AfricanStream

When discussing violence taking place in the Gaza Strip and across occupied Palestinian territories, people often explain it as a conflict between two equal sides fighting a war for decades. However, in this 1 April clip from @piersmorganuncensored, US-based journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin (@fababs) told @piersmorgan this is an inappropriate lens to view the issue. The root cause, she argues, is the 75-year Israeli occupation inflicted on an indigenous people in service of a settler-colonial state. Since the 7 October escalation, Israel has killed more than 33,000 people via bombardments and a siege. A provisional International Court of Justice ruling in January and a temporary UN Security Council ceasefire resolution in March have not stopped Israel. Do you agree with Martin’s perspective? Let us know in the comments.

Within the space of 10 days, a Senegalese prisoner became president. It’s an amazing story that saw Bassirou Faye go from his cell to the palace and lead his country with fellow inmate Ousmane Sonko joining him as prime minister. In just over a week, they managed to galvanise the youth vote and capitalise on years of popular discontent. But will this dreamlike rise to the top end well? There are fears Faye’s already back-pedalling on his election promise to ditch the CFA franc as the country’s currency. We look at the duo’s stunning path to power and what lies ahead.

On what would have been his 126th birthday, we remember ‘Afro-American’ artist Paul Robeson - with a clip from 1960, in which his wit, intelligence and insights shine through. First broadcast on Australian TV, he explains to host and audience how their country, and the United States too, got its wealth - as well as why he is proud of his African roots, despite institutional attempts to make him ashamed of them. His outspoken political beliefs got him blacklisted during the McCarthy era, effectively ending his mainstream success. But that didn’t stop him from saying what he thought. Does he impress you as much as he does us?

In 1974, boxer and activist Muhammad Ali shared his beautiful poem about friendship in a televised interview. Today, three countries in Africa are shining examples of what he meant. The Alliance of Sahel States (AES)—established in September by three countries that underwent popular coups: Burkina Faso, Mali and Niger—have forged a bond, both at the level of heads of state and at the grassroots among civilians. These landlocked countries in the Sahel, an arid zone south of the Sahara Desert, are closer than ever as they have agreed that an attack on any of the AES member-states is an attack on them all. The countries recently announced they would leave the France-backed regional organisation, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), flustering their Western-aligned neighbours. The AES lays the groundwork for Pan-African unity. Burkina Faso and Mali are among Africa's top gold producers, yet they understand their alliance—or their friendship—is more powerful.

On 5 April, Haitian police forces reportedly uncovered an illegal shipment of weapons from the United States. According to the website, Haiti Libre, the container included 12 assault rifles, 14 9-mm pistol guns, 999 cartridges for various calibre sizes, and 34 chargers (sniper rifles). Haitian officials seized the weapons at the port of Cap-Haïtien. Haiti Libre reported Alliance Int’l Shipping LLC Agency of 6916 NW, 72nd Avenue in Miami, shipped the container to someone named 'Wilmane Jean,' described as a 'customs broker.' 'A man named Barthol, thus known, was responsible for receiving these contraband arms and ammunition,' the outlet added. While all details are not yet known, evidence already demonstrates the United States' role in destabilising Haiti. From 1915 to 1934, the United States occupied Haiti, taking control of the country's politics and finances. Reports say the US Marines violated the human rights of Haitian civilians. From 1957 to 1971, the United States backed President François Duvalier, who ruled over Haiti with an iron fist. More recently, the United States employed coups d'état twice to overthrow democratically-elected socialist leader, President Jean-Bertrand Aristide. Since the last coup in 2004, instability has wracked the Haitian side of the Hispaniola island in the northern Caribbean Sea. The United States has also participated in and sanctioned other military occupations on the island. After UN 'peacekeeping' troops poured sewerage into waterways, a cholera outbreak killed at least 10,000 Haitians in the 2010s. Plus, Haitian women and girls have reported sexual violence at the hands of UN troops. An unpopular Kenyan police deployment has yet to take place. What do you think about this alleged weapon shipment? Let us know in the comments.

