National Rifle Association (NRA) leader Wayne La Pierre --on defensive

In the spring of 1960, I was a senior at Spelman College in Atlanta and decided to help organize the civil rights student sit-in movement to desegregate lunch counters.

I went to Atlanta’s City Hall to engage in our cause to end racial apartheid. I felt overwhelming gratitude for the chance to be part of something larger than myself or our campus. My college diary captured a bit of the excitement of those days:

Now as never before is the chance offered to do something. This is a history-making epoch where we – me – the young – can be major characters. Now is the time to act – to work – to sacrifice…

Change is pervading – change I’m helping bring in. I’m useful and I’m serving and I’m so thankful.

We are making history. We are taking upon ourselves the problems of the time and what a good burden.

Today hundreds of thousands of students are taking on the burden of their and our time – where adults have failed to act to protect children from guns. The scenes from the March For Our Lives in Washington, D.C. and the more than 800 sibling marches around the country and the world signal hope, inspiration, optimism and the confidence of a new generation of young leaders and activists. I can only imagine how many of these young people feel empowered and blessed as I did by finding their call to serve, work, sacrifice and make history.

It was wonderful to see children of all ages participate, the youngest being Dr. King’s 9-year-old granddaughter. He would be so proud of her as she stood on stage saying “Enough!” Special memories, tears and chants of anger – Not One More! Vote Them Out! were shared for the lives and hurt that remain with all left behind. There were powerful homemade signs – Will I Be Next? Arms Are for Hugging! My Life is More Important Than Your Guns! Fear Has No Place in Our Schools! Restrict the Piece, Reserve the Peace! We Are Students, We Are Change! And a Little Child Will Lead Them! Watching it all gave such a sense of togetherness for all those who gathered whether it was in the shadow of the U.S. Capitol, New York City, Los Angeles, Wichita, Miami, Philadelphia, or in dozens of other cities across the country and around the world.

We must move forward together to keep our children safe. As part of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF)’s longstanding work to Protect Children, Not Guns, we have released an updated factsheet on The Truth About Guns, debunking common myths and sharing 11 truths we should all know and act upon. Consider just one: Guns make violence more deadly. Contrary to what the gun industry says, guns do kill people. Guns make killing easy, efficient, and somewhat impersonal, thereby making anger and violence more deadly. An estimated 41 percent of gun-related homicides and 94 percent of gun-related suicides would not occur if no guns were present. The use of a gun in family or intimate assaults increases the risk of death 12 times.

The Truth About Guns shows the effectiveness of common sense gun safety laws and the benefits of restrictions that regulate guns and vigorous enforcement of existing gun safety laws. It documents the overwhelming support for common sense gun safety laws among American voters, including gun owners, and the dangers of guns in the home. Share and discuss the factsheet with your friends, family, and congregations and go see your Members of Congress while they are home on recess and contact them when they return to Washington the week of April 9th. The truth will help set America free.

CDF also has updated our toolkit to support faith communities seeking to end gun violence against children. It includes a menu of suggested activities to inspire congregations to act. Please share the educational materials and incorporate them into teachings through Sunday school lessons, bulletin inserts, prayers and outreach activities. This is the time for all of us – children, parents, grandparents, educators, advocates, religious communities, and others determined to protect children, not guns – to build on and continue the activism sparked by the March For Our Lives.

The March’s messages come in a timely holy season. Passover marked the beginning of the Exodus – a community on the move seeking freedom from oppression, safety, and lives of promise for their children and families. On the Eve of his death, Maundy Thursday, Jesus told his followers who were squabbling about who was the greatest: “The greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:25-27) During this holy week, I end with a prayer:

O God, forgive and help us transform our rich and powerful nation where toddlers and school children die from guns sold quite legally.

O God, forgive and help us transform our rich and powerful nation which protects guns but not children.

O God, help us never to confuse what is quite legal with what is just and right in Your sight.

Help us to stand up and speak up together, pray together and act together for as long as it takes to make America safe – to make us safe in our schools, churches, movie theaters, concerts, community centers and other places where we gather – and stop the war against our children.

Help us to make sure all our children can live the lives You want for them.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org

Kaepernick. Photo--Twitter.

Very many Americans are upset that professional athletes who are well paid are taking public positions on social and political issues. It must be that all of them haven't lost their humanity and concern for the public.

If Black office-holders, starting with former President Barack Obama and former attorneys general Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch had made an honest and open effort to halt summary executions by local police authorities the problem would have received the attention which circumstances demand.

However Black political figures acted as if the problem would go away by itself if we just gave it a little time, with some condemnations. Police terror in Black communities is not an aberration that can be left to solve itself. It is a policy and practice that occurs consistently, all the time, all over the United States. During the era of the slavery regime the criminality of enslaving Africans was written law.

Today the criminality of police abuse while not formally written law is enforced by a system that exonerates the police offenders.

This crime must be addressed. But who will dare to rock the boat and run the risk of reprisals like unemployed quarterback Colin Kaepernick? Politicians tend to play it safe when controversy arises because they have other interests other than the public good.

So we see many athletes stepping up and taking humane positions on things office-holders rather not see or be willing to face backlash for.

Landry --worthless, gutless State Attorney General. Photo: Facebook

[Speaking Truth To Power]

Last week, Louisiana killer-cops Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake were cleared by local authorities for murdering Alton Sterling. Meanwhile, protests in California continue over the police murder of Stephon Clark, who an independent autopsy report shows was shot multiple times with at least six bullets in the back.

Black America must realize these nonstop police killings of our people are political sanctioned by the state. The silence of Congress as these killings continue speaks loudly. The demented White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee-Sanders said the decision not to prosecute Salamoni—who is caught, on video, committing murder—was a “local matter.”

Would it have been a “local matter” if it was the other way around and Sterling had murdered Salamoni and was now not being prosecuted?

All of Black America must utilize every strategy to punish police brutality enablers in politics for their silence. Big business companies must face meaningful economic boycotts. Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School student David Hogg’s recent Twitter threat led several companies to remove their advertising from Laura Ingraham’s Fox News show after she denigrated victims.

The time has come for more of us to do much more than march and protest.

On Tuesday, Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry announced that Blane Salamoni and Howie Lake will not face justice for the murder of 37-year-old Sterling, on July 5, 2016. In doing so, Landry did what political and legal aiders and abettors of killer-cops always do: he blamed Sterling for his own death.

Landry’s report says the incident “involved two officers who had good reason to believe that Mr. Sterling was armed with a firearm and that he was continuously resisting.” The report highlights, in bold print, the words “armed with a firearm.” Here we see the political pattern officials use to criminalize Black victims and exonerate White killer-cops.

Let’s remember this: Louisiana is an “open carry” state. Why is it relevant even if Sterling had a gun since he never made any so-called “furtive” move -- the word police departments like using after a Black person is wrongfully killed-- to go for that gun? We’ve all seen the video of Sterling being straddled by both officers—with his right hand pinned, by Lake, under a car, as Salamoni sits on his left hand, with a gun pointed at him. Yet, Landry is insinuating the lie that Sterling was about to pull his gun, which he couldn’t have anyway?

What abhorent manner of deep-seated racism is this?

If Sterling had made any move that even hinted at danger, don't you think the police would have shown the video long ago?

Especially, since they’ve been concealing police videos of the encounter, for two years, that they never acknowledged having? At the time of the killing, we were told the body-cams, of both officers, fell off. We must seriously question whether these videos weren’t edited by police.

We must also ask this: what was Sterling being arrested for anyway? Being Black? Like Tamir Rice, we now know Sterling was shot lethally, in apparently less than two minutes after the police arrived. What offense did Salamoni witness that would justify such an instantaneous decision to make an arrest?

We’re often given grandstanding lectures, especially by right-wingers, about the supposed virtues of the Second Amendment. Gun fanatics extolling the absolutist notion of the Second Amendment are now colliding with the brave students from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, who have sparked the “enough is enough” movement, against the insane gun violence culture of America.

Landry should answer this question: didn’t Sterling also have a Second Amendment right? Or, is this “right” only reserved for those with White skin?

