The International Magazine of CAJ

From the Editor

usan EXPO 2030 Site Explored at Night, written by Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, President, Asia Journalist Association, explores how the Korean city is getting

ready to host the global event. The writer was invited to give the inauguration speech of Foreign Journalists Forum for 2030 Busan World Expo, as he had in mind a fact that winning the honor to host needs more than being financially and technologically ready. Rather, it is true that looking beyond typicality is needed to compete, not only in Asia, but also acrosstheworld.

Journalists visited the huge space of construction. It belonged to the old sea port, and by 2025 it will be ready with its plan of recycled pavilions to each participating countries who will choose designs to be applied for World Expo in 2030. Ten years later from the first transformation, 2035, the site will be transformed again into two mega projects; a public park and a new city! The full moon above us was the only source of lightinaskydottedwithstarsanddreams.

The writer presented the special issue of the Silk Road Literature Magazine, which focused on Busan?s efforts to host the 2030 World Expo.His speech explained the scene in the Gulf states; Saudi Arabia?s presidency of the 2020 G20, the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 to be played from 20 November to 18 December 2022 in Qatar showcase the region?s ongoing efforts to attract international investments in different categories. He wrote: ?It is important for Korean companies to be aware of GCC market and the mentality of its potential customers, and added some notes on perfect themes to use in this region for better and effective media promotion ?Away of the modern mask of these relatively new societies, they keep hidden their tribal, traditional and religious identities. If any of these identities are badly or seriously affected, it could gain a dangerously destroying feedback. For an example, a new movie by Pixar, Disney, was banned in Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E.and Kuwait, among other West Asia territories, due to the inclusion of a samesexkissinthe"ToyStory" spinoff writesAshraf.

This is our cover story for this edition. Also in the edition, our readers will read about the Eswatini King Mswati III's suppression of freedom of speech and how the royal government of the tiny southern African country incaceseratted the actors of change and otherinterestingstories.

Busan Expo 2030 SiteExplored at Night

By: Ashraf Aboul-Yazid, President, Asia Journalists Association

The Korean coastal city is ready to transform with the world making the

Expo a memorable event for people around the world. The city’s bid to host will greatly impact the country with the generation of economic value that’s twice to even thrice of the Olympic Games or World Cup, positioning the southern region to be at par with Korea’s capital of Seoul.

WhenIwasinvitedtogivetheinaugurationspeechof Foreign Journalists Forum for 2030 Busan World Expo, I had in mind a fact that winning the honor to

host this global event needs more than being financially and technologically ready. Rather, it is true that looking beyond typicality is needed to compete, not only in Asia, but also acrosstheworld.

ArrivingatBusanbyKTX,wevisitedthe2030BusanWorld Expo Site, a visit organized by Busan City We went up to a

Free Press, Great Africa

terrace overlooking the huge space of constructio n. It belonged to the old sea port, and by 2025 it will be ready with its plan of recycled pavilions to each participatin g countries who will choose designs to be applied

Exchanging gift and the Silk Road Literature Magazine with Busan City Officials

for World Expo in 2030. Ten years later from the first transformation, 2035, the site will be transformed again into twomegaprojects;apublicparkandanewcity!Thefullmoon above us was the only source of light in a sky dotted with stars anddreams.

Busan City officials honored me, being the head of foreign journalists who participate in 2030 BusanWorld Expo Forum. I also presented the special issue of the Silk Road Literature Magazine, which focused on Busan’s efforts to host the 2030 WorldExpo.

My speech explained the scene in the Gulf states; Saudi Arabia’s presidency of the 2020 G20, the Expo 2020 in Dubai and the FIFA World Cup - Qatar 2022 to be played from 20 November to 18 December 2022 in Qatar showcase the region’s ongoing efforts to attract international investments in differentcategories.

This progress is also reflected in the lives of the citizens of the GCC.Aglance at the World Bank figures before Covid-19 years on population (in Millions) and Gross National Income Per Capita (in USD), we find Bahrain (1.6 m) with 44,620 USD , Kuwait (4.2 m) with 83,390 USD , Qatar (2.8 m) with 124, 130 USD, Oman (5.0 m) with 41,230 USD, SaudiArabia (34.2m)with55,650USDandUAE(9.7m)with75,300USD asGNIPC.

Looking at the GCC market, I choose to observe the auto category as a real mirror of consumption. By the end of the 20th century, Korean cars shared 24% of the GCC auto market.Adecade later, Chinese cars invaded the Gulf market. Low and medium-income customers find greater bang for

their buck in imports from the Far Eastern superpower The spread of Chinese-made cars has become noticeable in the streets of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries over the past two years. Sales of these vehicles have increased dramatically at the expense of established brands, reaching 35% growth in some Gulf countries. According to semiofficialdata,Chinese-madecarsaccountedfor10%to15%of sales in the GCC during 2021, outperforming many traditional manufacturers. This shows that rich customers couldalsoseekandbuycheaperservicesanditems.

ThisisimportantforKoreancompaniestobeawareofGCC market and the mentality of its potential customers. I could add some notes on perfect themes to use in this region for better and effective media promotion: a way of the modern

Free Press, Great Africa

BTS Concert in Busan

Busan North Port Redevelopment Public Fability View.

Photo: Busan City

mask of these relatively new societies, they keep hidden their tribal, traditional and religious identities. If any of these identities are badly or seriously affected, it could gain a dangerously destroying feedback. For a example, a new movie by Pixar, Disney, was banned in Saudi Arabia, the U.A.E. and Kuwait, among other WestAsia territories, due to theinclusionofasamesexkissintheToyStoryspinoff.

The modern life enjoyed by GCC’s peoples is totally imported, as luxury means are all manufactured abroad. But it could be better promoting these means through eastern and Arabian themes: FlyYour Magical Carpet to Busan EXPO, or Find Your Arabian Night Story in Busan EXPO. The customers are also fond of beingThe First in any category: Be the First Busan EXPO Visitor, Ambassador, Participant, Collector,andArtistandsoon.

I believe that the best way to promote Busan EXPO is giving the chance for everyone to feel that Busan EXPO is his own project, or his private dream: Busan EXPO - Rediscover Yourself with Us. Imagine a promo of a boy in a traditional wear who collects few seashells on any Gulf beach, dreaming of magical seashells, then a narrative voice telling him: Your Magical Seashell Awaits You at Busan Beach. The boy could be a girl in another promotion - acts with her dolls, and becomes a star in Busan city which is famous of its internationalcinemafestival,similarstoriesareendless.

The whole GCC region knows well the culture of tent. They lived in tents for centuries, but they still use in entertainment and sports (One of FIFAQatarWC stadiums has the shape of a tent). So make Busan EXPO call is: Come and build your future tent here in Busan EXPO. Pavilions are global tents full ofsurprises.

