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By Louis Egbe Mbua
In Bona was she well born and lived.
In Tana had she worked hard to thrive;
In peace with no game of note beguiled,
To play but treasures and love provide,
The brilliant, lonely and only child;
And her only begotten joy and pride,
Who is sure: eager to take her side.
The first day of Easter was she born,
To a town of treasures was she gone,
For happiness and to make her mark:
And find where she can be a neat clerk
So may she have a living nice and good,
And to work hard into the golden goose;
To deliver the well-earned batch of goods.
In the beginning the work wasn't easy,
As was she surprised to be so busy.
The first day was she told to do her job,
But the scene so tense made her sob,
So decided her to try the next day
In paradox: did she toil everyday;
In boldness: she always had her say.
In work she was a first; and won,
In countless: many ways than one;
On the flowery and sunny day of May,
Whilst standing on the clear coastal quay
So receive her shining golden crown;
Putting on the precious golden gown
For all a woman to see and sing.
And all a man to heave a sly sigh,
By the endless beauty: sky blue sea;
Seen on the round and revolving earth;
From Space; no obstructing hill or heath:
All places in the world high and low
To cloud the priceless bright golden glow;
From the woman with the golden gown.
Tuesday 27 May 2008
Thursday 22 May 2008
House of Commons Debates on Democracy in Africa: Cameroon and Zimbabwe
A youthful President Robert Mugabe in 1991
By Louis Egbe Mbua
Hon. Corbyn finished his speech at the House of Commons on the Debate on Democracy and Elections in Africa that held on 22 April 2008. As the focus was on Zimbabwe and Cameroon, it was time for the Zimbabweans to take to the floor. One of the Speakers on the main platform was a woman: she spoke first. I made discrete enquires, from a reliable Zimbabwe source also ensconced in Committee Room 15 as to her name; and was told that her name was Ms Mastara.
Ms Mastara began with a vivid and eloquent lamentation on the sufferings of her people. According to her narrative, one-eighth (1/8) or more practically one in every eight of Zimbabweans are extremely rich while seven out of 8 of the population are poor to the point of destitution; and are almost reduced to perpetual beggars to eke out an almost certainly inexistent marginal living.
She then turned to Gender issues: that there is persistent abuse of women in Zimbabwe although she did not actually say in clarity what these abuses entailed. However, one's intuition points to the lack of opportunities because Ms Mastara appeared to have laid down her solution to this "abuse" on the foundation that women should be provided a platform so that they may have a voice in public life. The conclusion one can draw from this inductive reasoning is that women may have been discriminated in public life in Zimbabwe; or that their labour rights had been ignored while their human rights to freedom of decent living had been trampled on.
Ms Mastara then returned to the important and debatable farm land question that has been politically explosive, racially charged and a tremendous socially vexation in the country; and possibly the cause of Zimbabwe's economic maelstrom; and the poltical nightmare of Mr. Mugabe: and the rise of national opposition to his rule that has been exacerbated by international economic and political sanction of the Mugabe regime. Mastara compounded the debate by embellishing Agricultural skills to the former White farmers while stating categorically that Black people had no Agricultural skills that could match those of the Whites: reason, according to her analysis, being that Black Zimbabweans were never taught advanced Agricultural skills leaving them as unskilled labourers. However, in another scenario and a succinct counterattack to her claims, the Pro-Mugabe or the ZANU-PF group that were also present at the debate challenged what they called a "gross distortion of history"; and that Ms Mastara had to reconsider her statements because before the Europeans arrived Zimbabwe and Southern Africa at about 1652, Black people practised well-organised governance and advanced traditional Agriculture. Consequently, they have traditional farming experience which they could develop before the lands were expropriated from the natives without compensation to be allocated to Europeans.
Mastara further added more volcanic fire to the debate by advocating that the Mugabe government-led brutal seizure of farmlands by Zimbabwe freedom fighter war veterans ought to be returned to the skilled White farmers. Additionally, she stated that in this case White farmers must be held as accountable for their actions as any corrupt African politician. She buttressed her proclamation and proposed solution by pointing out the unaccountability of White farmers in relation to abuse of the land and the people with impunity since the dawn of independence and the rise of President Mugabe in 1980.
