coke catastrophe averted in Liberia

2.5 metric tons of cocaine was seized yesterday by a French military vessel, off the coast of West Africa. The “Blue Atlantic” was carrying 92 barrels of cocaine, leaving officials dumbfounded as to how to dispose of the massive cargo. Officials arrested 9 Ghanaian traffickers in what was the biggest drug bust in Liberian history. While this arrest/seizure was in many ways a huge success, I believe it ignites as many fears as it allays.

West Africa, has increasingly become a point favored by Latin American drug cartels because of weak local law enforcement and a largely unsupervised coastline… if this had hit the Liberian market, it would have destroyed the entire country (Ashford Pearl, the head of Port Security in Monrovia) read more here.

When I was in Ghana this summer, the young people informed me of the rapid increase of drug trafficking over the past two decades. This article reveals that the growing drug problem transcends Ghanaian boarders. According to the young people, the drugs have spread so quickly in West Africa because the government is faced with other priorities, such as health, energy, war and hunger. Unfortunately, these issues take precedence over drug prevention. Because of these factors, as well as lack of security, many West African nations are becoming criminal hotbeds, offering new clientèle and lower risk shipping routes for the international drug trade. For every “Blue Atlantic” I’m sure there are dozens of other ships that dock on West African soil unchallenged. This could prove particularly detrimental in some of the developing West African nations where the anti-drug/drug treatment infrastructure is weak. The 21st century Opium Wars are being waged on African soil, and we can’t afford any more casualties. I only hope this seizure will do more to raise consciousness about the importance of keeping the drug trade out of Africa.

Happy MLK Day!!!

Today we celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr's memory, his legacy and his birthday. MLK Day is one of only four United States federal holidays to commemorate an individual (the others include George Washington, Christopher Columbus and Jesus Christ). King was assassinated in 1968, making this our 40th year in mourning. While we reflect on the memory and accomplishments of Martin Luther King, Jr. I just wanted put in perspective the struggles that went into making this day a reality. Many people take Martin Luther King, Jr. day for granted. It's a day we get off work or school, maybe watch a few PBS specials, or attend ceremonies celebrating his achievements, but that's about it. Many people are not aware of the intense opposition that people such as Senator Jesse Helms and former president Ronald Reagan, had against Martin Luther King. It was only after intense campaigning from community activists, businesses and politicians that MLK Day came to be. With over six million signatures, the petition for Martin Luther King, Jr. Day became the largest petition in favor of an issue in United States History. It took artists like Public Enemy and Stevie Wonder, writing songs pressuring stubborn states like Arizona, to finally get the bill passed unanimously. It was not until May 2, 2000, that South Carolina relented, becoming the last state to make Martin Luther King, Jr.'s birthday an official holiday. So today let us remember, first and foremost, the millions of activists who bled, sweat and cried alongside the honorable Martin Luther King, Jr, as well as the hard work that went into making that went into making this day possible. Martin Luther King, Jr. would have been 79 years old on January 15th, 2008.

January Interview: Sonia Sanchez

This month's interview is ready to go! Via youtube, we present the January interview with world renowned activist and poet, Sonia Sanchez. Listen close, you might just learn something..

Carnival of 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence

Thanks to everyone who participated in the Carnival by submitting posts as well as those who linked and promoted the carnival on their blogs. Thinking about how to group the Carnival posts I finally decided on two groupings, those that speak specifically to the Global South and those which speak to a more universal GBV.

One of the first bloggers I linked to over three years ago is Bengladeshi blogger, Rezwan. Rezwan has written a report on how Bangladeshi bloggers are responding to the issue of domestic violence and influencing the local mainstream media to take gender based violence on board.

And it worked like a wonder, as articles have started to appear in the local media. This has prompted local journalists like Foisal Noi [bn] to go to Rahela's village and dig up more information on the case. A significant TV broadcast about Rahela's case is planned for October 29. Whether Rahela will get justice, only time will tell. But that single post by Manobi led to a level of activity in the society that was certainly unprecedented.

Alex Engwete's post on Sexual Terrorism is located in the DRC. In the midst of continued psychological and physical destruction and extinction of Congolese women? he asks why is it that African and Congolese social scientists have failed to develop a theoretical tool able to map out, trace, and explain the horrific phenomenon? As a result there are inadequate statistics which would determine the true extent of the violence against Congolese women.

Perceived as a particularly effective weapon of war and used to subdue, punish, or take revenge upon entire communities, acts of sexual and gender-based violence increased concomitantly. Attacks have comprised individual rapes, sexual abuse, gang rapes, mutilation of genitalia, and rape-shooting or rape-stabbing combinations, at times undertaken after family members have been tied up and forced to watch. The perpetrators have come from among virtually all of the armies, militias and gangs implicated in the conflicts, including local bands that attacked their own communities and local police forces.

