As a teenager, Precious Sibalo visited the airport in her Zimbabwe hometown of Bulawayo to watch planes flying in and out of the country’s second-largest city. She was entranced by the aircraft but dismayed by something else. “I saw male pilots and never saw a woman there. I said to myself, ‘I want to be one of those few women who are pilots,’ ” she said. She followed through on her goal, earning a license as an airline transport pilot in November. Now, at age 35, Sibalo is among the growing ranks of female pilots in a field still overwhelmingly dominated by men — though Air Zimbabwe, the national airline, marked its first flight with two female captains in 2015. Sibalo’s route to licensing was neither direct nor smooth. She spoke with VOA in hopes of inspiring others to confront bumps and other challenges in their career paths. “You cannot expect to climb the ladder with your hands in the pockets,” she said. “You need to work hard. You need to put (in) effort, do your research.” Her mother, Catherine, gave birth to Sibalo at the age of 17. But she eventually had to leave the child in her parents’ care to work as a maid in South Africa. Catherine sent home money for schooling, and young Precious, whose grandfather was an educator, did well in most classes. But her mother “fell sick when I was around 17 years old, and that’s when I also had a child,” said Sibalo, who had a daughter. “I thought my dreams were shattered. … I could no longer go to university.” Sibalo’s mother died in her mid-30s. When her own daughter was 2 years old, Sibalo had to leave her child in Zimbabwe with her grandparents and go to South Africa to find a job to help support them all, she said. Like her mother and many others in Zimbabwe, Sibalo found employment in South Africa — in her case, waitressing at a restaurant in Johannesburg. She impressed people with her work habits and her upbeat character. “Customers would see potential in me because I was very optimistic,” Sibalo said. One encouraged her to try modeling, which she did on fashion show runways. Another recommended a website leading to better-paying employment in the Middle East. First, she waitressed in Dubai. Then she landed a position as a Qatar Airways flight attendant. Sibalo described that work as rewarding “because you get paid for traveling. … You get to see different countries. … You get exposure to different cultures. You broaden your mind, basically.” She visited Belgium, China, New Zealand, Russia and other countries. “Too many to name,” she said. The work put Sibalo close to the cockpit. After five years as a flight attendant, she had saved enough money for flight training. She enrolled at 43 Air School, located in a South African town of Port Alfred, south of Johannesburg, in late 2017. The road to becoming a pilotAt first, Sibalo thought it might be easy to land in the pilot’s seat. “I used to see pilots, when I was a cabin crew member, just drinking coffee,” she said, admitting that she wrongly assumed they were “doing nothing.” But she quickly learned that she had underestimated what it took to fly aircraft. She scored poorly on a pilot aptitude test, falling short on the math skills needed to calculate, say, whether a plane’s load was too heavy for safe takeoff or landing. That convinced her to work harder. “I spent sleepless nights studying,” Sibalo said. “… You have to take the lessons seriously because you will be carrying lives. It’s very important to be disciplined.” Her efforts produced high scores and, last November, her license as a commercial pilot. Now Sibalo is building flight hours as the airline industry itself builds toward recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and related shutdowns. She hopes to find steady work among the small but growing ranks of women who are commercial pilots. In 2009, women accounted for 73 out of 1,036 (7%) pilots for six South African-owned airlines operating domestic and regional routes, according to the Airlines Association of Southern Africa. By 2019, they made up 120 of 1,201 pilots (10%). Maybe sometime soon, Sibalo will return to the Bulawayo airport — as a pilot. This story originated in VOA’s Zimbabwe Service.
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Month: April 2021
Biden to Address Joint Session of Congress
U.S. President Joe Biden is expected to discuss his goal of engaging with other nations and taking a leadership role on the world stage as he gives an address Wednesday night to a joint session of Congress. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said ahead of the speech that Biden’s comments on foreign policy would include “taking America’s seat back in the world, what our values are as a country.” She said the president would likely talk about a number of foreign policy priorities, “including our engagement with China.” The Biden administration’s push to work more with allies, which this month included coordinating with fellow NATO members on the withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan, is a departure from four years of foreign policy under former President Donald Trump that focused on prioritizing U.S. interests. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited Biden to the House chamber to speak about “vision for addressing the challenges and opportunities of this historic moment,” in a speech that comes as the president marks 100 days since taking office. Psaki said the main policy initiative Biden will highlight is a domestic program for “investment in education and childcare.”President Joe Biden removes his face mask to speak about COVID-19, on the North Lawn of the White House, April 27, 2021, in Washington.She said he will also discuss the administration’s efforts to combat the coronavirus pandemic and unemployment, as well as immigration, police reform and gun safety. The administration is planning the speech as a launching point to seek support for Biden’s initiatives, with the president, Vice President Kamala Harris and members of Biden’s Cabinet planning to travel to different parts of the country for events on Thursday and Friday. Republicans will seek to counter Biden’s message with a rebuttal speech Wednesday by South Carolina Senator Tim Scott. Typically, a presidential speech before a joint session of Congress would include an invited audience of the 535 members of the House and Senate, the vice president, Cabinet members, the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Supreme Court justices, members of the diplomatic corps, and a number of special guests sitting with the first lady, some whom the president notes in the speech as a way of highlighting a certain policy. Wednesday’s audience will be more restricted. Chief Justice John Roberts is expected to be the only justice in attendance. Psaki also said there will not be the traditional box of seating with first lady Jill Biden and guests, and that Cabinet members will be watching the speech from home. Not having Cabinet members in the House chamber also eliminates another tradition linked to presidential addresses. In order to ensure continuity of government in case of a disaster, one Cabinet member is typically selected to stay away from the Capitol so that high-level officials are not all in the same place. Wednesday’s speech will be conducted under heavy security, with a ring of fencing still standing in the immediate area surrounding the Capitol following the January 6 storming of the site by Trump supporters. Security has eased somewhat in Washington since the attack, with a more extensive perimeter fence on Capitol Hill and another temporary fence extending beyond the White House complex now removed.
