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Twelve years ago, the so-called Arab Spring visited Libya, ending Muammar Gaddafi's rule and plunging the country into chaos, leaving it divided along tribal and regional lines. Gaddafi himself was murdered at the hands of Western-supported militias.

NATO's disguised military invasion of Libya

What started in February 2011 as a small and limited civilian demonstration against the Gaddafi government in Eastern Libya turned out to be Western-supported regime change endeavour involving military intervention by NATO disguised as 'protection of civilians.'

The UN Security Council was forced by the US, UK and France to adopt Resolution 1973, which opened the door for the use of force against Libya simply because Western powers wanted to depose Gaddafi in a blatant violation of the resolution itself. The rest is history.

Confused Libyans were told that democracy, prosperity, and freedom were just around the corner. However, once they turned that corner they discovered that Gaddafi may have disappeared but, in a way, he took Libya with him.

Years later, the country is at a stand-still with little progress towards freedom and stability. Many of its sovereign decisions are made by others, while armed militias dominate the country, acting as proxies for foreign powers.

Why Libyans feel their country is under occupation

Most Libyans feel that their country has lost its independence and fallen under a new form of occupation. Politicians can hardly decide on anything without foreign input. The same countries that destabilized Libya over a decade ago are impeding its progress now.

National sovereignty and independent domestic and foreign policies were the two important pillars of Gaddafi's rule. During his four decades as leader of the oil-rich North African state, he managed to make them part of the Libyan national identity. As a result, Libyans became wary of all kinds of foreign interference in their country's affairs, suspecting almost everything that comes from the West, in particular, Italy, the US, Britain and France. These four countries have played a sinister role in Libya's history, much of which is not forgotten. All of them stand accused of violating Libya's sovereignty.

Prior to the 2011 Western-forced regime change and the ensuing civil war, Libya used to celebrate four annual holidays, each marking a turning point in the country's proud history and reminding the younger generations of the importance of being an independent sovereign nation. Foreign dignitaries, sometimes even heads of states, attended these symbolic national events to further emphasize their importance.

Proud old Libya

For example, March 28 marks the expulsion of British forces who used to occupy a strategic airbase in Tobruk in Eastern Libya. In 1970, just six months after taking power, Gaddafi ordered all foreign troops to leave the country, or face a public uproar. On June 11 of the same year, American troops evacuated their huge military base just outside Tripoli. Wheelus Air Base, given its size and the services on offer was nicknamed 'Little America.' It had the largest military hospital outside the US, a multiplex cinema, a bowling alley and high school. At its peak, it sprawled over some 50 square km on the Mediterranean coast, from which Libyans were banned! Wheelus was home to about 15,000 military personnel and their families. Pilots had access to five shooting ranges in nearby Al-Wytia in the Libyan desert. Today, Wheelus has been turned into Mitiaga Airport.

Up until 2011, Libya also used to celebrate October 7 as the anniversary of the expulsion of some 20,000 Italian settlers in 1970. They were the civilian face of Italy's occupation of Libya starting in September 1911. At one point, they owned or controlled almost the entire trade of major commodities, repair shops, and small mills. In Eastern Libya, they owned the most fertile land on which Libyans were merely cheap laborers.  Many of them were paid in food and shelter instead of money, while the settlers owned handicraft workshops that employed local craftsmen but paid them a pittance.

What happened with the foreign military bases was repeated with both the banking and oil sectors. Before Gaddafi's 1969 revolution, the banking sector was dominated by the Italians and British. As of December 1970 all foreign banks were nationalized as per law Number 153 adopted that year. The same model was applied to the oil industry. First, all oil companies operating in the country were given Arabic names and in 1973 the new Oil Law was passed nationalizing most oil exploration, production, and exports.

The former regime made it its duty to remind Libyans of their proud history of fighting the colonial powers that have invaded their country, particularly the Italian colonization, which killed nearly half a million Libyans between 1911 and 1943, including the leader of the resistance, Omar Mukhtar, who was captured and hanged in 1931.

After years of pressure and negotiations, Libya managed to do what no other country has done: compel Italy to apologize for its colonial brutality and pay reparations. In 2008, Tripoli and Rome signed the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Partnership settling their colonial period grievances while setting anti-colonial example. Under the treaty, Rome committed to pay Tripoli half a billion dollars over a period of 25 years in the form of development projects including roads, hospital, railway network, educational scholarships for Libyan students and return of stolen artefacts.

The no longer proud new Libya

The new Libya is not keen to remember, let alone celebrate, either 'its distant or recent history,' says a Tripoli-based historian who wishes to remain anonymous. He added that 'history is an integral part of national personality' that is built over time through 'educating the young and informing the old' about their country's past. His colleague Milad, also fearful of revealing his surname for fear of reprisals, agrees, adding that 'one of the big legacies of the Gaddafi era was making Libyans proud of themselves through honoring past national events.'

