My two first weeks of internship at the CSVR

On the 1st of July I started my internship at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, or CSVR. The CSVR is an NGO based in Braamfontein, in Johannesburg. It defines itself as “a multi-disciplinary institute involved in policy formation, community interventions, service delivery, education and training, as well as providing consultancy services. The primary goal of the CSVR is to use its expertise in building reconciliation, democracy and a human rights culture and in preventing violence in South African and in other countries in Africa”. Its vision is to promote peaceful societies based on democracy, human rights, social justice, equality and human security; with the mission of contributing to the building of violence-free societies and the promotion of sustainable peace and reconciliation by means of research, advocacy and other interventions and through establishing strategic partnerships with organs of the state, NGOs, community organizations, individuals and international allies.
The CSVR offers:
· Consultancy services;
· Training courses;
· Research and publications
· Programmes (Criminal Justice Programme, Gender Based Violence Programme, Peace building Programme, Transitional Justice Programme, Trauma and Transition Programme, and Youth Violence Prevention Programme).

In fact, I am working with the Gender Based Violence Programme which deals with women and young girls in diverse ways. This encompasses working with health care systems, the criminal justice system, development interventions as well as initiatives promoting women's socio-economic rights. Efforts to prevent gender based violence are central to the Programme, and so is the drive to build and strengthen organizations working in this field.
In much of the Programme’s work, the emphasis is on the rights and needs of marginalized groups of women, including girls and women in conflict with the law, adolescent girls, women infected or affected by HIV and AIDS, rural women, homeless women, etc.
It is really a new field for me; however, the experience is very enjoyable. I am working with two ladies, the Programme Manager and a junior researcher. I also met a fellow colleague from my department at Wits, who is working in the same programme on a part-time basis. So, I don’t feel lost. I am quite comfortable with my current home.

I have been assigned three major tasks, including updating the “National Directory of Services Addressing Gender Based Violence” by the end of July, participation in the ongoing project on the “gendered nature of xenophobia”, as well as some admin tasks. These include compiling financial reports, preparing meetings – especially one on this 21st of July – for working groups of different projects of the Programme.
About the xenophobia project, we will probably be conducting surveys with migrant women in Cape Town, Durban, and Johannesburg.
There is too much to say, but my time is very limited. I am discovering a new world. People seem to be flexible, tolerant, independent, and responsible. It is quite a lot to learn.
Find more about the CSVR: www.csvr.org.za

Etats-Unis d’Afrique : Pour une mobilisation de la Société civile

Le concept vient de faire fortune au 9ème Sommet ordinaire de l’Union Africaine, tenu du 1er au 3 juillet 2007 à Accra, au Ghana. Les débats d’Accra se sont essentiellement focalisés sur le projet de création des ‘Etats-Unis d’Afrique’. Le projet est porté par le Président libyen Muammar al-Kadhafi pour qui les «Etats-Unis d’Afrique» sont le seul moyen d’éradiquer la pauvreté et de régler les problèmes qui paralysent le continent africain. Dans leur coupon de presse du 2 juillet 2007, Pascal Fletcher et Barry Moody de l’Agence Reuters, notent que «la majorité des 53 nations représentées à Accra s’accordent sur l’objectif d’une intégration politique sur le thème de l’unité, même si certains pays comme l’Afrique du Sud ou l’Egypte ont émis le souhait que ce processus se déroule de manière plus progressive».

Cependant, au-delà de l’enthousiasme exprimé par certains représentants des gouvernements et de la méfiance ou scepticisme affiché par d’autres, il convient de s’interroger sur la viabilité d’un tel projet ou plutôt sur ses chances de réussir, dans la mesure où il faut encore répondre à d’importants préalables. Par exemple, quelle forme faudra-t-il donner à l’Etat à créer? Un Etat fédéral ou confédéral? Quelles relations le gouvernement africain aura-t-il à entretenir avec les Etats-nations ? Quelles seront les prérogatives des Etats-nations et celles du gouvernement africain ? Article publié in "Congo-Afrique", Dossier spécial sur les Etats-Unis d'Afrique, No. de Juin-Juillet-Août 2008

("United States of Africa: Towards a Mobilisation of Civil Society", this is an article published in Congo-Afrique, June-July-August 2008, abstract available in French at www.congo-afrique.org)

Statement by the Forum of Congolese Organizations in South Africa
on the recent xenophobic attacks against foreigners in South Africa

1. The Forum of Congolese Organisations in South Africa (FOCAS) held a meeting on the 31th May 2008 at the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. The purpose of the meeting was to assess how Congolese nationals have been affected by the recent waves of xenophobic attacks on foreigners throughout South Africa and what needs to be done to help the victims.

2. The meeting was attended by thirty Congolese nationals belonging to various organisations namely Congo Renaissance, Retour au Congo, Congo Heart of Africa, Bourse Okapi, Congo Umbrella, Christian for Peace.

3. Participants assessed how Congolese nationals have been affected. After listening to a report back from FOCAS task teams that visited various police stations namely Jeppe police Station, Alexandra police station, Cleverland police station (Johannesburg), Malas in Marabastad (Pretoria), Khayelitsha and the “Baptist Church” (Cape Town) where displaced found refuge, it appeared that the Congolese community in South Africa has been seriously affected.

