---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 19 Dec 2000 10:04:27 -0500
From: APIC <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Letter from Salih Booker - Action for Africa
Action for Africa
Letter from Salih Booker
Africa Policy Information Center / The Africa Fund
December 18, 2000
Note to APIC Distribution List Readers
The following letter is going out by e-mail as well as by regular
mail in order in order to reach our wider community of friends with
a brief update on our organizational perspectives and plans as the
new year approaches.
We are convinced that the struggle for African freedom and against
global apartheid requires collaboration world-wide. The new
organization in formation from the merger of APIC and The Africa
Fund / ACOA will continue to be based in Washington and New York.
But our impact on policy will depend above all on how well we
represent those of you concerned with justice for Africa wherever
you are located.
In addition to your financial support, your activism, and the
support you give by sharing with us information and analysis, we
would welcome your ideas on a name for the new organization, which
is yet to be decided! A few of the names suggested so far: Africa
First, American Committee on Africa, Africa Action Committee,
Africa Action Group, The Africa Group, The Africa Alliance, Africa
Agenda, and American Committee for African Freedom. If you have a
suggestion, please send your ideas to [log in to unmask]
I'll keep you updated as our plans advance.
Last week you received my commentary on the prospects for Africa
policy under a Bush administration. That commentary and other new
material appears in a new feature on our web site, entitled "From
the Desk of Salih Booker," which we hope you will all visit (see
http://www.africapolicy.org/desk).
- Salih
-------------------------------------------------------
December 18, 2000
Dear Friend,
It is a difficult time for Africa and for the friends of Africa.
African lives continue to be devalued by a global system that
sustains structural inequalities. Its name is apartheid, global
apartheid! Powerful institutions within which Washington wields
enormous influence -- such as the IMF, the World Bank and even
the United Nations - respond to matters of life and death in
Africa such as debt, HIV/AIDS and peacemaking with new rhetoric
and marginal reforms rather than the real changes and resources
needed.
Every day throughout Africa, hundreds of millions of people
demonstrate resilience and creativity in struggles for survival
and for charting new courses for African societies. They include
not only individuals and local community leaders, but also
activists and professionals in governmental and private sectors,
in educational institutions and in civil society. But their
efforts are often undermined both by unaccountable national
institutions and by structural obstacles imposed from the
outside.
In the U.S., a new president will take office who explicitly
stated in campaign debates that Africa was *not a priority.*
While surprises are always possible, we anticipate a tough
environment for those of us seeking policies that help rather than
hinder African initiatives for justice and peace.
Sometimes we have no choice but to fight defensive battles, in
order to block even more negative outcomes. Thus, in recent
months, APIC joined successfully with other groups to ensure
that Congress did not sabotage commitments previously made by the
administration to increase U.S. funding for limited debt
relief, efforts to fight the HIV/AIDS pandemic and for UN
peacekeeping in Africa.
Surprisingly, it was also possible to get Congress to pass a
resolution mandating U.S. opposition to internationally imposed
user fees for public healthcare and primary education among poor
communities in Africa.
I am sure you agree with me that this falls far short of what is
needed. That is why we must take action now to shape future
agendas. And why the APIC board is now working with the boards of
The Africa Fund and the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) to
forge a new united organization with greater potential for impact
on policy.
All of you receiving this letter know APIC, at least through our
electronic information work. Some of you also know APIC through
collaboration in the Advocacy Network for Africa and other issue
coalitions. I am sure many are also familiar with The Africa Fund
and ACOA. As you know, I am working for all three organizations
as the interim executive director. We aim to combine our
historical strengths to achieve greater impact in working with you
and others willing to speak up for Africa in an era of global
apartheid. I invite all of you to take another look at the range
of what we're doing, and lend your support and collaboration now
and in the years of struggle that are certain to lie ahead.
The American Committee on Africa was established in 1953 to
support the liberation struggle in South Africa. Its mandate
grew rapidly to encompass solidarity work with independence
movements throughout the continent. It is the oldest U.S.
organization on Africa promoting progressive views. It founded
The Africa Fund in 1966 as a tax-exempt nonprofit organization to
provide public education and mobilization for campaigns in
support of African freedom.
