OPINION: Continuous hatred of Africans manifested in Angola
Forwarded clips on WhatsApp have become the norm. Most have no source. It is a menace because interesting as many can be, majority are either hearsay, plagiarised or simply unsubstantiated. I know many individuals who have switched off WhatsApp totally due to its time wasting addiction.
“Six months ago,” one texted early this year, “I spent so much time on WhatsApp that work was NOT getting done.”
Another declared: “I have told all my WhatsApp contacts not to forward me any videos. I can’t stand it, anymore. DO NOT SEND, PERIOD!”
Out of this chaos, good stuff pops out, sometimes.
Few days ago there was one about how HIV was created in laboratories in the USA, allegedly to wipe out the African race.
Having received the video, I started researching. Found a few documentaries on You Tube, mostly debatable.
They did not openly say HIV was created to wipe out black people, but an experiment on reducing the human population.
Why insist that the virus was manufactured to extinguish Africans beats me. HIV has affected all races.
A clip of Asian woman catching a snake, diligently, with a long stick, was fascinating. The daring rural lady eventually kills the snake on fire, takes off its skin, fries and eats it, alone. Yes, alone. A heated discussion followed.
We wondered how many women in Africa or Europe would do that. In Europe just a spider is enough to scatter, young and old females, specifically, across the room, said one of the comments.
Or footage made in Kilimanjaro. A group of villagers whip a wife beater, mischief maker and thief. He really gets it. And despite the hurt, is unrepentant. Woow. Earth has stubborn folks.
But the one that really caught my attention was sent without any explanation. A group of s police shouting in Portuguese, ruthlessly, whack and bang three males. Viciously. Very uncomfortable viewing.
I could not make out why. Luckily the person who had forwarded the message had an explanation. A recorded message. IT condemned the way we Africans treat each other.
Giving an example of Rwanda and Ghana who have allegedly vowed to scrap off visas and border controls for Africans- the emotionally charged narrator, suggested we should forward this clip to the African Union, East African Community, Arab League and other continental organisations.
I wanted to find out more.
Apparently the episode was on the news last week. The United Nations condemned Angola for the expulsions of Congolese migrants. “And serious human rights violations including murder at the hands of security services...” according to France 24 TV report called “Eye on Death”
Angola denied the accusations despite a UN led witnessed report. Angola claimed the Congo expulsion was an operation aimed at ending illegal mining. Again a UN spokesperson replied most of these miners have been living in Angola for years. That “human rights must be respected for each individual” regardless of their actions...
Well it is 2018.
During the 1960s to 1980s...Tanzania was home to thousands of refugees and migrants from nations still under colonial and racist rule, including the said Angola and Congo. Recently it has become painful to learn how Africans (Tanzanians included) have been mistreated while seeking to live or work in South Africa.
It was so pleasing to hear current President Cyril Ramaphosa praising Tanzanian for her contribution during the struggles against apartheid- at the ceremony of the passing of Nelson Mandela in 2013.
Ramaphosa’s acknowledgement is rare and exhibits an understanding of history.
Many young people I have spoken to seem to express doom while asking what the solution to Africa’s crisis is.
There is a feeling of failure, a lack of belief, almost.
In mid 20th century our leaders had a Pan Africanist, passionate love for the continent. However, it was not easy for them and survivors were few.
Congo’s Patrice Lumumba was murdered - his body soaked in sulphuric acid in 1960. Look at Congo now. In 1966, Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana was ousted; died relatively young (for a political leader) only aged 63, having being exiled in Guinea. Luckily Ghana has not been as bad as Congo, Zimbabwe, or Somalia.
A promising 33 year old Thomas Sankara was assassinated in 1987. How is Burkina Faso (then called Upper Volta) today?
Or Uganda.
After the toppling of Milton Obote in 1971, things have been tricky. Only Mwalimu Nyerere remained and now we have the fifth democratically elected President. Tanzania remains one of the few nations in Africa where a new leader is in charge every ten years. Thanks to Mwalimu Nyerere, the founder of the nation.
The local opposition might disagree, but compared to our brothers and sisters in other parts of Africa, here is a shining example of what was laid down in mid 20th century.
