Cde Hlongwane , whilst I agree with your analysis regarding the
political crisis in Ivory Coast , below is an analysis I got from a
fellow cadre , what do you make of it.Read on...
From: "clapperton mavhunga" <clappert...@yahoo.com>
Date: Mon, December 27, 2010 2:04 am
... and right on time, as I suspected, Laurent Gbagbo likens his plight to
that of Mugabe. He says it's a western plot directed by France and the US,
who are busy inciting ECOWAS to topple him. "When you go through what I've
been through, you tell yourself: 'Perhaps Mugabe wasn't completely wrong
after all'." Unfortunately for him there are several differences here in
terms of calculus that puts significant acreage between him and Mugabe.
Robert Mugabe is one of Africa's best political engineers who knows how to
survive even when you think he's history. Gbagbo is a virtual upstart and
here is why. First, Mugabe knew that for him to weather a tempest such as
he was in, he made SADC his missile defense system, adroitly using the
collegiate of liberation movement governments to create a critical mass
within the region and isolate a few troublemakers like Botswana. Ggagbo is
doing the opposite; he is alienating ECOWAS where Mugabe sugar-coated
SADC. Alassane Ouattara has, by design or not, stolen the march on ECOWAS.
It's immaterial what realpolitik or real-economik is pushing ECOWAS; the
fact is that you don't want to be surrounded by enemies that are as
powerful as Nigeria.
That brings up the second tier of Mugabe's adroit strategy against Morgan
Tsvangirai: unlike Gbagbo, who claims lineage to Pan-Africanism on the
basis of reading books, Mugabe derives his credentials from leading a
guerrilla organization whose networks of camaraderie just half a century
since the independence of African countries began are still very strong.
Now two things. Mugabe weaponizes an entire region to act as batsman for
him at the African Union level. Second, while the nationalist parties that
fought colonial rule are beginning to be eased from office in places like
Kenya, the 'old boys associations' are still strong enough that when
Mugabe talks about British recolonization and uses land as a powerful
rhetorical device, the reality of a western conspiracy--thanks recently to
the wikileaks--fronted by local puppets will not be easily ignored
(however much it may be hollow). By contrast, Gbagbo is thinking he can
bat and bowl--to use cricket jargon--all by himself, gives the middle
finger to ECOWAS no less, even as he can not point to any tangible reason
why the West would be interested in toppling him (Mugabe deployed land as
a weapon at the most strategic time when the opposition, made up of and
supported by white members albeit a tiny minority among black supporters,
was gaining popularity based on very genuine disaffection about
governance. Then he seized the land and used it as a rhetorical RPG-7
against his enemies; Africa--barring a few heads of state--went along,
applauded, or stayed out of it. That was because of Mugabe's strategic
awareness.
The thing with Gbagbo is that unlike Mugabe who was possibly too
formidable for SADC barring South Africa militarily, and in any case
counted on it rejecting military force (Mbeki would not allow it and he
said that publicly), and hence military force was off the table even after
Zuma, ECOWAS is quite willing to intervene. Already Gbagbo is facing a
financial blockade, like it or not. Journalists and those whom they are
interviewing say that ECOWAS has little chance of doing that because they
don't have capacity for an excision, drone-like capacity to take out
Gbagbo. What nonsense. African means of removing recalcitrant neighbors
don't need those technologies; they often take, as Nyerere did against
Amin, and Mugabe, Nujoma and Dos Santos did in aid in DR Congo, or SADC in
Lesotho, a full-scale invasion with perhaps Ouattara's troops as back up
or advance guard. That is exactly what they have in mind.
One final thing. Mugabe and his top generals have an esprit d' corps that
spans at least forty years. He has been keeping them happy--with land,
luxury perks, and promotions. The rank and file's loyalty may be
questioned by the media but when called upon to reinforce Mugabe's will
the army has certainly not said no. And no opposition is powerful enough
to control any part of government in Zimbabwe or any territory; the army,
police, intelligence, prison services, his loyal veterans from the 1970s
war of independence, and party youth militias trained in their thousands
with state coffers are all in control of every inch of Zimbabwe. Certainly
Morgan Tsvangirai is (as yet) no Ouattara, whose will to freeze Gbagbo's
'government' has not been seen in Zimbabwe. To be loyal soldiers
need to be kept paid; once that dries up, you're out. Here is Mugabe with
all the levers of power that matter; and then here is Gbagbo,
intellectualizing about a western plot against him like Mugabe, with less
than three months of salary to pay the civil service and troops. Or so the
media says.
My sixth sense tells me that Gbagbo is going to be toppled--it's a
question of who gets to him first--ECOWAS or his own troops.
Chakanetsa Mavhunga,
Assistant Professor,
Program in STS,
MIT,
mavhu...@mit.edu
Quoting a...@joburg.org.za:
ACTUS/prpe, 29 December 2010
Comrade Tony,
Our party, ACTUS/prpe, has no illusions concerning the non-communist
nature of both protagonists in Côte d'Ivoire.
