Le Président du Réseau Libéral Africain, RLA, l’Honorable Olivier Kamitatu Etsu, déplore la répression brutale par les forces de l’ordre de la manifestation pacifique organisée par l’opposition guinéenne le 27 février dernier. Ces violences dirigée contre la population a entrainé des dégâts matériels importants, deux cents blessés et la mort  de huit civils et d’un policier. Le Président du Réseau présente ses condoléances attristées aux familles endeuillées et exprime sa vive préoccupation devant la persistance des violences  cinq jours après la marche  du 27 Février.
Le Réseau Libéral Africain et tous ses membres condamnent sans appel l’usage des armes à feu par les forces de sécurité guinéennes et demandent à ce que les responsables des tueries et des blessures soient traduits devant la justice.  Par ailleurs, le RLA condamne fermement les agressions perpétrées contre les journalistes, les membres de la société civile et les militants des partis politiques
Le Réseau Libéral Africain soutient la décision de ses membres –  l’Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG), l’Union des Forces Républicaines (UFR) et le Parti de l’Unité et du Libéralisme Social (PULS) – ainsi que celle des autres partis de l’opposition, de se retirer des discussions aussi longtemps que leurs revendications légitimes n’auront pas été traitées à travers un dialogue inclusif dirigé  par un médiateur impartial et crédible.
Le Réseau Libéral Africain est persuadé que dans les conditions actuelles, les élections législatives prévues pour le 12 mai 2013 ne seront ni libres ni démocratiques, et qu’elles pourraient  de ce fait conduire à  des violences susceptibles de mettre en danger la stabilité et l’unité du pays.
Le Réseau Libéral Africain demande au Président Condé de prendre en considération les revendications légitimes de l’opposition et qu’il fasse en sorte que – deux années après son élection controversée –  la Guinée se dote, enfin, d’un Parlement qui soit l’expression de la volonté populaire.
Le Réseau Libéral Africain lance un appel aux partenaires techniques et financiers de la Guinée notamment la Communauté économique des États de l’Afrique de l’Ouest (CEDEAO), l’Union Africaine, les Nations Unies, la Francophonie et l’Union Européenne pour qu’ils exhortent les autorités guinéennes à organiser des élections inclusives libres et à transparentes dans un climat apaisé.
Le Réseau Libéral Africain travaillera avec tous les partis membres et avec l’Internationale Libérale afin que tout le soutien soit accordé à la mise œuvre sur une base consensuel d’un processus électoral conduisant à des élections démocratiques dont les résultats seront acceptés par tous.
Le RLA exhortent les autorités guinéennes veiller au respect des droits humains et des libertés fondamentales et à ce que tous les auteurs et commanditaires des crimes commis contre les manifestants pacifiques soient traduits en justice pour être punis conformément à la loi
 
 
 
Fait à Cape Town, le 4 mars 2013

The President of the Africa Liberal Network (ALN), Hon. Olivier Kamitatu Etsu, deplores the brutal repression by the forces of order against the peaceful demonstration organised by the Guinean opposition on 27 February. This violence against the populations led to the destruction of property, two hundred injured and the death of eight civilians and a policeman. The President  conveys his condolences to the grieving families and remains extremely concerned by the reported continuation of the violence.
The ALN and its members unequivocally condemn the use of live rounds by the Guinean security forces, and calls for those responsible for injury and death to be brought to justice. Further, the ALN strongly condemns attacks on journalists, members of civil society and politicians.
The ALN support the decision of its members – Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG), Union des Forces Républicaines (UFR), and Parti de l’Unité et du Libéralisme Social (PULS) – as well as other opposition parties, to withdraw from the discussions until their legitimate grievances are addressed properly, through a meaningful and inclusive dialogue of all stakeholders and facilitated by a respected and impartial broker.
The ALN believes that in the current conditions the legislative elections scheduled for 12th May 2013 will be neither free nor democratic, and may lead to further violence jeopardising the stability and unity of the country.
The ALN calls on President Condé to consider the legitimate views of the opposition and ensure that – two years following his own controversial election – Guinea finally has a parliament which reflects popular will.
The ALN calls on key technical and financial partners such as the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Union (AU), United Nations (UN), La Francophonie, and the European Union (EU) to encourage the Guinean authorities to organise open and transparent elections in a peaceful environment.
The ALN will work with its member parties and with Liberal International to ensure that all support is given towards building consensus and implementing an electoral process which leads to democratic polls of which the results are accepted by all parties.
The ALN calls on the Guinean authorities to monitor the respect of human rights and fundamental freedoms, and that any actors implicated in the attacks on peaceful are brought to justice and sanctioned with the full force of the law.
Cape Town, Monday 4 March 2013

