Will - The Metro Herald
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AFRICA UPDATE/ASIA PACIFIC AMERICAN MONTH/POTPOURRI<br />
May 26, 2006<br />
AFRICAN CULTURE CENTER TO BREAK<br />
GROUND IN NAMIBIA, AFRICA IN 2006<br />
<strong>The</strong> first African Culture Center (ACC)<br />
(www.africanculturecenter.com/project.html), an entertainment village for<br />
tourists visiting Africa, is scheduled to break ground in the Republic of<br />
Namibia in 2006. <strong>The</strong> ACC features Namibia’s indigenous people creating<br />
native crafts, a traditional Namibian feast and a sunset stage performance that<br />
includes live tribal dancing.<br />
<strong>The</strong> ACC was created by <strong>The</strong> PAL Project, Inc., a minority-owned development<br />
company based in California. “Our top priority right now is to raise<br />
investment capital. <strong>The</strong> ACC staff had a successful year raising investment<br />
dollars in 2005 and we are looking forward to an even better year in 2006,”<br />
said company president Karen Crumlin. Crumlin added, “Timing is crucial!<br />
Currently, one U.S. Dollar is worth 6.39 Namibian Dollars. This means that<br />
investment money from the U.S. goes a long way in Namibia. As Africa prepares<br />
for the 2010 World Soccer Cup, this is the perfect time to build a tourist<br />
project, such as the ACC.”<br />
When tourists arrive at the ACC they will have the opportunity to walk<br />
through the African village and interact with natives demonstrating some of<br />
the traditions of their tribe. <strong>The</strong> highlight of the evening is a sunset dinner<br />
filled with the traditional foods of Africa. During dinner, guests are entertained<br />
with a live stage performance featuring song and dance from representatives<br />
of some of the countries 11 different tribes. According to Crumlin,<br />
“It’s like having an African tribesman invite you home for dinner.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> ACC has been endorsed by the Embassy of the Republic of Namibia<br />
in Washington, D.C. as well as representatives from the Namibian government.<br />
Representatives from the various tribes, including the King of Ondonga,<br />
are excited about the opportunity for economic growth in the rural<br />
areas of Namibia. “<strong>The</strong> ACC is a humanitarian effort that gives the Namibian<br />
people a place to tell their story and provides the traditional villager with the<br />
opportunity to earn a respectable salary in a safe environment,” said Crumlin.<br />
<strong>The</strong> PAL Project Inc. is a Mountain View, California-based development<br />
company with offices in the Republic of Namibia, Africa. PAL stands for Project<br />
African Luau. <strong>The</strong> company takes the concept behind the traditional<br />
Hawaiian Luau and redefines it with the traditions of the tribes of Africa. Future<br />
plans include an African Culture Center in Ethiopia.<br />
UGANDA’S DEFENSE MINISTER<br />
PRESENTS TESTIMONY ON<br />
“ENDANGERED CHILDREN”<br />
In written testimony presented on April 26, 2006, to the House International<br />
Relations Subcommittee on Africa, Global Human Rights, and International<br />
Operations, Ugandan Minister of Defense Amama Mbabazi<br />
told Members of Congress about the terrorist threat faced by his country and<br />
its neighbors from the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA):<br />
“<strong>The</strong> Lords Resistance Army (LRA) is one of the most brutal terrorist organizations<br />
the world has known in recent history. This criminal group has<br />
orchestrated a terror campaign against the people of Northern Uganda for the<br />
last 19 years. <strong>The</strong> nature and extent of the heinous crimes perpetrated against<br />
innocent civilians is unparalleled. Atrocities meted out by this group; large<br />
scale massacres, abductions, maiming, mutilation, looting of properties, rape<br />
and defilement of young girls caused untold human suffering. . . . Women<br />
and children bore the brunt of this LRA terror campaign.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> hearing explored the topic “<strong>The</strong> Endangered Children of Northern<br />
Uganda.” Minister Mbabazi said that the Ugandan government has responded<br />
to the threat both militarily and through humanitarian and social programs<br />
designed to rescue and rehabilitate the children who have been victimized<br />
by the terrorists.<br />
“One of the most successful aspects of Uganda People’s Defence Forces<br />
(UPDF) operations against the LRA is the rescue of children this terrorist organisation<br />
has abducted in Northern Uganda. Today over 20,000 children<br />
have been rescued from the LRA by the UPDF. Among the newest are 55<br />