Since October 2011, not a single national commemoration or celebration has been observed in the country. Even worse, Libya's politics, including election issues and economic affairs, are being managed by foreign countries or through their local proxies.

Libya today is home to more than some 20,000 foreign troops, mercenaries and armed groups supporting different local factions fighting for power and influence. To many Libyans, this is 'unimaginable,' said Ali Mahmoud from Tripoli University. Mahmoud wondered 'how could Libya become host to foreign troops decades after kicking them out?'

The majority of Libyans are unhappy with the presence of foreign forces at Libyan bases in Misrata, Benghazi, Al-Watya, southwest of Tripoli, and other locations. They see it as a form of occupation.

Feeling of hidden occupation

In the eyes of ordinary Libyans their country is indeed under indirect occupation both 'militarily and politically,' said Samia Al-Hussain (not her real name), a Benghazi-based lawyer. The planned 2021 elections were indefinitely postponed because the US and UK ambassadors did not want presidential elections with Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, Muammar's son, as the frontrunner.

The younger Gaddafi still enjoys wide support across the country and, in 2021, was cleared by the courts to run for president after initially being banned. If elections had taken place, as planned in December 2021, he would have been the inevitable winner. To prevent such an eventuality, both the former UK ambassador, Caroline Hurndall, and her American counterpart, Richard Norland, publicly spoke against his nomination.

Faced with public anger, the parliament, as opposed to the Foreign Ministry, was forced to declare Hurndall persona non grata specifically because of her comments on the elections. Yet, in another indication of the hidden occupation, she never left the country until her term ended last October. Norland was not even reprimand by the Libyan Foreign Ministry as would have been the case in other countries. Why? Because he is America's ambassador.

Despite being in the anti-Gaddafi camp, Al-Hussain pointed at the recently exposed secret meeting between the now-fugitive former Foreign Minister, Najal al-Mangoush, and her Israeli counterpart in Rome last August. She asks: 'What Libyan interests would such normalization serve, and why would any Libyan official think of meeting a representative of the Zionist state, if not ordered from outside?' She added that Libya 'takes enormous pride' in having supported Palestinians throughout its history. Hundreds of Libyans volunteered to fight in the first Palestine war in 1948. Al-Hussain also feels that Libya's reaction to the Gaza war is 'less than what is expected' from a country where Palestine is a sacred cause. Most Libyans think that their country should do more despite the government donating some $50 million dollars in aid to Gaza.

Musbah Adokali, a law student in Bani Walid, a Gaddafi stronghold, thinks Libyan leaders are receiving orders from outside and acting against the will of the people. He points out what happened to Libyan citizen Abu Agila Mas'ud, who was kidnapped and taken to the US to face charges of participating in the bombing of Pan AM Flight 103 35 years ago. The student said 'this was done upon the orders of the US,' otherwise it would not have happened. 'If this is not occupation, I do not know what is,' Musbah concluded.

The post Gaddafi took the country with him: Why do Libyans feel occupied after being 'liberated'? appeared first on The Custom Reports.

Source : https://thecustomreports.com/gaddafi-took-the-country-with-him-why-do-libyans-feel-occupied-after-being-liberated/

Crises in Libya have been the norm for the last 13 years. They are unpredictable and can erupt at any time, over anything, no matter however ridiculous it is. Once a crisis appears, it has the potential to make the lives of ordinary people hell. Armed clashes could easily break out because of a squabble between two neighborhood militias in Tripoli. Such clashes quickly spiral into serious fighting, with Kalashnikovs being the weapon of choice.

Central Bank crisis

The latest predicament to hit the divided country involves the Central Bank of Libya (CBL), triggered by the decision to replace its governor, Sadiq al-Kabir, who has held the position since October 2011. On August 12, the country's three-member Presidential Council issued a decree replacing Al-Kabir as the CBL's head.

Libya has been split between two competing regions, western and eastern. The interim Government of National Unity (which the Presidential Council is part of), which was installed in 2021 as part of a UN-backed process to prepare for elections, is headquartered in Tripoli (western). The other, eastern administration is based in Benghazi, home to the nation's parliament, the House of Representatives (HoR). The CBL is split along the same political lines, but the one in Tripoli, headed by Al-Kabir, remains the only internationally recognized institution.

The irony here is that each side considers the other illegal or illegitimate while neither government has ever been voted in. The CBL funds both sides, even when they are fighting each other with guns and mortars rather than just words. In western Libya, the CBL is always under pressure to bankroll not only the governments but also various militias, whose existence depends on CBL money despite their criminal and disruptive role in the country.

