The New Dark Age

28 November 2013 — Pambazuka News

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Pambazuka News (English edition): ISSN 1753-6839

 

CONTENTS:

1. Features, 2. Announcements, 3. Comment & analysis, 4. Books & arts, 5. Jobs

 

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1 Features SPEAKING TRUTH TO WHITENESS IN BRAZIL Alyxandra Gomes Nunes

 

Brazil conjures up the misleading notion of being a racial democracy, yet its Afro-Brazilian population continues to experience overt and covert forms of racism. In this special two part issue of Pambazuka News we seek to speak truth to whiteness in Brazil which is symptomatic of a global white supremacist thinking, despite the fact that people of colour are the majority in the world http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89766 ******

 

BLACK WOMEN: RESISTANCE AND RESILIENCE In the face of the psycho-social effects of racism Cl?lia R. S. Prestes

 

Black women in Brazil are still the class with least access to social goods and services and are deeply affected by widespread exploitation, discrimination and social exclusion. Their struggles for a politicised and healthy black identity continue http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89763

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THE DARK SIDE OF THE BRAZILIAN MEDICAL ?WHITENESS? From elitism to xenophobice racism Marcio Andr? dos Santos, Sheila Dias and Pablo Mattos

 

The rejection of Cuban doctors upon their arrival by associating them with ?slaves? and ?domestic servants? reveals the racist and class-based imagery of Brazilian ?medical Whiteness?. A national debate is needed to change this pernicious perception of the black person http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89762

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EMPLOYMENT AND RACIAL POLICIES IN BRAZIL WITH FOCUS ON THE SOCIAL SPHERE Sandro dos Santos Correia and Jorge Luis dos Santos

 

Brazilian authorities have only recently embarked on affirmative measures to redress many years of racist policies that led to limited access to jobs by the country?s large black population. Whether these initiatives will succeed remains to be seen http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89764

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AFRICA EVERYWHERE: BLACK CULTURE IS THE HEART OF PERIPHERY ESTHETICS Liliane Braga

 

‘Africa has taught us that songs, music, dance and visual arts are all intertwined. We have learned from Africa that laughs, tears, sweat, aroma, odor, panting, languor and all other senses are part of daily life.’ http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89765

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MOZAMBIQUE: WHY HAS RENAMO GONE BACK TO THE BUSH? Fredson Guilengue

 

The former rebel movement has renounced the peace deal it signed to end the war in 1992 and has issued a raft of demands to the government, raising fears of resumption of the war. But RENAMO?s problem is its failure to transofrm from a rebel group to a regular political party. FRELIMO is also to blame http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89767

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THOMAS SANKARA: KILLERS FAIL TO ERASE HIS POWERFUL LEGACY Bruno Jaffr?

 

26 years ago Thomas Sankara was assassinated. The circumstances are yet to be clarified … But he enjoys ever growing popularity http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89760

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THE MANICHAEAN STIGMATIZATION OF AFRICA Peter Wuteh Vakunta

 

Racist stigmatization of Africa as a backward land in need of external intervention for its salvation is the justification for the slave trade, colonialism and neo-colonialism. But many Africans today appear to be complacent about this. The war against imperialism is no yet won http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/features/89761 ******

 

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2 Announcements

NEW VIDEO SERIES: HOW TO CONDUCT INTERVIEWS WITH SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL AND GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE Matisse Bustos Hawkes WITNESS

 

A new six-part video series from WITNESS ( http://www.witness.org ) provides practical tips and insight from activists, survivors and experts on interviewing techniques, creating appropriate questions, safety and security, and the effects of trauma on survivors of sexual and gender-based violence. The video series accompanies our written guide on Conducting Safe, Effective and Ethical Interviews with Survivors of Sexual and Gender-Based Violence. ( http:// http://witness.org/downloads/conducting-safe-effective-and-ethical-interviews-survivors-sexual-and-gender-based-violenc) http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/Announce/89757