4. In Cape Town, 5 men and one pregnant woman were brutally killed with the attackers tearing apart the pregnant woman with machetes and leaving the dead foetus in the open. In Cleverland police station, a baby died as a result of poor material conditions. In Jeppe Police Station, a pregnant woman was refused access to health care. One Congolese national was terribly injured in Pretoria. Many displaced have lost propriety including houses, cars as these were looted or owners could no longer safely return to their former residential areas. Thousands have been displaced including women and babies, children and men. As a result, displaced have lost their jobs or survival income generating activities while children are unable to go to school.

5. In Johannesburg, most displaced were living in the Inner city of Johannesburg, in the surroundings of Germiston, in the East Rand (in the surrounding of Ramaphoza township), and in Alexandra. Majority of them hold either a refugee or an asylum seeker legal status. Some others hold Congolese passports with adequate temporary permit.

6. FOCAS also noticed the delay and the difficulties in coordinating the management of the crisis. The humanitarian aid needs to be effectively coordinated after prior assessment of the real and complex needs of the displaced. Communication between the management and the victims needs to be improved to address various protests in different sites. This is particularly relevant for any decision concerning relocation or resettlement. Many victims in “temporary refugee camps”, including Congolese refugees and asylum seekers, have appealed to the UNHCR to provide for a safer refuge country.

7. Apart from the immediate needs of a proper shelter, displaced people urgently need compensation for lost propriety, justice, trauma counselling, and another country of refuge, preferably one where safety will not be an issue.

8. To address this critical situation, FOCAS recommends:

Recommendations:

To the South African Government

1. FOCAS calls upon the South African Government to take pre-emptive measures in order to ensure the long term safety of African foreigners. These measures may include effective policing of affected areas; reinforcement of intelligence structures in communities where such xenophobic movements originated; sustainable education for local communities on the positive role played by African foreigners in the South African economy and society; address seriously the widely shared misconceptions of foreigners; and provide speedy service delivery to black local communities that have grown impatient and violent.

2. FOCAS demands that victims be adequately compensated for lost proprieties and other damage incurred and be involved in the decision-making process as well as civil society organizations that champion the interests of the affected population.

3. FOCAS demands that clarity be made on individuals involved in engineering these xenophobic attacks. There have been claims of ‘a third force’. The public deserves to know more about all the people who conspired and coordinated the attacks. We also demand public trials for all arrested and charged for these incidents.


To the United Nations High Commission for Refugees

4. FOCAS requests that the UNHCR takes its international responsibility towards the displaced refugees and asylum seekers. We demand in particular that the UNHCR consult the displaced refugees and asylum seekers for their long term resettlement.

To the Government of the Democratic Republic of Congo

5. Whereas other neighbouring African governments have approached the displaced and the victims to arrange for safer relocation areas, possible mechanisms for compensation or preventive measures for the future, the DRC Government has not done enough to manifest compassion and protection for its affected nationals. FOCAS demands that the DRC Embassy in Pretoria puts in place a special task team that will comprehensively assess the casualties and consequences of these attacks on its nationals. This task team should include members from civil society organizations operating in South Africa.

Johannesburg 31 May 2008

Forum des Organisations Congolaises en Afrique du Sud (FOCAS)
P. O BOX 453 Wits 2050; Email address: coordination@focascongo.org
Website: http://www.focascongo.org

Des Idées Simples Pour Réduire Le Stress
Par Robert J. Tamasy

(Note de l’éditeur : le texte qui suit provient d’une source inconnue. Dans le monde des affaires et des professions libérales, le stress représente une réalité avec laquelle nous devons composer. Les échéances, les objectifs non atteints, les obstacles imprévus, les problèmes informatiques, les défis financiers, les conflits interpersonnels et la concurrence acharnée ne sont que quelques uns des facteurs qui contribuent à notre stress quotidien. Nous gérons tous le stress d’une manière différente, mais voici quelques suggestions que vous aimerez peut-être méditer.)