According to all laws in force, especially the Libyan Political Agreement, signed in Morocco in 2015, which became the country's de facto constitution in the absence of one, the Presidential Council does not have the authority to appoint a governor. The parliament, in consultation with the Higher State Council, is the only institution authorized to take such a measure.

The parliament had voted twice before to replace Al-Kabir, first in 2014 and then again in 2018. In both cases, he ignored the resolutions and stayed at his job. Why should he obey the law if the entire country is a somewhat lawless jungle where laws are hardly ever enforced, let alone respected? Even Libya's top leaders selectively observe laws, making the case of the CBL a pretty common occurrence.

The parliament (often referred to as Benghazi-based, though its official seat is in Tobruk, while it has another meeting place in Benghazi), for instance, was elected in 2014 for a four-year term, yet a decade later, the same chamber is still around. Its counterpart, the Tripoli-based Higher Council of State, was elected in 2012 and still operates.

Why the CBL is important

Libya is a top African oil producer and the treasury gets most of its revenues from hydrocarbon exports. All wealth generated by oil and gas goes into the coffers of the CBL, which distributes it in accordance with government budgetary allocations for different sectors and services, including public sector salaries.

Moreover, the CBL is the only financial channel to the outside world, and considered the nerve center of the country's banking relations with the world, as all import-related transactions, for example, must be approved by it. Libya, nowadays, imports almost everything and its major export commodity remains oil and gas. Therefore, any disturbance to the CBL's inner working, leadership and management team or any politicization of its role exposes the country's financial transactions to danger, both internally and externally. For example, the bank is responsible for dispensing the monthly salaries of 2.2 million public sector employees.

Moreover, the institution, since 2011, has been increasingly politicized and this further complicates its role, making it a political tool in the hands of the governor, who may use it in domestic political wrangling by, for example, giving more money to one side or region at the expense of others.

Who said CBL governor should go

Besides overstaying his term of four years, Sadiq Al-Kabir has been operating the CBL without a board of directors as legally required. People hold him responsible for the dreadful banking system in the country, making it difficult to defend Al-Kabir's record as governor.

Banking in Libya is hard to rank as efficient in comparison to, for example, that of neighboring countries. Since 2011, when the country sank into its deepest-ever crisis as the NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed Muammar Gaddafi, all banks, private and public, have been suffering from liquidity problems: people and businesses cannot access their accounts and get enough cash simply because banks do not have any. The problem sometimes becomes chronic, and clients have to wait for months to be able to get the amount of cash they require.

The issue has become very serious since hardly any other form of electronic payments exists. ATM machines are scarce, even in the capital: there are only a few, located in banks themselves, not in shopping centers or gas stations where people need them. Many ATM machines do not work, and several kilometers outside Tripoli, there are none. People in rural areas, small towns and villages have yet to see one.

Cash is the preferred and trusted method of any transaction because the entire economy is built around cash payments. The economic cycle operates, mostly, on a cash basis, and paper checks, for example, are untrustworthy unless certified, which is another complicated process in itself.

Some of the blame belongs to dysfunctional politics in Libya. Lack of economic and political stability as well as security are also important factors affecting the functioning of the banking sector. However, the fact that Al-Kabir has kept his position for so long with almost no improvements in either CBL policies or in the wider banking system makes defending him a lost cause. Nevertheless, the bank governor should have been replaced in the legal way to avoid any negative repercussions for the CBL itself or the wider banking sector in the country.

Like any similar institution in any country, the CBL is supposed to be an independent organ responsible for financial and monetary policies, controlling inflation and managing the fluctuation of the local currency among others. It is not a political institution, and should not play any political role. Above all, the CBL's governor is appointed, removed and replaced by the legislative branch of government, not by the executive branch.

These general principles are emphasized in all relevant laws and political agreements that have served as the basis of governance in the country since 2011.

The bigger crisis Libya suffers from is actually deeper and more challenging to overcome since it has to do with the legitimacy and legality of entire state 'institutions' and the current politicians who lead them.

Foreign meddling

Needless to say, Libya's troubles started back in 2011, when Western countries ganged up, using their formidable military alliance, NATO, to destroy the country under the disguised UN Security Council resolution 1973, which authorized the use of force to, as falsely claimed, protect civilians against government forces. The real goal of what was marketed as 'humanitarian intervention' was to topple the government of the late leader Muammar Gaddafi, who was brutally murdered on October 20, 2011.

Libya has not only been politically divided but also socially fractured, and its own institutions have been hollowed out in a way that make them unable to function like they are supposed to. A hollowed institution, while still standing, can hardly carry out its duties, paralyzing the progress of the country. The roles of the armed forces and police have been taken over by armed militias and the security of the state itself has all but disappeared.