Finally, while English is certainly used in GCC business and

other aspects of life, Arabic is a must in the message addressed to these regions, poetic messages rhymed are the best to speak in thesepromotions (Local singers with millions of Fans are the best to utilize in a musical promo). It is better to have Arabic wise proverbs, as well. Seeking the local sense to avoidbeingstrange.

The host country will be decided in a year. It is currently competing, but when the venue is decided, the Gulf country Saudi Arabia can no longer be a competitor to Korea, but a partner and customer. Modern Gulf state have nostalgia for the cultural storytelling that underlines their identity. If Busan adds its own story to Gulf’s story, Busan will be able to attract and promote Busan Expo more efficiently against Gulf countries. For the moments yet to come, World Expo 2030 will come to Busan. The Korean coastal city is ready to transform with the world making the Expo a memorable event for people around the world. The city’s bid to host will greatly impact the country with the generation of economic value that’s twice to even thrice of the Olympic Games or World Cup, positioning the southern region to be at par with Korea’s capital of Seoul. The expo is also poised to offer South Korea a springboard to join the world’s top seven economic superpowers. Hosting World Expo 2030, Busan will further the national interests and become a great driving forceforbalancednationaldevelopment.

Sitting on the southeastern tip of the Korean Peninsula, the coastal city of Busan is the second largest metropolis in Korea, as well as being the fifth busiest port in the world. Once a little fishing village, and now becoming a mega city, Busantrulypositionsitselftobeatthecenterofanothergreat transformation.

From the mouth of a miracle, in the Korean Peninsula, a tongue will stick out. Flaunt at its tip a drop of honey, in the nameofBusan.

Itgaveme-onourfirsttripasouvenirthatresidesinheart; Amagic drop which slept in the seas of the world to wake up herebythemagicofthecity’sbeaches

To paint in the future with waves widening and dance in colors:

Here is a boy caressing shells in somewhere as Busan gives himpearlseverywhere.

And a girl who is acting with her doll to appear on the Festival’sscreen.

I am the traveler from Gamcheon Village to Nakdong River andMt.Jangsan

Alover throws the stone of the future into the water as waves ofdreamswon’tstopofwideningagainandagain

Visiting the site of construction for Busan Expo 2030 at night

The night view of Busan Metropolitan City

The Silk Road Literature Magazine

FEATURES

Advances and Setbacks in Angolan Journalism

By: Manuel Camalata

When the President of the Congress of African Journalists,MichaelAdeboboye,requestedmeto prepare an article for the next edition of the CAJ

Magazine to highlight the gains thatAngolan journalism have been registering in recent years, such as the approval of the new communication legislation,theimplementation of the Professional Journalist Cardanditseffectiveentryinto force, the implementation of the occupational qualifier, through which the salary remuneration of the class began to present some justice, the fact that the media in the country already being managedbyjournalists,aswell as the visible openness of government officials towards themedia.

I also thought of highlighting the various training sessions that governmental institutions and others provide to journalists, especially in the country'scapital,Luanda.

The government itself has already opened up more doors, and with the empowerment of the Institutional Communication and Press Offices (GCII), which begins at the Presidency of the Republic itself, passes through the ministerial departments and ends at the Municipal Administration. What is commendable in all of this is the fact that these offices are working with communication professionals with recognised passages in journalism, thus going against the old habits of communication advisors being professionals from other areas, with emphasis on politics and management, and whose mission more seemed to be to make the work of journalists more difficult, which is simply to informsocietyaboutmattersofpublicinterest.

However, in November 2022, we were all surprised by a public denunciation of a threat against the Secretary General of the Union of Angolan Journalists and the theft of the computer at the headquarters of the Union's office, without any break-in, however, returned hours later outside of the writer, before a second robbery in which the target was again the same computer. However, to this day the crime has not yet beenclarified.

Threats to journalists constitute, in my opinion, an action that is repugnant in all respects, but above all shameful, as there is no one who does not use them to remain sociable. Journalism - the fourth power as someone once called it - is a profession of high responsibility, as it is through it that we inform and socialize and even learn new things. The

evolution, the improvement of the standard of living, only make sense because of the existence of the media and journalists who bring us the best experiences.Who, among us free humans, does not take time out during the day to watch, read,followthenewsoftheday,tofindoutwhatisgoingonor has happened around them and in the world through Radio, Television,Newspapersornewmedia?

Also in November and December 2022, in Benguela and Luanda, journalists were physically attacked by police officers. The first, when trying to sensitize an agent of the forces to a better approach to a street vendor, while those in Luanda, a total of 9 professionals were attacked in full professionalpractice,whencoveringademonstration.

Theseactionsmotivatedtheideaofaprotestmarchcalledby the Union of Angolan Journalists for Saturday, December 17th in Luanda, the first march of journalists in the recent historyofAngola.

Could it be that the respect that was seen for journalists, where it was the police officers who protected journalists in coverageofdemonstrationsan illusion?

Angolan journalists in a protest

TOURISM

H Mountain

quickly...stoppedafewmomentsto catch my breath and also to help other hikers. The climb was physically draining, but I kept at it, leaping from boulder to boulder, jumping over gullies, crawling sometimes and holding onto tree stumps. My legs became a little wobbly...to aid my balance, I snapped a twig off a tree, which cameinhandyasmytrekkingpole.

I soldiered on and summited in about 45 minutes. "You made it!" The frontrunners cheered. Friends hugged and high-fived. Summiteers took great photos framed by an outsize photo frame standing sentinel on top of Afadja. The view was breathtaking and all greentomyheart'scontent.Partsof neighnouring Togo was in sight, as Afadja stood right on the border of Ghana and Togo. After

By: Dela Ahiawor

MountAfadja,thehighestmountaininGhana,better known as Mount Afadjato is best suited for

outdoor pursuits such as, hiking, climbing and wildlifeogling.

These days, Mt.Afadja is where everyone wants to go hiking in Ghana. But getting to the peak at 885m (2,904 ft)- is an enervating exercise up a steep and rugged trail. Takes about (45 minutes to 1 hour) for the fit hiker to climb and about 2 hours30minutesfortheunfit.

Indeed, hiking in Ghana has never been more popular. It's a rising passion now among the youth. Besides, corporate entities are encouraging hiking, aiming to boost employee health, productivity and well-being. As a result, hiking trails aregettingcrowdedonweekendsandpublicholidayslately.

No wonder, this year's Farmer's Day in Ghana, December 2, presented the opportunity for journalists/ editors of the MTN Media Republic in Ghana to hit the trails at Mt. Afadja. This writer, joined the MTN Media Republic on the trip- a bus ride ofabout4hours30minutesfromGhana'scapitalcity,Accra.

