Honoring Pan-Africanism
at the Celebration of 50th Anniversay in the "21st Centuary Scramble to Africa"
(May 25, 2013-May 25, 2014)
Prepared by: Judy
Miriga
CEO and Executive
Director of
Confederation
Council Foundation for Africa
Dated: April 12th
2013
Presented at: 2015 Bunker Hill Rd. NE
Washington DC
20018
Black historical culture
and tradition is deeply rooted in their struggle for freedom and this in part is recognized in honor of their valued struggle for
dignity, value and virtue of Black Human Race to be recognized and
respected under Human Rights as a whole. The
African-American culture has its origin rooted in Africa. The
Black’s cultural values is a blend of chiefly the Sub-Saharan Africa and the
Sahelean Cultures. Although slavery greatly restricted the ability
of Americans of African descent to practice their cultural traditions, many
practices, values, and beliefs survived and over time have modified or blended
with those of White culture and other cultures such as those of Native Americans
and the Jamaicans in the Carribean Islands. In such struggle, we recognize
people like Mwalimu Julius Kabarange Nyerere, Patrice Lumumba
of Congo, Tom Mboya of Kenya, Martin Luther King of USA, Malcom Max of USA,
Nkrumah of Ghana, Nelson Mandela and Winnie Mandela of South Africa
etc.,
Thankfully,
we are now witnessing a glimpse of the African renaissance due to the sacrifices
of great leaders such as Dr. WEB Dubois, The Honorable Marcus Garvey, Reverend
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, His Imperial Majesty Haile
Selassie, Queen Mother Moore, Dr. John H. Clarke, Abdias
do Nascimento, Ambassador Dudley Thompson, Archbishop Desmond Tutu
and Nelson Mandela. These and other courageous people
were able to unify across the globe in struggle for freedom and justice in
Africa, and in the African Diaspora. Their struggle resulted in the May 25, 1963
establishment of the Organization of African Unity (OAU), now the African Union
(AU) that spearheaded the decisive struggles for African freedom, human rights,
independence and now for greater unity. To continue strengthening their freedom
and to reunify with their children in the United States and beyond after
centuries of forced separation, the African Union has “invite and encourage the
full participation of the African Diaspora as an important part of our
continent, in the building of the African Union" for a peaceful, unified and
prosperous Africa. During
the 20th ordinary session of the AU assembly in Ethiopia from January 22-28,
2013, the African
Union leaders declared May 25, 2013 the 50th anniversary of
the Organization of the African Unity (OAU) calling for those of African descent
across the world to commemorate May 25, 2013-May 25, 2014 as a tribute to
African people’s long struggle for the freedom, independence, human rights, and
justice. This month of May we celebrate the rebirth of a people who have given
so much to the foundation of our life and the future of humanity.
The West Africans, the Eastern Africa, the Jamaicans with
those Native Americans believed that spirits dwelled in their surrounding
nature. For this, they honor their Cultural Community Leaders and
mostly pay respect to their parted souls. It is believed that, the
spirit of the past are always alive on the other side of the unseen world.
It is therefore, most Africans believe in paying respect in
spiritualism of the past; more specifically this tradition fits well with the
Pan-Africanism struggle for Independence for the African Freedom
Fighters.
Without dwelling much on the religion, in the beginning
of the 18th Century, Islam began to spread across North Africa; and
this shift of religion began displacing traditional African spiritual
practices. The fusion of traditional African beliefs with
Christianity provided a common place shared by different community
cultures. This was the beginning of shared values experienced
amongst different communities united together as one family.
Today, we are again coming together under one umbrella of
Pan-Africanism to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Africa’s struggle
for Independence. It fits well to recognize and honor the Black
Africa struggle for independence and dedicate in recognizing with honor those
who before us put their lives on line to free Africans from oppressiveness,
Slavery with discrimination of Blacks by the white colonial regime
rulership.