Ms Mastara's arguments were too explosive for the pro-Mugabe or the Zimbabwean Nationalist camp to sit without making a stand to "correct" what they vehemently denounced as a "shamelessly-conceived colonial manifesto" to hand back Zimbabwe to the dark past of White racial tyranny against the majority black Zimbabweans by the White Zimbabwean minority and; the culture of unfounded supremacist doctrine whose main objectives was ethnic deprivation and exclusion. The Pro-Mugabe camp then pointed out that only 2% of the population of the country is White. But stressed that they believe all Zimbabweans regardless of racial or tribal origin have equal rights to live and prosper in the country but that it would be the saddest of days if the nation were to return to the dark days of racial privilege.
Ms Mastara went further by stating with uncanny confidence that Zimbabwe was efficiently run by White Zimbabweans even after independence until the land "seizure" fiasco that began in the late 1990s; and that when they left as a result or reaction or both of Mugabe's arbitrary and brutal land take over, without compensation to the White farmers, the country was left to the devices of incompetent and unskilled Black Zimbabweans. As a result, the economy collapsed. Her solution is that Africans should learn to run their own affairs rather than sit on their laurels while other people take control of their destiny.
To that; the debate on Zimbabwe closed. The audience then waited for the next Speaker.
Author's Comments:
It is unfortunate that Zimbabwe has endured and continues to endure such economic hardship and socio-political trauma. Zimbabweans, from the author's encounters and experience, are one of the best educated and well-behaved Africans. They are well trained in their African language; and also fluent in good English. Today, they are unwanted refugees even in South Africa: poignantly many South Africans were refugees in Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria etc. in the 1980s when Apartheid was at its height. The following is that the disgraceful xenophobia that is being exhibited by South Africans against Zimbabweans and other Africans is a perfect pointer to the great misfortune for Zimbabwe.
Not only have they lost their best minds to other countries, but are now subjected to torture in their own country and the country they helped to achieve freedom from a dreadful racial supremacist policy that threatened to wipe out South Africans. The South African hate campaign against other Africans in general and Zimbabweans in particular must be halted by South African leaders. South Africans must leave the ideology of hate that bedevilled their nation for almost 300 years and return to the world of civilised norms where human beings are not burned alive in broad day light.
While it is understandable that the wicked system of hatred in the apartheid era cannot be wiped out in less than a generation, we must all condemn this wanton act of barbarism, looting, and the incineration of innocent peoples for reasons based on racism, tribalism, xenophobia or economic jealousy: South Africans must learn to work hard to compete in the global economy. Further, South African ANC leaders appear to have been trapped in their new found wealth without noticing the degeneration in social order, soaring unemployment of their own youth and the abysmal record of crime prevention. South African leaders must wake up; fight social deprivation; crime; xenophobia; hate and finally create an economy where the youth will be employed; and can compete globally rather than sit back for the youths to drift into the maddening cycle of gangsterism followed by stints at marauding criminality.
Mr. Mugabe's problems are that he has outstayed his welcome. While the author agrees that he is a brave fighter of freedom, there is a time to fight; and a time for peace. Those who continue to fight while they should be negotiating a peaceful settlement for the sake of the well-being of the people may not be remembered with glowing memory in posterity. There are periods where rhetoric counts: other times when wisdom prevails. Mr. Mugabe should make way for the new generation of accountable democrats. They may have other brilliant democratic ideas that can stop the politically-motivated street beatings in Harare and the shameful terrorism directed towards unsuspecting political opponents; and negotiates with the British for the compensation promised in the Lancaster House Agreements but which were never fulfilled by the British. If, on the other hand, Mr. Mugabe insists on staying on, undemocratically, the little sympathy he may command from other Africans will evaporate within the shortest conceivable time; and this, clearly, will totally wipe out his previous heroic exploits as a freedom fighter and a nation builder from 1980 - 1996. He, together with his political and military henchmen, will then be called upon by Zimbabweans and the democratic world to account for their time as President and Generals respectively.