children rescued in different UPDF operations in Pader district who reported<br />
to the Christian Children’s Fellowship (CCF) on Tuesday, 25th April 2006.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se are now receiving psychosocial support and other immediate bodily<br />
needs from the CCF.”<br />
Summarizing his government’s response, Minister Mbabazi stated: “<strong>The</strong><br />
Government of Uganda has a triple challenge in relation to getting these children<br />
back into normal society. <strong>The</strong> first challenge is that of receiving them<br />
and meeting their bodily needs. <strong>The</strong> second challenge is that of re-orienting<br />
the minds of the children many of whom were made to commit atrocities<br />
while the girls were for the most part turned into sex slaves. <strong>The</strong> third challenge<br />
that Government and her partners face with the rescued children is to<br />
provide them with the skills necessary to start a new life.”<br />
Noting that the conflict in northern Uganda is often characterized as “a<br />
forgotten war,” the new Ugandan Ambassador to the United States, Perezi<br />
Kamunanwire, commended the subcommittee chairman, Representative<br />
Christopher Smith (R-N.J.), “for sponsoring a hearing on this important but<br />
often overlooked issue.” He added: “Increased attention in the United<br />
States and other countries,” he said, “can only result in the channeling of<br />
greater resources to address the conflict and to deal with the rehabilitation of<br />
the region when the terrorist threat has been eliminated.”<br />
For more information, visit www.ugandaembassy.com/.<br />
ETHIOPIAN<br />
ENVOY GIVES<br />
“REASONS FOR<br />
OPTIMISM”<br />
TO U.S.<br />
CONGRESSIONAL<br />
COMMITTEE<br />
At a congressional hearing<br />
recently, Ethiopia’s acting<br />
ambassador to the United<br />
States said he is “convinced there<br />
are reasons to be optimistic about<br />
the future.”<br />
In oral testimony and a prepared<br />
statement, His Excellency<br />
Fesseha Asghedom Tessema,<br />
chargé d’affaires at the Ethiopian<br />
Embassy in Washington, told<br />
members of the Subcommittee on<br />
Africa, Global Human Rights, and<br />
International Operations of the<br />
House International Relations<br />
Committee that “democratization<br />
has taken a center stage in the development<br />
discourse of today’s<br />
Ethiopian politics. Despite challenges,<br />
Ethiopia is moving on the<br />
right direction towards democratization.”<br />
Ambassador Fesseha added<br />
that “Ethiopia is experiencing<br />
strong economic growth. Our<br />
gross domestic product grew by<br />
11.5 percent in 2004 and 9 percent<br />
in 2005. Despite drought, the agricultural<br />
sector has grown by 15<br />
percent and exports have grown by<br />
24.5 percent in the past year. <strong>The</strong><br />
primary school enrollment rate,<br />
which was 61 percent in 2000-<br />
2001 grew to 79 percent in 2004-<br />
2005. Coverage of health services<br />
at about the same time grew from<br />
52 to 70 percent. <strong>The</strong> infant mortality<br />
rate (under age five), which<br />
was 167 per 1000 in 2002-2003,<br />
declined to 97 per 1000. <strong>The</strong>re is<br />
a construction boom in Addis<br />
Ababa and other cities, with residences,<br />
offices, retail shops, and<br />
manufacturing facilities being built<br />
at an unprecedented rate.”<br />
Despite aggressive questioning<br />
by members of the subcommittee<br />
about the current political situation<br />
in Ethiopia, Ambassador Fesseha<br />
responded emphatically to concerns<br />
about human rights, democratization,<br />
and the Ethiopian judiciary.<br />
“Ethiopia is learning, through<br />
experience,” he said, about “how<br />
to become a better democracy.<br />
We are pleased that international<br />
observers, such as those from the<br />
Carter Center, agree that Ethiopia<br />
is on the right path. <strong>The</strong> fact that<br />
opposition parties increased their<br />
seats in Parliament from 12 to 172<br />
is evidence of progress, since a robust<br />
democracy depends in large<br />
part on the participation of an active<br />
and loyal opposition, engaging<br />
the majority party in debate, respectfully<br />
challenging the positions<br />
of the Prime Minister and his<br />
cabinet, and helping to hone proposed<br />
legislation into good, strong,<br />
and effective law for the benefit of<br />
all the people.”<br />
<strong>The</strong> full prepared statement of<br />
Ambassador Fesseha is available<br />
for viewing online at www.<br />
ethiopianembassy. org.<br />
HOYER CELEBRATES ASIAN PACIFIC<br />
AMERICAN HERITAGE MONTH<br />
Congressman Steny H. Hoyer (D-MD), a member of the Congressional<br />
