CHICAGO (Finalcall.com)�The establishment of a United States of
Africa and the issue of reparations are two issues Blacks in Africa and
the Diaspora can unite around. That declaration was issued July 23 by
the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan and activists during a forum on
both topics held at Northeastern University�s Center for Inner City
Studies on the city�s south side.
"The United States of Africa is an idea whose time has come," said
Min. Farrakhan, who, as keynote presenter, reported on his recent trip
to Lusaka, Zambia, to attend the 37th summit of the Organization of
African Unity (OAU). The summit was the last gathering of African Heads
of State under the auspices of the OAU. The new continental body ushered
into existence at the meeting is called the African Union (AU).
The AU will establish such continental institutions as a Central Bank
and common currency, an African Parliament, a Court of Justice, among
other institutions. It will work to break down barriers from one African
nation to another and usher in a continent of states belonging to one
nation, planners have said.
"This (African Union) is a big, big thing to do. But it is under
assault even before its birth," said Min. Farrakhan, who was introduced
by Nation of Islam International Representative Akbar Muhammad. "Only a
united front of us in the west can bring an end to the suffering of our
people in Africa and around the world. The idea of an African Union
didn�t start in Africa, it started with us in the African Diaspora,"
Min. Farrakhan said.
That is why, according to Min. Farrakhan, Blacks in the Diaspora must
be "represented, not as observers, but you must be at the table when
decisions are made."
The forum was sponsored by the Harold Washington Institute and billed
as its first Dialogue on Africa. Dr. Conrad Worrill, chairman of the
National Black United Front (NBUF), gave an update on the planning for
the Aug. 31-Sept. 7 UN Conference on Racism set for Durban, South
Africa.
Min. Farrakhan told the audience that there are efforts being
fostered by western powers to divide the African leaders and cause some
to pull away from the commitment to make the African Union a success.
He demonstrated the callousness of the west toward the idea of a
united Africa by the lack of coverage the OAU process of establishing
the African Union has received.
"Forty-three Heads of State met in Libya (earlier this year) and
signed an agreement to form the African Union. How many of you have read
about it?" he asked. "The western press never reports on the OAU
meetings because you (Black Americans) are too important to the process
and must be kept ignorant," he said.
Blacks in the west are victims of propaganda, Min. Farrakhan warned,
adding that Libyan leader Col. Muammar Gadhafi has spearheaded the
recent effort to form the AU and has been demonized by the west for
supporting every liberation struggle against colonialism in Africa.
Leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, Sekou Ture of Guinea and Gamal
Abdel Nasser called for a United States of Africa nearly 40 years ago,
which resulted in the formation of the OAU.
Min. Farrakhan said the country of Sudan must be destabilized because
large oil deposits have been found in the southern region of that
country and the United States needs the precious metals found in Africa
and Russia in order to remain a super power in the 21st century.
"The question is, How will they have access to Africa and on what
terms?" he asked. "They want the terms to be as they always have been
and Africa is saying, no," he said.
Dr. Worrill noted the importance of the re-emergence of a spirit of
Pan Africanism as witnessed in the international call from Blacks for
reparations. NBUF and the New York-based December 12th Movement will
join the effort at the upcoming UN Conference Against Racism to have
former colonial powers pay for a debt long overdue, he said.
Dr. Worrill said that African, Asian, Latin American, South American
and Caribbean countries have supported reparations language be included
in the Durban Declaration, the document to be debated at the conference.
That language includes:
- Declaring the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade a crime against humanity
- Addressing the economic underpinnings of racism
- Payments of reparations to Blacks in Africa and the Diaspora.
"Many African activists argued that the third [UN Conference Against
Racism] meeting be held in the U.S., the belly of the beast. But the
compromise was to hold it in Durban," Dr. Worrill explained, noting that
two other such conferences against racism were held in 1978 and 1982
declaring apartheid a crime against humanity.
He noted that the United States has fought against including language
about reparations in the Durban Declaration. U.S. representatives even
issued a "non-paper" arguing that the conference is an inappropriate
place to raise the issue of reparations, he said.
"The U.S., France, Britain � don�t want to admit they committed a
crime, but if they can admit they created a crime against the Jewish
people, why can�t they admit they committed a crime against Africans?"
he asked.
Photo: (L-R): Jihad Muhammad, Bob Starks, Dr. Carol
Adams, Min. Farrakhan, Prince Asiel Ben Israel and Dr. Conrad Worrill.
