BASSEM YOUSSEF: WEST CANNOT LECTURE ON HUMAN RIGHTS ANYMORE

Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef (@bassem) spoke with @olidugmore on the @PoliticsJOE_UK podcast about Israel's ongoing bombardments and escalated siege against the Palestinians, the West's complicity in Israel's war crimes, and how the media needs to be more responsible in its coverage.

He said Global North leaders expressed outrage over the 2015 Charlie Hebdo attacks in France. Still, the media and politicians have been silent about Israel k*lling more than 34,000 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

Let us know if you agree with @byoussef.

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This might be a case of ‘one love,’ to quote Jamaican political activist Marcus Garvey.

Jamaica has become the 141st UN member-state and 12th member of the regional bloc Caribbean Community and Common Market (CARICOM) to recognise the State of Palestine officially.

In a 23 April statement, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Kamina Johnson Smith said that by ‘recognising the State of Palestine, Jamaica strengthens its advocacy towards a peaceful solution.’

Smith attributed the decision to Jamaica’s commitment to the principles of the United Nations Charter, which seeks to engender mutual respect and peaceful co-existence among states, as well as the recognition of the right of peoples to self-determination.

Continued….. She also reiterated Jamaica’s solidarity with the women and children of Gaza, who make up the majority of the more than 34,000 Palestinians that Israel’s onslaught has k*lled since the 7 October escalation in the 75-year Israeli occupation of Palestine. The UN has said Gaza’s entire population faces an impending famine by next month as Tel Aviv continues to restrict the delivery of humanitarian aid while bombarding the enclave.

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KFC CHICKENS OUT OF ALGERIA AFTER BACKLASH

Kentucky Fried Chicken’s had its wings clipped in Algeria by pro-Palestine supporters. The chain was forced to close its first restaurant in the North African country just days after it opened in mid-April. Protesters targeted the branch over KFC’s perceived financial support of Israel during its on-going war against Palestinians in Gaza.

Continued…. KFC’s not the only Western chain that’s suffering a backlash. Food and beverage companies are recording losses across North Africa and West Asia due to boycotts. According to Bloomberg, Starbucks suffered an $11b loss in the last quarter of 2023, mostly due to boycotts by pro-Palestine supporters..

However, Algeria was always going to be a hard nut to crack. The country has no diplomatic ties with Israel and is a long-standing ally of Palestine. As President of the UN General Assembly in 1974-75, then-Algerian foreign affairs minister and later president, Abdelaziz Bouteflika, famously invited Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), to address the UN General Assembly.

Given the history, the fiery reaction to KFC in Algiers was sort of predictable.

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THE EVIL BUSINESS THAT IS GREEN TECH

‘Going green’ has long been a buzz phrase - bandied about ever more in recent years in connection with technologies like electric vehicles.

However, the human cost of saving the planet is often overlooked - especially when it’s cashed out in terms of Congolese child labourers working dangerous mines to extract the lithium and cobalt needed for EV batteries.

Moreover, while e-cars are cleaner than their fossil-fuel counterparts, the multinational miners operating in DR Congo are causing significant amounts of pollution, poisoning local waterways that in turn harm locals. Not so green after all.

Continued…. These points were touched on in the 7th instalment of our podcast show Pan-African Attitude - with guest Chakabars, an activist who’s dedicated himself to raising awareness about the multiple crises facing DRC, and raising funds to address them. As he says in this clip, global pressure helped end apartheid in South Africa - there’s no reason it can’t be harnessed now to end genocide, hunger and exploitation in Congo.

The full episode is on our YouTube page. We’d love to know what you think about what Chakabars here says.

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Zwelivelile Mandela (@nkosizwelivelile), the grandson of South African anti-apartheid icon Nelson Mandela, has joined the ‘Freedom Flotilla’ (@gazafflotilla), a grassroots fleet of boats set to sail from Turkey to the Gaza Strip to deliver much-needed humanitarian aid to break the Israeli siege on more than 2 million Palestinians.

According to organisers, the boats carry more than 5,500 tonnes of food and other humanitarian supplies, as well as medical workers and activists.

Zwelivelile, also a parliamentarian in South Africa, said on his social media accounts that people from more than 50 countries will participate in the humanitarian voyage.

Continued….. Although the flotilla was set to sail on Sunday, 21 April, Turkish authorities have not yet given the green light. In May 2010, Israel intercepted a flotilla carrying 10,000 tonnes of aid for Gaza. Israel k*lled 10 people and injured 30, inflaming diplomatic relations between Turkey and Israel. 