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Zimbabwean Sculptor Encourages COVID Vaccination and Masking Up Through Art
Zimbabwean sculptor David Ngwerume is gaining attention for works inspired by the pandemic. One of his collections urges people to get vaccinated and another reminds people to take health measures hammering home a message to curb the spread of the virus. Ngwerume’s latest piece is called “Michael Jackson,” named after the late U.S. pop icon who was well-known for wearing masks and a glove. Columbus Mavhunga reports from Harare.Camera: Blessing Chigwenhembe
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Somalia President Drops 2-year Term Extension, Accepts Dialogue with Political Rivals
Somalia President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed says he will no longer pursue a two-year extension of his presidential term, giving in to internal and international pressure to back away from a controversial resolution on the extension passed by the Lower House of Parliament. In a televised address, Mohamed said he will appear before the Lower House of Parliament on Saturday to ask the lawmakers to restore last year’s agreement between the federal government and the leaders of five federal member states and the governor of Mogadishu. The agreement known as the “September 17 agreement” called for the election of federal lawmakers through indirect elections. The lawmakers would then elect the president. The Lower House of Parliament invalidated that agreement on April 12, giving the executive and legislative branches two more years to prepare popular elections. Mohamed signed the resolution into law on April 13. The president’s term expired on February 8, 2021, while the parliament’s mandate exhausted on December 27, 2020. “I shall on Saturday, appear before House of the People of our Republic to restore the September 17 process between Federal Government and Federal Member States,” he said. If the parliament approves the president’s request, it will reverse the two-year extension. “The government sees the only viable path is through dialogue, convincing each other and compromise, and a return to the table to compete the September 17 agreement,” he said. Mohamed urged the signatories of the September 17 agreement for immediate talks to discuss the way forward towards the implementation of the agreement without conditions. The Somali leader came under pressure on Tuesday when two federal members states allied with him broke ranks and opposed the term extension. In a joint statement, Galmudug and Hirshabelle states ruled out any kind of term extension and instead supported elections based on the September 17 agreement. Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble issued a statement shortly after endorsing the joint statement issued by the two federal member states. Roble urged all stakeholders to prepare for elections based on the implementation of September 17 agreement. “I would like to welcome the press statements made by Galmudug and Hirshabelle Federal Member States,” Roble said in the statement. “I call on the other states of Puntland, Jubaland and Southwest and Banadir region to fully commit to a peace process in our efforts to hold a free and inclusive election.” In a call directed at armed security forces who split and sided with either the federal government or the opposition, Roble urged them to pull back to their locations and barracks, while urging opposition leaders to cease all hostilities and actions that could undermine stability.The Statement by Prime Minister H.E @MohamedHRoble on the current situation in Mogadishu and Election Process in the country. pic.twitter.com/6T2EFeji9k— SomaliPM (@SomaliPM) April 27, 2021 Foreign diplomats in Mogadishu who already strongly opposed the term extension expressed relief after the prime minister took the decision to essentially oppose extension and support dialogue based on the previous agreement. Earlier, the United States embassy in Mogadishu applauded the decision of the two federal member states to oppose the term extension and urged President Mohamed to “accept the clear path to dialogue and peace.”We commend @MrQoorqoor, @AliGuudlaawe, and @MohamedHRoble for opposing a term extension and supporting the Sept. 17 election agreement. We urge @M_Farmaajo to accept the clear path to dialogue and peace. https://t.co/cWo1PvAjWf— U.S. Embassy Mogadishu, Somalia (@US2SOMALIA) April 27, 2021 The European Union Ambassador to Somalia Nicolas Berlanga also threw his support behind the prime minister and the two federal states. “The EU praises the courage and sense of concertation by PM Roble and FMS proposing a consensus-based way forward towards fast elections and urge others to follow the path to previous commitments,” Berlanga wrote. “Violence has no place in Somalia and dialogue is the only way forward.”The EU praises the courage and sense of concertation by PM Roble and FMS proposing a consensus-based way forward towards fast elections and urge others to follow the path to previous commitments. Violence has no place in Somalia and dialogue is the only way forward.— Nicolas Berlanga (@NBerlangaEU) April 27, 2021This latest political shift comes two days after clashes erupted in the capital, Mogadishu, between soldiers backing the federal government and forces supporting the opposition. Mogadishu has been calm but tense since Monday, forcing civilians to flee from volatile districts to safer ones within Mogadishu and the outskirts. Forces from the two sides erected roadblocks and took positions in key junctions close to the presidential palace, the arterial Maka Al-Mukarama road and K-4 junction near the Mogadishu airport. Somali security experts blamed the political stalemate for the split of the fragile army, which has been undergoing rebuilding, with training and mentoring from number of countries including the United States and Turkey. “There has been prolonged political stalemate between the Somalia leaders, this unfortunately created uncertainty for not only the Somali people, but for the Somali security forces,” said Jihan Abdullahi Hassan, a former advisor to the Ministry of Defense and Chief of Defense Forces who admitted the army is split. “The incident of the 25th April 2021 showcases a split Somali security forces which is unfortunate since the security forces should not be involved in politics.” Hassan warned that if the political dispute is not quickly resolved, it will undo any progress made in recent years and will dismantle the security forces. “(It) will be difficult for any administration to resolve,” she said. The International community also warned the fragmentation will detract the army from fighting the radical Muslim insurgency group, al-Shabab. “Use of security forces for pursuit of political objectives is unacceptable,” a statement released by the United Nations Mission for Somalia on behalf of partners read. Hassan said the standoff between security forces in Mogadishu indicates that the fight against al-Shabab is not a current priority. She said security forces vacated frontlines, which will create a security vacuum. “The unity of our security forces will be key in combating the threat al-Shabab poses,” she said.
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Bidens to Visit Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter While in Georgia
President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden will visit the 39th president, Jimmy Carter, and his wife, Rosalynn, while in Georgia this week, the White House said Tuesday. The White House had previously announced that Biden would attend a drive-in rally in Atlanta on Thursday to mark his 100th day in office, which comes a day after his first address to a joint session of Congress on Wednesday evening. The Bidens will now add in a trip to Plains, Georgia, to visit the Carters.In this image from video, former President Jimmy Carter and former first lady Rosalynn Carter, seen in a photo as they speak on audio only, during the second night of the Democratic National Convention on Aug. 18, 2020.The 96-year-old former president and the 93-year-old former first lady were unable to attend Biden’s inauguration because of the coronavirus pandemic. Both couples are now vaccinated, and the Carters have resumed worshipping in-person at their longtime church. Biden was a young Delaware senator and Carter ally during the Georgian’s term in the White House, from 1977 to 1981. Carter is now the longest-lived American president in history.
