To the Honoruable Ladies and Gentlemen of Africa's Leadership Cadres,
The AU has consistently advocated that Africans, included Africans in the diaspora, speak freely on the crucial matters impacting Africa and African peoples. I, and many others like myself, are very appreciative of this truly democratic gesture of the AU, and if I may, I will take this opportunity to exercise the option to have our voice heard.
Many of us have noted with pride that the African Union has begun to make itself a factor in the struggle of the Palestinian people against settler colonialism and zionist fascism. We also note the comments of the Honorable President of South Africa in this matter that the affirmative resolution of the question of the illegal occupation of Palestine is an essential to the well-being of Africa at the UN Meeting on Palestine. We are hopeful that Pres. Mbeki's government will be able to bring the full force of their administration into play on behalf of our relations in Palestine.
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah wrote that the basis of a real African renaissance is the correct presentation of history, I quote from his book, "Consciencism â Philosophy and Ideology for De-Colonisation"
"In the new African renaissance, we place great emphasis on the presentation of history. Our history needs to be written as the history of our society, not as the story of European adventures. African society must be treated as enjoying its own integrity; its history must be a mirror of that society, and the European contact must find its place in this history only as an African experience, even if as a crucial one. That is to say, the European contact needs to be assessed and judged from the point of view of the principles animating African society, and from the point of view of the harmony and progress of this society.
"When history is presented in this way, it can become not an account of how those African students referred to in the introduction became more Europeanized than others; it can become a map of the growing tragedy and the final triumph of our society. In this way, African history can come to guide and direct African action. African history can thus become a pointer at the ideology which should guide and direct African reconstruction.
"This connection between an ideological standpoint and the writing of history is a perennial one. A check on the work of the great historians, including Herodotus and Thucydides, quickly exposes their passionate concern with ideology. Their irresistible moral, political and sociological comments are particular manifestations of more general ideological standpoints."
( from the SOCIETYAND IDEOLOGY section)
The history of Africa on the question of zionist crimes has been for the most part an admirable one. Many of us recall the principled stand of the OAU Liberation Committee in 1968 refusing the blood money offered by the settler state of Israel. We also recall that the PAC of Azania was chosen by its peers on the Liberation Committee to announce its rejection of the zionist bribe. We also recall that the majority of Africa demonstrated steadfast resistance to the many intrigues of the zionist state and its sustainers in the West against the Congo, Nigeria and other states on the continent. We note that the leading spokesperson for the Democratic Alliance has already issued a statement against the AU incorporating the issue of Palestine as one of its primary action item. This is not at all surprising to anyone who understands the true nature of zionism and its parent system, international imperialism in its various forms and manifestations.
But some of us are concerned that too many of our leaders, even some of whom appear to be earnestly trying to express solidarity with the Palestinian people, fail to grasp the global characteristics of zionism.
As former US Senator Charles Percy observed,
"Although the $3 billion dollars given by the United States each year to Israel seems assured no matter what occurs in the short term, U.S. financial markets are much more sensitive to perception of risk. It is little appreciated how much the new Israeli economy, which is based increasingly on high tech, is dependent on perceptions on Wall Street. Seventy Israeli companies are now listed on the NASDAQ Exchange and literally hundreds of millions of dollars of investment from the United States and especially Jewish Americans are now at stake in Israel." former Illinois Senator Charles Percy, "Middle East Issues in an American Political Life," October 30, 1996, speech at Al-Hewar Center, Washington DC
http://www.alhewar.com/percy.html
The struggle of Palestine against settler colonialism is in kind and degree no different from the struggle of any other people suffering from settler colonialism, the vestiges of colonialism, and the general global racist capitalist system. Hence, we understand that the real struggle of the 21st century and the foreseeable future is between the circles of avaricious elites controlling the North (western societies) and their human auxiliaries scattered across the globe, and the rest of humanity. No amount of hype or spin on the part of their talking head will obfuscate or disguise this historically determined and objectively inevitable process.
In view of such a reality we believe that Africa should be properly organized to optimize its leverage in this matter. To do this requires continental planning, continental defence, diplomatic, monetary and economic agencies...in short we still need to focus on building a continental government...as advocated by such stellar children of Africa as Nkrumah, Lumumba, Seku Ture, Sobukwe and countless of other servants of the peoples.
As Dr. Nkrumah observed, the existence of settler colonialism in the Middle East is a threat to the world and Africa:
"Now, Mr. Speaker, let me turn to other problems that affect the position of the African and endanger world peace. The nuclear arms race in the Middle East is now an open secret. Instability in this area not only heightens world tension but jeopardizes the security of the African Continent." Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, June 21, 1963 Ratification of OAU Charter speech made to Ghana National Assembly
And true to his principles, Pres. Nkrumah indicated the proper path for Africa:
"How much more effective would our efforts have been if we had spoken with the one voice of Africa's millions. With all our minerals and waterpower and fertile lands, is it not a cause for shame that we remain poor and content to plead for aid from the very people who have robbed us of our riches in the past? How can Egypt, strategically situated as is it, combat imperialism and neo-colonialism and solve the pressing and urgent problems of the Middle East unless it has the backing of a Union Government of Africa? Only a Union Government can assist in the solution of the problems of the Middle East, including the Palestinian question."
Dr. Kwame Nkrumah,
"Proposal For A Union Government of Africa" speech at the July 19, 1964 OAU Summit Meeting
Many of us, especially those of who still remain under racist settler domination, either as domestic colonies, as in areas such as the US and Canada settler colonial states, or under the remnants of old fashion colonialism, as is the case of areas such as Monserrat; are profoundly hopeful that the African Union will follow the still timely advice of Dr. Nkrumah.
