60 Years of Asia-Africa, Bandung

Moses Kotane, whose mortal remains were recently returned for reburial to South Africa and Indian Congress leader Maulvi Cachalia attended the Asia-Africa conference in Bandung, Indonesia, as representatives of the South African liberation movement in April 1955. Both men had been refused passports by the South African Government, but on arriving in London met Krishna Menon and Pandit Nehru at the Indian High Commission office and were given Indian travel documents. In less than two-weeks before the commemoration of the 60th Anniversary of the Bandung Asian-African Conference in the Capital city of Indonesia, Jakarta, the Indonesian Embassy in South Africa held a dinner as part of promoting the event in South Africa. The dinner was aimed at facilitating a dialogue between South African journalists and their Indonesian counterparts in discussing and reflecting on the importance of the conference, specifically what transpired on 19th April 1955. Two journalists from Indonesian mainstream media namely; Bagus Budi Tama Saragih, Journalist for the Jakarta Post and Hapy Ratna Sary, Journalist from Antara News came into South Africa over the weekend to participate in the SA-Indonesian media landscape about the Bandung conference and its meaning to both countries.

By Srimal Fernando
Today was a very sad day for me. I heard the sad news, Singapore's founding father Lee Kuan Yew, passed away. Every time I visited Singapore I used to think what a great leader Lee Kuan Yew was. Can we Sri Lankans transform this small Island country into a wealthy global hub like the way Lee Kuan Yew transformed Singapore. At least the next generation of Sri Lankans will have a better prosperous life that I and other Sri Lankans missed during our lifetime. During my visits to Singapore I used to visit government, institutions , take down notes, photograph and interact with people. Through urban planning model Singapore has transformed from a city crowded with buildings to a clean eco- friendly City in a Garden. Singaporean independence campaigner Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of modern Singapore was the towering figure widely credited with molding the island nation into one of Asia’s wealthiest countries.

 The Embassy of the Democratic Republic of Congo celebrated International Women’s Day at a luncheon in Tshwane/Pretoria.  Ambassador Bene M’Poko of the DRC invited Dr Auxilia Ponga of UN Women and Dr Jaqueline Harmsen of Doctors Across Borders (DAB) to address the guests.
In his welcoming remarks Ambassador Bene M’Poko of the DRC spoke about his family situation and the steps they have taken to empower their children especially their daughters. He also pointed out that the discussion today would focus on women’s health.
Revella M’Poko used the occasion to introduce a special menu serving up food prepared using ingredients and methods of cooking that promote healthy living.
Dr Ponga spoke of experiences of a career as a women and shared several anecdotes on some of the challenges she had to overcome and went on to encourage women to express themselves and their rights.
Speaking of health issues Dr Harmsen spoke of the holistic approach practiced by DAB to bring about healing.