Yes, today we have many more challenges the reason
why we must unite to keep the pressure to free ourselves. We dont have to beg
for our rights. We must demand for fair and better deals. We must demand for
inclusive unifying policies where all humans are treated with dignity and virtue
we all deserve. We must begin to engage and network with the local community to
improve our economic sustainability progressive agenda. We must organize how
things must be done the right way to achieve our economic security and
sustainability investing in the diversity potentials that we have. We must unite
to establish Legal Team to look into our interest objectively. We must engage in
the Government system as partners for development since the Government belongs
to the people and it is the process through which public service delivery is
channelled in an organized systematic manner. We dont have time to talk talk or
blame blame, but do the things we need to do puting our theories into action. We
must jointly engage African Leaders to stop Land Grabbing and corruption in
Africa by consolidating and strengethening our Legal Establishment that look
into our interests and affairs. The ICC Hague should not be a place to condemn
Africans alone but all wrong doers collectively. This is the way we shall demand
to forge ahead.
Past
History:
From
the earliest days during the 17th Century, American owners sought to
exercise control over their slaves by attempting to strip them of their African
culture. The physical isolation destroyed the historical values to some level
and compounded the abandoning of African Tradition and Cultures as can be seen
within the Brazilian, Haitian, the Dutch Guyanas more specifically withing the
Caribbean Island communities …..etc.,
Present
Historical Situation in Africa:
There
is a 21st century struggle facing Africa today. It is a
new wave of Africa’s biggest test where Africans must unite to free
themselves if not, the whole race of Africa faces destruction with eminent
Africa’s Land Invasion by those who are wealthy. It is known as
“the Scramble for Africa. This is a new form of imperialism,
where African Leaders are complicit in the re-colonization of Africa under a
conspiracy of Corporate occupation of Africa.
In
Commemorating Pan-African 50th Anniversary Celebration it gives me a reason to
recognize gains that were made by the African Freedom Fighters and realize areas
where we need to take stock within African value in the historical struggle. The
vision of African Freedom fighters is real and is still alive. The
spirit of our parted Freedom fighters are still alive within us. It is the
reason why when we look back through the History, the Spirits for the Dream come
alive. We must begin to get engaged and do better, so this world is
able to enjoy the Unity peace brings in love. Complete happiness
comes when Historical Culture and Tradition values are brought back to life to
awaken the spirits of the Freedom Fighters. Their fights were not in vain and so
is the need for a united front to confront “The Scramble for Land Grabbing in
Africa” today. This calls for the question each one need to ask,
who are we? ....... Our historical values for struggle is the
reason we must be united to stop selfish gains by Land Grabbers which is about
to destroy livelihood and survival of African existence in the challenges of the
competition at the Global Market Place another reason which is about to cut us
off from connecting our ancestors and the spirit of African Cultural
Tradition.
A SYNDICATE OF
CONSPIRACY BY THE WEALTH RICH ON LAND GRABBING AGAINST POOR AFRICANS IN AFRICA
IS A NEW WAVE OF SERIOUS INJUSTICES. IT IS A SERIOUS PLAN TO ABUSE, COMMIT CRIME
AND ENGAGE IN VIOLATION AGAINST HUMAN RIGHTS WHICH IS A RATIFIED INTERNATIONAL
TREATY THAT DEMANDS AN EARLY LEGAL INTERVENTION, MEDIATION, COMPENSATION AND
REPARATION.
We are in 21st
Century, and the world is yet again shocked by another wave of unfriendly
corruption taking toll in Africa by what is known as "Land Grabbing".
Africa's Land has become another target for the mean, selfish greedy and the
rich who wish to engage on Free Trade through influence corrupt African leaders
to illegally, irregularly and unconstitutionally steal Public resources without
following any legal process; but the deals are done secretively under-table
without caring or consulting the legal rightful channel for sale of disposing
property. This they do in total disregard of the Democratic Constitutional
Principles and Public Mandate.
