Malawi Not Serious About Stemming Corruption

Malawi is one of a number of African countries facing a food crisis. Like other African nations, Malawi has taken to blaming all of its problem on international actors such as the International Monetary Fund. But its behavior suggests that most, if not all of its problems, are internal.

Malawi, for example, has been promising for months that it is finally prepared to seriously tackle official corruption — corruption that was behind the government’s sale of almost 70,000 metric tons of grain at the same time that the government knew it was likely facing shortages.

So Malawi had appointed former accountant-general Gilton Chiwaula to its Anti-Corruption Bureau. But that just created new problems as Chiwaula began to get a handle on corruption and his investigation began to threaten some high-placed officials.

So in October, Chiwaula was quickly fired on the grounds that the former chairman of the regional Southern African Forum Against Corruption was too incompetent and did not adequately understand Malawi’s anti-corruption laws to carry out his duties. This came the same week that the leader of the main opposition party in Malawi was arrested for defaming the president.

Yeah, that Malawi government is certainly serious about tackling corruption.

Source:

Malawi sacks top corruption fighter. Reuters, October 23, 2002.

Forty Million in Danger of Starvation

The United Nations recently revised its estimate of the number of people facing food insecurity to 40 million as problems in Africa continue to mount.

In the Horn of Africa alone, 14 million people face starvation unless the World Food Program begins receiving donor aid soon. Ten million of those at risk are in Ethiopia which, like other countries in the region, has been hit hard by drought. According to WFP executive director James Morris,

At least 10 million people will need food aid just in Ethiopia. But if this month’s rains stop early, up to 14 million people there will require urgent assistance.

These figures are large and dramatic and the international community should take notice. Unless we come to grips with this problem very soon we face the real possibility of witnessing a devastating wave of human suffering and death as early as next year.

Morris chalked up the Horn’s problems simply to drought, conveniently ignoring the destabilizing effect of ongoing hostilities between Ethiopia and Eritrea which has made it difficult to sustain an agricultural industry in either country.

Source:

Aid please as Horn of Africa raises hungry to 40m. James Astill, The Guardian, October 29, 2002.

Fund for Animals Wants Activists to Register Opposition to License Plate

Earlier this year the Virginia legislature authorized a large number of various specialty license plates, including one that is to bear the slogan “Fox Hunting.” As soon as the Virginia Office of Motor Vehicles has enough requests for the specialty plate, it will begin producing them.

The Fund for Animals is urging people to write state legislators and register their disapproval for the fox hunting plate. According to the Fund for Animals,

The state of Virginia is beginning to sell a fox hunting license plate. The cruel practice of fox hunting releases baying hounds onto terrified wildlife for recreation. This special license plate was overwhelmingly authorized by the state legislature in 2002 in House Bill 680. Now the Department of Motor Vehicles is trying to sell enough of the special plate to justify beginning production. While it is too late to stop this horrific license plate, your legislators need to hear from you that you do not approve of their support for the vicious and indefensible practice of foxhunting.

Source:

Tally-No, Virginia!. The Fund for Animals, October 2002.

More Massachusetts Activists Indicted

Back in August 2002, two animal rights activists were indicted in Massachusetts after they allegedly threatened to burn down the home of Marsh Insurance manager Robert Harper Jr. Today, 9 additional individuals with links to Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty were indicted on various charges related to their harassment of Harper and Marsh.

According to a press release from the Attorney General’s office, the indicted individuals include,

  • Ryan Kleinert, 17, of East Brunswick, N.J., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, threats to burn a dwelling, stalking in violation of restraining order and criminal harassment, and four counts of conspiracy.
  • Jacob Conroy, 26, of Seattle, Wash., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, threats to burn a dwelling, stalking in violation of restraining order, criminal harassment, and four counts of conspiracy.
  • Ryan Smith, 19, of Billerica, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Laura Lungarelli, of Gilford, N.H., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Lisa Lotts, 23, of Allston, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Alexandra Doane, 18, of Foxboro, indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Lauren Gazzola, 23, of Bethel, Conn., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Joshua Schwartz of Chicago, Ill., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion, criminal harassment and two counts of conspiracy.
  • Jennifer Greenberg, 17, of Wheeling, Ill., indicted on one count each of attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion.

Additionally, two unnamed women and one unnamed man were indicted. Police have photographs of the unnamed individuals and are seeking to identify them.

Attempted extortion is the most serious crime that the individuals were charged with, and in Massachusetts carries a maximum penalty of 15 years in jail and up to a $5,000 fine.

Kurt Schwarz, of the Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, told the Boston Herald that, “These 12 people in the name of protest engaged in conduct that went far beyond the bounds of protected speech.”

Referring to Ryan Smith, Schwarz told the Lowell Sun,

He, like the 11 others were all participants in multiple protests in Boston and the protest he participated in, we allege, were designed to not only criminally harass the targets but were designed to compel the target’s company [Marsh] to withdraw its business relationship with the English company [Huntingdon Life Sciences].

Massachusetts Assistant Attorney General Philip J. McGovern of the Corruption, Fraud and Computer Crime Division has been assigned to prosecute the cases against the indicted individuals.

Sources:

Billerica teen accused in animal rights terror case. Jennifer Fenn, Lowell Sun, October 28, 2002.

US animal rights activists indicted for stalking. Reuters, October 28, 2002.

Activists indicted for harassing Hub man. Michael Lasalandra, The Boston Herald, October 26, 2002.

AG Reilly Announces 43 Indictments Against 12 People In Connection With International Animal Rights Extremist Group. Office of Attorney General Tom Reilly, Press Release, October 25, 2002.

Wisconsin Town Considers Changing Animal "Guardian" Law

Back in March the Menomonee Falls Village Board approve a change to its ordinances that eliminated the term “owner” from animal-related ordinances and replaced it with the term “guardian.” But now, the Village Board is having second thoughts after hearing from its attorney that the change could have unforseen legal consequences.

According to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel,

Village Attorney Michael Morse said Monday that, under current common law, an animal is property and that guardian is a legal term that refers to people.

“I couldn’t guarantee that some clever lawyer wouldn’t apply aspects of the term guardian to a situation involving pets,” he said. “I don’t believe the trustees ever intended those consequences.”

The board is apparently considering “guardian/owner” which would seem to simply further muddy up the legal waters.

Source:

Falls might change pet ‘guardian’ terminology. Kay Nolan, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, October 22, 2002.

Protesters Arrested After Vandalizing Mexico City McDonald's

According to the Associated Press, about 80 people who identified themselves as members of the Collective Front of Anarchist Vegetarians were arrested at a Mexico City McDonald’s on October 16.

The activists marched through downtown Mexico City, protesting at various restaurants, handing out leaflets and blocking traffic. Members of the group also spray-painted animal rights slogans on a McDonald’s before they were arrested.

Source:

Vegetarian protesters arrested after march targeting McDonald’s. Associated Press, October 18, 2002.