President Gbagbo is a member of the Socialist International; he is a
social-democrat. Whereas Ouattara belongs to the circle of the world high
finance; a former deputy director of the IMF, Ouattara possesses with his
wife Dominique Ouattara building companies in Paris and in Africa, the
international Agency of the real-estate marketing (AICI sa), he is an
owner of a maritime park in Gabon, a plantation of sugar cane in Haiti, a
cement work in Burkina ? (Source: Mdi Panafricain).
President Sarkozy, then mayor of Neuilly in the bourgeois Seine area in
the suburbs of Paris, celebrated his marriage in 1990 with Dominique. We
understand why the capitalist imperialists would like to impose Ouattara
as president: he who would guarantee their interests better than the
social-democrat Gbagbo.
As for the supports of certain French socialists to Gbagbo, you make a
total confusion. Indeed, the French socialist party lined up officially
behind Sarkozy by summoning to their friend of the Socialist International
to go over to Ouattara's side. Socialist leaders such as François Loncle,
Guy Labertit who still continue to support President Gbagbo against the
position of the socialist Party, do so because since his political exile
in France, they have been connected by friendship with the future
President Gbagbo. M. Guy Labertit, for example, accommodated the refugee
Gbagbo at his home. As for Jack Lang, you are out of date, because this
one revised his position by sending an open letter to President Gbagbo to
resign from its post in favour of Ouattara.
The war between the Socialist Party and the right which you declare to be
the basis of the above-mentioned occasional support for Gbagbo is false.
This is an imaginary view, far away from the realities that faced by the
people. Indeed, there never was and there never will be a Left-Right war
on the question of the enslavement of Africa by France. African peoples of
former French colonies in Africa are victims of tragedies caused by
criminal dictators, supported by all French governments of left and right
from De Gaulle up to Sarkozy via the Socialist Mitterrand.
We have lost our dearest ones in this genocide programmed by French
imperialism. In France there is an underlying racist bedrock against
blacks that transcends ideologies.
Our country is experiencing a situation where in Chad killings of
protesters by the despot Deby are institutionalized. In 20 years 31,000
Chadians have been murdered under the watchful eye of France's protection.
Our party, ACTUS/prep, agrees that the only appropriate solution of the
crisis Ivory Coast, as all around the world, lies in the abolition of
capitalism, the war source of robbery. However, you forget some African
sociological and material realities which the African revolutionaries and
we communists should take into account.
The Communist parties in Africa are an extreme minority on the one hand,
and on the other hand anti-communist brainwashing campaigns have inflicted
considerable damages. The balance of power is objectively in our
disfavour; consequently the strategic realities lead us to form alliances
within the fronts which would allow us to advance our ideas and our cause.
The Democratic Forces to which you are referring undoubtedly include some
bourgeois parties or personalities or social-democrats like President
Gbagbo, who is opposed by imperialism. The Comrades of PCB (Benin), do not
they argue in a broad Front where there are bourgeois parties and social
democrats to defeat incumbent President Yayi Boni - like Ouattara
supported by the financial community?
The Comrades of the Rally of African Workers-Senegal (RTAS) are they not
coalition member (BENOO SIGGIL SENEGAL) involving many parties
ideologically opposed but have developed a flat minimum platform so as to
beat Wade at the next presidential election?
The PCCO Comrades (DR Congo), to advance their cause, are they not forced
to forge an alliance with the People's Party for Reconstruction and
Democracy (PPRD) of President Joseph Kabila who is also not a Communist?
Could they not have tried it with the presidential party in the Front and
they could emerge and be strengthened? Finally, the Alliance of Democratic
Forces for Liberation (ADFL) of President Kabila, has he not been this
wide including the Popular Front right, communists, trade unions, the
feudal ... with minimum objective and short-term to destroy the dictator
Mobutu?
Comrade Tony, for your information, it is necessary to recall our
conference last August in South Africa. Is it not a broad Left Front
comprising socialists, revolutionary democratic parties, fronts, the
Communist Parties ranging from the Stalinist as our party, ACTUS/prpe
(Chad) and your Party PTB (Belqique)? Here I would like to convey our
profound gratitude to the PTB, which, through its seminars and Marxists
universities, we have been introduced to the communist ideology. The book
"another look at Stalin" from Comrade Ludo Martens, who was in the
curriculum, we were deeply influenced by.
In the case of our country Chad, our party, ACTUS/prpe, communist,
considered objectively the agreement of the Forces so as to achieve the
minimum platform which is to oust the dictator Déby militarily supported
by imperialism French, we joined a large National Resistance Front.
Members do not share our ideology of communism. Far from it.
These few examples clearly show that some battles can be won only within a
Front. The democratic Ivorian forces which you allude to, are they the
ones that support Ouattara, a friend of bankers and other capitalists? Or
those belonging to the Presidential Majority of President Laurent Gbagbo,
attacked like Robert Mugabe by the western imperialists?
