DIFFERENT COLONISERS, SAME TACTIC

The thing about colonial forces is that they often lack bravery. Knowing they are hated, they constantly have to watch their backs. British soldiers serving in Northern Ireland have admitted that they used to feel safer patrolling near children as they thought there’d be less chance of being shot at. This despicable tactic - using kids as human shields - was also in evidence in apartheid South Africa and has been used by the IDF in Israel.

It’s worth remembering that, under international humanitarian law, the use of children on a battlefield and the use of human shields are strictly prohibited through treaty and custom - and are defined as war crimes by the International Criminal Court.

WHITE LIBERTY GOOD BLACK LIBERTY BAD?

Here’s a quote from American-born African writer James Baldwin: “When any White man in the world says, ‘give me liberty or give me death’, the entire White world applauds. When a Black man says exactly the same thing, he is judged a criminal and treated like one.”

Baldwin was speaking on The Dick Cavett show in 1969. And it highlights the hypocrisy underlying Western society that many of us know and feel.

Africans growing up in the United States and other imperialist countries are educated on the brave struggles of Western ‘freedom fighters’, from George Washington to Joan of Arc. However, when it comes to the question of the emancipation of African people who have been subjected to hundreds of years of oppression, all of a sudden, fighting for freedom is unacceptable.

Continued……. Baldwin gives two examples: The treatment of Nat Turner, who led the famous US slave rebellion in the 19th century, and the backlash against human rights activist Malcolm X around a hundred years later.

Baldwin also talks about Israel in this video but later made clear he’s anti-Zionist, saying: “I don’t believe they have the right, after 3,000 years, to reclaim the land with Western bombs and guns on the biblical injunction.”

WHITE TEARS ARE THE MOST DANGEROUS LIQUID

Today, the name, ‘Karen,’ is a pejorative term for a self-ennoscriptd white woman.

But, back in 1955, a white woman named Carolyn Bryant falsely accused 14-year-old Emmett Till of whistling at her, which led to his kidnapping and murder. Bryan recounted in this video that, decades later, Bryant (1934-2023), recanted the story while on her deathbed. Not only that, in recent years, a team of researchers found an unserved arrest warrant in a Mississippi courthouse basement charging Bryant with Till’s kidnapping. In 1955, two white suspects were tried and acquitted.

Till’s courageous mother, Mamie Till-Mobley (1921-2003), decided to hold an open-casket funeral so the world could see the horrific condition of his face and body, adding fuel to the fire of the then-budding Civil Rights Movement.

No one has been held to account in this case.

Video credit: @drinkableRyan

WHITE AGENDA IN CONSERVATIONISM
EXPOSED

Tourism and conservation have been designed to advance the White man’s agenda. That’s the verdict of Mordecai Ogada, an animal ecology and conservation policy expert who co-wrote the book: ‘The Big Conservation Lie’.

He argues the management of Africa’s natural resources is controlled by foreign interests at the expense of Africans. If you want an example, look no further than the Maasai herders. They’ve been forced to water their flocks away from the best locations, so tourists can get the perfect view of Mount Kilimanjaro.

Continued…….. So, why don’t local conservationists speak out? Mordecai says it’s because many have been ‘bought’ with big offices and cars and are happy to further a Western agenda. An agenda that’s rooted in the racial hierarchies and imperialism pushed by US President Theodore Roosevelt in the 20th century.

Mordecai’s illuminating book gives the low down on what’s happening. In the meantime, this clip will give you a taste. Tell us what you think in the comments.

Video credit: @LynnNgugi

THE CONTROVERSIAL LEGACY OF COLONIAL ASKARIS

Askari is a common word used throughout East Africa, but the word has dark origins. Askaris described native African soldiers and Indian soldiers, who served in European colonial militaries throughout Africa during the 19th and 20th centuries. Their service extended to other parts of the continent over time. Askaris were used in other ways, such as in the Scramble for Africa, the Herero and Namaqua genocide, the suppression of the Maji Maji Rebellion, the East Africa Campaign of World War I, the East African Campaign of World War II, and in the Pacification of Algeria, among other conflicts.

What do you think about the Askaris? Let us know in the comments.

ETHIOPIAN CHRISTMAS

Millions of Ethiopian Orthodox faithful celebrate Christmas almost two weeks after much of the rest of the world, in keeping with the Julian calendar. Christianity arrived in Ethiopia in the 4th century AD through the Kingdom of Aksum, more than a thousand years before European colonisation. Because of that, it is not hindered by the hallmarks of white supremacy as the Christian teachings brought over during the colonial era that are practiced throughout much of Africa today.

Merry Christmas to all our Ethiopian brothers and sisters.