Hon. Corbyn finished his speech at the House of Commons on the Debate on Democracy and Elections in Africa that held on 22 April 2008. As the focus was on Zimbabwe and Cameroon, it was time for the Zimbabweans to take to the floor. One of the Speakers on the main platform was a woman: she spoke first. I made discrete enquires, from a reliable Zimbabwe source also ensconced in Committee Room 15 as to her name; and was told that her name was Ms Mastara.
Ms Mastara began with a vivid and eloquent lamentation on the sufferings of her people. According to her narrative, one-eighth (1/8) or more practically one in every eight of Zimbabweans are extremely rich while seven out of 8 of the population are poor to the point of destitution; and are almost reduced to perpetual beggars to eke out an almost certainly inexistent marginal living.
She then turned to Gender issues: that there is persistent abuse of women in Zimbabwe although she did not actually say in clarity what these abuses entailed. However, one's intuition points to the lack of opportunities because Ms Mastara appeared to have laid down her solution to this "abuse" on the foundation that women should be provided a platform so that they may have a voice in public life. The conclusion one can draw from this inductive reasoning is that women may have been discriminated in public life in Zimbabwe; or that their labour rights had been ignored while their human rights to freedom of decent living had been trampled on.
Ms Mastara then returned to the important and debatable farm land question that has been politically explosive, racially charged and a tremendous socially vexation in the country; and possibly the cause of Zimbabwe's economic maelstrom; and the poltical nightmare of Mr. Mugabe: and the rise of national opposition to his rule that has been exacerbated by international economic and political sanction of the Mugabe regime. Mastara compounded the debate by embellishing Agricultural skills to the former White farmers while stating categorically that Black people had no Agricultural skills that could match those of the Whites: reason, according to her analysis, being that Black Zimbabweans were never taught advanced Agricultural skills leaving them as unskilled labourers. However, in another scenario and a succinct counterattack to her claims, the Pro-Mugabe or the ZANU-PF group that were also present at the debate challenged what they called a "gross distortion of history"; and that Ms Mastara had to reconsider her statements because before the Europeans arrived Zimbabwe and Southern Africa at about 1652, Black people practised well-organised governance and advanced traditional Agriculture. Consequently, they have traditional farming experience which they could develop before the lands were expropriated from the natives without compensation to be allocated to Europeans.
Mastara further added more volcanic fire to the debate by advocating that the Mugabe government-led brutal seizure of farmlands by Zimbabwe freedom fighter war veterans ought to be returned to the skilled White farmers. Additionally, she stated that in this case White farmers must be held as accountable for their actions as any corrupt African politician. She buttressed her proclamation and proposed solution by pointing out the unaccountability of White farmers in relation to abuse of the land and the people with impunity since the dawn of independence and the rise of President Mugabe in 1980.
Ms Mastara's arguments were too explosive for the pro-Mugabe or the Zimbabwean Nationalist camp to sit without making a stand to "correct" what they vehemently denounced as a "shamelessly-conceived colonial manifesto" to hand back Zimbabwe to the dark past of White racial tyranny against the majority black Zimbabweans by the White Zimbabwean minority and; the culture of unfounded supremacist doctrine whose main objectives was ethnic deprivation and exclusion. The Pro-Mugabe camp then pointed out that only 2% of the population of the country is White. But stressed that they believe all Zimbabweans regardless of racial or tribal origin have equal rights to live and prosper in the country but that it would be the saddest of days if the nation were to return to the dark days of racial privilege.
Ms Mastara went further by stating with uncanny confidence that Zimbabwe was efficiently run by White Zimbabweans even after independence until the land "seizure" fiasco that began in the late 1990s; and that when they left as a result or reaction or both of Mugabe's arbitrary and brutal land take over, without compensation to the White farmers, the country was left to the devices of incompetent and unskilled Black Zimbabweans. As a result, the economy collapsed. Her solution is that Africans should learn to run their own affairs rather than sit on their laurels while other people take control of their destiny.
