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               A F R I C A 

               Bulletin of Opportunities & Human Rights Issues

               Summer 1999



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A N N O U N C E M E N T S : Internships, Volunteering & Travel




[Note:  It's not too late to participate in VOLU's
   September and/or October 1999 projects in Ghana.

   See below or go to: 

           http://www.ghaclad.org/volu/


Human Rights - African American in France

We also invite you to participate in a Human Rights action (see below).
Please help make a difference for a Human Rights victim for the price 
of a stamp.


*****

Africa - Cuba - Brazil Educational Travel
   for Academics, Professionals & Students


Winter & Summer; multiple programs & start dates

To receive the compendious Catalog for Prof. Harold Roger's
African Educational Travel Program to Africa, Cuba and/or
Brazil, please send your name, complete postal mailing
address, and PHONE, to Prof. Rogers at:  hrogers@ccc.edu

Application and information are available at:

           http://www.earthcorp.com/journeys


Summer Medical & Health projects in Kenya, Gambia, Ghana, etc.

     Go to:

           http://www.igc.org/oca/

______________________________



To receive by E-mail announcements and information on academic 
and travel opportunities, on internships, volunteer work and jobs, 
you are invited to join the African Diaspora Network.  [Near the 
bottom of this page, please find information on participating
in a VOLU workcamp in Ghana -- as a volunteer, you will join 
with Ghanaians in self-help projects, from rainforest conservation 
to building schools and clinics to computer training and farming.]

To join the AfricaWorld Network, send a blank message, 
or any message, to:

             AfricaWorld@comports.com

and reply to the CONFIRM Request when it arrives.

Welcome !!

________________________________________________________


LEADS / TIPS - volunteering, jobs, education, special projects


Pls find a long list of orgs & progs offering volunteer
     & internship opptys at:

     http://x10.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=414548873
     http://www.comports.com/AfricaVolunteers

Find copious lists of USA job openings in education &
     research at:

     http://tikkun.ed.asu.edu/~jobs/joblinks.html

and at the Historically Black Colleges & Universities
     (HBCU) site:

     http://www.edonline.com/cq/hbcu/

For links to Job Banks and Resources, go to:

     http://www.comports.com/JobsInfo

For links to Fellowship & Scholarship Resources,
     Opportunities, go to:

     http://www.comports.com/BlackScholars
     http://www.rams.com/srn/

Wildnet-Africa: Wildlife & Ecology Jobs Offered
     Managers, researchers, research assistants, 
     rangers, guides, rehabilitators, etc

http://www.wildnetafrica.com/jobspot/wildlife_jobs_offered.html



[Receive future announcements by E-mail; follow instructions
   above to join the African Diaspora Network list]


Please help with a Human Rights case [go to bottom]
__________________________________________________________


Internships - Volunteer Projects - Special Events - Festivals
    Conferences - Symposia - Academic Opportunities

__________________________________________________________


GHANA:  

PREPARING FOR SUMMER TRAVEL
PRACTICAL ISSUES

The following information will assist you if you are
planning or hoping to participate this or next summer in any of 
the following: the GhaCLAD Educational Mission to Ghana;
the Int'l CONFERENCE on Distance Learning & Computer Literacy
in Africa; PANAFEST2000; or a Voluntary Workcamps Association (VOLU)
project in Ghana.

Please find at the bottom a sample itinerary for the GhaCLAD
Education Mission to Ghana, based on the 1999 Mission.