Quelqu’un a dit un jour, avec beaucoup de sagesse : “N’empruntez jamais au futur. Si vous vous faites du souci par rapport à ce qui peut vous arriver demain et que cela n’arrive pas, vous vous êtes fait du souci pour rien. Et même si ça arrive, vous finirez par vous être fait deux fois plus de souci. Pourquoi ne gardez-vous pas ce précieux temps pour le moment où vous en aurez véritablement besoin ?“ Si vous voulez diminuer vos soucis et réduire votre stress, essayez donc ceci :
1. Priez. Prenez conscience de votre besoin de sagesse et de direction dans vos responsabilités quotidiennes.
2. Allez vous coucher à une heure raisonnable. Lorsqu’on est bien reposé, notre capacité à gérer le stress est nettement supérieure
3. Levez-vous à temps afin de démarrer la journée sans pression. Trop de repos nuit aussi.
4. Soyez prêt à dire Non! Refusez les projets auxquels vous ne pouvez pas apporter le temps et l’attention requis.
5. Déléguez les tâches à ceux qui en sont capables. Ce n’est pas parce qu’un travail doit être fait qu’il faut absolument que ce soit vous qui le fassiez. Trouvez la personne la plus apte à le faire.
6. Simplifiez-vous la vie. Si trop de choses requièrent votre attention, cela engendrera automatiquement du stress.
7. Moins, c’est plus. Bien que ‘Un’ soit souvent insuffisant, ‘Deux’, c’est souvent trop.
8. Gardez-vous assez de temps pour faire certaines choses et vous rendre là où vous devez aller. Surcharger son emploi du temps, voilà une autre façon de générer du stress. Vous ne pouvez être à deux endroits en même temps.
9. Gardez-vous des marges de manoeuvre. Etalez dans le temps les grands changements et les projets qui représentent un défi inhabituel ; ne vous chargez pas de trop nombreux enjeux à la fois.
10. Vivez un jour à la fois. Faites aujourd’hui le travail requis pour ce jour ; et laissez le travail de demain pour demain.
11. Faites la distinction entre les soucis et les sujets de réflexion. Si une situation mérite la réflexion, efforcez-vous de trouver ce que Dieu veut que vous fassiez et mettez de côté toute anxiété. Si vous ne pouvez rien faire face à une situation donnée, oubliez-la.
12. Vivez dans les limites de votre budget. Ne dépensez pas l’argent que vous n’avez pas et n’achetez pas les choses que vous ne pouvez pas vous permettre.
13. Faites des doubles. Gardez un double des clefs de votre voiture dans votre porte-monnaie, une clef de secours enterrée dans le jardin, et d’autres doubles d’articles dont vous avez souvent besoin.
14. Choisissez soigneusement vos mots. Ce simple petit conseil va vous éviter une quantité phénoménale d’ennuis.
15. Amusez-vous. Faites chaque jour quelque chose qui plait à l’enfant qui est en vous.
16. Nourrissez-vous spirituellement. Ayez constamment une Bible à proximité de façon à pouvoir y jeter un coup d’oeil chaque fois que vous faites la queue ou avant que vos réunions démarrent.
17. Mangez correctement. Suivre un régime sain vous gardera en forme physique et vous donnera l’énergie requise.
18. Soyez organisé. Trouvez un endroit pour chaque chose afin que vous n’ayez pas à partir en chasse lorsque vous en aurez besoin.
19. Ecoutez des CD lorsque vous conduisez. Utilisez le temps de façon productive afin d’améliorer la qualité de votre vie.
20. Ecrivez vos pensées et vos inspirations. Quand vous avez une bonne idée, marquez-la. Si vous entendez des remarques pertinentes, enregistrez-les afin de ne pas les oublier.
21. Gardez-vous du temps de solitude. C’est bien d’être entouré de gens, mais du temps seul nous permet de recharger nos batteries.
22. Communiquez régulièrement avec Dieu. Lorsque vous faites face aux petits problèmes quotidiens, essayez donc de prier sur le champ; vous n’avez pas à attendre un moment et un endroit particuliers pour le faire.
23. Liez vous d’amitié avec les gens qui partagent vos valeurs. Nous avons tous besoin d’encouragement alors que nous nous efforçons de vivre les vérités que nous chérissons.
24. Gardez à portée de main des versets bibliques. Des versets favoris écrits sur un bout de papier ou sur une carte peuvent judicieusement servir de guide dans les moments de stress.
25. Riez. La vie quotidienne peut être décourageante. Prenez le temps de rire, de vivre des moments de détente.
26. Faites de l’exercice. Les activités physiques sont une excellente façon de réduire le stress.
27. Développez une attitude de pardon. L’amertume est un vrai poison. Souvenez-vous du fait que la plupart des gens font du mieux qu’ils peuvent.
28. Soyez bon envers les méchants. Ce sont ceux qui ont probablement le plus besoin de bonté.
29. Parlez moins et écoutez plus. Soyez réceptif à ce que les autres ont à dire ; vous apprendrez probablement des choses utiles.
30. Souvenez-vous que vous n’êtes pas le PDG de l’univers. N’essayez pas de faire le travail de Dieu !
31. Rappelez-vous qui est votre plus grand allié. « Si Dieu est pour nous, qui sera contre nous ? » (Romains 8 ;31)

A la semaine prochaine!

Robert J. Tamasy est vice-président des communications pour le 'Legacy Leaders', une société sans but lucratif basée à Atlanta, la Géorgie, Etats-Unis. Un vétéran de plus de 30 ans en journalisme professionnel, il a coauthored et a édité six livres. Il peut être contacté à btamasy@comcast.net.Traduit par Michaël Foucault, consultant en stratégie d'entreprise français, michael.topc@free.fr.

Xenophobia is a crime
(From: http://www.anc.org.za/ancdocs/anctoday/2008/at20.htm#preslet)

by Gwede Mantashe, ANC Secretary General, ANC Today, Volume 8, No. 20, 23-29 May 2008

May 25th is Africa Day. This marks the day that we, as Africans celebrate the formation of the Organisation of African Unity, the predecessor of the African Union. Today the African Union is an instrument to unite all the people of Africa both politically and economically.

On Sunday we will wake up in this country and celebrate the victories our forebears have had over colonialism and Apartheid.