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President Biden’s First Address to Congress Is Invite Only
President Joe Biden’s first address to Congress is an invite-only affair, no guests allowed.The restrictions for Wednesday’s event are due to COVID-19 safety protocols, but they will have the added security benefit of a limited number of people inside the U.S. Capitol for the president’s first major indoor event since he took office just weeks after the Jan. 6 insurrection. Fencing is still up around the Capitol, and the National Guard is still there.”Obviously the events of the sixth are poignant reminders of why we need to be vigilant,” said Michael Plati, the U.S. Secret Service special agent in charge who is leading security for the joint session. “But the standard of security remains the same.”Congressional leadership extended the invitations, and anyone without one must leave the building by 5 p.m. Wednesday, though staff with Capitol offices and those credentialed by the sergeant-at-arms can remain in the building, according to a memo by Timothy Blodgett, the acting sergeant-at-arms. Official visitors are allowed only until 1 p.m., and they must be escorted into the Capitol from the barricades.While senators are in Washington this week, the House is not in session, with most lawmakers working remotely. House Republicans are holding a private retreat in Florida, and it’s doubtful many will rush back to attend.Chief Justice John Roberts is the only member of the Supreme Court invited to Wednesday’s speech. He plans to attend, court spokeswoman Kathy Arberg said.Security agencies readyOne of the main issues on Jan. 6 was a lack of coordination between multiple agencies in the district, which won’t happen this time because those agencies have already been approved to work together and have been doing so for months, said Plati, who led security for the Jan. 20 inauguration that proceeded without any problems.House Speaker Nancy Pelosi invited Biden to the chamber to share his “vision for addressing the challenges and opportunities of this historic moment.” Presidents don’t deliver a State of the Union address to Congress until their second year in office.The joint session is designated as a “national special security event,” which clears the way for communication, funding and preparation between multiple agencies in Washington, including the U.S. Capitol Police, Pentagon, Homeland Security and District-area police. Other such events are the State of the Union, the Super Bowl, and the Democratic and Republican national conventions.Biden’s address comes as he completes his first 100 days in office. He didn’t give a traditional address to Congress earlier this year because, the White House said, he was focusing on his COVID-19 recovery and response efforts.The address will provide him with an opportunity to update the American public on his progress toward fulfilling his promises and make the case for the $2.3 trillion infrastructure package he unveiled earlier this month.Security will be tight around the Capitol region for the event. National Guard troops, in place since the riot, are still in the area. Some security plans will be obvious — officers in uniforms, checkpoints, metal detectors, fencing — and some won’t. Capitol police said Monday that streets around the Capitol will be shut down two hours before the event.”We have many options, and we prepare for contingencies well in advance,” Plati said.Trouble at the CapitolThe Capitol Plaza remains behind fencing that was erected after a mob of Donald Trump supporters had descended on it on Jan. 6, sacking the building and disrupting the vote to certify Biden’s presidential win. Five people died, including a Capitol Police officer. Hundreds of people were charged in the insurrection.There had also been a second razor-wire-tipped fence that blocked off city streets around the Capitol, but that has since come down. Soon after it was removed, a man rammed his car into two Capitol Police officers, killing one. It’s likely that streets will be blocked off anew for Wednesday’s event.And a 22-year-old Virginia man was caught by Capitol Police scaling the fence Monday. He was taken into custody.Law enforcement officials never go into too much detail about security so would-be attackers aren’t tipped off. But Plati said they have taken into account recent events and watched other major U.S. events such as the verdict in the Derek Chauvin trial in Minneapolis and the response to it.”There are always opportunities to learn from these incidents, but the planning is comprehensive” and incorporates the possibility for mass civil unrest or other security concerns, Plati said.”We continuously evaluate the intelligence with our partners and refine the plan; we look to make those refinements,” Plati said.
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Botswana Could Be First African Country to Vaccinate Entire Adult Population
Botswana’s health authorities say they have arranged to receive nearly 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccines, enough to cover the entire adult population. If every adult takes the vaccine, Botswana could become the first country in Africa to be fully vaccinated against the coronavirus. In a televised address Monday, Mosepele Mosepele, deputy coordinator of the Botswana Presidential COVID-19 Task Force, said the country reached agreements with vaccine manufacturers to supply doses to cover 1.9 million people. Botswana has an adult population of 1.6 million, but noncitizens are also eligible for the vaccine, Mosepele added.Botswana received 60,000 doses of the Covishield vaccine from India and the COVAX facility last month. Mosepele said the uptake of the vaccine has been impressive, with 47,160 receiving the jab since March 26. Mosepele said he is not sure when the 1.9 million doses will arrive, but that the largest portion of the pending shipment is from Johnson & Johnson, which is expected to deliver 1.1 million doses of its one-shot vaccine. In the meantime, the government this week received 200,000 doses of the Sinovac vaccine from China. FILE – A health worker receives a dose of the Oxford/AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine in Francistown, Botswana, March 26, 2021.Kabo Morwaeng, Botswana’s minister of presidential affairs, urged people to take the Sinovac doses. “I also wish to implore all those who may be reluctant to do so, to step up and take their jabs. This process is intended for the good of all of us,” he said. “I must assure you that our health authorities, through the Botswana Medicines Regulatory Authority (BOMRA), will continue to ascertain that the vaccines we receive are safe for use by all of us.”Earlier this month, two people died after receiving the Covishield vaccine. BOMRA is investigating the incident. Botswana Nurses Union spokesperson Aobakwe Lesolame said the government needs to speedily roll out the vaccination campaign once the doses arrive. “We are pleading with the ministry (of health) that as these vaccines continue to arrive, they make sure that they roll out the strategy, very clear, very basic, very simple (and) disseminate across structures so that everybody can take part,” Lesolame said. “The vaccine rollout plan should focus on using community halls so that we ease the burden on public health facilities.” Botswana has recorded 702 deaths from COVID-19, with February and March being the deadliest months. Authorities have confirmed 46,000 cases of the virus overall.
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Bowing to Pressure, Somalia’s President Agrees Not to Extend Presidential Term
Somalia’s President Mohamed Abdullahi Mohamed said on Wednesday he would drop an attempt to extend his term by two years, bowing to domestic and international pressure after clashes in the capital Mogadishu split security forces along clan lines.Hours earlier, Prime Minister Mohamed Hussein Roble had denounced the proposed term extension and called for preparations for a new presidential election.The president’s term expired in February, but the country failed to hold elections as planned. Earlier this month, the lower house of parliament voted to extend Mohamed’s four-year term by another two years. The Senate rejected the move, provoking a political crisis.Police, military leaders defectCommanders in both the police and the military had defected to the opposition, and rival factions of the security forces had fortified positions in central Mogadishu, raising fears of clashes in the heart of the city, and a security vacuum in the surrounding areas that could be exploited by al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab insurgents.FILE – Somalia’s newly-elected President Mohamed Abdullahi Farmajo addresses lawmakers after winning the vote at the airport in Somalia’s capital Mogadishu, Feb. 8, 2017.In a televised statement in the early hours of Wednesday, the president said he commended the efforts of the prime minister and other political leaders and welcomed the statements they issued calling for elections to be held without further delay. He also called for urgent discussions with the signatories to an agreement signed last September on the conduct of the elections.The opposition, who had called on the president to resign, did not immediately respond. The president did not discuss the opposition in his speech but did denounce unnamed “individuals and foreign entities who have no aim other than to destabilize the country.”The heads of two regional states who had been staunch allies of the president had also rejected on Tuesday the proposed two-year extension of Mohamed’s term. Those leaders said in statements immediately after the president’s speech that they welcomed his announcement.Mohamed’s attempt to extend his term had also angered foreign donors who backed his government, hoping it would help bring stability and quash the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab insurgency. But the proposed extension pitted factions in the security forces against each other.The U.S. Embassy in Mogadishu tweeted support for the prime minister and the two state presidents after they issued their statement.This week, opposition forces abandoned positions in the countryside as they headed for a showdown in the capital, allowing al-Shabab to take over at least one town.Forces loyal to the opposition hold important parts of the city and clashed with government forces over the weekend, fueling worries the country could return to all-out war.’Teetering on the brink’The unrest is the second bout of violence in Mogadishu over an extension to Mohamed’s term. Continued clashes could further splinter Somali security forces along ethnic lines, said the International Crisis Group, a think tank.”Somalia is teetering on the brink of a major breakdown once again,” it said in a briefing published on Tuesday.Mohamed is Darod, one of Somalia’s major clans. Most of the Somali military in the capital are Hawiye, another large clan. Most of the opposition leaders are Hawiye.Earlier on Tuesday, Turkish-trained Haramcad (“Cheetah”) police forces raided the independent Mustaqbal Radio station, owned by a Hawiye businessman, and confiscated equipment. Somalia’s fledgling armed forces are drawn from clan militias who have often battled each other for power and resources.Internal Security Minister Hassan Hundubey Jimale told a news conference that government forces had been restrained to avoid harming civilians. He also said, without providing evidence, that “thieves” were breaking into houses and killing people.The African Union peacekeeping mission in Somalia, the United Nations mission there, and a dozen other mainly African and Western nations condemned the outbreak of violence and urged restraint.”We are alarmed especially by the emerging fragmentation of the Somali National Army (SNA) along clan lines,” a joint statement said.
