Africa still far from freedom

Editor,Refer to Felly Kimenyi’s article, “Rwandans too have a right to minerals trade” (The New Times, November 15). It’s a good read. I wonder why people dwell too much on non-issues and forget the fact that healthy trade by neighbours brings about sustainable regional peace and development. If people are empowered economically, they will have little or no interest in conflict. I think it’s imperative to set clear guidelines and standards that promote trade other than focusing on petty issues, and these should apply to all players.John M, Kigali*************************More than 130 years after Henry Stanley colonised DRC for King Leopold, the country still puts its faith, trade, minerals and people – not to mention taking its political cues – in the hands of the same imperial powers of the 19th century. To this day, Belgian ministers still fly to Kinshasa to deliver orders to President Joseph Kabila on issues of counter-insurgency. The same people who appointed Tippu Tip [East Africa’s most notorious slaver] as a regional governor in the colony and killed 10 million of people!If you asked me, the Government of DRC is blind to who its real enemies are.Daniel, Kigali*************************The irony with Western powers/governments is that they provide you with everything you need to serve them. Once they get tired of you, they recruit someone else to keep serving their interests.This happened to late Mobutu of Zaire (now the DRC), Mubarak of Egypt, Musharraf of Pakistan, and so on.On Rwanda’s mineral trade issues, Western capitals and the United Nations know all about those involved in illegal mineral exploitation in the eastern part of the Congo. American, European and some Asian corporations, individuals in the Congo and elsewhere in the region are on the list.However, some shareholders in this illegal mineral trading will soon or later pay the price.Daniel is right when he talks about the Congo’s dependency vis-à-vis colonial powers like Belgium. On the other side, no single African country/government is free from the European Union or the United States’ imperialism. Even the African Union cannot sustain itself without the support of the West. That is the bitter reality.The struggle for freedom is still a long way for Africa. Rather than killing each other or taking over somebody’s land, house or goat, Africans need to work hand in hand to improve the lives of their people in their respective countries, provinces, cities, small towns, and villages.Thank you.Brian Lizi, California, United States

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Africa still far from freedom