tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post2196962832031498659..comments2024-02-24T06:10:42.255-08:00Comments on Congo Siasa: Guest post: From Campaigning to Action on Joseph Kony and the LRAJason Stearnshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11454449854081540397noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-60976211048613872532012-09-13T18:08:42.321-07:002012-09-13T18:08:42.321-07:00In this fast-paced world connected by technologica...In this fast-paced world connected by technological advancement in communication, the World Wide Web has been the greatest tool in getting information across the world. Going online in pursuing college degrees could offer amazing benefits and advantages for many people compared to the conventional way. Visit <a href="http://betteronlinedegrees.com/online-bachelor-degrees/accelerated-online-degrees/advantages-of-accelerated-degree-programs/" rel="nofollow">good website</a> for the details.garywackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15073786751425259658noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-54591385715223755322012-03-19T04:06:36.694-07:002012-03-19T04:06:36.694-07:00That's an excellent question but the answer ma...That's an excellent question but the answer may be elusive. I think everybody agreed that we were united to kick the RCD coalition out. But now, with all those hope fading away,I don't think people have the stomach to rally behind an idea.<br />Maybe if we sold them a dream and a group of people are taking concrete and coordinate actions around the country, it will create that coalition.blaisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10271081481475980902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-38547095876827695122012-03-18T18:31:07.666-07:002012-03-18T18:31:07.666-07:00I believe the key to change is finding something a...I believe the key to change is finding something all congolese can unite around- and that includes kabila's supporters (which he has quite a bit of). Like many of opposition in Africa, the uniting force for opposition in Congo is "no more Kabila". Well, for many Congolese, that is not enough. Congolese want stability after so much war and pain. Kabila, to them, means stability. So, to get broad support, there must be efforts to unite the Congolese around some common concern and encourage them to act on this in every place in the country. This will bring change but who? What is this common thing?- MarieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-6647315136652786792012-03-18T12:12:12.963-07:002012-03-18T12:12:12.963-07:00@ Anonymous March 16, 2012 4:18 AM - you are appar...@ Anonymous March 16, 2012 4:18 AM - you are apparently right, thanks for the correction.Mugwiirahttp://mugwiira.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-16976888245093338832012-03-18T11:44:09.754-07:002012-03-18T11:44:09.754-07:00@ Mel,
I'm personally thankful to anybody who...@ Mel,<br />I'm personally thankful to anybody who is giving voice to those many voiceless in Congo.<br />To add to those comments about JK fears, I will say that he came a rookie in a war game that was ragging since Leopold tricked his way to control the Congo.<br />His father LK made three mistakes :<br />- showed his hands too soon<br />- dismantled a shaky but still functional army<br />- made more internal enemies than building a support base.<br /> I think is giving too much credit to JK by thinking he is like a character straight from Robert Ludlum, groom to lead the Hima-tutsti's empire.<br />I think JK is a survivor. He doesn't take decisions base of some long term plans, in the contrary, he is more in the short term, the immediate gain. <br />I believe that what we need is a banner-bearer, somebody or an organization that will help focus all the efforts of goodwill people to bring real change for the country.<br />There is a lot of efforts out there. The biggest problem is that they are not coordinate efficiently and the partner(government) his playing fool games.<br />We need a game changer. It's unfortunate that the UDPS and allies don't understand that.<br />The only force to reckon with (catholic church) seems to fight for his own survival as a chuch and doesn't have that drive to defeat this evil.blaisehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10271081481475980902noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-40572344057213101072012-03-16T22:09:27.420-07:002012-03-16T22:09:27.420-07:00Thank you, Rich, Bismark, Marie, and Jose for your...Thank you, Rich, Bismark, Marie, and Jose for your comments.