Salamoni shot Sterling within 90 seconds of encountering him. Almost immediately, Salamoni was threatening to kill Sterling. He is recording saying “Don’t fucking move or I’ll shoot your fucking ass.” What had Sterling done that warranted this threat to his life—which was then carried out except being a Black man?

Landry makes the absurd statement that “both officers acted in a reasonable and justified manner in the shooting death of Mr. Sterling.”

Reasonable to a perverted racist mind perhaps that attaches no value to the life of a Black man.

Shooting a human being within 90 seconds, who was only selling DVD’s, and who only asked why he was being detained, is what Landry calls “reasonable” and “justified?” Moreover, if this murder was so “justified,” why was Officer Salamoni just fired?

If ever there is reason for the federal government to review a case --the murder of Sterling-- and the so-called investigation by the state attorney general, this one is picture perfect. You don't fire someone who did no wrong.

With an attorney general like this—or, Jeff Sessions for that matter—is there any wonder why we witness this perversion of what they call “justice?” Again, here we see how prosecutors use their power to distort real justice and free their killer-cop buddies. As the aunt of Alton Sterling, Sandra Sterling, told Attorney General Landry, “you put a killer back on the streets.”

On MSNBC’s Joy Reid show, Georgetown Law Professor Paul Butler characterized Salamoni’s behavior toward Sterling as “palpitating with hate.” Butler called the killing of Sterling an “act of murder.” Professor Butler described Attorney General Jeff Landry as “gutless,” for refusing to prosecute Salamoni.

Black America must start paying attention to those that are elected prosecutors—who like Landry are 95 percent White. And we must elect White DA’s like current Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner, who seems to be keep his word to those Blacks voters who helped to elect him.

In California, we see nothing but more of the same in the police murder of 22-year-old Stephon Clark. On Friday, we found out, through an independent autopsy, done by Dr. Bennet Omalu, that Clark was shot eight times—six times in the back. Police fired about 20 shots at Clark, when they murdered him on March 18—in his grandmother’s backyard. Dr. Omalu also pointed out that it took several minutes—perhaps as many as 10 minutes, before Clark died. Imagine, Clark was handcuffed by these killer-cops, after they shot him up.

Reportedly, police had received a call about someone vandalizing cars in the area near Clark’s residence. Initially, police lied by saying Clark was advancing toward them, and they feared he had a gun. Clark had no gun. Police have since tried to criminalize Clark to justify this unjustifiable murder.

In a dark police video, officers are seen firing multiple shots as the deadly encounter unfolds. Apparently, Clark was also shot while he was on his stomach. We should wonder this: how could these officers so recklessly fire all these shots in the dark?

Family lawyer, Benjamin Crump said the independent autopsy proves police are again lying.

“These findings from the independent autopsy contradict the police narrative that we’ve been told,” Crump said. “This independent autopsy affirms that Stephon was not a threat to police and was slain in another senseless police killing under increasingly questionable circumstances.”

Protesters have taken to the streets of Sacramento ever since Clark was murdered. Friday’s independent autopsy has only further enraged protesters and many have pledged to continue marching until officers are held accountable for this murder. In this time of the “me-too” and “enough is enough” movements, the killings and murders of Black Americans, by police, must make us force politicians, corporate America, and the rest of White America to finally address this issue.

Somehow political phonies, who preach to us about the “rule of law,” say nothing when Black people are being killed and murdered by so-called “law enforcement” officers. These killer-cops, like Officer Salamoni, are murderers, period. Why are they being protected?

What does Capitol Hill’s silence tell us?

This year’s mid-term election is fast approaching. Democrats have been busy-bees begging us for money. They will be begging us for our votes soon. So, why aren’t they telling us what they plan to do to stop racist killer-cops? If the Democratic Party refuses to take police brutality serious why should we continue to blindly support them?

Democrats must not be left off the hook, for their role in criminalizing Black people and contributing to police brutality. Democrats, both Black and White, must be compelled to confront police brutality—or, be politically punished, especially in primaries, for not doing so.

Those who are unwilling to fight this murderous injustice must be voted out of Congress.

Winnie Mandela -- from cover of the book "A Life"

Tributes to anti-apartheid icon Winnie Madikizela Mandela filled the South African radio air waves as news of her untimely passing reached the far corners of the nation and the continent.

Social media filled with remembrances by those whose lives she touched – sometimes with a single word, sometimes with a long eulogy.

“The big tree has fallen the #MotherOfTheNation, a nation builder ulale kahle mama you have fought a good fight, you'll remain in our hearts,” wrote AndileKaMajola on Twitter.

"How I wish to have met you,” wrote Sego Bae we EFF from South Africa’s city of Randburg. “You are a woman of steel and no one will ever take away that from you mama Winnie Nonzamo Mandela. May your lovely soul rest in peace.”

The former wife of Robbin Island prisoner later president Nelson Mandela, Winnie had been in and out of Netcare Milpark Hospital battling a kidney infection, according to her spokesman, Victor Dlamini. A message from the family read: “Altho we are gutted by her passing, we are grateful for the gift of her life.”

Recently, she was an observer during the ANC’s struggle over corruption allegations that enveloped past president Jacob Zuma. She expressed confidence in the new leadership of the ANC under Cyril Ramaphosa. “We’re going to surprise the country. I’ve told them they must watch this space. I’m back,” she declared.

Nomzamo Winifred Zanyiwe Madikizela was one of nine children – six of them daughters – of two teachers and devout Methodists, Columbus Madikizela and his wife, Gertrude.

When Madikizela-Mandela moved to Johannesburg, she studied social work. There she met lawyer and anti-apartheid activist Nelson Mandela in 1957 and they married a year later and had two children.

The period of marriage enjoyment was short-lived as he was arrested in 1963 and sentenced to life imprisonment for treason. Mandela was eventually released in 1990.

Winnie was a strong single parent who raised two children while her “larger than life” husband was in prison. This was a time that the ANC and the country overall was “gendered”, spurring her struggle for women’s rights.

In May 1969, Winnie Mandela was jailed supposedly for political agitation, but more likely for simply being the wife of Nelson Mandela. Held for 17 months, she spent most of the time in solitary confinement, and was interrogated and kept awake for up to five days at a time.

The picture of her hand-in-hand with Mandela as he walked free from prison after 27 years became one of the most recognizable symbols of the anti-apartheid struggle.

The Mandela family says it will release details of the memorial and funeral services once these have been finalized.

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela

Winnie Madikizela-Mandela, a hero of the anti-apartheid struggle in South Africa but also one of its most controversial figures, has died aged 81.

The ex-wife of the former South African president Nelson Mandela, she died at a hospital in Johannesburg after a long illness, her personal assistant, Zodwa Zwane, said.

Seen as the “mother of the nation” by many who admired her steely leadership, firebrand rhetoric and courageous activism against a brutal racist regime, Madikizela-Mandela was also repeatedly accused of being linked to violence andcorruption.

She was one of the few remaining representatives of the generation of activists who led the fight against apartheid. Her often negative image abroad contrasts with her deep and long-lasting popularity within her homeland.

A statement from her family said the former political prisoner, who used her family name of Madikizela after her divorce, had been “in and out of hospital since the beginning of the year”.

“She succumbed peacefully surrounded by her family and loved ones in the early hours of Monday afternoon,” the statement said.

“Mrs Madikezela-Mandela was one of the greatest icons of the struggle against apartheid. She fought valiantly against the apartheid state … sacrificed her life for the freedom of the country and helped to give the struggle for justice in South Africa one of its most recognisable faces.”

Archbishop Desmond Tutu, another veteran of the struggle, was among those paying tribute. He said she was “a defining symbol” of the anti-apartheid struggle whose “courageous defiance was deeply inspirational to ... generations of activists”.

Fikile Mbalula, a senior member of the African National Congress (ANC), described “Mama Winnie” as “a great symbol for the resistance against a brutal government”.

Jeff Radebe, South Africa’s minister of energy, said: “Mama Winnie Mandela was recognised by the people as the Mother of the Nation. As the ANC we dip our banner.”

