AfricanStream

How Western colonisers practised barbarism in the name of science. The Tragic story of Ota Benga.

It’s not often you see two African presidents out for an evening stroll in the city together. But that’s exactly what happened a couple of months back. In this clip, you can see the presidents of Eritrea and Somalia wandering through downtown Asmara - casually interacting with locals, amid minimal security. There were hand shakes, high fives and big smiles all round, and the promenade included a stop-off at a coffee house. Of course, Isaias Afwerki and Hassan Sheikh Mohamud had some very important business besides socialising and checking out the capital’s nightlife. They were holding security talks amid heightened tensions in the region, after Ethiopia (from which Eritrea broke away) recognised (Somalia’s) breakaway Somaliland in return for access to the sea. Relations between Eritrea and Somalia haven’t always been great either, with the latter previously accusing the former of providing insurgents with weapons - something Asmara brands a lie put about by Addis Ababa. But judging by the videos of their relaxed walkabout, the two presidents get on well enough - so it could signal a new era in bilateral ties. The videos also contradict the typical Western portrayal of Afwerki as an autocratic ruler… would you agree?

Images on social media appear to show the Rafah border crossing has re-opened allowing aid into Gaza from Egypt. There’s been no official confirmation, but on May 15th this footage was posted by activist @Kahlissee on X. We hope it turns out to be true, with millions of Palestinians desperate for medical and food supplies. The crossing has been shut since it was seized by Israel last week, blocking the flow of aid workers and supplies. In a statement the International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the scale of the crisis ‘defies imagination’

A painting of King Charles III has caused a stir online. British artist Jonathan Yeo said his strokes meant to communicate the king's 'deep humanity.' However, the painting's blood-red background has creeped out many online, saying it alludes to the British royal family's violent legacy of colonialism. 'Looks like he's going straight to hell,' one social media user wrote. The British empire reigned over 412 million people—23 per cent of the global population—in 1913. At its peak in 1920, it controlled about 22 million square kilometres, nearly 17 per cent of the global land area. Currently, King Charles III is the biggest landowner in the world, according to financial experts at Invezz, which said the king and the royal family own over 6.6 billion acres of land or 17 per cent of the world's land area. That's 37 times more than the next largest landowner, the Catholic Church, which, according to Invezz, owns some 177 million acres. Most of the king's holdings are in former British colonies, after having displaced indigenous people. The royal family also played a vital role in the European slave trade. King Charles II set up two shipping companies in the 1660s and 1670s, monopolising the slave trade between West and Central Africa and the Americas. The company undertook nearly 250 slave trafficking voyages between 1680 and 1688. In 1678, the British parliament passed a law allowing merchants' companies to join the sinister trade. In total, British ships trafficked about 3.4 million Africans to sell in the Americas during the European slave trade. More recently, shortly after Charles's mother had become queen, the British imprisoned, tortured and k*lled about 100,000 Kenyans during a state of emergency between 1952 and 1960. Those are just a few of the British Empire's crimes.

The recent Ridley Scott movie about Napoleon has been widely panned for its numerous historical inaccuracies. But it doesn’t just get things wrong, it also completely ignores crucial facts about the French tyrant’s life - such as his disregard for Africans and his forcibly bringing back slavery on the island of Haiti (then known as Saint Domingue). African Stream’s Ahmed Ghoneim’s got a bone to pick with Boney…

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW | WHY AFRICANS SHOULD OPPOSE ISRAEL :PART 1 As Israel's relentless violence against Palestinians in Gaza continues to cost thousands of lives, more and more people are educating themselves on the history of Z*onism. But how did Israel get the funds to create such a wealthy and powerful state to begin with? We know the US is a major funder of the Isreali state today, but much of Israel's original wealth comes from the exploitation of African labour, land and resources. In this video, Pan-African organiser Ajamu Umi of @aaprpinternational explains how the brutal exploitation and colonisation of Palestine is linked the pillage and plunder of Africa. As African people, we stand in firm solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. Not only because we can personally relate to their experiences, but also because Israel continues its exploitation of our continent. To this day, Israel profits extensively from Africa's diamonds, often known as 'blood diamonds' due to their links with imperialist-fuelled conflicts.