Once we arrived at the Gbledi-Gbogame end of Mt.Afadja, we limbered up for a couple of minutes, posed for a group photobeforedisappearingintothetrails.

Fair to say, it was a walk in nature. Beautiful! However, I knew I was at the mercy of the elements, the uneven trail, the forestandallthatlurkedinit.

Thetrailwasrugged,steepandunevenwithslipperyslopes.I came a cropper once on the ascent. But sprung to my feet

taking 30 minutes rest, I refreshed myself with water before tacklingthedownwardtrail.

Surprisingly, the descent trail was more steeper and rugged. The pain in my thighs and legs increased. My shoes chafed the skin on my feet really bad- so, I was more careful with every step I took. My legs became more wobbly. But, I persevered until I reached the bottom of Afadja, this time at the Liati- Wote end. "Now, I have conquered Afadja!" I exclaimed.Next,Kilimanjaro!

Mount Afadja, Ghana's tourism icon is about 178 Km northeast of Accra and located in Liati- Wote and GblediGbogame near Hohoe in the Volta region of Ghana. It attracts hikingtoursandmanytouristsacrosstheglobeallyearround.

Free Press, Great Africa

Rwanda Bribery Index Dents Gaps

By: Daniel Sabiiti

The 2022 Rwanda Bribery Index (RBI) has showed that the Traffic Police

and Utilities Services are among the top areas where bribery is still common despite national zerocorruption efforts, thus negatively impacting on citizen’s perception on existing anticorruptionefforts.

The 12th edition of the Rwanda Bribery Index' (RBI) was published by Transparency International (T.I Rwanda) on Wednesday,December7,2022.

The report showed the Rwanda National Police Traffic Department had 16.4%, Local Government, 10.6%, Rwanda Energy Group (REG)- 10.4%, the Water and Sanitation Corporation (WASAC Ltd) 10.2% bribery encounters (corruption) based on the services they deliver and direct encounter with the populationneedingtheservices.

RBI is an annual report that aims to show the extent of corruption in Rwanda, its causes and the level it has reached in the country.

Rwanda is the 52 least corrupt nations out of 180 countries, according to the 2021 Corruption Perceptions Index reported by Transparency International (TI) which also shows that Rwanda dropped slightly from the previous position (49) in 2020 despiteanimprovedtrendbetweentheyears2005/2021.

The2022surveywasconductedinall4provincesofRwanda and City of Kigali in 11 quasi-randomly selected districts with 2,475 respondents as the sample size. 58.8% of the respondents were men while women count 41.2%. 64.1% respondentsareruraldwellerswhile35.9%liveinurbanareas.

The RBI shows a trend of the perception on the current state of corruption in Rwanda (in the last four years) as increasing

and stands at 22.10% in 2022 compared to 13.30% in 2019, however the trend about the government’s efforts in the fight against corruption declined from 29.20% in 2020 to 22.30% inthisyear

Overall, the report showed that though the majority of Rwandans (70.2% in 202) commend the effectiveness of the government’s efforts in the fight against corruption, since outbreak of Covid-19, the perception of effectiveness has

Free Press, Great Africa

Paul Kagame: President, Rwanda

slightly decreased from 81.9% in 2019 to 75.9% in 2020, 71.9%in2021and70.2%in2022.

As revealed by RBI 2022, over the last 12 months, 29.10% of Rwandans directly or indirectly demanded or offered a bribe in an interaction with an institution. Compared to the previous editions (before Covid-19), this bribe encounter has increased by 10.60% in the last three years from 18.50% in 2019 (before Covid-19) to 19.20% in 2020, 22.90% in 2021 and 29.10%in2022.

RBI findings have been the benchmark to TI-RW’s advocacy activities geared towards influencing positive systemic change in the fight against corruption and promotion of good governance in Rwanda, said Marie Immacule Ingabire, ChairpersonofTI-RW.

“At this juncture, we commend the progress and efforts made by the government of Rwanda in the fight againstcorruption” Ingabiresaid.

SOURCE: TRADING ECONOMICS

This is not only depicted in RBI findings but it is also evidenced by other various corruption surveys such as the Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index (CPI) that ranks Rwanda the fourth in Africa with 53% score,theEastAfricaBriberyIndex(EABI)andmanyothers.

Keyspecifics:

The survey also indicates that the private sector and traffic policehaveregisteredthehighestlikelihoodandprevalenceof bribe with 21.20% and 16.40% of likelihood; and 10.20% and 8.30%ofprevalencerespectively.

While the national prevalence of bribe stands at 4.50% in 2022 from 2.30% in 2021, 2.50% in 2020 and 2% in 2019, the findings reveal that the prevalence of bribe has particularly kept increasing in the Private Sector (from 4.23% in 2019 to 7%in2020,9.78%in2021and10.20%in2022).

On likelihood of encountering bribes while seeking services,payingbribeinthelocalgovernmentinordertobuild a house disallowed by the master plan or preventing District Administration Security Support Organ (DASSO) from demolishing a house comes first with highest likelihood (71.40%).

The likelihood also stands at 69.50% to get a job in the private sector, speeding the process to get electricity in your home (66.60%), getting a construction permit in the local government (65.80%), while speeding up the WASAC

With regard to bribe occurrences among the business community (SDG 16.5.1 and SDG 16.5.2), the study indicates that at least 23.5% of business people were demanded to pay bribe in 2022 and 12.8% of them ended up paying it. Among those who paid, 33.9% of them paid it for businesspurposes.

Thereportunderpinsthatalowlevelofreportingremainsto be among the challenges impeding the fight against corruption.

The findings reveal that 87.5% did not report corruption cases encountered (from 89.4% in 2021). The main reasons providedwerethat“itdidnotoccurtomethatIshouldreport” (26.5%), Fear of self-incrimination (23.8%), and they knew no action would be taken even if they reported corruption (18.7%).

According to the findings, 44.3% of reported cases did not see any action while 10.1% respondents who reported said theywerenotsatisfiedwithactionstaken.

“It’s up to all anti-corruption stakeholders to collaborate and make sure that the level of reporting increases because it is still low. In so doing, there is a need of making citizens aware of the new anti-corruption law and whistle blower protection law”saidApollinaireMupiganyi,TI-RwExecutiveDirector

INTERVIEW

Our Goal is to Ensure a Tanzania Embracing Free Press - Nsokolo

Deogratius Nsokolo is a Tanzanian journalist. He is the President of the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC). In this interview with Mutayoba Arbogast, a Congress of African Journalists correspondent in Tanzania. Nsokolo talks about the strength of UTPC in Tanzania, the mandate of the organisation, challenges, gains and other interesting issues. Excerpts:

MrPresident,thisisCAJInternational Magazine published by Congr African Journalists; an Organisation of Journalists ofAfrican origin all over the world. The organisation has its headquarters in Nigeria and fully registered with the Corporate Commission. CAJ objectives include; advocacy for journalists/media rights, pressfreedom,trainingofmembersfor professional advancement, networking, publications among others. CAJ has networks in over different African countries and diaspora. I, MutayobaArbogast, is the correspondent for the international magazine in Tanzania. Could you please introduce yourself and your organisation?

