SOUTH AFRICA’S BIOWEAPONS DOCTOR WALKS FREE

The horrific story of chemical warfare waged against Southern Africa remains largely unknown. Many of the players involved confessed their crimes in 1996 to the South African Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC), after apartheid legally ended.

However, Dr. Wouter Basson, the longstanding director of Project Coast, South Africa’s chemical and biological weapons program, did not confess, despite the testimony of 153 witnesses—including some of his colleagues—against him. Then Judge Willie Hartzenberg tossed out a 2002 murder case against Basson. Today, nearly everyone involved in this crime against humanity has not faced legal consequences.

In more recent times, other apartheid-era institutions have been accused of biological warfare, including the South African Institute for Maritime Research.

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WHAT WOULD AFRICAN DEMOCRACY LOOK LIKE?

'Democracy' was coined by the West and has been used as cover for subverting people's processes on the African continent. That's what PLO Lumumba said at the 7th National Security Symposium, held several years ago in Kigali, Rwanda. The Pan-Africanists questioned whether Western-style democracy works in Africa. Lumumba called upon African countries to choose a system that aligns with their values, culture and people. He further explained that African democracy must be defined by African people, ourselves.

Let us know what you think of Lumumba's remarks.

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FARRAKHAN: DON'T POLICE AFRICA

For decades, the United States has portrayed itself as a beacon of good governance, democracy and human rights. However, it also has imposed itself as the moral police of the world, quick to point fingers at other countries that it accuses of corruption or for not abiding by the so-called 'rules-based order.' Favourite targets usually include countries in the Global South, such as Nigeria, which some Western media outlets and organisations have labelled as one of the most corrupt countries.

While corruption certainly exists in Nigeria, according to many, including Nation of Islam leader Minister Louis Farrakhan, only one country contends for the noscript of the 'most corrupt in the world.'

In this now-viral 1996 interview with the US news program, '60 Minutes,' Farrakhan challenged US hypocrisy in judging Nigeria. He said the West African country is a young state working to overcome its challenges.

Continued…Hence, Farrakhan added, it does not need the United States to lecture it on how to run its affairs.

He questioned the United States' moral authority. He criticised the United States for disregarding its own past atrocities, such as the atomic bombing of two Japanese cities—Hiroshima and Nagasaki—and its genocide against indigenous peoples.

The ongoing Israeli attack on the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip since 7 October also has exposed US hypocrisy. Not only has the US extended military and financial resources to Israel to enable it to carry out its atrocities, it also has provided Tel Aviv with diplomatic support to shield it from accountability.

The US government has publicly condemned and opposed the now-pending genocide case that South Africa recently launched against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In fact, the United States adopted a 2002 law that would require invading the International Criminal Court (different from the ICJ) in the Netherlands if a US official or military personnel was brought in on charges. Doesn't exactly sound like the champion of human rights that it claims it is.

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‘UNINVITED’ 🇮🇱 DIPLOMAT GETS AU BOOT

With South Africa recently hauling Israel to the International Court of Justice on charges of genocide against Palestinians, it might be worth mentioning that South Africa’s principled stance is just a number of many including this flash from the past.

Tel Aviv’s deputy boss for relations with Africa (Sharon Bar-li) was an unwelcome guest at last year’s African Union summit, instead of Israel’s ambassador to Ethiopia - who was the only one of the two on the guest list. When she was spotted, she was manhandled out of the hall - prompting accusations of a stitch-up by vocally pro-Palestinian Algeria and South Africa.

Continued….South Africa’s Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor has also previously threatened the withdrawal of South Africa from the continental body had the unilateral decision to admit Israel as an observer not been rescinded.

As things stand, Israel’s observer status at the AU bloc is still currently suspended, with no signs of the suspension being lifted anytime soon.

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KAMPALA NAM SUMMIT: END GAZA WAR NOW!

