Africans in Diaspora Seek Strong Unity Government

http://www.pambazuka.org/aumonitor/comments/282/

This Day, Abimbola Akosile - Lagos

Africans in the Diaspora have called on all African Diaspora leaders to
support the building a strong Diaspora region that will positively influence
the creation of an African government for all African people.

The call, which followed a recent failure by the African Union (AU) leaders
to unify Africa under one central government, was made by the convenors of
the 2007 Pan Afrikan Movement (PAM) Summit, which is holding in Kingston,
Jamaica from July 16-18. The Jamaica summit, according to a statement by the
conveners, is expected to have African veteran leaders, scholars, activists,
faith leaders, dignitaries, entrepreneurs and students in attendance
focusing on Pan African unity in the Diaspora.

The summit leaders summed up the recent 2007 AU Summit's 'Grand Debate' in
Ghana for an African government as a bold, noble and an inevitable process
that will authentically re-integrate the Diaspora in the AU structure for
the future of Africa. Their belief is that if this was not done, Africans
everywhere would become more vulnerable to global oppression, thus inviting
more imperialist wars in Africa for Africa's resources.

Speaking on the issue en-route the summit, Dr. Dudley Thompson former
Ambassador, Attorney for President Jomo Kenyatta and participant of the 5th
Pan African Congress said, "we have a duty to our Motherland to ensure that
Africans in the Diaspora do not remain as orphans of Africa, but are treated
with dignity and as a source of strength for African unity and power".

The elder is one of few Pan Africanists alive who has worked for many
decades with leaders such as Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta and other major
leaders for the liberation and unification of Africa.

The theme of the 2007 Summit is 'Political Determination - for Cultural and
Economic Rebirth'. Some of the key goals are to build a political structure
for an African Diaspora Union (ADU) to integrate the Diaspora with Africa;
organise cultural campaigns and institutions for African people to promote
African values, heritage, history and spirituality; and promote economic
initiatives for businesses, trade and commerce amongst Africans in the
Diaspora and Africa.

Some of the key conveners and participants of the 2007 Summit in Jamaica are
Dr. Dudley Thompson; and Nana Norma Yaa Farika, former official Diaspora
delegate to the OAU 6th Pan African Congress (PAC) & 7th PAC organiser.

Others are Dr. Tony Martin, veteran Pan Africanist of Trinidad; Dr. Leonard
Jeffries, Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical
African Civilisations (ASCAC); Prof. James Small, CEO of the Organisation of
Afro-American Unity (OAAU); Dr. Julius Garvey, son of the late Marcus
Garvey; and other leaders representing the African Union; the Caribbean
nations (CARICOM) and Africans from across the Diaspora. The Summit is only
the second of a series of annual summits to unify the African Diaspora with
Africa. At the 2006 Summit, Dr. Leonard Jeffries proclaimed that we are
"participating in the building of an African World Community" and Elombe
Brath added that the 2006 Summit was a 'historic Pan African gathering to
establish a principled and revolutionary position to help prevent the
re-colonisation of Africa'.

Other key leaders and participants of the 2006 Summit were Prof. James
Small, OAAU; Dr. Shelby Lewis, Africa Advisor & Consultant; Minister Akbar
Muhammad, Nation of Islam; Traditional High Priest Wande Abimbola of
Nigeria; and Cardinal Mbuyi Chui, Shrine of the Black Madonna/Pan African
Orthodox Christian Church (PAOCC).

The Summit in Jamaica, according to the statement, is also the celebration
of the 107th anniversary of the first Pan African Conference and Congress in
July 1900 in England. The 1900 Conference was the first bold attempt by Pan
Africanists to build a blueprint for a global coordinated movement for the
liberation and re-unification of Africans.

The primary goal stated at the 1900 Pan African Conference was to 'protect
Africa from the depredations of empire builders'. The recent AU Summit was a
failed attempt to implement the original call by Marcus Garvey and later
Kwame Nkrumah for a United States of Africa. Indeed, the July AU meeting has
demonstrated that many African leaders are still affected by the hypnotic
spell of colonialism with little will-power to advance the Pan African
vision to its natural stage for an All African Government.

At the 2007 AU summit, Dr. Konare pushed his nationalist position urging the
AU leaders to 'take the bull by the horns' to unite Africa as one country.
The Pan Africanist leaders at the Jamaica Summit intend to build a
Secretariat and a Diaspora Pan African Congress of leaders to continue
forging the agenda an African union with a continental African government.
The PAM Summit conference addresses, workshops and plenary sessions are
expected to be held on July 16-18, 2007 at the University of the West
Indies, Kingston; while pre-Summit activities in Jamaica will begin on July
11-15, with African pilgrimages, rallies, and excursions.


Posted by Hakima <[log in to unmask]> on 07/11 at 12:58 PM

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