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UK Government Green Lights ‘Self-driving’ Cars on Motorways
The UK government on Wednesday became the first country to announce it will regulate the use of self-driving vehicles at slow speeds on motorways, with the first such cars possibly appearing on public roads as soon as this year. Britain’s transport ministry said it was working on specific wording to update the country’s highway code for the safe use of self-driving vehicle systems, starting with Automated Lane Keeping Systems (ALKS) — which use sensors and software to keep cars within a lane, allowing them to accelerate and brake without driver input. The government said the use of ALKS would be restricted to motorways, at speeds under 37 miles (60 km) per hour. The UK government wants to be at the forefront of rolling out autonomous driving technology and the transport ministry forecasts by 2035 around 40% of new UK cars could have self-driving capabilities, creating up to 38,000 new skilled jobs. “The automotive industry welcomes this vital step to permit the use of automated vehicles on UK roads, which will put Britain in the vanguard of road safety and automotive technology,” Mike Hawes, CEO of car industry lobby group the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said in a statement. Limits of technologyBut insurance companies warn that Britain’s goal of being a leader in adopting self-driving cars could backfire unless automakers and regulators spell out the current limitations of the technology available today. They say calling ALKS “automated,” or using the synonymous term “self-driving,” will confuse British drivers into thinking the cars can drive themselves, causing accidents and risking a public backlash against the technology. “Aside from the lack of technical capabilities, by calling ALKS automated our concern also is that the UK Government is contributing to the confusion and frequent misuse of assisted driving systems that have unfortunately already led to many tragic deaths,” said Matthew Avery, research director at Thatcham Research, which has tested ALKS systems. The dangers of drivers apparently misunderstanding the limits of technology has been an issue in the United States, where regulators are reviewing about 20 crashes involving Tesla’s driver assistance tools, such as its “Autopilot” system.
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Essential Quality Is 2-1 Favorite for Kentucky Derby
With the rail still open and Kentucky Derby post positions dwindling, Brad Cox grew anxious about the most notable of his two horses drawing the least desired spot. The homegrown trainer soon breathed easier. Essential Quality got something more palatable, though the hardest part awaits with the target firmly on his back. Essential Quality is the 2-1 morning line favorite and will start from the No. 14 post for Saturday’s 147th Kentucky Derby at Churchill Downs. “It got a little nerve-wracking with both horses still to go and the rail still being out there,” Cox said Tuesday. “I think it’ll be a good spot. He’s got good tactical speed that he’ll be able to get into a good position from there.” The $3 million, 1 1/4-mile marquee race for 3-year-old colts is back on the first Saturday of May after being delayed to Labor Day weekend last fall because of the pandemic. About 45,000 spectators are expected at the track. Rock Your World is the 5-1 second choice from the No. 15 slot, with Known Agenda the 6-1 third choice despite drawing the rail in the 20-horse field. Hot Rod Charlie drew 8-1 odds as the fourth choice from the No. 9 slot. Kentucky Derby hopeful Rock Your World works out at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Ky., April 27, 2021.The obvious focus is on Essential Quality, the reigning 2-year-old champion who enters the Run for the Roses having won all five races and with Luis Saez aboard. His haul of graded stakes victories includes a gutsy Blue Grass victory at Keeneland on April 3 that vaulted the gray son of Tapit to the top of the Derby standings with 140 points and cemented him as the projected favorite. He’s one of two entries trained by Cox, who grew up a few blocks from Churchill Downs and will make his Derby debut trying to become the first Louisville native to win the race. The Eclipse Award winner will also saddle Mandaloun from the No. 7 post as a 15-1 choice, with the bay colt looking to bounce back from a disappointing sixth in the Louisiana Derby. At least their starting spots are no longer an issue. “That was more than I wanted to experience this early, but it worked for us,” Cox added. Rock Your World, trained by John Sadler, has won all three starts this year after not racing as a 2-year-old. But he rolled to a 4-1/4-length victory in the Santa Anita Derby over favorite Medina Spirit, trained by Hall of Famer Bob Baffert, and looks for another marquee win. “It’s a good post, and we’re happy with it,” Sadler said. Medina Spirit will start from the No. 8 post at 15-1 odds. Kentucky Derby hopeful Medina Spirit works out at Churchill Downs, in Louisville, Ky., April 27, 2021.Known Agenda leads Todd Pletcher’s four-horse contingent that includes Bourbonic, who drew the outside No. 20 post, Dynamic One (No. 11, 20-1 odds), and Sainthood (No. 5, 50-1). The chestnut colt has won two of three starts this season and has three wins, a second and a third in six career starts. Even with Churchill Downs introducing a new 20-stall starting Derby gate last fall to replace the standard 14-slot and auxiliary six-slot gates, Known Agenda has his work cut out for him to avoid being bunched inside and out of contention in a crowded field. “Obviously, it’s not what we were hoping for,” Pletcher said. “Of course, this is one of the things you can’t control. With the new gate, we’re hopeful that things will be better than they were in the past, and the post won’t be that bad.” Hot Rod Charlie’s post draw in the middle brought a loud cheer from his contingent in the otherwise sedate setting as the colt avoided being bunched inside out of the gate. Trainer Doug O’Neill’s horse won the Louisiana Derby by two lengths and was second to Essential Quality with 110 Derby points. “We decided we were going to give it a pump no matter what post we drew,” O’Neill said. “But we’re delighted with the nine. It’s a real good post.”
