SOUTH AFRICA F.M.: ‘IT’S A GENOCIDE, IN OUR BELIEF’

South African Foreign Minister Naledi Pandor recently explained to her party members why the government launched a case against Israel at the International Court of Justice (ICJ).

During the 6 March talk at an African National Congress dialogue on South Africa’s solidarity with Palestine, Pandor said South Africa wanted to expose Israel’s crimes against humanity in the United Nations’ highest court. She added the quality and quantity of the evidence left the Israeli defence team with little substantial to say.

On 26 January, the court found in its provisional ruling that Israel was ‘plausibly’ committing genocide against the Palestinians. Despite the ICJ requiring Israel to take action to avoid acts of genocide, reports indicate the attacks and siege have continued. Since 26 January, the military operation has killed an additional 5,000 Palestinians, bringing the total to more than 31,000 Palestinians since the 7 October escalation began.

FRANCE’S RELATIONSHIP WITH AFRICA ILLUSTRATED

France maintains a very unequal and exploitative relationship with Africa and this video perfectly captures the dynamic. Why would 14 African countries have their money controlled from Paris, with a French citizen designated a chair on the board of their central banks? To further paint the picture, what does it cost France to print money to buy actual resources from Africa? For more than five decades, France has been the chief recipient of Nigerien uranium, but communities in Niger have only seen their quality of life worsen. On top of that, France maintains the right of first refusal for Françafrique resources.

Continued….However, Africans have had enough - and, starting with Mali in 2020, have told France to pack its bags. Burkina Faso followed suit in 2022 and Niger a year later. In all these countries, French military, media and diplomats have been expelled. The trio have also created panic in Europe by quitting West African bloc ECOWAS - which is widely seen as a neocolonial puppet body.

Have a watch, have an angry chuckle and let us know if the tables really are turning!

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PEOPLE'S CHAMP VS ISRAEL’S CHUMP

Sports has long been an avenue for political activism. Just recall that iconic image of the Black Power salute by African-American sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos in 1968 - or boxing legend Muhammad Ali’s principled and vocal support for the Palestinian people.

But one of today’s major boxing names, Floyd Mayweather, has entered the ring on the other side. He was in Israel this week to express his support for the settler colonial project amidst their brutal onslaught on Gaza.

Continued….A few days after October 7th when Israel had started carpet bombing Gaza, he chartered his private jet to send 5,000 lbs of emergency supplies to Israel. He also visited an IDF base, hosting a BBQ for soldiers there and show-sparring with some of them.

Compare that with Muhammad Ali, who spoke out against the 1967 annexation of East Jerusalem and, in 1988, took part in a pro-Palestinian rally in Chicago during the First Intifada.

Which of these two boxers do you think was/is fighting the good fight?

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ISRAELI LOBBY TARGETS TIKTOK?

You’ve probably heard the US government is trying to ban social media platform TikTok. The House of Representatives has passed a bill targeting the Chinese-owned app over fears it’s a threat to ‘national security.’ However, some feel there are ulterior motives at play.

In this video, political scientist Edward Liger reveals a recording of what is believed to be Jonathan Greenblatt. He’s the CEO of the pro-Zionist Anti-Defamation League and warns TikTok is a major ‘problem’ for the Israel lobby in the US. It seems he’s afraid of its young users pushing anti-Israeli messages.

The recording was made a few months ago, and now the US is looking to censor the platform. Is that just a coincidence? Edward thinks it stinks and says it’s a simple way to gag pro-Palestinian views.

It sure feels that way, given the growing anger over Israel’s brutal bombardment of Gaza. Listen to the clip and give us your thoughts.

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FARRAKHAN: HAITI REVOLUTIONARIES FRIGHTEN WEST

Why is Haiti the continued focus of foreign interventions and disruptive US policy? Louis Farrakhan, the leader of the nation of Islam, summed it up in 30 seconds.

He said the West is scared by the Caribbean Island’s history of revolutionaries that defeated colonial powers. So, here’s a quick look at three of them: François-Dominique Toussaint Louverture, Jean-Jacques Dessalines and Henri Christophe.