The African Union can always be “told to dance” by outsiders - so long as the bulk of its funding comes from them. That’s the view of Dr. Alfred Mutua, Kenya's former Foreign and Diaspora Affairs Minister, who thinks it’s high time the 55-member bloc danced to its own tune - and not to that of China, or of the EU, the UK and the US, who collectively bankroll some 60% of the AU’s funds. Dr. Mutua acknowledges that Africa does indeed need external support, but argues it should never be the main budgetary crutch if we are to be truly in control of our own destinies. In 2016, the 27th African Union summit in Kigali, Rwanda, initiated financial reforms to raise contributions from all 55 member states. In a statement on its website, the AU admits that it is "currently not financed in a predictable, sustainable, equitable or accountable manner" and that "more than 40% of member states do not pay their yearly contributions."

This viral video allegedly shows right-wing Israelis destroying on 13 May humanitarian aid destined for starving Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip. Reports say about 150 activists from the Tzav 9 movement, which seeks to stop the delivery of humanitarian aid to Gaza until all Israeli hostages are released, blocked an aid convoy at the Tarqumiyah checkpoint in the Hebron Hills region of the occupied West Bank. Several dozen people, mostly young men, have been filmed ransacking the trucks, and ripping open containers of sugar and other goods while dropping them on the road. Israeli newspaper Haaretz reports the ransacking took place from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., when police deployed a water cannon to disperse the crowd. Reports vary on the aftermath, with some outlets reporting police arrested between two and four people. Police allegedly told news outlets they didn't have enough forces to clear the protest because the army hadn't given advance notice of the aid convoy's entrance. It is not the first time Israeli activists have blocked and vandalised deliveries to the Gaza Strip. In January, hundreds of Israelis blocked humanitarian aid from passing through the Karem Abu Salem (or Kerem Shalom) border crossing from Egypt into the Gaza Strip for several days. This came despite aid organisations warning the northern Gaza Strip faced catastrophic hunger, and 1 in 3 children were acutely malnourished. Israeli forces have expanded their military onslaught by taking control of the Palestinian side of the Rafah border crossing to Egypt, which had been the main entry point for humanitarian aid since the 7 October escalation in the 75-year Israeli occupation of Palestine.

Ghana has granted citizenship to music legend Stevie Wonder. President Nana Akufo-Addo handed a citizenship certificate and passport to the US-born singer-songwriter at a 13 May ceremony held at the presidential palace in Accra, the Ghanaian capital. Wonder also turned 74 that day. During the event, the president hailed Wonder as an icon whose exploits have gone beyond the music stage to humanitarian works that have positively impacted the African diaspora. The singer-songwriter joins 252 individuals from the United States and the Caribbean who have been granted citizenship since 2019. That year, the West African state ramped up efforts to attract diaspora-born Africans to move there under the ‘Year of Return’ initiative to mark 400 years since ships carried Africans stolen from the continent to be sold into slavery in the Americas.

The US government frequently accuses other governments—especially those that do not obey it—of using state-sanctioned violence to suppress divergent views. You would think the United States does not do what it condemns. However, as history has shown, the US might be suffering a case of 'projection,' as the late Black psychologist Amos Wilson has said. At a 8 May rally in Washington DC, US Congressperson Cori Bush accused the United States of hypocrisy. The Missouri congresswoman has a history in community organising and was involved in the 2014 Black-led Ferguson uprising that authorities suppressed with military equipment. She pointed out the US government also has used heavy-handed tactics against students who have been demanding an end to Washington's military and financial support of Israel's military onslaught against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

This was a scene repeated across US universities at the weekend. Students walking out of their commencement ceremonies as part of pro-Palestine protests. In this clip dozens leave the event at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) on May 11th, during a speech by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. It was expected following his support for police breaking up earlier protests on Virginia campuses. According to local media, students chanted ‘No books, no peace, let the knowledge increase’ and ‘Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.’ They, like many others, want their college to stop investing in Israeli-linked companies. There have been around 2,800 arrests on campuses across the US since the first pro-Palestinian protests erupted mid-April.