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Thousands Rally Against Slovenia’s Right-Wing Government
Thousands rallied in Slovenia on Tuesday against the government of right-wing Prime Minister Janez Jansa, whom opponents accuse of curbing democratic freedoms in the traditionally moderate nation. The peaceful protest was held on Slovenia’s Resistance Day, which marks the start of the World War II struggle by partisan groups against Nazi German and fascist Italian occupiers. Protest organizers said they were fighting “for freedom, democracy and the rule of law.” Jansa’s government was formed last year after the resignation of a previous, liberal premier. A close ally of Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Jansa has faced accusations of fueling hate speech, tightening his grip on power and pressuring the media. He has rejected these accusations. Jansa drew international attention when he congratulated former U.S. President Donald Trump while the vote count was still under way during the November election. Tuesday’s protest in the capital Ljubljana was the first big rally in months, defying pandemic restrictions on public gatherings. Protesters carried banners reading “People have the power,” or “The young care.” Some wore protective face masks, but not all. Previously, protests against Jansa’s government were held every week, drawing thousands.
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Migrant Youths Face Perils, Uncertainty at US Border
Jose Luis Boyeduana waited 13 years to reunite with his parents. The 16-year-old Ecuadorian national made the decision at the end of 2020 to travel to the U.S., undertaking a 3,000-kilometer journey to America’s southern border.“I entered on January 26, through a border crossing at Miguel Aleman [a municipality in Tamaulipas, Mexico],” Boyeduana told VOA, adding that he was held for two months at a federal facility in Roma, Texas.Tens of thousands of unaccompanied minors have been intercepted at the U.S.-Mexico border in recent months, forcing the Biden administration to scramble to identify additional facilities — some makeshift — to house them.Sorry, but your browser cannot support embedded video of this type, you can
Young unaccompanied migrants, ages 3-9 sit inside a playpen at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in Donna, Texas, March 30, 2021.It is a process Boyeduana knows firsthand. Last month, U.S. authorities reunited him with his mother and father, both of whom reside in the United States, after verifying that they were his legal guardians.”This happiness is forever, being with my son,” Carlos Lozada, Boyeduana’s father, told VOA.Boyeduana had been living with his grandparents in Ecuador since he was 3.He was allowed to stay in the United States under the Biden administration’s policy exempting minors and some families with small children from a blanket ban on accepting unauthorized border crossers. The ban was enacted under the former Trump administration as an emergency measure necessitated by the coronavirus pandemic.The Biden administration has retained the policy in an amended form, expelling adult migrants as well as families with older children.As of April 22, more than 23,000 migrant children remained in U.S. custody.White House weighs inThe White House has made it clear that asking for asylum does not guarantee permanent residency in the U.S.“What I want to emphasize is that many people are not going to get their asylum claims in the United States and it is possible that they will return to their country of origin at the end of that process,” Roberta Jacobson, Biden’s coordinator on the southern border who is leaving the position at the end of April, told VOA. “So really the message is to wait because there will be more options — more secure, less expensive and in a safe way, to perhaps have the possibility of reaching the United States in the future.”To seek FILE – In this March 30, 2021, young migrants wait to be tested for COVID-19 at the Donna Department of Homeland Security holding facility, the main detention center for unaccompanied children in the Rio Grande Valley, in Donna, Texas.Why they leaveMigrants’ motivations for coming to the United States may or may not meet the standards set forth for asylum relief.Many unauthorized border crossers say they seek to escape violence, poverty and, in many cases, the effects of natural disasters. Large swaths of Central America were devastated by hurricanes coinciding with the coronavirus pandemic that has stunted recovery efforts.Trump’s Unfinished Border Wall Continues to Stir Passions Some residents along Mexico-US divide would like to see the work completedHuman Trafficking a Profitable Business at Migrants’ ExpenseMany escaping violence, poverty in their home countries pay huge sums to smugglers and endanger themselves to cross US borderHonduran Eda Cristelia Melendez, who is in her 70s, is currently living with her young granddaughter in a shelter in Mexico, just across the border from El Paso, Texas.She says U.S. authorities sent the pair back to Mexico after they tried to cross the border.The grandmother says she made the trip after refusing a request by the girl’s mother, who lives in Chicago, to send the child across the border by herself.“‘Have you thought [of what could happen] if the girl goes alone?’” Melendez recalled asking.U.S. officials echo the grandmother’s concerns.”We’re working with partners throughout the region to deter the dangerous travel of those unaccompanied children from the region,” said Emily Mendrala, State Department Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs.Meanwhile, Republican lawmakers blame the Biden administration for sharp increases in border arrivals, saying it signaled a departure from former President Donald Trump’s restrictive policies, causing migrants to believe the United States would take them in.Representative John Katko, a Republican from New York and ranking member of the House Committee on Homeland Security, says he cautioned the Biden administration against sudden immigration policy shifts.“Homeland Security Republicans warned of this impending crisis months ago and we are committed to prioritizing the safety of Americans and the security of our homeland,” Katko wrote.Amid the political cacophony in Washington, José Luis Boyeduana is celebrating a goal reached.“Happiness can only be found with your parents,” he said.Click here for full VOA Spanish branch coverage.
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Iran Nuclear Pact Talks Resume
World powers resumed talks Tuesday in Vienna about revitalizing the 2015 international pact to restrain Iran’s nuclear development program and bring the United States back into the accord that former U.S. President Donald Trump unilaterally withdrew from in 2018.Current U.S. President Joe Biden wants to rejoin the pact aimed at keeping Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, although Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes.The U.S. does not have a seat at the table for the negotiations, but diplomats from the other countries in the agreement — Russia, China, Britain, Germany and France — are representing its interests at the talks.Trump, believing the agreement approved by former U.S. President Barack Obama was too weak to prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapon, instead stiffened U.S. economic sanctions against Tehran in hopes it would agree to tougher restrictions on its nuclear program. But no new agreement was reached before Trump left office in January.Tehran, with the country’s economy reeling, instead has steadily increased the purity of uranium it enriches and its stockpiles in a so-far unsuccessful effort to get the other countries in the pact to provide economic relief.Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks on the second day of the Munich Security Conference in Munich, Germany, Feb. 15, 2020.The new talks are occurring days after comments surfaced from Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif alleging that Russia at one point tried to undermine the pact, presumably in hopes that continued U.S.-Iranian hostility would deflect American pressure on Moscow.The Russian Foreign Ministry has yet to address Zarif’s comments, made in a seven-hour interview with a research group associated with the Iranian presidency.Before the talks began, Russian representative Mikhail Ulyanov said he had met with officials from Iran and China but did not say anything about Zarif’s comments.”We compared notes and exchanged views on the way ahead towards full restoration of the nuclear deal,” he tweeted. “It was a very fruitful meeting.”Ulyanov later said the main negotiations were “guided by the unity of purpose.”The focus of the new talks is on the extent to which the U.S. would ease its economic sanctions and how Iran would again comply with the terms of the 2015 deal.
