Essential The Africa the Media Doesn't Tell You About

[thatrapsfan]

Read about how many historians are working in Africa on Arab-Muslim trade, and how the few historians who DO work on it are received. Tidiane N'Diaye is one of the very few.

I'm in Paris so all you'll citing I've indeed seen, but that's because of this event and a couple of celebrities speaking up. We all know how Lybia ended up like this and why Africans are crossing there, but negrophobia was already high before 2011 as it was/is in other Northen African countries. Same migrants were facing the same racism in Morocco where they were crossing before (not the slave part), so this isn't "just" aout Lybia now. All of this has much deeper roots, and over the years very few Africans have spoken on it.

Again, my objection was about whether African Muslims are silent or are naive. I think there is ample evidence to the contrary. I've seen Ndiaye speak about his work before and I disagree hes among the few studying this. Ive read tons of work on the issue. I think there is legitimate academic contestation about how he (and others who share his view such as the forefather of this Bernard Lewis) frame the comparison to the Transatlantic slave trade. This debate has been going in academia ( and among African academics for ages), its not a new one. But this doesnt prove African Muslims are some sort of naive apologists as is sometimes thrown out.

 

[BigMan]

ECOWAS hasn’t bombed Libya yet?

 

[Frangala]

I dont get this claim. Are you suggesting theyre naive based on their religion? Almost all the migrants caught up were trying to go to Europe, they werent headed to Libya on the pretense its a friendly country.

In fact the real reason migrant abuses have skyrocketed in Libya is because the EU has put tons of effort and funds into making the treck across the Mediterranean nearly impossible. Libya as a state, is essentially nonexistent, so theyve been paying militias to keep people detained. The same people theyre paying to keep migrants in Libya are trafficking migrants in the country to make up on lost revenue from smuggling.

Thousands of migrants have also been getting abandoned in the Sahara by smugglers after the EU started paying Niger to crack down on the route to Libya:

Opinion | Why More Migrants Are Dying in the Sahara

Anti-black sentiment is rife in North African countries this is aside from this Libyan situations. The treatment of sub-Saharan Africans who are studying in North African countries is quite disgusting I know because I know people who have lived in these countries and often in comparison to other Sub-Saharan Africans (primarily those from predominantly Christian countries) those from majority Muslim countries tend to get under the banner of Islam and often oblivious to that anti-black sentiment.

I have been to Paris quite often and have a lot of family members there. Often there are little groups of young men involve in petty activities going into stores and causing havoc. You will often see the leaders of these little groups be of North African descent and with a bunch of Muslim Black Africans as their underlings. They also refer to Black Africans as "cousin" which is not endearing it refers to the fact they think that the "cousin" or scientific distant relative of man is an ape hence the reference.

Back to the issue protesting in the Libyan embassies will not solve anything since Libya does not have a functioning government and essentially a failed state with a bunch of rebel factions running it so I don't understand it. There is also something hypocritical about this where again you have this slavery stuff going on in other majority MUSLIM countries such as Mauritania where there is also black slavery going on. In addition not but not least, this is a symptom if failed governance of many African countries. Although I understand the despair of these young men, they should channel that energy/determination to get to Europe in toppling these kleptocratic governments. If they die, they die as martyrs, instead of washing away in the Mediterranean and have their organs be used for other purposes. It's easier said than done but has to happen.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

ECOWAS hasn’t bombed Libya yet?

AND thats how Upper West Africa got destablized...

 

[Frangala]

ECOWAS hasn’t bombed Libya yet?

They (many West African leaders) were against the bombing of Libya in the first place but they AU and other African regional organizations are so powerless in the face of the West that they can't do anything. They don't work together as states, they loot their own proper countries so they can't stand up to powers like the US or France in terms of actions.

 

[BigMan]

AND thats how Upper West Africa got destablized...

They were against the bombing of Libya in the first place but they AU and other African regional organizations are so powerless in the face of the West that they can't do anything. They don't work together as states, they loot their own proper countries so they can't stand up to powers like the US or France in terms of actions.

Pathetic.
Who has the strongest military in West Africa?

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Pathetic.
Who has the strongest military in West Africa?

If we dont include Chad to be apart of WA(which most do not) then it would have to be Nigeria...

 

[Frangala]

Pathetic.
Who has the strongest military in West Africa?

It is SUPPOSED to be Nigeria.

 

[Bawon Samedi]

Chadians should do like their ancestors and annex Southern Libya.

They already gave Libya the beats twice. And this was when Libya's military was at its peak and Chad who's military was just rag tag right after independence. But now Libya is not united and their military in disarray and Chad's military is at its best. It would be a cake walk. Plus Southern Libyan ethnic groups would be better off under Chad.

But I see Chad being against this due to Libya already being unstable and not wanting to deal with radical groups(they're already dealing with Boko haram) and the consequences from the international community. But if Chad does Annex southern Libya then they could stabilize the region which would help stabilize upper West Africa but eliminating the root of the problem.

 

[Misreeya]

Sudan’s president visits Russia, asks for protection from US


MOSCOW — Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir said on a visit to Russia Thursday that his country needs protection from the U.S. and could serve as a gateway to Africa for Moscow.

Al-Bashir, speaking at the start of his meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in the Black Sea resort of Sochi, accused the U.S. of fomenting the conflict in Sudan. Al-Bashir added that “we need protection from the U.S. aggressive actions.”