To that; the debate on Zimbabwe closed. The audience then waited for the next Speaker.
Author's Comments:
It is unfortunate that Zimbabwe has endured and continues to endure such economic hardship and socio-political trauma. Zimbabweans, from the author's encounters and experience, are one of the best educated and well-behaved Africans. They are well trained in their African language; and also fluent in good English. Today, they are unwanted refugees even in South Africa: poignantly many South Africans were refugees in Zimbabwe, Cameroon, Nigeria etc. in the 1980s when Apartheid was at its height. The following is that the disgraceful xenophobia that is being exhibited by South Africans against Zimbabweans and other Africans is a perfect pointer to the great misfortune for Zimbabwe.
Not only have they lost their best minds to other countries, but are now subjected to torture in their own country and the country they helped to achieve freedom from a dreadful racial supremacist policy that threatened to wipe out South Africans. The South African hate campaign against other Africans in general and Zimbabweans in particular must be halted by South African leaders. South Africans must leave the ideology of hate that bedevilled their nation for almost 300 years and return to the world of civilised norms where human beings are not burned alive in broad day light.
While it is understandable that the wicked system of hatred in the apartheid era cannot be wiped out in less than a generation, we must all condemn this wanton act of barbarism, looting, and the incineration of innocent peoples for reasons based on racism, tribalism, xenophobia or economic jealousy: South Africans must learn to work hard to compete in the global economy. Further, South African ANC leaders appear to have been trapped in their new found wealth without noticing the degeneration in social order, soaring unemployment of their own youth and the abysmal record of crime prevention. South African leaders must wake up; fight social deprivation; crime; xenophobia; hate and finally create an economy where the youth will be employed; and can compete globally rather than sit back for the youths to drift into the maddening cycle of gangsterism followed by stints at marauding criminality.
Mr. Mugabe's problems are that he has outstayed his welcome. While the author agrees that he is a brave fighter of freedom, there is a time to fight; and a time for peace. Those who continue to fight while they should be negotiating a peaceful settlement for the sake of the well-being of the people may not be remembered with glowing memory in posterity. There are periods where rhetoric counts: other times when wisdom prevails. Mr. Mugabe should make way for the new generation of accountable democrats. They may have other brilliant democratic ideas that can stop the politically-motivated street beatings in Harare and the shameful terrorism directed towards unsuspecting political opponents; and negotiates with the British for the compensation promised in the Lancaster House Agreements but which were never fulfilled by the British. If, on the other hand, Mr. Mugabe insists on staying on, undemocratically, the little sympathy he may command from other Africans will evaporate within the shortest conceivable time; and this, clearly, will totally wipe out his previous heroic exploits as a freedom fighter and a nation builder from 1980 - 1996. He, together with his political and military henchmen, will then be called upon by Zimbabweans and the democratic world to account for their time as President and Generals respectively.
Friday 16 May 2008
A Quarter of Wheat for One Penny and Three-quarters of Barley for a Penny: The Sky-Rocketing Food and Oil Price Rises Part One
Barley Fields in Canada's Prairies: Alberta
By Louis Egbe Mbua
Part of what we have today in food and oil problems appears to have been envisioned about 2000 years ago. Biblical narratives estimated that to pay one penny for a quarter litre of wheat was an almost impossibility for the people to afford at that ancient of times. Whether they experienced such a dramatic price rise is not known. However, there have been recorded through out human civilisation and existence, periods of unsurpassed famine; and the subsequent mass starvation and expiration of hungry souls that followed.
On the other hand, these tragedies were not caused by man in practice; but by natural intervention: if the rains fail, there is almost certainly nothing man can do to water the the entire earth. Now, in this day and age, man has reached a stage of civilisation whereby, it would seem human problems such as search for sufficient food and energy that suffices the entire world, has become an extremely challenging task: because this time around natural calamities alone are not at play; but a combination of man's actions or inaction and the raging voice of nature.