On the 30th anniversary of the Rwandan genocide against the Tutsi, the country’s president accused the international community of not doing enough to stop it. Paul Kagame took part in a wreath-laying ceremony in Kigali in memory of over 800,000 Tutsis and Hutu moderates slaughtered in the space of 100 days from April 7th, 1994. He said the world had effectively stood by and watched it unfold either through ‘contempt or cowardice.’ As early as January that year, the UN’s Rwanda mission (UNAMIR) had indications mass killings were on the way. However, its Commander-in-Chief, Roméo Dallaire, was told he didn’t have a mandate to intervene. A few months later, in April, his request to double the mission’s troops to 5,000 was rejected, and the UN Security Council voted to withdraw 90 per cent of its forces. By late April, UNAMIR had just 450 poorly equipped soldiers. The following month, France offered to send troops. However, their deployment took weeks after a disagreement with the US over the cost of using military equipment for peacekeeping forces. After their arrival, they were accused of letting those guilty of atrocities escape through the French-controlled buffer zone. The UN only accepted responsibility for its inaction in 2000. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan lamented in 2004 that he’d not done enough to stop the mass killings. It was only recognised as genocide by the UN in 2014. During commemorations, Kagame vowed he’d never allow politics in his country to be organised on the basis of ethnicity and religion. He’s been in power since 2000 but has been in de facto charge since 1994 when his rebel group, the Rwandan Patriotic Front, seized control to end the genocide. Critics however, accuse Kagame's government of participating in acts of mass killing in Eastern DRC under the pretext of hunting the 1994 génocidaires. What do you make of his comments?

This TikTok influncer, @marietagbo, makes the point: White supremacist propaganda has confused Africans about the racism that oppresses us. Marie Tagbo emphasised the point by raising the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip, saying, ‘Y’all are still confused over a genocide.’ She accused those who defended Israel’s actions in the Gaza Strip of being like people who defended slavery in the United States by saying enslavers had a right to protect themselves. Propaganda had portrayed enslaved people as inherently dangerous and subhuman. To this day, Western media and governments depict our people as criminals who cannot govern themselves. How do we help our people gain clarity on the path to liberation? Let us know your thoughts.

Sudan’s civil war is nearing the one-year mark - but not only does the conflict look nowhere near ending, it’s failed to evoke global concern. And that is a disaster for the millions displaced and on the brink of a hunger emergency. Aid agencies have been trying to raise funds to meet the urgent need for food, shelter and medicines - but so far, only half of what they judge essential has been raised. It’s one of the worst humanitarian crises in recent history. One year on, why has the Sudanese people’s suffering failed to move the world?

According to the 1948 United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the right to food is part of the right to an adequate standard of living. Culturally appropriate food is built into that right. However, in 2021, the United States and Israel were the only countries that voted against a United Nations committee's draft resolution that asserted food as a human right. This came after the number of people without adequate food rose from 320 million to more than 2 billion in the year 2020. US and Western sanctions have long contributed to famine, disease and death, too. What do you think is the solution to the global hunger crisis? Let us know in the comments.

When a France 24 presenter recently asked Egyptian comedian Bassem Youssef (@byoussef) why he uses the word 'genocide' to describe Israel's attacks for the last almost six months against Palestinian civilians, Youssef shot back rather sharply. The Egyptian said Israel's claim that it seeks to eradicate militant group H*m*s distracts from its bombardment and siege, which has killed more than 33,000 Palestinians, mostly women and children. Youssef added that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies created H*m*s. On 26 January, the International Court of Justice issued a provisional ruling that stated South Africa's charge that Israel is committing genocide is 'plausible.' The court further required Israel to take steps to prevent genocidal acts. However, reports show Israel's bombardment and siege have killed an additional 7,000 Palestinians since that ruling. Plus, although the UN Security Council passed a 25 March resolution calling for a ceasefire, Israel's military in this week alone killed people at the al-Shifa Hospital, on a World Central Kitchen food-aid convoy and at the Iranian consulate in Syria. Do you use the word 'genocide' to describe what is going on in the Gaza Strip? Let us know in the comments.

