Article

2011-09-30 International-UN-NGOs

Corrupt African ruler to get UN prize in his name

Aaay-Peee story so just a taste here.

DAKAR, Senegal -- The African heads of state who converged on the capital of Equatorial Guinea this summer are used to life's finer things - yet even they were impressed.

The minuscule nation located on the coast of Central Africa spent several times its yearly education budget to build a new $800 million resort in which to house the presidents attending this summer's African Union summit.

Besides an 18-hole golf course, a five-star hotel and a spa, the country built a villa for each of the continent's 52 presidents. Each one came with a gourmet chef and a private elevator leading to a suite overlooking the mile-long artificial beach that had been sculpted out of the country's coast especially for them.

Western diplomats say that the charm offensive worked, and on Friday the United Nations' cultural arm may be forced to create a prize named after Equatorial Guinea's notoriously corrupt president, due to a resolution passed in June by the presidents staying at the lavish resort.

If that happens President Teodoro Obiang Nguema, a man whose regime is accused of gross human rights violations, will be associated with an organization whose stated mission is the promotion of peace and human rights through cultural dialogue.

During the AU summit this summer, Obiang succeeded in getting the body to pass a motion calling on UNESCO to approve a prize named in his honor.

Posted by Steve White 2011-09-30 00:00|| || Front Page|| [11130 views ] Top

#1 Why not? After all, the precedent was set when Bambi got the cracker jack toy aka Nobel Peace Prize for only thinking about doing good deeds. Back in the 30's there was amovie about a good deed doer, he worked behind a curtain also, and was a sham as well.

Posted by USN, Ret. 2011-09-30 00:09|| 2011-09-30 00:09|| Front Page Top

#2 Suprise meter needed here.

Seriously - is anyone the tiny bit suprised?

Posted by CrazyFool 2011-09-30 00:41|| 2011-09-30 00:41|| Front Page Top

#3 I love how AP presents this as entirely the fault of the devious dictator, and the UN just an innocent victim. Who says the media doesn't have bias?

Posted by gromky 2011-09-30 01:06|| 2011-09-30 01:06|| Front Page Top

#4 Was looking for the Winnie Mendela Athletic Futbol Scholorship.

Posted by swksvolFF 2011-09-30 11:10|| 2011-09-30 11:10|| Front Page Top

#5 CORRUPT-AFRICAN RULER TO GET UN PRIZE IN HIS NAME

You know me, always a stickler for proper spelling and hyphenation.

Posted by Besoeker 2011-09-30 11:34|| 2011-09-30 11:34|| Front Page Top

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