U.S.-Africa Summit: The Presence Of Some Notorious Dictators https://youtube/watch?v=lbKpiHMP5AQ&index=4&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ The following is a summary of presentations at the National Press Club on July 31, on the eve of the U.S.-Africa Summit when activists questioned the invitation extended to some notorious dictators and reminded the administration of President Obamas 2009 declaration while in Ghana: Africa doesnt need strongmen; it needs strong institution. The presenters spoke for about three minutes each, responded to questions from the moderator Shaka Ssali the host/producer of VOAs Straight Talk Africa. This was followed by a Q and A with the attendees. Ssali said, Democracy should really be an equal opportunity employer, on the African continent. What we dont need frankly is where we have an individual or a couple of individuals who think they are everything for everybody, he said. https://youtube/watch?v=GtA2CbBlP0Y&index=2&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ The summary is presented in the order by which presenters spoke: Claude Gatebuke, from Rwanda: Spoke about the U.S. support for Rwanda even when the regime is implicated in the Congo genocide thats caused the deaths of 6 million Congolese. He said the U.S. continues supporting Gen. Paul Kagame even after his recent involvement in the assassination of Patrick Karegeya the former intelligence chief who had been granted asylum in South Africa. He stressed that American citizens should demand an end to U.S. taxpayers money support for Gen. Kagame and Gen. Museveni. He spoke from the perspective of a survivor of the 1994 Rwanda genocide by the militias. He also recalled the atrocities committed by the Uganda-backed Rwanda Patriotic Front rebels during the war of aggression launched from Uganda against Rwanda in 1990. He also spoke of the recent atrocities by both the armies of Rwanda and Uganda in the DR Congo and called U.S. support Unconscionable. He said its unacceptable that we the American taxpayer are paying the bill to the tune of $200 million annually going to back Kagames regime. Gatebuke concluded: I really call on the American public and the American people to hold our government accountable, to hold President Obama accountable; for him to have a strong conversation and make it clear, in no uncertain terms that, not on our watch and not on our dollar will atrocities continue to be committed. https://youtube/watch?v=Bc3qTecGhNY&index=7&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ Milton Allimadi, from Uganda: Said as far as hes concerned Gen. Museveni and Gen. Kagame are unindicted war criminals. He noted that for its armys role in the Congo atrocities, the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 2005 found Uganda liable for war crimes in the Congo: massacres of civilians; plunder of resources; and, mass rapes. He noted that Congo was awarded $6 billion to $10 billion in reparations; not a dime of which had been paid. He said after the ICJs ruling, the government of Congo referred the case to the International Criminal Court (ICC) which initiated its own investigation. He said The Wall Street Journal reported on June 8, 2006 that Gen. Museveni was concerned about possible criminal indictment and personally contacted then-U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan and asked him to block the investigation. He wondered who had blocked the investigation. He said corporate media are a part of the problem by shielding Western governments and corporations that benefit from relationship with African dictators. He urged media to use activists as a resource for information and different perspective. Nii Akuetteh, Ghana-born: Put US-Africa relations in historical context. He noted that U.S. support for tyranny in Africa predates the 1960s independence period with American administrations backing the centuries-old apartheid system in South Africa. He said while it is politically expedient for every U.S. administration of the day, policies backing dictators are counter-productive and hurt real U.S interest. To the list of today’s “friendly tyrants” highlighted by panelists (Rwanda, Uganda and DRC), Nii added Ethiopia and Egypt. He spoke about the divergence between the message President Obama delivered in Ghana, Nii’s country of birth (“Africa doesnt need strongmen; it needs strong institutions”) versus the practice of supporting dictators. He talked about the powerful role played by the American people in ending Ronald Reagan’s support for white supremacy in South Africa and stressed that Americans today can distinguish themselves from U.S. govt and help liberate the 5 African countries still tyrannized by America’s favorite dictators. The American people can do this by demanding that U.S. taxpayer money no longer goes to support those regimes. He said: “For at least a century, an essential truth (American support for countless predatory African tyrannies and warlords) has been hidden from the American people. The US media must now begin performing its sacred democratic duty by working with democracy campaigners to tell the American people this vital truth.” https://youtube/watch?v=vsApdHtIiO0&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ&index=14 Zoe Bakoko Bakoru, from Uganda: She spoke from the position of a former insider -- a cabinet minister in the Museveni regime. She recalled how Museveni and his family members raided Ugandas National Social Security Fund to the tune of $5 million per month -- retirement money that belongs to hard working laborers. She recalled how she instituted an audit which stopped the stealing and eventually led to her dismissal as a minister. She spoke about the importance of the need for peaceful transfer of power in Africa and recalled the emotion she felt --crying-- when she watched the formal transition in the U.S. from George W. Bush to President Obama since shed never seen something like that while living in Uganda, Congo, and the Sudan. In Uganda Museveni transfers power from himself to himself every 5 years. She said both Gen. Museveni and Gen. Kagame regard Congo as an province of their respective countries, Uganda and Rwanda. She said African dictators use ordinary citizens as political condoms. https://youtube/watch?v=QcN3Fk34t6U&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ&index=3 Nita Evele, from Congo: Spoke about how Eastern Congo has become the rape capital of the world and she also spoke about the corruption. She referred to a report in Forbes magazine that estimates President Joseph Kabilas wealth at $15 billion. She wondered how the world could stand by and watch the crimes being committed against the people of the Congo, especially the women and the children in Eastern Congo. She said part of the disregard of the Congolese government to the plight of the people was also Kabilas own illegitimacy as president of the country. She noted the U.S. support for Kabilas family which emboldens him to continue neglecting the Congolese citizens. https://youtube/watch?v=2CCPOKWwt_4&list=PLZ1cX_NmKXQiqM00R18YrAq-94iy6zUhZ&index=1
Posted on: Sun, 03 Aug 2014 16:03:12 +0000
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