HOW HAITI INSPIRED THE BLACK POWER MOVEMENT

It should come as no surprise that the first Black republic, Haiti, birthed a movement that led to the Black Power Movement. Fending off French enslavers and squaring off against the US military a century later, Haitians recognised their Blackness was a target of white supremacy. For Black people to win this struggle, we must cherish our Blackness. Enter Noirism.

Noirism in Haiti inspired Negritude in other African diaspora communities, which inspired the Black Power movement. It shows the importance of history for Africans everywhere as a guide for liberation. Those of us fighting today are building on the work of our ancestors, who began by taking pride in being dark-skinned Africans. Have a watch, and please let us know what you think.

Video credit: @bertrhude (TikTok, IG, X)

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TANZANIAN YOUTH FOR PALESTINE

Tanzania’s history of solidarity with Palestine is an intrinsic part of its national journey.

Since gaining independence in the early 1960s, Tanzania has been a staunch advocate for Palestinian rights, driven by its own experience with colonial oppression. Under the leadership of head of state Julius Nyerere (1922-99), Tanzania emerged as a vocal supporter of liberation movements globally, viewing the Palestinian struggle as part of a broader fight against colonialism and for self-determination. This support has been a cornerstone of Tanzania’s foreign policy, reflecting a commitment to justice on the international stage.

Continued….. Over the years, Tanzania has maintained strong ties with Palestinian leaders, advocated for Palestinian representation in international organisations, and provided aid to alleviate Palestinians’ hardships. Tanzanian educational institutions and public campaigns have also played a role in raising awareness about the Palestinian cause, underscoring the country’s ongoing dedication to advocating for peace and justice in the region.

It should then not be surprising that in this viral clip, we see Tanzanian youth turn the world’s attention to the Palestinian struggle. The event was organized by Tanzanian influencer Jamal Amoul Abdallah (@yessjamal) and South African influencer Candice King (@candy_and_the_kings).

Video credit: @yessjamal and @candy_and_the_kings (IG)

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Our African Proverb this week is a little morbid. It reminds us that some things will never be attractive. The proverb is Tanzanian, but what do you think of that Ghanaian coffin? The Grim Reaper can’t tempt us, even with lipstick on, right?

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NATO TRAINED MANCHESTER ARENA ATTACKERS?

The North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO), a political and military alliance of North American and European nations, has, in recent decades, gone to war and invaded Global South countries in the name of fighting terrorism.

NATO’s atrocities against civilians in countries such as Afghanistan have been documented. What is not as well documented is their crimes in the 2011 onslaught in Libya.

NATO claims these military operations are necessary to keep their citizens safe from terrorist attacks. However, an inquiry into the 2017 Manchester Arena terrorist attack in the United Kingdom revealed NATO could be doing the opposite.

Abdalraouf Abdallah is a British-Libyan national serving a nine-and-a-half-year prison sentence for helping British citizens travel to Syria to join ISIS.

Continued….. When he testified in November 2021 at the inquiry that ran between September 2020 and March 2023, he said Manchester Arena su*cide bomber Salman Abedi was part of NATO-supported militias that fought, overthrew and k*lled former Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The country has since devolved into chaos, with multiple forces vying for control and slave markets emerging to sell Africans.

Abdallah said he and Abedi were part of the so-called Tripoli Brigade, which, according to Abdallah’s testimony, received training and material support from NATO.

Abedi k*lled 22 people and himself when he detonated a shrapnel-packed bomb at the Manchester arena on 22 May 2017 during an Ariana Grande concert. It was Britain’s first su*cide bombing attack since 2005.

In 2018, UK-based news outlet the Middle East Eye revealed that in 2011, the British government allowed Libyans living in the UK, including those under counter-terrorism control orders restricting their movement, to travel to the North African country to join the anti-Gaddafi militias. The outlet interviewed sources who claimed that the UK authorities allowed them to travel between the two countries with ‘no questions asked.’