The Washington-based APIC was created in 1978 as the education
wing of the Washington Office on Africa, itself an initiative of
ACOA. APIC became independent in 1998 and throughout the past
decade has pioneered the use of information and communication
technology to support advocacy work on Africa. The Africa
Fund/ACOA has helped develop strong networks of Africa advocates
among the national interfaith community and State and Municipal
elected officials, both of whom have been active this year in
pressing for the cancellation of Africa's illegitimate foreign
debt. The organization is also reaching out with a new program to
engage younger people in activism for Africa.
To the mobilizing strengths of the ACOA/Africa Fund, APIC brings
a proven capacity to reach diverse public constituencies with
analysis of African affairs by e-mail and through our website.
APIC has also helped develop the Advocacy Network for Africa
(ADNA), a coalition of more than 200 organizations dedicated to
promoting progressive U.S. policies toward Africa.
I am glad to report to you that the merger process is on track,
with regular meetings of negotiating teams of the three
organizations and outside facilitators. There is agreement on
our fundamental values and a strong desire to complete the
process as soon as possible. We anticipate an agreement early
next year, although completing the formal details required by law
may well take some time after that.
While we proceed with the details, our organizations have already
begun to intensify collaboration in identifying and acting
together on priority issues. It is already clear that key issues
all of us have been working on, such as debt cancellation, the
HIV/AIDS pandemic and health infrastructure more generally, and
the interlocked issues of peacemaking and democratic
accountability, will be front and center in the program of the
anticipated new organization. So will our commitment to
collaborate with others who share our goals, across geographical
and sectoral dividing lines.
We will continue to struggle with how best to frame issues and
bring people together to have a greater impact with limited
resources. Fundamental to our efforts is the understanding that
no solutions will be sustainable unless we confront the
structural racism embedded in global apartheid - the continued
refusal to recognize our common humanity.
We have great expectations for the new organization that will
rise from this merger and we hope that you will be a part of it.
We know you care about human rights and democracy in Africa,
about defeating the AIDS pandemic and rebuilding healthcare for
all, about peace, and about economic justice in Africa. We hope
you will continue to lend us your support and help us represent
your interests in promoting progressive change in U.S. and
international policy toward Africa.
Thank you for your commitment to Africa.
Sincerely,
Salih Booker
P.S. Please fill in the reply form below and mail us your
contribution for $50, $100 or more today for the Joint Africa
Action Fund, or contribute on-line at:
http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm
If you have already contributed recently to APIC or The Africa
Fund, please make the extra effort to pass on the form to a
friend who shares your commitment.
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How to Contribute to the Joint Africa Action Fund
(1) By credit card (Visa or Mastercard)
You may submit your contribution on our secure web site (go to
http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm). Or you may send in the
form below by e-mail to [log in to unmask],
by fax to 1-202-546-1545, or by post to
APIC, 110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 509,
Washington, DC 20002, USA.
(2) By check or money order (in US$)
Print out the form below or from the web
(http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm). Fill it in and send
it by post, along with your check or money order, to
APIC, 110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 509, Washington, DC 20002, USA.
Note: To return this form by e-mail, either "reply" with
message included or "copy and paste" to a new e-mail
message. Fill in the brackets with X or the appropriate
information. Then send to [log in to unmask]
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Dear Salih,
Here is my contribution to support stronger action for
Africa against global apartheid.
I am enclosing
[ ] $50 [ ] $100 [ ] Other amount ______
[ ] I am already an APIC member. Please enter this as an
additional contribution.
[ ] This is my first contribution to APIC. Please enter my name
as an APIC member.
APIC and The Africa Fund are both tax-deductible 501(c)(3)
organizations. Contributions are tax-deductible to the full
extent allowed by U.S. law.
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[ ] I am enclosing a check or money order.
[ ] Charge my payment to my credit card:
[ ] Visa
[ ] MasterCard
Card Number: [ ]
Expiration (yymm): [ ]
Name on card: [ ]
Telephone number: [ ]
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First name:
[ ]
Last name:
[ ]
Organization (if any):
[ ]
Street Address:
[ ]
City: [ ]
State or province: [ ]
Postal code: [ ]
Country: [ ]
E-mail: [ ]
Your suggestion for a name for the new organization:
[ ]
code: em0012
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