Please see The Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/02/winnie-madikizela-mandela-...

Long horned Ankole cattle being bred in Gulu district, replacing local Zebu breed

‘It was not a mere change of guards, but a fundamental change’

“After the deadline of April 22, they will be taken to court. It will be very serious after that deadline. We have enough forces to carry out that operation; which is being supported by a jet-ranger helicopter for air surveillance”

“The picture now is Balalo are going reluctantly. On Monday for instance 78 trucks crossed Karuma Bridge going southwards. They are not supporting going back. Their interest is to have as big herds of cattle as they can, but the issue is; land is not enough. Why don’t you settle; have few herds instead of having big number yet you don’t profit from them”

GULU-UGANDA: When the National Resistance Army (NRA) captured power in January 1986, using the barrel of the gun as their means, President Yoweri Museveni, then a young man, is quoted to have said ‘it was not a mere change of guards, but a fundamental change’, during his maiden speech as president.

Since then, a lot of waters have flown under the bridge to solidify that fundamental change; one of which is the breeds of cattle in northern Uganda.

Before NRA captured power, the people of Northern and Eastern Uganda used to keep short-horned zebu breed of cattle. These short-horned zebu cattle are now endangered and in the verge of extinction. Why?

It took some months before NRA could cross the bridge at Karuma, which is the natural boundary between North and South of the country. They had to strategize how to defeat former Uganda National Liberation Army (UNLA) soldiers who had retreated home with their guns when Kampala fell to NRA.

As a student in a course to become an intelligent Officer in the previous regime, we were taught that one must deny one’s enemies making war which can make such enemies defeat you in battle. You do this by denying such enemies access to territory, food, water sources, infiltrating their front lines to find out their battle plan and movements, plus the use of propaganda (shiasaa). These are the same tactics NRA used in accessing northern and eastern regions.

During the five-year bloody war to capture power beginning 1981to 1986, NRA deployed covert officers from South-Western Uganda in the form of cattle keepers (balalo herdsmen) to northern and eastern Uganda to spy on the wealth of the population and also recruit enemies of Obote in their ranks. The spies came as people looking for jobs of keeping cattle of those who owned large herds.

These Balalo herdsmen left their jobs as soon as NRA took over government in 1986, only to return back to northern and eastern Uganda leading the new army (NRA); this time in full combat uniform and wielding AK-47 rifles.

It was therefore not surprising that one year later (1987), unprecedented looting of cattle began in northern and eastern Uganda ‘allegedly by Karimojong pastoralists’ from north-eastern Uganda.

In my village located in Ayuu Anaka Parish in Lamwo district, for example, one of our own sons, a lieutenant by rank in the NRA, visited is parents in the company of a group of Karimojong cattle rustlers he was commanding in 1988. By the year 2000 one would hardly come across short-horned cattle. Instead, there are now long-horned Ankole cattle.

It is equally not surprising that government has so far refused to pay former owners of cattle in northern and eastern regions despite court orders but instead prefers re-stocking, where government imports exclusively long-horned Ankole cattle instead of the traditional short-horned zebu breed.

A ready market in northern Uganda for Ankole cattle has been created for Museveni’s kinsmen, the Balalo, as a strategy to empower them economically. Most of them believe that if you don’t get rich while Museveni rules Uganda, you will remain poor forever under a new leader when government change hands.

It is this re-stocking program, which has empowered Balalo herdsmen to sell away their relatively small pieces of land in south-western Uganda, bought Ankole long-horned cattle and began to move their herds to other regions where they had previously spotted ‘idle land’ in northern and eastern Uganda to graze their cattle.

These herdsmen use contacts within the security establishments, including Gombolola Internal Security Officers (GISO) to access land. It has since bred land conflicts within the community and family members. These GISOs and some Local Council (LC I) chairmen connive with one member of a family without the consent of other members of the family and negotiate renting their family’s ‘idle land’ to the Balalo for grazing and  burning charcoal thereby causing a lot of conflicts .

Since land conflict was getting out of hand, dictator Museveni decided to establish a Commission of Inquiries in land conflicts. Lady Justice, Ms. Catherine Byamugeirere is leading the commission. Preliminary reports points accusing fingers and security personnel as the leading group fuelling land conflicts.

As 2017 comes to a close, President Yoweri Museveni issued a three-month ultimatum for pastoralists to leave northern and eastern Uganda through an operation code named; ‘Rudi Nyumbani’, Kiswahili phrase for ‘go back home’ , led by the army.

The commander of the Fourth Division of the Uganda Peoples’ Defence Forces (UPDF), Brigadier Emmanuel Kanyisigye, Tuesday March 27, 2018, held a press conference in his office during which he revealed that the deadline expires on Sunday, April 22, 2018.

“After the deadline of April 22, they will be taken to court. It will be very serious after that deadline. We have enough forces to carry out that operation; which is being supported by a jet-ranger helicopter for air surveillance”, says the Brigadier.

“The picture now is Balalo are going reluctantly. On Monday for instance 78 trucks crossed Karuma Bridge going southwards. They are not supporting going back. Their interest is to have as big herds of cattle as they can, but the issue is; land is not enough. Why don’t you settle; have few herds instead of having big number yet you don’t profit from them”, says Brigadier Kanyisigye.

He says over ten thousands animals had crossed Karuma as a result of the operation. There are estimated over one hundred thousand herds of Ankole herds of cattle in the eight districts in Acholi sub-region.

Challenges in this operation include three reported cases of Foot & Mouth disease, theft of animals from the community by pastoralists and some of the lower cadre local leaders who have been compromised by the pastoralists.

“Some leaders have been compromised. Some of them have not fenced off their land. They have started to own large herds of cattle. The Balalo tend to hide their animals in the locals’ names. We are consulting over these new issues”, he says.

It is therefore not surprising that poverty index level in Uganda shows that the level of poverty among the people of Central and Western Uganda is not as high as it is in northern and eastern Uganda. They are reaping from the support they rendered to Museveni between 1981 and 1986.

This scenario of the fate of Acholi’s short-horned zebu animal reminds me of what one of Uganda’s leading columnists, Mr. Charles Onyango-Obbo wrote in the Daily Monitor years back about why the Baganda ethnic group, whose staple food is matoke (bananas), is now importing the same from Western Uganda.

M. Onmyango-Obbo argues in his column that the Balalo who came to Buganda as farm laborers began taking back home some banana suckers and began planting them too.

They are now exporting matoke to feed the Baganda. In a similar manner, the people of northern region will begin to import short horned zebu cattle from other regions.

Malcolm X -- from the cover of The Autobiography of Malcolm X.

[From the Archives: Malcolm X]

Except from Malcolm X speech on November 10, 1963.

To understand this, you have to go back to what the young brother here referred to as the house Negro and the field Negro — back during slavery. There was two kinds of slaves. There was the house Negro and the field Negro.

The house Negroes – they lived in the house with master, they dressed pretty good, they ate good ’cause they ate his food — what he left. They lived in the attic or the basement, but still they lived near the master; and they loved their master more than the master loved himself. They would give their life to save the master’s house quicker than the master would.

The house Negro, if the master said, “We got a good house here,” the house Negro would say, “Yeah, we got a good house here.” Whenever the master said “we,” he said “we.” That’s how you can tell a house Negro.

If the master’s house caught on fire, the house Negro would fight harder to put the blaze out than the master would. If the master got sick, the house Negro would say, “What’s the matter, boss, we sick?” We sick! He identified himself with his master more than his master identified with himself. And if you came to the house Negro and said, “Let’s run away, let’s escape, let’s separate,” the house Negro would look at you and say, “Man, you crazy. What you mean, separate? Where is there a better house than this? Where can I wear better clothes than this? Where can I eat better food than this?”

That was that house Negro. In those days he was called a “house nigger.” And that’s what we call him today, because we’ve still got some house niggers running around here.

This modern house Negro loves his master. He wants to live near him. He’ll pay three times as much as the house is worth just to live near his master, and then brag about “I’m the only Negro out here.” “I’m the only one on my job.” “I’m the only one in this school.”