<br /><br />They were all really helpful in helping me understand the often dizzing logic that is the Congo and JK. <br /><br />As an activist that came to the Congo largely because of the conflict mineral issue, my major goal really is to see an end to the violence. This is my goal and as long as I live I will do whatever I can to achieve it. <br /><br />Sometimes, to be clear, it seems like such a lost cause. <br /><br />Trying to encourage my fellow Americans to go beyond what they know seems like an impossible task. I have organized around other, mostly domestic issues, but the Congo and Great Lakes has been a challenge of real and, at times, disappointing proportions. <br /><br />But it is always good to know and be enlightened by the likes of this blog/Jason, Rich, Blaise, Bruno, Bismark, and others. We activists need your "context" so as to deepen our knowledge of our efforts. <br /><br />We really need this though, I must admit, at times the criticism of our desire to simply see change pains more than you may know. <br /><br />We are doing our best to change things. We really are. <br /><br />But I will soldier on because I believe that it is up to the the American people to pressure our elected representatives to ensure policy towards the region actually reflects my nation's deepest values- vs those of of our corporate sector. <br /><br />I am committed to this cause and I can't thank all of you enough for educating us activists. <br /><br />MelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-41611198403994751372012-03-16T18:29:43.623-07:002012-03-16T18:29:43.623-07:00I think something that is really important to reme...I think something that is really important to remember in regards to the IC video is the fact that they are trying to reach the youth, the younger generations. They did just that. They created a video that caught every junior high, high school and college student's attention. The idea was to reach them and get them to become passionate about something while trying to bring justice for the people being affected by Kony. The video may seem shallow or leaving details out or whatever. But the fact is they caught the attention of so many. And now more than every those youth are researching and figuring out what is going on in their world. They are trying to learn and to be responsible for change. And that is an important thing to remember.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-64353159734186696512012-03-16T14:03:08.857-07:002012-03-16T14:03:08.857-07:00Mel raised such an interesting question. And Bism...Mel raised such an interesting question. And Bismark and Rich's responses were really clarifying. Thanks guys. Just makes me think the status quo is the real enemy of the Congolese and from all sides (Americans, Ugandans, Rwandans, Tanzanians, etc)- MarieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-80417406415005501102012-03-16T13:04:23.013-07:002012-03-16T13:04:23.013-07:00@ MEL MARCH 15, 2012 10:29 PM
You ask a series ...@ MEL MARCH 15, 2012 10:29 PM <br /><br />You ask a series of questions about JK:<br /><br />If fear is the reason for the cowardly attitude of JK towards Rwanda, why not build a strong army even from scratch? Why not make himself (DRC) stronger?<br />If someone bullies you in the school yard, the reflex is to go and get someone stronger who can protect you. If there is no one to turn to, you can take up Judo, Kung Fu or go to the gym lift weights in order to make yourself stronger and better defend yourself. Why in 11 years of power, has JK failed build a strong army of 20,000 well trained, well equipped, well paid, well motivated Congolese soldiers with an officer corps of smart and patriotic officers? I believe strongly that this is done on purpose to keep the DRC weak. In the Bas Congo, the Equateur or the Katanga, a strong military could have been built in 11 years (a long time) away from the East. These patriotic, disciplined, motivated (to remove both the FDLR and Rwanda’s proxies) and well trained soldiers could have been used to put an end to the misery of the DRC citizens in the North East. <br /><br />-…”is he too consumed with his clipped powers given the slight majority in the Assembly?..” JK was never held back by his majority in the assembly (it is actually a resonance chamber), he made a deal to bring the Rwandan army to the DRC a few years ago without the approval of his majority in the Assembly. Vital Kamehre at the time his ally and president of the assembly paid the price for his opposition to this move. The Assembly has always been there to pass a bunch of laws to the advantage of JK ( ex: changing the balloting from two to one turn for Last year’s presidential elections). His powers were never clipped given the fact that the parallel government (Katumba Mwanke and Co) was always at work (Chinese contracts….)