COLDEST BRITISH CONFESSION YET

Mere years after presiding over the Nuremberg trials, Britain was unleashing the same horror on their colonies in Africa. During the struggle for independence in Kenya, unspeakable abuse was meted out to the displaced native population, whose only crime was wanting their land back. In this clip, the callousness of Britain is on full display in the form of a colonial-era British officer, Terence Gavanagh, responsible for torturing thousands of Kenyans on suspicion of their involvement with the Mau Mau freedom fighters. For his services, the Queen awarded this dishonourable man with one of the British Crown’s most esteemed accolades, Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE).

While some call for letting all that be water under the bridge, others are raising questions about the incumbent head of state, King Charles III, who has refused to apologise. He instead expressed ‘regret’ for these and other crimes. Plus, the British project remains intact.

Continued……British conservancies control nearly 8 per cent of Kenya, uprooting local communities. Major tea-producing companies, such as Finlay and Unilever, continue occupying land more than six decades after supposed independence.

This clip is from a 2002 BBC documentary, ‘Kenya: White Terror,’ which caught heat from the UK’s Office of Communications (OFCOM) for ‘mishandling’ the interview with Gavanagh. The British regulatory service should have appreciated the honest line of questioning toward a decorated former colonial British officer. We certainly did.

Let us know what you think in the comments.

TOTTENHAM CALLER BLASTS PRO-ISRAEL BIAS

The British ruling class has often looked down on people of colour, especially if they are from impoverished inner-city neighbourhoods.

So, when ‘Sean,’ who sounds like a Black guy in Tottenham, England, called into a British radio show about Israeli crimes in Gaza—dropping truth bomb after truth bomb—the LBC radio programme host was caught off guard.

‘Sean’ explained the Western media had used the term ‘freedom fighters’ to refer to Zionist gangs that murdered innocent Palestinians during the 1948 Nakba (or ‘catastrophe’ in Arabic).

The caller relayed the West supports Israel’s illegal actions of blockading food, fuel, electricity and water from entering the Gaza Strip, while it has carpet-bombed the enclave’s civilian population of more than 2 million people since 7 October.

Continued……‘Sean’ went on for another few minutes and had twisted the LBC host into a pretzel by the end. Let us know below if you want to hear more from Tottenham’s pro-Palestine hero. If so, we will post part 2.

VENUS WILLIAMS’ FATHER DEFENDS HER

Check out this powerful moment in 1995 when Richard Williams, father of tennis legends Venus (@venuswilliams) and Serena, stepped in to protect teenaged Venus as a reporter (@ESC_JohnM on X) challenged her claim of confidence against opponents.

Williams’ intervention and representation in Oscar winning film King Richard is a great example of Black fathers’ involvement in their children’s lives, helping to debunk the stereotype of absent or negligent Black fathers.

His unwavering support was critical in shaping Venus and Serena into two of the greatest athletes the sport of tennis has ever seen.

What do you think of their father’s approach? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.

Credit: @abcnews

Sources:

https://www.essentiallysports.com/wta-tennis-news-he-was-badgering-me-venus-williams-recalls-the-infamous-interviewer-incident-when-her-dad-lashed-out

https://people.com/sports/king-richard-venus-williams-father-richard-williams-interrupts-interview

RESPONSE VIDEO TO MICHAEL RAPAPORT’S ‘NO APARTHED IN ISRAEL’

Michael Rapaport has struck again. In a self-filmed, expletives-ridden rant, the US actor thinks he’s proved to the world that there is no apartheid in Israel - by walking down a Jerusalem street asking people if they can tell him where to find it and getting no answer. Our man William Sakawa blows his ‘methodology’ out of the water in this response video - in which he ‘proves’ there are no slums in Nairobi… by wandering around the high-end suburb of Karen in search of them!

Continued……. The Kenyan capital’s biggest slum is just a minute’s drive away, of course - just as what’s been described by many as the world’s biggest concentration camp, the Gaza Strip, is not far from Jerusalem.

Israel’s discriminatory policies against Palestinians are well recorded. In a report, the Jerusalem-based human rights group B’Tselem found that Israel’s governance systematically promotes Jewish supremacy. Palestinians, even those who are citizens, frequently face unequal treatment in terms of access to basic services such as education, healthcare and infrastructure when compared with Israeli citizens.

Israel has implemented laws and policies that systematically favour Jewish citizens over Palestinians in areas such as land ownership, residency rights and access to resources. This includes restrictions on Palestinian movement, control over building permits and differential treatment in legal proceedings.

Palestinians in the occupied territories encounter numerous checkpoints, roadblocks and barriers to movement - while Jewish settlers enjoy unrestricted movement on roads and infrastructure that Palestinians are prohibited from using. Israel’s ongoing construction of settlements in occupied Palestinian territories, deemed illegal under international law, is also seen as a deliberate effort to alter the demographic makeup of these areas and maintain Jewish dominance, further entrenching the apartheid-like conditions.