MynameisDeogratiusNsokolo. journalist and the President of the Union of Tanzania Press Clubs (UTPC).

is an umbrella organisation that brings together 28 regional press clubs in Tanzania. Our mission is to empower journalists in the country so that they can improve on their reportage, and hence contribute to regional development effectivelyaswellasthecountryatlar

What are the mandates, and impact of yourorganisationinTanzania?

Our goal is a democratic Tanzania, fully embracing a free, independent and strong media. Others are; promoting professionalism of members, Economic empowerment of members, social interaction - Press Clubs act as a social interaction centres for social engagement between journalists on one hand, and the general public on the other. UTPC promotes right to information, regional development, increase of public trust in media and improving ethical standards among several other objectives.

UTPC is formed by regional press clubs in 28 regions of TanzaniamainlandandZanzibar,whichmeansyouwork withalmostalljournalistsalloverthecountry.Howmany membersdoyouhave?

UTPC has more than 1,400 journalists members all over

Nsokolo: President, UTPC

INTERVIEW

Tanzania.

Whatarethechallengesinthemediaindustry hereinTanzania?

Unsatisfactory journalists’payment. Number of media house do not pay their journalists well. Many journalists complained to us that they were not being paid their salaries by their employers,whichmadetheirlifeverymiserable. This impacted negatively on their development. Another is banning of online media platform and high fines. There were number of online media platforms that were banned before President Samia Suluhu came to power. Safety and security of journalists is still a challenge. Number of incidents of arrest and detention of journalists which infringe on the media freedom were shown in the Freedom of Expression Report produced by UTPC. Journalists are still detained and arrested for just doing their journalisticwork.

Considering the present economic challenges of journalists in Tanzania, how do you get fundstorunyourorganisation?

From International Development Agency and partnershipprogramme.

What kind of training do you give to your members, and how it has helped them improvedprofessionalism?

For the past few years, UTPC have enhanced the capacity of its member journalists in the areas of Gender reporting, Investigative reporting, Environmental reporting, Policy analysis and budget tracking. Rural reportage, Court reporting, Safety and Security, Reporting on Children and Early Child Development, Ethics of journalism, election reporting and many other areas. The training have made our member journalists become more confident with what they do. They have published stories that made lots of changes in the society especially in the area of health and education. Journalist have become aware of their working environment and that made them to be more professional. These training have somehow cemented their mindset on their work ethics, though we must agreethatethicsofjournalismisstillachallenge.

UTPChasbeengiven'thumbhigh'withinandoutsidethe country for engaging journalists with other children stakeholders to raise awareness on Early Childhood Development and its science. Tell us about the progress, and if the organisation is ready to engage journalists in otherprogrammesuchasSouthernAfricanDevelopment Community?

There’s a milestone progress on raising awareness of stakeholder to invest in ECD. Through Mtoto Kwanza Programme that is implemented in a partnership between CiC, UTPC and TECDEN, we have managed to converse with the government of Tanzania through the ministry of health and ministry of community development, gender, women and special group to come on board and launch a muti-sector ECD programme that every other organisation in Tanzania that deal with ECD will be able to advocate on the importance of investing in ECD country wide. Since this programme has become successful by using media advocacy campaigns, UTPC is ready to work with every other programmes and organisations to push and advocate for publicinterestagenda.

Tanzania media practitioners for so long have been

Nsokolo: President, UTPC (L) with Keneth Simbaya, new Executive Director, UTPC

INTERVIEW

complainingaboutsomelawsandregulationsthatimpede the freedom of media, which include and not limited to Access to Information Act 2016, Media Service Act 2016, Cyber crime Act 2015, and Electronic and Post Communication Act (EPOCA). How is your organisation addr essing these?

The media laws and regulations are still threatening media freedom in Tanzania, and by understanding that, UTPC has been engaging with other likeminded media organisations in Tanzania to push for the media laws reforms through partnership programme with International Media Support. We have managed to conduct several meetings with the Minister of Information, Communication & ICT Hon. Nape Nnauye showing our concern on the threats that these media laws have on press freedom. The progress is giving us hope since he allowed us to submit the reforms that wewantandwehavealreadydone.

What is the current situation in Tanzania about freedom ofthepress?

Since Samia Suluhu came to power, there’s a glimpse of media space and freedom of press since she released some of the online media houses that were banned but again if you scan the newspapers today, you will start seeing some of them have started to ask hard questions from the government. A good example is Citizen Newspaper when they published a

story of a plane crash. It shows a bit of space for media freedom.

SomeAfrican leaders think that patriotism is only about praising the government and the press should see from that angle as well. what is your view on this?

It is not true that patriotism is about praising the government. Patriotism is about objective journalism, seeking the truth by asking hard questions and holding people accountable including the government.

Do you see it is important for African journalists to turn fully into solution journalism instead of only raisingissuesof problems and challenges?

Solution journalism is possibleandthat is what we probablyneedin the media sector. People would want to read more about

solution that holds people accountable. Journalists need to have capacity to have much more knowledge and producing stories and programmes that will bring people into solutions mindsets. Constructive and Solution journalism is very possible. Countries like Sweden have already started this kind of journalism, and they start at the university level where journalism is taught. Tanzania can also do that. Our journalism institutions can start to change their curriculum and teach young journalists about constructive and solution journalism.

Nsokolo (L) with Abubakar Karsan, recently retired Executive Director, UTPC

Free Press, Great Africa

BIOGRAPHY

Khumbudzo Ntshavheni: political Genius in South Africa

Ms Khumbudzo

Ntshavheni is the Minister of

Communications and Digital Technologies. She holds an MBA degree from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. She is also a graduate of Rand Afrikaans University (RAU), where she read for her undergraduate degree in Political Science and concurrently completed two postgraduate degrees in Development Studies and Labour Relations. She matriculated from Mbilwi Secondary school in Sibasa, Limpopo. Mbilwi remains one of thebestperformingpublicschools.