Many have put forth reasons as to the cause of the massive increases in food and crude oil prices -- to the tune of at least 40 percent in combined average within last two years; and the subsequent cause of fuel and food riots around the world. In the UK, for instance, this is leading to stagflation and the threat of economic recession with house prices collapsing as people are financially immobilised by the credit crunch: partly due to unaffordable mortgages. Added to this high fuel and food prices, the bell of danger begins to toll.
Some have blamed, high crude oil prices for, well, high food prices; while others are settling scores with the ethanol industry for using corn and other food crops to create fuel thus driving up the price of staple food, especially grain and oil seeds, the world over. There may as well be good reasons to advance theories to explain apparently inexplicable phenomena; another matter to make a well thought out exposition to extract information from our own world. The first three parts of this four part writing will examine the human side of events that are thought to have caused the shortage and scarcity of food and oil for energy; and their consequent sky-rocketing prices; while the the third and fourth parts will examine the interventionist entities of the roaring nature that act either independently or as a reaction to the hostile or peaceful activities of man onto nature and earth.
Human beings, by nature, are hardly satisfied with what Providence has ushered for the day. In many countries of the world today, especially, the developed countries, there are reports of the rise in obesity. One has thought about this condition carefully; and safely arrived at the unfortunate hypothesis that its origins may lie in either overfeeding the children when they are young or when adults themselves, they decide to indulge in too much food; not as a result of hunger but on the simple reason that they have been conditioned to eat as long as they see food. Therefore, food that could be released into the world market to obviate scarcity of grain and other food crops is wastefully consumed causing grain and food prices to rise.
Furthermore, food that cannot be consumed are thrown away in their tons: bread, sausage, potato, pizza and cheese etc. This irresponsible action, if practised for long periods, is enough to add at least a penny on the price of food as a result of scarcity. The solution is not rationing; as people have the choice to do what they wish with their money. On the other hand, children should be educated at a young age to eat responsibly not only for reasons relating to subsequent food prices; but for the health of the population.
The vicious cycle is that the bigger one becomes the more food one has to consume to maintain that size. In addition, the inexplicable notion of "shop till you drop" or shopaholic may deceptively sound as good fun or even fashionable in the areas of fashion -- clothes, shoes, perfumes --but one believes it disingenuous to do the same for food. Why buy so much that one throws about one third away? Or eat so much so that one jeopardises their health while others have nothing to buy?
Wednesday 14 May 2008
Chantier Naval: The Truth Behind the Downfall of Zacchaeus Forjindam
Mr. Zacchaeus Forjindam and the Chantier Naval company he built from scratch. (Courtesy of CNIC)
By Louis Egbe Mbua
Mr. Zacchaeus Forjindam, the man who single-handedly built the Chantier Naval et Industriel du Cameroun (CNIC) from a scrap yard for disused marine equipment and vessels into an internationally reputed and fledgling potential industrial multi-national giant was unceremoniously dismissed from his position as General Manager of the State-owned company amidst confusion, accusations, counter-accusations of embezzlement, mishandled and unprofessional auditing procedures by his enemies; and allegedly bitter rivalry within the company insiders and outsiders. To this day, it is not quite clear as to the present veracity of opinions as it appears views are divided between his supporters: who see him as a Cameroonian champion of nation building and a Southern Cameroonian who has again taught French-speaking Cameroonian elite the art of nation-building, astute management and advanced technical and visionary thought.
On the other side of the argument are his enemies: those who saw his unnecessary and unwarranted stab at politics to deliver the much hated CPDM ruling party a victory in his home town of Santa, Southern Cameroons; and his disappointing support for Monsieur Biya, Le President de La Republique, for unconstitutionally staging a constitutional take over by fraudulently voting himself into power for life in the rubber stamp parliament. Others have claimed that his downfall was plotted by tribal demagogues of the Beti strain who disliked and envied Forjindam's successes they had never matched or cannot rival; and that they wanted him removed so that they may take over the company for themselves, their tribesmen and their families.