Many of us, including myself, will think of the kindness we received in the poorest communities of Angola , Mozambique , Zimbabwe , Zambia , Tanzania , Nigeria and many other African States . We will recall that our neighbours were collectively punished by the Apartheid regime for harbouring the cadres of the ANC. We will remember that our children were given spaces in overcrowded schools in remote rural villages, and when we were injured and ill, the hospitals of many African countries nursed us back to health.

Above all, when we wake up on Sunday morning we will remember that we are Africans. We will celebrate the fact that the African continent entrusted its Parliament, the Pan-African Parliament, to South Africa , which is located in Midrand, not far from one of the scenes of the horrendous attacks on South Africans and Foreign Nationals, which are our brothers and sisters from this continent.

It is on Sunday that we will go to church and bow our heads in prayer and many of us will pray for those who have been murdered, raped, injured, possessions looted, homes destroyed and displaced. Many of us will have taken from our own meagre resources to assist the people who fled to police stations for safety. We cannot but conclude that an injustice and crimes of a serious nature have been committed against fellow Africans, here in South Africa . To date 42 souls have been lost. Somewhere out there, somebody's mother, father, sister, brother, husband, wife, son or daughter will no longer come out to greet them.

In Alexandra, Tembisa, Thokoza, Reiger Park , along Jules Street in Johannesburg and in the city itself, homes and businesses have been looted and burnt. A shameful pogrom, ill informed and angry with people whom they perceive to be robbing them of their right to services. Is this the truth? The same mob that accused people of being criminals acted in the most obscene of criminal ways.

There is no room for this behaviour in our country ever; there is no reason that compels us to behave in this atrocious manner. For this reason we support the deployment of the SANDF to the effected areas, to do no more than support the police in rooting out the criminals who inspired these acts of barbarism.

We call on all ANC members to:

· Spring into organised action
· Give support to the police
· Form the street committees and take the streets back from criminals
· Give comfort and support to all who have been displaced and lost all their worldly goods

There is no doubt that overcrowding and poverty has a hand to play in how people will react when they feel hard done by.

We have work to do comrades and friends.

We have to work hard to ensure that we root out corruption of the nature that robs us of our humanity. Many people have taken occupation of more than one RDP house and sell their houses instead of living in them. We must put a stop to this practice and expose all who are corrupt.

Our policies are not at fault, the policies of the ANC seek to fight poverty and to provide services to the people. We have to ensure that we do the job that needs to be done to make delivery efficient and effective.

We call on all public representatives and civil servants, to make our country work for all who live in it.

Let us fight crime and corruption and work together to build this unique nation.

On Sunday 25 May, let us take the lead wherever we are to ensure that we celebrate africa day as fellow Africans and condemn xenophobia for the heinous crime that it is.

Let us support the police in their work they must do to rid our streets, hostels and informal settlements of criminals.

Arrêtez cette violence absurde : Quelques questions autour de la chasse aux étrangers en Afrique du Sud.

Je voudrais ici partager un certain nombre des questions qui me passent à l’esprit au vu du spectacle que nous présentent nos frères Noirs sud africains depuis quelques jours.

Tout d’abord, le rappel des faits. Je ne vais pas remonter à la situation d’il y a dix ans, lorsque deux étrangers ont été attaqués et tués dans un train par des Noirs sud africains sur l’axe Pretoria-Johannesburg. Je vais également faire l’économie des faits très récents des Townships de Mamelodi et Soshanguve, près de Pretoria, pour m’arrêter aux événements d’Alexandra, un Township du Nord de Johannesburg. Nous sommes le 11 mai 2008. A l’origine, des groupes des résidants de ce Township, sortis nuitamment d’une réunion, ont commencé subitement à s’attaquer aux étrangers (principalement des Zimbabwéens) qui avaient intégré cette communauté. Les medias ont tout de suite dénoncé des pillages des biens, des viols et la mort de deux personnes, dont un Sud africain. Les raisons derrière ces attaques, c’est la compétition pour des ressources limitées : emplois et habitats. Les étrangers étaient accusés de prendre tous les jobs des Sud africains et bénéficier des logements (de la part du gouvernement sud africain) au détriment des nationaux. Par conséquent, seul leur départ immédiat pouvait constituer une solution au problème de taux élevé de chômage dans le pays, soit 40 %. Certains habitants de ce Township n’ont pas hésité à affirmer qu’ils allaient « nettoyer le pays » (d’après une expression utilisée par le quotidien sud africain, The Citizen, de Mardi 13 mai 2008) parce que le gouvernement a trop trainé à résoudre la question du flux d’immigrants étrangers.

Ce qui a initialement commencé comme des attaques xénophobiques le 11 mai à Alexandra a curieusement dégénéré en véritable déchaînement des violences contre les étrangers à travers tout Johannesburg et ses périphéries, allant des pillages, d’enlèvements, aux tueries.

Malheureusement, face à ce déchaînement de violence la réaction des institutions en place a été, à mon sens, timide et inefficace. Si le Président Mbeki ainsi que Jacob Zuma, Président de l’ANC, ont condamné les violences en appelant leurs populations au calme et en instituant une Commission d’enquête pour connaître « ce qui ou celui qui serait derrière cette barbarie », il m’a semble qu’il y a eu très peu des moyens mis en place pour dissuader les assaillants.