Toussaint Louverture was a Haitian general and the most prominent leader of the Haitian Revolution. Known as the ‘Father of Haiti’ he’s remembered as the man who turned a slave rebellion into a revolutionary movement fighting against Napoleon’s Empire. In 1802, Toussaint Louverture was betrayed, captured and sent to prison in France where he died.

Continued….Dessalines then became the main leader of the resistance, the first Haitian Emperor and the first ruler of an independent Haiti. He spearheaded Haiti’s defeat of French forces that were committing massacres and won independence from France in 1804. Under him, Haiti became the first country to abolish slavery in the Americas. Dessalines also freed Santo Domingo (Now the Dominican republic) from French colonial rule. He was assassinated in 1806.

After Dessaline’s death, Henri Christophe retreated to the Plaine-du-Nord and created a separate government. In 1807, he was elected president of the state of Haiti. Later, in 1811, he created a kingdom in the north and became Haiti’s only monarch.

Farrakhan argues these revolutionaries showed a strength that scared the colonialists. And that is why Western nations do not want to see a free Haiti.

What’s your view? And would you like to see more videos on these revolutionary leaders?

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U.S. OFFICIAL LAUGHS ABOUT INVADING COUNTRIES

Invading other countries is no joke unless you’re a U.S. State Department spokesperson. Watch Matthew Miller say straight-faced that his country does not dictate to other countries and then burst out laughing when a reporter quips: ‘Unless we invade them.’

Miller was taking questions over why the U.S. won’t use its leverage to rein in Tel Aviv’s bombardment of Gaza. So far, over 31,000 Palestinians have been killed, and the UN’s top court (ICJ) says it could be genocide.

To suggest the US can’t influence Israel’s actions is ridiculous, considering it arms and funds its close ally. What’s more, the need to protect civilians was the excuse used for the US-led NATO bombing and destruction of Libya in 2011. For some reason, protecting civilians in Gaza is now outside Washington’s remit.

Continued…..Here’s a list of countries the U.S. has invaded since 1945:

1. Korea
2. Vietnam
3. Cuba
4. Grenada
5. Panama
6. Yugoslavia
7. Afghanistan
8. Iraq
9. Syria
10. Libya
11. Somalia
12. Guatemala
13. Nicaragua
14. Lebanon

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21 YEARS SINCE ISRAELI BULLDOZER KILLED RACHEL CORRIE

Today marks 21 years since an Israeli bulldozer crushed to death US activist Rachel Corrie as she was trying to prevent the destruction of Palestinian homes in Rafah city in the Gaza Strip.

This clip plays the voice of her mother, Cindy, who read aloud a 2003 email Rachel had written to her parents. She had described that the Israeli military had been committing atrocities against Palestinians and surveilling them.

One of South Africa’s main points in its case against Israel at the International Court of Justice was that Tel Aviv’s atrocities did not begin on 7 October. The Palestine-Israel conflict started in 1948 after Jewish settlers displaced 750,000 Palestinians—half of the indigenous population—a day after the founding of the state of Israel.

Continued…..Corrie’s parents filed a civil lawsuit against the Israeli Defence Ministry, asserting Israel’s military had intentionally killed her. In 2012, a Haifa judge rejected it because the bulldozer driver allegedly had not seen Corrie, even though she was wearing a fluorescent jacket. An internal Israeli military investigation determined the bulldozer was engaged in a ‘combat operation,’ clearing the driver of fault. In 2015, Israel’s Supreme Court rejected her parents’ appeal. They had sought just $1 in damages.

May the memory of Rachel Corrie inspire all who struggle against oppression. Rest in power, Rachel!

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RAPPER: ‘U.S. SCHOOLS CREATE IGNORANT PEOPLE’

US-based rapper Jason Chu dives into why people in the United States believe racist stereotypes such as ‘Africa has no great civilizations or empires.’

While royalty and empires may not always indicate human sophistication—as we can see with the British monarchy and US empire—we can point to evidence left behind in Africa.

Let’s look at the Kingdom of Kush in the Nile Valley and the Kingdom of Aksum, which grew in East Africa and the southern Arabian peninsula.

