Open Letter From 40+ African Signatories Sent To Labour Party's Chakrabarti Inquiry On African Liberation Day

 

PRESS RELEASE:

London, UK

May 25 2016

Call It By Its Name: Afriphobia Is Racism Against African People

A group of African political, equality and community activists, and academics within and outside Britain have signed an open letter (copied below) to the Labour Party’s Chakrabarti Inquiry into ‘Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism’.

They are of the view that the Inquiry’s remit is discriminatory in that it highlights one form of racism but does not name anti-African racism, Afriphobia, which is ingrained in society and results in the over-representation of Africans in all indices of social deprivation.

The group has made suggestions for the Inquiry to consider with regards to its focus and language.

On the 53^rd anniversary of the African Union’s African Liberation Day (ALD) initiative, they advocate the use of the term Afriphobia to specifically identify anti-African racism, and AAME (African, Asian, Minority Ethnic), instead of BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic), which excludes the African identity.

One of the co-signatories KB Asante, a former aide of President Kwame Nkrumah and Ghanaian High Commissioner to the United kingdom said: “As a member of the Ghana delegation at the birth of African Liberation Day in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia on May 25, 1963, I support the sentiments expressed in this open letter challenging the structural racism and Afriphobia ingrained in society.”

The open letter, initiated by Africans For JC Values, a Momentum movement organisation, is in response to recent suspensions and censuring of Labour Party members on allegations of anti-Semitism.

Ends

From Awula Serwah
Africans For JC Values Secretary
via africansfor@gmail.com

Some of the Open Letter co-signatories with seated L-R KB Asante and Matilda Asante. Photo by Toyin Agbetu

OPEN LETTER:

Call It By Its Name: Afriphobia Is Racism Against African People

An Open Letter To Labour Party’s Chakrabarti Inquiry From A Group Of Africans Concerned About The Inquiry’s Focus & Language

May 25 2016

We the undersigned note that the Labour Party has set up the Chakrabarti Inquiry (Inquiry) to investigate “Anti-Semitism and other forms of racism”.

We are of the view that the terms of reference: ‘Anti-Semitism and other forms of Racism’ are unwittingly discriminatory, as racism against Jewish people is set apart from racism and prejudice against other peoples, particularly Africans (Afriphobia) and Muslims (Islamophobia). 

Even though there is only one race, the human race, a more appropriate title could be on the lines of ‘Investigation into Racism, which includes Afriphobia, Anti-Semitism, and Islamophobia’.

We note that over the years there have been allegations of racism towards Africans (Africans from the continent of Africa and Africans from the Diaspora) and Asians within and outside the Labour Party, but no independent public inquiry has been set up to investigate these allegations.

Undoubtedly  the Jewish holocaust (properly known among the Jewish people as Shoah) is a terrible blight on human history, but we must remember that there were holocausts before and after. The Congolese holocaust in the name of King Leopold II, is said to have claimed 10 millions lives.

The holocaust perpetrated on Africans, also properly known by African people by the Kiswahili words Maafa or Maangamizi, led to the deaths of tens of millions of Africans in holding cells on the continent of Africa, in the process of capture and kidnappings, in the Middle Passage, in enslavement and plantation systems in the Americas, Caribbean, and in the German-governed death camps in Namibia.

The survivors of the Middle Passage suffered unimaginable torture and hardships at the hands of enslavers and plantation owners, and their descendants continue to suffer acute deprivation and are the object of discrimination and racism in America and in the UK, where they are under represented at every level of public life, including in the Labour Party, and over-represented in all indices of social deprivation and criminalisation.

It is for this reason that pan-African Reparation organisations continue to work on repairing the damage to Africans and Africa caused by the trafficking of enslaved Africans, colonialism and neo colonialism. This damage is still being experienced by people of African heritage today.

How is it that commentators can freely blame Africans for the atrocities they suffered with little understanding of the context of the Maangamizi or Maafa without any public uproar? In addition, the school curriculum does not currently teach sufficiently about non-European civilisations, the contributions of non-Europeans to world civilisation or the uncomfortable truths about the British Empire. This in itself contributes to the structural racism which is in society in general, including the Labour Party, where ignorance of the history of the peoples of Africa pervades.

Anti-Semitism and Islamophobia are recognised as challenges that need to be addressed, but Afriphobia is so ingrained in our society that it is not acknowledged as an issue that needs to be challenged, or called by its specific name.

People of African heritage can be vilified and even blamed for the genocide they suffered without any public inquiry or calls for a public inquiry. However when comments perceived to be negative are made about Zionism or the state of Israel, this is perceived at times to be anti-Semitic by those who do not like the comments, whether or not these claims are supported by evidence. This often results in suspensions from the Party and other unfair censures. 

We reject the idea that opposition to Zionism or the Israeli government is necessarily anti-Semitism.