She started her career as a junior lecturer at the University Of South Africa (UNISA) and then proceeded to be South youngest and first female Spokesperson of a Premier (Premier Ramatlhodi of Northern Province/ Limpopo). She later worked as a Chief Information Officer for the department of Local Government and Housing (Limpopo) and a Manager for Tourism Investment for the Trade and Investment Limpopo (TIL). Ms Ntshavheni was once the youngest Municipal Manager in South Africa when she worked in that position for the Ba- Phalaborwa Municipal Council and she also worked as Chief Operations Officer at the State IT Agency(SITA).

Her political career cuts across both the student and youth movements. She was the youngest activist and part of the leadership of the South African Youth Congress (SAYCO) in the then Northern Transvaal. She was part of the young student activists who mobilised and led the Congress of South African Students (COSAS) after it had unbanned itself in 1989.

On the day of the release of President Nelson Mandela, she addressed the Far Northern Transvaal sub-region's (present day Vhembe Region) impromptu celebration rally on behalf of the Pioneers Movement she was leading. At the age of 14, she convinced President Nelson Mandela to adopt 16 years as the voting age of South Africa during the CODESA negotiations (this was when President Cyril Ramaphosa was the Secretary-General of theANC). She has led both the youth and student movement at various capacity, including national executive committees. She has also led the ANC in her home Province of Limpopo including at the Provincial Executive Committeelevel,whichshewasalsoaSpokespersonfor. Before joining the 6th Parliament of the Republic of South

Free Press, Great Africa

Africa, Ms Ntshavheni was a serial entrepreneur with interests in transport, FMCG andagriculture.

His Excellency, President Cyril Ramaphosa appointed her the Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies on 05 August 2021. She was previously appointed Minister for Small Business Development on 29 May 2019 and acting Minister inthePresidencyon27January 2021until05August2021

AcademicQualifications

MBA degree from the University of Bradford in the United Kingdom. Postgraduate degrees from Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) in Development Studies and graduate degree from Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) in Political Science Certificate in Public Relations Management from Public Relations InstituteofSouthAfrica(PRISA)

Background

Ms Khumbudzo Phophi Silence Ntshavheni - 30 January 1977

Career

Ms Khumbudzo Ntshavheni served as the Municipal Manager of Ba-Phalaborwa Municipality in Limpopo, a position that she held fromApril 2008 until November 2010 . Her previous professional responsibilities include Tourism Manager: Trade and Investment Limpopo and Chief Information Officer for the Department of Local Government and Housing (Limpopo), Spokesperson to the Premier of Limpopo,LecturerattheUniversityofSouthAfrica.

Academic

She holds a MBA degree from Bradford University in the United Kingdom (2008). Her other qualifications include BA Hons Development Studies (1999) and BA Hon Labour Relations (1999) both from the University of Johannesburg formerRAU.

She has vast work experience in Strategic Management, Information Technology, Change Management, and Communication & Marketing. She is the founding Director and Chairwoman of Nkho Trading a transport business with interestsinpropertydevelopment.

She is a member of theANC YL NEC and is active in several youthandcommunitystructures

FEATURES

The Menace of Terrorism in Nigeria

By: Lesley Muosowo Otu

My shoe had just gone bad and so I decided to stand by a colleague's car waiting for one of these shoes menders popular referred to as "Mai jaran

takaramin".Notlongafter him to come.

pay N300 for the mending ofjustoneshoe.

much? His reply was that I am a rich woman, so I can af reminded him that he shouldn't look at the big car because it's not mine. His reply was that it doesn't matter same.

understand that giving him that much will means my not having enough to cook a good meal. He said I should thank God for even a cheap homemade meal and a warm shelter to return to at the end of the day

know when last he ate a meal prepared by his wife orsleepincomfort.

I told him we are all feeling the impact of the hardship as.my two children, though graduates but they are jobless. He answered by saying, "is it not the one that had an education thatshouldbehopingofgettingajoboneday?"

According to him, terrorists visited his village of Sabon Birnin, near Illela in Sokoto State and sacked the entire community, looting, killing and setting ablaze farms and property of residents. He has managed to escape alive. Unfortunately, some of his relatives including his children werekilledduringthehostility

Left with nothing to fall back to for sustenance, he found himself in Abuja where he got a soft loan to get his tools and startedthebusinessofshoemending.

With this kind of story, it will take a steel heart not to sympathise with such a.man who has gone through a hellish incident as having to lost all, even your own native land to a

bunchofundesirableelements.

This is just out of a million stories of what hostility can cause a people who ordinary have been living peacefully in their homesteads from one generation to another without any

Then there's that of the Army couple who were gruesomely murdered on the journey to perform their traditionalmarriageinImoState.

Over the years, many lives have been lost, many more displaced and properties worth billions of naira looted or destroyed. Above all, a whole lot of these children are rendered homeless with the rest of their family members, some of them have either been turned overnight to orphans while some were being abducted and forcefully made to join thedeadlyterroristorganisation.

We are talking about the wanton destruction being carried out by terrorists that have infiltrated into our country from othercountries.Wherevertheyattack,thesegentsfromthepit ofhellalwaysleavebehindatrailofwoes,painsandloses.

What might have taken a person or family decades to build could actually be destroyed in less than five minutes. And what is been destroyed in less than five minutes may

Nigeria Military combating insurgency

never be fixed for eternity. Especially human life that has no duplicate, yet it can be blown away with the wind within seconds.

ThesearetheunwelcomedevelopmentinNigeriathisrecent time, as there's no other news that has taken the centre stage in our country than the everyday attacked on people, leading to killings, rape, kidnapping and destruction of property including government's infrastructure and security formationsacrossthecountry

Communities have been completely sacked with many who are lucky to survive the onslaught being displaced. We see helpless individuals having their native soil ran over by terroristelementswhogoaboutwiththeirevilactionswithout anycompassionforhumanlife.

We all live in fear, and as one rightly said, "everybody must now be sleeping with one eye open". However, even while awake, do these undesirable elements not waylay people on the highway and unleash mayhem on the defencelessinnocenttravellers?

We are talking about a Nigeria once famous for being one ofthecountrywiththehappiestpeopleintheworld.Andapart from a couple of thieving folks, on doesn't usually hear news ofeverydaymayhemsasweareexperiencingnow

Sadtosay,sincetheNigeriancivilwar,thecountryhasnot had it this bad. It is as if the devil and his agents have just been let loose to unfold his ministry which is to steal, kill and destroy.

Surprising enough, none is spared as these devil's incarnate are not mindful of any ethnicity, religion background, gender or age. These hoodlums are just in a mission to make life unbearable for a once peaceful country like ours. From making the Kaduna-Abuja expressway and Kaduna-Birnin Gwari road dreaded zones, to laying siege along the KadunaAirport road, it goes to say these dare devils aresetforamissiontodestroy.

There was much respite when the tail started working again as travellers could not find the roads safe to travel any more. So many resorted to be going by rail until these unnecessary evil stroked again by blowing off a train and abductingawholelotofhelplesspassengers.