After Russia invaded Ukraine on 24 February 2022, thousands of Africans and other people of colour in the country faced discrimination as they tried to flee. In this clip, 34-year-old Pyra Diantouadi of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) expressed his disbelief at Ukrainians asking him to take up guns to fight for Kiev. He laughed at the idea of facing Russian troops, saying he'd stick out like a sore thumb and probably be killed, thanks to his skin colour. He was lucky to get a train ride westward into Poland, where ABC News recorded this interview. However, reports say Ukrainian soldiers turned away many African men at train stations. In 2020, the government reported it had more than 80,000 international students from 158 countries. This brother's response is not surprising, as Africans have historically been used to fight in European wars, whether it was in the US war on Vietnam, the two World Wars some historians refer to as imperialist wars, the US Civil War or US settler-colonisers' war of 'independence' against the British. Our people unfortunately have a history of fighting for people who would never fight for us. But, at least this brother followed in the steps of boxer and activist Muhammad Ali, who refused to be deployed to Vietnam in 1967, essentially saying, 'Hell no!' How would you have reacted if you were in this brother's position?

Can what Israel is doing in the Gaza Strip be described a genocide? British journalist Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) recently posed that question to US-based journalist and filmmaker Abby Martin (@abbymartin) on @piersmorganuncensored. She thought so, and cited indicators that point to Israel committing genocidal acts against Palestinians. From the besiegement of the Gaza Strip, starvation of civilians, destruction of health facilities, indiscriminate bombing of among the world's most densely populated areas, the killing of over 33,000 civilians and so on, Martin said Israel’s policy targeting Palestinians is clear. After debates that took place about whether Israel had bombed the first hospital in October, Israel went on to attack more hospitals in the Gaza Strip, leaving only 24 per cent of healthcare facilities functioning. Do you think the discussions around whether Israel is committing genocide might be wasting time as more than 2 million of Palestinians are held under siege?

Happy National Women's day Mozambique! This public holiday celebrated every year on April 7th, is inspired by the life of the revolutionary Josina Machel. She was married to the country's first president socialist and nationalist Samora Machel. She battled against Portuguese occupation, fought for th Mozambique liberation front and championed women’s rights. She died from liver cancer, aged just 25, on April 7th, 1971. She achieved a lot during her short life. We look back at her impact on the Southeast African nation and why her name is one to be remembered for generations to come.

Rwanda's genocide was unleashed three decades ago. Ever since, it has been used as justification for Western countries to intervene militarily elsewhere. What's ignored is the West's hand in stoking the ethnic divisions that spiralled into those hundred days of genocidal horror. Moreover, on 21st April, 1994, the UN reduced its peacekeeping force by 90 per cent - from 2,500 to just 270. This went against its own 'responsibility to protect' doctrine, used to justify humanitarian interventions. Here’s a recap of those dark events - a warning, our report contains scenes you may find upsetting.

Newly sworn-in President Bassirou Diomaye Faye has tapped his mentor and popular opposition figure, Ousmane Sonko, as Sénégal's prime minister. This comes just a few years after a mass movement engulfed the small West African country, protesting undemocratic practices and French economic control. Sonko caught public attention in 2016 as a whistleblowing tax inspector, who alleged a Canadian company was operating in Sénégal to evade $8.9 million in taxes. In 2019, Sonko placed third in an election, running against then-incumbent President Macky Sall. The 49-year-old distinguished himself by railing against the neo-colonial West African CFA franc currency and French domination of the economy. In 2021, Sonko was arrested and charged with rape, a move many saw as political repression. This sparked mass protests that led to youth and workers pouring into the streets. In 2023, a court dismissed the rape charge, instead convicting Sonko of corrupting Senegal's youth. Last year, Sall announced he would not run for office and the Senegalese Constitutional Council maintained Sonko was also disqualified from running. Sonko endorsed 44-year-old Faye, who won the 24 March election and was sworn in as president on 2 April.