The Darfur region has been the site of violent conflict since 2003, when rebels took up arms against the government in the capital, Khartoum, accusing it of discrimination and neglect. The United Nations estimates 300,000 people have died in the conflict and some 2.7 million have fled their homes.

Al-Bashir, who rose to power in 1989, is on the International Criminal Court’s wanted list for committing crimes against humanity, war crimes and genocide in Sudan’s Darfur region. ICC prosecutors issued two warrants for al-Bashir’s arrest, in 2009 and 2010.

Asked about it, Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov refrained from comment, saying that Russia sees him as “the legitimate president.”


The Sudanese leader told Putin that his country could help Russia develop contacts with other African nations. “Sudan could become a key to Africa for Russia,” he said in remarks released by the Kremlin.


Al-Bashir said that he had a “very good” meeting with Russian Defense Ministry Sergei Shoigu earlier Thursday to discuss modernization of the Sudanese military. “We agreed with the defense minister that Russia will offer assistance to that,” he added.

Sudan's president visits Russia, asks for protection from US

 

[Misreeya]

Russia to help Sudan upgrade its armed forces


SOCHI, November 23. /TASS/. Sudan has reached agreement with the Russian Defense Ministry on assistance in upgrading its armed forces, President Omar al-Bashir said at a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday.

"We’ve had a very good meeting with the Russian defense minister. We are launching a vast program for re-equipping our armed forces. We’ve agreed with the Russian Defense Minister Russia will provide assistance. We would like to increase the presence of military attaches," al-Bashir said.



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Sudan finds the situation in the Red Sea worrisome, he remarked.

"We believe that US interference in these affairs is also a problem. We would like to discuss this issue from the standpoint of using bases in the Red Sea," al-Bashir said.


Sudan is grateful to Russia for the stance it takes in world affairs.

"We can underline the great coincidence of positions on most issues," al-Bashir said. He criticized the United States for interference in the internal affairs of other countries, adding that US intervention was to blame for Sudan’s split into two states.

"As a result we need protection from aggressive actions by the United States. We believe that what is happening in Syria now is an effect of US interference. As a result Syria has seen a catastrophe. We believe that the country would have been lost but for Russia’s role. In that connection we seek cooperation with Russia in various spheres," al-Bashir said.

In particular, he added, his country was interested in military-technical cooperation with Russia, because the military hardware currently at Sudan’s disposal was of Russian manufacture.

Nuclear cooperation
Sudan is interested in developing economic interaction with Russia and is ready to discuss projects in exploration and peaceful use of nuclear energy, President Omar al-Bashir said.

"We want to discuss issues of Russian companies’ work, including in the sphere of geology. Furthermore, we would like to discuss matters related to peaceful use of nuclear energy and development of national electric power supplies. We have capabilities and interest to develop such cooperation," the President of Sudan said.

Sudan is also interested in developing contacts with the Russian business in oil production, agriculture, and in the railways sphere, he said.

Sudan is ready to help Russia in developing relations with African nations, Omar al-Bashir said. "We can say that Sudan can be such a key for Russia [for development of Russia’s relations with African countries]," he noted.

The President of Sudan stated interest of his country in developing relations with BRIC



Russia to help Sudan upgrade its armed forces

 

[Bawon Samedi]

fukk Omar Bashir.

 

[Yehuda]

It is SUPPOSED to be Nigeria.

Then who's the weakest? I was just reading something saying the Nigerian army is garbage.

 

[Frangala]

Then who's the weakest? I was just reading something saying the Nigerian
army is garbage.

Don't know but you can get the picture if something you read stated that the "supposed" strongest army is garbage. That should tell you about how weak armed forces are in the continent in comparison to other countries outside of it. These armies are only good for coups and human rights violations to keep it real.

 

[thatrapsfan]

Anti-black sentiment is rife in North African countries this is aside from this Libyan situations. The treatment of sub-Saharan Africans who are studying in North African countries is quite disgusting I know because I know people who have lived in these countries and often in comparison to other Sub-Saharan Africans (primarily those from predominantly Christian countries) those from majority Muslim countries tend to get under the banner of Islam and often oblivious to that anti-black sentiment.

I have been to Paris quite often and have a lot of family members there. Often there are little groups of young men involve in petty activities going into stores and causing havoc. You will often see the leaders of these little groups be of North African descent and with a bunch of Muslim Black Africans as their underlings. They also refer to Black Africans as "cousin" which is not endearing it refers to the fact they think that the "cousin" or scientific distant relative of man is an ape hence the reference.

Back to the issue protesting in the Libyan embassies will not solve anything since Libya does not have a functioning government and essentially a failed state with a bunch of rebel factions running it so I don't understand it. There is also something hypocritical about this where again you have this slavery stuff going on in other majority MUSLIM countries such as Mauritania where there is also black slavery going on. In addition not but not least, this is a symptom if failed governance of many African countries. Although I understand the despair of these young men, they should channel that energy/determination to get to Europe in toppling these kleptocratic governments. If they die, they die as martyrs, instead of washing away in the Mediterranean and have their organs be used for other purposes. It's easier said than done but has to happen.

We got a black Mauritanian/ Senegalese living in Paris on this forum, he can add his own perspective @Sonni on Mauritania as well on that relationship between blacks and North Africans in Paris. Ive been to Paris and as I understand it there are tensions at times, but at other times they got along well due to living in same areas etc. But I cant pretend to be an expert so I'm interested in what his thoughts are.