The Norwegian Child Protection Services “Barnevernet” has managed to win a court battle involving a case against a Ugandan National resident in Norway.

The case was taken to court for determination on who should care for the children after the couple’s relationship stalled hitting a dead end.

While determining the case, the court must look into many things in the lives of the couple and the way they have been caring for their children.

The main thing the court has to consider is whether the father or the mother has the ability to take care of the children. They look into the economical ability and whether the parents have a good social network around them.

If the court finds that one parent is able, economically and socially, to care for the children the parent with such ability will be awarded the children. However, it is not only the economy that decides or whether one has a social network.

Most parents lose their children, even if they have the economy, because of being engaged in either criminal activities or being alcoholically active.

In this case, the court had to look into many things and also take into consideration the cultural background of the children’s parents.

The determining factor here, according to the court ruling, is the ability to be a role model for the children in a mixed society.

Here is a situation where the couple is not from the same cultural and traditional background, which in itself is considered an issue which is very important because culture and tradition determines alot in the upbringing of mixed children.

African Press has requested the court for a copy of the ruling. We will bring you details on why the court arrived at the decision, when we have received the court’s ruling.

(a developing story …. more details to come)

By Korir, African Press in Norway

africanpress@chello.no

A party organised by Africans to honour Amjid of Pakistani origin took place in Puls Pub/bar in Oslo yesterday.

The party was to thank him for what he has done for Africans in Oslo since establishing Puls Pub/bar over 2 years ago.

Puls promoted African culture and music. It became the central place where Africans could go to enjoy their music and culture.

Africans from different nationalities used the place in many occassions to organise their National day celebrations, birthdays and other get-together parties, dancing to music from their own countries.

The Africans appreciated Amjid’s work. Coming from Pakistan, he gave priority to African music and culture on the request of the African community.

He is the first Pakistani man in Norway to establish a bar/pub that promoted the African music/culture. He took the bold decision to promote African interests.

Mr Amjid has now decided to retire from running the place and Africans took the decision to thank him this way for the good work.

Many Africans and others were invited to the occasion.

By Korir, African Press in Norway (APN)
africanpress@chello.no

Narc-Kenya and ODM-Kenya, both Scandinavia Chapters, are fighting each other on tribal basis.

This is the kind of game Kenyans witnes in Kenya everyday between the two mother parties, and one had hoped that members from both parties would not engage in tribal abuse in Sweden just like the leaders do back in Kenya.

The two parties are new in Scandinavia. Both being Scandinavia Chapters, they are yet to recruit serious members and establish themselves in other Scandinavian countries.

When tribalism leads the way from the start as we stand witness now in Sweden, where ODM-Kenya group views Narc-Kenya group as a “only Kikuyu Party” terming Narc-K as “house of Mumbi” and general tribal attacks vice-versa, then it will be a difficult road ahead when the both party leadership will visit Norway, Denmark, and Finland to establish branches.

The question now is how the Scandinavia chapter leadership will manage to bring together Kenyans in the other Scandinavian countries when they are not able to talk to each with respect in Sweden where they are both based.

Politics requires maturity, whereby leaders may disagree on issues and yet they have respect for one another.

Recently we saw and heard how the new lady leader in the US house of Representatives called President Bush ugly names, yet yesterday they had no choice but meet and discus important issues because the electorate expect them to do so.

Kenyans in the other countries are now watching what is happening in Sweden as reported by the Kenya Stockholm Blog, where we are made to understand that the two groups have a problem to see each other eye to eye.

The two parties are very important for Kenyans in Scandinavia and Kenyans must be accorded the opportunity to join whichever party they may wish without being characterised as tribal. Due to the importance of the issue, we in African Press in Norway call upon the two groups to cool tempers and think of other Kenyans who would like to join the parties expecting to find harmony within.

For details, go the links below and judge for yourselves, how the situation in Sweden is developing at the moment.

The links below are taken from KSB which is the source of the stories.