The United Nations has declared 2015-2024 as the International Decade for People of African Descent, and has recognised that Africans represent a distinct group whose human rights must be promoted and protected.

We therefore call upon the Inquiry to investigate and accord equal importance to Afriphobia and its manifestations within and outside the Labour Party. 

We also ask the Inquiry not to unwittingly promote discrimination by the exclusion of the Afriphobia* terminology, and advocate the use of the AAEM (African, Asian, Ethnic Minority) terminology instead of BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) which excludes the African identity.

* We  define Afriphobia as: The prejudice or discrimination against; fear, hatred, or bigotry towards people of African heritage and things African.

Awula Serwah

Africans For JC Values secretary

Kwaku (RE:IMI (Race Equality: In Music industry))

Dr KB Asante
Matilda Asante

Adekayode Oke (AFRIKAATUUU Convention for Afrikan Networking (AFRIKAATUUU-CAFRINET), Nigeria)
Adwoa Oforiwaa Adu (All-Afrikan Students Union Link in Europe (AASULE))
Althea Gordon-Davidson (Pan-Afrikan Community Educational Services (PACES))
Beverley Wong (Momentum Black ConneXions)
Blema Etrey
Boucka Stephane Koffi (Pan-Afrikan Fora International Support Coordinating Council (PAFISCC))
Chris Jones (Africans For JC Values)
Esther Stanford-Xosei (Global Afrikan Peoples Parliament)
Darla Migan (Vanderbilt University, US)
Delia Mattis (Momentum member)
Dr Barryl Biekman (Europe-Wide NGO Consultative Council on Afrikan Reparations (ENGOCCAR), Holland)
Enigye Adjoa Ayebea, Grassroots All-Afrikan Women's Internationalist Solidarity Sisterhood (GAAWISS), Ghana)
Explo Nani-Kofi (Kilombo Centre for Citizens' Rights and African Self-Determination, Ghana)
Glenroy watson (RMT London Transport Regional Council, Global Afrikan Congressuk)
Jackie Walker (Momentum, South Thanet Labour Party (suspended), LRC Executive and Labour Briefing Editorial Board)
Kofi Mawuli Klu (Pan-Afrikan Reparations Coalition in Europe)
Kwame Adofo Sampong (Trade Unions and the Pan-Afrikan Community Link (TUPACOL))

Kwame Dede Akuamoah (NKRUMAHBUSUAFO Kwame Nkrumah Convention Family Movement, Ghana)
Leanard Phillip
Linda Bellos (Linda Bellos Associates)
Maatyo Dede Azu (ADZEWAGBETO Pan-Afrikan Women's Liberation Union (ADZEWAGBETO-PAWLU), Ghana)
Marlene Ellis (Momentum Black ConneXions)
Mawuse Yao Agorkor (VAZOBA Afrika and Friends Networking Open Forum (VAZOBA-AFNOF), Ghana)
Nana Asante (Africans For JC Values, Momentum member)
Omowale Ru-Pert-em-Hru (Pan-Afrikan Society Community Forum)
Nehemie Zeguen Toure (Mouvement Social Panafricain pour le Development Integral (MSPDI), Cote d'Ivoire)
Ngoma 'Silver' Bishop (Bema Arts)
Opeyemi Araromi (Pan-African Congresses-United Kingdom Organising Committee (PACs-UKOC))
Professor Lewis Gordon (University of Connecticut, US, Rhodes University, South Africa, Birkbeck School of Law, UK, Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès, France)
Professor Paget Henry (Brown University, US)
Prophet Kweku & Jendayi Serwah (Afrikan Emancipation Day Reparations March Committee (AEDRMC))
Samantha Asumadu (Media Diversified)
Shemi Leira (Momentum Black ConneXions)
Simeon Stanford (Afrikan Reparations Transnational Community of Practice (ARTCoP))
Sumana Nandi (Grassroots Women's Internationalist Solidarity Action Network (GWISAN), India)
Toyin Agbetu (Ligali Organisation)
Wedam Abassey (Forum of Nkrumaist Thought and Action (FONTA), Ghana)
Xolanyo Yawa Gbafa (EDIKANFO Pan-Afrikan Youth and Students Internationalist Link (EDIKANFO-PAYSIL), Ghana)



BACKGROUND LIST 

African Liberation Day on May 25 is an annual holiday in various countries in Africa, and the world, coinciding with African Union's Africa Day. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Liberation_Day

Afriphobia is the prejudice or discrimination against; fear, hatred, or bigotry towards people of African heritage and things African. Africans For JC Values. www.bit.ly/AFJCCInq

Anti-Semitism is hostility to or prejudice against Jews. Oxford Dictionaries

Hearing On Afro(i)phobia In The EU. European Union. http://greenmediabox.eu/archive/2014/02/20/afrophobia-in-the-eu/20140220_afrophobia-in-the-eu_en.mp4