Chad’s incumbent ruler, Mahamat Déby, won a landslide victory in the recent presidential election - but the opposition is crying foul. Déby’s main rival was assassinated ahead of the vote, and the opposition says its people faced intimidation and threats in the run-up to the May 6th poll. Their candidate, who came second, alleges vote-rigging and has urged people to protest the result. Déby has been cozying up to the French, for whom Chad is one of their ever dwindling places of influence in Africa, having been kicked out of the Sahel. So France for one will be celebrating the outcome. What do you think of Déby‘s retaining power in Chad?

In what may be the first African university encampment in solidarity with Palestine, students at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, commonly known as ‘Wits University’ or simply ‘Wits,’ set up their tents on campus on 13 May. By doing so, they have joined thousands of their peers in Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, Europe, India, Japan, Pakistan, South Korea and the United States. Some student encampments call for universities to divest from companies that support Israel, which occupies the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Students also call for an immediate ceasefire to the military onslaught and siege taking place in Gaza that have cost the lives of more than 35,000 people, most of whom are children and women. Police have cracked down on US student encampments, with about 2,800 people arrested on more than 60 campuses, according to a New York Times tally.

The UN Secretary-General fears an ‘epic humanitarian disaster’ as Israel intensifies its assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah. Speaking at a press conference in Kenya, Antonio Guterres warned there were no tents or food left for the thousands of fleeing Palestinians. On Sunday, Israeli forces pushed deeper into Rafah where more than a million civilians have been sheltering. Over three hundred thousand have fled the city in the last few days, according to the UN, with most heading to the badly-damaged city of Khan Yunisor the crowded Mawasi tent camp. More than 35,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since October 2023 when Tel Aviv launched its offensive on the besieged enclave. The majority of those killed are women and children, despite Israel claiming its offensive is targeting H*mas fighters. Conditions for survivors are bleak. In March the UN warned over half the Strip’s population faces imminent famine due to Israel’s blockade of food and aid.

We’ve sewn together two clips filmed six decades apart, that show the same thing: Police violence in the US. The top footage captures officers quashing civil rights protests in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. The one below it shows officers hurling to the floor Emory University professor Caroline Fohlin at recent pro-Palestinian protests. She says they smashed her head on the concrete after she confronted them for 'pummelling’ a young student on campus. She’s been charged with disorderly conduct and could face a year in jail. Just one of hundreds of university protesters detained and bearing the brunt of heavy-handed police crackdowns nationwide. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Are we back in 60s America?

This was a scene repeated across US universities at the weekend. Students walking out of their commencement ceremonies as part of pro-Palestine protests. In this clip dozens leave the event at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) on May 11th, during a speech by Republican Gov. Glenn Youngkin. It was expected following his support for police breaking up earlier protests on Virginia campuses. According to local media, students chanted 'No books, no peace, let the knowledge increase' and 'Disclose, divest, we will not stop, we will not rest.' They, like many others, want their college to stop investing in Israeli-linked companies. There have been around 2,800 arrests on campuses across the US since the first pro-Palestinian protests erupted mid-April.

Revolutionary Pan-African leader and founding member of the @aaprpinternational Kwame Ture once stated, ‘Until Africa is free, no African anywhere in the world will ever be free or respected.’ Africans scattered across the diaspora, living far off in places like Europe or the Americas, find themselves without a home base to defend them. Ture said if Africa unified based on socialism, it would be powerful enough to punish countries that enact brutal acts of violence against Black civilians, such as in the United States. In what ways do you think life would change for Africans of the world if Africa unified? Drop your ideas in the comments.

South Africans have just marked three decades since apartheid officially ended. But while the collapse of that oppressive system no doubt improved the lives of the country's indigenous Black population, there are concerns that the racist regime's economic structures remain mostly intact - and continue to deny Black people opportunities to fully participate in the country's economy. In this speech from 2016, Pan-African politician and leader of the Economic Freedom Fighters party Julius Malema explains how this was no accident, but rather the result of agreements that leaders of the then-liberation movement and now-ruling party, the African National Congress (ANC), reached with White capitalists in the run-up to the end of apartheid. Is this how you see it?