Read the rest here

Land of the Free, Home of the Slave

New Jersey is the newest state to enter into the debate about apologizing for enslavement. So far, Alabama, Maryland, North Carolina and Virginia have taken the lead in offering an official apology, which would make New Jersey the first northern state to make such an offer. The apology comes in the form of a state-wide resolution, which is designed expresses “profound regret” for Jersey’s role in institution of enslavement in the United States. There are strong opinions on both sides of this issue. Among those most vehemently against the resolution are Republican party members Richard Merkt and Patrick Carroll. Merkt said,

“Who living today is guilty of slave holding and thus capable of apologizing for the offense? And who living today is a former slave and thus capable of accepting the apology? So how is a real apology even remotely possible, much less meaningful, given the long absence of both oppressor and victim?” Carroll added,

“On a current note, if slavery was the price that a modern American’s ancestors had to pay in order to make one an American, one should get down on one’s knees every single day and thank the Lord that such price was paid,”(read more here).


What a terrifying notion that we, as the descendants of the enslaved, should “get down on our knees” and thank the creator for blessing our ancestors with enslavement. I wonder, too, if the indigenous Americans, the Lumbee, the Incas or Aztecs should thank Europeans for the genocide, which helped them become a part of the American Dream. I believe that this very ideology is exactly why an apology is necessary. These comments reveal that many Americans do not believe that institutions such as enslavement and genocide are inherently bad, as they have been instrumental in helping (some) Americans achieve a high standard of living. Why would we be thankful for such an atrocity?

New Jersey had particular significance in the slave trade, with one of the largest slave populations in the northern colonies. Jersey was also the last northern state to free slaves as well as the last northeast state to abolish slavery, doing so in 1846. But is an apology enough? What other steps can New Jersey and the other states that have expressed anguish over their involvement in the slave trade do to rectify it’s lasting legacy?

Obama wins Iowa: Black History in the Making

Yesterday, Barak Obama surprised the experts with a convincing victory in the Iowa caucus, winning 38 percent of the Democratic vote, followed by John Edwards at 30 percent, and Hillary Clinton who only managed to reel in 29 percent. This makes Obama the first black candidate to ever win a primary. And it happened in a state which is 95 per cent white and rural – hardly a traditional battleground for Black political candidates. With a whopping two-to-one ratio against the Republican Party, it seems clear that the Democratic party is going to sweep Iowa in the presidential elections (a key swing state for the past two elections). However, winning this caucus does not guarantee that Obama will be the final front-runner for the Democratic Party in this November’s presidential elections. He’s got a long way to go and his next destination is New Hampshire’s primary, which is coming up this Tuesday.

What makes this victory so incredible is that Obama was all but written out of the primary by political powerhouse, Hillary Clinton. Winning Iowa catapults Obama to the forefront of the Democratic party with vigorous momentum, leaving former first lady Hillary Clinton scrambling to come up with a contingency plan. Furthermore, the youth came out in support of Obama in record numbers. I don’t know if it was his facebook group, Oprah, youtube, or what, but the under-30 crowd was in full effect, supporting his campaign. Another interesting figure was Obama’s margin of victory. He didn’t just win, he pretty much obliterated the competition. And for the first Black person to ever win a primary, this is an extraordinary feat, indeed. Go back and peep last years interview with Jesse Jackson - he was the first person of color ever to come close to winning a primary but now, Obama has sealed the deal. Pay very close attention brothers and sisters, we’re witnessing history!

Afro Techie

Blackademics,
Every now and again I think its nice to give props to local smaller achievements in the African American community as a reminder that we are doing great things. We have to advertise our own successes and support each other. So I was elated when I found out about the following smaller but substantial achievement. Norfolk State University alumni, Omari Dennis, Phillip Hayes Jr, and Douglas Jones, won second place in the Howard University Skin Challenge. The Norfolk alumni have created a skin for Windows Media Player that not only plays media but also educates the user about the achievements in innovation and technology within the African American community. The fully functional skin is quite impressive and worth downloading if only to see the ways these young men have incorporated their technological skills with their desire to promote the successes within the African American community.

Like these young men, many other great technologically savvy young people have combined their interests and talents in technology to promote the African American culture. Even if you are not a fan of WMP, it wouldn’t hurt to look through some of the other years’ winners as well. From promoting the beauty of natural hair and the beauty of Africa to skins inspired by the wonders of hip hop and soca music, all of these skins are impressive. In a nutshell, this is but a small but significant example of young African Americans and in this case the frequently stereotyped African American male doing AWESOME MOTIVATIONAL work. The more these type of examples are promoted, the more our community will strive. Comment at the sister site while we figure out the kinks;).