Herero And Namaqua (Namibia) Genocide. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herero_and_Namaqua_genocide

IDPAD 2015-2024 Understanding The UN's Int'l Decade. Kwaku. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=489rcX2lJLE

International Decade For People Of African Descent. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Decade_for_People_of_African_Descent. United Nations. http://www.un.org/en/events/africandescentdecade/

Islamophobia is the hatred or fear of Muslims or of their politics or culture. Collins Dictionary

Maafa (or African Holocaust, Holocaust of Enslavement, or Black holocaust as alternatives are terms used to describe the history and ongoing effects of atrocities inflicted on African people. The Maafa includes the Arab and Atlantic slave trades, and continued through imperialism, colonialism, and other forms of oppression to the present day. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maafa

Maangamizi is the intergenerational white supremacist racist mind-set which fueled the Transatlantic Traffic in Enslaved Afrikans (TTEA), Maangamizi (Hellacaust of chattel, colonial and neo-colonial enslavement) from the 15th century to the present day. SMWCGE. https://www.change.org/p/stop-the-maangamizi-we-charge-genocide-ecocide

‘Maangamizi’ Video With Lyrics. Akala. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U9X0McxAWm8

The Hidden (Congo) Holocaust. The Guardian. http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/1999/may/13/features11.g22

When You Kill Ten Million Africans You Aren’t Called ‘Hitler’. Walking Butterfly. http://www.walkingbutterfly.com/2010/12/22/when-you-kill-ten-million-africans-you-arent-called-hitler/

Africans For JC Values Conference Provided An Illuminating Experience

Africans For JC Values Conference Provided An Illuminating Experience

May 4 2016

   
The Africans For JC Values Conference had an action-packed programme which went beyond drilling down Jeremy Corbyn's 'Standing To Deliver' 10-point plan.

Africans For JC Values (AFJCV) secretary Awula Serwah preceded her welcome address by asking the early attendees to give a quick introduction.

Among the early attendees were Brent Councillor James Allie, political commentator Ayesha Hazarika, and reparations activist Kofi Mawuli Klu

Unite union executive Kwasi Agyemang Prempeh provided a brief introduction, followed by solidarity salutations from a number of social and community groups.

Esther Stanford-Xosei of GAPP (Global African People's Parliament) provided an incisive and succinct address, which covered reparative justice. Sally Callaway of Camden Momentum and Women Of Colour Global Women's Strike emphasised the importance of addressing refugee and migrant issues within African (or "people of colour") led organisations

Jan Pollock of London Disabled People for Momentum Caucus reminded groups to look to the past, when self-organised groups co-operated with other groups across different equality interests. Raj Gill of Ealing Momentum urged the audience to join the Labour Party in order to support the socialist fight.

Glasses or no glasses, community activist Beverley Wong managed to pack a lot into her golden minute, whilst one of the many points raised by Mary of the All Africa Women's Group was the right for refugees to be able to work in order to contribute more meaningfully to society.

For Zita Holbourne, a co-founder of BARAC (Black Activists Rising Against Cuts), it was not rocket science that the Conservative government's austerity policy was going to have a dis-proportionate impact on African and Asian  workers. Hence the need for a campaigning organisation such a BARAC.

The presentations began with equality campaigner Linda Bellos making a quick presentation on the importance of understanding the Equality Act 2010. She advocated that parliamentarians and councillors familiarise themsleves with formal training on the Act.

AFJCV chair and former councillor Nana Asante, with the help of two short videos, took us through the Explaining How The Parliamentary System Works/How Does One Become A Councillor Or Parliamentarian? presentation.

She also helmed the key presentation, Digging More Deeply Into 10 Points Jeremy Corbyn (JC) Is Standing To Deliver. But before that, there was a whirlwind round of a mixture of serious and light-heartedness.

History consultant and conference chair Kwaku picked up the pace with the Importance Of Language & Quiz. Using African instead of "black", African History Month instead of Black History Month, enslaved instead of slave, were some of the points highlighted in the Language session, which was culled from the 'Look. How Far We've Come: Race/Racism Primer'. Though the Quiz was inspired by the Marcus Garvey quote on history reproduced in the accompanying image, there were light moments and contemporary music questions.

During the Young-ish Person's segment, Destiny read out two quotes by Barak Obama, whilst Rochelle read a Desmod Tutu quote, which comes from the 'African Voices: Quotations By People Of African Descent' book co-edited by Kwaku & Ms Serwah.

Ricardo Twumasi, a BHFNC research officer who's also defending his doctoral thesis this week, spoke on 'Why I Joined The Labour Party’, and Momentum.
   