<br /><br />- A military alliance with Tanzania or Kenya is not in the interest of these countries as they are also profiting from the mess created by Rwanda in the North East of the DRC.<br />The ports of Mombassa (Kenya) and Dar es Salaam (Tanzania) do great business with Congolese products exported by Rwanda and Uganda. Do not forget that the people in power today in both Rwanda and Uganda came to power with the help of Tanzania. Museveni was installed in power by the army of Tanzania; amongst Museveni soldiers there was one Kagame who rules Rwanda today.<br /><br />- …” Does he not just not care about the east”… I am one of those who believe that JK is a Trojan horse who is actually doing the bidding for Rwanda, JK was an officer in Kagame’s army together with Kundabatware before the AFDL. In 11 years in power I am yet to see serious actions taken by JK to put an end to the mess in the East, on the contrary most of his actions have contributed to maintaining, reinforcing and expanding Rwanda’s presence and “main mise” in this part of the DRC. It is a sad truth but today, the North East of the DRC is ruled by Rwanda through its proxies the CNDP (Bosco Tangana)and others(corrupt DRC politicians).The DRC deserves a better leader, JK's rule has been a disaster for DRC Nation.<br /><br />BismarkAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-87776543863623393652012-03-16T12:38:36.996-07:002012-03-16T12:38:36.996-07:00@ A European
Um, the whole track record? I'd ...@ A European<br /><br />Um, the whole track record? I'd be interested in your thoughts about our efforts with "interventions" like the War of 1812, the Spanish American War, WW1, WW2, the Korean War, Grenada, Haiti, Kosovo, capturing Osama, etc. <br />I would agree that the world often grimaces at the expression of American military power. Hell, AMERICANS grimace at American military power. But its also true Americans are the first called when a conflagration (military or economic) threatens world stability isn't it? <br /><br />And therein lies the dilemma. <br /><br />An American College KidAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-83539483340435539072012-03-16T12:29:20.982-07:002012-03-16T12:29:20.982-07:00@KK
i think what mel is suggesting is a policy of...@KK<br /><br />i think what mel is suggesting is a policy of containing Kagame vis a vis a military alliance with Kenya, Tanzania, or both since they are the strongest economies and militaries in the region and could damage the Rwandan economy if they needed to. <br /><br />what do you think? <br /><br />@Rich/Others<br /><br />great points but what i like about mel's idea- as idealistic as it may be- is that it says 'to hell with americans' (something, as an american, i could cheer given the duplicity of my government at times) and places more agency in the hands of kabila to finally confront kagame. think about it this way: if kabila had, as defense allies, angola, zimbabwe, kenya, and tanzania kagame's power is effectively clipped. <br /><br />also, by boxing in kagame, kabila can then finally assert some damn authority out in the east, arrest Bosco (and others), kick out the FDLR, FNL, ADU, LRA (and the other rebels), and finally pacify the east.<br /><br />now, setting aside whether or not kenya or tanzania would do something like this (my thinking is they would not), this would also force kagame to get serious about real political reform in rwanda. congo's east is alot like the "Palestinian problem" for arab regimes: a convenient way to deflect attention from the lack of freedoms in arab states. well, pacifying and asserting state authority in the east removes the central rationale for RPF rule which means kagame has no choice but to open up political space in rwanda. one could see similar efforts in Burundi and even Uganda. <br /><br />i realize there are alot of "what if's" here but I'm just not of the opinion that America "needs" Rwanda- which seems to animate alot of folks here. I know, that seems really odd to Congolese intellectuals here but America has no real strategic interests in this region save oil in South Sudan and Angola, a strong Kenya, ensuring genocide in Darfur ends, and eradicating Al Shabaab. <br /><br />that's it. <br /><br />if congolese leaders would simply champion american interests in the region more aggressively and do something about corruption i guarantee you are relations with uganda and