Internet Links:

1] PANAFEST2000:  http://www.panafest.net/index2.html

2] 2000 GhaCLAD Educational Mission to Ghana:
     http://ghaclad.org/about/projects/edumission99  <- participate in 
        the CONFERENCE and EduMission to Ghana

3] CONFERENCE: Distance Education & Computer Literacy - Africa
     http://www.ghaclad.org  <- join the list of volunteers organizing
        the Jun or July 2000 African Distance Lrng & Info Tech Conference 


Chief GhaCLAD Conference & Ghana Education Mission Contacts:

     Dr Osei Darkwa <darkwa@uic.edu>
     Dr Geroge Kojo Arthur <arthur@marshall.edu>


4] VOLU Volunteer Summer Projects in GHANA  1999 & 2000
     http://www.ghaclad.org/volu  <- apply for Volunteer Projects in Ghana

5] AASP Educational Travel Progs to Africa, Cuba, Brazil
     1 to 3 week programs departing year round
     http://www.earthcorp.com/journeys  <- apply; find schedules 
        & itineraries for Prof. Roger's EduTravel Programs

     The AASP Programs offer a unique way to see, feel & experience
     Africa, Cuba and Brazil.  You may opt to visit one country or
     multiple countries -- even multiple continents.

     Please ** PHONE ** 773-667-1285 (ofc); 773-684-6967 (FAX)

     Prof. Roger's E-mail:  hrogers@ccc.edu (include your full
     mailing address and phone number; request AASP's descriptive
     Catalog).  

     This program receives high praise from participants.

Academic Credit  

     Earn academic credit at the grad or undergrad level.

     Offers an intensely personal exposure to Africa, Cuba and/or 
     Brazil; groups are personally led by Dr. Rogers and his colleagues.



L I S T S 

Helpful lists to Join:  Send a blank msg or any msg to the
following addresses:

  GhaCLAD:  GhaCLAD-discussion-subscribe@eGroups.com
  VOLU:  VOLU-subscribe@eGroups.com
  African Diaspora Network (internships, jobs, opportunities, 
       conferences): AfricaWorld-subscribe@eGroups.com

Reply to the CONFIRM Request when it arrives.

_________________________________________________
_________________________________________________


Your Invitation....

2000 Int'l CONFERENCE ON DISTANCE LEARNING & 
    COMPUTER LITERACY IN AFRICA - Accra, Ghana
DISTANCE EDUCATION MISSION TO GHANA
Tentatively for June or July 2000 (dates not fixed, yet)

If you would like to participate, but have not yet made
plans, please contact the organizers ASAP.

ALL are invited.  ALL are welcome.  Students (grad and
undergrad) are encouraged to arrange to earn academic credit
from their respective campuses, under Independent Study.

Visa Application

You will need a visa (if you are a non-Ghanaian passport holder).
To apply for the visa, you need a visa application form.
There is also a fee to be paid to get your visa processed.
Kindly call or write to us (ghaclad@ghaclad.org) for an
application form. After completing the form, send your
passport to us and we'll secure the visa for you. If possible, 
this should be done by June 30 or thereabout.

Kindly refer to the ghaclad website

      http://www.ghaclad.org

for additional information on this subject.

Arrival at the Airport: JFK

Be patient at the airport. Most likely you will find
yourself joining a mass of people with huge boxes of
materials they are bringing back home for loved ones.  After
you experience the check-in procedures, prepare to wait a
while to board the plane.  It is my experience that the
earlier you get to the airport and get your self settled,
the happier you will be.

Arrival at the Accra Airport

On arrival at KIA (Kotoka International Airport) in Accra,
the airport check will probably be quite extensive. It will
most likely include a physical inspection of your luggage,
and inoculation record inspection, a visa and passport
inspection, a written declaration of all of the money on
your person, and a long wait.  There is a different
conception of time in the country.  The synthetic,
electronic automatic era is less of a factor.  Things may
not happen as fast as you desire.

Inside the Airport

You might find it helpful to tag your luggage in such a way
that you might recognize it immediately.  This will save you
from being caught in the crush of people trying to
distinguish their bags at the luggage carousel. It is very
hot in there, and depending on the number of people on your
flight, it could take some time for you to locate your
baggage and get through customs. We will be traveling as a
group.  Due to this, you are less likely to experience any
of these.