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Biden’s First 100 Days: Transatlantic Alliances Renewed, as Russia Tests New President
With this week marking 100 days of Joe Biden’s U.S. presidency, European allies are noting the change in the key relationship with Washington. Henry Ridgwell reports from London on how the new administration is being viewed from across the Atlantic. Camera: Henry Ridgwell, Ricardo Marquina Montañana Produced by: Barry Unger
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Two Spanish Journalists, One Irish National Killed in Burkina Faso Ambush
Two Spanish journalists and an Irish national were killed Monday in eastern Burkina Faso by suspected jihadist insurgents.The journalists were with an anti-poaching patrol in the Arly National Park when the patrol was attacked by gunmen, according to security sources in the West African country. The journalists were filming a documentary about how Burkinabe authorities were tackling the poaching issue. The Spanish government has identified the journalists as David Beriain and Roberto Fraile.”The worst news is confirmed,” Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez tweeted Tuesday. Sanchez also expressed “appreciation to those who, like them, carry out courageous and essential journalism from conflict zones daily.” Meanwhile, the Irish government said it was aware of the event and was in close contact with international partners but has not identified the Irish national killed.One Burkinabe soldier remains missing.Earlier, Spain’s foreign minister had described the situation as “confusing.” At a news conference, Arancha Gonzalez Laya said she was working with Burkinabe authorities via Spain’s embassy in Mali.Laya explained the journalists were in a “dangerous area where terrorists, bandits, jihadists usually operate.”The Associated Press has reported that the jihadist group, al-Qaid-affiliated JNIM, was responsible for the attack.”We killed three white people. We also got two vehicles with guns and 12 motorcycles,” the AP quoted from an audio message from the group.Burkina Faso has become a hotbed for jihadists who are increasingly active in the Sahel region, especially in Mali. Kidnapping has soared in the Sahel, with foreigners being lucrative targets for hostage-takers.Two soldiers injured in the attack told the Associated Press they were outnumbered by the jihadists, who attacked their 15-person patrol. The unnamed soldiers said they aimed to protect the foreigners when the gunmen attacked but saw the assailants had disappeared after the shooting ended.”We were discouraged. It’s like you leave your house with 10 people, you go to work, and then you come back with eight people. What do you say to those two people’s families?” said one of the soldiers.Fraile is described as a father of two children and a freelance cameraman whose work took him to conflict-torn countries like Syria, where he survived an attack in Aleppo nine years ago. That attack left shrapnel in his pelvis.Beriain ran a production house with his wife out of Madrid. His work included reports on armed conflicts, violent groups, and traffickers.
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Indonesian Christians, Muslims Share Place of Worship in US
Different races and religions sharing space is part of America’s melting pot ethos. Indonesian-American Christians and Muslims in Philadelphia are doing just that. VOA’s Alam Burhanan has more in this report narrated by Nova Poerwadi.Camera: Alam Burhanan, Irfan Ihsan, Ronan Zakaria
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Blinken Makes First Africa Trip, Virtually
On Tuesday, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken made his first Africa visit — though he did not actually go anywhere. Blinken virtually attended six events and met with top leaders in continental heavyweights Kenya and Nigeria. Protecting global human rights through good governance is a cornerstone of American foreign policy, and Blinken hit that point hard in his opening event Tuesday, with alumni of the U.S. government’s Young African Leadership Initiative. But the casual nature of the virtual exchange — which he called “Ten Questions with Tony” — did not stop young Africans from asking the U.S.’s new top diplomat some tough questions about everything from climate change to Chinese influence to growing extremism on the continent. Nigeria’s President Muhammadu Buhari appears on a screen, at right, as he speaks during a virtual bilateral meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the State Department in Washington, April 27, 2021.Blinken said it all comes down to this: “We’re very much committed to working with partners to advance peace and security in Africa. In the short term, sometimes that looks like security partnerships, conflict mitigation support and diplomatic advocacy on human rights. Ultimately, I think the most important thing that we can do is to help countries, where possible, strengthen their democratic institutions, strengthen the ability to deliver progress for people, economic growth, and that’s the real foundation that we need to put in place.” The virtual nature of the visit meant that Blinken traversed huge distances from his D.C. office. After meeting virtually with the YALI alumni, he then zipped over to Nigeria, where he met with the president and foreign minister. And then, 90 minutes later, he was clear across the continent, to meet with Kenya’s president and foreign minister. He also spoke with officials in both countries about their efforts to battle the coronavirus pandemic. Blinken did not shy away from discussing the virtual elephant in the virtual room: China — the U.S.’s largest adversary, which is making serious inroads in Africa. “Countries in Africa will and should engage with a broad array of partners, whether it’s China or France, Turkey or Brazil, the United States or many others,” he said. “And my hope is that African countries and African communities just approach those relationships with your eyes wide open.”China is a global competitor and competition is a good thing as long as it’s basically fair and the playing field is level. But as we look at it, we have different approaches to governance, we have different approaches to business, we have different approaches to security, and the fundamentals sometimes of our partnerships are quite different,” he added. With this visit, Blinken could outpace his predecessor in terms of engagement on the world’s fastest-growing continent. Under previous U.S. President Donald Trump, two secretaries of state visited Africa, once each.Blinken’s staff says this visit will not be his last, and that he hopes to make an actual trip, once it is safe to travel again. In the meantime, he said, he will listen to the voices from the world’s youngest population. “The most important thing we have is to hear and to listen to new voices, young voices, fresh perspectives, new ideas,” he said. “No one has a monopoly on ideas, never mind good ideas. And as you’re bringing these ideas to the marketplace of ideas, it’s going to make for a much more powerful and abundant market, and I think that’s the way we get progress.” Africa, Blinken said, the U.S. is listening to you.
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Ukrainian President Upbeat on Chances of Putin Meeting, New Cease-fire
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Monday he was likely to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss the conflict in eastern Ukraine, adding that all sides were at the “finish line” of agreeing a new cease-fire.
“It seems to me that everything is going toward the fact that this meeting will take place,” he said.
Zelenskiy has sought a meeting with Putin after the two countries traded blame over a spike in clashes in the Donbass conflict and a build-up of Russian troops near Ukraine’s eastern border and in annexed Crimea.
Russia began a troop pullback last week and Putin said he was willing to meet Zelenskiy in Moscow. Zelenskiy said he had instructed his chief of staff to contact the Kremlin to discuss when and where the two leaders could meet.
Ukrainian troops have battled Russian-backed forces in eastern Ukraine in a conflict that Kyiv says has killed 14,000 people since 2014. More than 30 Ukrainian soldiers have been killed this year after ceasefire agreed last July collapsed.
Asked if a new cease-fire could be in place for the Orthodox Easter this weekend, Zelenskiy said, “I believe that we are already at the finish line for this agreement.”
Speaking at an event to mark the 35th anniversary of the Chernobyl nuclear disaster, Zelenskiy said in a speech he did not want the Donbass conflict area to turn into another no-go zone like the contaminated land around the atomic plant.
“We cannot go back in time and prevent the tragedy at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant,” Zelenskiy said. “But we can definitely do everything today to prevent a future tragedy… which may occur in the occupied Donbass.”