Dear Adil,
I came across the above article dated 18th February 2013 on the website of the Liberal Democratic Party – Sudan (LDP) which I read with great interest.
However, it is my opinion that the piece does not give the full picture. I think the below points should be given due consideration in order to be able to portray a more balanced view of the situation.
The Republic of Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan entered into negotiations under the guidance of the African Union High Level Implementation Panel for Sudan and South Sudan and signed a number of agreements in Addis Ababa on 27th September 2012. There were further negotiations at beginning of January 2013.
In the “Agreement on Certain Economic Matters” it was settled under Para 6, inter alia, to pursue a joint approach to the international community to gain support  for programmes and projects responding to urgent development challenges in both countries.
As the Federal Republic of Germany has pledged with other countries to actively support the peace and reconstruction process in and between the two Sudans, it responded positively to a request from the two governments in accordance with the aforementioned agreement to have a “Germany – Sudan and South Sudan Business Day” organised by German business through the Afrika Verein (German-African Business Association) and the Arab-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry.  So the Business Day took place on 29th January 2013.
Business interactions in and with other countries were indeed postponed as mentioned in the article, but will take place this year. The delay was due to the fact that the negotiations had not been finalised and had not covered all problem areas yet. As I have heard the interactions in and with Turkey will happen soon and other countries are very keen to follow.
The business interaction was not a Government activity though it had the support of the German Government in line with the agreements mentioned and the objective to bring peace and development to the region, specifically to Sudan and South Sudan.
As the business day in Germany was held under the patronage of the German Government, the Foreign Minister opened the meeting with a welcome speech. In this he pointed out that peace and reconciliation between the two countries require economic development, economic interactions and social participation.
One of the building blocks for a brighter, more democratic, more prosperous future for all is the establishment of a vibrant and open economy, in which all citizens have the opportunity to participate. Doing business in such an environment is what Germany is interested in. The shift to such an economy,however, is not easy and will require much time and many negotiations of all sorts. One must start somewhere.
The minister put particular emphasis on the fact that the existing problems in Dafur, Kordofan, Blue Nile and Jonglei as well as in other places and regions have to be solved.
He stressed that the German government supports the peace process to help the people, the human beings in both countries. In addition and very importantly,he expressed the view that the potential of the region can only be of advantage to the people if the following preconditions exist: 1) Good Governance, 2) the rule of law and 3) the comprehensive realisation of human and civil rights. Only once these preconditions are fulfilled can the two states have a bright future. According to the minister, a vital part of these conditions is that civil society organisations as well as the media can work freely and without constraints.
The above shows that Minister Westerwelle is aware of the problems which the article points out and is pushing for the implementation of key liberal values.
In a way the article calls for a boycott of the Sudanese Government due to its terrible record of human rights violations, the misuse of public funds and corruption. I am aware that there are two schools of thought: one that calls for a boycott,no interactions with government and a constant attack on the regime. The other school argues for continued interaction without denying the violations but bringing those up only in each and every interaction.
From my own experience I would advocate against a boycott as that will not bring about a solution. Cutting off all interactions would rob one of the opportunity to influence the situation entirely. It would also stand in the way of developing an exit strategy for the powers that be. I do not see that a boycott will aid in changing the government or the actions of people in government. Their stance would harden. Hostility would grow. I am also aware that interactions will not bring an immediate or short term change. The transition from corruption and oppression to peace, democracy, openness and equal opportunity for all is a slow and painful process and I can understand that one might become impatient.
I am sure that the African Liberal Network to which LDP is a member will help to push for democratic reforms and its implementation in all member countries.
Kind regards,
Hubertus
Hubertus von Welck
Regional Director
Friedrich-Naumann-Stiftung für die Freiheit
Regional Office Africa
PO Box 1130
Parklands 2121
South Africa