The West has always wanted the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to remain in turmoil. Those are the words of Pan-African scholar PLO Lumumba. During a recent appearance on African Stream’s flagship podcast, ‘Pan-African Attitude,’ Lumumba highlighted how Western governments have used Africans to sow division in the Congo to facilitate the exploitation of its resources. He gave an example of how US and Belgian intelligence services groomed the DRC’s longtime president, Mobutu Sese Seko (1930-97), to overthrow revolutionary leader Patrice Lumumba (1925-61) and take power from 1965 until 1997. He added that using proxies has continued into modern times, giving credence to allegations that the West is using Rwanda and Uganda to foment strife and conflict in the Congo while facilitating the transit and laundering of suspected conflict minerals whose proceeds help perpetuate violence. Watch the rest of this conversation by heading to our YouTube channel.

One big Zoo. That’s how the world views Africa, according to pan-African scholar PLO Lumuba. The West cares more about Africa’s animals than the continent’s people unless it wants to extract our resources. Only by understanding this fact will Africans begin taking good care of themselves instead of waiting for outside help. Lumumba always speaks with clarity, and this observation roars the truth as far as we’re concerned. Do you also think his analysis is spot on?

Pan-African musical icon Bob Marley died on this day in 1981 and it is important to remind the world that Bob Marley always identified as an African first. When US journalist Gil Noble sat down in 1980 with Bob Marley, 1 year before died, he asked whether he felt more Jamaican or African. The legendary reggae musical icon had an interesting response that should make Africans in the diaspora rethink their relationship with their motherland. Let us know what you think of Marley’s answer.

In this clip, we see African Stream journalist Inem Richardson reacting to US Africa Command head Michael Langley referring to North Africa as NATO’s ‘southern flank.’ This was from the 29 April livestream, ‘US MILITARY KICKED OUT OF CHAD?’ when Richardson and Joe Hotagua, founder of @authentic_african, dug into US military intervention in Africa, the history of neo-colonialism in Chad, as well as stories about imperialism, capitalism, and the food industry in Africa. The complete video is available on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AJXbnQb6Svg Catch the show at 3 p.m. EAT (East Africa Time) on Mondays.

Born mixed-race with mental health problems in apartheid South Africa and placed into foster care, the chances of Bessie Amelia Head becoming a literary giant may have looked somewhat slim at the outset. But in her short life, she achieved just that - transforming from journalist-activist into author-in-exile and political refugee in Botswana. There, she was afflicted by bouts of poverty and depression - barred from returning home by the apartheid regime. But her writing flourished. Although she died aged only 48, her reputation as a writer adept at handling issues of race, identity and power has only continued to grow. African Stream’s Wambura Mwai pays tribute to her talents and legacy. Have you read Head’s works? Which ones? Location: @Chechebooks

How are criminals dealt with in civilised societies? You could say by the rule of law. But that’s not the case in the United States, said the late Pan-African scholar Amos Wilson (1941-95). There, the government projects its criminal nature by treating Indigenous peoples and Africans as savages worthy of punishment. Is this the same treatment being dished out to peaceful pro-Palestine protesters on US university campuses? Authorities now describe these students as ‘criminals.’ Jump in with your comments to let us know what you think.

On many levels, Sierra Leone has one of the worst gender gaps in the world. As of 2021, women held only 12.3% of seats in parliament, while less than 10 per cent aged over 25 have secondary education. That’s not acceptable, according to the country’s First Lady Fatima Maada Bio. And in this interview she says ‘pushing women into the kitchen’ is strangling her country’s development. She compares it to telling Muhammad Ali to box with one hand. Rwanda leads the way in African politics, in terms of female representation. Just over half its cabinet positions are held by women. Other countries with similar numbers include South Africa and Ethiopia. The question is, when will other African nations catch up?