Outside of the Airport

You might find your first encounter outside of the building
to be with a woman asking for donations for a worthy cause,
then, you may find yourself being questioned about
assistance with your luggage.  The person asking will expect
to be paid, unless that person is part of the GHACLAD ground
team.  We will be sure to have people in plain sight to
assist you through the process.

Vaccinations

Only yellow fever shots are required for entry into Ghana,
but you should consult with your physician about cholera,
tetanus, and possibly polio. It is also very very important
that you obtain and use anti-malaria pills, failure to do so
could result in your contracting malaria.

Insect repellant is essential.  The mosquitos are numerous,
and can be aggressive as the sun sets.

Food

There will be plenty of rice, yams, black eyed peas, salads,
greens, fish, chicken, beef and plaintain.  Nuts and fruits
will almost always be available, including very sweet
bananas, oranges, and pineapples. Beverages will include
local palm wine, Star beer, soft drinks and water. Bottled
spring water will also be available.  If you have dietary
restrictions it is important that you let the conference
organizers know as soon as possible so that you can be
accomodated on the plane during the trip.

You are only allowed to bring one carton of cigarettes into
Ghana.  If you are planning to take a travel iron, electric
shaver, etcetera, remember that the voltage is different and
requires a converter and an appropriate plug.

Bring all of the camera film you will need for the trip,
then bring more than that!  Film is available in Ghana, but
it is often very expensive.

Shopping

This is a really wonderful experience, if you have someone
with you who knows how to barter.  You might want to bring a
large quantity of t-shirts and pens!  They are excellent for
exchanging for African Goods.   Also, business cards are
helpful as every child you meet will want your address! I
will try to have a seminar on Market Day shopping in Accra.

Money

The Official Ghana Homepage has a site that shows the
national currency, the CEDI. Approximately $1.00 American
equals 2,100 cedi.  Considering that the average yearly wage
for a Ghanaian working person is less than $700 American
Dollars per year, one can understand better the economic
situation of the Ghanaian people.

Travelers Checks v. American Dollars

While you may be advised to travel with travelers checks,
for security reasons, the exchange rate for travelers checks
is not as good as for American Dollars, and it is even
better for British Pounds.  Moreover, the larger the
denomination of the bill, the better the exchange rate.  The
cash is exchanged at a FEDEX center, of which there are many
in Accra.  If you want to use a credit card...it is almost
impossible to do, unless you go to Barclay's Bank, and wait
anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour for an international
exchange.

Airline & Hotel Rates

We will be able to secure competitive airline and hotel rates for 
CONFERENCE and Education Mission.

VISAS

Visa fee payable to Ghana Embassy is $20. Four passport size
pictures are required.

For info, contact us at:  darkwa@uic.edu

Education Project http://www.ghaclad.org


____________________________________
____________________________________



Summer Volunteer Projects - GHANA, West Africa - community
    development, environmental & youth work.

    Various projects, from June until the end of October

    Projects revolve around themes of self-help, sustainable
    development and self-empowerment.

    Arrange with your campus to receive academic credit.


Read details at:

    http://www.ghaclad.org/VOLU


In the interest of time -- APPLY ONLINE.

Offline App
http://ghaclad.org/volu/workcamps99/application/offline.htm

Online App
http://ghaclad.org/volu/workcamps99/application/online.htm


If you do not have Web access, E-mail to:

    VOLU-Application@ghaclad.org, ghacald@ghaclad.org

Join the VOLU List: receive updates & stay in communication with
    VOLU alumni, staff & aspiring participants

    Send a blank E-mail msg (or any msg) to:

    VOLU-SUBscribe@eGroups.com

       Reply to the CONFIRM Request when it arrives
       and you will be added

Chief VOLU Contacts:

     Dr Osei Darkwa <darkwa@uic.edu>
     Dr Geroge Kojo Arthur <arthur@marshall.edu>

__________


20 Projects, 3 weeks in duration; many will partake in 2 or more

     RAINFOREST, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, FARMING, YOUTH
     TRAINING, ECOLOGY, ENVIRONMENT, CONSTRUCTION
     COMPUTER LITERACY & REPAIR, DISTANCE LEARNING

     Applications now being accepted

     Organization: Voluntary Workcamps Assoc. of GHANA, W. Africa

     [referred to simply as "VOLU" - rhymes with "tofu"]

     Since the mid-50's, VOLU has played the leading role
     in youth training and community development in one of
     Africa's most progressive new nations, known as the Gold
     Coast before independence.