What do you think - does apartheid (do slums) exist in Israel (Kenya)?

THANK THE COLONISER FOR ENGLISH?!! 2024'S BIGGEST FOOL

The June deployment of 400 Kenyan police officers to Haiti to further U.S interests in Haiti through occupation has gone awry. As of December, 20 officers, including seniors, tendered resignations over, among other things, delayed payments. Progressives had warned against the deployment for months.

African Stream participated in an event in Nairobi called 'Hands off Haiti!' in January. The Pan-African Socialist Alliance organised it in opposition to the planned deployment of 1,000 police officers to Haiti.

However, a group claiming to represent the Africa4Haiti NGO, which supported the deployment, was also in attendance.

Continued……. When our Editor in Chief Ahmed Kaballo questioned them about why they held their professed position, they had no answer - leading us to suspect they were a 'hired crowd,' paid to attend by some backer of the government's plan.

Then, our encounter became even more enjoyable. One of the Africa4Haiti' activists' said he wanted to share a message with the Africans following our channel - he wanted to say 'thank you' to Africa's former colonial masters for bringing us the English language! (He explained his gratitude by saying English allows Africans from all over the continent to communicate effortlessly with each other.)

It was very telling. Instead of arguing why Kenyan troops should or shouldn't go to Haiti or why Haitians need our support, he instead decided to use his air time to 'thank our colonial masters.' This is an issue we see throughout Africa, where we see crowds for hire often sent by politicians or NGOs to events supporting an agenda that needs to be understood.

Have a watch, and let us know your thoughts on our encounters that day!

AFRICA WARNS CITIZENS UK IS TOO RA… RAINY?

As we wrap up an eventful year for African Stream and the African continent, we look back at one of our favorite skits after the dreadful UK summer race riots. The premise for the skit was based on wishful thinking rather than the reality that our authorities in Nigeria, Kenya, and the African Union would for once stand up for Africans in the diaspora and issue travel advisories against the former colonial power, which has often targeted African countries with travel warnings for much less.

The skit was written by @ahmedkaballo and presented by @erickgavala.

LAMA JAMOUS: AFRICAN STREAM’S SISTER OF THE YEAR 2024

Our ‘Sister Of The Year’ recognition goes to Gaza’s 10-year-old Afro-Palestinian journalist, Lama Abu Jamous.

Lama (lama_jamous9 on X), the youngest reporter from Gaza, has grabbed the attention of millions of social media users around the world, with her powerful documentation of the life of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip - which has been under siege by Israel’s occupation forces since 7 October 2023 and has displaced her family and killed many of her relatives.

Continued……. Speaking with Palestine Chronicle, Lama said she is passionate about journalism because she “want[s] the world to hear the voices of the children of Palestine.”

In a just world, talented kids like Lama would document heartwarming stories and images of happy and fun times, but unfortunately, she - and many children like her - are living through daily realities of incomprehensible violence.

I have much respect for this young sister for her bravery, and may she grow up to live and continue her work as a journalist in Palestine free from occupation, settler colonialism and apartheid.

Source:

https://www.palestinechronicle.com/gazas-youngest-storyteller-who-is-lama-abu-jamous/

IBRAHIM TRAORÉ: AFRICAN STREAM’S MAN OF THE YEAR 2024

2024 has produced both highs and lows for pan-Africanism. Imperialist-instigated wars continued to rage in many parts of the continent, including Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo, killing tens of thousands and displacing millions. Western puppets in the corridors of power across the continent continue to implement IMF policies that have inflicted immense suffering on the African masses and further entrenched the looting of our resources by outsiders. We also witnessed an escalation in attempts by the United States to curtail revolutionary media outlets such as ours.

However, it was not all doom and gloom. The Sahel trio of nations - Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger, aka the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) - have, throughout the year, given the continent collective pride and hope that the pan-African dream is within reach.

Continued……. They have taken more steps to assert their sovereignty in both the political and economic realms. The three countries’ leaders have shown that, despite the West’s sustained assault on the continent, our spirit of resistance as Africans remains resolute. Without a doubt, they tower above other African leaders right now.

And within the triad, Burkina Faso’s President Ibrahim Traoré shines brightest. While the achievements of the Sahel have been a collective effort, Traoré’s speeches and charisma have inspired Africans on the continent and beyond.

For example, in this clip, recorded during a meeting of AES leaders in the Nigerien capital, Niamey, on 6 July, Traoré denounces Western imperialism and the African leaders acting as its lackeys on our continent. He says these leaders, whom he refers to as ‘house slaves,’ are always ready to betray their people to make their imperialist masters happy.

Seeing a young African leader standing up to the West in word and action is refreshing and inspiring. So there was little contest really. Congratulations, Captain - you’re African Stream’s Man of the Year 2024!

