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[Pakira]

'African leaders capable of helping Africa'



African leaders have the capacity to assist the African masses, despite systematic distortions of African history, President Thabo Mbeki said on Saturday.

Delivering a lecture on perspectives on Africa at Gallagher estate, Mbeki said this capacity could see Africans analyse their collective strengths and weaknesses and plot a way to a better future.

"What is the world outlook of those who present news to us, those who analyse events and those who interpret processes taking place on the continent?," Mbeki asked.

http://www.int.iol.co.za/index.php?s...61204 717B251

He said historically, European racism denied Africans a capacity to build great civilisations.

"About blacks they were absolutely sure that these were not only incapable of making any significant contribution to human civilisation but were in fact sub-humans who needed the tutelage, on everything, of the matured European peoples," he said.

According to Mbeki, blacks invented the art of writing in the form of Egyptian hieroglyphics, which they later modified into a phonetic sign language consisting of twenty-four word-signs.

The Egyptians also practiced a variety of disciplines such as physics, chemistry, medicine and surgery which they used for mummification.

This knowledge, Mbeki said, was later spread to the Greeks, who in turn spread this knowledge to the rest of the Western Europe.

He said ancient Egyptians also invented mathematics and engaged in engineering, construction, shipbuilding and architecture.

"They then imparted their vast knowledge to the Greeks most of whom became very famous such as Plato, Pythagoras, Eudoxes, the mathematician and astronomer, Hippocrates and many others whose work reflected the great and pervasive influence of the black Africans,"he said.

Mbeki added that colonisers also stripped African countries of human and material resources.

He said this "ensured that Europeans live a better life and enjoy the good things of life while the countries of Africa were pushed deeper and deeper into the mire of poverty and underdevelopment".

Africans should engage in the total emancipation of their continent from the social, political and economic legacy of colonialism and apartheid.

From this societies could be rebuilt to ensure they are developed and prosperous, Mbeki said.

The continent's goals would not be reached as long as matters affecting its countries and people were deferred to former colonisers, he added.

"We would not achieve true liberation as long as we do things merely to be in the good books of those who are powerful, even when such actions are inimical to the independence and development of Africa."


Mbeki suggested the main challenges facing the continent were fiscal independence, and working out programmes that would deliver African countries from being heavily reliant on donor money to meet their budget needs.

"We have to address this matter, working out programmes that would deliver our countries from this stranglehold which makes it difficult freely to choose the route we want to take so as to develop our countries,"said Mbeki.

He said capacity had to be built in policy making processes to achieve policy-making autonomy where decisions are rooted on African realities, experiences and aspirations.

Africa needed to consolidate its work on peace and security and invest in mechanisms that work on reconciliation processes, peace management and programmes which help bring about unity in diverse societies.

Another challenge was accelerating and strengthening the continent's development agenda.

"One of the Nepad programmes, African Peer Review Mechanism, has demonstrated that when we are determined to succeed, it is possible to achieve our goals," said Mbeki.

He added it was urgently needed to discover what could be done to mobilise the progressive forces in Africa to ensure general convergence of views and perspectives on Africa.

Mbeki said it was only if the reality of the perspective of Africa was confronted, that Africans would be able to deal effectively with its problems and build a prosperous continent.

"Within this perspective, we must continue to claim the 21st as the African Century, ready to engage in serious, protracted and popular struggle to transform this noble dream into reality."
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"tout nèg a nèg

ki nèg nwè ki nèg klè
ki nèg klè ki nèg nwè
tout nèg a nèg

nèg klè pè nèg nwè
nèg nwè pa lè wè nèg klè
nèg nwè ké wéy klè
senti i sa roune nèg klè
mè nèg klè ké wéy klè a toujou nèg

sa ki fèt pou nèg vin' blang?
blang té gen chivé pli long?
pou senblé yé nou trapé chivé plat kon fil mang!!!
mandé to fanm...!
mè pou kisa blang lé vin' nwè?
ha... savé ki avan vin' blan yé té ja nèg!

a nou mèm ké nou mèm dépi nânni nânnan...
chinwa soti, kouli soti, indyen soti, blang soti
mèm koté nèg soti

avan yé sotil koté y fika
AFRIKA!!!"