rwanda would shift. <br /><br />while i understand the prejudice and skepticism the congolese elite feel towards the Americans given our often tragic and exploitative history, i think it clouds clear reasoning on moving the relationship forward. <br /><br />i also think that seeing america as "bad" and "in love with Kagame/Museveni" takes away responsibility from the political elite in kinshasa to pacify the east and figuring out a clear strategy to do so. <br /><br />i think mel is right. detente is not working for the congolese and perhaps now its time to take the genie out of the bottle and move towards containment. <br /><br />@ anon march 16th 6:21 am<br />i am completely with you on bringing Dubya to the ICC. problem is mr "hope and change" refuses to charge the former adminstration for torture- primarily because the current one has no problem killing american citizens at will if they are a threat to us and doesn't want to "divide" americans. <br /><br />joseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-90970314607467768042012-03-16T09:20:06.779-07:002012-03-16T09:20:06.779-07:00I think we should acknowledge that part of the fuz...I think we should acknowledge that part of the fuzz about this video is related to the fact that Invisible Children is a US outfit. Sorry for the Americans, but the whole track record of US military interventions looks pretty bleak (from Central America in the 80s to Somalia in the 90s to Iraq in the 00s to Afghanistan up to present). I am saying it is necessarily worse than that of other countries, but at least those had also some “successes” (or a better PR machine) like Britain in Sierra Leone, and French involvement in Artemis in Ituri, aside from manifest failures of course (i.e. France in Rwandan genocide). While maybe the world can have faith in US college kids, many people are wary about the US Military (and that is what is at stake here, US military intervention is what is being called for). <br /><br />A EuropeanAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-91675326212498989832012-03-16T06:21:12.654-07:002012-03-16T06:21:12.654-07:00What is the different between George Bush, Bosco a...What is the different between George Bush, Bosco and Kony before ICC.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-6529199421517412152012-03-16T04:18:16.914-07:002012-03-16T04:18:16.914-07:00please don't call Bosco's constituency &qu...please don't call Bosco's constituency "Banyamulenge". Banyamulenge are Tutsi from South Kivu with a totally different history than Tutsi in North Kivu (some of whom ARE amongst Bosco's constituency) While the FRF (Banyamulenge armed group) maintained some contacts with the CNDP, it was more with the Makenga wing, not with Bosco. Interesting that a number of "insiders" recently told me that Makenga's power is under-estimated (relative to Bosco's).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-29879159016997533262012-03-16T03:59:56.113-07:002012-03-16T03:59:56.113-07:00What is the difference between Kony and Bosco?
1)...What is the difference between Kony and Bosco?<br /><br />1) Bosco was never isolated from his main constituency (the Banyamulenge).<br />2) Bosco has access to mineral resources.<br />3) Bosco is useful to at least one American ally (Kagame).<br /><br />What is common between them?<br /><br />1) They are psychopathic killers.<br /><br />Conclusion:<br /><br />If you are a psycopathic killer you should: 1) build up a strong militia; 2) be useful to American allies.Mugwiirahttp://mugwiira.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-85276021132535419852012-03-16T03:48:45.838-07:002012-03-16T03:48:45.838-07:00Mel -
Thanks for your comment. I wanted to quickl...Mel -<br /><br />Thanks for your comment. I wanted to quickly say something about the fundamental question you've asked here.<br /><br />Ref # "...Is it fear of Rwanda...?"<br /><br />To me this is one of my biggest disappointments with the Kabila regime. Your question is so pertinent because it goes at the heart of some of the blunt abuses of power in DRC that can be traced directly to the head of the state.<br /><br />My understanding of this issue is that, J Kabila knows well that P kagame can hurt him badly. When I say p kagame I don’t necessarily mean the man but there is also this powerful network of support that has ensured that the Kigali regime stays in place despite its many abuses and enemies. All this to help compensate their inaction and misguided decisions during the sad events of 1994 in rwanda.