My rant on Africa - Issue 9

[ukyp]

http://www.ukyouthparliament.org.uk/...ue9/africa.pdf

Four years ago an African country made an announcement that shocked the economic and political world. This announcement was not greeted with pride or happiness, instead it was greeted with fear and panic, and what followed was extensive interference from the West in this country’s affairs to stop other African countries following suit. This announcement was made by then President of Nigeria, Olusegun Obasanjo. He said, “Nigeria is no longer in debt to the West, we have paid off all our debts.”

The main problem with Africa is not corrupt leaders, nor tribalism, it isn’t even poverty. The main problem with Africa is that Western people think they are helping, and Western governments and multinationals pretend they are helping. When we give all our aid, what are we building, a strong continent or a dependant one? Africa has over a third of the world’s natural resources, so it certainly is not money these people need.

Africa has corrupt leaders, who preside over dictatorships. Sounds very much like Europe a few centuries back, and if Europe has become the perfect continent it so obviously is, shouldn’t Africa be given the chance?

I am not condoning the dictators, but I am saying that Africa is a product of the landscape that was raped and pillaged by the West. That landscape, as barren as it is now, can develop, if given the opportunity, but not with the patronising help (gifts) of the hand that brought it to its knees.

In another lifetime the West supported Mugabe. In this lifetime they don’t. He is a truly evil man, I agree, but let me tell you the other side. Here is a man who on coming to power, saw a country in debt to the West, who saw a country that though independent was also subservient. Here is a man who saw a country of 99% blacks, yet it was estimated that 80% of the wealth was with the minority whites. Here is a desperate man.

Then look at Nigeria where all the Western multinationals hire foreigners to do work, and it is not due to a lack of skills. Find a head of the African arm of a multinational company that is black, and I will find you twenty that are white.

Then you have the aid charities who do such a brilliant job of creating a dependence culture. They feed the hungry today, and then feed them again tomorrow. Why don’t we all just sponsor an African child for LIFE? Governments will never take responsibility for their people while they have do gooders to do it for them.

Then we have the EU’s protectionist laws on farmed goods. The EU will happily sell to Africa, but if it is not oil or diamonds, it becomes pedantic in terms of buying, impoverishing many African farmers, who have turned to dealing with the Chinese, who offer missiles and guns in return for food out of their abundant kindness.

This sums up for me the West’s dealings in Africa. It is neither fair, and rarely is it trade. It is more like highway robbery, then giving the victim some of the money back as a gift. If many African nations had not become so dependent on the west, they would reply as Obasanjo replied, and they too would spurn such an offer. So as someone told me a few months ago, and I say now, let Africa be Africa.

[Hamsterwaffle]

So we should be ashamed that we put our own interests first? Because I am sure the Africans think about how their government's actions will impact upon us.........

[Austin Sheridan]

I think thats a little unfair Hamsterwaffle.

I think that we should try and help Africa as much as we can (without invading). We should be trying to help set up the the African union (AU) so that we can try and get other African nations to put pressure on other African nations like Zimbabwe and other dictatorships to hold democratic elections. This would be an improvement in my view if the AU started to work towards things like this.

[orcprocess]

Why?

They chose to become indpendent from the British empire so they should sort their own problems out.

[Marcus89]

Originally Posted by orcprocess

Why?

They chose to become indpendent from the British empire so they should sort their own problems out.

I'm not sure if the British Empire is the right line to go down. Although in priniciple I agree with you, and HamsterWaffle too. This isn't because we're cold hearted and xyenphobes. It's simple the reasoning of why should we use our resources to help other nations, when we need to help ourselves? Granted we have an impact on the rest of the international community as a result of some decisions, and we try to balance that. However, in my eyes my country comes first.

[Hamsterwaffle]

Originally Posted by Austin MacScaithghil

I think thats a little unfair Hamsterwaffle.

Austin, just something I would like to point out. You see that bit in your signature, the bit that says "The first priority of the Scottish Government are the People of Scotland", aside from the grammar error, do you realise that I created the phrase, albeit applying it to the whole UK, in order to use it to argue for the very thing you are arguing against.

[EmmaGallen]

If Britain was able to rape the resources from Africa for so long, they can payt the price for helping it get back on its feet.

[Fred]

Originally Posted by EmmaGallen

If Britain was able to rape the resources from Africa for so long, they can payt the price for helping it get back on its feet.

But we raped the resources from parts of Africa because it was part of the British Empire!! When they decided to leave the British Empire, why should we pay the price when they were the ones who wanted indepence!!

[Paul]

Originally Posted by Fred

But we raped the resources from parts of Africa because it was part of the British Empire!! When they decided to leave the British Empire, why should we pay the price when they were the ones who wanted independence!!

That doesn't sound too logical - "We invaded them and brought all the profit from their land back to London and kept it in the hands of Englishmen, they wanted fairness and independence - so we excluded them from our markets and it's all their fault for not wanting to be governed according to the best interests of residents of the United Kingdom".

[Fred]

But we raped there resources while we were there, there are still some of those resources left. Also parts of Africa make money back from us with there tourist trade, safari's etc.

Also our counrty is in enough dept already (£669,647,800,000) wouldn't be a better idea to get our country out of dept THEN help the Africain countries out of dept?