Continued….Then, let’s head over to the Songhai empire in West Africa’s Sahel region and the trading hub of Carthage in North Africa. Those are just a few examples.

The Los Angeles-based rapper then described a conversation with a university admissions officer, who told him the US educational system creates docile workers rather than critical thinkers. That, unfortunately, can leave space for ignorance to flourish, which can build support for Western regime change campaigns, among other efforts that can oppress the people of the world.

What do you think about Chu’s comments? Let us know below.

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HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY

It's St. Patrick's Day - a celebration of all things Irish but also a fine opportunity to remember that Ireland was, arguably, Britain's first colony: the Anglo-Normans took over as long ago as the 12th century! It's where what would become the British Empire honed its colonisation methods before exporting them worldwide.

These methods include suppressing local religions, dividing communities and using brute force. Britain's seizure of Irish lands and resources also resulted in the expulsion of native populations. During Ireland's potato famine in the mid-1800s - which killed a million people and was caused by British policies that prioritised export crops - the empire forced many families onto overcrowded and dangerous ships bound for North America.

Continued….The Irish were also one of the first groups to be racialised by the British, with British media publications describing Irish facial features as a sign that they belonged to a different ‘race’ than the British. Another tactic that they would use to colonise significant parts of Africa. There was also legislation to quell the Irish immigrants to the UK, which was happening because of British-caused famine in Ireland, much like we see today, where Britain and the West destabilise the Sahel in Africa but then create legislation to stop refugees fleeing those areas from seeking safety in Britain.

The continued occupation of the North of Ireland by Britain is very similar to what Britain is doing in Africa. To the east of Africa, Britain shipped off Africans on the Chagos island to Mauritius to make room for an American base, a launchpad for Western military operations in West Asia and Africa. Conservancies founded by former colonisers like Ian Craig control vast swathes of territory on the mainland, displacing local communities and stoking conflict over dwindling resources. Britain also maintains a military presence in Kenya.

Just as Gaddafi expressed solidarity with Irish liberation forces, we wish our Irish friends a Happy St. Patrick's Day and hope that once again, Irish and African revolutionaries can find that common ground.

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HOW MULTINATIONALS EXPLOIT THE DRC

Arikana Chihombori-Quao, the former Permanent Representative of the African Union to the United States, explained in 2020 how multinational corporations are exploiting Africa by fuelling violence and population displacement to allow easier resource extraction.

She makes a very compelling case.

This week’s African proverb reminds us that some things take time to achieve - like beer, which requires a good few weeks of fermentation and carbonation to attain perfection! In this swipe-scroll-and-click age of insta-gratification, it’s a truth that can easily get lost. Please share this nugget of ancient wisdom, and let us know if its African formulation speaks to you!

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U.S. GENERAL DEMANDS ‘ACCESS AND INFLUENCE’ ACROSS MAGHREB

How close is North Africa to NATO? Well, according to the head of US Africa Command, it’s part of the alliance’s southern flank, and Russia is trying to ‘capture’ it.

Michael Langley made the sweeping statements while justifying America’s military presence in the region. But can he seriously present the US as the protector of African interests in the Maghreb?

It was not Russia that destroyed Libya, one of the wealthiest countries on the continent. Nor was Russia behind a string of coups and assassinations across Africa. Neither does Moscow have military bases in the Maghreb, unlike the US.

Continued…..However, there is one thing the four-star general is honest about - his own country’s interests. Langley happily admits: ‘We need to be able to maintain access and influence across the Maghreb from Morocco all the way to Libya.’

America is clearly shaken by the anti-colonial wave passing through the Sahel. But it makes us wonder, if he’s saying this openly, what is the US is planning behind closed doors?

Do you feel the same or are we being paranoid?

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AFRICA TOPS LIST OF FASTEST GROWING ECONOMIES

Some of the world’s fastest-growing economies are in Africa. And one of the biggest success stories on the continent is Niger. It’s predicted to enjoy 11.2% growth this year, after teaming up with Mali and Burkina Faso to form the Alliance of Sahel States. They’ve all cut ties with their former coloniser France and have also exited the regional economic bloc ECOWAS. Surely the financial success that’s followed can’t just be coincidence?

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