You’re nothing but a house Negro. And if someone comes to you right now and says, “Let’s separate,” you say the same thing that the house Negro said on the plantation. “What you mean, separate? From America? This good white man? Where you going to get a better job than you get here?” I mean, this is what you say. “I ain’t left nothing in Africa,” that’s what you say. Why, you left your mind in Africa.

On that same plantation, there was the field Negro. The field Negro — those were the masses. There were always more Negroes in the field than there was Negroes in the house. The Negro in the field caught hell. He ate leftovers. In the house they ate high up on the hog. The Negro in the field didn’t get nothing but what was left of the insides of the hog. They call ’em “chitt’lin’” nowadays. In those days they called them what they were: guts. That’s what you were — a gut-eater. And some of you all still gut-eaters.

The field Negro was beaten from morning to night. He lived in a shack, in a hut; He wore old, castoff clothes. He hated his master. I say he hated his master. He was intelligent. That house Negro loved his master. But that field Negro — remember, they were in the majority, and they hated the master. When the house caught on fire, he didn’t try and put it out; that field Negro prayed for a wind, for a breeze.

When the master got sick, the field Negro prayed that he’d die. If someone come [sic] to the field Negro and said, “Let’s separate, let’s run,” he didn’t say “Where we going?” He’d say, “Any place is better than here.” You’ve got field Negroes in America today. I’m a field Negro. The masses are the field Negroes. When they see this man’s house on fire, you don’t hear these little Negroes talking about “our government is in trouble.” They say, “The government is in trouble.” Imagine a Negro: “Our government”! I even heard one say “our astronauts.” They won’t even let him near the plant — and “our astronauts”! “Our Navy” — that’s a Negro that’s out of his mind. That’s a Negro that’s out of his mind.

Just as the slavemaster of that day used Tom, the house Negro, to keep the field Negroes in check, the same old slavemaster today has Negroes who are nothing but modern Uncle Toms, 20th century Uncle Toms, to keep you and me in check, keep us under control, keep us passive and peaceful and nonviolent. That’s Tom making you nonviolent. It’s like when you go to the dentist, and the man’s going to take your tooth. You’re going to fight him when he starts pulling. So he squirts some stuff in your jaw called novocaine, to make you think they’re not doing anything to you.

So you sit there and ’cause you’ve got all of that novocaine in your jaw, you suffer peacefully. Blood running all down your jaw, and you don’t know what’s happening. ’Cause someone has taught you to suffer — peacefully.

The white man do the same thing to you in the street, when he want [sic] to put knots on your head and take advantage of you and don’t have to be afraid of your fighting back. To keep you from fighting back, he gets these old religious Uncle Toms to teach you and me, just like novocaine, suffer peacefully. Don’t stop suffering — just suffer peacefully. As Reverend Cleage pointed out, “Let your blood flow In the streets.”

This is a shame. And you know he’s a Christian preacher. If it’s a shame to him, you know what it is to me.

We in the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE) would like to congratulate Dr. Abiye Ahmed Ali, the newly elected become Prime Minister of Ethiopia.

We also congratulate the people of Ethiopia who have a new opportunity to shape their future for the betterment of all. This is a time for wisdom, diligence, strength and restraint so it is not wasted.

Countless Ethiopians have contributed to this favorable moment, giving us hope for a better future. We must thank them. Others had fought for change in the past.

In our present struggle, many Ethiopians were wounded, imprisoned, tortured, sacrificed their lives or had to flee the country, simply for standing up for greater freedom and justice. These people were from every region of the country, from every walk of life, and of different ages, religions, genders and cultural backgrounds. Among them are Ethiopia’s finest voices for freedom, activists for justice, political leaders, journalists, religious leaders, elders and particularly our youth. Unfortunately, the valiant efforts of the past have not yet produced the fruit for which we still hope.

Our struggle continues today against the lack of justice, freedom, rights and opportunity. The projected image of the country does not match the reality and must be challenged with truth. Powerful gatekeepers block economic participation based on ethnicity.

Laws meant to stifle freedom continue, like the Anti-Terrorism Law and the Charities and Societies Proclamation (CSO). Despite claims of a booming economy we are in the midst of a serious cash flow problem in the country. Hunger levels are high in many places. Corruption is rampant and regime force is still taking the lives of our civilians.

We are better than this; however, today we see a glimmer of hope that things could get better. Sadly, many of the valiant forerunners who fought for this day, are no longer here with us. We should never forget them for they left us a legacy that remains with us today.

Now, a new and promising leader, Dr. Abiye Ahmed, has entered the scene. He is someone who has broken across ethnic lines to see the larger picture of our shared humanity; however, he has come into this leadership position at a challenging time of uncertainty, not only for the EPRDF, but for all of us.

Ethiopia is at a very critical point, which many fear could lead to an explosion of ethnic-based violence and to the disintegration of our country into a failed state. This must be averted, but cannot only be the work of one leader and a few around him, but will require our whole nation to take responsibility. Every sector of society has to do its share, including many in the Diaspora.

We Ethiopians already seem to know that the problems before us must be solved by us, not by outsiders. We are the ones that created it and now we are the ones responsible to collectively steer the country into a better place. It will require humility, thinking beyond ethnicity or other differences and goals that are bigger and greater than ourselves.

We need a new paradigm, meaning we must uproot our habit of advancing our own ethnic-based politics or some other replica of the same. We have to come out from this. It will not work. Ethiopia is for ALL of us; and, if the name offends, it is only because the name has been misused for so long.

Let us bring a new and more positive meaning to it. Yet, the TPLF emblem on the plain Ethiopian flag is meant to provoke rather than focusing on the bigger issues that will lead to greater harmony. Let us work together in these days as many are already doing and should be commended for it. This includes our youth, like the Fano and Qeero, who have maintained the course for nearly three years.They, along with others, should continue to help bring democratic change to everyone— it is their future.

Former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn also deserves credit for what appears to have been a deliberate attempt to advance the prospects for democratic reforms by stepping down from his position.

Obo Lemma Megerssa is among other excellent Ethiopian leaders who forthrightly called for a rejection of the nations and nationalities driven structure and policies of the EPRDF’s ethnic-based federalism, a model that has failed. This “experiment” of ethnic federalism has not achieved the objectives it claimed would be accomplished— greater representation and independence of each nation and nationality— but instead, actually produced the opposite result— the domination by one minority, the TPLF, over all others and increased division, distrust, conflict and hostility among diverse groups, sometimes incited by the TPLF.

This ethnic-based model even created conflicts and isolation within families, communities and regions of mixed ethnicity as it grew into such a hot social issue that it provoked new anger and hostility, even over age-old grievances. Loyalty to tribe or ethnicity was given a higher value than what was right or wrong, suffocating the life out of efforts to work together; yet, making the powerful thrive while the majority struggled to survive.

Lemma is an example of someone who broke the barrier of “tribalism gone wrong” by speaking about the nation as a whole—including others outside his ethnicity. He inspired many by declaring: “ethnicity has no human soul.” This one statement speaks a huge message regarding the primary importance of what makes us human— that every human being is created in the image of God with an individual soul. He and Oromo elders reached out to Amhara leaders and elders by meeting with them in the Amhara region, living out his beliefs.

Some other seeds of unity were planted during the first protests in the Amhara region in late 2015, following the killing of so many Oromo youth. After a religious service in the Amhara region, an Ethiopian Orthodox priest had faced security forces after speaking out at this religious gathering regarding the shared blood between the two groups. It was also declared by Amhara youth who bravely stated, “Oromo blood is our blood, their suffering is our suffering and their pain is our pain.” A Muslim leader said the same at the Ethiopian Soccer tournament in 2016.

Many others are doing their share to cross lines of ethnicity, like the soccer teams from the Amhara youth, welcoming the Oromo to their matches. Even musicians like Teddy Afro and others of differing backgrounds are using their voices, lyrics and talents as bridges of reconciliation and affirmation of one another.