Those who
acquire Africa's land falsely are after power and the control to monopolize
world market-place in "The Emerging Markets". This behavior
constitute a serious crime, violation and abuse of human rights against the
vulnerable and poor Africans who loose their livelihood and survival violently
with no prior consultation, no fair legal justice or paying attention to their
pleas for redemption simply because the people are helpless and cannot defend
themselves against such a criminal invasion of their Rights, Dignity and
Privacy. When people of Africa in the event of loosing their lands, are
Mercilessly killed and tortured without empathy because they are weak and
helpless, so they can easily be driven out of their homeland to pave way for
Land Grabbers. What is the world Leaders reactions against Human Rights
Violation, crime and abuse by Land Grabbers??? Is it right for the world to
simply just sit and assume the Problem of Africa is not their problem, and that
they will do nothing about it?
These corrupt
irregular dealings, undertakes acquisition and transfers of large-scale of land
behind the scene, often the deals are brokered at the expense and great loses of
lives of the vulnerable African poor communities who lose their Communities,
homes and livelihoods - sometimes violently - with no prior consultation,
compensation or means of appeal. This means that the Land Transfer engagement in
Africa are based on Violation and Abuse including Crime against Humanity that
are punishable at the ICC Hague.
I am a victim
of Land Grabbing and I am giving a true account of what I have gone through and
it is not different to those other poor of Africa. The amount of Mental Torture,
huge loses Social and Economic loses, excruciating Trauma, Pain and Sufferings
cannot be easily quantified or explained. There is nothing to compare with it.
The feeling is like the world has ended for those who have been pushed out of
their homelands.
Atleast more
than 1,500,000 people in Africa have been stolen from and are displaced where
many have been forced to live on the streets. Some are brutalized and killed
every election time, with others have their families mercilessly killed, leaving
millions homeless without land or without any means to survive. African people
in this category have lost everything and they are without any hope for
recovery, reparation, mediation or any form of Legal Representation.
During 2008
poll violence which escalated in Kenya, many of those who lost their homes are
still without a place to call home. Their communities were destroyed and many
children and youths from those affected areas could not resist joinig illegal
terror gang groups and many others lost direction as abandoned children and
indulge in anti-social behaviors; where other children, girl child are sold out
to prostitutions by their mothers. In other instances, many women also joined
the illicit prostitution so they can feed their families and have roof over
their heads.
Reaching the
Solutions from this mega problem in Africa does not need hand-outs or spoon
feeding. There is urgent need for the world to join together and condemn and
join with us to take Legal Action against the Land Grabbers for reparation and
compensation. As it can be seen, victims of Land Grabbing with those displaced
are still hoping against hope, but up-till-now, five years down the line, they
still have no place to call home.
Since
politicians in African are so corrupt, the way to go is to engage the
International Legal Jurisdiction Team to help mediate and resolve the problem of
Africa's Land Grabbing at the International ICC Court and provide sustainable
resettlement for the communities that were affected so they can begin to live a
life of meaning again.
Presently, the
whole world is experiencing increase of food prices, high cost fuel and rent;
and the situation is not going to get any better soon if problem of Africa is
not taken seriously. Africa is fundamentally potential and it cannot be under
estimated that Africa is the back bone of Economic Stability for competitive
Industrialized world. How can Land Grabbing in Africa be taken lightly by the
world leaders? Coupled with scarcity of new job creations; high cost of basic
needs, increase of joblessness and homelessness; terrorist gangs will find room
to thrive and Land Grabbing in Africa will explore crimes of all kinds in high
magnitude which will definitely be catastrophic and might turn explosive.
Black People of Africa, Unite to
Force the Change to this Land Grabbing euphoria in Africa
.........With possible global policy response, Solution will be
found:
It is said, a
stitch in time saves nine. The world must have guiding principles with threshold
of consequences otherwise, if the world is disorganized, serious conditions from
lack of human basic needs is able to pose greater risk in economic imbalances.
