TOWARDS AFRICAN UNITY

Europe is on the path of inexorable decline. Africa, with all its resources, can rise if bad leaders are replaced with a Pan African agenda.

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What is To be done?

Enlightened Africans on the continent and in Diaspora complain about Western corporate and government Imperial control, conquest and mischief in Africa.

Millions of Congolese die so some Western companies can operate through Rwanda and Uganda, illegally mining resources without paying taxes to Congo’s central government.

Major Western governments claim they care about civilian deaths in Africa: Yet rather than helping end genocide in Congo, a war of aggression was launched against oil- and natural gas-rich Libya and recently elite U.S. troops were sent to Africa under the pretext of hunting down a rag-tag army called The Lord’s Resistance Army.

Meanwhile the bodies continue to pile up in the Congo while predator companies grow wealthier.

A few of the most glaring examples of Western mischief in Africa are: The violent conquest of resource rich Libya and the murder of Muammar al-Quathafi by the US and NATO countries; the maintaining of genocidal pro-corporate tyrants in Uganda and in Rwanda; the permanent pollution, degradation and destruction of Nigeria’s environment by oil companies such as Royal Dutch/Shell and; the promotion of conflict in the Sudan and in Congo for the benefit of corporate shareholders.

Still, when seeking solutions many Africans and critics of corporate imperialism turn to the same Western elite, pleading with their governments to abandon the destructive approach. This is like chickens pleading with foxes: “Please stop. Don’t consume us anymore.” It’s an insane strategy.
Wherever and whenever there have been power vacuums, corporate and imperial conquest have always filled the void.

The solution to Africa’s woes must begin in Africa. Here are some hopeful initial approaches:

(1) Every African country must have presidential term limits. That’s the number one priority; all Africans must focus on demanding for this. Even if the individual government is corrupt, that regime is constitutionally thrown out by limited duration in office. Any president who lifts such term-limits must be removed.

(2) Promote enlightened African leaders –even if there are only two or three in the beginning– who educate their people about the meaning and importance of Pan African unity and economic integration and coordinated investment policy.

This is the only way Africa can exercise sovereignty and protect its natural resources.

(3) Protect the continent’s riches by any means necessary. When almost all of Europe rallied behind NATO to destroy al-Quathafi’s government, the Libyan regime wasn’t the true target. Europe’s economy was already in a free-fall.

With the war of aggression against Libya corporate media could conceal news of the unfolding economic collapse for at least nine months. However, the bigger objective behind the destruction of the Libyan government by NATO was to send a bigger message to the rest of Africa: Any African government that dares to defy the West in the 21s century when the West needs unimpeded access to energy and raw minerals could be destroyed.

After all, this is an era of intense competition and demand for raw materials, as China, India, and Brazil challenges West economic supremacy.

(4) Promote African leaders who work for Pan African unity and economic integration by helping them spread their message around the world through traditional and new media. At the same time, reject rulers who stand in the path of the Pan African vision. No single ruler has the moral right to
obstruct what’s in the interest of the entire continent. Africans owe this to future generations.

(5) Stop talking about Chinese versus U.S. competition in Africa as something that’s detrimental to Africa; do something about it. The outside powers will continue to fight over Africa’s resources until Africans stand up and put pressure on African leaders to adopt uniform policies and integration strategy.

(6) Promote the concept that an attack against a single African country by outside powers is an attack against the entire continent; turn this into reality.

Regardless of how people on the continent felt about al-Quathafi’s government, can anyone imagine any scenario whereby an African force would be allowed to play a role in “resolving” political problems and conflicts in Europe?

How can it be acceptable for Europe to bombard and destroy an African country, killing possibly thousands of Libyan civilians in the process? South Africa has correctly demanded for a United Nations investigation. Unfortunately, the U.N. is often in name only; it’s main organs are controlled by Paris, Washington, and London, architects of the aggression.

Libya has a population of seven million but withstood the might of NATO for nine months. NATO won’t dare venture into Africa again if all the African Union adopts the concept of collective security.

(7) Create more media outlets and media opportunities for enlightened African leaders and activists to spread their message about the need for, and the meaning of, Pan African unity. This will allow them to speak directly to Diaspora Africans and to the younger and relatively progressive citizens of Western countries.

This is the best way to break the censorship and media monopoly of corporate outlets such as: CNN, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Time magazine, The BBC, and the now pro-Imperial Al Jazeera.

(8) Enhance cooperation between continental Africa and Diaspora Africans in the Americas, Europe and Asia.

When the African Union holds its annual conference, prominent Diaspora Africans must be invited to speak and Diaspora media contingents invited. Diaspora can bring beneficial skills, resources and connections. They also create the capacity to influence and lobby Western governments and even rebuff detrimental policies.

(9) At the end of the day, the meaningless lines drawn on the sand by former Colonial powers in Africa called “borders” must become irrelevant. Europe is on the path of inexorable decline. Africa, with all its resources, can rise if bad leaders are replaced with a Pan African agenda.

(10) The future of Africa must not be jeopardized because some individuals want to be “president” in Kenya, in Congo, in Uganda, in Nigeria, in Burundi, in Ghana or any other African country.

In this modern era of globalized competition, production, and inter-connectedness, only a Pan African vision that brings the entire continent together can ensure survival and development.

This is an obligation not a choice.

“Speaking Truth To Empower.”

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