WESTERN NGO WHITEWASHES KAGAME AMID DRC CARNAGE

Western countries have imposed only symbolic measures against Rwandan President Paul Kagame for backing a militia called M23 that has seized territory in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At the same time, NGOs like Global Citizen continue to sanitise his administration, according to journalist Ann Garrison.

We spoke to Garrison (@anngarrison on X) after she reported for The Grayzone (@thegrayzonenews) that Global Citizen promotes a corporate-driven agenda that aligns with Western economic interests under the guise of activism.

Continued……. A recent example is when the NGO organised US-based musician @JohnLegend’s 21 February concert in Rwanda. Legend defended his decision to perform, stating that punishing the people of Rwanda for their leader’s actions was unfair. However, critics say any event in Rwanda is approved by Kagame and therefore supports his regime. Further, some have called Legend hypocritical because he has expressed support for Ukraine against Russia.

Global Citizen’s activism raises questions about its stance on Rwanda’s involvement in the DRC conflict. Its corporate partners, including tech giants like PayPal, Cisco, and Google, are accused of benefiting from the exploitation of DRC’s mineral wealth. Kigali plays a crucial role in smuggling valuable minerals like cobalt, which Western companies rely on.

Sources

Original
https://thegrayzone.com/2025/03/05/global-citizen-kagames-invasion-drc/

Global Citizen and USAID
https://www.globalcitizen.org/en/content/usaid-takes-powerful-strides-to-feed-the-future/

John Legend defends his performance
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/us-star-john-legend-defends-playing-rwanda-concert-during-war/ar-AA1zGoli

DRC loses $1 billion to Rwanda
https://www.ft.com/content/ecf89818-949b-4de7-9e8a-89f119c23a69

Rwanda cobalt exports beats DRC
https://www.africanews.com/2024/04/12/coltan-at-the-heart-of-drc-rwanda-tensions-business-africa/

M23 taxing mining
https://www.xtrafrica.com/congo/tons-of-minerals-extracted-from-rubaya-were-transported-to-rwanda%3A-un-reports

Rwanda backs M23
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgyzl1mlkvo

MAURICE BISHOP’S MESSAGE TO AFRICANS IN THE UNITED STATES

Today, the 13th of March, marks 46 years since the New JEWEL Movement ousted the corrupt U.S-backed dictatorship of Prime Minister Eric Gairy through a bloodless coup in Grenada. It is an excellent time to bring back the revolutionary prime minister, Maurice Bishop's, address in New York about the danger Grenada's revolution posed to the United States.

The New JEWEL Movement—New Joint Endeavor for Welfare, Education and Liberation—swiftly established the People's Revolutionary Government, ushering in a new era of socialist ideals. Under Bishop's leadership, Grenada underwent a profound socioeconomic transformation marked by extensive reforms and initiatives to uplift the primarily poor population. By 1982, the following occurred: a literacy campaign, the construction of new schools, and the establishment of agricultural cooperatives that particularly benefitted unemployed youth in rural areas.

Continued……Cuban aid bolstered these efforts, providing expertise in education, healthcare, and infrastructure development, notably constructing a modern international airport to replace the hazardous existing airstrip.

Unemployment plummeted from 49 per cent to 14 per cent within four years. Symbolising the shift in priorities, vibrant billboards promoting education adorned the island, signalling a departure from those that had advertised cigarettes and alcohol. Grenada's revolution sparked tangible social progress and economic development, leaving a lasting legacy of change and empowerment among its populace.

UK HAND IN GHANA COUP REVEALED

Newly declassified documents confirm that the UK had a hand in the 1966 coup against Ghana’s first president, pan-Africanist Kwame Nkrumah.

We spoke to investigative journalist Mohamed El Maazi, who talked us through how London orchestrated a covert propaganda campaign through journals, pamphlets and fabricated groups - all with the aim of destabilising Nkrumah’s leftist government. Their goal was to replace him with a regime that aligned with Western political and economic interests.

Maazi explains how Nkrumah’s efforts to unite Africa and fight against colonialism, apartheid and Western control in Africa angered Britain and the US, leading to an intensified campaign to overthrow him.

Hear Us Roar: https://news.1rj.ru/str/AfricanStream

PT. 1: GRENADA’S EDUCATION REVOLUTION 🇬🇩

On 13 March 1979, the New Jewel Movement (NJM), led by Grenadian President Maurice Bishop, overthrew Western-aligned leader Eric Gairy and established the People’s Revolutionary Government (PRM).

