Child Soldiers in Africa

[Oshun_Auset]

Preach,

If you go through this site, most articles posted about Africa or continental African issues don't have many READS...let alone posts...I'm talking about articles posted by many people, more than just Bantu Kelani, so I fail to see it as her "ego" speaking here. She is not just complaing about posts, but READS....Conversely, if you post something about a non-event (spirituality ect) or an event that happens in the States there will be a numerous amount of reads and posts. I see an inherent problem with this(as should any other person who claims that "any atrocity made against any Afrikan anywhere is still an atrocity"). As diaspora Africans we have to be realistic here. I know the majority of us know people who are all into African traditional culture and spirituality, but DON'T deal with people from the continent, and are ignorant of many current issues facing or happening on the continent. That is a fact, and a contradiction when claiming to be African centered. Attacking someone from the continent who is rightfully only observing and pointing out this tendancy/contradiction isn't going to make it stop. In other words, I fail to see how "shooting the messenger" is a possitive step in correcting this contradiction.

There is nothing wrong with criticism, we should accept it and learn from it...even welcome it. I will openly admit I fell into this category some years back(late teens/early twenties). I was an "Afro-centrist". I could tell you a whole bunch about ancient Africa and spirituality but couldn't even have a discussion on Mugabe let alone Nkrumah. I saw this flaw and changed it because I couldn't simultaneousely love my people while continuing to stay ignorant of our current plight globally.  I think that is all Kelani is criticizing, and I in turn have grown to criticize this in people also. If you don't fall into the category of someone who stays ignorant of African people's issues abroad, than there is no reason to be defensive about something that others that claim to be African centered are obviousely guilty of. We have to stop being defensive based on micro-national identities set up by our commen oppressor/exploiter.  The reason I say this is because I often see(and it may be or may not be the case here) that Africans born in the U.S. get defensive when African from the continent criticize us on "our" lack of interest or knowledge about the continent in general. The excuse often given is that we have struggles here too. But actually, people residing in the U.S. as a whole are somewhat ignorant of the goings on outside of this coutries borders. This is largely due to the corporate run media, but when we claim to be African-centered we must overcome this "what happens here is more important" tendancy that effects the rest of the populous of this country...We must rise above it, especially since we are supposed to be conscious. Otherwise we are being hypocrites.

[Bantu_Kelani]

Exactly, Oshun Auset! You are an intelligent young woman. I know you always recognize THE TRUTH!

Indeed, I believe every so-called Diaspora Afrocentric Africans have the responsibility to learn more, encourage and support Africans on the continent as much as they should because their power base are African nations. Diaspora Africans are stateless Africans located in North and South America, Britain, France and other Western countries. This group poses no threat to western powers because it is a racial underclass within the Imperialism system in all the western countries. So, there must have some kind of way the Diaspora so-called Afrocentric Africans build a relationship with their power base Africa, because at the international level the Black African nations comprise the largest body and the largest force of any continent. Out of their minds Black Afrocentric Americans today cannot turn their back on the struggle of Africans on the continent. Thus, they need to respect our people on the continent and hold them to a high level of concern so that we can become a better-unified people.

You've said well Sister. It baffles me how Black Americans in general fail to acknowledge or validate the most obvious problems of theirs, simply because their character are affected. I can't really fathom how we are going to solve our problems if we can't even realize they exist.

B.K

[Oshun_Auset]

Diaspora Africans are stateless Africans located in North and South America, Britain, France and other Western countries. This group poses no threat to western powers because it is a racial underclass within the Imperialism system in all the western countries. So, there must have some kind of way the Diaspora so-called Afrocentric Africans build a relationship with their power base Africa, because at the international level the Black African nations comprise the largest body and the largest force of any continent. Out of their minds Black Afrocentric Americans today cannot turn their back on the struggle of Africans on the continent. Thus, they need to respect our people on the continent and hold them to a high level of concern so that we can become a better-unified people.

B.K

You have well stated the object of Pan-Africanism as compared to Afro-centrism...This realization of the global reality of our power base(the continent of Africa) is exactly why I converted from one ideology to the other. Land is the basis of a people's power. Us Africans in the diaspora must realize until Africa is strong we won't be strong. Until Africa is respected, we won't be respected...Therefore Africa must be primary! Micro-nationalism is what the enemy wants us to succumb to because it keeps us divided, and weak. We end up concetrating our efforts on where we have been scattered to in stolen lands, rather than the mother-land. While, simultaneousely our commen enemy sets up shop and exploits home/our power base...The very same base we are neglecting and encouraged to neglect by said enemy. Don't get me wrong, we should try to improve our circumstances wherever we find ourselves, but we should never loose sight of the bigger picture and objective.

