AFRICANS RESIST U.S. PRESSURE
By G. Dunkel
March k13, 2003--Three African countries--Cameroon, Guinea and Angola--currently have temporary seats on the UN Security Council. The U.S. government is strenuously courting their votes for its resolution authorizing an attack on Iraq.
Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs Walter H. Kansteiner has been in Africa applying direct pressure. Secretary of State Colin Powell and President George W. Bush have been working the phones.
Foreign Minister Dominique de Ville pin of France, which has widespread commercial interests and troops in Africa and opposes the U.S. resolution, also hurriedly scheduled a visit to these three countries over the March 8 to 9 weekend.
Almost all the countries of sub-Saharan Africa are desperately poor, in need of development, investment and foreign trade after centuries of the slave trade followed by colonial plunder. The spike in oil prices anticipated with the U.S. war against Iraq will add desperation to their misery.
Senegal is a small country in Francophone West Africa that has more influence than its size would suggest. Back on Feb. 21, there was a strong demonstration outside the main mosque in Dakar to condemn a possible war on Iraq. Senegal, like much of West Africa, is overwhelmingly Muslim. This was one of the first demonstrations in the region, where many governments are worried about the consequences of upsetting the U.S. and a number of civil wars are simmering.
At another demonstration on March 6, students, trade unionists, political leaders from all the major parties and religious leaders chanted "Bush, butcher, Blair, terrorist." The marchers urged Cameroon, Guinea and Angola to cast their crucial votes against the U.S. resolution authorizing an invasion of Iraq.
Protesters held signs reading, "Halt aggression against Iraq." Speakers like Malick Ndiaye of the Committee of Intellectuals stated that if Bush attacked Iraq without the authorization of the Security Council, he should be brought before the International Criminal Court.
Boubacar Diop, spokesperson for the coalition that organized the march, proclaimed, "The day the Americans bombard Iraq, we will march on the U.S. Embassy."
International Action Center
39 West 14th Street, Room 206
New York, NY 10011
email: mailto:iacenter@action-mail.org
En Espanol: iac-cai@action-mail.org
Web: http://www.iacenter.org
Support Mumia Abu-Jamal: http://www.millions4mumia.org/
phone: 212 633-6646
fax: 212 633-2889
Make a donation to the IAC and its projects
The International Action Center
Home ActionAlerts Press
Share this page with a friend