Lorque je compare, par exemple, les déploiements des éléments de la Police dans ces violences à ceux qu’on a vu lors des protestations organisées par COSATU (le principal syndicat du pays) ou d’autres syndicats, il n’y a aucun doute que très peu de moyens ont été déployés pour arrêter cette spirale de violence qui vient de faire déjà plus de 30 morts. Plutôt que d’engager des actions musclées en aval pour sauver des vies humaines, le Président Mbeki a préféré agir en amont en constituant sa Commission d’enquête comme s’il fallait aller chercher la « cause » loin de son cabinet ou de sa politique gouvernementale. Et lorsque l’opposition, le DA (Democratic Alliance), a lance l’idée de déployer l’armée (la SANDF) pour appuyer la Police, Mbeki a reconnu que la Police pouvait contenir la situation. Mais pourquoi ne l’a-t-elle pas fait à temps ? Pourquoi ne pouvait-on pas éviter cette criminalité, en laissant des pauvres innocents être brulés vifs ? Y aurait-il une quelconque complicité du gouvernement dans cette affaire ?

Je ne voudrais nullement me constituer en juge tant la question est complexe ; mais je ne peux comprendre la timidité et la lenteur avec laquelle le gouvernement Mbeki est intervenu. Notez que c’est après quatre jours depuis les événements d’Alexandra que Mbeki est apparu à la télé pour réagir à la situation. Heureusement, dans un Communiqué publié ce lundi 19 mai 2008, Monsieur Mbeki a compris qu’il était temps de parler en termes clairs: « Les citoyens d'autres pays d'Afrique et au-delà sont des humains comme nous et méritent d'être traités avec respect et dignité ».

Respect de la dignité humaine, voila ce que nous exigeons de nos frères Sud africains. Si leurs jobs, leurs logements, leurs femmes sont importants, la vie de n’importe quel individu (fut-il immigrant illégal) ne peut être négociée. Si l’Afrique du Sud veut nettoyer son territoire, qu’elle le fasse dans le droit et le respect de la dignité humaine. Seulement, quand l’étranger qui aura servi de bouc-émissaire sera parti, vers qui va-t-on se tourner ? Ce sera probablement le tour de l’ANC ou alors le moment sera venu de poser les vraies questions pour des solutions appropriées aux problèmes du pays.


Il est donc temps de poser les vraies questions.

N’est-il pas trop simpliste de décrire le problème de chômage dans le pays en pointant du doigt les étrangers ? Pourquoi ne pas aborder la question dans une perspective plus globale de manière à ouvrir à des alternatives plus efficaces et durables ? Pourquoi les Sud Africains ne veulent pas interroger leur gouvernement, interroger ses politiques ? Pourquoi ne veulent-ils pas interroger l’ANC et lui demander de leur rendre compte de ses promesses électorales ? Pourquoi les étrangers seraient-ils plus responsables que le gouvernement ?


Quelle image au reste du monde ?

Dans deux ans, l’Afrique du Sud va accueillir le reste du monde. Quelle image ces violences transmettent au reste du monde ? Il y a une semaine, le PDG de l’Agence sud africaine de Tourisme prétendait que l’Afrique du Sud sera présentée au monde comme la « Terre d' Ubuntu » (humanité). On se demande si les violences auxquelles nous assistons aujourd’hui traduisent encore cet « ubuntu ».

(In the wake of the ongoing violence and xenophobia in and around Gauteng, South Africa, I have been wondering : « Is it not too simplistic to describe, for instance, the issue of unemployment by pointing the finger at foreign nationals ? is it not that the issue requires a braod perspective that can then create a platform for sustainable alternatives ? Why should foreign nationals be more accountable than the citizens, the South African government, or the ruling party, the ANC ? And when one looks at the nature of the violence itself, what image is South Africa conveying to the rest of the world two years before the Soccer World Cup ? Where is the spirit of ‘Ubuntu’, which is going to be the motto of the country to the rest of the World, according to the CEO of TourismSA?)

Government Accountability in Africa: “power must control power”

Democracy in Africa still has a long way to go because it is undermined by a widespread culture of corruption. Most African regimes fail to ensure oversight system within the government or thanks to a strong civil society. In a recent report, Gary Hawes argues that, “effective and democratic government is impossible without transparency and accountability; without transparency, citizen participation is inherently less well informed and less effective. Without accountability, those in position of power can safely ignore the will of the people” (Gary Hawes, Making Governments More Accountable: The Impact of Civil Society Budget Analysis and Monitoring, The International Budget Project, BriefsYear 01•Number 02•2008).

In the context of most African governments, these challenges need to be taken up by new forms of oversight of governments’ actions that should be developed by both civil society and government agencies. The principle remaining, “power must limit and control power”. Where leaders are left alone without any mechanism of oversight, abuses and corruption become the rule.

What can be accomplished when civil society and government agencies, such as “The Scorpions” in South Africa, take up the fight to make governments more accountable? The struggle against corruption and its contribution to government accountability can become more effective. Through citizen education and engagement, governments’ budgets can become more transparent, i.e., more accessible to the public and better understood by the average citizen. Acting in such way contributes to the capacity of voters to hold their leaders accountable.