Whoever is right or wrong is not the question at this instant: the fact of the matter being that Forjindam was arrested soon after his dismissal by the Board of Directors of the company, 7 May 2008. He is presently locked up in La Prison Centrale de Douala au quartier New-Bell. The downfall of Forjindam is not only a great national tragedy for a man with such a supreme talent in management and engineering; but also a tremendous blow to Anglophone Cameroon's participation in Cameroon's developmental plans. Consequently, one has to meticulously examine the truth behind his alleged embezzlement of company's funds.
According to Cameroon French language daily, Quotidienmutations, the fall of the GM began when he secured almost £200 million from an international consortium of financial houses, including the African Development Bank, to expand CNIC into Victoria, Southern Cameroons, by building a world class Shipyard and a deep seaport in that city, http://www.cnicyard.com/. That Forjindam and his closest associates within the company "weaved a vast "network"of extortion of funds from the CNIC"; and that this was confirmed by Forjindam's brief hearing in front of the chief prosecutor.
The total amount "stolen" by Forjindam has not been fully brought to light nor his actual crime. Again, if we refer to Quotidienmutations, 09 May 2008, it is alleged that cheque payments of almost £600,000 were noted to have been made without proper documents to back the funds. The paper did not say who banked these cheques; and on whose account were the cheques deposited; and also where exactly the money came from. Secondly, there were also cheques deposited to the bank to the tune of almost £180, 000, but which were not recorded in the bank's accounts. Again, whose account were these cheques deposited and who, exactly, deposited these cheques is not clear. Thirdly, another situation of withdrawal of almost £220, 000 from the bank "without sufficient verifiable or justifiable documents". In addition, it was discovered that there were fictitious names on the CNIC's payroll -- workers who didn't exist. If this is found to be true, then this, clearly, is corruption. The total amount in question, therefore, amounts to about £1,000, 000 (one million GBP). Which begs the question as to who owned this money; and from whose account was the theatrical financial drama acted. Was it from the CNIC account or was it from Forjindam's? And what, exactly, do they mean by "insufficient justifiable documents" as related to the deposit or withdrawal of money? These are the crucial questions that must be answered.
Forjindam's fall is a classic example of the kind of unaccountable and undemocratic politics that prevails in Africa. Born in 1949, Forjindam attended CPC Bali, from where he won an American scholarship to the famed Cameroon College of Arts, Science and Technology, Bambili. Having obtained his degree in Engineering from Fourah Bay University College in Sierra Leone, he worked in a maritime company in France before returning to Cameroon to work for the Cameroon Shipyard; at that time an unknown and penniless company. Installed in 1988 as GM of CNIC, he took the company to profitability and unprecedented expansion; delivering a profit of £8 million for a turnover of £40 million of business in 2007; took the workforce from 32 employees to 2500 people who earn their living at the Cameroon Shipyard and Engineering Company (CINC).
It must be noted that this achievement appears to be one of the first in Cameroon; and possibly Africa; and that many of Cameroon's state owned companies have either been looted of funds by corrupt party apparatchik managers or are on the verge of being bankrupted by the same incompetent party men. It is also interesting to note that the French-Speaking elite have always cast an envious eye on prosperous Southern Cameroons built institutions. One only hopes that his is not a repeat of a vicious cycle of Anglophone Cameroon hard work that may also end up in smoke as a result of the appointment of incompetent people to manage an organisation on the basis of "regional balance". When the Francophone elite took over the Anglophone-built Produce Marketing Board (PMO), one of the richest companies in the country at the time, it was not long before they looted and destroyed the company. The same goes to Cameroon Bank that was allegedly bankrupted by thieves pretending to be managers.