At various occasion, from Borno to Zamfara and then Kaduna State, schools have come under attacks and pupils and students been taken away. A price is always placed on these children's head or the girls are being forced to become child-bridestotheseloathsomeindividuals.

More troubling is their new trend of attacking clergymen andChurchcongregations.ForacountrylikeNigeriawithher citizens' love for religion, these terrorists are capitalizing on the gathering of multitudes in worship to attack. Like the recent case of Owo Church massacre where over 40 worshippersweregunneddown.

Although, this may be one killing too many from a single

attack, we get to hear news of incessant attacks on Churches andclergymeninKadunaState.

Nigeria,asoneofAfrica?slargesteconomies,hasbecome the lynchpin of security in westernAfrica. For over a decade, the situation remains worsening as the day goes by, although the government has struggled to address the devastating insurgencies and terrorism by Boko Haram and the Islamic State.intheNortheastandtheIPOBandESNintheSoutheast.

So far, the government's victory against these groups has yielded little success, if any while Nigeria has significantly deterioratedsince2017.

Even in the northwestern Nigeria , what started as farmers-herders? conflict, which is compounded by the infiltration of the terrorist elements who are capitalizing on thehostilitybetweenthetwogroupstocausegreatdamage.

Proliferating across the country, militia groups add another complex security challenge bordering on vandalisation of oil pipelines and illegal bunkering. Most of these infrastructure being vandalised may take decades to fix, causingthecountryhugelosses.

However, amidst these widespread challenges, there are still well-meaning Nigerians whose worry is how the damages could be remedied and human security restored not just for the moment but for the generation yet unborn. But how do we proffer solutions to these avalanches of security issues bedeviling our country, Nigeria so that the next generationwouldhaveahealthylegacytobehandedtothem?

The poor shoe mender with his entire community been sacked has a bleak future ahead of him because he has no formal education that could fetch him a job. His children has no future because their father can hardly eek out a living for the family mending shoes. So chances of him paying for a decent accommodation and school fees for his children are quite narrow And a child without an education is a dangerous threat to the society. Such children grow up with bottled up resentments for the society ready to explode like a boiling cauldron.

They have an unhealthy mindset those who have made it in life with the believe that the society owe them a lot. So it's hatching a monster from the evil egg laid by today's menace. And this will surely create a bigger problem on top of the already existing ones of trying to fix the wreckage the country hasincurred.

Already, the increase in kidnapping has chased away many organisations and manufacturing companies, who are closing shops and find other safer grounds to operate their businesses.

If the situation is not giving a serious attention, chances of our country becoming a ghost town is not far from reality as theseundesirableelementscontinuetoswellinnumber,given the untold economic hardship that has driven many supposed decentcitizenstoputhandsintoevil,justtosurvive.

Global Media, War and Technilogical Advancement: Rejigging Warfare Tactics in Africa, Using Brain Science

By: Oseni Yusuf, Nigeria

Warfare is a global and fundamental tool used to

subdue and show superiority in the absent of understanding of nations in conflicting areas of interest in order to have absolute show of command, authorityandcontrol.

Can Nigeria ever learn from Chinese security and military strategy in Wining both domestic and external wars invasion as the country battles insurgency on a daily basis?

Social setting deffer, you may argue but their approaches are proven and result oriented withnosinglebullet.

The approaches were; Cognitive Warfare describe by Chinese theorist( Su Tu's), describes as using public opinion, psychological and legalmeanstoachievevictory

The above approach is further reinforced by its integration with " Intelligentized Warfare"; focusing on using artificial intelligence and is characterized by four key features. They include; increase information-processing capacities, rapid decision-making, the use of Swarms and lastly Cognitive Warfare.

The ?Intelligentized Warfare? is a new military strategy adopted in China in 2019 in addition to its existing military strategyof"InformationalisedWarfare".

Following keenly global media narratives, pyscho-social analysis of Russian vs Ukrainian War fronts that began in February 24, 2022, clearly shows that Russian uses disinformation dissemination as a subtly approach to not only bush blame on Ukraine but to also gain public acceptance, sympathy using social media, conventional media and other new technologies to gradually weaken opponent, gain global popularity and nod from her citizens to continue to wage war ontheperceiveenemy;Ukraine.

The "Brain-Science" effect that was theorized by the Chinese also called Cognitive Warfare sees building humane capacity, emotional destabilisation of the minds as a mechanistic area of influence to win, weakens and heavily deploymedialinkstosoftenthemindsofopponent.

In the words of a Warlord tactician and ex-military expert based in Nigeria who never wants his name in print said " Brain-Science alone can't win warfare in Africa but with the support of other operational strategies and the effective use of media to soften emotion of the insurgents and security threat can be confronted and defeated but this shouldn't be mistaking cheappopularity".

The global responsibility to combating warfare, security both internal and external can only have impact if UN, AU, ECOWAS, EU and other International organisations can see media as a veritable tool that can be psychologically used to instil trust, confidence, military formation rejigging in Africa andonenessofhumanityacrossboarders.

Eswatini: A country where Voice of Voiceless are Prisoners

By Eugene Dube

October 25, 2021

was another global shame brought upon Eswatini as a country by her Absolut e Monarch, King MswatiIII.

2 Elected MPs; Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Mthandeni Dube were arrested on trump up charges and under contravening the suppression of terrorismAct.

The arrest of the MPs was a fall out of Prodemocracy protests in Manzini and Mbambane, the countr y뭩 largestcities.

Mabuza and Dube뭩 crimes againsttheRoyal Government was joining the call forpoliticalreformsandbecomingthemouthpiecefor echoing the voices of the voiceless 1.1 million populationofSwaziland.

Civil Society, Amnesty International, United Nations, Human Rights Watch, European Union and Prodemocracy institutions have been calling for the immediate release of the MPs since last year when they were arrested but the calls were falling into the

autocratic ears of Mswati III who has been in power since 1986. Mswati III owns shares in all of the country's telecoms. He is criticised for living a lavish lifestyleinoneoftheworld'spoorestcountriesandis alsoaccusedofstiflingpoliticalparties.

Just recently, Influential Swaziland Liberation Movement President (SWALIMO),Mduduzi Gawuzela Simelane in an interview called on African journalists to act

Free Press, Great Africa

King Mswati III

insolidaritywiththeoppressedSwazipeople.

Simelane, an exiled lawmaker who escaped the cruel grip of injustice under King Mswati III dictatorship believed African journalists could assist in the Swazi struggle for multipartydemocracy

Mswati’s government arrested two other pro-democracy Members of Parliament who together with Simelane called foranendtoMswati’shandpickedPrimeMinister

The lawmakers Dube and Mabuza have been in prison for over a year now They have been denied bail by the King’s judges.