<br /><br />J Kabila learned quickly that if Rwanda was able, in complicity with the US and many others, to draw an end to the life of his father (L D Kabila), who was a remarkable warrior who survived Mobutu’s ruthless persecutions and sophisticated assassination attempts for more than 30 years… kagame and his network of support could come after him in the same way they did with his father. In that respect, he had no choice than to accommodate kagame’s ill wills in the region than risk his own life and to some extent that of the DRC and especially eastern DRC. And to be fair, the DRC has no army and let alone an efficient security service …<br /><br />I can parallel the Bosco Ntaganda situation to the unjust incarceration of the brave Colonel Eddy Kapend et al… because here again everyone knows that L D Kabila was killed through a conspiracy from his ex-allies (mainly Rwanda) with the help of the US intelligence and some Congolese; but because J Kabila doesn’t want any upsets with the Kigali regime he prefers to put innocent people in prison. By doing so, he trying to show the DRC and indeed his family that at least he’s got part of the truth about the assassination of his father and that he has done something about it by putting people in prison… but the truth is by doing so, he deflects attention and the blame from the true murderers of L D Kabila…<br /><br />I heard some saying that’s an understandable approach since it is not as bad as an open confrontation with Rwanda may have been and that it may help consolidate peace and allow working on state building and especially restructuring the army… but my question is for how long? And what can guaranty that this will hold until the DRC is able to properly look after itself?<br /><br />Brief, as someone said, Kagame is to J Kabila a kind of noose that holds the hanged person… This is not as easy as it seems because one has to double check that the US, Great Britain etc… would not keep a blind eye on kagame’s unscrupulous behaviour in the region or indeed encourage them; before asking J Kabila to confront kagame head on. In my opinion, if it was not for the international community and its over protective attitude towards rwanda, I have no doubt the Kigali regime would have been a little bit more timid in that region hence allowing other nations like the DRC not to fear rwanda.<br /><br />RichRichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01301460106025447019noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-87892664002984726452012-03-16T03:07:42.295-07:002012-03-16T03:07:42.295-07:00@ Mel...
Bosco is a key player to stop a war laun...@ Mel...<br /><br />Bosco is a key player to stop a war launched by Nkunda.<br />Most of intellectual Congolese were not happy with Kabila for the deal made between Bosco and Kabila.<br />Arresting Bosco is more simple to Kagame than Kabila.<br />Bosco has more than enough, strong and experienced troops to defeat any armed group in the east-not even forgetting FRDC troops.<br />Kagame has more experience and tactics about both kivu's political atmosphere than even Kabila.<br />Kagame has two reasons; 1- To control FDLR troops, 2- Natural resources benefits.<br /><br />If you were in Kabila's shoe, what you could have done?<br /><br />KKAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-63572285100180545032012-03-15T22:29:00.671-07:002012-03-15T22:29:00.671-07:00@Jose
Thanks, Jose! I was indeed in the Congo for...@Jose<br />Thanks, Jose! I was indeed in the Congo for six weeks with my husband and his jack awesome Congolese partners setting up Hope Farm- the name of our palm oil farm. I was rather nice being away from all the gadgets and the sheer beauty, history, and mysticism of Bas Congo province always takes my breathe away. <br /><br />@Anon March 15, 2012 7:36 PM<br />Mostly agree with your sentiment and the condensed history of the Congo’s truly god aweful leaders but the stridency of your approach here grates just a bit. Don’t you worry- the Congolese will grab a hold of their destiny in due time.<br /><br />@ All<br /><br />Great piece here from a fantastic Congolese expert- Tony Gambino- and a great activist- Lisa Shannon, who founded “A Thousand Sisters”, about Bosco in an editorial in the Grey Lady (The New York Times) on Nick Kristoff’s blog there:<br /><br />http://kristof.