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Nigerian Mosques Hold Communal Ramadan Prayers, With Safety Measures in Place
For a second year Nigeria’s Muslim population, the largest in West Africa, is celebrating the holy month of Ramadan under the cloud of COVID-19. Nigeria’s mosques have resumed communal prayers and daily fast-breaking, which were banned last year, raising concerns among health officials. Timothy Obiezu reports from the capital, Abuja.Camera: Emekas Gibson
Producer: Barry Unger
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Nigerian Mosques Hold Communal Ramadan Prayers, with Safety Measures in Place
For a second year, Nigeria’s Muslim population, the largest in West Africa, is celebrating the holy month of Ramadan under the cloud of COVID-19. Nigeria’s mosques have resumed communal prayers and daily fast-breaking, which were banned last year, raising concerns among health officials.Since Ramadan started April 13, Isah Idris joins hundreds of Muslims who observe special evening prayers at Abuja’s NASFAT mosque daily.And once the prayer has ended, they all proceed for the Iftar, a large meal to break the day’s fasting.Idris said he struggled during Ramadan last year because of the pandemic.”As of last year, even for food in my house, God bears me witness, I found it difficult. It was my mom that helped me, but fortunately this year, I have food in my house. I do my iftar here, and I also do my Sahur here,” he said. Sahur and Iftar are meals to mark the beginning and end of a day’s fasting.Hundreds of people at the mosque benefit from free meals through Ramadan. But feasting and communal prayers were halted last year as the coronavirus restrictions held firm.Many like Idris who depended on such meals struggled to get through the fasting.Muslim clergy and head of the NASFAT mosque, Sharafadeen Abdulsalam, said they found other ways to hold prayers.”Most of our lectures last year were online. People didn’t come to the mosque last year to observe Taraweeh. People didn’t come to observe the five daily prayers,” he said.But things are different this year. Nigeria is seeing a lower number of cases, and mosques across the country are once again holding regular meetings and prayers.But the World Health Organization and Nigeria’s CDC are also warning of a possible rise of COVID-19 cases during Ramadan.A Muslim man leave after prayers on the first Friday of Ramadan at Lekki Central mosque in Lagos Nigeria, April 16, 2021.Mosque secretary Abimbola Okunola said they’re taking steps to prevent that.”As you are entering the mosque, there’s provision for you to wash your hands. We have a tap, about four or five taps at the gate. So, as you’re entering, the first place you’ll go to … there’s an arrow, and there are some security personnel that will ensure that you wash your hands,” he said.Okunola said everyone entering the mosque must also wear a face mask, in line with WHO recommendations.Charity banquets and other communal gatherings remain banned in many countries around the world because of an upsurge in cases.But with safety measures in place, Ramadan this year is easier for Nigerian Muslims like Isah Idris.
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UN-Mediated Talks to Reunify Cyprus Under Way
Three days of U.N.-mediated talks are under way to try and reunify the island of Cyprus, which has been divided between Greek and Turkish Cypriots since 1974. That was when Turkey invaded Northern Cyprus in response to a Greek-backed military coup on the island.The Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot leaders, as well as foreign ministers of three guarantor States – Greece, Turkey and Britain, the former colonial ruler of Cyprus — will be holding so-called informal talks over the coming days.U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres convened this meeting to test the waters, so to speak. His spokesman, Stephane Dujarric, said the aim of the meeting is to determine whether there is enough common ground for the parties to negotiate a lasting solution to the Cyprus issue within a foreseeable horizon.“The secretary-general will move forward based on the outcomes of the informal talks. The parties are welcome to be creative and the secretary-general will be encouraging them to move—to use diplomatic language—in a sincere and frank manner,” he said.U.N Peacekeepers stand on a guard post in divided capital Nicosia, Cyprus, April 24, 2021.The spokesman said Guterres will hold separate bilateral meetings Tuesday afternoon with the leaders of the two communities. In the evening, he will host a reception for the heads of delegations.On Wednesday morning, Guterres will host a plenary meeting with all five parties, to be followed by bilateral meetings in the afternoon.There have been three attempts to reunify Cyprus since 2004. All have failed. The last attempt occurred in July 2017, six months after Guterres took office. Guterres took a hands-on approach to resolving this intractable issue, energized at the prospect of achieving a diplomatic win so soon after becoming the U.N. chief.Ten days of negotiations in the Swiss Alpine town of Crans Montana also ended in failure.Dujarric said the secretary-general is unwilling to pre-judge the outcome of the talks. He said this is an issue that Guterres knows well as he has participated in discussions before. Dujarric said the secretary-general is neither cautiously optimistic nor pessimistic, but realistic.
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Iran Wants Nationals Freed from US Jails Amid Nuclear Talks
Iran said Tuesday it was seeking the release of all Iranian prisoners held in the U.S. amid talks in Vienna meant to bring Tehran and Washington back into the nuclear deal between Iran and world powers.Cabinet spokesman Ali Rabiei also hinted that another exchange of prisoners between Iran and America was possible, saying that “the idea of a swap of prisoners has always been on the agenda” and adding they should be released because of “humane concerns.”Rabiei did not offer details on how many Iranians are held in the U.S. and claimed that releasing their names could harm them. However, he said, “their number is bigger than that of American prisoners in Iran.”In 2019, a prisoner exchange saw Iran free a Chinese-American scholar from Princeton who had been held for three years on widely criticized espionage charges. At the time, Tehran said American authorities were holding about 20 Iranian nationals in jail.Iran has at times expressed readiness for prisoner swaps with the U.S. When they do take place, the exchanges are seen as rare diplomatic breakthroughs between Tehran and Washington.On Tuesday, Rabiei said Iranian judiciary has also voiced “readiness” for a swap. His remarks marked the second statement by Iranian officials on a possible prisoner release in less than two weeks.Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Saeed Khatibzadeh last week made comments suggesting Tehran hopes to swing a major prisoner swap as part of ongoing negotiations in Vienna. A similar swap accompanied the 2015 nuclear deal with world powers.Iranian media have in recent days identified seven Iranians in U.S. custody by name while the U.S. regularly asks Iran to release American prisoners, including Siamak and Baquer Namazi, who are serving 10-year prison sentences on spying charges.Siamak Namazi, a 46-year-old businessman who promoted closer ties between Iran and the West, was arrested in October 2015. His 81-year-old father Baquer, a former UNICEF representative who served as governor of Iran’s oil-rich Khuzestan province under the U.S.-backed shah, was arrested in February 2016, apparently drawn to Iran over fears about his incarcerated son.Also among Americans held in Iran is environmentalist Morad Tahbaz, an Iranian with U.S. and British citizenship also initially sentenced to 10 years in prison.There are other Western nationals in Iranian custody, including Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a British-Iranian woman who after serving a five year prison sentence on spying charges has how been sentenced to a sixth year in prison or spreading “propaganda against the system” for participating in a protest in front of the Iranian Embassy in London in 2009.Iran does not recognize dual nationalities, meaning those detained cannot receive consular assistance. The two Namazis, like other dual nationals, faced secret charges in closed-door hearings in Iran’s Revolutionary Court, which handles cases involving alleged attempts to overthrow the government.As nuclear talks are about to get underway Tuesday in Vienna following a brief break, Tehran has been insisting that the U.S. lift all sanctions imposed under then-President Donald Trump after he pulled America out of the nuclear deal, including those not related to its nuclear program.Meanwhile, Washington has said Iran needs to comply with all restrictions imposed under the deal. In response to Trump’s withdrawal, Iran has gradually violated the terms of the accord, including limits on uranium enrichment.Washington has not been at the table for the Vienna talks, but an American delegation is in the Austrian capital and representatives of the other powers have been shuttling between it and the Iranian delegation. sabotage at Iran’s Natanz nuclear facility.
