IN this “UN Year of Peoples of African descent”, I would like to suggest to leaders and intellectuals that we in Guyana and the rest of the Caribbean establish contacts in Africa, and help them in dealing with the new imperialism which is already plundering their resources in a more heartless and vicious manner than the 19th century European imperialists. In making such a suggestion, I am thinking of the early West Indian intellectuals like Padmore, Maconen and others who went to Africa and helped to map out their liberation which was achieved half a century later. The Africans were very grateful for the part those West Indians played in their freedom struggle. Those West Indians are commemorated in the history books. Walter Rodney’s work in Africa and Guyana’s support for the anti-apartheid struggle were in this tradition.

In Africa today, the greatest Asiatic power is stripping Africa of its gold, oil, iron, coal, forest (wood), animal (for ivory and medicinal inputs) and other non-renewable resources. In this plunder, many African leaders and bureaucrats are given bribes to sell out their country. To facilitate this plunder, the Asiatics build certain infrastructures such as roads, bridges, dams, and even power-generation, both for their own use so they can quicker bring out the plunder, and to con the Africans that they are giving them something. These Asiatics do not employ Africans, and in the few cases they have done so, the Africans are badly treated. In October last, for example, at the Collum coal mine in Zambia, the Asiatic manager shot eleven African miners who were protesting against poor pay and horrible working conditions.

It is our duty, indeed historical duty, for Guyana and the West Indies to initiate action which would hold off this plunder and oppression which is again befalling Africa. Our leaders and intellectuals could help immediately by:

(a) Exposing the plunder in the media, both local and international, using the internet and Diaspora to help.
(b) Lobbying with understanding countries who are sympathetic and friendly to Africa, such as Brazil, Cuba, Venezuela, and of course, the various West Indian governments.
(c) Lobbying the universities and the various humanitarian groups in the major Western countries.
(d) Exposing African leaders and bureaucrats who are hand-in-glove with the new imperialists, plunderers and oppressors.
(e) Congratulate those Western companies, such as the Brazilian ones, which act fairly and respect the Africans and their environment, and which make a profit but do not plunder.

Leaders, governments and intellectuals must seize this historic opportunity and do their duty to Africa, bringing honour and gratitude to Guyana and the West Indies. The UN Year would have more meaning.