When Gaddafi was killed, the country descended into lawlessness and became an open field for foreign meddling; a competition between the same countries that destroyed it 13 years ago. While the UN mission in Libya is trying to bring the country together and organize elections for both president and a new parliament, the ambassadors of France, United Kingdom and the United States keep interfering in almost every detail, including the latest crisis surrounding the CBL.

For example, when the 2021 elections were agreed upon, the plan did not progress, thanks to internal disputes made worse by foreign meddling. Both the ambassadors of the UK and the US spoke publicly against the idea of Saif Al-Islam Gaddafi, Gaddafi's son, entering the presidential race despite a Libyan court giving him the green light to run. The parliament then felt so embarrassed by the UK ambassador's bold comments about the election it voted to declare her persona non grata.

On the day the decision to replace the CBL governor was published, Al-Kabir appeared alongside US special envoy Richard Norland on the US embassy's X account. The post carried both an explicit warning against removing the governor and an implicit threat of what to expect if he was removed.

Sovereignty-free country

The CBL crisis exposes deeper and more troubling long-term questions regarding both the legitimacy of all institutions and, more seriously, the sovereignty of the Libyan state itself.

The point is, all the institutions and politicians dominating the country now have lost their legitimacy since they have overstayed their mandates. However, no one is really serious about organizing national elections any time soon. Such a ballot means most politicians, particularly MPs and members of the Higher Council of State, are very likely to be voted out. Both governments in Tripoli and Benghazi will also disappear, and the country will have a president for the first time since independence in 1951.

Regardless of how the CBL crisis is solved, it is only the tip of the iceberg. The renewal of legitimacy through elections is a must, and it is long overdue. Most importantly, foreign meddling must stop, leaving only the UN mission (as it tries to solve the CBL problem) to intervene, and only when it must facilitate agreements. The CBL issue provides a unique chance to take the opportunity to settle all major disagreements hampering elections as soon as possible, such as setting up a new unified interim executive to take the country to voting day. Just as critically, all parties and politicians must accept the outcome of any elections as long as they are fair and transparent.

The post Why Western 'help' is fueling constant chaos in Libya appeared first on The Custom Reports.

Source : https://thecustomreports.com/why-western-help-is-fueling-constant-chaos-in-libya/

US tech giant Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, has banned several Russian news networks, including RT. Since the escalation of the Ukraine conflict in 2022, Meta has been cooperating with a prohibition on RT imposed by the EU and other individual Western nations.

In a statement on Monday, the company said the deplatforming of the media outlets from its apps is due to 'foreign interference activity' and would be implemented globally over the next several days.

The US government sanctioned RT last week, with Secretary of State Antony Blinken claiming that the outlet is 'functioning as a de facto arm of [Russian] intelligence.'

Moscow has called the move an act of information warfare, which exposes America's inability to fairly compete with Russian media.

US officials have expressed frustration with RT's role in offering an alternative to Washington-backed narratives on international affairs.

'One of the reasons — not the only reason — why so much of the world has not been as fully supportive of Ukraine as you would think they would be, given that Russia has invaded Ukraine and violated rule number 1 of the international system — is because of the broad scope and reach of RT, where propaganda, disinformation, and lies is spread to millions if not billions around the world,' State Department spokesman Jamie Rubin told journalists on Friday, following Blinken's remarks.

RT Editor-in-Chief Margarita Simonyan joked that RT had learned from the Americans, rather than from Russian intelligence officers.

'Seriously? Did you run out of mirrors?' she asked, commenting on the American allegations.

Meta has faced legal issues in Russia after allowing exemptions in its rules forbidding hate speech.

Meta management ruled that Ukrainians were entitled to call for violence against Russians and to hail extreme nationalists fighting against Russia on its platforms. Moscow labeled Meta an extremist organization and banned Facebook and Instagram in Russia.

The post Meta bans RT appeared first on The Custom Reports.

Source : https://thecustomreports.com/meta-bans-rt/

Joe Biden believes 'good Republicans … who don't have a prejudiced bone in their body' are letting far-right elements of their political party intimidate them out of stances that would protect LGBTQ+ rights, he said in the first interview that a sitting US president has given to an LGBTQ+ news outlet.

In a conversation that the Washington Blade published on Monday, Biden also said Donald Trump 'was a different breed of cat' who had been 'anti-LGBTQ … across the board'.

The Democratic president's remarks about his Republican predecessor and the Maga (Make America Great Again) movement behind him come as Trump seeks a return to the White House in the 5 November election.

