HISTORY: IDI AMIN, CONQUEROR OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. Photo: Idi Amin (1976). The only African to genuinely implement economic self determination for his country.
As an African, I'd honestly be proud to dislodge parasitic colonialism from my country and gladly earn myself the 'Conqeuror of the British Empire' title, rather than remain economically enslaved to a colonial master. While many would like to mock my father for expelling the colonialists and their ferried cronies, I felt proud to here Amin publicly state: "I made nothing for myself from the expulsion. I haven't got a single business". However in regards to a British Empire title, I was surprised to discover that the UK actually had a similarly worded honour called "The Order of The British Empire". One that they appear to worship even today. Surely this was once conferred on those who exercised the most achievements for British expansionism. What that actually meant for indigenous African peoples and others around the globe is historically unforgettable. In creating the British empire, untold misery was unleashed on Africa's ancestors so as to have them, their land, and many other resources, under the so-called "British crown". Those who have read about the scramble for Africa, know that it is simply a tale of shameless, barbarian greed. Today, the Order of the British Empire is still bestowed on reknown individuals including recently to the worlds most richest man, Bill Gates. Simply put, any British who has the official "Sir" title (Sir Alex Ferguson for example), is a knight, commander, or officer of the Order of The British Empire. What I realized is that my father meant to make them feel what their empire meant for us. It wasn't welcome anymore. History shows that while we went about our own affairs, an enemy came to grab our ancestral lands and unilaterally put us under their control, mostly by force of arms. Even though they feign deafness to history, for Africa and many other territories worldwide, the empire is a historic oppressor. In a 2004 report entitled "Reforming Our Honours System", the UK's House of Commons recommended to phase out the Order of the British Empire, saying that the title was "now considered to be unacceptable, being thought to embody values that are no longer shared". Another recent honoree is CNN's Christian Amanpour (2007). At the time, her employer broadcast a statement saying; "CNN’s chief international correspondent, today was named a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). The award was announced on the occasion of the Queen's birthday." If the UK state had any remorse or sensitivity to the historically negative perceptions by former colonies across the globe, they would have long halted this persisting imperialist buffoonery. One that they somehow still think is relevant today. But why commission a House of Commons report for which they had to conduct research, consult widely, draft the report, then present its recommendations to Tony Blair (the Prime Minister at the time), only for him and his successors to completely ignore honest meaningful work that would have most likely improved their relations with many countries today? Surprisingly the time the report was presented, appears to be the very time Mr. Blair had just lied to the world about weapons of mass destruction that actually didn't exist. The same time the empire was dislodging a president (Saddam Hussein), putting him through a kangaroo court, condemning him to death, hanging him on New Years eve as London celebrated with champagne and whiskey, while also bombing a million Iraqi men, women and children to shreds based on Tony Blair and George Bush's blatant lies, right? I did send a letter to Amanpour about the award at the time she received it. Knowing her sensitivity towards injustice, plus her humble ancestral origins (Iran), surely she must have reflected on the dark legacy surrounding this so-called "honour". Britain maintaining the award makes it valid for the former colonies to also honour those amongst us who resisted this ruthless imperialism. Maybe we should ask the Pan-African movement to also create another new award for our own: "The League of Africa's Defence" for example. A prestigious African award for pan-africans pioneers and champions. Also outstanding people from the continent and elsewhere, who genuinely struggle for Africa, it's children, it's women, the poor, the hungry, the displaced and the disabled. Or any truly remarkable effort for the continent, including the struggle against neo-colonialism and exploitation, plus the strife for reparations from slavery, western plunder and colonial injustices against indigenous African peoples. We can thus reinspire ourselves, and future generations with the knowledge that our struggles for a better future for Africa require our own concerted minds, the sustainable and efficient use of our resources, the study and learning from our own history, and our renewed determination to better our own continent with more courageous and inspiring African initiatives by us for us. By Hussein Lumumba Amin 27/01/2016. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_the_British_Empire
_______________________________________________ WestNileNet mailing list [email protected] http://orion.kym.net/mailman/listinfo/westnilenet WestNileNet is generously hosted by INFOCOM http://www.infocom.co.ug/ The above comments and data are owned by whoever posted them (including attachments if any). The List's Host is not responsible for them in any way. _______________________________________________
