Violence in Democratic Republic Congo

The lives of civilians in DR Congo has been stolen due to the increased violence between the militia group Bana Mura supported by the government, the army and Kamuina Nsapu a rebel group. Since September 2016, violence erupted after the death of a tribal chieftain, known as the Kamwina Nsapu, who rebelled against the authority of President Joseph Kabila's government in Kinshasa and its local representatives”. Villages have been burnt to the ground and according to the UN official report in August 3.8 million people have been displaced. There have been reports of children being used as soldiers, people being raped, tortured and killed. Around 33,000 Congolese have sought asylum in Angola. Angola is trying to cope with the overwhelming arrival of over 500,000 refugees fleeing war in Burundi, Rwanda, South Sudan and the Central African Republic.

BBC Article tells the story of how the violence affected and impacted 7 people lives.

Anne: Was hit on the head with a machete and fell to the ground. She was spared because they thought she was dead. Her children survived because she told them to cover themselves in blood and play dead.

Bernadette: Lost everything. His house was burned down, he was stabbed and saw helpless children drown. He fled to Tshikapa city where he received help. He stays on the floor. He is unable to return home because they can be identified by their language and killed.

Emmanuel: Lost his wife, son, daughter and almost lost his brother. In the middle of the day the enemies came burned down their houses and killed them. He lost his two diplomas. He feels helpless. He does know what to do or where to go.

http://www.bbc.com/news/in-pictures-41346859

http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/08/dr-congo-violence-displaces-38-million-170826214837895.html  

Tanzanian Police Arrest 20 Suspected of Being Gay

In the US the fight for gay rights has been an uphill battle that ended in 2015 when the Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriage cannot be prohibited by a state. Even though this battle was won, there is still more work to be done. In Africa homosexuality is illegal in 38 out of the 54 countries. In Mauritania, Sudan and Somalia homosexuality are punishable by death. In Burkina Faso, Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Madagascar, Mali, Niger, and Rwanda has no laws criminalizing homosexual activities. Many African leaders believe that homosexuality was bought into the continent from other parts of the world. Even though research proves that homosexuality existed and was a part of African cultures. Cape Verde has been ruled one of the “most gay-friendly African Country”. 

            Tanzanian homosexual activity among men is illegal and punishable up to 30 years in prison. Lesbian relationships have no restriction and are free to part take in sexual activity. During the raid, the police arrested eight men and 12 women for “attending a training session from an NGO that works on education programs for HIV/AIDS”. In February, the Tanzanian government announced that they were going to crack down on homosexuality and “on privately run health centers that provide AIDS-related services, which Health Minister Ummy Mwalimu said promoted homosexuality”. The government even banned lubricants in July 2016 because it “encouraged homosexuality which led to the spread of HIV/AIDS”.

            Even though there has been progressing with the rights homosexuality in the US, it is quite apparent that there is still a lot of work to do around the world. Africa is not the only continent refuse to allow homosexual activities. 

http://allafrica.com/stories/201709170014.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_the_United_States 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LGBT_rights_in_Africa

Namibia Genocide

It seems like the world decides to dismiss the horrific events that happen to the black community all over the world. In school, we spend weeks studying the Holocaust. One of the most unspeakable acts of evil against the human race. But did you know the Holocaust was not the only genocide that Germany caused and played a major role in?

Germany moved South West Africa in the 1880s and put in place a military government. The military government had very little knowledge on how to run a colony and knew nothing about Africa. During that time the Herero, Nama and San people South West Africa. Over time Major Theodor Leutwein began turning the Nama and Herero against each other. One major reason for the fighting was land rights.

 The Germans murders the Herero and Nama because they attempted a rebellion between 1904 and 1908. The Germans tried to exterminate both groups of people. Those who they did kill, they placed them in concentration camps and experimented on them.

http://www.ppu.org.uk/genocide/g_namibia.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herero_and_Namaqua_genocide

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/sep/14/us-museum-storing-remains-of-namibian-genocide-victims

Piri piri chicken, Mozambique

                               

Piri Piri means pepper, pepper in Swahili; also spelled like peri peri or pili pili. Piri Piri is known as African bird's eye pepper. It brought to African from South America by the Portuguese. Piri Piri is grown domestic and wild and can be found in “Angola, Uganda, Malawi, South Africa, Ghana, Nigeria, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, the tropical forests of South Sudan and the highlands of Ethiopia”. 

Even though it’s fun educating y’all about pepper the main event of this blog is Mozambique informal national dish Piri Piri Chicken. Before the chicken is marinated bone is removed so the meat can lay flat on the grilled. Piri piri chicken is marinated with garlic, white vinegar, paprika, lemon, olive oil, salt, smoked paprika and chopped garlic. After soaking in mouth watering sauce for a couple hours, the chicken is then placed on a hot charcoal grill. It is grilled to perfection and then served with Piri piri hot sauce on the side. Even though I haven’t eaten Piri piri I felt like I could taste reading and writing this blog. It’s definitely something I want to try because it includes spicy and chicken.

RECIPE for Hot Sauce

http://www.getaway.co.za/food/authentic-mozambican-super-hot-peri-peri-sauce-recipe/

Use this to marinate prawns or to make Portuguese chicken, both of which go well with a Portuguese roll to mop up the sauce.

In a clean glass jar, combine
½ cup white vinegar
½ cup freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice½ cup olive oil
1 tot chilli powder
1 tot paprika
1 tot salt
1 tot chopped garlic
10 African bird’s eye chillies, finely chopped (don’t remove the seeds as this is where the heat is)


**Put the lid on the jar, shake well and you’re done. The sauce improves with time and will be even better – and more fiery – after standing for an hour or even a day. If you want the sauce hotter, add more chillies and chilli powder.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piri_piri

https://www.finedininglovers.com/stories/peri-peri-original-recipe/