Conflict Diamonds

 

The Racism in US Africa Policies

 

 

Reported

April 15, 2003

 

by Peter Otika Okema

 

Last week, the US House of Representatives and the Senate passed legislation aimed at stopping imports of uncut diamonds that has mercilessly helped fund African civil wars. The Bill is likely to be signed by President George W. Bush this week.

 

Although the news of the Bill is promising to the ears of the suffering Africans in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sierra Leon, and Angola, it is still too earlier to tell how effective and committed the US will be in implementing what they have agreed to on paper.

 

America has paid a deaf ear for so long on African issues especially in situations that the US could have helped prevent escalation of violence and instability. As usual, the US has always looked the other way while quietly supporting one or both of the parties involved in such violence.

 

The case of President Mobutu Sese Seku of former Zaire and Sani Abacha of Nigeria still remain fresh in the minds of most African considering that both were supported or funded by the USA. The USA and Britain have historically run African affairs with as much disregard as possible and in a way; it appears that when it comes to African issues, the African race itself is a major factor.

 

Thousands of African people have lost their lives, got maimed or displaced because of violent diamonds conflicts. The Africans have easily provided human fuel in form of manpower as soldiers while Western companies and in some cases, governments have provided, funds, arms and munitions to fight and guard diamonds mines. These companies love to see chaos continuing because it gives them cheap labor and a high price of uncut diamonds in the black market because they will be able to control supply. America shamelessly watches after all, these are Africans being exploited by Western owned businesses. The end result is money and resources being brought back to America. The ends, therefore, justify the means.

 

America has been quick and shift when it comes to responding to crises in other continents and parts of the world but not Africa. Crises in the Balkans, Asia and other places have always been given immediate US respond. But not Africa. In essence, America treats Africa the very way it treats its citizens of African descent. Discrimination, racism, abuses, arrest, denial of better jobs, access to resources an so on and so forth. The African people were central in making what America is by providing slave labor but over 300 years later, the Africans in America still are at the bottom of the social ladder. The institution of racism both at local and national level is so strong that one wonders whether it is a crime to be African in America. America has continued to make a replica of this attitude when it comes to dealing with African issues.

 

The only time America would want to intervene in African affairs is after the killing and damages have been done. The US will then come as a "Salvationist" to the desperate like they did in Rwanda in 1994 when they trained, armed and funded Paul Kagame who with Ugandan support, attacked Rwanda government culminating into the infamous 1994 Rwandan genocide.

 

To point out the American hands in African wars and conflicts one will have to look at some of these connections. Most of the companies implicated last year by the United Nations for illegal business activities are American and Canadian based or owned. Last year, the UN implicated numerous companies including Canadian companies like Barrick Gold, American Mineral Fields, Tenke Mining, Banro Resources, Samax Gold and many others. American companies implicated by the UN included Citibank, Cogem, Transintra, Issa, Tradement, Eagleswing and Union Transport and half a dozen others. (See the African Advocate November 2002 issue)

 

These companies were closely working together with Ugandan, Rwandan and Congolese leaders who provided security where the mining were taking place. In return, these countries were funded and armed to the teeth in order to guard these mines. To that effect, America, Canada and European countries awarded Rwanda an increase in aid to the tune of $51.5m in 1999 almost twice the $26.1m Rwanda got in 1997 when the war in Congo had just started.

 

The benefits for to the African looters are huge. For example, Rwanda was named by a UN report to be making US $250m every 18 months exporting Congolese coltan although Rwanda does not produce and has no deposit of Coltan. Coltan is a short name for columbine-tantalite a valuable mineral used in the making of chips in computers, cell phones and other electronics around the world. Uganda on the other hand has deployed thousands of troops in the Eastern Congo to help guard their loots and Uganda is named to be exporting 10.83 tones of Gold although Uganda's national Gold production is only 0.0044 tones a year. All the excesses came from the Congo.

 

The Corporate business culture of these companies have lamentable disregard for human rights and welfare. Some of these companies have heavily funded elections and candidates of ruling US presidents and in this way, they have so strong a voice that certain foreign policies in Africa will have to be tailored in a way that gives them freedom to exploit natural resources unabated or else, the President's administration will miss their funding.

 

If President Bush signs this legislation, America should immediately commit itself to the implementation of this international agreement in order to help curb the widespread trading in the so called "conflict" or "blood diamonds." Already, a broad coalition of international organizations including the United Nations, Amnesty International, World Vision, Oxfam and many others have backed the bill. It is therefore a golden opportunity for America to act and improve its records and image in the way it has treated African affairs.

 

Equally, America should force warlords and African leaders involved in looting diamonds and other mineral resources to stop or face consequences. Rwanda and Uganda must be held accountable for human tragedies in the Congo and warlords in Sierra Leon and Angola must be held accountable for what they do on the people and their nation's natural resources. It is a double standard to support and arm, train and finance Uganda and Rwanda who are the ones invading the Congo.

 

The US should also deviate from its rather reluctant commitment in intervening in West African conflicts especially in Liberia and Sierra Leon. This reluctant to help intervene and stop violence in Sierra Leon and Liberia to me reflects America's racist policy toward African people and in this case, descendants of former slaves who were moved to Africa from the USA and now occupy Sierra Leon and Liberia. It is a continuation of the old US and Western policies to support the racist apartheid regimes of South Africa. It is also a committed continuation of US racist policy to Haiti where US has constantly been forcing back Haiti refugees and asylum seekers while favoring Cuban immigrants to flood to US.

 

Although Bush right from his campaign has been saying Africa didn't matter to him, Africans at home and the diaspora should agitate for a committed, fair and responsible US policy toward Africa. His effort to work with African leaders on the "war on terror" should be blended with a more humane policy that does not only favor the US interests but also gives Africans a positive return.

 

America should also deviate from its historical addiction to supporting dictators around the world and in this case, Africans despots who are suppressing and killing their own people just because they want to remain in power. America should not work with a killer and despot just because he is willing to help. America should force despots like Yoweri Museveni of Uganda, Bashir of Sudan, and war mongers responsible for the chaos in the Congo, Central Africa, Sierra Leon and other places in Africa.

 

On the other hand, African people should start to question their leadership especially where the leaders have developed the tendency to cling to power. We should not be fearful to criticize or condemn these despots even if it means running around or going to exile. Ridding Africa off dictatorship and "president for life" culture may take time but remember, we fought colonialism and slavery and won both. Everything is possible.

 

 

Peter Otika Okema publishes the African Advocate International ( Specialized in African Issues). His weekly column The African Advocate appears in The Black Star News in New York City. He can be reached via email at okemap@comcast.net.

 

Peter Otika Okema, P.O.Box 1392, Pittsburg, PA 15227, U.S.A.

 

This news item was modified and/or republished by African By Nature®

courtesy of Peter Otika Okema and The African Advocate.

 

Copyright © 2003 The African Advocate.

All rights reserved by the author and The African Advocate.

 

 

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