Letters =

In defence of Bishop Sentamu As a Zimbabwean, I was encouraged by Archbishop Sentamu’s symbolic act of cutting up his clerical collar, signifying how Mugabe had cut up the identities of Zimbabweans. My compatriots and I are grateful and comforted by the archbishop’s public recognition of our predicament. Your mockery (Baffour’s Beefs, Jan 2008) of this is unsurprising, in view of your well-established positive editorial line on Zimbabwe. What was surprising though was, with respect, the deficiency of your article. While you mention the archbishop’s vow not to wear his collar until after Mugabe has left power, you make no mention of the equally important matter of Sentamu’s reason for performing the act. It was, as I mentioned at the outset, to symbolise how Mugabe had, through his policies, cut up the identities of Zimbabweans. It was in my view a very powerful and highly significant statement, which I am sure you don’t only need to be Zimbabwean to appreciate. Y ou take up a lot of space on the trivial matter of whether the pair of scissors the archbishop used to cut-up his collar, was on hand in the BBC studio or not! To resolve your angst, you may be interested to know that I personally heard him acknowledge, in a radio interview on BBC 4, that it had been premeditated. I end with a request of you not to assume that anyone unsupportive of Mugabe’s government is, as per your accusation of the archbishop, refusing “to acquaint himself with the full information [on Zimbabwe] available on the ground”. Many of us are well acquainted with the Zimbabwe situation, not least through being plagued by it, but choose to interpret the information differently. Themba Chavunduka Manchester, uK

My kind of democracy The purpose of this letter is to register my disapproval of DSTV’s decision to lease commercial airtime to New African magazine. While it is entirely possible for both reader and editorial staff to differ widely on opinions about different issues, New African’s poor editorial content and downright misinformation published about Zimbabwe in which I spend part of my time, makes it a detriment to anyone trying to fully and honestly understand the continent and the many complex issues.

Emperor Haile Sellasie is an African icon who deserves praise

How their writers and I who travel the same physical road can see, at the same period of time, two totally different realities, makes it very difficult to present any kind of reliable picture for people trying to understand a situation. In DSTV choosing to air NA’s commercials, it is my opinion that you do a real disservice to honest people of goodwill who are trying to be informed partners in honourable relations with Africa. I observe the normal courtesy of copying in New African on this correspondence. (Name withheld) harare, Zimbabwe

Selassie deserves praise I have seen your advertisement on the South African TV network (DSTV), in which pictures of some great Africans – Nkrumah, Nasser, Mandela, etc – are highlighted. However, to my dismay and disbelief, you didn’t include Emperor Haile Selassie who played a leading and inspirational role in fighting colonialism and liberating Africa as

well as being a co-founder the Organisation of African Unity (OAU). There was no other African leader by Selassie’s side when he made that courageous speech against colonialism and fascism at the League of Nations (the then United Nations). Did you know that he trained Mandela in Ethiopia and that Nkrumah and others were inspired by him in their struggle? I can not mention all his contributions to Africa in this brief letter, but Haile Selassie deserves praise, respect and credit for what he did for the continent. W. Degefu addis ababa, ethiopia

We have a future! Carina Ray’s article, “We have a history!” (NA, Jan 2008) concluded by implicitly raising an existential question, about the viability and survival of a sustained and dignified global black race. It would be nice, to have, in real existence, a flourishing and well-centred black race alongside the other races of the world, without being subjugated to a constant barrage of insidiousness, improprieties and expletives from the rest of the world. It is rather unfortunate that the black race finds itself in a world in which there is a need (it seems) by the dominant Western civilisation and parts of the Eastern civilisation to present and orchestrate Africa as a cancerous part of the world where any notion of progress is fossilised. Whilst it is unnecessary for the black race to invest too much time in analysing all the ramifications of such behaviour by the West, there however is a strategic need to understand some of the root motives of this aggressive and unsocial behaviour. The black race must, with measure, sharply rebut any jibe, falsehood and negative campaign that are harmful to the minds of black youth and posterity. But it must not fail to realise and extract the benefits of such opposition and adversity. Many a time, our opposition and enemies can be a triggering factor in enabling us reconcile a little quicker and better in fulfilling our destiny. So no matter how buzzing, stinging or outright damning these slurs and racist assaults upon the beauty of the black race are, we must not forget that every adversity, every failure, every heartache carries within it the seed of an equal or greater benefit. Dr Baba Fajemisin london, uK

8n NEW AFRICAN February 2008