ibrahim said.

“All of a sudden, the militias came out and sprayed people with gunfire. We got surprised by thousands of people running back. People were killed. They were trampled. Many people also sustained gunshot wounds,” he added.

Medical charity, MSF, also said some 15,000 people had fled West Darfur over the past one week, with many reporting seeing people shot and killed as they tried to escape El Geneina.

“It was a collective decision of the people of El Geneina to leave. Most of them fled on foot heading northeast of El Geneina, but many of them were killed on this route,” the charity said.

“People decided to flee when the state governor of West Darfur was killed on June 14, hours after he accused the RSF and allied militias of genocide,” the MSF said.

According to the United Nations, the war which broke out on April 15 has seen more than 300,000 people killed and 2.5 million displaced despite several ceasefire deals which have been repeatedly broken by the two warring factions.

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Conservationist, Kearns, names intolerance and digital media abuse as threats to media freedom

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Nsama Kearns, the Executive Director of Care for Nature, speaks on the indispensable role of a free media in society.

In a conversation with Zambia Monitor in Mansa, Luapula Province, Kearns underscored the importance of media freedoms, digital rights, and freedom of speech in enhancing good governance.

“Let me begin with the criticality of media freedom, especially for those of us involved in information dissemination through mass media, including social media,” she remarked.

While acknowledging the existence of media freedoms in Zambia, Kearns expressed concerns about the prevailing situation.

“Despite media freedoms in Zambia, as reported in the 2022 human rights report, there are instances where the government may display intolerance towards criticism, especially if perceived as politically motivated,” she observed.

Regarding freedom of speech, Kearns emphasized the necessity for individuals to express themselves without fear of reprisal.

“Whether communicating through written or oral means, individuals should be able to express themselves freely without intimidation or fear of repercussions,” she stressed.

Kearns highlighted the significance of freedom of expression in enabling civil society to address issues that might be inconvenient for the government.

“For instance, in Luapula Province, longstanding issues such as illegal mining and the Mukula tree trade, involving politically exposed persons, have been challenging to address,” she explained.

Despite challenges, Kearns noted the positive impact of digital media in driving social enterprise.

However, she also highlighted the prevalence of abuse, particularly targeting women, on social media platforms.

“While digital media presents opportunities for social entrepreneurship, individuals, especially women, often face abuse online, hindering their enjoyment of human rights,” Kearns lamented.

She called for the creation of safe spaces to empower individuals to report abuse to the Zambia Information Communication Authority (ZICTA) and address issues of digital media abuse and intolerance effectively.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.

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I saved Nigeria from bankruptcy by removing fuel subsidy— Tinubu

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Nigerian President, Bola Tinubu, on Sunday, boasted that he saved Nigeria from going bankrupt by removing fuel subsidy on his first day in office.

Tinubu had, in his inaugural speech on May 29, 2023, pronounced that his administration would discontinue fuel subsidy payments and though the ripple effect of the removal has brought untold hardship and hunger, the President has continued to praise his courage in taking that decisive action.

Tinubu who spoke at the Special World Economic Forum in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on Sunday, admitted that though the policy came with economic pains, it was in the best interest of Nigerians, affirming that the move has save the government money for infrastructural expansion.

While addressing his audience, Tinubu argued that removing the petrol subsidy was a necessary action for Nigeria not to go bankrupt and to reset the economy towards growth.

Tinubu said that the petrol subsidy removal equally engendered accountability, transparency and physical discipline for the country.

“Concerning the question of the subsidy removal, there is no doubt that it was a necessary action for my country not to go bankrupt, to reset the economy and pathway to growth,” Tinubu said.

“Yes, there have been drawbacks. Yes, there was the expectation that a greater number of people would feel the difficulty, but, of course, I believed it was their interest that was the focus of government.

“It is easier to manage and explain the difficulties, but along the line, there was a parallel arrangement to cushion the effect of the subsidy removal on the vulnerable population of the country.

“We shared the pain across the board. We cannot but include those who are very vulnerable. Luckily, we have a very vibrant youthful population interested in discoveries by themselves, highly ready for technology, good education, and committed to growth,” Tinubu explained.

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