APARTHEID ALIVE & WELL IN S. AFRICA

Did you know that apartheid still exists in supposedly post-apartheid South Africa? The towns of Kleinfontein and Orania are Whites only. Illegal, you’d think - but so far, they’ve resisted legal challenges, citing the constitution’s ‘right to self-determination.’ In this video, we reveal just how racist the first of these is - by listening to the words of Kleinfontein‘s residents and finding out just who is remembered in its memorial park.

Sources:

https://www.iol.co.za/pretoria-news/news/residents-of-all-afrikaner-township-in-city-living-there-illegally-d526de39-526b-46ab-a77c-05ffe3b7554f

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jul/30/south-africa-kleinfontein-apartheid-afrikaner

https://www.thesouthafrican.com/lifestyle/step-inside-afrikaner-only-township-of-kleinfontein/

https://www.news24.com/news24/orania-retains-status-quo-20001204

This week’s Wednesday Wisdom from the late author and thinker Maya Angelou (1928-2014) reminds us of the significance of history when trying to shape our future.

Angelou implied in her famous statement that detaching a people from their roots can result in identity crises, as is the case of the descendants of Africans kidnapped and forced into slavery in the Americas. Furthermore, not knowing our true history can make us susceptible to the oppressor’s narratives about us.

For example, Africans who have internalised that they are inferior to Europeans may try to bleach their skin, an epidemic in many parts of the continent and beyond, or distance themselves from Africa.

Arguably, liberation begins with mental decolonisation, as it is from this that complete liberation can come to fruition. Understanding African history, where we have been and our current reality are required to know where we are heading.

source:

https://www.nytimes.com/1972/04/16/archives/-for-years-we-hated-ourselves.html

THE BRITISH MUSEUM FEELS LIKE ‘HOME’ FOR AFRICANS

This hilarious meme couldn’t be any more accurate!

As Africans, the British museum would feel right at home seeing as it houses stolen artefacts from the motherland during slavery and colonisation. African countries have been campaigning for the items to be returned.

The British Museum in London houses around 73,000 African objects from the Benin kingdom in Nigeria, the Dahomey Kingdom in Benin to the Ashanti kingdom in Ghana. Over the years, European authorities have said they cannot return artefacts because they cannot determine the true owner and that they cannot trust the items will be properly managed.

Last year, the Ashanti Kingdom in Ghana got back some of its gold and silver artefacts looted during during the 19th-century Anglo-Asante War.

In 2023, the British Museum sought the public’s help in recovering 1,500 artefacts that thieves stole over the years. Talk about irony!

French President Emmanuel Macron has faced backlash for saying former African colonies that have booted French troops or have announced plans to do so should express gratitude to Paris for assisting in combating Islamist terrorists. 

‘I think someone forgot to say thank you,’ Macron said during an address on 6 January at an annual conference with French ambassadors in Paris. He dismissed that African states had forced the former colonial power to withdraw military personnel from the region. A visibly upset Macron continued by asserting that the African states would not be sovereign today if not for the deployment of the French army in Africa’s Sahel region.

Leaders in Chad and Senegal accused Macron of showing contempt and invoking language reminiscent of colonial rhetoric. 

Continued……. Over the years, France’s influence on the continent has declined. Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—three states that ousted Western-aligned leaders in recent years and subsequently formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—have accused Paris of perpetuating neo-colonialism by maintaining control of former colonies through the use of French currency, occupying territories and exploiting natural resources. The AES members have expelled French troops, while Senegal, Chad and Ivory Coast have ended their security agreements with France.

Source:

https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/africa/2025-01-07-macron-accused-of-contempt-over-africa-remarks

IBRAHIM TRAORÉ ELECTRIFIES CROWD IN GHANA

According to the videos online, there was no mistaking it: the loudest roars of approval during Ghana’s president’s inauguration, John Mahama, were reserved for the visiting Captain Ibrahim Traoré, Burkina Faso’s 36-year-old transitional leader.

What sets Ibrahim Traoré apart from Africa’s elected officials, earning him such admiration and, judging by the raucous welcome in Accra, a glowing endorsement from many Africans?

Ghanaians, weary from years of unfulfilled political promises and a crippling debt crisis, were rallying behind what Traoré symbolises: courageous, decisive leadership and a commitment to prioritising the needs of the people.

Continued……. Since seizing power in a military coup in 2022, Traoré has initiated a groundbreaking decolonisation effort, expelling French influence from the media, military, and mining sectors. In contrast and particularly under former president Nana Akufo-Addo, Ghanaians endured high inflation, a depreciating currency and a high cost of living amid harsh IMF bailout conditions.


Some have likened Traoré to a modern-day Thomas Sankara (1949-1987), Burkina Faso’s assassinated pan-Africanist leader. Alongside Mali’s Assimi Goïta and Niger’s Abdourahamane Tiani, the trio has expelled French military forces, reduced French sway in the media, begun the nationalisation of natural resources, and formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) confederation to unify defence, economic, and foreign policies.