Forjidam's fall may also be of his own making. There was absolutely no reason for him to jump into politics in full with people who are corrupt, mad and bad. If at all, it turned out he committed a crime, it would be due to his own folly. There are reports that CPDM bosses of state companies raid state company accounts to sponsor elections which are heavily rigged on the promise of positions after the win of Paul Biya's party; CPDM. Forjindam, with such a huge talent, did not have to join the ranks of the mediocre and talentless technocrats to do the same. For his folly, his enemies found a web to weave around his mien; and then swallow him alive. On the other hand, if it is found that the auditing procedure was flawed and that Forjindam did no wrong, then he will be entitled to an unheard of financial compensation and a possible re-reinstatement to his old position or to that of another company of similar class. It is interesting to note that Forjindam returned profits and clean financial and managerial records for almost twenty years. For almost 2 decades, there is no evidence of embezzlement. Why then would he steal £1 million in the last 2 years? Mystery upon mystery.
Wednesday 7 May 2008
The House of Commons Debate on Cameroon and Zimbabwe:Part 2
Clock Tower and Big Ben at WestminsterBy Louis Egbe Mbua
Ms Tanje had just finished her eloquently crafted speech when a familiar ding dong sound broke the controlled applause that went after the well intentioned delivery. As I studied the harmonics of the sound with keen interest, it dawned on me that we had reached the top of the hour; and so Big Ben was striking. It struck seven times immediately after which Hon. Corbyn MP began his speech on Elections and Democracy in Africa.
The Hon. Legislator began with his experience in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DCR) formerly known as Zaire: that during the election campaign, there was not the slightest of hints or mentioning of future policies by any of the leading politicians in the campaign trail. This was strange to him as the long civil strife in that country had devastated Goma; where he made his observations. At least, he had expected a politician to come up with reasonably sound ideas of rehabilitation as a policy; and platform for his elections. Unfortunately for the African people, no policy was forth coming for the forgotten African poor. To add to this great political and social misfortune, the war in Zaire had killed at least 3- 5 million people since it began in the 1990s when Mobutu was driven out from power. The amount of people killed was far greater than those killed in the Iran-Iraq war in the late 1970s and early 1980s; and the present day Iraqi insurgency war against America in Iraq; all put together.
He also lamented the lack of sustained reports on important and devastating news that are emanate from the African continent. He furnished these regrets with illustrations about the plane crash that occurred in Goma, DCR. The doomed aircraft had arrived Goma; at an airport whose runway was merely partly tarred, and partly bare earth or the tar had worn off leaving huge holes on the runway; thus making landing and taking off uneven and consequently dangerous. As the aircraft approached, one of its wheels came off the on landing leading to the disaster. Eighty people died from this unfortunate accident. This, according the Hon Corbyn, was an important event that needed international news attention so that the world might be aware of the dangerous and appalling conditions the people of DCR are subjected to; and that there should might have been an internationally-led investigation as to the cause of this crash and recommended solutions availed. However, the plane accident was reported by the CNN for just a single day; and the news was dropped the next day.
This was not appreciated giving that the Congo is one of the richest countries, in terms of natural resources, in the world-- Diamonds, Cobalt and Gold. In the hinterlands and the forests of Congo, away from the coast, are rare unexploited hardwoods found nowhere in the world. All kinds of peoples of this world have been made rich by the DCR from inside and outside the country -- foreigners, the Congolese elite, Europeans, Asians have all been made very rich by the DCR. Yet in this rich country, the politicians have neglected their responsibility as to why they have been elected to power due to unaccountability and heartless neglect of the masses who are in danger of extinction due to grinding poverty, illiteracy, death and disease. Half the children of DCR have no school to attend or are not attending due to desperate circumstances. As many children as one may conceive, in such harsh and politically uncaring environment, are orphaned. As the politicians do not take any responsibilities, Police officers are not paid; leading to bribery and consequently abuse of powers by the Police and Civil servants.
Further, in Africa, democratic powers have been usurped by China and Big Companies as a result of unaccountable African politicians who have refused to take their responsibility to perform their duties as democratically elected officials at the highest levels.
