John,
Im anthropologists. No anthropologists worth their salt would give to much explanatory power to primordial ethnic conflict. So we are in agreement on that score.
See, for example, Barth, "Ethnic Groups and Boundaries" for an analysis of flexible ethnicity in the Darfur region that has hardened in recent times.
Again, there were precolonial ethnic tensions between Dinka, Nuer, Azande and others that were exacerbated during the colonial era. I also mentioned at least five other issues that have contributed to chaos in the South.
kzs
On Dec 21, 2013 6:48 PM, "John Mbaku" <jmbaku@weber.edu> wrote:
-- How can anyone blame what is happening in South Sudan on outside actors? Who is undertaking the actual killing of people? Are not South Sudan soldiers pulling the trigger and killing their own brothers and sisters? Unless one argues that South Sudan leaders are just mindless puppets being manipulated by outside actors, I cannot see how the West can be blamed for what is currently taking place in South Sudan. The situation needs a more nuanced and contextual analysis and blaming the West is not it!--On Sat, Dec 21, 2013 at 4:21 PM, kwame zulu shabazz <kwameshabazz@gmail.com> wrote:Brother Layi,
"Looking inwards" is really not very different from what the white enslavers said about indigenous Americans, Tazmanians, Aboriginal Australians on and on. The justification was always that the victims were"warlike," or "backwards" or "heathens" thus "incapable of governing themselves." I think we can and must critique all sides of the problem. Yes, absolutely, we should demand that our misleaders do better, but we must also point out that they get lots of help. Looking over your list: the Belgians devastated Congo and, later, an American president, Eisenhower, authorized the assassination of Lumumba. The CIA then helped to prop up Mobutu. Charles Taylor was working with the CIA, magically escaped from a US prison and somehow made it back to West Africa w/out being detected. UNITA in Angola was backed by Reagan. "Outside (western) forces" have profoundly influenced African geopolitics. These are facts, not excuse making.
kzs
On Saturday, December 21, 2013 3:10:40 PM UTC-5, Abegunrin, Olayiwola M. wrote:My people,From: usaafric...@googlegroups.com [usaafric...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of william bangura [william....@gmail.com]
Why do we always blame outside forces for most of our problems in Africa? We need to look inward and see the kind of leadership who have imposed themselves on our peoples and claiming that they were elected to rule us. See what is happening in Democratic Republic of Congo, in Nigeria, in Central African Republic, in Liberia, in Angola and other countries in the continent. Are these so-called leaders committed to serve the African peoples or serve their personal pockets and their neo-colonial masters, especially the western Multinational Corporations that are been used as proxies? No outside power or powers can impose them-selves on us if our visionless, selfish, greedy rulers calling themselves leaders are not sellout or play into the hands of the outside powers. We need to wake up and look inward. People get the kind of government they deserve.
LayiSent: Saturday, December 21, 2013 1:06 PMTo: usaafric...@googlegroups.comSubject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - BLAME OBAMA FOR S. SUDANTo post to this group, send an email to USAAfric...@googlegroups.com
I am at the juncture where I hate to opine on the problems of sub-Saharan Africa. The architect of the independence of South Sudan, Susan Rice should have been prepared for this craziness in South Sudan where my brethren are suffering due to none of their exploits. President Obama should have critically analyzed the template of "independent" Africa to anticipate the current debacle.
William Bangura (WB)
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J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
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