The momentum of this movement has brought a new and stronger voice to the public square— the voice of conviction. Consider the recent vote to approve the State of Emergency in the Ethiopian Parliament. It only passed because it was rigged, while an unprecedented number of members either boycotted the vote, abstained from it or voted against it.

Now with this recent election of Dr. Abiye Ahmed, the TPLF failed in their attempt to control the vote, only agreeing to “give” the vote to Abiye if he agreed to become a puppet, with no control of the military. When he refused, the TPLF endeavored to turn the vote, but it did not work. Instead, other coalition members crossed ethnicities and voted for the candidate they believed would bring change— Abiye Ahmed. All of these we mention, but there are many more, some seen and others unseen, supported by the prayers of the people. We must appreciate and thank them for their efforts, but also know that these glimmers of hope can encourage and uplift others to do the same.

We must not fail to even appreciate the EPRDF for releasing so many prisoners, even despite the implementation of a State of Emergency, which never met the criteria of the law.

We also should recognize the current dilemma of the TPLF and give them acknowledgement for what appears to be restraint. Allegedly, they were strongly opposed to the election of Abiye for chairperson of the EPRDF and the position as prime minister that it entitles him to assume. They could have used the power of the gun to overturn the results, followed by a decision to take absolute military control of the power, but they did not and reluctantly accepted the outcome. They should be commended for this even if we disagree with them on other matters.

Finally, the future of our beloved country of Ethiopia is in the hands of all of us from every ethnic and religious groups. Each of us has to do our share. As for us in the SMNE, we commit to doing ours. This is why we are giving our stance on the situation, even if some disagree with us.

From the beginning, the SMNE was formed on the basis that a better and more just, united and strong Ethiopia could only be formed through actually “talking to each other rather than about each other,” in order to start humanizing our family of Ethiopians. This means implementing a plan for an inclusive national dialogue, national reconciliation (also utilizing our faith-based leaders), and restorative justice.

The Ethiopia that we seek to build for our future should be based on God-given principles where the humanity, freedom and rights of all our people are valued and respected— for no one is free until all are free. This is what we stand for and hope for in the coming days, months and years although it will not be easy. We in the SMNE believe that Dr. Abiye has demonstrated the kind of worldview that can further these principles; however, as mentioned before, a new Ethiopia is the job for all of us.

Once Abiye Ahmed swears as a new Prime Minster and appoints his cabinet, we call for immediate action on lifting the State of Emergency and releasing all political prisoners. This would be followed by holding a national dialogue with all stakeholders, national reconciliation, and democratic reforms, including the repeal of laws like the Anti-Terrorism law, the Charities and Societies Proclamation, and the repressive press and media laws, all of which would strengthen our institutions. A longer term goal would be to work towards establishing the foundation for a free and fair election where all parties can compete for office.

This new prime minister comes as a result of pressure from the people; now he has to advance the heart and desire of the people for freedom and justice.

May God help him, those in positions of influence and all of us in the days and months ahead, helping us to see the humanity of others and holding firm to the truth.

First Lady McCray and Mayor de Blasio. Photo: Flickr

Dr. King fought for civil rights, economic justice and against the war in Vietnam. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons

The People's Organization For Progress (POP) will march today to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

“Still Fighting For His Dream: March & Rally Commemorating The 50th Anniversary Of The Assassination Of Dr Martin Luther King Jr," will take place today, Wednesday, April 4, 2018, 5PM beginning at the Martin Luther King Statue, 465 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Newark, New Jersey.

The statue is located next to the Hall of Records, near corner of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd & Springfield Avenue.

For more information contact POP Chairman Lawrence Hamm at (973) 801-0001.

Angelle Kwemo. Photo--Twitter.

Believe in Africa has chosen Marrakech, Morocco to host its second empowerment conference with the theme "African Women in Agriculture."

"African Women in Agriculture" (AWA), scheduled to be hosted at the Museum Mohammed VI for Water Civilization in Marrakech, Morocco from May 8th to 10th, 2018.

This event is organized with the support of Agence Marocaine de Cooperation Internationale (AMCI), United Nations Women, US Africa Foundation (USADF), the Initiative for Global Development (IGD), Lilium Capital, Forbes Afrique and All Africa Magazines.

The theme for this year is: "Empowering Women in Agriculture: Generating Sustainable Growth, Bridging the Gender Gap."

"We aim to continuously promote Africa's socio- economic progress by enhancing the profile of women in agriculture in a bid to contribute significantly to the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals," said Angelle Kwemo, Founder and President of Believe in Africa.

She added: "AWA is a unique place to share best practices and promote success stories. We aim to take concrete actions and develop a roadmap for resource mobilization, training and optimization of production capacity, processing and marketing of agricultural products. AWA 2018 will be an opportunity to highlight the collective commitment of this network for the empowerment of African women, and above all allow participants to find investors and partners for the marketing of their products on the African and global market".
AWA" is an initiative aimed at creating a network of stakeholders dedicated to ensuring the effective empowerment of women in agriculture, with emphasis on those in the rural areas and underserved communities, permitting them to become productive, competitive and self-sufficient."

AWA covers all 4 agricultural subsectors namely farming, livestock, fisheries/fish farming and agro forestry.

Speakers will be announced soon.

To register visit shttp://www.iamawaa.com/registration/

Contact us at believeinafrica1@gmail.com ou (212) 677 77 87 21

Chart: The USD/JPY is attempting to form a bottom after pushing through 15-month lows at the end of the first week in March. The fast stochastic has generated a crossover buy signal, in oversold territory which could generally be viewed as an indication of a short-term bounce in the USD/JPY exchange rate.

[Economics-Finance] 

The Dollar rebounded after closing at a fresh 15-month low versus the yen, as the yield differential is moving in favor of the yen. Markets are also somewhat nervous this week amid the recent global tumult on the back of increased uncertainty over monetary policy and fiscal policy matters.

Tariff news from the U.S. last week boosted fears of a possible trade war which exacerbated already rising market angst over reduced central bank stimulus, especially in the wake of Fed Chairman Powell's testimony which was seen by some as having a hawkish tone. The warning from the Bank of Japan’s (BoJ) Kuroda that the Bank could look to ending QE in the fiscal year beginning April 2019, further stoked bearish flames, and buoyed the yen.

All these developments are definitely in play this week with the BoJ holding a two-day meeting. China Will Focus on the National People’s Congress: China opens its 2-week National People's Congress this week with Premier Li setting out the 2018 targets on economic data points including growth, money supply, inflation, as well as the budget. The Congress is also expected to adopt changes to presidential term limits, removing the two-consecutive term clause, and hence consolidating and strengthening President Xi's, as well as the Communist Party's, grip on power.

Meanwhile, it will be most interesting to see the reaction, and possible retaliation, to President Trump's tariff announcement, which was seen mostly as addressing China's excess supply of steel. A possible growth-damping trade war between the two economic powerhouses is a real threat.

A Deluge of Fundamental Analysis: The Asian financial calendar, is filled with fundamental analysis and will be dominated by the above events. There are several important data reports which include Japan's docket features the second look at Q4 GDP, January current account figures, and personal income and PCE. In China, there are the services PMI, trade, PPI and CPI reports on tap. Elsewhere, trade, production and prices data dot the calendar.

The BoJ Takes Center Stage: In Japan, the markets will await the BoJ meeting which is scheduled for Thursday and Friday for any fresh insights on QE after Governor Kuroda told parliament last week he could see ending stimulus in fiscal 2019. Meanwhile, the second release of Q4 GDP which is scheduled for Thursday could see an upward revision higher above 1% relative to the pace in the Advance release. January personal income and PCE on Friday could continue to reflect soft inflation expectations. In China, the National People's Congress kicks off its two-week meeting on Monday and will be monitored closely for new developments and especially in the wake of possible U.S. tariffs. Data includes the February trade report which is scheduled for Thursday should see the surplus widen.

February CPI which is scheduled for Friday is estimated to see an increase to above the 2% handle on a year over year basis. PPI seen slowing slightly to 4.0% year over year from 4.3%.

