|
TAJUDEEN's
THURSDAY POSTCARD 10-06-2003
I was determined to avoid any discussion on this page of anything about President George Walker Bush's maiden safari to Africa. This is because I honestly do not see any positive benefits to Africa or Africans in it. Even the more hysterical trip by that master of political emotionalism, Mr Feel good himself, Bill Clinton, in 1998, neither made Americans wiser about Africa nor Africans less suspicious of Americans. I have been battling very hard not to abandon the African culture of being ever so nice to visitors no matter how nasty they may be! But Bush is hard work. He never misses an opportunity to disappoint. Just before he left home he announced 'punishment' for 35 countries including African ones (significantly South Africa that is on his itinerary) for refusing to bow to his demand for impunity (sorry, immunity) for Americans (soldiers and civilians alike) for any alleged crimes under the international criminal court. With a visitor like that even people brought up on the motto of 'turning the other cheek' may find themselves tempted by the other motto, 'even stephen'. I had a temporary compromise in joining Madiba [Nelson Mandela] in saying 'this man is not welcome by me', even if our leaders are rolling out the red carpets for him and those he was not directly blessing with his visit are trooping on Executive safaris to meet him for photo opportunities in their best robes! It is so sad how our leaders carry on around western leaders like kids seeking autographs of film stars! However, friends in the Civil Society groups prevailed upon me that we must seize the opportunity for some engagement. The East and Central African Development NGO, Mwengo, consulted widely and came up with an open letter to President Bush. Below are highlights from the letter. The full text is available at: www. Mwengo.org You are also invited to append your name to it and support the campaign to make the issues raised the basis of a relationship of honesty, respect, full disclosure and devoid of patronising compassion. Dear President Bush: As your plane touches down in Dakar, Senegal, we welcome the opportunity of your visit to examine the US Africa relationship and to establish ties that are based on honesty, respect and a clear commitment to removing the structural obstacles that impede Africa's development. We would like to raise the following issues for your consideration. They are not new ones, but there is an opportunity, with your visit, to act decisively and change the image and relationship of your Administration with Africa. The proposed visit to five African countries has been scheduled to clash with the Second Heads of Summit meeting in Maputo, Mozambique. It is unclear how the Administration could be so out of step with African continental institutions by not seeking to attend this important meeting. As arranged, the trip will rather serve as a distraction to the African Union meeting. We notice that your planning team has omitted those countries like Tanzania and Kenya that have directly suffered from terrorist attacks against US interests and citizens. This is odd given the tremendous cost that these countries have borne and continue to bear as a result of their relationship with the US. Furthermore, the highly selective programme excludes civil society and the business communities who could have offered constructive and prepositional conversation around US foreign policy, aid and trade. As constructed, the agenda appears to offer little else than a series of photo opportunities starting with Goree Island and ending in a Ugandan AIDS clinic with shots of our Presidents in between. This trip may boost the Republican campaign image among the African-American community before elections. However, it does very little to boost confidence on the continent that this is a working visit that will afford time and space for Africans to share their aspirations and engage the Administration on the need for the US to change its policies and practices toward Africa. There is still time though should you choose to act on the substantive issues we raise below. Delivery not spin on HIV/AIDS is needed While welcoming the public pledge of US$15 billion to a unilateral US Global AIDS programmes, we note your Administration's request for 2004 is a miserly $450 million. Mr. Bush, where is the $15 Billion that you have promised to fight AIDS in Africa and the Caribbean? Show us the money! The demand for the right to import and manufacture generic drugs is a moral imperative. This trip would be an opportunity to express your support for Africans to access cheap generic drugs and to promote women's rights to control their own fertility. Decrease uni-lateral militarisation, facilitate regional peace-keeping It can do this through cooperation and collaboration with existing efforts such as the ECOWAS-sponsored peace conference in Liberia, the South African-led peace efforts in Burundi and the United Nations and French-led operations in the DRC. At the same time, civil society organizations in Africa would like to register their unequivocal opposition to the further militarisation of the continent by the proposed setting up of new military bases in Africa as well as the expansion of others, i.e. Djibouti We call on the US to roll back the current plans to create "forward operating bases" on African soil and desist from promoting bi-lateral agreements that exempt both US and African citizens from prosecution under the International Criminal Court. Why is Iraq's debt different from Africa's?: Mr. Bush, will you announce US support for the unconditional cancellation of Africa's debt while in Africa? If Iraqi's debt can be cancelled, then surely there is nothing to stop you from doing the same for Africa. Dumping is not Fair Trade Africa's poverty is the direct consequence of the inability to export agricultural commodities at fair prices and to access US technologies. We call on you to announce a moratorium on subsidies to US farmers, desist from championing risky GM products and to take measures that will enhance market access for Africa's agricultural products. Democracy is a principle, not a matter of expediency: African people across the continent are establishing and holding accountable democratic governments. The practice of externally induced "regime change" as we have seen in the recent past is not welcome. Africans reserve the right to elect and/or recall their leaders through democratic processes. We would have liked an opportunity to express these thoughts more directly and hear your responses. However we note with concern that the space for civil society in the US to comment on and/or critique your administration's policies has shrunk considerably. We are not surprised that civil society in Africa as well did not feature in your itinerary. We deeply share the pain and suffering of Americans resulting from September 11 events and the sense of urgency to bring this insecurity to an end. However, we think that US-Africa relations cannot be driven by the US War Against Terrorism or US interests in Africa as an emerging market or as supplier of 15% of US oil. We make these appeals because we believe there are obligations that come with being the world's only super power. Furthermore, the people of the US and Africa have a history that is intertwined. Crimes against African humanity were conducted during slavery and during the cold war. In that sense the US has an ethical burden to act in ways that exude justice, human rights and a genuine respect for democracy. We ask not for charity, we seek justice. We look to your trip to toact decisively and change the image and relationship of your Administration with Africa. "Forward Ever Backward never" Kwame Nkrumah So Now We KNOW! What Now? /_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_ The author/submitter alone is responsible for opinions expressed on. The
Mulindwas Communication Group
"With Yoweri Museveni, Uganda is in anarchy" Groupe de communication Mulindwas "avec Yoweri Museveni, l'Ouganda est dans l'anarchie" |