In 2024, African Stream’s Salifu Mack explained in this video that one of the enduring legacies of the PRM government was a revolutionary literacy campaign that aimed to eradicate adult illiteracy on the island. Volunteer teachers, community involvement and innovative methods drove this initiative, creating a path for individuals in both urban and rural areas to become literate. The campaign symbolised the revolutionary government’s commitment to social justice, grassroots empowerment and equality.

Continued….. Five decades later, its impact can still be felt. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), the Caribbean island nation has one of the highest literacy rates in the world, with 98.6 of Grenadian adults able to read and write in 2014, the most recent figure available.

Let us know in the comments what you think about Grenada’s education-led revolution.

Sources

https://countryeconomy.com/demography/literacy-rate/grenada#:~:text=Grenada%20repeats%20literacy%20rate,information%20about%20Grenada:%20Grenada's%20economy
https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/tdih/grenada-revolution

https://jacobin.com/2019/09/grenada-revolution-maurice-bishop-reagan
https://www.marxists.org/history/grenada/1981/education/03.htm#:~:text=When%20the%20first%20stage%20of,seminars%20at%20the%20parish%20level

CONNECTING THE DIASPORA: NIGERIA & JAMAICA EXPLORE DIRECT FLIGHTS

Our continent is poised to integrate more closely with the diaspora. Nigeria and Jamaica have begun discussions on establishing direct flights between the two countries. This was agreed during a meeting between Nigeria’s aviation minister, Festus Keyamo, and Jamaica’s ambassador to the country, Lincoln Downer.

Keyamo said the process to finalise the Bilateral Air Services Agreement (BASA) would now be fast-tracked - adding that he was ready to visit Kingston to conclude the deal. Downer, meanwhile, stressed growing ties between the two nations, noting that demand for Jamaican products is increasing in Nigeria.

African and diaspora nations suffer from limited air connectivity compared with the ease of travel within Europe. While the EU benefits from seamless movement due to policies such as Schengen and Open Skies, travel between African and Caribbean countries typically involves high costs and indirect routes.

Continued……If successful, the Nigeria-Jamaica agreement will be a boon for pan-African integration, with potential economic and cultural benefits, such as increased trade and tourism.

Let us know what you make of it.

Sources
https://politicsnigeria.com/theres-no-reason-we-shouldnt-have-direct-flights-fg-jamaica-announce-new-move/
https://www.vanguardngr.com/2025/03/nigeria-jamaica-to-review-bilateral-air-services-agreement-keyamo/

https://www.okayafrica.com/intra-africa-travel-difficult/

https://www.axa-schengen.com/en/visa

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/aussenpolitik/themen/218432-218432

UGANDA DEPLOYS TROOPS TO SOUTH SUDAN

Uganda has deployed its forces to South Sudan following renewed tensions between government forces and the White Army militia in Nasir, Upper Nile State.

Kampala is a long time ally of current South Sudanese president Salva Kiir. Uganda also sent its forces to fight alongside his government’s troops during his country’s civil war (2013-2020), which resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people and the displacement of at least 4.5-million. The current deployment of Ugandan forces has intensified fears that the recent clashes will grow into a wider conflict.

The US has ordered the evacuation of its non-emergency staff from South Sudan, while the UN has called on both sides to swiftly find a political solution that safeguards the lives of civilians.

Continued….. According to the UN, nearly 60% of South Sudan’s population (7.7-million people) will face acute hunger - the most extreme form - by July 2025. By April this year, 2-million children are expected to suffer from malnourishment. And floods in 2024 displaced hundreds of thousands of people. Another civil war would only aggravate an already dire humanitarian situation.

Sources

https://apnews.com/article/south-sudan-fighting-ugandan-troops-3e36094b4eaea9247843ea3fad86f03d

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/11/9/nearly-380000-people-displaced-by-south-sudan-floods-un-says

https://www.deccanherald.com/world/sixty-percent-of-south-sudan-population-facing-acute-hunger-un-928942.html

https://www.unocha.org/publications/report/south-sudan/south-sudan-floods-snapshot-1-november-2024

Angola is trying to facilitate direct peace negotiations between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels. It’s formally invited both sides to peace talks beginning 18 March.