The three Swazi lawmakers Simelane, Dube and Mabuza said it was time that the electorate voted for their Prime Ministeranddemocraticreformsintroduced.

Currently, Mswati appoints the prime minister in Eswatini. He usually appoints his relatives. However, the Swazi regime responded by issuing warrant of arrests accusingthethreeMPsofmastermindingthelastyear’sJune 29unrestwheresecurityforcesallegedlykilled hercitizens.

Simelane managed to escape to South Africa while MPs Dube and Mabuza were arrested in 2021 on trumped up charges of contravening the suppression of Terrorism Act. MP Mabuza however had additional charge of allegedly breachingtheCOVID-19rulesandregulations.

“It’s not freedom of speech if it is not freedom after speech. The reason the three of us are in this situation is because there is absolutely no freedom after speech which to memeansthatthereisnofreedomofspeech,”saidSimelane.

Bonginkhosi Ignetius Dlamini (IB) Founding Chairman of Lubumbano Lwenkhululeko YeMaswati (United Front

For Democracy in Swaziland), and Founding Convener of the United Eswatini Diaspora (The UED) also urged international journalists and bodies to support the Eswatini struggleformultipartydemocracy

“The world must know that Swaziland is in both political and constitutional crisis. The blame is put squarely on the institution of the Monarchy The king is not accountable to anyone, but to himself and his family. He controls the three arms of government; Executive, Judiciary and Legislature, also intimidates and imprisons the membersoffourthestate,”saidDlamini.

He explained that if King Mswati realised that a citizen is a threat to his absolute power, then it is enough to send activiststojail.

“The arrest of the two MPs, Mabuza and Dube is testimony that the system lacks checks and balances” he said.

The veteran activist said it was wrong for Mswati III to be above the constitution, urging the international media not to allow Swaziland to become a failed state right under theirnoses. “Don't forget the people of Eswatini. Be the voices of the voicelesspeopleofEswatini” hesaid.

Political Parties Assembly (PPA) Chairperson, Nombulelo Motsa said the incarcerated MPs had exposed thefailureoftheSwaziRoyalGovernment.

“The issue of the pro-democracy MPs is an eye opener tomanySwazis.Ithasexposedthelegislativeuselessnessof the Swazi legislative system. MPs only go there to warm seatsandformaliseKingMswati’sinterests” shesaid.

Mabuza

Dube

Also, Phumlani Dlamini, Editor of Eswatini Newsroom urgedglobaljournaliststofocusonEswatinicrisis.

“African Journalists must expose the atrocities perpetrated against citizens who want democratic reforms. As defenders of Freedom of Speech and Expression, journalists, especially those in Africa must call for an unconditional release of the two MPs and the return of Simelanefromexile”saidDlamini.

Wandile Lulane, the Editor of Breaking News 82 in Eswatini said international journalists can play a massive role in the matter. According to him, “I believe that International journalists can help by raising awareness about the plight of these persecuted MPs by the royal family regime.

“Other organisations can help by working in collaboration with organisations like LAW-DERSWA (Lawyers for Democratic Reforms in Swaziland) through strategic litigation initiatives in regional courts since the court's in Eswatini are not independent because they are capturedbytheregime”

Voice of the People News Editor, Mzwandile 'Stufuza' Dlamini said, “King Mswati III made it clear that he will never release the incarcerated Members of Parliament Hon. Mabuza and Dube, therefore we have no choice but to challengetheKingfortheliberationofourMPs.”

He added, “There is no Juridical in Swaziland as the High Court and Supreme Court consult King Mswati III for judgements on Political offences. All Judges are appointed by the King and they are also told how to prosecute political activists”

Civil society leaders believe freedom of expression is stillanissueinEswatini.

An eminent Swazi church leader,Apostle Bheki Vilakati said, “The African journalists should advocate for the following in helping the persecuted MPs as it is evidence to everyonethatthereismiscarriageofjusticeintheircase.

“It is a lip talk when one says there is freedom of speech in Swaziland. What is freedom of speech? It is the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, byanymeans.

“Therefore, it cannot be termed as freedom of speech what is practised in Swaziland because the moment you speak against a certain practice, you are called a terrorist and jailed.As citizens, we are responsible for holding the current governmentaccountable.Thefactthatthereisnofreedomof speech, the right to hold them accountable is taken away from the people for the government to do as it pleased. Calling for an elected prime minister by the people, does that qualifies an arrest? Does taking a petitions to theTinkhundla centres guarantee brutal killing and torture of citizens by the statesecurity?

“Inacountrywherefreedomofspeechisallowed,public

defamation laws are crafted to stop legitimate criticism of the That means there is a ilakati, an eminent Swazi religious leader supporting the struggle for freedominEswatini.

Another Swazi pro-democracy Member of Parliament Simosakhe Shongwe from Mtsambama Constituency said “We appeal to the global journalists to put pressure on King Mswatisothatourlawmakerscanbereleased.Swazisshould continuefightingfortheirfreedom,”

In 12,April 1973, the late Swazi King Sobhuza II banned all political parties and turned the kingdom into his mini farm.PriortotheRoyaldecreeSwazishadfreelyparticipated in the political landscape. They were allowed to speak freely without being intimidated by Swazi police and their chiefs. It is 49 years since the proclamation of the 1973 decree which banned multiparty politics , organisations and activities as wellassuspendinghumanrights.

Power in Swaziland remains in the hands of the absolute monarchy, and the result has been deepening poverty among the people. The present King Mswati III also holds all judiciary,legislativeandexecutivepowers.

The (PPA) told the United Nations office in Eswatini that over 70 Swazis including democracy activists were massacred by King Mswati III’s soldiers and police officers in June/July, 2021 during protests after the banning of the deliveryofpetitionsintheconstituencycentres.

In an interview, Eswatini government Spokesperson Alpheous Nxumalo refused to explain why the two incarceratedpro-democracyareyettobegivenbail.

,

Simelane

Indian Wrestling: patron and Indian Wrestlers

By: Ashvin Vijay Barshinge

Wrestling is a unique and somewhat anomalous phenomenon in Indian society

As such it can shed light on familiar

institutions from a dramatically new perspective. Wrestling transcends the categories that anthropologists and others have traditionally used to interpret Indian society and culture. It is a sport, but it is also an elaborate way of life involving general

Kushti fight, India

prescriptions of physical culture, diet, health, ethics, and morality. For a wrestler, wrestling is a public performance and a stage for self-presentation because it is on public stages that interpretations, rationalizations, and meanings are expressed and modified. For wrestler, wrestling life is social and public. It?s cultural meaning is open to continual definition and redefinition, interpretation and reinterpretation.

