South Africa challenges African Union on granting observer status to Israel
Responding to the African Union Commission’s apparent unilateral move to grant the apartheid state of Israel observer status, Algeria referred to the Jewish state as “a Zionist entity.” The North African country which does not maintain diplomatic ties with Israel “strongly condemned the move and vowed to continue to give support to the Palestinian people.” South Africa followed by “vehemently...
South African revolt aimed at economic apartheid
An uneasy calm hung over South Africa after 25,000 army troops were deployed to assist police responding to unrest in the country. The social eruptions, riots, destruction of businesses and clashes with police began July 8 when former President Jacob Zuma started serving a 15-month prison sentence for contempt of court. “Supporters in his home province of KwaZulu-Natal set...
Fear and facts are linking America to the murder of Haiti’s president
After the tragic assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse there’s been a call for the United States to bring U.S. troops on the ground in the midst of this political chaos. Haiti remains without an elected leader, and the country faces poverty and violence. But due to the historical backdrop of American meddling in Haitian affairs and charges of...
Cuba protests spotlight suffering caused by U.S. embargo and punishing sanctions
Much of the world took notice when thousands of Cubans began demonstrations in Havana, and other cities, towns and villages to protest severe shortages of flour, bread, sugar, other basic items and the scarcity medicine and vaccines to combat an alarming increase in Covid-19 cases. But discontent has been brewing at least since last year when rappers, artists and creative...
Inequality, insecurity and a major crisis
Mayhem, deadly violence and pillaging that shook South Africa in days of public unrest were deliberate, President Cyril Ramaphosa alleged while visiting affected areas. “It is quite clear that all these incidents of unrest and looting were instigated,” said Mr. Ramaphosa. “There were people who planned it and coordinated it,” he said on July 16. President Ramaphosa spoke at the...
Launching a collective for African renewal
In April of 2020, at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic, a collective of 100 African intellectual leaders published an open letter addressing the continents leaders. A year later, after much interest was sparked, they formed the Collective for African Renewal (CORA) under the leadership of political scientist Amy Niang, lawyer Lionel Zevounou and Senegalese-based economist Dr. Ndongo Samba...
America and a history of failure in South Sudan
America and its growing history of incompetence in failed state building in foreign lands is like a father uprooting and leaving babies he is no longer willing to care for. Afghanistan is the United States’ current example of the “Papa was a rolling stone” analogy. Before that we had South Sudan, another failed U.S. nation state building venture. And...
Prayers, pain but no invasion of Haiti, say analysts
With the news of the killing of Haiti’s president, and later announcements accused mercenaries who murdered President Jovenel Moïse and seriously wounded his wife were in custody, came expressions of support and grief for Haiti and a fierce declaration: No more outside meddling in the world’s first Black Republic. News of possible U.S. involvement came July 12 with the arrest...
Seeking the reasons behind a crisis A political killing and fears of more U.S. evil in Haiti
Naba’a Muhammad, J.S. Adams and Brian E. Muhammad MIAMI—The assassination of Haitian President Jovenel Moïse sent shockwaves through South Florida’s Haitian community. Marleine Bastien, executive director of Family Action Network Movement in Miami, an advocacy organization for Miami’s underprivileged neighborhoods, says she first heard the news before going on her morning walk to work. Both her cell phone and her home...
Cuba keeps fighting Covid-19 and unjust U.S. embargo
A year ago, the Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan called for an end to the unjust U.S. embargo against Cuba and urged the United States to look into and accept the island nation’s effective treatments and potential answers to the Covid-19 crisis. But after over 606,00 U.S. deaths, the embargo remains in place despite global condemnation and Cuba’s continued work...