Asian Pacific American Caucus, recently released the following statement<br />
in recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month,<br />
which is being celebrated throughout the month of May.<br />
“Earlier this month, I was honored to attend the first ever Congressional<br />
Democratic Asian and Pacific Islander American Leadership Summit, where<br />
House and Senate Democrats met with over 100 Asian Pacific American leaders<br />
from across the nation.<br />
“Under the leadership of Chairman Mike Honda (D-CA), the Congressional<br />
Asian Pacific American Caucus has been an instrumental and influential<br />
partner in working with the Democratic Caucus and leadership here in<br />
Congress.<br />
“During this month, we commemorate the significant contributions that<br />
the Asian American and Pacific Islander community has made to our country.<br />
“<strong>The</strong>re are more than 14 million Asian American and Pacific Islanders in<br />
the United States, including about 300,000 in my home state of Maryland.<br />
Asian Pacific Americans also have the most diverse background of any minority<br />
population, tracing their roots to almost fifty different countries and<br />
ethnic groups.<br />
“Today, Asian Pacific Americans play an important role in every aspect of<br />
American life - as authors and artists, as business leaders, as political leaders,<br />
as military leaders, as scientists and innovators, as athletes, and in virtually<br />
every other aspect of American society.<br />
“In addition to recognizing the important role that Asian Pacific Americans<br />
play in our country, this month’s celebration is also a time to remember<br />
significant historical contributions that Asian Pacific Americans have made to<br />
our nation. From the construction of our transcontinental railroads to defending<br />
the United States in times of war, Asian Pacific Americans have contributed<br />
greatly to the American tapestry.<br />
“I am pleased Americans have so much to benefit as a result of our diverse<br />
society. We continue to learn from each other and share each other’s traditions,<br />
history, and culture.<br />
“That is why it gives me great pleasure today to recognize the significant<br />
advances and contributions made by the Asian Pacific American Community<br />
to our country during Asian Pacific Heritage Month.”<br />
UNIVERSOUL CIRCUS 2006—<br />
DISCOVER THE JOY<br />
UniverSoul Circus is staging its<br />
largest most ambitious production<br />
ever in its 13th touring<br />
season, breaking new ground once<br />
again with the premier of soulful center<br />
ring Ice Skaters, a brand new Ringmaster,<br />
the return of Ringmaster’s<br />
sidekick Zeke. UniverSoul Circus<br />
plays the Washington area at Capital<br />
Plaza Mall in Landover Hills, Md.,<br />
May 31-June 18.<br />
“It’s cool, it’s fresh, its urban,” explains<br />
UniverSoul Founder and President<br />
Cedric Walker. “It’s more than a<br />
satisfying experience.”<br />
UniverSoul Circus opens in Landover<br />
Hills May 31 thru June 18 at<br />
Capital Plaza Mall, 6200 Annapolis<br />
Rd. Tickets, ranging from $10 to $35,<br />
are on sale now via Ticketmaster.<br />
Group sales are available by calling<br />
800-316-7439. Show times: Opening<br />
night 7:30p.m.; Tuesdays thru Fridays<br />
10:30a.m. and 7:30p.m.; Saturdays<br />
12 noon; 4:30p.m. and 8p.m.;<br />
Sundays 1p.m., 4p.m. and 7p.m.<br />
With acts<br />
from North<br />
America,<br />
South America,<br />
Africa, Asia, Europe, and the<br />
Caribbean, UniverSoul has sought to<br />
infuse center ring with a new energy<br />
and vitality that appeals to urban (and<br />
suburban) America. <strong>The</strong> array of cultures<br />
and talent underneath the Univer-<br />
Soul Circus big top includes new acts<br />
from China, Ethiopia and France.<br />
New in 2006, UniverSoul Circus<br />
welcomes Tony Tone, one of the fastest<br />
rising comedians in America today—<br />
as its new Ringmaster. Tone, a master<br />
impressionist, has opened for Jamie<br />
Foxx, Chris Rock and Dave Chapelle,<br />
among many others. He has appeared<br />
on such shows as HBO’s Def Comedy<br />
Jam and BET’s Comicview.<br />
Zeke, an original member of UniverSoul<br />
Circus, is returning to a familiar<br />
role—as the beloved Ringmaster’s<br />
Sidekick.<br />
“This is a show created especially<br />
produced for everyone’s enjoyment,”<br />
said Walker. “Good, clean, fast paced,<br />
non-stop, family fun does not discriminate.<br />
My worldwide search for young,<br />
cross cultural talent continues to reap<br />
great rewards for the circus and its audience.<br />
<strong>The</strong>se acts are amazing!”<br />
For more information visit www.<br />
universoulcircus.com.<br />
6 THE METRO HERALD