OPINION 14 December 2007 Posted to the web 14 December 2007
By Godwills Masimirembwa Harare
OCTOBER 2, 1904, is a day the Herero people of Namibia will never forget, for on that day Lieutenant-General von Trotha, ordered the extermination of the Hereros for daring to resist German colonisation and exploitation.
Angela Merkel's not too long distant relative thundered: "The Herero nation must leave the country. If it will not do so, I shall compel it by force. Inside Germany territory every Herero tribe's man armed or unarmed with or without cattle will be shot. No women and children will be allowed in territory, they will be driven back to their people or forced on." These are the last words to the Herero nation from the great General of the Mighty Germany Emperor.
These words of a racist, colonial master and exploiter of the native people of Namibia sealed the fate of over 100 000 Hereros who heroically died resisting German colonisation and exploitation.
In Tanzania Angela Merkel's forebearers, the Germans, faced the same resistance from the Maji Maji people. Germany, the colonial master, was forcing the Maji Maji people to grow cotton for export. The Maji Maji people were being exploited.
They rose, resisting German colonial policies. Over 75 000 perished fighting for their birthright.
It all started with the Scramble for Africa in the 1880s which culminated in the Berlin Conference in 1884. Germany's share in the partitioning of Africa was Tanzania, Burundi, Rwanda, part of Mozambique, Namibia, Cameroon, part of Ghana and Togo.
Angela Merkel's Germany, like the British in Australia and the Americans in America, believed in the extermination of the indigenous inhabitants of the countries they took at gunpoint. They were exterminators. Ask the Maji Maji people, the Hereros, the Aborigines and the Red Indians.
An encounter with the Germanic race (the British, the Germans, the Australian whites and the Americans (British descendants), was an encounter with death.
Ask the rest of Africa, ask the Zimbabweans in particular, about the price that had to be paid to attain freedom from the yoke of colonialism.
So it was not surprising when Angela Merkel was chosen to lead the attack on President Mugabe at the just-ended Lisbon EU-Africa Summit. The attack is consistent wit Germanic race's belief that any non-white person or group of persons fighting for political and economic rights must be silenced. Imperialists never change.
The attack on President Mugabe was and remains completely unjustified. Democracy thrives in Zimbabwe, thanks to President Mugabe's leadership. True human rights, in particular economic rights, abound in Zimbabwe, thanks to the visionary leadership of President Mugabe.
Racism, hypocrisy and the exploitation of other people believed to be inferior is the nature of the beast called the Germanic race.
Add Germany's Hitler with his social Darwinism that Jews, Slavs, Blacks, Asians, Arabs and all non-white races are inferior to white people -- the Aryan (pure white supremacists) theory, and you will understand why Angela Merkel does not understand Africans in the mould of President Mugabe who steadfastly stand for a just social, political and economic order not only in Zimbabwe, but in Africa and the entire world.
Racists believe that democracy applies to them and not to other races. To them other races are merely raw materials, a resource to be exploited in furtherance of their social, political and economic objectives.
Racists have a diseased mind fixated on exploiting those they classify as inferior. This diseased mindset is a common characteristic of the Germanic race. It has wrecked havoc to the establishment of win-win trade relations between Africa and Europe.
This explains why the proposed Economic Partnership Agreements are not in the interest of Africa, but promote the acquisitive and domineering habits of Europe. Europe wants to exterminate Africa's resources, leaving it desolate, with no industries nor a commercial life. Once the forests, the mines and the oil are exhausted, Europe will move away, leaving Africa in mortal danger.
This writer does not subscribe to the submission that Angela Merkel only acted in a representative capacity when she attacked President Mugabe. It is a broad issue of seeking to eliminate those who cannot be fooled. Angela Merkel is a latter-day exterminator.
She is an economic exterminator using the human rights card in the hope of sidelining President Mugabe. Men and women of principle do not join the bandwagon in launching an unjustified attack on a man who defends universally defined and accepted human rights.
This explains why President Mugabe is so popular with the common man, with the people. He has refused to be polluted by the bandwagon mentality.
Amongst his peers he stands for the truth. He defends and promotes that which is right. This is why those of his peers who, yesterday hesitated to be openly on his side, are today championing his defence, steadfastly standing by him against the Germanic race's attack. His peers now proudly realise that President Mugabe is a gifted son of the African continent, who desires nothing but that which is just and fair for the African people.
Angela Merkel, on the other hand, shares the same evil values with Gordon Brown and the rest of the Western world which still believes that Africa and its people are its resources for a better life.