Economic securities are necessary to generate mutual conducive environment
needed for peace and unity shared for common good of all. There is therefore
urgent need for an immediate solution to Africa's Land Grabbing before it turns
explosive making survival extremely difficult and fueling terrorism, family
destructions, weakening Law and Order, allowing sale of human organs, with drug
and child prostitution trafficking as an acceptable business norm, global
poverty with food insecurity.
Law must not be
discharged discriminatively. All people are the same before God the creator and
all people must be treated equally the same. People of Africa although they are
poor and vulnerable, the rich and mighty through corruption, ganged and
conspired against them and it is the reason why Africans have been pushed to the
corner of extreme poverty, pain and sufferings all these years.
We the people
of the world must stand together to condemn and prosecute Land Grabbers of
Africa. It can be done. Let us stand together to Stop Land Grabbing in
Africa.
Judy Miriga
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Diaspora Spokesperson
Executive Director
Confederation Council Foundation for Africa Inc.,
USA
http://socioeconomicforum50.blogspot.com
Email: jbatec@yahoo.com
Please
note:
Kenyans who contributed to the struggle for
Kenya's liberation from colonial rule.
Hero
|
Notes
|
1894 – August
22, 1978
| |
1911 – 20
January 1994
| |
1895–1970
| |
31 October 1920
– 18 February 1957
| |
18 October 1923
– 15 August 2004
| |
1923 – 22
1972
| |
15 August 1930
– 5 July 1969
| |
1922 – 14
August 1992
| |
1920 – 9 June
2007
| |
1922 – 7 March
2005
| |
Kikuyu Leader
kidnapped by the British and buried alive in 1892
| |
Full names
Argwingi Makodhek (Gem Moa Chiedo (GMC)) - died 1969
| |
1860 – 19
October 1905
| |
Unsolved
mystery
| |
31 March 1927 -
25 February 1965
| |
Nandi elder
died December 1983
|
1.Jomo
Kenyatta.
2. Jaramogi Oginga
Odinga.
3. Daniel Arap
Moi
4. Mbiyu Koinange
son of Senior Chief Koinange wa Mbiyu.
5 Harry Thuku.
6. Dedan
Kimathi
7. Martin
Shikuku
8. Paul Ngei
9. Ronald
Ngala.
10. Achieng
Oneko.
11. Tom Mboya.
12. Masinde
Muliro.
13. Argwings
Kodhek.
14. Bildad
Kaggia.
15. Kung'u
Karumba
16. Fred
Kubai.
17. Waiyaki
Hinga
18. Koitalel arap Samoei
[edit]
References
- http://photography.a24media.com/index.php/photogallery/prominent-faces/83-the-life-and-times-of-ronald-ngala
- http://www.afroarticles.com/article-dashboard/Article/Ramogi-Achieng-Oneko--Pioneer-journalist-who-dared-oppressors/26067
- http://www.goethe.de/INS/ke/prj/aue/bik/enindex.htm
- http://www.sudaneseonline.com/cgi-bin/esdb/2bb.cgi?seq=msg&board=12&msg=1109726854
OBSERVATION AND
FINDINGS:
The World Bank has
rejected a call by Oxfam
International to freeze the lender’s investment in land-intensive
agricultural projects, saying such a move would not help prevent abusive
practices in the purchase of acreage. Do you think World Bank is realistic in
their contribution? What do you think? Do you agree or disagree that World Bank
is in any way helpful to the people of Africa or not? What is the World Bank up
to? Globally, People of Africa want to know whether World bank is in the
offensive or defensive......
This new wave of
land deals in Africa is not the new investment in agriculture that millions had
been waiting for. 99% of the deals accross Africa are in fact "land
grabs" where the rights and needs of the people living on the land are
denied and ignored, leaving them homeless and unable to grow enough food or make
a reasonable dignified resourceful living from the use of their land in a well
planned Agenda for Progressive Development to remove poverty and sufferings.
Oxfam's research
outlines a Ugandan case study where at least 22,500 people lost their homes and
land to make way for a British timber company, the New Forests Company (NFC).
