Egypt and Sudan trying to block Nile Basin Treaty
Being a Kenyan citizen, sometimes I wonder what would bring an end to the elusive drought that has claimed quite a number of lives as well as animals. I would be quick to direct the blame to our government due to its poor management and oversight in terms of food security. It has given a deaf ear also to advice on irrigation which would be the only solution to this which brings me to the Nile basin which has been rocked by controversies. The first culprit derailing the enactment of the Nile Basin treaty would be Egypt followed by Sudan. The two countries depend almost entirely on the Nile River for their agricultural production and are major users of the 6,700 km rivers waters. The Nile Co-operative Framework Agreement seeks the establishment of a permanent Nile River Basin Commission through which member countries will act together to manage and develop the resources of the Nile. The accord was to be signed in September, last year. It was, however, delayed because of lack of consensus. The new agreement is expected to replace the old one of 1929 but Egypt and Sudan are opposed to it fearing it would limit their access to the Nile. The most contentious provisions include equitable and reasonable use of the Nile waters, (prevention of harm to the waters, protection and conservation of the basin and its ecosystem among others.
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces at Al Aqsa Mosque
Clashes between Palestinians and Israeli forces were renewed on Sunday when Israeli troops forcefully entered the mosque and attacked worshippers by beating them, firing tear-gas shells and rubber-coated bullets; while claiming that Palestinian worshippers threw stones at them. Al Aqsa is now practically under siege. People are not allowed in, and more than 100 youths are still inside the mosque, prepared to defend it from any further attacks by the Israeli forces. Despite what has been reported by Jerusalem police Chief Dudi Cohen that Israel has no intention entering the mosque right now, and considering the several attacks on the mosque during the last few months, it cannot be confirmed that what Israeli officials say, is what Israel will comply with.
Suicide bombing in Islamabad and Lahore create fear and insecurity
Both the frequency and intensity of suicide bombing incidents have increased since early this month. While in the past, suicide bombings mostly happened in the NWFP and adjacent tribal belt, now the federal capital Islamabad and Punjabs provincial capital Lahore are also being targeted repeatedly. This renewed wave of terror is apparently the reaction of the militants to the military operations in Swat and the tribal areas and it is ever more horrible as the terrorists are now targeting educational institutions. The bombings at the Islamic University in Islamabad is the most shocking event in the recent past of terrorist violence. There is a general feeling of dread and insecurity among the public. Today, the federal educational institutions are reopening while those in the frontier province remain closed till the end of the month. The general public and the political analysts keep asking whether our security system is really capable of dealing with bloodthirsty militants whose fear is interrupting the normal life and peace of the entire nation.
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