Countries from across the Global South have been gathering together in Kampala, Uganda, for the last week - to participate in the Non-Aligned Movement’s 19th Summit. NAM groups 120 countries, primarily from Africa, Asia and Latin America. It was formed at the historic Bandung Conference of 1955 with African participants such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana and Gamal Abdel Nasser of Egypt. This year, the Movement came together and delivered a strong message: “Stop the genocide in Gaza!”

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UN CHIEF BACKS PALESTINIAN STATE ON UGANDA VISIT

UN chief says refusal to accept a two-state solution for Israelis and Palestinians is totally unacceptable.

Speaking at the Non-Aligned Movement summit in the Ugandan capital, Kampala, he added that denying Palestinians the right to statehood “would indefinitely prolong a conflict that has become a major threat to global peace and security.”

Guterres also condemned Israel’s ongoing offensive in Gaza, which has killed more than 25,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly 2 million. He called for an immediate ceasefire to enable relief operations and the release of hostages.

Continued…..Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has expressed opposition to the creation of a viable Palestinian state and vowed to pursue what he refers to as ‘a final victory over H*m*s,’ defying Washington’s request to reduce the intensity of military operations and to consider a post-war scenario involving a Palestinian state.

The Non-Aligned Movement is a forum of Global South countries that are not aligned to any major power bloc. Uganda is its current chair.

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‘GENOCIDE JOE’ BLASTED OVER CHURCH STUNT

There’s still anger after pro-Palestinian demonstrators were booted out of US church for heckling Joe Biden while he made a speech. Here, journalist Marc Lamont Hill says it’s wrong they were cast as villains, when it’s the US president who’s backing atrocities in Gaza.

Lamont rose to prominence after losing his job at CNN for defending Palestine at the United Nations in 2018. And he didn’t hold back with this fiery delivery at the Saint Sabina Church in Chicago. He accuses Biden of using the pulpit to shield himself from the ‘genocide war in Palestine.’

Continued…..Just to remind you, a few days ago Biden turned up at the Mother Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, to remember the nine congregants shot dead by a White supremacist in 2015. However, when he started referencing the bible, three people shouted “ceasefire now..If you really care about the lives lost here, you should honour the lives lost and call for a ceasefire in Palestine!”

Have a listen to Hill’s take on what happened, and then give us yours.

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YOUNG MUGABE REJECTING MULTIRACIALISM

This is an excerpt from a 1962 CBC interview with a young Robert Mugabe. He pushed for racial equality in a changing Zimbabwe, which at the time was a colony of Britain known as Southern Rhodesia.

Mugabe was engaged in his nation’s political struggle to gain independence. A Pan-African leftist, he and his comrades would eventually be successful in freeing their country through armed struggle. He became the first leader of Zimbabwe in 1987.

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PT. 2: EGYPTIAN COMEDIAN SCHOOLS ZIONIST ON ‘GREATER ISRAEL’

Here’s part 2 of Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef dismantling PBD Podcast co-host Adam Sosnick, who had accused pro-Palestine supporters of being ‘genocidal.’

Youssef reminded the co-host that Israeli officials have long showcased maps of ‘Greater Israel,’ a project he said would entail the invasion, murder and mass displacement of five Arab states. That would be akin to genocide, per the United Nations’ definition.

Take a look and let us know what you think.

Video credit: @valuetainment and @pbd.podcast

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30% OF AFRICA HEADS TO THE POLLS

At least 17 African countries are likely to hold elections this year, almost a third of the continent. Let’s have a look at the potential ramifications in a few key countries.

In South Africa, the African National Congress looks likely to lose its majority for the first time in the country’s post-independence history. Issues such as unemployment, load-shedding and economic inequality are likely to turn away previously loyal voters. The ANC might find itself forced to enter into a coalition either with the Pan-Africanist and Marxist-Leninist Economic Freedom Fighters, led by Julius Malema, or with the White-dominated Democratic Alliance, favoured by South Africa’s big business.