Credit: @DeclassifiedUK (IG, X and TikTok)

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CORRUPT UGANDAN OFFICIAL CALLS OUT CORRUPTION

Uganda’s interior minister is waging war on corruption - stating earlier this month that all allegations of corruption against officials should be taken seriously and investigated. No stranger to such allegations himself (for example, in 2017 - as Justice Minister - he was named in the irregular transfer of public property), the month before he urged the next generation of leaders to resist all temptations to dabble in corruption. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at Kampala International University, he told his audience of bright young things that taking a slice of government-budget pie for yourself is not the reason we elect government officials. It is a little ironic that not long after his speech, the government cracked down heavily on anti-graft protesters in the capital. All the same, his speech is worth a listen. Do you think his audience will internalize the message?

Video credit: @KiuAcUg

ON REPARATIONS: ‘WHAT’S WRONG WITH CHILDREN OF SLAVES?’

After over 200 years of slavery in America, the 1865 ‘Special Field Order No. 15’ was issued - to redistribute land and provide a level of economic security to freed slaves by guaranteeing them “40 acres and a mule.” It was rescinded not long after.

The effects of slavery continue to impact and disenfranchise Black people in America today. There is a clear wealth gap between Black people and White people in the country, made worse by systemic racism that denies the former opportunities to advance. According to The Brookings Institution, this gap is not shrinking. On the contrary, they report that, in 2022, “the growing disparity means that … for every $100 in wealth held by White households, Black households held only $15.”

Continued…. In this clip from a 1994 interview on the Arsenio Hall Show - that is, 129 years after the first known attempt at reparations (“40 acres and a mule”) - Minister Louis Farrakhan asserts America’s moral responsibility to the Black community for slavery.

The question remains: Will America repair the damage it has inflicted on its Black community?

While some critics continue to contend that reparations are not feasible, Farrakhan argues that - just as the Jewish survivors of the Holocaust and Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II received reparations - so should Black people in America for slavery.

What do you think? Can there ever be true accountability and repair for the horrors of slavery without reparations?

Video Credit: The Arsenio Hall Show, Paramount Studios, 1994

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RENA WAKAMA: THE BASKETBALL COACH FROM NIGERIA MAKING HISTORY.

Here’s another Olympic achievement to celebrate! Nigeria’s women’s basketball team may have missed out on a medal, but their coach has landed an award. Rena Wakama was voted ‘best coach’ in Paris after leading her side to the last eight.

Quite a story, considering she’s only been in charge of the D’Tigress for just over a year. But don’t think Rena’s came from nowhere, she’s been making waves in the game for some time. Before starting coaching seven years ago, she excelled as a player in college basketball.

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Continued….. Fighting Al-Shabaab has been a pretext for massive military expansion in the Horn of Africa. The US recently signed a military deal to build five new military bases in the country for a US-sponsored special op known as Danab, further militarising the country. We see this same pattern in the Sahel and in Haiti, where US policies have led to more violence, which then led the US to justify more intervention.

NB - The statistics in the infographic come from Airwars Research and include both declared strikes and alleged strikes.

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BOXING CHAMP KHELIF AND TRUMP TRADE BLOWS

Former US President Donald Trump has again lashed out at Algeria’s boxing champ Imane Khelif. She won gold in Paris amid a storm of online hate that wrongly accused her of being transgender. During the Olympics, Trump posted he would ‘keep men out of women’s sports’. And he doubled down on that view at a campaign rally at the weekend in Pennsylvannia, saying ‘it was so demeaning to women.’

Imane, who was born a woman and has not transgendered, has continued to fightback against the slur. During this interview with Algerian outlet El Bilad TV, she tells politicians to keep out of sport, adding: ‘I am a woman and will remain a woman’

Continued….. Imane’s launched a cyber-bullying lawsuit in France over the abuse she received at the Olympics. Trump is named in the case, along with X owner Elon Musk and author JK Rowling, who also said she was a man.

The gender row exploded when Imane’s first opponent in Paris quit after 46 seconds, claiming she’d never been hit so hard. Attention then turned to Imane’s disqualification from last year’s Women’s Boxing World Championship after she failed unspecified ‘eligibility’ tests. That tournament was run by the International Boxing Association (IBA), but Olympic chiefs cleared Imane to fight in Paris. Another female fighter,  Taiwan’s Li You-ting, was also banned by the IBA for failing ‘eligibility tests’ and went on to win Olympic gold.

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