Europe has to change its attitude towards Africa. Angela Merkel's Germany is a powerhouse in Europe because it exploited and benefited from Africa's resources either as direct imports or as imports through Britain.
Angela Merkel's Germany therefore has to accept its obligation to compensate Africa or to establish trade relations that first address the economic disparities caused by colonisation and exploitation.
Africa refuses to be Europe's supermarket. Africa refuses to be flooded with Europe's finished goods which kill its industry. Africa is entitled to real economic growth, growth that will see Africa adding value to its raw materials through rapid industrialisation.
The proposed Economic Partnership Agreements which seem to divide Africa, South Africa against Sadc, Nigeria against Ecowas, and Kenya against Comesa are totally unacceptable.
Europe's hypocrisy is there for everyone to see. The economic relations between Europe and Africa need to be evened out, with Europe adopting an economic restorative approach to its plunder of Africa's wealth. This means an aggressive and measurable transfer of technology and industrial wherewithal necessary for Africa's economic revival.
When President Mugabe, now openly joined by the rest of formerly cowed African leaders, speaks about these issues of justice, fairness and equity, Europe responds by unjustified attacks on governance issues in Zimbabwe. Despite the unjustified attacks and isolation, Zimbabwe has proved its mettle and is soldiering on to sure economic recovery.
But surely it is an abuse of human rights for Europe to continue to seek to impoverish Africa through trade agreements that undermine Africa's basic economic rights.
When President Mugabe, and now the rest of the African leaders, raise this pertinent issue, Angela
Merkel pelts them with false accusations of human rights abuses.
But Europe is obviously worried about the growing economic relations between Africa and China, Africa and India, Africa and Brazil, Africa and the rest of Asia.
Herein lies the hope for Europe's survival instinct to be pricked. Europe will eventually relent and enter into mutually beneficial trade agreements with Africa, not because it is driven by a desire for a just trading order, but because its own interests are threatened by Africa's new economic partners.
Africa should therefore continue to demonstrate to Europe that whilst it is desirable that the two continents establish Economic Partnership Agreements, such agreements are not the sine quo non to Africa's economic existence. There are other players willing to enter into mutually beneficial Economic Partnership Agreements with Africa.
Angela Merkel's Germany is racist and hypocritical. But it is not too late to change and be on the side of
justice and fairness. Germany can play a meaningful
role in changing the mindset of the gang of four and Britain.
The hope for this is the hesitancy in Angela Merkel's attack on President Mugabe. She knew what she was doing was wrong.
She forewarned the President of the impending attack, lamely ascribing it to group solidarity. After the attack, she knew she had not won the battle. She knew President Mugabe's reprisal was coming and that it would, as it did, surely bury her and her gang.
It is a good sign that she knows that her cause is unjust. It is sad she has yet to extricate herself from it. The onus is on her and her accomplices.
For Zimbabwe and Africa the future is bright for as long as we hold steadfast to the correct values as espoused by President Mugabe and other African leaders. The land is the economy and the economy is the land. With or without Angela Merkel we will make it. In fact, Europe, though incorrigible, now desperately needs Africa.
Africa has the raw materials. Europe does not have. Africa is now fully aware of Europe's hypocrisy and is refusing to enter into trade agreements that primarily benefit Europe whilst impoverishing Africans.
With a vision and mission, championed by visionary leaders, tough times never last but tough people do.
posted
^ Indeed native Africans have long possessed their own well-developed economies long before Europeans entered the scene. In fact Africans were part of the early global market of the first millennia not only with Asia but with Europe as well with much of Europe's wealth in gold coming from Africa. Yet despite this, you have Eurocentric idiots asking the question if Africans had developed economic institutions before colonisation where are they now?? Of course they were all destroyed by the very same European colonists! This is like their other question of if Africans had developed civilizations of their own, where are they now?? And then once you confront them about such historical facts, they then have no choice but to give the excuse that back then it was a "dog-eat-dog" world and many powerful nations sought conquest and control.
This sounds very much like professor Hore. Posts: 26252 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
^ What Djehuti said. Whites have show they're no better or different than their ancestors. The times may change, but these people don't.