Evictees told Oxfam they were forcibly removed and have been left without enough
food or money.
Despite court orders
restraining evictions by the company, eye-witnesses say company workers took
part in some evictions anyway. NFC denies itsinvolvement in any evictions.
This is what the
people had to say........"All our plantations were cut down - we lost the
banana and cassava. We lost everything we had," said one of the Ugandan
evictees, Christine, a farmer in her mid 40s. "The company's casual
labourers would attack us -they beat and threatened people. Even now they won't
let us back in to look for the things we left behind. I was threatened - they
told me they were going to beat me if we didn't leave."
The Uganda case
clearly shows how land grabs are slipping through the net of existing
safeguards. Investors, governments and international organisations must
prioritise an end to land grabs by fixing current policies and regulations,
which all too often fail to ensure local people are consulted or treated fairly,
and by ensuring all relevant international standards are respected.
"Investment in
agriculture should be good news but this land rush is reversing decades of
hard-earned improvements to people's lives," said Stansfield. "We need urgent
global action so that local communities with relatively little do not lose
everything for the benefit of a few. It's time to secure a future where everyone
has enough to eat."
Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC)
Despite the signing of the Lusaka Peace Accord in July among the seven African armies engaged in a war there, the truce has been violated by all countries and tensions continue. In addition, as the country becomes more accessible, immense humanitarian needs are being uncovered. The war already has displaced 1 million people and put several million at the risk of starvation.Republic of Congo
Its ongoing civil war offers no hope of a quick solution in 1999. More than 500,000 people have been displaced thus far. Between 10,000-15,000 people died in 1999 alone as a result of the conflict.Ethiopia & Eritrea
Fighting continues between these two countries over a border dispute. Thousands have been killed and there are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people. There also have been reports of forced emigration, ethnic cleansing and military action against civilians in both countries. Somalia/Somaliland
Extensive and extreme poverty has been exacerbated by a culture of violence, clan warfare and drought in Somalia, primarily due to years of clan-fighting. There are more than 400,000 Somali refugees, and much of the country from Mogadishu to the Kenya border operates as a stateless, clan-controlled society. Constitutional provisions and national laws are inoperative, except in break-away (and, as yet unrecognized) Somaliland. Recently, the country has faced floods and droughts, as well as a ban on the export of livestock to Saudi Arabia and other nations. About 1 million people in the central and southern regions are affected, 300,000 need food aid, including 200,000 children. Sudan
Sudan’s civil war has continued for the better part of four decades. Virtually all of Sudan's nine neighbors have become embroiled in the conflict in some way over the years. Relations with Ethiopia have improved this year and a peace deal with Uganda was brokered earlier this month. Yet, no lasting peace agreement has been brokered between the SPLA and the government in Khartoum. In terms of human costs, more than 1.9 million people have died in southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountains since 1983 as a result of the war, according to the U.S. Committee for Refugees. Fighting also has caused massive internal displacement, leaving millions more homeless or without lands to farm and threatened by starvation and disease. Furthermore, the south is far behind the north developmentally due to the war and benign neglect during colonial rule. Violence is expected to continue.