[iyah360]

Unfortunately when ones pay no attention to the issues facing Africa - and then the West decides to pay attention(i.e. Sudan) to forward an agenda(i.e. intervene when their interests are at stake) - many can get caught up in the propaganda that floods the mass media and thus the mass psyche.

The West will use a legitimate situation and exploit it to forward their goals and leave the scene once the ball is bouncing in their court. It is amazing how unwitting liberals get caught up in the game that they play. The big players are the ones funding non-profits that front on humanitarian causes many times.

The atrocities in areas of Africa are so brutal that when the media starts to pay attention the sheer impact of the stories and images are so strong that emotions can be exploited to justify any action that is fronted as humanitarian.

[iyah360]

For instance, if you work and don't really spend all the money that you make, send it to Africa so that parents or villages will not be forced to sell their children into slavery to armed groups to eat or pay their debts.

Quit sitting idle in your Western society and spend your time accusing others for not helping out. Sponsor a child from a third world country, preferably from Africa because this is a continent that is much neglected. It really doesn't cost that much. I do it, I urge you to do the same! You have no idea what an impact you will be making. You will be saving a child from hunger and slavery. You will possibly be helping a child to go to school, and this child may rise to become an important person in his country. Africa needs good leaders, in order to have good leaders we need to give African children compassion, respect and recognition. African children need our help to overcome their struggle. So, help improve the future of Africa.

Can you suggest any LEGITIMATE organizations not engaged in missionary agendas or Western intrigue that $ can be sent to or a child sponsoring organization that one could get information about and get involved in?

[ptaured7]

One must be very cautious about save the children foundations.  For nearly half a century these mostly religious based orgs have been operating and the net result is......?  "Non profit" organizations are competing businesses that ride the poverty train often with very high overhead and employment opportunities for "experts" or other do gooders, with a small percentage of "benefit" reaching anyone.  They also promote a dependency culture.  The aid can be carrot and stick religious indocrination .   It's hard to know what to do.  suggestion is that capacity building partnerships tied to food aid are the leading standards for helping children and their families in Africa.  Maybe the term "help" isn't even correct, it tends to be patronizing.  

There are a -lot of foreign "social scientists" lawyers , economists and accountants making a good living off these orgs.  They try and grow their orgs, not capacity within country.  This has been going on for years without much change.  

Maybe the best thing we can do here in United "Snakes" and E.U.is what our victims around the world are waiting for, clean up our own act and engage in mutually respectfull partnerships for fair trade and cultural preservation.  But, there are small non government orgs starting up that are geared toward information sharing in fields such as agriculture, environmental conservatiøn, green community development and the like that are aiming to grow the capacity of client villages , towns and states, not growth for their own orgs.  It's a principal of consultancy that works at times for small business.

Throwing money at pyramid scheme charities has been such a failure, failure by design for many, one might suggest.   Check out what a non profit promises.  Look at their web page,  do they say specifically how your donation will be spent?   Are their articles of incorporation and statement of purpose listed on the web site for your review?  Who are their main funders?   Some orgs only have public donations as window dressing and never get that much support and are funded by shadowy foundations, millionares and billionares with alternate agendas.  

Research capacity building in Africa as opposed to charity.  Found your own Africa assistance orgs! Particularly in your own communities.  Find out what others are doing.   If a million African Americans donated 10 dollars each to provable benefit for, say, a well drilling utility district in Western Kenya instead øf spending 10 bucks a week on whatever luxury and use the same principal for internal community development (parks, urban farms {peri-urban agriculture concept founded in Africa], it could all come together in a sort of Pan African food security movement.

Chinese diaspora are a pretty good model for this.   But again, one must beware the pyramid scheme in all this!   No rushing, no big hurry, patient persistent organizing with physical communtiy work - work- work, on the ground, absent sloganeering and speechifying.  I think perhaps that is at least what some good people from Africa are interested in from us.   Mutual strength .   Plant trees.  I am not a big fan of Louis Farakhaan or Nation of Islam, but I noticed him saying many years ago, "our people" need to be growing their own food.  Domestic food agriculture is the true strength of the United "Snakes".