It is ridiculous to see very rich African countries, such as the DRC, with a very poor population while its leaders are millionaires. Ironically, none of those leaders think that we can improve life standards for every Congolese if there is more transparency and more accountability in the management of the country’s natural resources. Rather, they are all obsessed by foreign aid and assistance, which again only benefit – unfortunately – to themselves (cf. Review of the Department of Institutional Integrity at the World Bank, published by Beatrice Edwards & Truman Morrison of the Government Accountability Project - GAP in Washington D.C. on the 5 September, 2007). How long this will still last?

The challenge of world competitiveness: Western versus Afrocentric perspective

I have been challenged by some issues that were raised by Mr. Kuseni Dlamini (CEO of Richards Bay Coal Terminals, and upcoming CEO of Anglo-American from July 2008) during his presentation on “Lessons for Emerging Leaders in a Rapidly Changing Environment”, on the 14 of April, at “World of Work Training and Internship Programme” held at Wits University. During the ‘questions-answers’ session, Dlamini asked the audience: “What the world would lose if Africa disappeared?” Put in other words, the question asked “what Africa has brought to the World?” Dlamini was very specific and realistic: “Africa is the only continent in the World which did not yet design a car, while Africans are proud of driving in big cars, such as BMW, Mercedes, Jaguar, etc. as it were Brazil, India, and Malaysia can compete globally in the automobile industry because they have designed their own brands”. Dlamini concluded his presentation by inviting us as future African elite and leaders to invest in knowledge and to be competitive like our colleagues of the US or UK by getting two or three PHDs and by publishing books and articles because this is the challenge of the world competitiveness.

Even if this is an irrefutable fact, I felt that the way Dlamini translated his views was somewhat Western-oriented by emphasising on the negatives of Africa. I tried to find out if beyond this reality there is any fallacy or any racial ideology at work. Three articles have inspired me to adjust Dlamini’s points. All come from a black American scholar, Dr. Molefi Kete Asante of Temple University (Pennsylvania), one of the pioneers of Afrocentricity (www.asante.net)

From a Europecentric point of view, Huntington claimed (p. 81, quoted by Molefi Asante in “Afrocentricity…”) that the West
• Owned the international banking system
• Controlled all hard currencies
• Provided the majority of the world’s finished products
• Exerted moral authority over other leaders
• Was capable of massive military intervention
• Controlled the sea lanes
• Conducted most advanced technical research
• Dominated access to space
• Dominated aerospace
• Dominated international communications

It appears that Africa is totally absent from the history of Humanity (Hegel). Why? Are there any contributions from Africa in the history of the World? The question does not exist in the western discourse; yet, Africa has played a central role in Science, Art, Religion, and Politics in the History of Humanity. How many Africans are aware that Imhotep, the father of architecture, was an African? He built the first masonry structure in history (Asante). Hatshepsut was the first queen to rule in her own right with authority in the world. (Asante). Unfortunately, “Africa has been betrayed by education, the Academy, and the structure of knowledge imposed by the Western world; Africa has often been betrayed by its own leaders who have shown a talent for imitating the worst habits and behaviors of Europe; Africa has often been betrayed by the ignorance of its own people of its past” (Asante, in “Afrocentricity…”).

During the past centuries, the western world has constructed a system of knowledge’s ownership and control. Fences have been created to keep others away from knowledge, property reserved for a few. “But this reservation of knowledge is motivated by the quest for domination” (Asante). Actually, “we are tied to a system of injustice that makes it possible for rich nations to make knowledge or the access to knowledge difficult for poorer nations” (Asante). “Those who own knowledge do so not because they are smarter or more ambitious, but because they are more aggressive and capable of employing more force. Much of the knowledge is not their own knowledge, it is borrowed, rented, stolen, but they have created the mechanisms of access. Thus, you must find the ways to access it for your own use if you are in the game; otherwise you remain outside of the arena of knowledge that affects the world. Right now, African nations and African peoples are on the verge of being shut off from the storehouses of knowledge. This will happen more and more with the development of more computer technology. We will be able to see the Internet, superhighway, but we will not be able to ride it” (Asante).

The European Union has set up its vision for the next 20 years as follow: “to be knowledge centre of the world in the next 10-20 years”.

Again, the system is far from being stopped. As intellectual Africans, future elite and leaders of the continent, our task is to struggle for a democratization and decentralization process of knowledge so that no human being can be denied access to information; no matter his/her social background. We need to develop a culture of intellectual activism for that objective.

Bhutan’s Gross National Happiness Policy: Is it working?

An article published by RFA (Radio Free Asia) website in February 2006 tries to assess so far the implementation of the Bhutan’s GNH (Gross National Happiness).

The concept was launched in 1972 by the King of the tiny Himalayan country. The King of Bhutan declared that progress in his country would be gauged in terms of GNH rather than in terms of GNP or GDP – Gross National or Domestic Product, the traditional economic indicators of a country’s development. Beyond the King’s decision was the idea that ‘contentment’, not capital, should become Bhutan’s official priority. The GNH lies on 4 pillars:
• socioeconomic development
• environmental preservation
• cultural promotion
• good governance

By emphasizing on these four pillars, officials of Bhutan are now committed to promote an ‘economics as if people mattered” (E.F. Schumacher, Small is beautiful, 1973). Researchers see the philosophy of the GNH as not so much antidevelopment, or even anti-globalisation, as it is pro-balance. But how this is working effectively for the benefit or the happiness of people of Bhutan?