With elections slated for February 25th, Senegal’s main presidential contender, Ousmane Sonko, seems to be absent from the ballot.

Continued….The 49-year-old former tax inspector has been entangled in a series of legal battles, as his popularity rose among Senegalese voters. A back-and-forth in Senegalese courts has seen the Supreme Court reverse an earlier tribunal ruling giving him the green light to run.

In Burkina Faso, elections might be delayed. The transitional leader, Captain Ibrahim Traoré, gave the recovery of territorial integrity as a prerequisite in order to guarantee democracy. Currently, Ouagadougou controls 65% of the country’s territory, with 35% in insurgent hands. Two-million Burkinabe citizens have been displaced by terrorist attacks.

Rwanda is heading to the polls, with President Paul Kagame seeking a fourth term. Having won with 98% of the vote last time, it remains to be seen whether any opposition outfit will mount a serious challenge, as the country deals with issues like youth unemployment, poverty and food security.

And Chad is expected to vote in October. Transitional leader Mahamat Idriss Déby is expected to run. His candidacy follows the promulgation of a new constitution after a mid-December referendum. He has been backed by France, following the killing of his father at the frontlines in 2021.

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For the past couple of years now, Senegalese people have taken to the streets across the country to denounce the neo-colonial rule of Macky Sall and to fight for his anti-imperialist rival Ousmane Sonko.

Sall, a close French ally, has worked hard to keep Sonko off the election ballot. The latter rose to prominence within Senegalese politics unveiling corruption and the use of offshore tax havens by a Canadian company to evade nearly $8.9 million in taxes. He has previously run against Sall, promising to rid Senegal of its French-controlled CFA-franc currency, which grants tremendous economic control over Africa's economy to the European Union.

Continued….In the run-up to Senegal's election year, Sonko was convicted of rape charges that were then cleared and dismissed. Protesters throughout the country insisted that the allegations were a political tactic to keep Sonko out of the 2024 elections. While the charges were dropped, he has since been sentenced to two years in prison for "corrupting youth." His supporters point out that this misdemeanour charge shouldn’t render him ineligible to compete in this year’s race. However, the Senegalese Constitutional Council has decided to disqualify both him and another prominent opposition candidate.

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BLINKEN ON WEST AFRICA TOUR

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was just in the Ivory Coast on the second leg of his West African tour, after visiting Cape Verde. He was in the stands as Equatorial Guinea thrashed Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) host Ivory Coast with a 4-0 final score. He is expected to later land in Angola and Nigeria. It’s been bounced around that the US is trying to win over some African countries and keep others loyal to counter increasing Russian and Chinese activity in Africa. For example, the 60,000-seat Allasane Ouattara stadium that hosted the 22 January match is Chinese-built.

Continued……With the Sahel experiencing widely popular coups that have ejected Western allies in Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, the United States is doubling down on the rhetoric of democracy. The Alliance of Sahel States is likely to be high on the priority list. Former colonial power and NATO member France’s military has been shown the door in all three countries, and Russia has emerged as one of the preferred security and development partners. Niger’s Prime Minister Ali Mahaman Lamine Zeine was last week in Moscow with a delegation to discuss partnership on issues like security and economy. Burkina Faso’s Ibrahim Traoré had engaged Russia on constructing a nuclear power plant during 2023’s Russia-Africa Summit. In Mali, Russia is constructing West Africa’s biggest refinery, with an expected annual output of 200 tons of gold. We take it that the United States will be looking to re-consolidate its position in the region.

Blinken’s visit comes just days after China’s Foreign Minister Wang Yi continued China’s diplomatic tradition of 34 years by making Africa the first destination of its foreign minister in a new year. The outcome of Blinken’s visit remains to be seen, as is whether the US will successfully dislodge China and Russia in Africa. Africa has expressed its disinterest in mere rhetoric and pandering in favour of material benefits. The United States’ $55 billion pledge for Africa at the US-Africa Leaders Summit is woefully short of what China has spent on infrastructure projects, for example.

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