Trump has offered contradictory comments on LGBTQ+ rights, claiming to be 'fine' with same-sex marriage during his victorious 2016 campaign but then stripping away protections for medical patients who are transgender once he was in the Oval Office.

Then, in June 2023, three US supreme court justices appointed to the bench during Trump's presidency joined three conservative colleagues in dealing a major blow to the LGBTQ+ community by ruling that a Colorado law that compels groups to treat same-sex couples equally violated the constitutional right to free speech.

Republican-led state legislatures, meanwhile, have enacted a broad array of laws banning gender-affirming care for transgender youth and, in some cases, adults. They have also placed barriers to schoolchildren to express their gender, whether by the pronouns they use or the sports team on which they compete.

Without naming anyone, Biden told the Blade he met 'a lot of really good Republicans' in particular when he previously served as a US senator. He said they 'don't have a prejudiced bone in their body about this but are intimidated — because if you take a position, especially in the Maga Republican party now, … they're going to go after you'.

'Trump is a different breed of cat,' Biden added. 'I mean, I don't want to make this political, but everything he's done has been anti, anti-LGBTQ — I mean across the board.'

Biden ruled out running for re-election in July and endorsed Vice-President Kamala Harris to succeed him. Drawing a contrast with Trump, the president said that the Biden-Harris administration had made a number of decisions to advocate for the LGBTQ+ community.

He singled out the Respect for Marriage Act, which he signed in 2022 and in part required all states to recognize the validity of same-sex marriages. He also alluded to how the Food and Drug Administration during his presidency implemented a new rule allowing sexually active gay and bisexual people to donate blood so long as they had not had sex with new or multiple partners.

Biden furthermore touted what he described as having appointed a record-breaking number of LGBTQ+ officials across his administration, including the transportation secretary, Pete Buttigieg, and White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre. And the president also noted how — days after his inauguration in 2021 — he issued an executive order reversing the Trump administration's ban on transgender military service members.

'They can shoot straight,' Biden said to the Blade, which described the president as lowering his voice for emphasis. 'They can shoot just as straight as anybody else.'

The post Biden says 'good Republicans' are scared out of pro-LGBTQ+ stances by far right appeared first on The Custom Reports.

Source : https://thecustomreports.com/biden-says-good-republicans-are-scared-out-of-pro-lgbtq-stances-by-far-right/

The elections were held on Monday, September 16, 2024. As per results revealed by NEC, the electoral college elected 12 senators out of the 28 asipirants.

According to the Presidential Decree, 12 senators are elected by specific governance bodies across different regions of the country.

Two senators are selected from the Northern Province, three from the Southern Province, three from the Eastern Province elects, three from the Western Province and one from Kigali City.

NEC announced that the elected senators from the Northern Province are Dr. Laetitia Nyinawamwiza who got 73.00% of the vote and Amandin Rugira who garnered 62.61%.

In the Southern Province, the elected senators are Adrie Umuhire (70.42%), Pélagie Uwera (62.91%) and Sosthene Cyitatire who got 61.74%.

In the Eastern Province, the winners are John Bonds Bideri with 80.46%, Fulgence Nsengiyumva (68.53%) and Alvera Mukabaramba who got 76.40%.

In the Western Province, the elected senators are Emmanuel Havugimana with 69.45%, Marie Rose Mureshyankwano with 74.67%, and Cyprien Niyomugabo with 67.88%.

In Kigali City, Espérance Nyirasafari, the outgoing Vice President of the Senate, was elected with 55.26% of the vote.

On Tuesday, September 17, 2024, two additional senators will be elected from public and private higher education institutions.

Among the 12 elected senators, only two are newcomers: Amandin Rugira, who previously served as Rwanda’s Ambassador to different countries including Belgium and Zambia, and Sosthene Cyitatire, who was previously the Secretary-General of the Senate of Rwanda.

Although Cyitatire is a new senator, he has prior experience as the Senate’s coordinator, secretary, and clerk overseeing its daily operations.

In addition to the 12 elected senators from the provinces and Kigali City, eight more senators will be appointed by the President of the Republic, and four by the National Consultative Forum of Political Organizations.

The provisional election results are announced by the President of NEC or an authorized delegate, within five days of the election. Anyone who is dissatisfied with the results can appeal to the Supreme Court within 48 hours of the provisional results being announced. If the appeal is dismissed, the NEC’s provisional results are upheld.

The final results of the election are announced within seven days of the provisional results. If there is an appeal to the Supreme Court, the final results are delayed until the court reaches a decision.

In the senatorial elections held through governance bodies, the winning candidates are those with the most votes, based on the required number of seats for each voting area.

Nyirasafari Esperancehas been serving as the Vice President of Rwanda’s Senate.