79% of Bhutanese are still farmers. Each of them has a roof over their head and a piece of land. Other national income is generated by supplying hydroelectric power to India and by tourism.

T. Kumar, Asia advocacy director for the Washington Office of human rights group Amnesty International, said that some 100, 000 Bhutanese of Nepalese origin fled Bhutan about 10 years ago because of abuses there. They now live in refugee camps in the eastern part of Nepal (RFA, 2006). “Children in Southern Bhutan continue to face discrimination in access to education because they belong to Nepali-speaking community”, said Kumar.

The introduction of satellite television into Bhutan in 1999 has been linked by the British newspaper, The Guardian, to a rise in drug use, crime, and other antisocial behaviour. Encouraged to wear Bhutanese national dress in public, Bhutanese youth increasingly wear Western-style clothing at home.

In fact, GNH seems a work in progress rather than a reality. Dr. Trudy Sable, director of the Office of Aboriginal and Northern Research at St. Mary’s University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, had these words: “GNH is not like it’s done. It’s more like accept that they want to live by; but [officials] have to figure out how to do it”.

However, I think that the Bhutanese experience should inspire the rest of the world, especially Africa. African leaders should start empowering their people by making them at the heart of the continent development. There is no sustainable development without without human resources.

For more information on the topic, read: Karma Ura & Karma Galay (eds.), Gross National Happiness and Development, The Centre for Bhutan Studies, 2004.

Les récents événements du Kenya, l’actualité du Zimbabwe me poussent à reprendre cette question qui fut posée à un groupe de quelques anciens chefs d’Etat africains lors d’une table ronde organisée à Wits University en 2006. Parmi eux, on pouvait compter l’ancien président zambien, Kenneth Kaunda, le ghanéen Jerry Rwalings, le burundais Pierre Buyoya, le botswanais Sir Keth Masire, et d’autres.

Réagissant à cette question, Kenneth Kaunda faisait remarquer que sa volonté de rester au pouvoir était guidée par le sentiment de mener au bout une mission, celle de libérer l’Afrique du joug colonialiste. Rawlings tentait d’expliquer son retour au pouvoir par le souci de remettre de l’ordre dans le pays à un moment très critique, où l’autorité de l’Etat devenait dans la rue. Dans un humour quelque peu cynique, Sir Keth Masire faisait remarquer que lorsque les Occidentaux, tels que Margaret Thatcher, Elmut Khol, Jacques Chirac ou Tony Blair font dix ans ou plus au pouvoir, personne ne s’en plaint; mais quand il s’agit des Africains, tout le monde s’inquiète. Pourquoi une telle attitude? s’interrogeait-il. Il concluait par ces mots: “as long you can perform, you can remain to power” (tant que vous pouvez diriger, vous pouvez demeurer au pouvoir).

Probablement, c’est ce sentiment qui motive des hommes comme Mugabe au Zimbabwe, Kibaki au Kenya ou Kabila en RDC. Mais que veut dire exactement le ‘diriger’ du président Masire? S’agit-il d’un désir inassouvi du pouvoir pour lui-même? Quand on sait que Mugabe n’a pas réussi à garantir aux Zimbabweens leurs droits les plus fondamentaux pendant ses 28 ans de règne, on se demande bien ce qu’il peut encore faire pendant un nouveau mandat.

C’est ici qu’il devient important de s’interroger sur l’essence de la politique en Afrique. Est-ce la politique est vraiment le lieu de recherche d’un “vivre-ensemble” harmonieux? Or si la politique cesse d’être cela, il nous sera difficile, en tant qu’Africains, de sortir d’une culture des politiciens opportunistes et affairistes, sans idéal ni conviction. L’Afrique, aujourd’hui, a besoin d’un nouveau type d’homme politique: des hommes de conviction, à l’exemple d’un Nelson Mandela. Des hommes capables de sortir leurs peuples de situation d’aliénation, d’asservissement et de pauvreté vers plus de dignité et de respect. Et cela, non pas par des discours idéologiques, comme l’aurait fait Thabo Mbeki avec sa ‘Renaissance africaine’, mais par des actes.

(Recent post-electoral events - in the DRC 2006, in Kenya 2008 and currently in Zimbabwe – are quite insightful. Why do most African leaders think that things cannot go ahead without them, without their ‘leadership’? A tendentious response by Sir Keth Masire, former president of Botswana, during a “Former African Presidents Round Table”, held at Wits University in 2006, is suggestive: “as long you can perform, you can remain to power”, said the former Botswana President. Probably, this sentiment influences leaders, such as Mugabe to cling on power even without any perspective for the country’s recovery from the economic collapse and subsequent development. It is, therefore important to question the nature of Politics in Africa. Is Politics in Africa a locus for harmonious ‘living together’? And yet, if politics ceases to be that, does it become difficult for Africans to get rid of a culture of opportunistic and business politicians, without any ideal and conviction. Today, Africa needs new leaders, inspired and driven in mind; we need leaders who are able to fight for poverty alleviation, to reconcile Africans and stop conflicts. We need other MANDELAs.)