I hope this isn't taken as another shameless plug.......
P.7

[Oshun_Auset]

I was asking Kelani about sponsoring a child is because I know she is from the continent and thought maybe she was sponsoring someone from her country or perhaps even village of origin directly or via a small grassroots organization.  I don't trust the "save/feed the Children" organizations that have been operating for years with little to know results, their missionary "work" can be detrimental the childrens minds as well as the fact they are often pyramid schemes of fronts for mutli-national coprorations and imperialism.

[ptaured7]

Ahhhhh. sorry, I guess I was lecturing a bit there.  More like anxious, it's just there is so much good work that can be going on.  the only thing about sponsoring individuals or even single villages is one can create an unfortunate situation within a greater community.  But , you've got to start somewhere.   There is a principal of barter pay back , where one or several who benefit agree through some instrument like a "momorandum of understanding" that they agree to help others awaiting similar investment assistance promoting expanding community benefit.   The problem is if it's a one time shot and no follow through, you've created the potential, within all of us for envy, and bad feelings.

This can't be done through the internet or virtually.  (lecturing again, I know), things have to check out.  I think YOU are smarter, more capable and could help to create more innovative solutions and partnerships than some dude with a bible and a bag of corn.  Get of the internet (lecturing again) and rouse your friends and family, stick your foot in some doors.   E-mail is retarding us , we'll be all hovered around our computers till the power goes out, and then what?  

You think by the volume of writing I do on this site I must be the world's biggest hypocrite.   But , off I go to embassies, ministries, campuses , town halls, farms, and on and on - stick that big red face through the door,  hey!   Who the heck is that guy? cautious then after a time.......real communication.  It's gotta happen.

[Bantu_Kelani]

One must be very cautious about save the children foundations.  For nearly half a century these mostly religious based orgs have been operating and the net result is......?  "Non profit" organizations are competing businesses that ride the poverty train often with very high overhead and employment opportunities for "experts" or other do gooders, with a small percentage of "benefit" reaching anyone.  They also promote a dependency culture.  The aid can be carrot and stick religious indocrination .   It's hard to know what to do.  suggestion is that capacity building partnerships tied to food aid are the leading standards for helping children and their families in Africa.  Maybe the term "help" isn't even correct, it tends to be patronizing.  

There are a -lot of foreign "social scientists" lawyers , economists and accountants making a good living off these orgs.  They try and grow their orgs, not capacity within country.  This has been going on for years without much change.  

Throwing money at pyramid scheme charities has been such a failure, failure by design for many, one might suggest.   Check out what a non profit promises.  Look at their web page,  do they say specifically how your donation will be spent?   Are their articles of incorporation and statement of purpose listed on the web site for your review?  Who are their main funders?   Some orgs only have public donations as window dressing and never get that much support and are funded by shadowy foundations, millionares and billionares with alternate agendas.  

The first and easiest thing the Diasporas can do is say "One must be very cautious about throwing money at pyramid scheme charities or foundations etc." This way they can find excuses to not contribute to help Black communities. We all know that, this is what happens all the time... However, you are right, by saying that we can't send money to the larger organizations all the time because it's only a rare few that really pave the way of the betterment of our people. Most of the time, they fail, because they are physically and financially supported by the racist, capitalist, colonial white ruling class who denies the right of Black people to organize independently (without white participation). I said it before and I will say it again. They support and fund Black organizations to condemns Black self-determination. Therefore, the effectiveness of the renaissance of Black self-defense and self-preservation will be based on the mass struggle of our people, new movements, new organizations and new leadership of Black radicals!  So, most of our complains can fit in, we should not accept to send money to the larger organizations all the time, but there are still countless of local hard working revolutionary organizations working to improve the desperate position of the mass of our people.  

Maybe the best thing we can do here in United "Snakes" and E.U.is what our victims around the world are waiting for, clean up our own act and engage in mutually respectfull partnerships for fair trade and cultural preservation.  But, there are small non government orgs starting up that are geared toward information sharing in fields such as agriculture, environmental conservatiøn, green community development and the like that are aiming to grow the capacity of client villages , towns and states, not growth for their own orgs.  It's a principal of consultancy that works at times for small business.

The effective humanitarian and/or economic programs programs that will allow bringing security and prosperity to Black Africans on the continent must have several qualities. A Black African economic program not tied to the ideology and the political beliefs of A UNITED BLACK AFRICAN DIASPORA, RACE PRIDE, SELF-CONFIDENCE AND THE NEED FOR POLITICAL INDEPENDENCE will ultimately meet economic crisis and a low productivity. We must realize that the people are the real source of capital! Once our people awaken and respond to the rallying cry for Unity, they will collectively provide and support economic institutions that will strengthen the peoples of Africa and the Black race. We all know that the Jewish man always will help his brother. Israel is now a rich and very powerful country because it depends on its Diaspora in the US to survive. Without its Diaspora, it deems to fail. With its Diaspora, its struggles wouldn't have been dealt with adequately. Likewise, Black Africans ought to to stop to look down or try to bring down any brother or sister they could out of contented ignorance, egoism or jealousy. We have to break of this negative limiting thinking!  