Mugabe and other African leaders have been meeting extensively with China's leaders, having trade talks and the like. China, from what I've read, will be helping to build bridges and power stations. Africa is turning away from Europe --GREAT MOVE!-- and turning eastward. But until Mugabe and the others stop this "Let's pretend to hate our white oppressors, but at the same time quietly work to keep them in power," mentiality, stop pussyfooting around what they know needs to be done --namely, the nationalization of their countries resources, the liquidation of the European, American and British companies that are continuing the modern-day colonization, and most of all, the thorough and complete ouster of every white in their countries-- the situation will not change. They may well have power stations, but they will bring electricity to the white elites and their Chinese partners. Bridges that will only be used by Chinese and whites who will be the only ones to have cars. When Japan opened up after WWII they refused to allow the Europeans and Americans to have businesses there. They used their laws, courts and public opinion to make sure Japanese businessmen didn't make a habit of allowing big money from wealthy white interests to allow the West a foothold in Japan. They realized the West wanted to turn them into an economic colony and that prosperity would depend on independence. At the end of the day this is the vision China ultimately has for Africa...if the African leaders let them. See the Phillipines and Indonesia if you want to see what Chinese domination of foreign countries looks like. China wants resources, fine. Sell them at a premium, and don't allow them to set up shop in Africa as they did in the Philipines and as the whites have done. Do as Japan did. Require they do all their business through an already established African entity --usually a state-owned corporation, if they follow the Japanese model. This gives Africa control over the finances, influence and pervasiveness of the incoming Chinese. Next, require trade-agreements that favor Africa. The import/export split must be proportional to the respective countries economic might. If China sells one item in Africa, then the Africans must be able to sell 10 in China. If this split doesn't occur then China must reduce it's exports to Africa. In trade negotiations the talks MUST of a neccessity favor the weaker partner, otherwise it's trade exploitation. China will try to say they're not as rich as the Americans, and it's "an unfriendly act" for Africa to want China's industrial and techincal expertise, but not be willing to let them set up shop in country. I can hear them now. "You're using us to bypass Europe, but in truth you have contempt for us!" When that happens the African must go on the offensive, and beat the drum of Africa being a poor, impoverished, continent louder than Beijing. Don't let China, whose far better off than Africa, pull the old "poor-mouth" routine. This will be the counter to the predictable Chinese demands that the Africans allow them to bypass all economic and national safeguards and set up shop freely.
I hope they mirror China's group-ethos but I would warn them that China has it's own agenda, and that agenda doesn't include an ascendant Africa. The Chinese, who need as much resources as they can get, would LOVE to see Africa become their supply house. They play it coy, but they desperately need what Africa has. And they're estatic that the africans are taking a posture of shutting the Euroepans out. This means more resources for China...if the Africans play ball. That's Africa's leverage. They need to use it every minute of every day. given enough time China will accept it the same way America accepts the arabs hard line on oil. That which one cannot defeat one must accept. Do business, but don't be a fool.
Posts: 248 | From: Way Down South | Registered: Sep 2007
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posted
^Absolutely. Everyone is playing hardball and playing nice guy gets you nowhere, at least if you aim to stand on your own two feet with your head held up and with respect.
Play to win is the name of the game.
Africa cannot afford to loose anymore and it definitely cannot afford to let itself continue to be used as food for everyone else's growth and stability.
Posts: 8895 | Registered: May 2005
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posted
I think the keyword here is hypocrisy, particularly when it comes to Westerners.
DOUBLE-THINK: Conquest becomes "unification," "pacification,""opening up," and conquered regions are dubbed "protectorates." The convention is to use Europe as the standard, writing texts from the viewpoint of the conquerors / colonizers. Thus, a Rajasthani rebellion against English rule was termed the "Indian Mutiny." A peculiarity of this thinking is the tendency to refer to times of bloody invasions and enslavement with respectful nostalgia, as in "The Golden Age of Greece" and "The Glory That Was Rome," or "How the West Was Won." British subjugation of southern Nigeria is recast as The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger.
A contributor to Men Become Civilized, edited by Trevor Cairns, explains it all to children:
"When the king of one city conquered others, he would have to make sure that all the people in all the cities knew what to do. He would have to see that they all had rules to follow, so that they would live peacefully together."
Double-think finds ways to recast genocide as regrettable but necessary, due to failings of the people being killed, who are somehow unable to "adapt." Distancing the agent is key here, obscuring the violence with the idea that some kind of natural process is at work: "vanishing races," "by that time the Indians had disappeared."
