Haw's triumph

Congratulations to Brian Haw, who has won the right to continue protesting against US/UK foreign policy in Parliament Square.

It isn't that i feel his protest is likely to achieve very much, or that i have any particular admiration for the man. I agree, in the vaguest of terms, with the motive for his protest, although i'm not sure how useful it is.

But the heavy-handed tactics used by the Met were simply unacceptable and it is refreshing to see District Judge Quentin Purdy react against the Government's alarming tendency towards the repression of dissent.

Haw's demonstration might have been a minor inconvenience to pedestrians, it may even have been a sensationalist's stab at self-publicisation. But it was a legitimate expression of the feelings of millions of people, and long may it continue.

After all, a government that uses every measure in its power to quell dissent is a government that knows it has done wrong.

African birthday

It's been a merry old weekend in Kigali as i celebrated my birthday in true Rwandese style.

We headed out to Lake Muhazi, about an hour outside of Kigali: myself, my colleague and friend Marco, a new arrival to the GLCSS called Emmanuel, and our Rwandese friends Faustin, Stella and Dhativah (or D for short).

Although it was a misty day, the lake was beautiful and we sat there drinking beers and eating grilled goat until the sun went down, casting a brilliant glow over the lake's placid waters.

To top it all off, the Rwandese guys had arranged a cake and a card for me, as well as a hearty chorus of Happy Birthday. Normally i hate having that god-awful dirge sung at me, but on this occasion i took it as good, wholesome fun.

At least it made a change from the music being played by the crowd on the table next to us, who seemed to have brought only one record with them, which they played relentlessly until they left. I don't think i'll ever have another birthday, without the lyrics "Nigeria suffer suffer, gunshot inna the air" ringing in my ears.

Never mind, it's a damn sight better than "For he's a jolly good fellow."