     Projects are located in villages, rural areas, and
     urban centers -- participants will have an oppty to explore
     traditional family and community life, and will be immersed
     in the rich culture, music, crafts and art of their
     surroundings, while carrying out the meaningful work of the
     project.


DESCRIPTIONS

For a personal account of the VOLU experience & for a list of
     VOLU projects and project descriptions/locations, please go
     to:

     http://x5.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=467396137
     http://x4.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=469643200


A I R F A R E

     A discount rate (from the US) is being worked out with Ghana
     Airways.  Dr. Osei Darkwa (darkwa@uic.edu) will post this
     info to the VOLU list, once finalized.  Please join the VOLU
     list and stay tuned.  Workcamp participation fees (covering
     room and board) are minimal.


MULTIPLE SUMMER EVENTS IN GHANA

     Some of you may wish to combine activities in Ghana:
     participating in the GhaCLAD Computer Literacy/Distance
     Education Conference; attending PANAFEST; and, joining in one
     of VOLU's workcamp projects.

     This will be a great opportunity for gathering insights
     for a writing project or research paper; and to earn
     academic credit for independent study or research.

     VOLU Volunteers will hail from many African countries;
     they will come to join with their Ghanaian brothers and
     sisters in the work that needs to be done.

____________________________________________
____________________________________________

GhaCLAD: Ghana Computer Literacy & Distance Education


ITINERARY
GhaCLAD Distance Education Conference in Ghana
Tentatively June or July 2000

Organized activities will both precede and follow the 
3-day Conference.

The following is the itinerary of the 1999 Ghana EduMission
and will give an idea of the kinds of programs that will be
planned for Summer 2000 for before and after the Conference.

Day 1
Afternoon departure from New York to Accra, Ghana, West Africa
(overnight on-board travel).

Day 2
Arrive in Accra. After clearing customs and immigration, you will
be transferred to your hotel. Delegates will stay at Kingsby
Hotel in Achimota, a suburb of Accra.

Day 3
Site seeing of Accra.

Day 4
Trip to Akosombo; visit VOLU Training Camp at Kordiabe; briefing
by Education Mission Leaders.

Day 5
Meeting with senior government officials and officials from the
Ministry of Education; Meeting with senior administrators at the
University of Ghana; Guided tour of the University.

Day 6
Briefings by officials of the Leland Initiative; briefings by
officials of USAID; meeting with Internet Service Providers
Officials

Day 7
Briefing by the Greater Accra Regional Minister; briefing by
Members of Parliament responsible for education; guided tour of
selected city schools.

Day 8
Business appointments with the business community; departure to
Kumasi.

Day 9
Meeting with the Ashanti Regional Minister; briefing by the Mayor
of Kumasi; guided tour of selected schools in Kumasi.�

Day 10
Sightseeing in Kumasi; visit to rural schools in Ashanti; meeting
with village chief and elders; entertainment by village dance
troupe.�

Day 11
Leisure time activities; Shopping, etc.

Day 12
Meeting with Senior Administrators at the University of Science &
Technology; meeting with private entrepreneurs in Kumasi. �

Day 13
Trip to Accra; evening at leisure.

Day 14
Business appointments with educators and community groups; visit
to Parliament.

Day 15
Debriefing and strategic planning session by Education Mission
Leaders; reception with business and government officials.

Day 16
Depart for New York; evening return flight.