So it's fine if Westerners, specifically whites, are playing 'hard ball' but if non-Western or non-whites play by those rules, especially blacks and those of African descent.. Oooh no! Watch out!! Posts: 26252 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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posted
Actually I don't see it as hypocrisy at all. It is consistent with the pattern of growth in Western Europe over the last 1000 years. This world view has been marked by an attitude of conquest and subjugation. Or, as I put it in another thread, they have a strategic and tactical vision that they are following, which always puts the interests of Europe first.
So when I say hardball, I MEAN hardball, which is standing for SELF and F*CK everyone else. That is what it boils down to at the end of the day.
Propaganda is just another way of putting one's own interests first in international affairs, by promoting it as the only "right" or "good" solution for everyone. So in that sense, it is not hypocritical for Europe at all to do what they have been doing for the last 1000 years. However, when it comes to the idea that Europe and its satellites are the embodiment of righteousness and freedom in all forms of human endeavor, it isn't hypocritical, it is a downright LIE.
Posts: 8895 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by Ebony Allen: Asians can't be trusted either. They want to take over Africa.
Evergreen Writes:
Do you have some data that supports your strange claim that all Asians can't be trusted?
Posts: 2007 | From: Washington State | Registered: Oct 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Doug M: Actually I don't see it as hypocrisy at all. It is consistent with the pattern of growth in Western Europe over the last 1000 years. This world view has been marked by an attitude of conquest and subjugation. Or, as I put it in another thread, they have a strategic and tactical vision that they are following, which always puts the interests of Europe first.
So when I say hardball, I MEAN hardball, which is standing for SELF and F*CK everyone else. That is what it boils down to at the end of the day.
Propaganda is just another way of putting one's own interests first in international affairs, by promoting it as the only "right" or "good" solution for everyone. So in that sense, it is not hypocritical for Europe at all to do what they have been doing for the last 1000 years. However, when it comes to the idea that Europe and its satellites are the embodiment of righteousness and freedom in all forms of human endeavor, it isn't hypocritical, it is a downright LIE.
Unfortunately, too many non-whites hold automaton like admiration toward whites. I have acquaintances who embrace Europe/America, its’ offshoots, and their ideals as part their own goals, and as something good for entire worlds population.
I am amazed at how they condemn extremism of Islamic fanatics while excusing or defending extremism of greed and intolerance of the past few centuries by whites as part of the human quest toward civilization.
Too many seem to have accepted that they are the natural sacrifice at the Altar of White Supremacy or Western Civilization.
I tell them, what is good for Europe or America is not automatically good for the world.
Until non-violent humanity clearly identifies the problem that has diminished worldwide civilization, taking our planet into a place of near environmental distress, they will never successfully alter or reverse this horrid World Order constructed by violent, Neanderthal like peoples.
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quote:Germany - Racist, Hypocritical
The Herald (Harare) By Godwills Masimirembwa
His peers now proudly realise that President Mugabe is a gifted son of the African continent, who desires nothing but that which is just and fair for the African people.
Mugabe has been too reserved in his actions towards White Farmers. They and their children should have been forced into serfdom , on those same farms.
A reaping of what they sowed.
They love the land so much, chain them to it.
Posts: 96 | Registered: Oct 2007
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posted
china is not far better off than africa,and certain african states are better off than china.i agree however that africa must be careful with asia as well.many comments i agree with above, only a very few i disgree with but i am glad that the african leaders did what they did in europe this week.the article from the first post is very good however.
Posts: 2688 | Registered: Jul 2004
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quote:Originally posted by Djehuti: ^ Indeed native Africans have long possessed their own well-developed economies long before Europeans entered the scene. In fact Africans were part of the early global market of the first millennia not only with Asia but with Europe as well with much of Europe's wealth in gold coming from Africa. Yet despite this, you have Eurocentric idiots asking the question if Africans had developed economic institutions before colonisation where are they now?? Of course they were all destroyed by the very same European colonists! This is like their other question of if Africans had developed civilizations of their own, where are they now?? And then once you confront them about such historical facts, they then have no choice but to give the excuse that back then it was a "dog-eat-dog" world and many powerful nations sought conquest and control.
This sounds very much like professor Hore.
^Yup, you got it played out right.
Broken logic (backwards chronology + ) and it is indeed hypocritical if they bash non-Europeans for doing the same. That's what definitely lights my fire.
Posts: 5555 | From: Tha 5th Dimension. | Registered: Apr 2006
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quote:Originally posted by Ebony Allen: Asians can't be trusted either. They want to take over Africa.
Other than China who seems to be having alot of affairs in Africa, what other Asian nation do you see as having interests in Africa??
Posts: 26252 | From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA | Registered: Feb 2005
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