Research capacity building in Africa as opposed to charity.  Found your own Africa assistance orgs! Particularly in your own communities.  Find out what others are doing.   If a million African Americans donated 10 dollars each to provable benefit for, say, a well drilling utility district in Western Kenya instead øf spending 10 bucks a week on whatever luxury and use the same principal for internal community development (parks, urban farms {peri-urban agriculture concept founded in Africa], it could all come together in a sort of Pan African food security movement.

Good idea! One thing I do is getting involved with my group of people. I joined organizations whose views correspond with mine and who are involved in Congolese communities and activities. I just don't stick with UNICEF. I will soon travel to Congo and I will help the local struggle there. But, do the majority of Black Americans even try to do that? These so-called Afrocentric Diasporas have talked so much. It's time to act in the smallest organizational neighborhood block or in national or international revolutionary organizations.

For a strong united African Diaspora that will stop conflicts by winning wars and imposing the respects of the natural human rights of Black African children, women and men worldwide we need to examine ourselves individually and identify with our past problems and take a stand to contribute to the Motherland and not take our frustration to mischief her and her peoples. We need to have the balls to try! Yes, Black Africans on the CONTINENT need a strong economic help from Blacks in America and other western countries, but Black Diasporas must first realize that they are one people and they need to accept the fact that they are one people, and they need to act as if they are one people. Until that is realized Black Africans will continue to be systematically oppressed and brutalized all over the world.

B.K

[preach]

We as a people often create further unnecessary seperation from one another. As much as some won't admit it, most of this discussion was as childish as telling your mother that your sister has one more extra letter in her alphabet soup than you do. If I turned the tables would you agree that you Pan-Afrikanists focus more on Afrika than your brethren in america? Especially if you live in america. Would it then be considered wrong for you to neglect someone who is easily accessible and in dire, immediate need of assistance. If I am walking down the street and I encounter a homeless guy should I tell him that I can't buy him a meal because I have to send my money to Kenya? I can't overlook what is right in front of my eyes. If I help that homeless brother am I not helping Afrika? Sending money and joining organizations aint s%^@. The front lines is where the action is, and since I can't physically support me brethren in other areas because I don't have the physical means, I support them in spirit. I support them by making my every day actions positive and by not bowing down to bull#!!!. This energy travels miles, and unites with others for the ultimate good.
Oshun Auset made a wonderful comment in another thread, Communty based organizations are our only hope. I add to that, when we are properly equipped then we can come together with others. When whatever organization I belong to in Chicago becomes well equipped we can then join with others as a strong addition rather than just a small infantry filled with ambition or what I like to call I wish I had been a panther syndrome.  
uhuru

[Oshun_Auset]

If I turned the tables would you agree that you Pan-Afrikanists focus more on Afrika than your brethren in america? Especially if you live in america. Would it then be considered wrong for you to neglect someone who is easily accessible and in dire, immediate need of assistance. If I am walking down the street and I encounter a homeless guy should I tell him that I can't buy him a meal because I have to send my money to Kenya? I can't overlook what is right in front of my eyes. If I help that homeless brother am I not helping Afrika? Sending money and joining organizations aint s%^@. The front lines is where the action is, and since I can't physically support me brethren in other areas because I don't have the physical means, I support them in spirit. I support them by making my every day actions positive and by not bowing down to bull#!!!. This energy travels miles, and unites with others for the ultimate good.

I would dissagree with you on this brother.
Since I am a Pan-Africanist I am taking this to be directed towards myself and I reject this criticism.(If I'm wrong please correct me). Pan-Africanism seems to be highly misunderstood. "Pan"
is associated with the concept of Panorama which means all African people everywhere. Africans in the U.S.(especially Afro-centrists) tend to limit their concentrations to spirituality or local issues within these borders, and sometimes they tend to be completely ignorant of, or what is evenn more insulting...disinterested in what is going on in the Mother land. That is the contradiction being criticized here. Noting more nothing less.