Video credit: Radiodiffusion Telévision du Burkina (@rtburkina on IG, YT and X, @rtbgroup on TikTok)

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…….. As @Chakabars (on Instagram), an activist who’s dedicated himself to raising awareness about the multiple crises facing DRC, and raising funds to address them, 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.

We’d love to know what you think about what Chakabars here says.

DEFENDING THE AES: ALL PAN-AFRICANISTS’ PRIORITY

Nothing is more important than defending and protecting the Alliance of Sahel States (AES). That is the concluding message from African Stream journalist Inem Richardson as 2024 comes to a close. We are hopeful and excited about the positive developments of Africa’s newly formed anti-imperialist confederation in 2025.

As a recap, Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger announced that they would leave the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on 28 January of this year. By 6 July, they formed the Confederation of the Alliance of Sahel States or the AES Confederation. This bloc promises a shared foreign policy, a shared defence, the free circulation of goods and people, and the eventual creation of a federal government to unify the three states.

Continued……. It was also the year that Niger expelled US military forces, shutting down US Africa Command (AFRICOM)’s biggest drone base, and revoked French company Orano’s uranium mining licence, taking over Orano’s affiliate Somair.

Burkina Faso nationalised two gold mines at the centre of a legal dispute involving British mining company Endeavour Mining. The country’s President Ibrahim Traoré has expressed interest in revoking more mining permits while increasing local control over that sector.

Mali has nationalised a gold mine formerly controlled by South Africa-based AngloGold Ashanti and Canada’s Iamgold. Authorities arrested employees of Canadian mining company Barrick Gold for owing $160 million in back taxes.

As Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger reclaim their natural resources, the confederation of three countries are also taking concrete steps toward industrialisation, opening new factories, refineries and plants.

Sources:

https://www.africanews.com/2024/08/28/burkina-faso-nationalises-two-gold-mines-ending-legal-dispute-between-rival-companies/

https://www.aa.com.tr/en/africa/french-company-orano-loses-control-of-uranium-mine-to-niger-admin/3414093

https://www.dw.com/en/mali-burkina-faso-and-niger-quit-ecowas/a-68106116

https://www.africom.mil/pressrelease/35590/us-withdrawal-from-niger-completed

https://peoplesdispatch.org/2024/03/19/why-has-niger-declared-us-military-presence-in-its-territory-illegal/

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/burkina-faso-plans-withdraw-some-mining-permits-junta-leader-says-2024-10-05/

https://www.barrons.com/news/mali-concludes-gold-mine-nationalisation-deal-d387390d

https://www.mining.com/mali-seeks-500-million-in-outstanding-taxes-and-dividends-from-barrick-reuters/

ORANIA: THE WHITES-ONLY TOWN IN SOUTH AFRICA

In 2024, South Africans were among the more than 3-billion people who went to the polls in more than 60 countries in national elections.

For South Africa, the elections had historical significance - they came at a time when the country was marking three decades since the end of apartheid.

When apartheid ended in 1994, many Black South Africans had high expectations about what the future held for them after centuries of social and economic exclusion.

Decades later, the African National Congress (ANC), which has governed the country since 1994, is facing accusations of not doing enough to dismantle apartheid-era socio-economic structures and injustices. Nothing exemplifies this better than the existence of Orania, a Whites-only town in the country’s Northern Cape province.

Continued…….. The town has been a source of tension since its establishment in the early ‘90s during the last days of apartheid. The town’s founders and residents claim its purpose is to preserve the culture and identity of the Afrikaner people, White South Africans of mostly Dutch, French and German descent.

However, many people think the town and its policy of not allowing non-White residents is nothing but a racist endeavour to maintain some vestiges of the apartheid system. The town’s residents insist that its existence is protected by Article 235 of the South African constitution, which guarantees self-determination. However, many have argued that the cited part of the constitution does not, in fact, permit people of a particular religious or cultural group to live in a secluded place away from other South Africans. In 2000, the Northern Cape High Court adjourned ‘sine die’ (without a further hearing date) after Orania’s proponents challenged attempts by the government to incorporate the town into the nearby municipal authority.

African Stream was shown around Orania by some of the locals, who shared their opinions about their community with us. We’d love to hear yours as well in the replies.

HAITIAN INDEPENDENCE DAY

On this day in 1804, Haiti became the first modern-day Black republic in the world and the first nation to successfully abolish slavery through a revolution led predominantly by formerly enslaved Africans. This unprecedented victory over French slavery served as a beacon of hope and resilience for oppressed people, particularly those of African descent, signaling that liberation from the chains of slavery and colonial domination was not only possible but achievable. Haiti's revolution directly challenged the global systems of racial and economic oppression, inspiring movements for independence across the Caribbean and beyond.

Despite this groundbreaking achievement, Haiti's path forward has been fraught with enduring challenges rooted in the legacies of Western imperialism. The newly independent nation was ostracized by global powers, with countries like the United States and France refusing to recognize its sovereignty for decades.