2014.06.26

Guest Contributor, Saajida Malvina highlights the double standards we use when addressing acts of terrorism, and how we’re being played on the massive colonial chessboard.

Africa is a vast continent rich not only in natural resources but has fertile land and ideal weather patterns for good plantations. Eurasian and American countries are affected by climate change especially the developed world wherein they have developed so steadily that farming and farms are uncommon.

Food shortage is a serious concern for these countries; hence former colonies want to maintain a strong-hold on the African continent. One of their foremost strategies is the divide-and-rule method. The difference between the first scramble in the 17th century, and now in the 21st century is their motive to use African military or African agents who will intervene directly, as in Libya or Egypt, wherein the agents or military personnel benefit financially. In other words, Africans would be doing their dirty work. Too many European and American soldiers have been killed in Iraq and Afghanistan. This is of great concern to these imperial states as they are losing popularity, thus the western powers are looking for different methods to achieve their goals to win back the leverage once attained through financial power.

In October 2008 the U.S established Africom. According to Africom’s website, “It’s aim is for U.S and Africa to command effectively, advancing the interest of U.S national security, interest and support as well as for the US government’s foreign policy primarily, military to military activities and assistance programs. The core mission is to reduce threat to U.S interests.”

Libya was actually a test case for Africom and commanded by Africom without U.S troops being on the ground except intelligence agencies – it proved a success story. Muammar Gaddafi was toppled, infrastructure destroyed and a country which once had no IMF loan and the eccentric president who intended to sell oil in other than the dollar, killed.

Another country which analyst have linked to Africom is Mali, a country that has become a graveyard as hundreds of people are massacred since 22 March 2012. US trained army captain, Amadou Sanago, led a coup against now exiled president Amadou Tumani Toure, accusing him of not doing enough to challenge the countrys separatist North. Sanago himself declared the coup “accidental”. After the coup, the Tuareg National Movement of the north declared independence. Two weeks later, a so-called Islamic group seized control and thus the U.S and France, its former colonial power, intervened in the matter.

Why Mali?

Mali is important because it is rich in uranium and mineral resources. Europe is now using Uranium in energy to turn it into atomic energy to produce electricity and power. The E.U insists that 10% of all transport fuel must come from plants based bio fuels.

French Colonisation

In the 21st century 14 African countries are obliged by France through a colonial pact to put 85% of their foreign reserve into the France Central Bank. Any country that dare protest or refuse is killed or overthrown by a coup. Those who support this barbaric system are rewarded with an opulent lifestyle whilst their supporters live in abject poverty. This is the reason why so many African countries are rife in corruption. The E.U is against this unjust system but to which France refuses to listen.

Jacques Chirac former President of France said: “Without Africa, France will slide down into the rank of third (world) power.”

France is still desperate to keep a stronghold on their former colonies at whatever cost. In the last 50 years, 67 coups occurred in 26 countries – 16 of which are former French colonies.

In 1958 Sekou Toure of Guinea decided to get out of French empire and opted for his country to gain independence. The French colonial elite were furious and in one historic act of fury, destroyed everything in the country which they called “Benefits of French colonization.”

Guinea was punished and 3000 French left the country, taking all their property and destroyed everything that could be moved like schools, nurseries, public administration, medicine, farm implement, tractors etc. Animals, like cows and horses were killed and food warehouses destroyed or poisoned. The purpose was to send a clear message to other colonies that rejecting the French would be a high price to pay. Fear spread through the African elite, and after Guinea, none found the courage to follow Sekou Toure example whose slogan was: “We prefer freedom in poverty to opulence in slavery.”

The president of Togo, Sylvanus Olympio, decided to find a middle ground. He didn’t want his country to continue to be under France and refused to sign the “colonisation continuation pact” opting to pay an annual debt to France for the so called ”benefit” to Togo from French colonisation. The amount was so high that it was close to 40% of the country’s budget in 1963. The financial situation was impossible, hence Olympio decided to change his currency and issue his own currency. This was a fatal error for Olympio who was murdered 3 days later by a squad of illiterate soldiers back by France and thus ended Olympio’s dream for his country.

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