Bideri John Bonds has been elected again.

Havugimana is also amongg winners of senatorial seats.

Niyomugabo Cyprien is among re-elected senators.

Mureshyankwano Marie Rose is among 12 elected senators.

Nsengiyumva Fulgence is among elected senators.

Mukabaramba Alvera also served in the senate before her renewed term.

Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/nec-announces-senatorial-election-provisional-results

It is particularly effective for relieving extreme fatigue, depression, and other conditions that may affect the brain.

Additionally, the Treadmill was introduced, allowing people to run without leaving their location. It strengthens bones, clears the veins for better blood circulation, and enhances physical endurance. Other machines available include the G-Vibration Plate, Portable Sauna, G-Body Shaker, and G-Advanced Chair, all of which support overall body function.

The nutritional supplements on offer include 'Best Man Prime,’ which helps men prevent prostate cancer, increases testosterone levels, and boosts sexual desire. The 'Best Lady Care’ supplement helps women regulate hormones, protect the uterus, and enhance sexual urge.

Marie Rose Uwimana, popularly known as Solina from Urunana drama play, stated that she was treated using Mega Global Market’s nutritional supplements.

There is also 'Best Kids Brain Gummies,’ which aid in children’s development and increase intelligence. Other supplements for different groups include Best Fish Oil, Best Fit & Detox Tea, Best X Power Coffee, and Best Brain Booster, which support various bodily functions.

Marie Rose Uwimana, known as Solina from the radio drama Urunana, shared her experience with nerve issues and low blood pressure, which almost led to paralysis. She said the use of Mega Global Market’s supplements and machines restored her health. 'I was very ill and almost ended up in a wheelchair,' she revealed.

After diagnosis, she was found to have nerve issues, low blood pressure, and other brain-related conditions such as unexplained memory loss experiences until she tried the machines and food supplements and a bit of physiotherapy.

Mental health expert Rukundo Arthur cautioned the public to take great care for their health by embracing the use of these machines and food supplements to keep track of physical and mental well-being rather than wait only to recognize the value of health when already ill.

Mega Global Market’s CEO, Dr. Francis Habumugisha, told IGIHE that they plan to open more markets in different parts of the world to help people live healthier lives. He confirmed that those interested in these products can visit their headquarters in Kigali City or purchase them through their online platforms.

He remarked, “During COVID-19, we learnt a strong lesson when people were not allowed to engage in physical exercise. We decided to bring in machines that anyone can use at home, even while doing other household activities.”

He also highlighted the travel services offered to enable people visit various destinations such as Dubai, Europe, Canada, the USA, and many more. Anyone interested in traveling abroad for leisure or study is supported by this company, and the process is expedited.

Dr. Francis Habumugisha mentioned that they plan to open more markets like this in various places to help people take care of their health

'Additionally, those who refer clients to us are granted free Visas and can travel abroad at no cost,' he disclosed.

Habumugisha explained that the services provided are backed by contracts signed in the presence of a certified notary, ensuring that if there is any issue with the travel documents, such as Visa denial, the client is refunded easily.

Various machines were showcased that assist in caring for the health of both those who are ill and those looking to prevent illness.

Rukundo Arthur urged people to prevent diseases instead of waiting until they become seriously ill.

Source : https://en.igihe.com/business/article/mega-global-market-unveils-new-health-products-and-fitness-machines

Everything is accommodation now; Artists are compromising their experiences, rawness, honesty and humanity to accommodate endlessly with a system that puts a value to their creation and shapeshifts it into a product because things only have value if there is a price to them.

To survive is to sell your results, and when the results are the thing on the market, then your process does not matter. It does not matter how you got there, as long as the value of the ‘product’ that got there is deemed worthy.

So we use AI, a new efficient tool that makes everything a hundred times easier, faster, better and perfect. What used to take hours to imagine, can be generated in seconds, the steps of creating anything have been reduced to three steps.

Having an idea, having the right words to express that idea, having the right taste to edit whatever is given to make it even better. It is the ultimate ‘thinker’ and you are just a mere artist trying to communicate ‘great art’, so AI becomes your go to.

It helps you gain your confidence in making even your smallest ideas, big, it gives you alternatives, it grades your work, guides you, makes it for you, anything you want, you get. It is a pretty good deal.

And in order to live a more functional prosperous life, you can be a capitalist creator, someone who sees what could sell more in the eyes of the public, jump on trends and get inside the loop. It is a comfortable life.

Here I am not talking about making money as an artist. I am talking about making great art that speaks to you as the person who created it. I am talking about growing as an artist.
You don’t need AI to make better art, you need to become a better artist

When I started working and writing different copies and documents for a living, I was new at noticing what corporate words to use, or what the right wording of ads was, so I used AI a lot. I mean a lot. There is plenty of AI tools to help me with almost anything.