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/03/14/bosco-2012-while-we-hunt-kony-another-indicted-war-criminal-lives-a-life-of-leisure/<br />Perhaps Jason, Blaise, Bruno, Rich or others could comment but it is beyond ridiculous that Kabila is so afraid of the consequences of arresting this monster that he simply lets him roam free in Goma. Does Kabila not understand how to build alliances? If the Congo were to, I dunno, enter into a military alliance with Tanzania and Kenya that had at its core some kind of “if one of us is attacked the rest of us attack the attacker” trigger he could arrest Bosco without worrying about a mutiny or Rwanda destabilizing the East right? Rwanda may have no problem-absent such an alliance- retaliating but it would NEVER do so if it meant angering its neighbors who could block its access to foreign markets.<br /><br />So I guess my question here is the following: why doesn’t Kabila atleast TRY to pursue a policy of containment (as opposed to the current one of detente) with Rwanda so as to finally bring the “troubled east” to keel?<br /><br />Is it fear of Rwanda?<br />Are the region’s more (relatively) stable countries simply refusing to deal with him/be drawn into yet another Congo conflict?<br />Is it because his inner circle profit too handsomely from mining/timber in the East?<br />Is he too consumed with his clipped powers given the slight majority in the Assembly?<br />Does he just not care about the east?<br />It is all of this?<br />None of this?<br /><br />I guess I’m trying to understand the logic of keeping Bosco safe and its truly failing me....<br /><br />MelAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-33564764902483754432012-03-15T20:24:55.402-07:002012-03-15T20:24:55.402-07:00It is my feeling that the Congolese need to stop b...It is my feeling that the Congolese need to stop blaming others for their plight and do whatever they need to do to right their ship of state. The fact remains that Mobutu was a good a solid friend of Habyarimana til the very end and did nothing when Tutsi's were slaughtered. Then, the Congolese welcomed with open arms Kabila I who rode into town with the help of Rwandans and Ugandans (who assisted primarily because of Mobutu's efforts to destablize their own regimes) and then turned on them. No one likes to be double crossed so Rwandans and Ugandans decided to arm rebels to overthrow Kabila I who then met his own death at the hands of his former soldiers. And now, Kabila II doesn't have the balls to assert his authority in the East because he knows full well Rwanda would defeat his shaky regime. So, wishing not to anger Rwanda, he lets his women and girls be raped day in and day out. Kabila II neither has the courage to stare down the decadent and corrupt political system he leads with its two governments (the parallel one and the "real" one) and transform it because he's afraid if he tried he would get shot by Katangans. So he plays along like all the others but only this time he played too hard and now has a smaller and more volatile "coalition" in Assembly and bigger opposition. He has so angered his current allies (dicator Dos Santos, dictator Mugabe) with is inability to stick to deals that he now cannot call on them for support either.<br /><br />Congolese must stop blaming the West, Kagame, Museveni, "NGO's", IMF, World Bank, mining companies, the "international community", and everyone for their troubles.<br /><br />Congolese must blame THEMSELVES, stop "dancing with monsters", and then do what needs to be done to liberate their nation once and for all.<br /><br />Getting angry and a California filmmaker and his "cause" will not liberate the Congo.<br /><br />The Congolese people must do that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-54664818029446359102012-03-15T19:36:16.151-07:002012-03-15T19:36:16.151-07:00Since 1996 millions of peoples have lost their lif...Since 1996 millions of peoples have lost their life in that Region, and many more are stil dying because of this kind of misleading propaganda that the Rwandan and Ugandan governments with their Humanitarian partners have been spreading all over the western medias to justify and cover up their activities inside the DRC. The international criminal court has just found former war lord THOMAS LUBANGA guilty of war crimes and crimes atgainst humanity.now it is time for his former bosses(Ugandan MUSEVENI and Rwandan PAUL KAGAME)to join Liberian CHARLES TAYLOR and face justice for the millions of Congoles who have lost their lives and who's blood is in the hands of those two presidens.that region have been destroyed by both KAGAME and MUSEVENI but not the non existent JOSEPH KONY.