Wrestling is a myth that, because of its interstitial

Free Press, Great Africa

reality, lacks a consistent grammar of its own. As such, wrestling only contingently reaffirms pervasive cultural themes such as rank and status; more significantly, it opens up the stage for a protean, maverickrevisionofthesethemes.

In the history, the Indian wrestler became the archetypal citizen of the Emperor's royal state. The quantity, quality, and richness of a Indian wrestler?s diet reflect directly on the status of the Indian regime king. The Indian wrestler?s appetite was often said to be equal to that of an elephant, and the Indian king?s strength was as great as his wrestlers? appetites. The same holds true for exercise. A court Indian wrestler whocoulddrinkfivelitresofmilkanddothousandsof squats(dands and bethaks) in a day was symbolically demonstratingtheextentofhisIndianking?spower

As institutionalized support for Indian wrestling, public patronage is an integral feature of the Indian wrestling gymnasium: I .e. akhara life. It is, however, a knotty and elusive issue, because it can mean two radicallydifferentthings.Ontheonehandiswhatmay be called the patronage of financial support, which is fairly straightforward. A patron may build Indian wrestling gymnasium(an akhara ) pay his wrestlers a weekly stipend, and award them prizes for their success. On the other hand patronage requires an attitude of moral and ethical support; a kind of ideological underwriting of the Indian wrestler?s way oflife.Fromthisperspectivethenatureofpatronageis quitedifferent.Itisneitherwhollyinstitutionalizedina particular person or office nor is it necessary that tangible material support be provided. On this level patronage is regarded more as an attitude than anything else. It remains patronage, however, to the extent that it is an attitude of explicit support for a unique way of life. In terms of levels of abstraction, patronage of this kind is akin to the disembodied persona of the instructor /teacher of Indian wrestler(guru).On a practical level patronage fulfills a very specific function. Because wrestlers must commit theirlivestotrainingandexercisetheycannotsupport themselves financially. Patrons take financial responsibility for Indian wrestlers' training by providing milk, ghee, and almonds as well as some clothesandotherincidentals.

The patron also provides the Indian wrestling gymnasium (Akhara)facilities: earth for the pit, ropes, buckets, cement, and bricks, as well as the land on whichthepavilionisbuilt.Evenwhenapatron?sroleis clearly defined in terms of financial responsibilities, the relationship he has with his Indian wrestlers is not strictly utilitarian. In fact, the material aspect of the relationship between the Indian wrestler and patron is regarded as mundane almost to the point of

insignificance. Far more important are the issues of status and esteem. Patrons acquire status through the success of their Indian wrestlers, and Indian wrestlers gain esteem through the status of their patrons. It is a mutually beneficial relationship. Patrons are responsible for the public image of their Indian wrestlers. It is as though the wrestler concerned as he iswiththerigoursofadailyregime,canonlystandfor, and not elaborate, the way of life he represents. He is a mute symbol: a stark register of coded meaning which requires public interpretation. Without patronage, a wrestler can, in the language of structuralism, only signify?his body stands for morality and chastity?but he is powerless and unable to convey the story of his way of life to a larger audience. The patron gives meaning to what a wrestler simply stands for. He reads a series of elaborate themes, plots and subplots into the coded meaningsofhiswrestler?sbody.TheIndianwrestleris an empty vessel which instructor /teacher of the Indian wrestler(guru) must fill with knowledge, skill, and virtue. The patron takes this and gives it public meaning and significance. In a sense, then, the patron is sponsor, publicist, and biographer, and in all of thesecapacitiesheistheauthorwhotakestheprivate discipline of a wrestling way of life and makes it intelligible to a larger audience. While what it means to be a Indian wrestler is given public interpretation through patronage, Indian wrestlers are not silent partners to an illegitimate (if laudatory) reading of their way of life. In the akhara, and within the world of wrestling, the symbolic components of the body convey a set of standardized meanings on which any wrestler can build and from which he can elaborate and interpret various situations. When the point of reference is changed from an exclusively wrestlingcontext to a larger and more overtly political arena, however, then the reading of these symbols changes somewhat. In the akhara Indian wrestlers speak their own cultural language of somatic?the body of one colour as a product of self-discipline. Patrons appropriate this language, rephrase it, manipulate its poetry, and make it their own. Nevertheless, the voices that speak from behind the patron are still those of the Indian wrestlers themselves.

According to contemporary Indian wrestlers, the artofwrestlingwouldhavediedoutcompletelyhadit not been for royal patronage. What they mean by this is not so much that wrestling needed royal financing, butthatitneededpublicroyalacclaim.

Ashvin Vijay Barshinge is the CMD and Managing Editor, Observer Times India

POEM

Elmaya Jabbarova - was born in Azerbaijan. She is poet, writer, reciter, translator. Her poems were published in the newspapers "Shargin sesi", "Ziya", "Hekari", "zim.az", in the literary collections "Turan", "Karabakh is Azerbaijan!", "Zafar", "Buta", anthology "Silk Road" "Arabian Nights", "Kafiye.net" in Turkey, the African's CAJ magazine. The Bangladesh's Red Times magazine. She performed her poems live on Bangladesh Uddan TV, at the II Spain Book Fair. 1ra Feria Virtual del Libro Panama. She presents two poems for this edition.

ONGING DARKNESS

Those who do not work foradeed, Your voice is coming fromtheswamp! Those who do not get used to the light like a bat, Come out of the darknessintothelight!

Darkness

From the dawn, sun and moon,

Do not be afraid of light, brightness, Mind, hard work, skill, but also conscience, Brings everyone out of the darkness!

May your wish come true, So that your pure deed will be heard So that your spirit and convictions remain pure, Get out of the basement, out of the dark!

People have lost their way, There is a barrier to the truth, times have changed, He's playing with a lie, don't give up Disgrace be gone, from the darkness!

What comes will go from the mortal world, Get out of ignorance, old-fashioned, Live so, leave so that from life, Don't let the moaning sound come from the darkness!

[The beloved who wasfarfromtheeyes turned to longing in theheart!...

Longing is a superhuman power that keeps people alive by believing in thetiniestsparks!]

Longing

vision,

You are in front of my eyes in my

My eyelash hangs from my eyelid, I'm so afraid to blink, Your image will disappear from my heart garden.

What a trouble this world of love is! Not everyone could stand it, The Hell can't erase the luck given by God, Mugham rises from my soul room!

I built a world in my singing roots, I made a thousand patterns for my eternal love, I kept talking about failed love, Its image is seeking from my growing longing

The color of love is not clear, It turns black after while! Desire awakens in my longing heart, Beloved comes from my youth.

Free Press, Great Africa

J.