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Myanmar’s Anti-Junta Protesters Turning to Rebel Armies for Military Training
As the death toll from the military crackdown against peaceful protesters in Myanmar mounts, some in the Southeast Asian nation are turning to armed combat to fight back. They are trading peaceful resistance against the coup in the cities and heading to the country’s remote borderlands to join a patchwork of rebel armies. One of the oldest and largest ethnic armed groups, the Karen National Union (KNU), told VOA protesters coming from the lowlands of central Myanmar have been trekking to the rebels’ hilly jungle redouts for training since late March. “We train people who want to be trained and who want to fight against the military regime,” said Maj. Gen. Nerdah Bo Mya, chief of staff of the Karen National Defense Organization, an armed wing of the KNU. “We are [on] the same boat, helping one another. [We] help each other to survive and get rid of the military regime and to re-establish what we call the democratic government,” he said. The general said ethnic Karenni, Rakhine and Shan rebel groups were doing the same. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local rights group, says security forces have killed more than 750 people by opening fire on the mass demonstrations that swept the country in the wake of the February 1 coup. The military junta disputes the number, putting the figure well under 300, and claims to be responding to the protests with all due restraint. The protests have wilted from the pressure, but a dogged civil disobedience movement continues to cripple much of the public and private sectors, from banks to hospitals. Earlier this month the U.N.’s human rights chief, Michele Bachelet, warned that the country could still tip into an all-out civil war with “echoes of Syria.”Anti-coup protesters hold a banner that reads “What are these? We are Yangon residents!” as they march during a demonstration in Yangon, Myanmar, April 27, 2021.A call to armsOne KNU trainee said he had given up on peaceful resistance. “I don’t like protesting anymore. No, it doesn’t work. We just get shot. It’s over 700 people already,” he told VOA, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisal from the military. The 26-year-old said he left Yangon for the KNU’s bases along the Thai border soon after the coup, and that a friend who stayed behind was later hit in the head and killed by a stray bullet from security forces shooting at protesters up the street. The young man from Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city and commercial capital, said he believed in meeting force with equal force. “I need to know how to hold a weapon. It’s not fair if we fight them with a knife or something like that. We should be trained. They are well trained, they are soldiers, they can shoot pretty well. For us, we need training, otherwise we can’t do anything,” he said. The trainee said he would head back to Yangon, Myanmar’s largest city and commercial capital, as soon as the KNU deems him ready. “After we are trained here, we will go back, and we will do something. We have to fight for our freedom, otherwise a lot of people will just die, just die, they just protest, and they just die. It’s not worth it,” he said. “If we could fight them, it’s worth it.” Courting disasterNerdah Bo Mya would not say how many protesters his group was training but claimed that between the KNU and the other rebel armies doing the same they numbered in the thousands.Richard Horsey, a Myanmar analyst and senior adviser to the International Crisis Group, said they were more probably in the hundreds, so likely to make any urban fighting “relatively small-scale.”“It’s not easy to set up an urban guerilla force from scratch, especially with people who have not had previous military training,” he said. “While I do think there could be some violent incidents, and there already have been, that’s very different from being able to launch a sustained urban guerilla campaign.”The stiffest armed resistance outside of areas held by the ethnic rebel armies has sprung up in Sagaing Region, in Myanmar’s northwest. Local news reports say residents there have formed their own “civil army” and managed to supplement their homemade air guns and old hunting rifles with some AK-47 and M-16 automatic assault rifles. The military has reported casualties on its side.Demonstrators are seen before a clash with security forces in Taze, Sagaing Region, Myanmar, April 7, 2021, in this image obtained by Reuters.“How sustained that will be, I’m not sure. But it’s happening, and I think it could happen in other parts of the country as well,” Horsey said.If the rebel groups prove reluctant to arm the protesters themselves, decades of civil war have created a substantial black market in military weapons those with the cash and connections could tap, he added.Whether or not Myanmar goes the way of Syria, Horsey said the country was edging toward “catastrophic state failure” with widespread hunger and displacement on the horizon.“All of this is a very real prospect, as is continued or increased violence,” he said, “and all of that should be very alarming to the region and to the world.”
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China Urges Australia Not to Abandon Support for Taiwan Reunification
China cautioned Australia to abide by its ‘One China’ policy after a senior Australian on Sunday warned of a potential conflict over Taiwanese independence. Speaking on an Australian news talk show, Australian Defense Minister Peter Dutton said he couldn’t rule out a military confrontation over Taiwan.”I do not think it should be discounted. I think China has been very clear about the reunification and that has been a long-held objective of theirs and if you look at any of the rhetoric coming out of China from spokesmen particularly in recent weeks and months in response to different suggestions that have been made, they have been very clear about that goal.”Currently, relations between Australia and China, its most valuable trading partner, are at their worst in decades. There have been trade and political tensions as well as disagreements over human rights. Canberra’s call last year for an inquiry into the origins of the coronavirus, which was first detected in China in 2019, offended Beijing. It interpreted Australia’s demand as criticism of its handling of the pandemic. Bilateral ties have deteriorated ever since. There is now friction over Taiwan, which is seen by Beijing as a breakaway province that will eventually be reunified with the Chinese mainland under what it calls the ‘One China’ policy. Australia does not recognize Taiwan as a sovereign state or regard the authorities in Taiwan as a national government. However, the United States has raised concerns about Chinese aggression towards Taiwan. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken asserted that Washington has a “serious commitment to Taiwan being able to defend itself.” In response to Dutton’s comments, Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Wang Wenbin said, “Abiding by the ‘One China’ principle is a prerequisite for China-Australia relations. Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s territory, and the Taiwan issue is purely China’s internal affairs that involves China’s core interests and allows no foreign interference.” Last week, Australia abandoned deals made with the state of Victoria linked to China’s Belt and Road initiative. Observers say the billions-worth of infrastructure investment projected by the Chinese government aims to expand its global economy and influence, but the project has left some countries with significant debt.Officials in Canberra said they were protecting Australia’s national interest, but the Chinese embassy in Australia called the move “provocative.” Analysts believe that Canberra is being punished for trying to stand up to China, which has imposed restrictions and tariffs on a range of Australian farming goods, as well as coal.
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