A point of view on the 2010 Soccer World Cup Finals in South Africa

Although discussions have focused on crucial issues, such as the quality of infrastructures (stadiums, hotels, transport, etc.), the anticipated economic benefits that might accrue to the country for hosting this mega-event, and the implications of the rate of crime in the organisation, I would like to argue that the success of this event lies on one important factor: the celebration of the event as an “African Festival”.

This does not mean that the infrastructural aspect, the economic benefits, and other aspects mentioned above are less important. We really believe that South Africa, as a responsible State and with 2/3 of all African GDP, by accepting to host the World mega-event, will mobilize all the necessary means to overcome all the obstacles which still exist. I, therefore, believe that the material side of the overall investments will not be the reason of any failure.

What I strongly support is the view according to which, the success of this event depends on how the whole continent will come together to celebrate it as a continental Festival. We know how soccer, today, affects the everyday lives of millions of people throughout the world in many similar – as well as quite different – ways. Soccer also retains the capacity to re-invigorate ‘national pride’. The 2010 World Cup is, therefore, an opportunity for the continent to give to the World another image, different of all forms of negativity that people abroad have of Africans. This is an extraordinary opportunity for Africans to tell to the rest of the world that Africa is not a land of misery[1], poverty, disease (HIV/Aids, etc.), crime, death, and so forth… Africa is really a continent where people can live joyfully, connected to each other; ready to help those in distress; a continent where life is celebrated with joy, and a continent where life is sacred and respected; a continent, where the stranger is welcomed with dignity and is associated to celebrate the joy of life with the natives. However there is ongoing debate as to how all this will be achieved?

Obviously, certain conditions should prevail in order for the festival to be a success. First of all, it will be important that poor people have access to the games, directly or through media (TV and radio). Fortunately, on Monday 31 of March the Fifa General Secretary, Jerome Valcke, announced that the SABC – the Official Fifa broadcasting partner – does not need a licence to broadcast the 2010 World Cup and, therefore, all South Africans will be able to watch the games for free on SABC TV. Secondly, Africa will come together as a whole to the 2010 World Cup, if at least two or three African teams cross the quarter-final. The performances of African teams during the tournament will play a major role throughout the continent and will, of course, re-invigorate the pride to be African all over the continent. Thirdly, it will be also important for the host country to reach at least the semi-final, in the absence of reaching the final. As I said above, South Africa is able to mobilize the necessary means to reach such an objective. The appointment of an experimented coach, with numerous achievements at his side, for the national team is a predictable sign that a miracle can happen to Africa, especially to South Africa, to reach this stage of the tournament. Of course, much more needs to be done to consolidate and to unify the team, particularly regardless the relatively poor results in recent Afcon in Ghana. However, there is more optimism than pessimism for the team’s performances during the tournament. “Two years are enough to build a team”.

Finally, the tournament is expected from mid of June to mid of July 2010. This is a crucial period of winter in South Africa. Naturally, the climate will affect the atmosphere of fans and spectators. FIFA might consider reviewing the possibility of delaying the event for two months, as this can contribute to bring more joy and more colours to the event with the sunshine of the earlier summer 2010.

To conclude, I believe that the 2010 Soccer World Cup success depends on how Africans will unite to celebrate this mega-event.
[1] In 1994, an Ivorian student in the USA - Myriam Montrat – was writing that ‘the vision of Africa in the American mind is shaped by mostly the news media. If by chance you find an article about Africa in the newspaper it will probably be five-line article or an article about something negative that happened there. The emphasis is generally put on corruption, poverty, civil war… On the contrary, the African culture and history as reflected in African art, poetry, music, dance and movies is rarely a topic for media discussion. (…) Misery is the media’s favourite topic of coverage: starvation, disease, deaths of millions of people, homeless problems and AIDS” (Myriam MONTRAT, “From the Heart of An African”, Issue: A Journal of Opinions, vol. 22, No. 1, Winter 1994, p. 5-6. This view is applicable to the rest of the world.

What did I learn from previous presentations?

Previous presentations included talks of Dr Tanya Abrahamse (CEO of the South African National Biodiversity Institute) on the "World of work", of Dan Sonnenberg (General Manager of Matrix Plus Consulting) on "Introduction to Business", of Abey Mokgwatsane (Group CEO VWV) on "Building Sustainable business", and that of Fiona McDonald (Independent Management Consulting Professional) on "Networking".

From all of them, there is one thing that I have learnt in order to feel comfortable at the workplace: ‘self-confidence’.

First of all, it is important to do not confuse ‘self-confidence’ with ‘arrogance’. ‘Self-confidence’ goes with humility and the feeling that you know what you are doing or what you want.

Second, ‘self-confidence’ is a key step to improve your networking skills. Self-confidence is about how to start a conversation with people you don’t know, how to be curious about people in a confident but humble manner. With enough ‘self-confidence’, your network can grow as quickly as possible and your chance of success is higher. Self-confidence is a key component of communication. As communication skills are, nowadays, so vital in the world of business, it seems therefore important to build his/her self-confidence.

But the key question remains for me: ‘how can someone build this self-confidence when he/she is by nature shy or when he/she does not trust himself/herself’?