Dr. King and Coretta Scott King. Photo: Flickr

I first heard Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. speak in person on April 19, 1960 at Spelman College’s Sisters Chapel during my senior year in college.

Dr. King was just 31 but he had already gained a national reputation during the successful Montgomery Bus Boycott five years earlier. The profound impact on me of hearing Dr. King that first time is evident in my diary where I repeated long portions of his speech that had vibrated the chords of my freedom- and justice-hungry soul. It is not often that great leaders and great turning points in history converge and sweep us up in a movement.

Dr. King became a mentor and friend. Many children today have come to see him as a history book hero – a larger-than-life, mythical figure. But it’s crucial for them to understand Dr. King wasn’t a superhuman with magical powers, but a real person – just like all the other ministers, parents, teachers, neighbors, and other familiar adults in their lives today. Although I do remember him as a great leader and a hero, I also remember him as someone able to admit how often he was afraid and unsure about his next step. But faith prevailed over fear, uncertainty, fatigue, and sometimes depression. It was his human vulnerability and ability to rise above it that I most remember. “If I Can Help Somebody Along the Way” was his favorite song.

Dr. King’s greatness lay in his willingness to struggle to hear and see the truth; to not give into fear, uncertainty and despair; to continue to grow and to never lose hope, despite every discouragement from his government and even his closest friends and advisers. He would say: “Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” That first time I heard him at Spelman he told us to always keep going: “If you cannot fly, run; if you cannot run, walk; if you cannot walk, crawl. But keep moving. Keep moving forward.”

Ten years ago I wrote a letter to Dr. King in my book The Sea Is So Wide and My Boat Is So Small: Charting a Course for the Next Generation. I rewrite just a small part of it here:

Although you have been gone fifty years, you are with me every day. We have made much but far from enough progress in overcoming the tenacious national demons of racism, poverty, materialism, and militarism you repeatedly warned could destroy America and all of God’s creation. So I wanted to write you a letter on what we have done and still have to do to realize your and America’s dream. What a privilege it was to know, work with, and learn from you in the struggle to end racial segregation, discrimination, and poverty in our land.

Just as many Old and New Testament prophets in the Bible were rejected, scorned, and dishonored in their own land in their times, so were you by many when you walked among us. Now that you are dead, many Americans remember you warmly but have sanitized and trivialized your message and life. They remember Dr. King the great orator but not Dr. King the disturber of unjust peace. They applaud the Dr. King who opposed violence but not the Dr. King who called for massive nonviolent demonstrations to end war and poverty in our national and world house.

They applaud your great 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech but ignore the promissory note still bouncing at America’s bank of justice, waiting to be cashed by millions who are poor and non-White. And they forget your repeated nightmares: the deaths of the four little girls in the Birmingham church and of three young civil rights workers in Mississippi’s Freedom Summer and others across the South; the cries for Black Power begun during James Meredith’s March Against Fear that you and others completed after he was shot; the growing violence in urban ghettos in southern and northern cities; the horrible, relentless violations of your human rights by FBI director J. Edgar Hoover; the storm of criticism that greeted your opposition to the Vietnam War, which you saw was stealing the hopes and lives of the poor at home and in that poor country; the outbreak of violence in a Memphis march you led in support of garbage workers; and the resistance to your call for a Poor People’s Campaign to end the poverty then afflicting 25.4 million Americans, including 11 million children. We now have more than 40 million people who are poor in America including more than 13.2 million children although our gross domestic product (GDP) is more than three times larger than in 1968. And the income gap between rich and poor in the United States continues at historically high levels and higher than in every other wealthy industrialized nation.

But you struggled on as the civil rights leadership splintered, as White Americans tired of Black demands, and as the country became preoccupied with Vietnam. I marveled every night during the long Meredith March from Memphis to Jackson at your patient discussions with Stokely Carmichael and Willie Ricks and other SNCC leaders who wanted to exclude Whites from the movement and push you to endorse all necessary means for change, including violence. You listened as they vented their justified frustrations about the slow pace of racial progress and you tried to reason with them, repudiating their proposed “Black Power” slogan and strategies without repudiating them. You taught me and others of your followers how to parse out the good from the not so good, and to always seek common ground. And when you had no immediate solution you gave others the courtesy of a respectful hearing.

In the years between Montgomery and Memphis, you listened, learned, grew, and spoke the truth about what you discerned, and resisted those who sought to ghettoize your concern for social justice and peace. After your opposition to the Vietnam War provoked a firestorm of criticism by Whites, Blacks, friends, and foes, you correctly asserted that “nothing in the commandments you believed in set any national boundaries around the neighbors you were called to love.” Black people told you to be quiet, not anger President Johnson and jeopardize his support for civil rights and antipoverty efforts. White people told you to be quiet because you were not an expert on foreign policy, as if Black leaders and citizens had no stake in a war tearing our nation apart and taking disproportionate numbers of Black children’s lives, forgetting it was the “experts” that got us into this ill-fated war in the first place. Some contributors deserted you as you called not only for an end to the Vietnam War but for a fairer distribution of our country’s vast resources between the rich and the poor. Why, they asked, were you pushing the nation to do more on the tail of the greatest civil rights strides ever and challenging a president who already had declared a war on poverty? You understood that our nation’s ills went deeper …

You blessed America with your rich faith, spiritual traditions, and prophetic preaching. You gave us your deep and abiding love and lifelong commitment to nonviolence. You shared your moral clarity and courageous truth telling. You left us your unrelenting commitment to justice for the poor and every one of God’s children. You showed us the way through your example and call for massive nonviolent action in the service of justice and peace. And you gave us your life.

Thank you. We will carry on.

Marian Wright Edelman is President of the Children's Defense Fund whose Leave No Child Behind® mission is to ensure every child a Healthy Start, a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe Start and a Moral Start in life and successful passage to adulthood with the help of caring families and communities. For more information go to www.childrensdefense.org

The UN's Guterres. World leaders want negotiations while Morocco saber rattles 

After Polisario Front, the movement for the independence of Western Sahara suggested that it would relocate its ministers into liberated territory Morocco which occupies the resource-rich territory sharply escalated tensions by saying it would not rule out war. 

Moroccan Permanent Representative at the United Nations, Omar Hilale, accused Polisario of violating the ceasefire agreement by allowing in its armed elements in Guerguerat buffer zone and expected transfer of Ministerial premises to liberated territories. “Morocco will not stand idly by the deterioration of the situation on the ground,” said Mr. Hilale. 

Separately, returning from a visit to Israel after the appointment of John Bolton as national security adviser, Morocco’s Foreign Affairs Minister Nasser Bourita echoed Hilale's rhetoric when called for an extraordinary meeting between the Parliamentary Committees of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Ministry. "Morocco will not tolerate Polisario’s ongoing provocative maneuvers to alter the buffer zone agreed upon by both parties under the UN supervision,” Bourita said in a statement to reporters after the meeting. The minister lashed out at Algeria, which hosts Polisario Front, as being behind the liberation movement's alleged attempts to penetrate into the buffer zone.

Polisario Front's reply came very quickly when the coordinator with MINURSO --which is the acronym of the UN monitoring team in the occupied country-- Mhamed Kadad, expressed Polisario’s readiness to respond to any Moroccan threat to the liberated territories.  In a press statement Khadad said Morocco was trying to abandon the peace process, adding that there is no option for Morocco but to abide by the international law.

The UN spokesperson, Stéphane Dujarric dismissed Moroccan allegations of Polisario’s military elements penetration into the buffer zone. Dujarric stated that MINURSO is monitoring the situation very closely. “Our colleagues did not observe any military element movement in the northeast of the buffer zone," Dujarric said in a press conference at the UN headquarters. 

Morocco’s escalated saber-rattling could be due to recent major setbacks on the international front with Western Sahara. First, On February 27, the EU’s top court ruled that fisheries agreements between Morocco and EU does not apply to Western Sahara’s territorial water. This ruling came just a few days after the adverse decision of a South African court over a disputed cargo of Western Sahara-mined phosphate seized by South African authorities following a lawsuit by Polisario Front. Morocco continues to export hundreds of millions of dollars worth of minerals illegally mined from the occupied country. South Africa is a major supporter of the people of Western Sahara's right to self determination.

