Democracy Now!
by Peter Dörrie. When fundamentalist rebel forces overran the central Malian city of Konna on January 11, they sent shockwaves not only through Mali itself but through the international community as well. With Konna fallen, the path to the last remaining government-controlled military base in the region, in the town of Sevaré, looked clear. Having
by Peter Dörrie. When World Peace Day was celebrated on September 21, it was marked by demonstrations around the world. Everywhere, people challenged governments and elites to think creatively about solving conflicts peacefully. But the toughest job probably fell to the young Congolese men and women, going to the streets of Goma, in eastern Democratic
by Peter Dörrie. You may not have heard of it, but the West African country of Mauritania has what is probably one of the most vibrant and active protest movements in the world today. Protests drawing tens of thousands of people (out of a total population of just three million) take place almost weekly in the
On February 26, the voters of Senegal will elect their next president. The country has long been the stalwart of democracy and stability in West Africa. But this changed dramatically several years ago when incumbent President Abdoulaye Wade—85 years old and in power since 2000—decided to stand for another term to pave the way for