 Tribalism Is Not A “Monster That Storms Meetings”

 Peter Njoroge Speaks About Narc-Stockholm

 Pastor Beatrice Kamau Defects To ODM-Scandinavia

 Tribalism In Kenya Is A “Class Issue”, Says Mrs Hellen Opwapo

 When you as a reader gets through the KSB links, we hope you find time to comment because we would like to know what others think about this issue.

By Korir, African Press in Norway (APN)

africanpress@chello.no

Source of the story: Kenya Stockholm Blog

Senator Barack Obama, of the US is an African son, who recently took time and visited Kenya where his father came from.

In his campaign for the Democrats recently, he did his best in the fight to take over the Senate and the House of representatives.

Writing many letters to many supporters of the democratic party Senator Obama reached out even to those not in America, when he also wrote letters to many including one to African Press that we have just decided to publish below addressed to Sammy by Obama:

_____________________

 Dear Sammy,

This is our moment. In the last 24 hours, we have seen a tremendous outpouring of support from the johnkerry.com community. You’ve raised over $350,000, rushing money to four crucial Senate campaigns that will use this cash to expand their final media buys on Friday.John Kerry told you yesterday that control of the Senate comes down to these four states: Tennessee, Missouri, New Jersey, and Virginia. Top Republican strategists have admitted as much.This is how we will take back the Senate. This is how we will change America. And this is why your donation has never been more critical.National Convention in the summer of 2004. In the last two years, he and I have been working tirelessly to win back Congress. And now, it’s come down to the final two weeks.You know the kind of ads we’re going to see in these last days. They’ll play on our fears, they’ll try to divide us, and they’ll try to distract us from the real issues in this race — the need for a new course in Iraq, for new leadership in Washington, for a new direction on health care and energy and education.

African businesses in Norway established by people who wanted to be rich quickly ran into trouble, and closed down on being bankrupt in the shortest period possible.

Between the year 2000 and 2005, a few individuals ventured into business having zero experience on how to run a business.

When they ran into trouble and got declared bankrupt, they ended up in huge debts that they are unable to pay, being indebted in registers and are followed from year to year by creditors.

To be able to survive, some of them turned into selling drugs because they wanted to continue a lifestyle they no longer could afford.

A few of them ended up in jail for crimes they commit while chasing for unreachable money, because they dream and wish to get rich quickly.

Some of them ended up isolated in shame, keeping their failure a secret from family members and relatives in Norway. When family members discover what has happened, the discovery sparks endless conflicts in the family.

An immediate problem that some of them face when they get declared bankrupt is that divorce starts knocking on their door. Those with wives and children suffer the most. Court cases emerge, where they have to be considered if they should be allowed to have the children or that the government takes away the children from them. Some get in very rough ending up losing the wives and the children taken over by institutions.

There is also the question of permanent residence which people get after 3 years stay in the country. The citizenship is difficult to get if one has been involved in crime and having huge debts owed to the state. Starting a new business is imposible, but some of them secretly borrow other peoples names, because their names no longer qualify for registration.

For those who embark on businesses that lands them into jail or being registered as being defaulters, they normally never get permanent residence permit or the citizenship when they apply even if they have stayed in Norway long enough to qualify.

They end up having to renew their stay on a yearly basis for many years because the authorities have no trust in them after the collapse of their businesses and crimes committed in desperate wish to have a high class lifestyle.

Half of those who failed in running businesses is because after making some money in the start of their businesses, they did not take care of the profits they made.

Instead, they turned their daily attention to women and drinking. By so doing, money started running into the drain and before they realised money was no more in their ruch. Most of them never recovered to go back and establish new businesses.

Reliable source confirm to APN that 40 percent of those who failed still owe the tax authorities in Oslo a total of 27 million kroner in state taxes and revenues, because they squandered the money when they were in business.

Business requires planning, and execution in a proper manner if one has to succeed in business. It also requires total attention from the businessman expected to concentrate fully and ensure that taxes and state revenues get paid in time to avoid the running down of the company.

 By Korir, African Press in Norway (APN)

africanpress@chello.no