Can a journalist ask a more ridiculous question? This viral video shows a reporter from a pro-Israeli German paper asking a UN expert if the Israeli government has explicitly stated in a document its intent to commit genocide in Gaza. The suggestion being, without it, there’s no case against Tel Aviv. Well, Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territories, gave the perfect comeback. The 47-year-old Italian lawyer lists past genocides where perpetrators never formally declared intent, and says there’s enough evidence against Israel to keep investigators busy for decades. Germany, incidentally, is supporting Israel as it faces allegations of genocide at the International Court of Justice. The case was brought by South Africa, and in January the ICJ ruled the claims were plausible. At the time, the German government said it would intervene as a third party to argue Israel’s innocence.

How far might one go to dodge accountability? In 2020, Kemebradikumo Daniel Pondei, then acting managing director of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC), caused a social media storm after he appeared to faint while members of the Nigerian House of Representatives questioned him over alleged corruption. Live television had captured the moment. While only medical professionals can determine the authenticity of the occurrence, Nigerians were not so convinced. Many on social media saw it as Pondei’s attempt to avoid consequences after being caught dipping his fingers in the public’s cookie jar. Pondei appears only to have served during 2020. Former Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo formed the NDDC in 2000 to address the hostilities of several delta-inhabiting ethnic groups toward the London-based Shell oil company. Nigeria’s Supreme Court ruled in January in favour of hearing Shell’s appeal to overturn a 2022 ruling. That ruling required Shell to clean $12 billion in environmental degradation caused by oil spills before divesting—or selling—$2.4 billion in Nigeria-based oil assets. Stakeholders have lodged multiple cases against Shell in the courts of Nigeria, England and the Netherlands. Meanwhile, Houston-based ExxonMobil and Rome-based Eni are other major extractors in Nigeria, Africa’s largest oil exporter. Let us know in the comments if you believe Pondei fainted and what you think about Nigerian resources being in foreign hands.

New Orleans is home to a unique cultural fusion of African and Native-American traditions - in the form of its so-called Black Masking Indians, who perform every year in the city’s Mardi Gras, wearing some of the most stunning costumes you’ll ever see. The exact origins of the Black Indians and their colourful rituals - full of rhythms and dance - are unclear, but one popular theory is that it began with the friendship that formed between two oppressed peoples, when Native Indians offered Black, on-the-run slaves shelter. New Orleans, of course, is also the city that saw a huge wave of arrivals from Haiti after its revolution, and this too has had its influence. African Stream’s Sefu Sanni takes a deep dive into a cultural mix like no other.

Egypt has historically fought multiple wars in support of Palestinian liberation and its people remain staunch supporters of the Palestinian cause. However, many now accuse Cairo of worsening the plight of Gazans in the face Israel’s catastrophic bombardment. President Sissi has closed his country’s borders amid reports Palestinians are being charged $10,000 to cross the frontier to safety. Egypt's also destroyed tunnels into the Gaza Strip that were used to counter Israeli aid restrictions and deliver essential goods. With one of the strongest armies in the world and sharing a common culture, language, history and border with Gaza, shouldn't Egypt do more to save Palestinians from an unfolding genocide and apartheid? Tell us what you think in the comments below.