The cheers for Traoré resonate across Africa as millions of citizens express their admiration for leadership that delivers actual results. This is a stark critique of Western-style democracy, where wealthy politicians often buy their way into power with empty promises only to serve the interests of imperialist nations. Ghanaians at the inauguration on Tuesday are hopeful that the newly elected president can also deliver results for the people of Ghana. Only time will tell.
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On this day in 1811, the largest revolt of enslaved people in the United States occurred in modern-day Louisiana.

Sometimes known as the German Coast Uprising, it involved an estimated 500 African people speaking 50 languages enslaved on sugar plantations on the east bank of the Mississippi River, 48 kilometres north of New Orleans.

Charles, an enslaved overseer on a plantation owned by the Deslondes family that fled Haiti in the wake of the 1804 revolution that outlawed slavery on the island, led the uprising.

Continued……. The Haitian revolution served as a source of inspiration for Charles and his co-conspirators. Following months of secretive plotting, Charles led a group of enslaved people from the surrounding plantations toward New Orleans. The group included enslaved people born in the US, the Caribbean, and those newly brought from Africa. They left the plantation with a few guns, pikes, shovels, and other rudimentary tools, but most importantly, with the courage and determination to free themselves from the shackles of slavery.

Along the way, the group torched plantations, sending fear into enslavers’ hearts and sparking hope for enslaved people, many of whom joined the march to freedom. 

As word of the revolt spread, authorities mobilised armed forces and white supremacist militia to put down the uprising. After putting up a fierce and remarkable resistance, authorities captured Charles and others on the morning of 10 January, executing and decapitating most revolters. Authorities displayed the heads on spikes along a 95-kilometre stretch between New Orleans and the banks of the Mississippi as a grotesque warning to other freedom-seeking enslaved people.

However, despite the brutality, the revolt sparked a spirit of resistance among enslaved people and served as a source of inspiration for future rebellions.

Source:

https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/louisianas-slave-revolt/

RWANDA-BACKED REBELS MAKE GAINS IN EAST DRC

Masisi town in eastern Democratic Republic of Congo has fallen into the hands of Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. This strategic location in the mineral-rich North Kivu province is the second town to be taken by the militant group in just two days, following their capture of the nearby town of Katale. The latest fighting erupted after peace talks mediated by Angola collapsed in mid-December 2024.

A UN experts’ report from June 2024 says that Rwanda has deployed around 3,000 to 4,000 troops to assist M23, enabling them to seize large areas in eastern Congo. M23 has been linked to the murder and displacement of civilians, leading to a humanitarian crisis in the Great Lakes region.

Continue……. The ongoing resource war in the DRC, which has lasted for three decades, is one of the most significant and devastating conflicts in recent history. It involves over 120 militia groups, many of which are reportedly supported by foreign governments and interests. This conflict has resulted in approximately 6-million deaths, displaced more than 7-million people and led to numerous incidents of sexual violence. The DRC is estimated to have $24 trillion worth of untapped minerals, drawing the attention of powerful foreign actors eager to exploit its resources.

Sources:

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c9wlzg7xn0no

https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/research-briefings/cbp-10089/

https://documents.un.org/doc/undoc/gen/n24/118/80/pdf/n2411880.pdf

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/3/29/eastern-drc-at-breaking-point-as-security-humanitarian-crises-worsen

ETHIOPIAN MIGRANT TORTURED AND AUCTIONED IN LIBYA SLAVE MARKET

In this heartbreaking video going viral on social media, 20-year-old Naima Jamal of Ethiopia is the latest migrant to fall prey to Libya’s notorious trafficking gangs.

Naima, tortured and undergoing unimaginable horrors at the hands of her captors, awaits auction at a modern slave market. Her traffickers demand her family pay a $6,000 ransom for her release, a reality for many other migrants captured and sold in slave markets for as little as $400. According to other refugees in Libya, Naima’s family received a video of captors torturing her alongside 50 people.

Continued……The 2011 NATO invasion wreaked havoc in one of Africa’s most prosperous countries, dividing the state into warring regions and opening the door for a human trafficking crisis. Traffickers exploit Black migrants, reducing them to mere commodities in a modern slave market. The once-vivid spotlight on the atrocities occurring in Libya has since dimmed, creating a sense of resignation in the country.

Naima’s case, as well as many other migrants,’ is part of a more significant crisis magnified by systemic failure. We cannot confirm Naima’s status at the moment. Still, this horrific case highlights an urgent need to protect migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in Libya.

Video Credit: @dom_lucre

Image Credit: @leo_afrika

Sources:

https://converseer.com/20-year-old-naima-jamal-abducted-in-libya-faces-torture-as-traffickers-demand-6000-ransom

https://www.cnn.com/2017/11/14/africa/libya-migrant-auctions/index.html