Since you mentioned the post where I stated community based organizations are the key...Why would you think Pan-Africanists are not involved locally with activism wherever we live? Since activism and organization is only affective from the micro-cosm to the macro-cosm...What logic would NOT being involved in local issues make? How would it be possible to orgnize our people globally if you don't deal with the local community of Africans and our daily struggles with injustice? You stated "joining an organization ain't s%^@".  How is that, when the only way we can change our current situation locally or abroad is through an organized/collective effort. Do you think we can go at it alone?  Do you think individual unorganized efforts against an organized enemy will work locally or abroad? The homeless problem in the U.S.(a bi-product of capitalism) can be delt with without organization? The Prison industrial complex(a bi-product of capitalism) can be dealt with without organization? Please explain your logic on this.

I am an activist, as are all of my Pan-African Cadres. When protesting social injustice(police brutality, WTO meetings, anti-war protests, the injustices of the prison industrial complex) in my local area I usually see only the brothers and sisters in political organizations or that have had exposure to Pan-African or a similar progressive political idological training. The same goes for local food drives ect. The afro-centrists are usually off talking about or meditating on spirituality somewhere hoping the energy travels ...Now don't get me wrong, I am a very spiritual person...but I use that spirituality to fuel our fight against injustice...we can't meditate ourselves out of oppression. Thought without action is dead. WePpan-Africanists) support our brothers and sisters in the struggle abroad by being aware of our situation in other places and organizing our people to work towards destroying the system that we are oppressed and exploited under globally. While we work towards curing the local injustices going on, we can never keep our minds off of the bigger picture. If we loose sight of the objective, we may do things that appear to benefit us locally, that once analyzed are actually harming our collective struggle.

I do agree with one thing you said..."We as a people often create further unnecessary seperation from one another."

By some people chosing to remain ignorant or disinterested in our struggles abroad, and especially on the continent, while simultaneousely claiming to be African-centered, and to choose to be offended when criticized on that behavior, instead of just correcting it, we as a people are creating further unnecessary seperation from one another. This glaring contradiction is not "as childish as telling your mother that your sister has one more extra letter in her alphabet soup than you do". It is a serious problem in our mentality and thwarts our collective efforts.

[ptaured7]

 standing somewhat on the outside, i can appreciate the merits of the last several posts & Kelani's comments to my post.  I can definitely appreciate the concerns of Preach.  The matter of money, taxation, international aid, "charity", priorities, not an easy matter to sort out.  

As mentioned, I think victims of European expansion (the USA is but an outpost of same) are waiting for us to clean up our act primarily , but not to forget mutually assured survival, which is really what this is all about.  Depending on circumstances, one person may be perfectly justified in being put off by charity.  Often, you've got to take care of business at home first before thinking about someone else's problems, otherwise you both go down together.

Personally, I detest charity.  Most international non profit organizations are scams to grow employment opportunities for an ever expanding population of academics and quasi bureoucrats coming out of elite colleges and government  downsizing plans.   They have nationalist agendas.  They produce parrallel governments within African countries that bribe, then disunite public policy into an ever more complicated mess of overlapping and redundant entities modelled on lawyer dominated gum flapping and law passing.  

That is why there has been so much wasted effort and bogus "programs" the last quarter century.   Some of it, I am afraid, is intentional.

  Mutual respect based on differences and appreciation of culture, is not the same as some "pan Africanism" theories I have heard.   Some people seem tø desire a counter, or equally powerfull racially based global hegemony to that which currently dominates.  This often sounds to me like globalism with a new dress on.

I would suggest down that road lies a repeat cycle ancient civilizations , indeed older than Kemet, Mesopotamia or China, have been down before leading to collapse and destruction.    

There are many champions of globalism from both the left and right.  The problem is they are controlled by the same thing.  

So i suppose I am disagreeing with myself form an ealier post regarding other diasporas.  For  People who live outside the US, it is hard to comprehend what we are doing here, despite all the blips bumps and horrendous miscairrages of justice.  Especially on the west coast here.  Culture evolves from a combination of influences.  japan and Britain, now considering themselves wholly individual and culturally distinct societies, are amalgamations øf earlier, "diasporas"  Growth is painfull.

We should leave others alone to do what they want in their yards, but we have grown dependent on each other and rank military imperialism in pursuit of booty in endless cycles of birth and death, where one is on top, eternally to be replaced by another, is hardly a world view  consistent with the majority of posts I've read on this site.  

I am sure you can all imagine where at on time, your ancestors considered mine barbarous and inferior, due to their own limited view øf history and its great cycles.....and now here we are again under different circumstances.  

Runnin on a bit now........P&