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CALL FOR ARTICLES: AMILCAR CABRAL

 

Pambazuka News seeks to commemorate 41 years since the death of this important African political thinker. The Editors invite articles for a special issue on his life and work http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/Announce/89544

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3 Comment & analysis

CLIMATE CHANGE AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT IN AFRICA Sam Schramski

 

Discourses on climate change and sustainable development in Africa have been hijacked with terminology such as ?mitigation? and ?adaptation? that need to be questioned http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89773 ******

 

CLIMATE CHANGE DEBATE: THERE IS MORE THAN ONE SIDE TO THE STORY Terry Moore

 

There is no dispute that this planet is undergoing climate change; indeed, throughout history, this planet has suffered much more serious climatic assaults on its surface and its inhabitants. The science, however, is confused by the allegation that there is GLOBAL warming. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89770

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DR CONGO: A PRESCRIPTION FOR LASTING PEACE AND STABILITY Kambale Musavuli

 

The much-hyped defeat of the M23 rebels in eastern Congo means little, unless firm action is taken to deter Rwanda and Uganda, both US allies, from destabilizing of the country. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89769

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LGBTI REFUGEES AND ASYLUM SEEKERS IN SOUTH AFRICA SUFFER VAST ECONOMIC INJUSTICE Elizabeth Gyori

 

Despite South Africa?s liberal constitution, gay refugees and asylum seekers face widespread xenophobia and homophobia that does not allow them to seek stable employment nor receive legal redress when discriminated against http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89772

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NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON NIGERIA: ?THE FIERCE URGENCY OF NOW? Chido Onumah

 

A genuine national conference to discuss how to move Nigeria forward is not a silver bullet, but it must also tackle the structures that allow for corruption, abuse of office and impunity to thrive in Nigeria http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89758

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WE ARE NOT VICTIMS, SAYS SWAZILAND?S GAY MOVEMENT Peter Kenworthy

 

In the undemocratic state of Swaziland, House of Our Pride (HOOP), an organisation fighting for the rights of Swazi Gay, Bisexual and Transgender people are also ensuring day-to-day care and survival, medical and otherwise, for LGBT people http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/comment/89759

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4 Books & arts

COLONIAL LANGUAGES Mercio Andre

 

Languages

 

I wish I could talk to you in languages

 

Touch you in Wolof

 

Kiss your body in Lingala

 

Love you in Bambara

 

I wish I could talk to you in my own voices

 

And with my music

 

Those sounds which burn in our soul

 

So, smiling in Chokwe

 

Play with you in Swahili

 

I dream of venting my being

 

In Fula, Mandang

 

And after that, loose myself in the between, in your Yoruba

 

Remember in Umbundo

 

Come in Kimbundo

 

But, oh no, I only speak Portuguese

 

Colonial languages

 

And the post-colonial conditions

 

And freedom?

 

Which language to speak?

 

Which chant to sing?

 

Can silence translate it?

 

Can space contain it?

 

*Translated from Portuguese by Alyxandra Gomes

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HOW NATO HIJACKED THE UPRISING IN LIBYA FOR ITS OWN PURPOSES A review of ‘Global NATO and the Catastrophic Failure in Libya’, by Horace Campbell. Monthly Review Press. ?10.50 (paperback) Peter Arkell

 

There is almost universal confusion, even ignorance, over the true nature of the NATO intervention in Libya two years ago, carried out in the name of protecting the people against their own government of Colonel Muammar Gaddafi. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/89771

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5 Jobs

REGIONAL ACTIVISM & YOUTH COORDINATOR ?35,640; Johannesburg Amnesty International

 

For 50 years, we?ve been campaigning for human rights wherever justice, freedom and truth are denied. We?ve reshaped policies, challenged governments and taken corporations to task. In doing so, we?ve changed thousands of lives for the better. Join Amnesty at our new Secretariat office in Johannesburg and you will too. http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/jobs/89747

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