_______________________________________________
_______________________________________________




PANAFEST - Summer 2000

(Dates not fixed, yet)

PANAFEST (Pan African Historical Theater Festival) is a cultural
event dedicated to the enhancement of the ideals of Pan
Africanism and the development of the African continent. Panafest
is organized biennially for Africans and people of African
descent, as well as all persons committed to the well-being of
Africans on the continent and in the Diaspora.� Panafest is a
celebration of Africa's contributions to world civilization.� The
theme of this year's Panafest is:�

"Uniting the African Family - The Agenda for a New Millennium"

Mr. Kojo Yankah, Ashanti Regional Minister and Chairman of the
Panafest Board of Trustees, notes that Panafest is the largest
Pan African festival in the world and the Panafest board expects
10,000 Africans and people of African descent from over 50
countries to attend Panafest99.

The GhaCLAD Education Mission to Ghana coincides with eight (8)
days of the 10-day Panafest celebrations.� If you would like to
extend your stay in Ghana to enjoy the remaining days of
Panafest, then indicate your preference on the GhaCLAD Education
Mission to Ghana Registration Form.

For more information about the festival, consult the PANAFEST web
site.


       http://www.panafest.net/index2.html

___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________


Version Francaise:

     http://www.artinternet.fr/gryga/barry.htm
     http://x13.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=338585794




HUMAN RIGHTS VICTIM:  Disturbing Case

France: please write to this victim in prison.
Help save a life for the price of a stamp.


An African American tourist in France -- now Human 
Rights victim and prisoner of conscience -- in July 
passed his 6th consecutive birthday in a 6X12-ft 
cell, in isolation.

Please help the effort to keep Barry alive.

Send him a message of encouragement.  Please take the 
time to help boost his morale.  Depression and suicide are 
a fact of life all around him, due to deplorable prison
conditions.

The more contact an inmate has with the outside, 
generally the better he will be treated by authorities, 
and the better will be his morale and survivability.

Write/post a message for him at the Justice site -- of any 
length -- and we will print it out and forward it to him at 
his prison address in France:

  http://members.aol.com/FreeBarry1/index.html  (background info)
  http://www.poboxes.com/JUSTICE  <-write/post msg for Barry here
  http://www.egroups.com/list/barry  <- correspondence

Or, E-mail your message for Barry to: BarrySupport@starmail.com
and we will see to it that he receives it.


Background Info

Case details and updates are posted at the above sites.

You may also write directly by regular mail, to:

     B a r r y   B R A I M A H
     8674 B-Sud 227
     Centre Pen. de Clairvaux
     10310 Ville sous La Ferte
     France


Barry was born and raised in Africa.  He became an American
citizen while doing his studies in the States.  As an American
citizen, he traveled to France for his first time in 1994.

There began Barry's nightmare.


France: African American Tourist in Pursuit of Justice

-  Wrongfully arrested on arriving in 1994
-  Sentenced to 18 yrs with no possibility of appeal

      http://x43.deja.com/getdoc.xp?AN=495493199


GUILT BY ASSOCIATION: "ASSOCIATION AVEC MALFAITEURS"

** PRESUMPTION OF INNOCENCE, ABSENT
** You may be a suspect, if your acquaintance is


Issues:

* 18-yr sentence without the possibility of appeal
* Vienna Convention: Non-Respect of Consular Accords
* Inquisitorial versus Adversarial Justice Systems
* Guilt by Association & Absence of Presumption of
      Innocence
* Excess of the state
* Underlying racism & xenophobia


___________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________


ANNOUNCEMENTS BY E-MAIL


To receive by E-mail announcements and information on opportunities,
internships, volunteer work and jobs, you are invited to join
the African Diaspora Network by sending a blank message -- or 
any message -- to:

       AfricaWorld@comports.com

and reply to the CONFIRM Request when it arrives a few
minutes later.


Thank you

Cecil Washington, Jr.
Founder / List Manager
African Diaspora Network
Moderator@eGroups.com