At first, it was schooling me, teaching me this and that, correcting me when I made things sound too light for a company’s voice. I was learning, and growing in a short time. It was great. Then I started surrendering, I would have a short time to work on something, and let AI do everything for me, and edit it out to make it sound a bit less uptight and more human.

I may have created writings but I wasn’t a writer anymore. I was just good at giving it the right information for the right output. Like a puppet master, I was getting good at pulling the strings to make great things.

But I was not growing, I stayed where I was, I had also started losing sight on who the puppet in that performance was. So, I took a step back, and got back to why I started writing in the first place.
I loved challenging my mind, and working out how this amazing thing that I can only see inside myself can turn out as good outside. I loved the process.

If you are an artist who likes to use AI, try to create one thing a week without using any. You will thank the author later!

Hayao Miyazaki, a Japanese animator, filmmaker, and manga artist, when shown how AI can transform the animation industry in ways humans cannot fathom, he responded in a reasonable way considering he is one of the greatest and most skilled artists to ever exist.

He said he was ‘utterly disgusted’, that it was an insult to life itself and that, 'We humans are losing faith in ourselves.” Believing that you don’t have enough time, skill and knowledge to do something is a lie.

Making art is supposed to be hard, it is supposed to take time, because being human is complex, life itself is complex, and using a machine to understand yourself and life will confine us in a small box of who we already are, in a way that we will never discover everything we could be.

The lack of genuine emotions and connections in creations now is because people never cared about other people’s creations unless it benefited them. Businesses will accept mediocrity as long as it makes profit. No one will care about your art the same way you do. It is all up to you, the artist.

In a Youtube Video by Drew Gooden titled ‘AI is ruining the internet’, Drew Gooden said, “How are you ever gonna do something for ten years if you won’t even do it for one day?”

If you want to become a filmmaker, prompting AI to make you a script will not teach you anything about becoming a good filmmaker. Movies will start to look all the same. We already have those. We already have great films, what we need is YOUR film.

I am telling everyone to stop being so in love with the results just because the outside world will reward you for it. There are so many more things to create and understand in ourselves. We urgently need to stop allowing something we created, re-create us and define who we are.

If you are an artist who likes to use AI, try to create one thing a week without using any. Try it for a month, then three, try it for forever. If you don’t have time, make time for it.

Whatever your age is, rushing your growth for the sake of being paid for it is scamming yourself. We are lying to ourselves, tools are only ever useful to help us while we grow, not erase our journeys. The more we use AI to express things, the more we erase our footprints and redefine ourselves through the eyes of something that does not exist.

Becoming fluent in creating art is an intellectual pursuit. All well-known art forms like painting, music, dance, literature, fashion, sculpture, filmmaking, photography, and emerging mediums like digital art, have always been about their processes and their artists being passionate enough to go through it all.
Passion is beautifully human, and cultivating it is what will keep us from straying from ourselves.

The author of this opinion is a digital strategist, creative entrepreneur and a very passionate mental health advocate

Making art is an act of revolution, the basis of any evolution of mind

Source : https://en.igihe.com/opinion/article/you-don-t-need-ai-you-need-to-become-a-better-artist

This contribution is part of a long-term initiative that began two years ago through a Memorandum of Understanding between MINUBUMWE, Imbuto Foundation, and LIT, which aims to disburse USD1Billion over a ten-year period to promote national unity and civic engagement.

The funds will help strengthen programs aimed at closing the knowledge gap among Rwandans especially the youth and the entire world regarding the Genocide and its aftermath.

One of the primary initiatives benefiting from this support is “Igihango cy’Urungano,” a platform that engages young people in discussions about the country’s history.

To date, over 8,700 youth have participated in these dialogues, with an additional 19,000 attending virtually. The initiative addresses the lingering impact of the Genocide against the Tutsi on younger generations, particularly those born after 1994, who still grapple with its social and emotional consequences.

MINUBUMWE, Imbuto Foundation and LIT officials during a meeting on Monday September 16, 2024

Jean-Damascène Bizimana, Minister of MINUBUMWE, stressed the importance of this work, particularly for the youth. “When we do not preserve this history in a more sustainable way, especially for the young generation to learn from, we risk not educating them on our past and give critics a chance to distort our history,” Bizimana said.

A significant portion of these donations havesupported the development of the Ntarama Genocide Memorial, one of three key sites, along with Nyange and Murambi, that MINUBUMWE is working to bring to international standards.

Progress at Ntarama includes the completion of designs for visitor pathways, the transcription and translation of ten survivor testimonies, and the preparation of photographs for an upcoming exhibition.