“Bosco Ntaganda’s arrest is a major step forward for justice in the Democratic Republic of Congo. His transfer to The Hague is a strong signal that announces the end of impunity in the East of the country. It is a real hope of a different future for more than two million displaced persons, tens of thousands of women and girls who have been victims of sexual violence, and so many children out of schools. Those who are responsible for this bloody chaos must now take in consideration their accountability and reconsider their strategy, particularly the Congolese leaders and officers who are supporting militias in Eastern Congo.
“By cooperating with the United States of America, the Rwandan authorities have finally demonstrated their capacity to change. From being the problem, they must now be acknowledged by the Congolese Government as part of the solution to the crisis.
Regrettably, Bosco Ntaganda’s arrest does not mean an immediate end to violence in Eastern Congo. Since 2011, many armed groups have been operating from the border of South Sudan to the north of Katanga Province. With the exception of the M23 which Bosco led, all the militias are hostile to Rwanda and Kinyarwanda-speaking Congolese. Most of them are driven by corrupt politicians and supported by high-ranking officers involved in the illegal exploitation of minerals. The profits generated from trading minerals are used to keep Eastern Congo under their influence and prolong the illicit enrichment of a small clique at the expense of Congolese citizens.
“Above all, without a well-trained and disciplined national army, DRC remains a sanctuary for armed groups, negative forces and terrorists. As a fragile State, DRC has no capacity to restore its authority over Eastern Congo. The Addis Ababa Peace Accord signed on the 24th February by eleven Heads of State under the auspicious of UN, AU, CIRGL and SADAC is the best framework for peace in DRC and the Great Lakes Region. It addresses not only the Congolese concerns (security sector reform; greater decentralization; improved governance; further democratization; protection of human rights; and moves to reform the public finances, and promote greater infrastructure development etc.) but also the regional aspects by asking the neighbours to put an end to their interference and cease their support to armed groups operating in DRC. The UN’s appointment of Mary Robinson as Special envoy for Great Lakes must be welcomed as she will have to report to New York the progress in the implementation of the Accord; while with the reinforcement of a UN brigade dedicated to eradicate the armed groups, the implementation of Addis Abeba Accord can be seriously envisaged. In that light, Bosco Ntaganda’s case will be a serious deterrent for those who are still engaged in promoting chaos and anarchy.
“In the Addis Ababa Accord, President Kabila is invited to launch a national reconciliation process that must lead to an all inclusive government. He has already accepted to organize a forum to reinforce “national cohesion.” If the opposition accepts to attend the dialogue, President Kabila will have the opportunity to seize this momentum in the view to forging a consensus on the governance of Congo.
“Domestically, President Kabila’s key objectives for the next two years include tackling corruption; mobilizing greater internal financial resources by the reform of the Tax and Revenue Administration; reforming the mining code in order to promote transparency in mineral resources trade; promoting doing business; implementing the decentralization process, and restoring the people confidence in the electoral process by organizing a census. At the same time, with the support of his partners, DRC needs to accelerate the construction of a national Army that will have the capacity to defend Congo’s territorial integrity.
“Finally, today, the UN and EU must support or promote a frank and respectful dialogue between Rwanda, Uganda, and DRC. The UN must encourage fruitful ways in which DRC and his neighbours share a same vision for prosperity and development in the Great Lakes Region. By implementing the Addis Ababa Accord, the leaders of the Region will promote a durable peace in Congo. The dismantling of M23 hardliners, the appointment of a UN special Envoy, the deployment of UN forces mandated to eradicate armed groups, and a inclusive dialogue in Congo must also be seen as good signals that contribute to the DRC stability.”

