DRC PLAYERS: ‘WORLD SILENT OVER MASSACRE’

Democratic Republic of Congo’s amazing run to the semi-finals at AFCON gave fans plenty to celebrate.
But it also gave players a chance to highlight horrific mass violence that’s swept their country’s east for decades.

Just before they kicked off against Ivory Coast, they covered their mouths to demonstrate the world’s silence on what’s happening. The team’s captain also raised awareness on social media.

Over a hundred armed groups are battling for control of resources needed for modern-day phones and laptops. Meanwhile imperialist multinationals are raking in tremendous profit. Fighting and exploitation of the region has killed six million and displaced many more.

Fair play to the players for taking a stand, but will it change anything?

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BAFANA BAFANA A VICTORY FOR DEMOGRAPHICS?

South Africa’s footballers bowed out of AFCON with their heads held high. A penalty-shootout defeat to Nigeria ended their dream of winning the tournament for only a second time. But away from the pitch, their performance has ignited a debate on the transformation of sport in the post-apartheid era.

South Africa’s national football team almost reflects the country’s demographics. Ok, every player in the starting eleven on Wednesday night was Black. But that means they only needed one White player to be representative of a country where Blacks make up around 90 per cent of the population.

Compare that to the nation’s Rugby team, the Springboks. During their World Cup triumph last year, half the squad was White. An improvement on previous years but for many still not good enough.

Continued….After all, it’s nearly thirty years since the end of apartheid when Blacks were banned from playing rugby and the national side refused to compete against teams that fielded non-Whites.

It’s a point that wasn’t lost on Mbuyiseni Ndlozi , a politician and senior member of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF) party. When South Africa’s rugby stars won the World Cup for a third time in 2019, he made this fiery speech.

Progress has been made since then, but his point is still relevant. Today, laws may not prevent players of colour from donning the green and gold jersey, but social-economic barriers do.

Until the rugby team looks like football team, can we really say sport has won the post-apartheid battle?

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EGYPTIAN: ‘BRITS, RETURN STATUE!’

The British stole the top half of the Queen Ahmose-Meritamon statue many decades ago. It’s now displayed in the British Museum, so this Egyptian pleads in this video that Brits return the bust.

Many peoples around the world have demanded former colonisers return artefacts they stole. What’s the best way to get back our belongings? Let us know in the comments.

A HUNGRY STOMACH KNOWS NO POLITICS!

There’s been a profound shift in the consciousness of Africa’s young people. That’s the contention of author Joshua Maponga - who contrasts today’s rising generation with what he alleges is more a ‘docile’ and subservient one of the ‘60s.

He claims that Africa’s youth will no longer tolerate bad governance and inequality and are ready to take matters into their own hands if necessary.

The spate of revolutionary coups across the Sahel - which boast popular support - vividly illustrate Maponga’s words. As he puts it here, “A hungry stomach knows no politics.”

Are you hungry for change?

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HIP HOP PUSHES POISON FOR PROFIT

Hip Hop artists have long been accused of glorifying violence and drugs - but should we blame them or the people who run the record labels and sign them?

Here, Lyor Cohen, a veteran music executive, openly admits he signs artists for profit. And if that means pushing poisonous lyrics, so be it. Cohen is currently the Global Head of Music at YouTube, and before that ran mega labels like Def Jam and Warner Music Group.

To help you understand the damage being done, we’ve tagged on an interview with Veteran of the Black Arts Movement, Amiri Baraka. In 1966 he wrote, “The Black artist’s role in America is to aid in the destruction of America as he knows it.” He makes clear oppressed people are being enticed to make songs that attack and discriminate against them. Putting it another way, he says artists are teaching themselves the ‘propaganda of the opposed.’ Is he right?

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PT. 2: CALL CEASEFIRE TO END HOUTHI ‘BRANDING CAMPAIGN’

Here’s part 2 of our reaction to a viral clip of British journalist and filmmaker Myriam François setting straight a corporate journalist.

The filmmaker was responding to Sky News presenter Yalda Hakim, who said many have remarked that blocking the Bab al-Mandab Strait is ‘doing wonders for [Houthis’] branding,’ and that they must have ulterior motives for doing so.

Yemen’s Houthi rebels—officially known as Ansar Allah—have been launching attacks against Israel-linked ships for the past few months. They have deterred other shipping companies from sailing through the area, costing corporations hundreds of billions of dollars. The Houthis have said they will stop once a ceasefire is in place in the Gaza Strip and humanitarian aid is delivered.

Continued….We love François’ factual, articulate clapback against the unconscionable defence of Israeli atrocities in Gaza. As of press time, Israel has killed almost 28,000 civilians since 7 October.

What do you think of this back-and-forth? Join the conversation here and watch our complete reaction on YouTube for more.

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2 MILLIONAIRES GAMBLE ON BLACK & BROWN PEOPLE’S LIVES

Watch two callous multi-millionaires, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and British journalist Piers Morgan, play casino with the lives of vulnerable Global South people seeking refuge in the United Kingdom.

For decades, the UK government has attempted to deport migrants and refugees and/or has enacted hostile policies against asylum seekers. In November, the UK Supreme Court ruled on a plan to fly asylum seekers to Rwanda, saying refugees would be at risk of being returned to their home countries, where they could face ill treatment. In January, the European Court of Human Rights said the move also breaches the European Convention on Human Rights.

Continued….Britain’s intolerance for refugees seems ironic, given how quickly it takes actions abroad that force people out of their home countries. In recent weeks, the United Kingdom and the United States have tag-teamed to bomb Yemen, which has experienced one of the worst Western-backed humanitarian crises for close to a decade. In 2011, NATO, of which Britain is a member, funded and armed rebels to oust Libya’s leader, Muammar Gaddafi. That paved the way for the most prosperous African state to collapse, a civil war to ensue that split the country, a migrant crisis to occur in the Mediterranean Sea and open-air slave markets to operate in Libya.

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AFRICAN REVOLUTIONARIES ON VOTING

Democrats and Republicans are expected to battle, yet again, to win over the Black community’s votes to seal a victory in November’s US presidential election. Yet, African revolutionaries have long denounced both parties as two sides of the same coin.

Despite mass disillusionment with US electoral politics at an all-time high and US President Joe Biden’s dismal approval rating, he remains the presumptive Democratic Party nominee. Meanwhile, former President Donald Trump has emerged as the leading contender in the Republican primary process.

Do you agree with the revolutionaries, who say both parties represent racism, capitalism and imperialism? If so, will it stop you from voting if you’re in the US?

Malcolm X famously described Republicans and Democrats as the wolf and the fox: ‘No matter what, they’ll both eat you.’

Do you agree with him? Let us know below.

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