Despite the signing of the Lusaka Peace Accord in July among the seven African armies engaged in a war there, the truce has been violated by all countries and tensions continue. In addition, as the country becomes more accessible, immense humanitarian needs are being uncovered. The war already has displaced 1 million people and put several million at the risk of starvation.Republic of Congo
Its ongoing civil war offers no hope of a quick solution in 1999. More than 500,000 people have been displaced thus far. Between 10,000-15,000 people died in 1999 alone as a result of the conflict.Ethiopia & Eritrea
Fighting continues between these two countries over a border dispute. Thousands have been killed and there are estimated to be hundreds of thousands of internally displaced people. There also have been reports of forced emigration, ethnic cleansing and military action against civilians in both countries. Somalia/Somaliland
Extensive and extreme poverty has been exacerbated by a culture of violence, clan warfare and drought in Somalia, primarily due to years of clan-fighting. There are more than 400,000 Somali refugees, and much of the country from Mogadishu to the Kenya border operates as a stateless, clan-controlled society. Constitutional provisions and national laws are inoperative, except in break-away (and, as yet unrecognized) Somaliland. Recently, the country has faced floods and droughts, as well as a ban on the export of livestock to Saudi Arabia and other nations. About 1 million people in the central and southern regions are affected, 300,000 need food aid, including 200,000 children. Sudan
Sudan’s civil war has continued for the better part of four decades. Virtually all of Sudan's nine neighbors have become embroiled in the conflict in some way over the years. Relations with Ethiopia have improved this year and a peace deal with Uganda was brokered earlier this month. Yet, no lasting peace agreement has been brokered between the SPLA and the government in Khartoum. In terms of human costs, more than 1.9 million people have died in southern Sudan and the Nuba Mountains since 1983 as a result of the war, according to the U.S. Committee for Refugees. Fighting also has caused massive internal displacement, leaving millions more homeless or without lands to farm and threatened by starvation and disease. Furthermore, the south is far behind the north developmentally due to the war and benign neglect during colonial rule. Violence is expected to continue.
DECLARATION PETITION TO STOP LAND GRABBING IN AFRICA:
Foreign Countries,
World Bank & IMF colluding with Private Companies, wealthy foreigners and
Foreign Universities are rapidly engaged in robbery with violence taking over
Africa's land from Africa local Communities and families; distabilizing and
forcing people out of their land, which as a result is turning local people into
homeless Refugees and slaves labourers in their own homeland. This is criminal
invasion of Rights, it is denying people of Africa honorable and dignified
livelihood from meaningful discent survival and is invading privacy:
1. Some of this data
are reports from victims who have join with us to call on leaders of the world
to join in stopping and finding solutions to help fix Corruption and
LandGrabbing mess; some are compiled by the Land Matrix Partnership, a coalition
of academic, research and non-governmental organisations, but are consolidated
as one huge problem that must be solved conclusively.
The 227 million
hectares figure is based on information on land deals over 200 hectares from a
range of sources including government reports,academic research, company
websites, media reports and the few contracts that are available. Lack of
transparency makes it difficult to get exact figures, but to-date up to 1,100 of
these deals - amounting to 67 million hectares - have been cross-checked and the
coalition is continuing the cross-checking process. It is calling for increased
transparency among companies and governments so that the true scale of the
problem can be accurately understood.
The Land Matrix
Partnership includes the International Land Coalition,the universities of Bern
and Hamburg, the French research institute CIRAD, the German agency for
technical cooperation, GIZ and Oxfam.
2. The evictions
took place between 2006 and 2010. One High Court order was granted on August 24,
2009 and remained valid until March 18, 2010. The other was granted on June 19,
2009 and remained in force until October 2, 2009. Both orders were to restrain
evictions by the company.
The New Forests
Company stated the majority of local residents had no legal right to the land,
they had left peacefully and that the process was the sole responsibility of the
Ugandan National Forestry Authority.It told Oxfam it had brought jobs and
amenities to local communities and its activities had been approved by the
Forestry Stewardship Council and International Finance Corporation
PETITION LETTER:
Dear World Bank
President Jim Kim,
Land deals across
Africa and the developing world are forcing poor people off their land and out
of their livelihoods, with little to no way to survive, and without
consultation. Large companies have now purchased land that could feed one
billion people annually. And yet the World Bank, tasked with reducing poverty
worldwide, funds many of these predatory deals.
Oxfam and other
organizations have voiced their opposition to your funding of such land grabs,
and I would like to add my voice to theirs. Please freeze investment in land
deals such as these and help correct the injustices that are befalling poor
farmers worldwide even as you read this message. The World Bank is uniquely
positioned to influence policy on this issue, so please do the right thing.