Today, June 19th, 2021, the US celebrated, for the first time,  Juneteenth as a National Holiday. The celebration follows the event held on Thursday, June 17, 2020,  when US President Joe Biden signed a bill into law, making June 19 a national holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved black Americans.

The signature event was attended by Opal Lee. Opal Lee, affectionately known as the grandmother of Juneteenth by Blacks and those concerned who have been following her fight, is 94 years-old.

On May 31 and June 1, 1921, a systematic massacre of Blacks lasted more than sixteeen hours in Tulsa, Oklahoma. On June 1, 2021, US President Joe Biden became the first president of the US history to officially honor the victims and to promise changes. He was commemorating the 100th Anniversary in Tulsa, Oklahoma. During his remarks, he said that he was filling the silence that has lasted a century, raised the major problem of white supremacy in teh US, and announced initiatives to address racial injustice, racial inequalities, and economic bias againt the Blacks and  Brown people in the US.

Ms. Darnella Frazier filmed the video of the policeman killing George Floyd

Ms. Darnella Frazier filmed the video of the policeman killing George Floyd

Rwandan activist  Ms Yvonne Idamange Iryamugwiza was arrested by Rwandan national police, known as RNB, in the evening of February 15, 2021. She was accused of and condemned for inciting an uprising, publication of rumours, intentional assault and battery, genocide denial,  and blocking the enforcement of government orders.  In early 2021, Ms Yvonne Idamange Iryamugwiza  became suddenly a prominent activist after she made statements and recorded videos that went viral on social media, pointing to widespread assassinations  and disappearances of opposition leaders and government critics and abuses, corruption and other massacres by the Rwandan governent and military and the ailing Rwandan dictator General Paul Kagame (see AfroAmerica Network here:Rwanda: Opinion on Yvonne Iryamugwiza Idamange's Farewell Address). Her arrest  and condemnation for just expressing opinions have been widely criticized by activists around the World.

Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, one of the Rwandan military heroes who fought against the rebel forces seeking to reinstall a repressive ethnic monarchy following the Rwandan independance, has died. He was 80 years old.  Colonel Theoneste Bagosora was in detention in Bamako, the country of Mali, West Africa,  after a widely controversial sentence to 35 years  in prison by the International Criminal Tribunal on Rwanda (ICTR) for crimes of genocide and wars crimes  allegedly committed during the 1990-1994 Rwandan civil war.   Accused of being one of the top leaders during the 1990-1994 Rwandan civil war and genocide,  Colonel Theoneste Bagosora, during  lenghty trials, mistrials, unproven accusations, acquittals, and retrials, was finally sentenced, despite obvious lack of evidences and merits.  According to sources close to the family, Colonel Bagosora died of natural death, after a visit by his family members and with the hope of overdue justice in Rwanda and for all Rwandans.

This year some African dictators were deposed or killed. Those deposed include Malian President Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta and Guinean President Alpha Condé.  Chadian President Idriss Déby was killed. Meawhile, many African dictators remain in power, including some already featured among AfroAmerica Network African ruthless dictators of 2018 (see AfroAmerica Network African Dictators Who Mattered In 2018: Congolese Joseph Kabila, Rwandan Paul Kagame, Ugandan Yoweri Museveni of Dec 27, 2018). New dictators are also joining the ranks.

The government of Rwanda has to immediately release a Rwandan opposition leader, Paul Rusesabagina, held in prison after being kidnapped, detained in abusive conditions, denied of legal representation and fair trial, and unnjustly condemned to 25 years and to ensure his safe return to his country of residence, The European Parliament representatives (MEPs)  has concluded.

The conclusion was reached following a plenary debate on Thursday October 7, 2021 by MEPs. The MEPs adopted a resolution against the actions of the Rwandan government, by 660 votes in favour, 2 against and 18 abstentions.

On May 26-27, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Rwanda. During the visit, questions were raised on why the sudden visit to Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, after more than 25 years of overt diplomatic and economic conflicts. Then AfroAmerica Network sources close to the Rwandan and Mozambican governments provided some information on the reason behind the rapprochement: the on-going civil war in Mozambique. After the visit, Rwandan troops, in which French troops are allegedy embedded, deployed into Mozambique (see: France-Rwanda-Mozambique: Paul Kagame Deploys Troops to Mozambique Following Visit by French President Emmanuel Macron). However there is more. As one of the favors for his help in Mozambique, Paul Kagame transmitted a list of people living in France and wanted by the Rwandan government.  The list, viewed by AfroAmerica Network sources close to Paul Kagame's high office,  is complex and includes three virtual groups: the known names of those under prosecution in French courts and hence expected,  unexpected names of those accused of various crimes, and misleading names.

On May 26-27, 2021, French President Emmanuel Macron visited Rwanda. During the visit,  Emmanuel Macron said that France bore overwhelming responsibilities  in 1990-1994 Rwandan civil war.  Falling short of fully admitting responsiblities, questions were raised on why the sudden visit to Rwandan dictator Paul Kagame, after more than 25 years of overt diplomatic and economic conflicts.   Hence a lingering question remained: why the sudden drive to improve the diplomatic relations after so many years of conflict? AfroAmerica Network sources close to the Rwandan and Mozambican governments have provided some information on the reason behind the rapprochement:  the on-going civil war in Mozambique.

The Model ASEAN Meeting 2015 organised by the ASEAN Foundation promises an authentic experience to understand ASEAN.

General Electric is planning to move 500 jobs overseas, citing the Export-Import Bank expiration.

Hong Kong authorities have charged three leaders of last fall’s massive pro-democracy demonstrations with offenses .

The Rwandan Government is considering sending demobilized Rwandan Defenses Forces (RDF) soldiers and surrendered former Rwandan rebels to prop troops fighting in Yemen up, sources in Kigali tell AfroAmerica Network. According to the sources, the agreement is still under discussion between Rwandan officials and  negotiators from the coalition in the Middle East fighting

"In that regard, we need to unite. We need to show global solidarity to address the common enemy of ISIL, Daesh, some other extremists and terrorist groups ... [we] highly commended the leadership of the Russian Federation together with the United States to address some of the root causes of terrorism," the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said, during the Annual East Asia Summit in Kuala Lumpur, calling on Russia and the United States to join their efforts to combat terrorism.

EU interior ministers have approved a controversial plan to relocate 120,000 migrants across the continent over the next two years.

Fidel Castro, the former Revolutionary leader of Cuba has died. The news was announced by his brother Raoul Castro, the current leader of Cuba. 

"The commander in chief of the Cuban revolution died at 22:29 hours this evening," President Raul Castro said on Friday, November 25, 2016.

President Raoul Castro said, in a message to the Cuban nation the nation broadcasted on state television that Fidel Castro had died and will  be cremated on Saturday, November 26,

Is the longest running war in the Americas finally ending? Six weeks after the previous deal was rejected by the popular vote, the two opponents , Colombia’s government and the largest rebel group in the country, known as  

The longest running war in the Americas was supposed to end last week. Unfortunately, Colombians narrowly rejected the deal in a vote  on Oct 2, 2016, resetting the clock for further negotiations. Despite the setback, today on Oct 7, 2016, Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the 52-year conflict.