Angola has been at the forefront of the Luanda Process, a regional effort aimed at addressing the interstate aspects of the ongoing crisis between the DRC and Rwanda. In parallel, the Nairobi Process seeks to mediate a resolution involving the 120 armed groups operating in eastern DRC and the Kinshasa government. However, progress on both initiatives has stalled.

President Félix Tshisekedi has consistently refused to engage in talks with M23, which launched a rapid offensive in late December 2024 following the cancellation of planned peace talks in Luanda with Rwandan President Paul Kagame. Since then, M23 has taken control of Goma and Bukavu, the largest cities in eastern DRC, along with numerous towns in the mineral-rich provinces of North and South Kivu.

Continued……Tina Salama, the spokesperson for President Tshisekedi, confirmed that Kinshasa had received an invitation to the 18 March talks, but did not provide any confirmation regarding attendance. Meanwhile, Bertrand Bisimwa, the political leader of M23, claimed on social-media platform X that the group had successfully pressured Tshisekedi into considering negotiations.

According to the UN, some 1.65-million people in South Kivu (20% of the province’s population) have been displaced by the recent fighting - with around 7,000 fatalities, as reported by DRC’s prime minister Judith Suminwa.

The DRC has been embroiled in a resource conflict for three decades, involving over 100 foreign-backed militia groups vying for control of the country’s estimated $24 trillion in mineral wealth, which includes high-demand resources such as coltan, cobalt, copper and lithium, which are essential for the transition to clean energy.

Sources

https://www.africanews.com/2025/03/13/mediator-angola-says-drc-and-m23-rebels-to-hold-direct-peace-talks/

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/congo-m23-rebels-begin-direct-peace-talks-march-18-angola-says-2025-03-12/?taid=67d1e0c41d5a610001032622&utm_campaign=trueAnthem:+Trending+Content&utm_medium=trueAnthem&utm_source=twitter

https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2025/3/12/drc-and-m23-rebels-to-begin-direct-talks-next-week-mediator-angola-says

https://www.reuters.com/world/africa/7000-killed-since-january-fighting-drc-says-congo-prime-minister-2025-02-24/

https://x.com/bbisimwa/status/1899864643004182818

U.S. CONGRESSMAN SAYS TO-BE-DEPORTED PALESTINIAN ‘SHOULD GO HOME’

The recent arrest and potential deportation of Syrian-born Palestinian activist Mahmoud Khalil in the US has sparked outrage. Activists across the country are calling for his immediate, unconditional release. In this clip, women-founded anti-imperialist organisation CodePink’s co-founder Medea Benjamin confronted US Congressman Burgess Owens on 12 March, who only replied that Khalil ‘should go home’ and that ‘he’s a terrorist,’ with no evidence to back that claim.

Owens’ reply makes sense when we examine how much money US Congress members accept from pro-Israel lobbying groups. The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) boasted in November 2024 that 210 of the 362 pro-Israel congress members and candidates it backed had won their respective seats. According to Open Secrets, AIPAC was Owens’ largest campaign funder, contributing $28,645 in 2024.

Continued……Khalil, a legal permanent resident holding a US green card—who earned a master’s degree in December 2024 from Columbia—was known for organising protests on campus against Israel’s US-funded military onslaught of Palestinians. The first student encampment among many worldwide started on Columbia’s campus in April 2024. Back then, the university administration called the police to arrest student protesters. Interestingly, the former student was also arrested by federal authorities on 8 March in a university-owned apartment building, raising further questions about Columbia’s role in the government’s campaign against activists.

According to US President Donald Trump, Khalil’s arrest is the first ‘of many to come.’ It is especially shameful when Black people like Owens, who should know what it’s like to live under oppression, choose to stand with the oppressor for material gain and to advance their political ambitions.

Video credit: @codepink (X) / @codepinkalert (IG) and @medeabenjamin (X) / @medea.benjamin (IG)

Sources

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/columbia-university-student-mahmoud-khalil-hearing-deportation/

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/mar/10/trump-arrest-palestinian-activist-mahmoud-khalil

https://www.opensecrets.org/members-of-congress/burgess-owens/summary?cid=N00045812&cycle=2024&type=I

https://x.com/AIPAC/status/1805794265299058922

https://apnews.com/article/inside-columbia-protest-movement-0b35ff55f18d0bf4b2c8c0a27b1dbe04

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/22/us/columbia-university-protests.html

https://www.facebook.com/AIPAC/posts/210-aipac-backed-candidates-won-their-election-so-far-tonightwe-are-proud-to-sta/1029600255864448