He concluded with a powerful speech which he gave later; after the first speech. On accountability, therefore, he arrived the irrefutable conclusion that most African politicians are a law onto themselves in Africa; and that this is against democratic principles. Corruption, kick backs and neglect of duties have allowed them to get away with lawless actions with impunity. Unless we build democratic institutions that can hold leaders into account for their actions Africans will be doomed. Thus democracy does not mean fair elections alone; but that those elected are punished according to the law if they are found to have committed a serious crime as no one can be above the law. This necessitates, also, that there should be an independence of judiciary and freedom of speech for all African citizens. In these settings, therefore, we can hold corrupt and incompetent politicians accountable but allowing and encouraging only the competent and the near flawless characters to prevail in leadership and politics. We also need powerful democratic institutions who will prevent or stand before these powerful organisations, corrupt politicians and other exploitative nations from stealing the wealth of Africa while the people suffer from abject poverty in riches. Furthermore, these democratic institutions would be able to negotiate with these powerful organisations and companies to obtain a fair deal for the people.
Author's Comments:
Hon Corbny's speech is a powerful voice against foreign exploitation, corruption, violence and graft in Africa that are inflicting untold suffering, indignation and indignity among Africans, their friends and the world. Post-Independence African leaders have woefully failed their people; and are further leading their own people to abysmal ruin and possibly inevitable extinction.
Hon. Corbyn's citation of China is very intriguing. It must be noted here that China has a history of brutal and forceful expansionism so as to accommodate her people as a result of her huge population; and also as a result of her cunningly disguised ambitions to attain international Superpowerdom. In October 1950, China invaded and annexed Tibet that had been independent since the 13th century; for prestigious purposes bent on adding on to Mao's communist vision of a powerful and expanded China. They continue to occupy Tibet despite international outcry for the prevalence of international justice; and Tibetan protests which are brutally put down by crack Chinese troops from Beijing.
China and India are also locked in a hot border dispute after China illegally occupied Arunachal Pradesh, an entire state in India, the size of Cameroon. A border war with India found India defeated and humiliated and later gave up the fight. China still occupies the Indian State. Again in the 1950s, China attacked Aksai Chin near the Everest Mountain range in India, a region that borders Tibet and India. They have not given it up.
The romance between Africa and China is a dangerous game that may end up in tears; with Africa being recolonised by China, a second time, after the regrettably unconsultative Berlin Conference. There have been recent reports in the Cameroons fishing waters in Victoria and Bakassi;whereby Chinese fishermen are brutally overfishing with trawlers, consequently forcing local African fishermen out of business; at the same time depleting fish stocks. While one should support bilateral agreements and fair trade between Africa and China, only the most tellingly uninformed and hopelessly desperate would want to surrender their Independence as a result of small fish and biscuits offered by China in return for the huge natural resources; and a potential emergence of a powerful, politically resourceful and economically viable Africa.
According John Swain, in an article, "China's New Frontier" in Sunday Times Magazine, February 10, 2008, an interview with a Chinese scientist revealed this answer: "We sic[in China] have 600 rivers, 400 of which have been killed by pollution. We will have to send 300 million people to Africa before we begin the end of our problems". One should be in support of people emigrating and contributing to the world. However, planning to send or export 300 million people to another man's land looks like a colonial Coup D'Etat. Africa's population is about 500 million; meaning that the Chinese will then make up almost half of the resultant 800 million overnight.
One is in support of Chinese enterprise and her determination to share technology and knowledge with Africans. On the other hand, one should be reminded of Sun-Tzu (Master Sun) who wrote the monumental philosophy on "The Art of War". On Strategy, Master Sun wrote:
In War,
Better take
A state
Intact
Than destroy it
Ultimate excellence lies
Not in winning
Every battle
But in defeating the enemy
Without ever fighting..
When far appear near
When near appear far....
Lure with bait;
Strike with chaos
Attack
Where he is
Unprepared
Appear where
You are unexpected
This is victory in warfare
It cannot be divulged in advance.
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