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-52359530739603503002012-03-15T17:19:09.598-07:002012-03-15T17:19:09.598-07:00Anon March 15th 2012 @ 3:24pm (according to my com...Anon March 15th 2012 @ 3:24pm (according to my computer atleast). I am pretty sure that if nearly every major american university that had an endowment of any size that was further asked to divest from companies doing business in SA- among other tactics- pretty much changed the calculus for Nationalists vis a vis the ANC. Did it tip the boat? Was it the deciding factor? Ofcourse not, but to deny that activists here and abroad did not add to the increasing pressure that "geopolitical developments" and "structural changes" within SA is to ignore history.<br /><br />I'm not of the Vietnam/anti-war generation in America(thank god) but my parents were and nothing, whatsoever, about their activism was about awareness raising in the slightest. They were outraged by the lies emanating from several occupants of the White House(JFK to Nixon), egged on by a far better media than we have today, so there was no need to raise "awareness" because everyone was perfectly aware of what was wrong with the Vietnam War. It was crystal clear. <br /><br />Most people in my country have no idea about what is going wrong (or well) in Africa. They NEED to become more aware because as citizens of a democracy that has alot of power in the world they need to be enlightened and informed in order to make good decisions about those who seek to lead them. A friend of mine who knows nothing about anything in Africa said to me that after watching Kony 2012 he finally realized how ONE the people of the world are. Why? Because like Jacob, the Ugandan in the film, he too wants to be a lawyer and found it very wrong that Jacob cannot be because now he must take care of his family given what he has suffered. Why are people so afraid of that happening? Why is this so terrible that the world's richest and self indulgent young people ever produced by humanity actually see the humanity of a boy who lives in a far away land? Why is this so offensive to you people? <br /><br />I think a good deal of the critics of Kony2012 are just cynical and have chips on their shoulders. They need a little hope in their lives, I believe- MarieAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-77181631063614445842012-03-15T16:37:39.872-07:002012-03-15T16:37:39.872-07:00This Kony garbage is nothing but a misleading fun...This Kony garbage is nothing but a misleading fundraising tool for the so called Humanitarians. This is not going to work. joseph Kony is long dead and the LRA is no visible any where in the Great lake region . Good luck to the NGO.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-30296211846907930512012-03-15T15:24:24.913-07:002012-03-15T15:24:24.913-07:00@Marie
the exit of the Nationalists in SA was mor...@Marie<br /><br />the exit of the Nationalists in SA was more related to a number of structural developments within the country than to external pressure-external pressure was more related to geopolitical developments than to pressure of activists-and the impact of activists was more related to the economic boycott than moral arguments <br /><br />no comparison between Vietnam and the Great Lakes was ever made: the argument was about the possible impacts of the nebulous concept "awareness raising" -may be in some cases it works (in combination with other factors) whereas in others it doesn't. I somehow feel it wont' work for the LRAAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-47440803712315703152012-03-15T15:22:34.310-07:002012-03-15T15:22:34.310-07:00very cool, Mel! i will be in kenya for most of the...very cool, Mel! i will be in kenya for most of the year starting in april so i will not, unfortunately, be participating in ic's grassroots efforts. <br /><br />and good to hear from you old gal! how goes you and the hubbie's investments in palm in the congo? <br /><br />glad to see the "florida granmama" back in the mix on siassa. and good luck with the effort in Tampa. <br /><br />the way things are going now, its looking like the Republican convention is going to be WAY more volatile than our debates on this blog.<br /><br />joseAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1209670742820403516.post-87487573098794334832012-03-15T15:17:55.163-07:002012-03-15T15:17:55.163-07:00I know and respect Ida's sincerity and I comme...I know and respect Ida's sincerity and I commend her work and that of HRW on Eastern Congo. However, if it comes to the Kony clip and the hype around it, it reminds me of a more modern version of "How to write about Africa" (www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDWlMX2ToSc). Maybe facts will prove me wrong but this clip will have no impact and not contribute to a change on the ground. Greetings (+ to be continued).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com