These efforts are part of a larger strategy to elevate Rwanda’s memorial centers while ensuring that they remain accessible for both local and international audiences.

Challenges remain, however, particularly with regard to funding the “Garden of Memory” project at Ntarama, which requires additional resources to complete.
MINUBUMWE has developed a comprehensive memorial plan to guide future contributions and ensure that all key projects receive the support they need.

In addition to physical memorials, Rwanda’s efforts to preserve Genocide memory have gained international recognition. In September 2024, four of the country’s Genocide memorials including Kigali Memorial centre (Gisozi), Nyamata, Murambi, and Bisesero were added to the UNESCO World Heritage list, further underscoring their global significance.

Elodie Shami, Director General of Imbuto Foundation, emphasized the critical role of youth in carrying forward the legacy of Rwanda’s history. “It’s crucial to ensure that this information is preserved and disseminated to the youth, who make up more than 65% of the country’s population,” she said.

The donation from Liquid Intelligent Technologies is part of a broader effort to ensure the memory of the Genocide against the Tutsi is preserved for future generations, while also promoting national unity and civic responsibility among Rwanda’s youth.

On his part, Sam Nkusi, Chairman of Liquid Intelligent Technologies, reiterated the company’s commitment in supporting the preservation of the memories of 1994.

“Remembering our history is very important. It’s not just about the money; it’s a duty and responsibility we have as a company and as a people of Rwanda to keep our history alive,” he stated.

L-R Sam Nkusi, Executive Chairman of Liquid Rwanda_ Dr Jean Damascene Bizimana, Ministry of National Unity & Civic Engagement – MINUBUMWE_ Élodie Shami, Director General Imbuto foundation

Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/minubumwe-receives-frw130m-from-liquid-intelligent-technologies-for-genocide

Rwanda’s health authorities have emphasized measures to prevent the spread of the disease. These include frequent handwashing and avoiding sexual contact, whether protected or unprotected, due to the high risk of transmission through such interactions.

Julien Mahoro Niyingabira, spokesperson for the Ministry of Health, has told IGIHE that the country’s preventive strategies include the possibility of vaccinating the population, with priority given to those at higher risk.

'There is a team in Rwanda currently studying how the vaccination could be rolled out. Should the vaccination process begin, we will inform the public accordingly,' Niyingabira stated.

He further noted that while vaccines have not yet arrived in the country, priority for vaccination will be given to the most vulnerable groups before any nationwide rollout.

'We will not start with the entire population. Certain groups are more vulnerable to infection than others. We will begin with them based on the available vaccines, and as we progress, other groups will also be considered. However, the vaccination program has not yet started in the country,' he emphasized.

Niyingabira explained that cross-border traders in districts like Rubavu and other high-risk groups may be among the first to receive the vaccine.

“First, we need to secure the vaccines, and then the vaccination program can begin. Even when the vaccine arrives, it complements the existing preventive measures, meaning vaccination is one of the strategies we plan for Mpox prevention.”

The vaccines being distributed across African countries are largely provided by the African Union.

The health authorities have assured the public that the capacity to treat the disease is in place. As of now, the four individuals who had contracted Mpox in Rwanda have all been treated and discharged.

In the region, the Mpox outbreak has severely affected the Democratic Republic of Congo, where over 22,000 cases have been reported, with more than 715 fatalities this year alone. The Mpox virus has spread to 22 of the 26 provinces in the DRC, as well as 13 other African countries.

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) has committed $600 million to a six-month campaign aimed at combating the epidemic in affected regions.

The Ministry of Health has announced the establishment of a task force to evaluate how Mpox vaccination could be implemented in Rwanda.

Source : https://en.igihe.com/health/article/rwanda-sets-up-committee-to-assess-mpox-vaccination-plan

“An RSF attack on Gouz Al-Naqa village of Abu Gouta area in Gezira State killed at least 40 civilians,” the Abu Gouta Resistance Committee, a non-governmental group, said in a statement.

Several corpses remained exposed in the village, as the RSF is preventing displaced villagers from returning to bury the dead, according to the statement.

The committee called on civil society organizations to put pressure on the RSF to allow residents to enter the village and bury the deceased.

The RSF has not yet made any comment about the attack.

The RSF took control of Gezira State in December 2023 after the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) withdrew from Wad Madani, the capital of the state.

Since April 15, 2023, Sudan has been embroiled in a violent conflict between the SAF and the RSF. The conflict has resulted in at least 16,650 deaths and displaced millions of people.

Sudan has been embroiled in a violent conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023.

Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/at-least-40-civilians-killed-in-paramilitary-forces-attack-in-central-sudan