Second, Morocco has been rattled by the strong engagement of the special envoy of the UN Secretary General, Horst Köhler - former president of Germany- who is determined to revive the process to end the stalemate in Western Sahara. He recently met many international stakeholders including the EU, AU, U.S., among others, as a push forward towards resuming talks between the parties. Morocco has been hindering the process since 2012. Kohler is expected to meet Russia and China as part of his endeavor to leverage the parties' positions.  Reactivating the negotiation process does not play well with Morocco's agenda which is to offer "autonomy" instead of letting people in the occupied country choose independence. 

Third, Morocco’s return as a member of the African Union (AU) did not result in the expulsion of the Saharawi Republic --which is the name Polisario Front and people in the occupied country call their nation. Instead, AU reiterates its firm positions to a peacefully negotiated political solution respecting the right of Saharawi people to self-determination. Both Morocco and Polisario Front are members of the African Union on equal footing.

Finally, Morocco is unhappy with the recent report of the UN Secretary General, Antonio Guterres, who expressed deep concern over: human rights violations in the occupied territories; and, denial of access to the African Union Monitoring Mission and international observers. He also called upon Morocco to allow deployment of an expert mission in the territory to closely monitor the situation in the Gurguerat region. Guterres emphasized the significance of resuming the negotiations between Polisario Front and Morroco.

Meanwhile, the Polisario Front now mourns the recent death of one of its prominent leaders, former representative before the UN, Bukari Ahmed. He was a strong advocate for the cause and died peacefully. Although his death will not affect the aspiration of the Saharawi People to self-determination and independence, his extensive experience will be missed.

Bel-la Lehbib Breica is an independent Journalist and freelance translator based in Harrisonburg, Virginia.

Welcome to Trumpland. Photo: Flickr

Last week, Cecilia Gomez went to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in Las Vegas for a green card interview and never came out. Instead, she was shoved against a desk by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents and put on a bus to the border.

Now, the mother of three U.S. citizens is occupying a jail cell at Eloy Detention Center in Arizona. Yesterday, her children, current lawyer, and supporters spoke out publicly for the first time about her case.

"There are no hidden facts here. She really is a mom of three kids, and they’re U.S. citizens and they’re just trying to get her legal status,” says Laura Barrera, with UNLV’s Immigration Clinic.

Gomez’ eldest son, who petitioned for her to obtain legal permanent residency, is in college. Her youngest son, Eric, is thirteen. He told reporters yesterday: “We’ve never been through this, so it’s very difficult. We just want her to come home.”

Ricardo, Gomez’ middle son, is trying to be the man of the house. He said: “We are mourning right now. We don’t know how to handle this situation. I’m trying to be as strong as I can be, trying to handle the situation, trying to handle school, trying to handle (Eric). It’s a lot.”

Gomez has lived in the United States for more than 20 years. Her eldest son, Yonathan, was finally old enough to petition for his mother to obtain legal permanent residency, and they began the process a year ago. What was supposed to be a routine green card interview turned into a Kafkaesque nightmare for Cecilia and her children, causing needless pain for a family on the verge of getting their mother’s immigration status legalized.

“Cecilia Gomez had a path to legal status and she was following it. The fact that the government would rather deport her than allow her to follow this path is outrageously cruel,” sayd Lynn Tramonte, Deportation Defense Coordinator with America’s Voice. “Arresting and detaining her is absolutely senseless. The only reason to do something like this is to show that you can. This is where immigration policy is at under Trump: indiscriminate, mass deportation without any regard for common sense, or any concern for the lives of those left behind – even if they are American children."

Tramonte adds: "Cecilia should be on her way to getting a green card now. Instead, she’s sitting in a jail cell at Eloy Detention Center. Our tax dollars are keeping her incarcerated. This is outrageously cruel treatment of an ordinary American family, and an outrageous misuse of our tax dollars. The government must release Cecilia immediately."

Follow Frank Sharry and America’s Voice on Twitter: @FrankSharry and @AmericasVoice

America's Voice – Harnessing the power of American voices and American values to win common sense immigration reform

www.americasvoice.org

Edwin Freeman. Photo: Freeman Media Group

[Entertainment]

The actor Edwin Freeman --"Notorious" and "Luke Cage"-- has been busy; he's released a new music single, "By Myself ($elf Made)" and a documentary film “Section 3: Finding My Vision.”

"The new music single is a trap inspired song," says Freeman. It's produced by Atlanta-based deejay and music producer, Bam On Da Drumz. It's available now on CD Baby, iTunes, Amazon Music, Spotify, Google Play Music and all other digital platforms.

The documentary film highlights Freeman's childhood friend Dorian Cabrera’s journey from the gritty streets of Brownsville, Brooklyn, through the rough New York State Department of Corrections, to being released and opening a flourishing luxury visioncare boutique.

Freeman serves as film producer on the film which premieres on April 26, 2018 at Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM).

Facebook: www.facebook.com/siredwinfreeman

Twitter: www.twitter.com/siredwinfreeman

Instagram: www.instagram.com/siredwinfreeman 

Freeman Media Group (516) 986-7830

freemanmediagroup@gmail.com

Helen Epstein discusses the bloodshed and destruction caused by U.S.-ally Gen. Museveni in the Great Lakes region. Photo: YouTube

On April 2, 2018, a remarkable peaceful transfer of power was made in Ethiopia when Dr. Abiy Ahmed assumed his new position as Ethiopian Prime Minister, following the unprecedented action of former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn when he voluntarily stepped down from that position, hoping to make way for peaceful democratic reforms.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed then gave a historic speech before the Ethiopian Parliament, unlike any other in the last fifty years. The vision he laid out was clearly an Ethiopian vision, which affirmed the innate dignity of all Ethiopians, regardless of ethnicity, religion, gender or other differences, the foundation of each person’s right to freedom, justice, the rule of law and protection from corruption and robbery.

He spoke of the need to promote good economic policy, to provide increased technology to the agricultural sector, to the importance of investing in education and to the government’s role in serving the people instead of the other way around. He also recognized the many Ethiopians who have sacrificed in defense of the country in the past and he apologized to the family who lost their love ones. He called on the people of Ethiopia and in the Diaspora—including the youth— to partner together in the challenging job of building a better country.

The speech was filled with hope for a better future for all Ethiopians, exceeding the expectations of almost everyone. He especially noted the contribution of women and acknowledged the significant contribution made by our youth in pushing for democratic change and their rejection of the current autocratic system. Before the Ethiopian Parliament and the people of Ethiopia, he affirmed that their demands for freedom and justice were legitimate. After nearly three years of protests and the loss of countless lives, his vision for Ethiopia clearly embraced their aspirations; yet, the changes these youth seek are not new.

In the past, the Ethiopian youth of the day laid much of the groundwork for change, similar to the youth of today. In fact, it has nearly always been the youth, our biggest collective group, who have paid the price with their lives. This happened during the student movement of the seventies and again when Mengistu was overthrown; but both times, the efforts to bring change did not lead to a better Ethiopia. What went wrong? What can the youth of the past say to the youth of today? How can they work together to bring a better future to the youth of tomorrow? How can trust be rebuilt so we can join together to support this new vision for a better Ethiopia?

We should not let this opportunity pass by; nor should we fail to learn from prior mistakes, leaving the youth of the future to recycle the same struggle. Will the new prime minister’s bold and reconciliatory vision be widely embraced or will most take a “wait and see” approach, sitting by until the new prime minister “proves himself?”

This is a highly challenging political environment for such change, making the task even more daunting; yet, there is a new opportunity and if Ethiopians empower the momentum, we may overcome the obstacles. With God’s help and unity around the principle-based vision PM Abiy proposed; it may very well succeed; however, without that support, there are forces that may undermine its success.

If we do not “do the work” now, and it fails, it will be our own fault. Neither can we stop our effort until it is sustainably entrenched in the framework of our society and protected by strengthened institutions and a participatory democracy. No one, even the prime minister, can do it alone without the backing of the people.