Under the sponsorship of the German Government, a conference to promote international investment in Sudan took place in Berlin on 29 January 2013, having been postponed from October 2012 due to the attack on the German embassy in Khartoum.
Despitean attack on its embassy, the German Government remained committed to thisconference. This is striking given that similar conferences planned in Turkeyand Norway for March 2012 were cancelled due to lack of support from EU, USadministration, and other international bodies.
The Liberal Democratic Party – Sudan (LDP) considers that this conference will only prolong the life of one of the most corrupt regimes in the world. It is an awkward step from a democratic state like Germany. Through the eyes of the Sudanese people, this conference has been perceived as undeserved support for the dictatorship in Sudan that would only perpetuate the failure to manage national resources, and prolong the conflict and resulting suffering of the Sudanese people.
Sudan faces many challenges, including instability and insecurity, which continue to undermine the fragile peace building process.75% of the national revenue is wasted on military expenditure and corruption.According to Wikileaks, forty-four Government companies were listed as part of money laundering, drug dealing, and weaponry to LRA and other militants in Africa; and between 1999 and 2012, 17 billion dollars of the national revenue were illegally transferred to Government official’s private accounts in Malaysia. Transparency International, a German based organisation, report for 2012 listed Sudan as oneof the most corrupt regimes in the world occupying number 174 out of 175 countries evaluated by the organization. The International Monetary Fund reported the Sudanese economy as the worst in the world for the year 2012.
In principle, LDP welcomes international efforts by aid and development operations which will contribute to the settlement of the Sudanese crisis. However, the LDP emphasizes the importance of considering the people’s legitimate demands for regime change, peace, stability, democracy,freedom and justice. These should be secured first.
LDP receives the German Government’s sponsorship ofthis conference equates to unproductive support for the dictatorial regime inSudan, which contradicts Germany’s moral responsibilities and is contrary to humanitarianprinciples. Therefore, LDP callsupon the German Government to immediately refrain from contributing to thesystematic crimes against the Sudanese people by financially supporting theon-going wars and human rights violation committed by the regime and its suspectswanted by the International Criminal Court.
LDP seizes this opportunity to remind all thosesupporting the Government of Sudan to consider the regime’s deliberatefood-blockage against the civilians in Blue Nileand Nuba Mountains, as well as the on-goingkilling of civilians by the government sponsored militia-men in Darfur.
LDP appreciates the longstanding support of theInternational Community to the Sudanese people through its humanitarianoperations. The LDP counts onfurther extension of such support to find lasting peace accords, democracy andfreedom.

RESOLUTION OF THE AFRICA LIBERAL NETWORK GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON ECOWAS
1) Considering the condemnation of coups by the LiberalInternational and the Africa Liberal Network as a means of achieving statepower;
2) Considering the events against the constitutional orderin the Republics of Mali and Guinea-Bissau in 2012;
3) Considering the prompt reaction of ECOWAS and the AfricanUnion to address these anti-constitutional acts;
4) Considering the ideological movements which aredestabilising Mali, and their promotion of religious intolerance and whichseriously undermines Human Rights;
5) Considering the threats that these movements pose to thestability of democracy in Africa and the world;
The Africa Liberal Network General Assembly meeting in Abidjanon 18 October 2012:
1) Commends the Economic Community of West African States(ECOWAS) and its Chairman, HE Alassane Ouattara, for its prompt response tothese anti-constitutional changes;
2) Commends and encourages ECOWAS mediators in Mali andGuinea-Bissau for their tireless efforts to work towards a peaceful resolutionof these crises;
3) Reaffirms its commitment to respect the territorialintegrity of African states in accordance with the decisions of the ECOWASConference of Heads of States of and the African Union Charter;
4) Strongly condemns the human rights violations in thesecountries, particularly in the northern region of Mali as a result of religiousintolerance and political intransigence among certain destabilising movements;
5) Provides full support for all initiatives and decisionsof the ECOWAS to secure transitional institutions in these countries, thereunification of Malian territory and the organisation of free, transparent andinclusive elections in these states.
Abidjan, 18 October2012