Our party has judged objectively and belongs to the broad anti-imperialist
Front in Africa and the rest of the world that supports the Gbagbo camp.
Our party believes that the pro-Gbagbo anti-imperialist front would move
the anti-imperialist a little, and particularly against the French
imperialism (Francafrique) that still exists. People frustrated by
France's support for criminal dictators are found naturally along with
Gbagbo. Protests against French imperialism took place in France, England,
Italy ...
I do not know what is happening in Belgium. I remind you that a delegation
of the African Youth from several African countries had gone a week ago to
Abidjan to give their support to President Gbagbo. An anti-imperialist
movement is unquestionable seeing the day. We Communists have to do our
historic duty in the face of the attempted recolonization of Africa. We
have a central theme of "anti-imperialism" which is an integral part of
fighting Communists, so why hesitate to get involved and especially the
first guide in the direction of the national democratic revolution and
later give the content of the class struggle?
Comrade Che said: "The revolution will not wait outside the door..." It
behoves us Communists to take part in a spontaneous in some spontaneous
movement that has been born. The level of repression of dictators
Françafrique (french imperialism) is appalling, and the level of
revolutionary consciousness is virtually nil due to anti communist
propaganda, so it is not easy for us to create a communist insurgency
situation for revolution. However, we can act, direct situations and
actual conditions. As Comrade said Tony, in your capacity as a Marxist and
Communist, it would be inappropriate to remind you of the existence of
objective causes and the subjective causes of revolutions. The evolution
of the movement depends on the degree of commitment of the Communists and
their deep ideological conviction.
However the camp the most reactionary is Ouattara. He would never allow a
victory for progressive forces. The doctrine of hesitant "neither Ouattara
nor Gbagbo" Comrades - would it not be pure capitulation to this predatory
war unleashed by the imperialist and undoubtedly then to be extended to
all of Africa?
Obviously for us communists, this small step will serve as an anchor to
lay the groundwork for the popular national democratic revolution in the
short term and long term those of the African socialist revolution.
Comrade Tony, we assure you that our party ACTUS/prpe remains and will
remain Stalinist Communist. We have in mind the goal without losing sight
of our identity in a united front. You personally, do you remain still as
before, or have you mutated?
Your comparison is that to justify your diplomatic position "neither
Ouattara nor Gbagbo" with Lenin during the 14-18 war seems wrong. Indeed,
the historical and political context is different because this war was
between two bourgeois alliances formed kingdoms and republics of Western
Europe. The Triple Entente is the military alliance of France, the United
Kingdom and Imperial Russia faced the Triple Alliance or the Triple
Alliance consisting of the German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian power and
the Kingdom of Italy.
In Ivory Coast it is not the assassination of an archduke that started the
war crusade led by France against its president Laurent Gbagbo and the
Ivorian people. This African country is dominated by the only French
imperialism, which denies the new direction of President Gbagbo to open
its market to other competing countries (China, Russia). Moreover, recall
that the Ivorian market was previously exclusively for French companies,
which have signed contracts stupendous looting in dubious circumstances.
France is not at war against the other imperialist powers in Ivory Coast,
not against China and Russia. French President Sarkozy and his allies the
USA and the EU want to impose one of their servants, Mr. Ouattara who will
ensure the best interests of France and especially those of his friend,
the industrialist who controls Bolloré and much wealth the country through
its group of the same name. France by proxy in order to avoid finding
themselves caught in its own trap or as mired in Vietnam and Algeria,
wants to outsource the imperialist war of plunder against Gbagbo to the
forces of the Economic Community of African States Western States (ECOWAS)
most of the leaders of which are also small evil creatures of French
imperialism or Françafrique.
A final historical fact that destroys your comparison with Lenin's
position against the imperialist war in Côte d'Ivoire is that the
successive defeats of Russia during the First World War are among the
causes of the bourgeois revolution in February. Upon entry into war, all
parties to such participation, except the Social Democratic Party of
Russia (RSDLP) of Lenin, the only one in Europe and the Serbian Socialist
Party refused to vote for war credits, but warns, however it will not seek
to sabotage the war effort.
I hope that supporters of "neither Ouattara nor Gbagbo" refrain from acts
likely to impede the African peoples' struggle against French imperialism,
which undoubtedly will find its culmination in Côte d'Ivoire.
Long live the struggle of African peoples against imperialist domination
in Côte d'Ivoire to live the true independence of the continent.
With communist greetings
General Secretary of ACTUS/prpe
Dr LEY-NGARDIGAL Djimadoum
actus-p...@club-internet.fr
Ali Khangela Hlongwane
Chief Curator: Museum Africa
121 Bree Street
Newtown
2001
Box 517
Newtown
Tel:(011) 833 5624
Fax:(011)833 5636
Cell: 082 4639869
a...@joburg.org.za
http//joburg.org.za/culture/museums-galleries
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