Israeli authorities had imposed a blockade on the Gaza Strip since 2007, which escalated after 7 October. Israel restricting the entry of humanitarian aid into the enclave has pushed Palestinians to the brink of famine, as the UN has warned is imminent by next month in the northern part. In March, the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA) said one in three children under the age of two in northern Gaza are now acutely malnourished.

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WHY IS THE WEST UPSET AFRICA IS DEALING WITH RUSSIA & CHINA?

Why is the West obsessed with who Africa deals with? 

If you ask the United States, the response is usually along the lines of ‘safeguarding democracy from authoritarian regimes.’ But, every so often, the mask falls off, such as with US Africa Command (AFRICOM)’s head, General Michael Langley, who let out the reason is ‘access and influence.’ The West doesn’t see Africa as an equal partner but a witless pawn.

Western powers are known for overthrowing democratic governments, propping up dictators, providing a haven to stash loot robbed from African taxpayers and so on. On the other hand, China, in recent decades, has partnered with African countries to build up sectors like trade and infrastructure. Yet, the West wants Africans to cut ties with the Chinese and the Russians, both of whose history of solidarity with Africa goes as far as the struggle for independence.

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MALEMA: 'WE WANT ONE AFRICA'

Economic Freedom Fighters (@EFFSouthAfrica) President @Julius_S_Malema spoke with Kaya FM radio host @PhemeloMotene about the South African economy, education, and the continent's future ahead of the South African provincial and national elections on 29 May.

In this 27 February clip, Malema made the case for unifying Africa by eliminating colonial borders and creating a continent-wide governance, military protection and currency. He said this is how Africans will win genuine respect when dealing with the international community and benefit from Africa's natural mineral wealth.

What do you think about Malema's plan to unify Africa? Let us know in the comments.

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THE STORY OF AFRICA'S MOST FAMOUS MELODY

The Lion Sleeps Tonight uses perhaps Africa's most famous melody and made millions of dollars - but not for its original creator, Zulu singer Solomon Linda.

The melody did not belong to Disney, yet it helped turn The Lion King into a huge box-office success. The US entertainment giant held out crediting the South African singer until it was sued by his descendants.

Nothing wrong with African music being enjoyed and appreciated beyond the continent, of course, but credit where it’s due, please. Can you think of other examples of appropriation without acknowledgement?

This is the story of the song whose real name is Mbube.

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WHITE PRIVILEGE FOR DUMMIES

Some people actually still think that White privilege is a myth - created by ‘angry’ people of colour as a tool to bash Whites.

They believe, for example, that poverty rates are higher among Africans because they make the racist assumption that we are somehow lazy. Never do they entertain the possibility that we are, in fact, hindered every step of the way by systemic political and economic oppression rooted in slavery, colonialism and neo-colonalism.

In this clip, spoken-word artist Kyla Jenée Lacey breaks down the concept of White privilege for those who still do not get it or believe in its existence.

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FRANCE URGED TO PAY HAITI REPARATIONS

A group of 20 NGOs meeting in Geneva, Switzerland, have called on France to pay reparations to Haiti to cover a debt former slaves were forced to pay in exchange for recognition of the island's independence.

The coalition of civil activists working under the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent (PFPAD) wants to create a new independent commission to oversee the restitution of the debt and compensation for attendant economic losses. Some experts argue Haiti is owed over $100 billion.

Continued…. Haitian slaves successfully revolted against French colonialists and established the world's first Black republic in 1804. France then imposed a 150m gold franc 'ransom' on Haiti to compensate colonialists for the loss of land and slaves. Haiti finished paying it in 1947, but the damage had been done by then. The Caribbean island was severely deprived of economic resources to develop itself and has been embroiled in instability, poverty and underdevelopment.

France admits it owes Haiti a 'moral debt' but has ignored previous calls to pay reparations.

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‘YOU’RE COMMITTING ASSAULT’ U.S. POLICE ARREST PRO-PALESTINE STUDENTS

Student protests against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza are happening across the world, and they’ve exploded in the United States. Over the last week there have been demonstrations at campuses from California to Massachusetts. But their calls of ‘free Palestine’ have been met with a violent response from police who’ve arrested hundreds.

This clip shows Los Angeles officers man-handling students at University of Southern California (USC). You can hear a bystander shouting ‘you’re committing assault’ as officers pull a protester off campus. Ninety-three people were detained for ‘trespassing’ after they'd formed a camp on college grounds.

Continued…. Footage on social media also appears to show police firing a rubber bullet into a crowd near the university. The LAPD hasn’t confirmed if officers used such weapons during the hours-long operation on Wednesday, April 24th, 2024.

Apart from arrest, students also face suspension by universities, which are accused of investing in corporations that profit from the war.

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