We all must be involved so as to hold all of us accountable, including PM Abiy, his cabinet, the EPRDF, the Ethiopian Parliament, regional leaders, local leaders, our institutions and ourselves to a higher vision for a better Ethiopia. Will you be part of this?

The new prime minister’s strong embrace of a new paradigm of thinking is a dramatic positive shift in direction that may avert the dangerous downward descent of the country into ethnic-based conflict and destruction. Any system, like ours, that is heavily slanted to unfairly favor one group over all others, like the TPLF dominated EPRDF, will certainly become its own source of conflict, with constant threats and challenges to its continued existence.

We should all expect a clash of paradigms between the Ethiopian vision presented by the new prime minister and the old paradigm of ethnic federalism, which mainly supports one group, the TPLF, who have dominated the EPRDF. We hope the members of the EPRDF and others, will not be among those seeking to take the place of the TPLF, but instead will be the first to call for a new structure that opens the political space to representation from all Ethiopians. Unfortunately, we expect some resistance from at least two opposing groups.

1) The TPLF and their supporters: The existing TPLF power-holders and their cronies resisted PM Abiy’s election as chairman of the EPRDF and his appointment as prime minister, fearing genuine change; however this present arrangement may become the most favorable exit plan that would provide them with the most peaceful transition to a genuine democratic model where they could also benefit. Right now, they may not recognize this golden opportunity before them; and instead, resist it and try to block PM Abiy at every attempt to bring real democratic reforms.

2) Ethno-nationalists: Those leaders and their supporters who see nothing wrong with the present model of the ethnic federalism of the EPRDF, may strongly oppose PM Abiy’s Ethiopian vision and see him and his vision as obstacles to their goals. Ironically, they may share a like-minded ideology to the model of the status quo, contrary to the rising numbers of Ethiopians who now support freedom, justice and opportunity for all the people of Ethiopia.

Both of these groups, although themselves vying for power, could attempt to undermine the vision of the new prime minister and of the majority of Ethiopians, believing their survival and advancement depends on owning the power, finding it hard to imagine an outcome that could be more beneficial to them in the long run— bringing more sustainable peace and security to all, including themselves.

This is a clash of paradigms should be played out not with guns in the streets, but instead at the round table through civil debate, evidence and the real needs of the people and country. The vision as laid out by the new prime minister is based on principles we in the SMNE heartily endorse— that every life is valuable, regardless of ethnicity or other differences, and that freedom and justice are not sustainable until freedom and justice come to all.

We should not “wait and see” when we have opportunity to advance our values and principles. If this opportunity is seized upon, it could become a win-win for all of us, including the TPLF and others holding to ethnocentric views and ambitions. If it is not seized upon, we may give opportunity to those who oppose it to once again hijack our hope and dreams for a better Ethiopia.

We all know that the newly elected prime minister has been part of the EPRDF system; and that he still is; but people need to know that the demands of people helped bring him to this position. He has taken a strong stand for democratic reforms, unlike any we have seen come from within the system, despite the resistance from some more entrenched in the system. He was not alone in bringing this outcome. Many others have worked together within the OPDO, the ANDM, the EPRDF and the Ethiopian Parliament to endorse not only PM Abiy, but this inclusive vision for all of Ethiopia.

Something new we are seeing is the insider movement within the system that is beginning to strengthen. Add to this momentum, the minorities outside of the EPRDF; had they been able to vote, many would have also stood by this ideological shift to a new broader vision for Ethiopia and away from the nations and nationalities approach that manipulated the model to favor a few.

Three years of pressure for change from our youth have played a significant role in bringing this new prime minister to this office, as efforts from other hard-working Ethiopians inside the country and in the Diaspora. For these reasons, we should not be quick to judge or do nothing to help after so many people have contributed to this outcome. Waiting and doing nothing can give the TPLF time to crush our shared hopes for a vision many of us have already been working to bring. If he and others are blocked from accomplishing this vision, Ethiopians should be ready to again speak out.

The TPLF want to slow down and silence the Qeeroo, Fano and Zerma youth, but to do so, a small space opened up for this new prime minister. This has happened before; but, each time the movement was crushed, like after the rigged 2005 election where the people almost brought down the TPLF. It happened again after the Muslim uprising when the TPLF were again able to crush the efforts of this powerful, peaceful movement for religious freedom. Then the Oromo youth rose up in 2015 in response to the Addis Ababa Master Plan that would force people from their homes and land. Many Oromo youth lost their lives.

That was followed by an uprising in Gonder on July 2, 2016, when Amhara leaders demonstrated unity of mind and purpose with the Oromo, claiming the Oromo blood was their own blood, that all political prisoners were their own, and that the grabbing of land in Gambella was like their own land had been taken. Such empathy and unity scared and challenged the TPLF, nearly bringing them to their knees before calling a State of Emergency for 6 months, and then extending it 3 more months. Deadly force and the imprisonment of thousands of youth and others crushed it, only for the youth to rise up once again.

The ruling TPLF should understand that the best way out of the ongoing power struggle is to actually satisfy the demands of the people for inclusive freedom, justice and opportunity. Without doing so, the conflict may gain momentum and erupt in a way that brings far more damage to our people and country.

The TPLF hardline approach is like the campfire you think you have extinguished, believing you left only the ashes; but with some slight breeze, some red ember reignites and out of nowhere, there is a fire, perhaps even bigger than the one you left. It can explode into a forest fire and get out of control if ignored.

Currently, the demands of the people have created new pressure for change. This time that ember led to the resignation of the prime minister, the release of thousands of political prisoners, another State of Emergency— which had to be rigged due to decreasing cooperation among EPRDF insiders— and now to the appointment of a new prime minister who has displayed the courage and wisdom to present a vision unlike any other. How many other embers are still ready to ignite if the vision of PM Abiy and the cooperative efforts of so many within and outside of the system, are blocked?

The unique advantage now is having a prime minister, someone on the other side, who is speaking the same language as the people and who seems to understand some ways to bring change. He has extended his hand out, and now the people must respond with the same if we are going to start a genuine dialogue that will lead to a process to bring meaningful democratic reforms, reconciliation and restorative justice.

Important next steps:

1. End the State of Emergency
2. Release all political prisoners
3. Call on all opposition to start a national dialogue
4. Reform the national security sector to reflect diversity of the nation.

These are things the TPLF would never willingly do unless there was pressure from the people, the international community and an effective organized body intensively working to make it happen.

This is why the “wait and see” approach is a death sentence to the peoples’ hopes and dreams; and instead, will empower the TPLF. The new prime minister has the title, but not the authority over the military, security forces, intelligence, judiciary, and other key components that are by law, supposed to be part of his position. The TPLF will not easily give over control, so there must be active support of him and what he is trying to do.

Those Ethiopians in positions of power, as well as intellectuals, visionaries, religious leaders, elders and other key people must help develop a framework leading to an inclusive national dialogue, reconciliation, restorative justice and democratic reforms so as to bring transformative change.

God has given us so many opportunities, but we wasted them or saw them sabotaged by personal or tribal ambitions. The rejection of the feudal system brought the communist government of the Derg— the Red Terror. The overthrow of the Derg brought the emergence of the present ethnic apartheid regime led by a liberation front called TPLF, which has divided the country, landlocked Ethiopia, deepened ethnic hatred to a point we have never seen before and robbed the country of many of its resources.

If we now miss this opportunity; we could get get more years of oppression under the TPLF; we could find ourselves under the domination of yet another tribal group, or something worse, including the widespread violence and destruction. The people have suffered for too long and deserve better than this. It is time for an Ethiopian vision.

May God strengthen and guide Prime Minister Abiy, the EPRDF, the Ethiopian Parliament, the TPLF, the TPLF Central Committee, the people in Ethiopia, including our youth, and those in the Diaspora, helping all of us to do what is right, good, loving, moral, brave, wise, and honorable during this critical time in the country. May God help us value the lives and rights of others, putting humanity before ethnicity or any other differences and caring about the freedom of each other, for no one will be free until all are free.