Date: Wed, 27 Nov 1996 11:55:45 +0100 (MET)
Subject: Re: M-G: Zaire, rwanda and Burundi


>
>
>The civil war in Zaire.

Yes! The civil war in Zaire which numerous "marxists" and "socialists" came 
to the defense of Nelson Mandela and his military support to Ruanda. Saying 
that it was perfectly justifiable if one were to look at what the other side 
was responsible for a year ago or so. What do ou "marxists" and "socialists" 
who uncritically supported Mandela have to say now as the reports are coming 
in from Eastern Zaire of the new massacres now against the other side!

I said at the beginning of this stuff;

South African guns to Ruanda!

Nelson Mandela's government is shipping guns to the government in Ruanda. 
Right in the middle of a "new" crisis in Central Africa. Thus Mandela is 
taking sides in the new conflict brewing in Central Africa. Any comments on 
the Mandela "foreign policy" in regards to this from our "marxists" on the list?

I would think that the ANC policy goes against the grain of any kind of 
marxist policy. In fact supporting one ethnic group against another is in 
fact more along the lines of creating jobs and military contracts for South 
Africa and South African capitalism. And maybe rubbing a little salt into 
the wounds of the cancer ridden African president in Switzerland who is 
ending his life in the uttermost luxury as his former country falls apart at 
the seams. Rather than any concious policy to find a solution and provide 
leadership on the African continent.

Instead of supporting one military click against the other it would appear 
to me that a program of South African proletarian Internationalism linked to 
a program of developing both agriculture and industry in central Africa and 
building and African COMINTERN and connecting it to the struggles against 
the rollbacks, protectionism,
unemployment here in Europe and naturally a good dose of ideas that would 
draw the American black proletariat into the struggle would be a far more 
powerful weapon then the road that the present ANC leadership in Pretoria 
are taking.

Once again we see the complete bankruptcy of in this case third world 
nationalism which pits ethnic group against ethnic group, one African nation 
against another while the imperialist FN waits in the sidelines to pick up 
the pieces after a new round of bloodbaths and mass starvation!

The ANC and the South African CP must break with this tradition and turn 
towards a policy and program that can involve the millions upon millions of 
African toilers in a desperate struggle to develop the continent, 
independently of imperialism and its colonial lackies on the continent. They 
must draw in the millions of foreign nationals in Europe and not in the 
least the American black proletariat in this struggle. Armed with a program 
of independent struggle of agriculture and industralisation of the African 
continent and the building of a Socialist federaration of African states.

This is the only *real* way forward. Otherwise we will continue to see a 
never ending round of crisis after crisis where millions will die or starve 
to death as imperialism looks on and in the aftermath go in and once again 
colonise the African continent as it defacto does today with money from the 
banks today.

We should also keep in mind that the imperialist forces are devided and in 
fact are secretly fighting over who gets which piece of cake while backing 
up either one or the other "African" government against another. Nelson 
Mandela's government appears to be taking the same road albeit in the 
interests of South African capitalism and imperialism.

Break with the dead end cycle of African nationalism!

Break with all wings of imperialsm!

Construct and African COMINTERN!

Link the struggles to the European and foremost black American Proletariat!

For a Socialist Federation of African States!

For a reforged Communist International!

Bob Malecki




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