Re: GIA/SFL

[Guest guest]

I am happy to HEAR that mia facilitated generous donations to programs in

Africa, and would be interested to hear more details from others about that,

as I know nothing about it.

But doesn't her rhetoric strike an odd note? I believe that in an

international forum such as this, all are entitled to ask questions of one

another. If we, who live in extremely different circumstances and cultures,

do not ask questions, how would we ever learn about each other? When

questions were addressed to her, she became extremely defensive. She

consistently refuses to supply any details. She now says she is NOT a

spokesperson for GIA/SFL, but consistently has said that she has passed our

messages along to Bonnie Marshall, who founded and is allegedly the major

financial donor for GIA/SFL. The GIA/SFL web site shows photos of Ms.

Marshall with the King of Swaziland.

The GIA/SFL site describes an orphan village initiative in Swaziland. So I

inquired about that. Is it really happening? Or do certain organization

people go to photo opportunity social events with government figures so that

all can LOOK like they're doing something?

Read the story below about the King of Swaziland. The rhetoric he ends with

matches Mia's

style!

I trust that any Kenyan program financially aided by GIA/SFL has direct

communication access to

GIA/SFL and I cannot imagine that you would be deprived of funds just

because Mia has had a fit of verbal pique on the list and decided

to unsubscribe. Wouldn't it be sad if that organization actually punished

Africans for daring to participate in an international email forum as equals

in conversation?

Wouldn't it be great if government leaders would lead......or follow.....or

at least get out of the way?

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28 January - Schoolchildren in Swaziland are finally let to attend school

after the absolute monarch, King Mswati III, had deferred the reopening of

schools by a week. The Swazi children first had to finish weeding in the

royal fields. Meanwhile, the King is meeting growing critiques on his

increasingly controversial politics.

Swazi school were supposed to reopen on Monday, 19 January, after seasonal

vacations. This was however promptly denied by King Mswati, who first

postponed the reopening by one week to enable schoolboys " to complete royal

duties assigned to them by the King. " These " royal duties " in practical

terms were the weeding of the royal fields.

Following yet another postponement, Swazi schools finally reopened their

doors yesterday as the children had weeded all the King's fields. Weeding

the royal fields marks the end of the annual sacred Swazi Incwala ceremony,

which begins with the eating of the first fruit.

More than 30,000 students and their parents were affected, as they had

already prepared to send their children to school last Tuesday, only to be

told that the buildings would remain closed for a further week.

- I have no problem with culture, but it should be dynamic and must not

supersede daily routines that makes the country tick, commented

Masuku, the leader of Swaziland's opposition and a parent, according to the

UK-based Local Government International Bureau (LGIB). " Such behaviour

deserves to be condemned at all costs. This is a clear sign of absolute

dictatorship, " added Mr Masuku.

Palace functionaries however maintained the decision to open the schools

late was taken by the Ministry of Education, but opposition groups dismissed

that claim.

- Government agencies work at the behest of the palace, an opposition member

told UN agencies in Mbabane. " If King Mswati knew about the disruption of

the school year and, if he were at all concerned, he could have ordered the

schools open, " he added.

The Swazi opposition further took note that King Mswati's children attend

private schools, which were not affected by the delay in the reopening of

public schools. Three of the King's children, attend private schools in

London.

The Swazi government however further puts the blame for the poor situation

of the country's pupils and students on others than itself. The Minister of

Education, Constance Simelane, recently publicly ordered schools to admit

orphans and the poor without paying, in a bid to demonstrate her vigour.

This was however rejected as impossible by the Head Teachers' Association of

Swaziland, which noted that no extra funding had been provided. The

association told the 'Times of Swaziland' that following the Ministry's

promise of free education last year, most schools were promised money. This

had however never arrived.

The dispositions of King Mswati have been increasingly noted internationally

during the last few years as the Kingdom is experiencing a crisis provoked

by years of drought, high HIV infection rates and spreading poverty.

Swaziland is increasingly dependent on foreign aid and donations, a fact

that has not prevented the King from boosting his private spending.

King Mswati made headlines in 2002, as he was to spend government funds,

exceeding the national health budget, on a luxury jet aircraft for personal

representation use. The decision caused protests among donors, funding

agencies and within the government of Swaziland.

During the last month, the Swazi King again made headlines by ordering the

construction of eleven palaces, one for each of his royal wives. This was

known as it became clear that yet another harvest would fail due to drought

in the Kingdom, thus making the Swazi population dependent on food aid yet

another year.

The lack of democracy and labour rights also has given the Swazi palace much

unwanted international attention during the last years. Trade unions and

opposition parties have been illegalised as they have protested the King's

absolute powers. International support to these protests has contributed to

the ongoing legal reforms, which foresee a Swazi constitution.

King Mswati reacted to these developments this weekend while delivering his

annual speech on the state of the Kingdom. He commented that Swazis who

aired the nation's problems, meaning the opposition and the media, " might

seem like heroes in their own eyes, but they are mocking themselves. "

The King added that these " cowardly messengers " that were " tarnishing " the

Kingdom's international image would " live shortened lives " because they had

incurred the wrath of God and the ancestral spirits, UN agencies in Mbabane

report. He made no reference to the AIDS crisis, the ongoing drought and

spreading poverty in his state of the Kingdom speech.

By staff writer

© afrol News

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>From: " " <xhayes@...>

>Reply-AIDS treatments

>AIDS treatments

>Subject: Re: Re: GIA/SFL

>Date: Wed, 07 Jul 2004 02:05:25 -0400

>

>This web site language sounds wonderful. July of what year? Has a village

>been built? What location in Swaziland? Is there a contact or authority in

>Swaziland that can be consulted for details and verification?

>

>

>Boston, Massachusetts, USA

>

>******************************************************************************

>

>http://www.globalinitiativeonaids.org/response.htm

>

>In July, the Global Initiative on AIDS in Africa announced its plan to

>build

>the first in a series of " Whole Life Children's Villages " for the continent

>of Africa, in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

>

>The village will be self contained and will consist of every service and

>opportunity a child will need to grow and develop into a successful,

>productive, respectable, responsible and caring adult. The villages will be

>a place where children will receive superior academic, physical and moral

>education. There will be technology, agricultural and horticultural

>training

>centers, a trade school for learning: computer repair, electronics,

>electrical contracting, building and carpentry and others.

>

>The center will house a performing arts center and complete sports training

>complex and physical fitness facility. Movie theater, playgrounds, Olympic

>training pool and soccer fields are planned for all of the primary centers.

>There will be apartments for families who are facing their final days, to

>come and visit the centers with their children. This will enable them to

>experience the center and meet the people who will be caring for their

>children. Friends and family who live far away may also book accommodations

>in the village to visit the children.

>

>The GIAA recognizes that we cannot address all of the problems that exist

>with the HIV/AIDS pandemic in Africa. But, we are committed to helping as

>many parents die with as much dignity and peace as possible. Knowing that

>their children will not be left to the streets is one small, human,

>compassionate effort that we can take to ease the pain of this pandemic.