In Tallahassee, Florida, body camera footage suggested a police officer opened a sealed bottle of alcohol and poured the liquid to charge a Black man, Calvin Riley Sr., with driving under the influence during a routine traffic stop last May. Police began searching the 56-year-old’s car after they claimed to have discovered his driver’s licence was suspended. During a pre-trial hearing, an officer cited a police department policy preventing officers from impounding liquids as evidence, although no such policy appears to exist. Riley claims the incident cost him time to work, a $750 bail, and missing loan payments forced him to forfeit his car. He is scheduled to stand trial today in Tallahassee.

The UK’s default response to violent crime, especially among Black Brits, is expulsion and incarceration. Rapper and activist Akala here argues that these punishments don’t address the root cause - namely, socio-economic factors. In the past, the UK has successfully tackled violent crime through community engagement - in White-dominated districts of Manchester and (more recently) Glasgow. So why isn’t this being tried more in places like London? It’s even led to concerns the UK is now drifting towards the kind of prison-industrial complex found in the US - one, moreover, disproportionately targeting minorities. What do you think?

Chelsea's star midfielder, Conor Gallagher, faces accusations of racism after this clip went viral. It shows the footballer apparently blanking a Black boy who was the match mascot for last Saturday’s game with Burnley. The club says it was taken out of context and Gallagher was seen with his arm around the youngster as they walked onto the pitch. Blues coach Mauricio Pochettino also defended his player, putting it down to pre-match jitters. However, that hasn’t stopped the 24-year-old suffering an online backlash. Chelsea’s been marred by a string of recent racism scandals. In 2018, their fans abused their current midfielder, Raheem Sterling, when he played for Man City. The year before that, four Chelsea supporters were convicted of racial violence after pushing a Black man off a train in Paris while fans chanted: 'We are racist and that’s the way we like it.' In 2012, the English FA fined Chelsea captain John Terry £220,000 and banned him for four games over racist comments made to fellow player Anton Ferdinand. There’s no telling for certain why Gallagher ignored the Black boy's high five, but it’s not a good look. Have a watch and give us your view on what happened.

The United States claims Iran and Niger are talking about a uranium deal. The radioactive substance can bolster a country's development and defence. And, with Niger being the world's seventh-largest producer, Iran may have found a gold mine with which it may be able to escape decades of US/UN/EU sanctions. US officials made this claim during an unannounced visit to the Sahelian country that broke diplomatic protocol. A few days later, Niger's military government, which had ousted Western-aligned President Mohamed Bazoum in July 2023, announced it was nullifying an agreement that another Western-aligned Nigerien president, Mahamadou Issoufou, had negotiated in 2014. The deal had allowed the US military to occupy a $110 million US-built drone base in Agadez. Do you believe the US claim about an Iran-Niger uranium deal, and what do you think it means for the global order? Let us know in the comments.

Nick Ferrari, a right-wing morning show host for British radio station LBC, is, in his own words, a 'friend of Israel.' However, even he could not stay silent when Israel killed seven food-aid workers travelling on 1 April through the Gaza Strip. The World Central Kitchen (WCK) cars were marked with the NGO’s logos, and aid workers coordinated with the Israeli military on designated routes. Israel claims the attack was a mistake. Despite these details, the United States and the United Kingdom continue to support Israel, with Washington delivering more than 2,000 bombs on the day of the deadly attack. Moreover, while Western leaders mourn the deaths of primarily white WCK aid workers who had hailed from Australia, Canada, Poland, the UK and the US—and one from Palestine—they have not done the same for the more than 33,000 Palestinian civilians that Israel has killed via bombardment and siege since 7 October. Is this a case of the Global North demonstrating callousness toward Palestinians, or do you think Western leaders have good reason to mourn these aid workers? Let us know in the comments.

We all know Africa is essentially being plundered though exploitative mineral-extraction deals. But what would you think if you learned that not only are non-Africans reaping the profits on our precious stones, they are using those earnings to fund conflict - in particular, a war that many see as imperialistic and genocidal? African Stream’s Ahmed Ghoneim looks at how Israel - and its military - are making a killing from our diamonds. We’d love to hear your reactions in the comments.