THE SCRAMBLE FOR AFRICA THAT NEVER ENDS

Harry Browne has published an interesting book I have not read yet, but I should do so soonest. The title is "The Front Man". The book is about Bono, yes you got it, the one of U2. You discover that immediately from the sub-title which reads "Bono (In the name of Power). According to Amazon reviews, "carefully dissecting the rhetoric and actions of Bono the political operator, The Frontman shows him to be an ambassador for imperial exploitation, a man who has turned his attention to a world of savage injustice, inequality and exploitation and helped make it worse". In fact Bono and so many other who claim to speak for the poor in Africa have seized the political space which might otherwise have been occupied by the Africans about whom they are always talking. Because Bono is seen by world leaders as the representative of the poor, the poor are not invited to speak. This works very well for everyone - except them. This what happened earlier at the G8 summit. 

Why am I writing about this here? It's because, while our people are fighting a corrupt government to forge an ever elusive better future for their children, behind that same corrupt government are greater interests, very similar or more aggressive that those of the 1884 scramble for Africa. Those interest are always disguised in some philanthropy to help "poor Africa". That is what all celebrities talking about the DRC claim to do. You know they are on the side of the bad guys when you see them criticizing M23, holding racists speeches against tutsis in the DRC or elsewhere, adopting Ken Roth and his Human Rights Watch sinister persecution against those who wants to rebuild the Kivu, pretty much in the same way they sang that Nkunda was the problem and he wasn't. 

Though I never embrace their effort to try a communist approach to solving Africa's problem, I admire the Thomas Sankaras of this world who died for trying to denounce the ongoing scramble for Africa. Few head of states in Africa dare to use Sankara's bold accusation of foreign corrupt states and corporations committed to continually defile the continent. I think maybe Paul Kagame, and recently Museveni in Kenya are using such a language. 

The new neo-colonial processes for the DRC and the continent are being hatched by the huge foreign mining companies  intent to shape policy. Please read that here:  http://www.pambazuka.org/encategory/features/87799. As we speak, things have gone quite far. You understand then what makes Joseph Kabila so stubborn to the point of refusing to negotiate with M23. His FDLR are working with him for the neo-colonialists and they must do away with anyone who, like Makenga and/or Nkunda who really want freedom for our people. Let's wait and see which direction the US foreign policy takes. But no one should be fooled: Russel Dana Feingold who has been recently appointed to the Great Lakes, which has delighted Kinshasa must be observed closely. However, being a democrat, we should not expect from him to depart from the democrats' policy in the region since Madelein Allbright. His appointment could be good news only, and only if he comes to put more pressure on Joseph Kabila, following Ba Ki Moon and Robinson, in a bid to push for a political solution once and for all. But if like John Kerry said, he comes to say that the UN brigade is the solution, I'd say that Makenga's men are ready. In fact they are closely watching FDLR and FARDC who have been moving from Tongo to Kalengera. Though FARDC are their usual self, scared to death by M23. They actually told FDLR to go on, on their own. Which shows how the whole point for FARDC and the UN brigade is to open the way for FDLR to attack Rwanda... Not surprising at all.

Let's wait and see if Russ Feingold uses the language of his boss Kerry and Kikwete. If you have read the link above, on the mining policy, you know why Kikwete supports not only FDLR but all neo-colonialists. No reason to be discouraged though: the future of this continent lies in the hands of anyone who is still willing to fight for true freedom, the freedom of the people to live and live in peace so as to develop themselves.