CEPRID

Want to set up an ‘Arab spring’ or a ‘colour revolution’?

Follow super-secret agent 86 Maxwell Smart to Mission Equatorial Guinea*

Monday 11 June 2012 by CEPRID

* Maxwell Smart, super-secret agent of the US government, is the protagonist of an US humorous TV series based on espionage films that were broadcasted in the second half of the last century. Smart is just the opposite of what can be expected of his surname and of course of a secret agent.

** Agustin Velloso is a lecturer at the Spanish Open University (www.uned.es), where he carries out research and teaches on education in ‘troubled’ countries.

1. http://www.diligence.com/index.html

2. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html

3. On the role of the foreign opportunists in EG: “Fly Airbus A330-300 to Malabo: Why Everyone is Heading to The Heart of Darkness”, http://www.zcommunications.org/fly-airbus-a330-300-to-malabo-why-everyone-is-heading-to-the-heart-of-darkness-by-agustin-velloso

4. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/files/fp_uploaded_documents/111025_DDC_1.pdf (5) http://archive.corporateeurope.org/docs/lobbycracy/lobbyplanet.pdf

Cassidy and Associates earned more than 23 million dollars with its Obiang portfolio in 2008, according to Department of Justice reports. http://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Cassidy_%26_Associates

"A few years ago, at least U.S. officials wouldn’t talk about the relationship with Equatorial Guinea, or they would admit all the problems and horrible human rights abuses," says Frank Ruddy, the former U.S. ambassador to Equatorial Guinea. Now, he adds, "you would have thought this is Mother Teresa’s brother running Equatorial Guinea."

http://motherjones.com/politics/2007/05/putting-lipstick-dictator

(6) http://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/oil-africa-blessing-or-curse-0

(7) http://prmia.org/pdf/Case_Studies/Riggs_Bank_Short_version_April_2009.pdf

(8)http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/11/07/occupy_harvard_students_walk_out_on_greg_mankiw_economics_class_.html

(9) “CRS approaches complex topics from a variety of perspectives and examines all sides of an issue. Staff members analyze current policies and present the impact of proposed policy alternatives.”

“Congress relies on CRS to marshal interdisciplinary resources, encourage critical thinking and create innovative frameworks to help legislators form sound policies and reach decisions on a host of difficult issues. These decisions will guide and shape the nation today and for generations to come.” http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/about/

“The Foreign Affairs, Defense and Trade Division’s work includes analyses of political and economic developments in every region of the world. Experts examine international organizations; economic, political and security relations between the United States and other nations; and transnational issues such as terrorism and refugees. National security analysis includes a focus on military strategy, the U.S. defense budget, weapons systems, military compensation, and bases. Trade analysts assess economic issues, including trade agreements, exports, imports and tariffs.” http://www.loc.gov/crsinfo/research/rsrch-foreign.html

(10) Original in – terrible- Spanish. Same text in English: “Can you please provide some information on the Equatorial Guinea Electoral Coalition/Democratic Opposition (EC)? What are its constituent parties? When was it formed? Are there any details regarding its formation as a coalition?

Most sources do not explain its membership or origin; they just list it as the "Electoral Coalition." For instance:

http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/2101_E.htm http://www.ipu.org/parline-e/reports/arc/2101_04.htm https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/ek.html ..and other print sources.”

EG political situation can be summarized as follows: More than 30 years of corrupt practices by Obiang’s extended family and government high officials, which is the cause of their enrichment. Their preferred activity: appropriation of the abundant natural riches of the country;

harsh repression against the population, which prevents a popular change of the status quo;

and the role of the mafia that is known as the international community, which supports Teodoro Obiang, although there are currently some movements to change this, and specially to get rid of his enervating eldest son because his behaviour discredits the (hypocritical) international community’s line on democracy and human rights in Africa.

For more analysis and information on this situation see

a) On the recent political history of EG: “Equatorial Guinea 2009: 30 Years with Obiang and 20 with the Opposition” http://dissidentvoice.org/2009/08/equatorial-guinea-2009-30-years-with-obiang-and-20-with-the-opposition/

b) On Obiang’s current attempts to improve his bad image: “Equatorial Guinea: The good, the bad and the ugly” http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/62205

c) On Spanish foreign policy in EG: “So Close to the West, So Far From Democracy. Recent Developments in Equatorial Guinea” http://www.counterpunch.org/2006/11/30/so-close-to-the-west-so-far-from-democracy/

d) On a solution to the stagnant situation of EG: “The Importance Of Being Leader Of The Opposition To Obiang Nguema” http://www.countercurrents.org/velloso020212.htm

(11) “First protests came from press freedom groups, reminding UNESCO that there existed no independent press in Equatorial Guinea. These were followed by a global alliance of almost 200 human rights group. By creating a UNESCO-Obiang award, UNESCO is effectively endorsing his regime and undermining its own support for human rights, the organisations wrote in a letter to UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon last week.

But also the global scientific community, which was to benefit from the new award, strongly protested the UNESCO-Obiang connection. Even a large number of previous recipients of other UNESCO prizes have called the credibility of the UN agency into question. On Monday, even Nobel Peace Prize winner Desmond Tutu urged UNESCO to reconsider.

I have heard the voices of the many intellectuals, scientists, journalists and of course governments and parliamentarians who have appealed to me to protect and preserve the prestige of the organisation, (UNESCO Director-General Irina) Bokova told board member at today’s meeting. I have come to you with a strong message of alarm and anxiety, she added.” http://www.afrol.com/articles/36333

“A French prosecutor has approved an international arrest warrant for President Obiang’s son Teodoro “Teodorín” Nguema Obiang as part of a probe into the “ill-gotten gains” of President Obiang and two other African Heads-of-State. Teodorín is the target of ongoing government corruption investigations in the United States and France. (…) The judges believe there is evidence to suggest that Teodorín purchased properties in France by fraud.

In October, the U.S. Department of Justice’s anti-kleptocracy division filed forfeiture complaints in the District of Columbia District Court and Central California District Court against goods purchased by Teodorín. The complaints seek to seize more than $70m worth of Teodorín’s assets purchased in the U.S., including his $30m mansion in Malibu, a $38.5m Gulfstream jet, a half-million dollar Ferrari, and more than $1m worth of Michael Jackson memorabilia, including “one white crystal-covered ‘Bad Tour’ glove.” The complaints allege that Teodorín and other government officials enriched themselves through a variety of illegal schemes, including embezzlement, extortion, and misappropriation of government funds.”

http://www.egjustice.org/es/node/1793

(12) André Parant (Diplomatic Élysée Adviser) and Pascal Collange (Technical Adviser) were sent on March 2012 to EG by Nicolas Sarkozy, where they conferred with Obiang. http://www.africaintelligence.fr/LC-/


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