RESOLUTIONOF THE AFRICA LIBERAL NETWORK GENERAL ASSEMBLY ON COTE D’IVOIRE
1) Noting the change of government on 10 November 2010, following elections which were free, fair and inclusive;
2) Considering the long and gruelling post-electoral crisis which involved unacceptable violations of human rights;
3) Considering the efforts made by the people and the Government of Côte d’Ivoire, under the authority of President Alassane Ouattara, towards economic stabilisation and refurbishment of basic infrastructure;
4) Considering the commitment of the President of the Republic to restore the rule of law and fight against impunity in all its forms, including through the creation of the National Commission of Inquiry into post-electoral crimes;
5) Considering the strong and legitimate aspirations of the people of Côte d’Ivoire to lead a better life in an international context marked by the global economic crisis;
The Africa Liberal Network, meeting in Abidjan for its General Assembly on 18 October 2012:
1) Reaffirms its commitment to the democratic values which are reflected in the organization of free, transparent and inclusive elections, in line with international norms and standards;
2) Condemns all attempts to destabilize the institutions of the republic and to challenge social peace and democratic achievements;
3) Condemns the unacceptable violations of human rights;regardless of the perpetrators and circumstances. To this end, the ALN welcomes the commitment of the President of the Republic, HE Alassane Ouattara, to shed light on the violations of human rights and post-election violence;
4) Encourages Ivorian justice to respond to the findings of the National Commission of Inquiry;
5) Commends the President for his wisdom and the sense of responsibility with which he handled the post-election crisis in Côte d’Ivoire;
6) Commends the Government for fiscal consolidation and reforms undertaken to improve the business climate and restore the confidence of domestic and international investors;
7) Commends the President for his commitment to national reconciliation and encourages him to persevere in his efforts to ensure the return of trust through dialogue inclusive;
8) Invites the entire political class to renounce the use of violence and instead to commit themselves to republican dialogue.
Abidjan, 18 October 2012

AFRICA LIBERAL NETWORK GENERAL ASSEMBLY RESOLUTION IN RESPECT OFSOMALILAND
The Africa Liberal Network welcomesthe progress made in Somaliland, noting the development of a stable politicalentity with a democratically elected Government.
The Africa Liberal Networksupports the wish of the people of Somaliland to be recognised by theinternational community as an independent state.
The Africa Liberal Network valuesthe commitment of the Peace and Development Party (KULMIYE) of Somaliland toliberal values and its desire to be full member of the Network. The ALNbelieves that the party can make an important contribution to peace andstability in the Horn of Africa and therefore will consider its request to begranted full membership status within one year, having been admitted as anobserver member at this General Assembly in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
Abidjan, 18 October 2012

The Africa Liberal Network held its General Assembly in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire from 16-18 October, just ahead of the Liberal International Congress which was hosted by HE President Ouattara. The ALN meeting saw the election of a new Executive Committee, the adoption of resolutions on Mali, Cote d’Ivoire and Somaliland, and four new parties joining the network.
The ALN welcomed the parties of two former Guinean Prime Ministers, Union des Forces Démocratiques de Guinée (UFDG) of Cello Dalein Diallo, and Union des Forces Républicaines (UFR) of Sidya Touré, (both LI observer members), as well as the governing party of Somaliland, KULMIYE, and Alliance Nationale pour les Comores (ANC).
Commenting on his election as ALN President, Hon. Olivier Kamitatu, leader of Alliance pour le Renouveau du Congo and former Minister of Planning in DRC, said: “The ALN has never been as dynamic as it is today… No one can doubt that the values of liberalism increasingly penetrate Africa and that ALN is a symbol of hope for a greater number of young Africans… Under my leadership, ALN will work to ensure that liberalism flourishes here in Africa, and I will do all I can to support our members to build their capacity, win elections, and implement liberal policies.”