Social commentor and political activist Patrick Vernon spoke in his capacity as chair of Labour Party's Race Equality Advisory Group on Where Is The Labour Party At With Is Racial Equality Strategy?. "Race is back on the agenda under Jeremy Corbyn," he said, before urging the audience to get involved in the party's consultation, so that they can influence Labour's race equality processes and commitments, and key policy areas such as health, housing and international affairs.

Vernon also quoted a tweet sent earlier by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, which is reproduced below. Fine words, but expect to hear the case for incluson of Afriphobia!

Former Black Sections chair and journalist Marc Wadsworth spoke on What Lessons Can We Learn From The Labour Party Black Sections? What one can learn from the LPBS experience is to self-organise, then set out policies and aims - a manifesto - before looking for people to fill roles or representation, to move the manifesto forward.

He admitted that a lot of the gains made in the 1980s/90s have been lost. "We need to be vigilant" urged Wadsworth, in order to regain some of the lost ground, He even showed an old anti-racist T-shirt produced by NALGO (National and Local Government Officers' Association now part of UNISON)  and pointed to trade unions as one of the key stakeholders that can "help fix" things.

Mr & Mrs KB Asante, who came from the Gold Coast (present day Ghana) to Britain in the late 1940s to study mathematics and statistics, and nursing, respectively spoke on Students & Politics In The 1940s/1950s. Although active in the Gold Coast Students Union (GCSU), Mrs Asante recalled how she and others from other countries would express solidarity with students from any colonial country, such as Kenya, which was fighting for independence.

Mr Asante ponted out that whilst studying at Durham University he engaged with students and locals of the mining town. It was natural for him to join the Labour party and he became secretary of the Socialist Society. Having read the Socialist rites of passage - Harold Laski's 1925-published 'A Grammar Of Politics', in addition to attending meetings in the university and studying political issues, he travelled to Yugoslavia and Sweden to help with community projects.

He joined the Socialist group which demonstrated against the imposition of a charge of one shilling (5p) on medical prescriptions by the embryonic National Health Service. Upon qualifying, they returned home, where they served their country for many years, and continue to do so. Mrs Asante rose to become a senior public health professional, whilst Mr Asante worked in diplomatic service and politics included working as an aide to Ghana's first prime minister and president Kwame Nkrumah and Secretary for Education.

Although the Discussion segment was cut short in order to end on time, not only were the main points touched upon: Importance of joining the Labour Party and helping it to reclaim its socialist roots, so that the onslaught on Jeremy Corbyn and John McDonnell is reduced and focus is on challenging unfair Conservative policies; and a Labour win for a fairer Britain. With all the presenters being on hand, attendees were able to have their questions or comments responded to within this segment, or in the impromtu post-event networking in and  out of the premises.

Whilst the general consensus was that the conference had been an illuminating experience, with a broad theme of activism running through the programme, attendees did not seem to be in a hurry to leave after Awula Serwah's rounding up Vote Of Thanks!

AFJCV's first meeting was on Dec. 10 2015 in Brent. In Jan. 2016 it organised a networking dinner in Croydon, and officially launched in Feb. at the Houses of Parliament with John McDonnell MP as our host.

This is what McDonnell said at the well-attended event: “This is what the media and others don’t get. Yes, we're trying to get the Labour Party to be the next government, of course we are. That’s important, but we're trying to build a social movement that will support that progressive government, because if you don't do that, they’ll destroy us.”

He pointed out that it was through the launch of AFJCV and the building of other grassroots social movements that their plans can come to fruition.

AFJCV aims to galvanise Africans, be they from the African continent or the Diaspora, who believe in a new kind of politics and society, subscribe to the Jeremy Corbyn (JC) 10 point plan, which was explained in detail at the conference. AFJCV provides a platform for Africans to have a voice and highlight issues of particular concern to them.

“We want to create a society that is radically fairer, more equal, more democratic, that is based upon prosperity, but a prosperity that is  shared by everybody." continued McDonnell.

“So Africans For Momentum I think is a really good initiative, because if you look at our work over the years, it's been about confronting racism, discrimination in all its forms in society, but also argue not just for equality, but for social justice as well. 

“As many of you have been involved in this over the years, it is making sure that in addition to securing that social justice  for ourselves, making sure that we assist others in securing that social justice. It’s on that basis of solidarity that we’ve come together. So I really welcome this initiative. I think there’s a real opportunity.” 

He also urged support for the Corbyn leadership in order to weather the onslaught from the establishment, press, other political parties, and some within the Labour Party “who hadn’t yet come to terms with Jeremy being the leader.”

   
“A Labour government with Jeremy Corbyn as Prime Minister and John McDonnell as chancellor offers the best prospects for a better Britain for the majority of the population, and not just for a few,” asserts AFJCV secretary and conference organiser Awula Serwah.

“It will be a government committed to investment and growth, not austerity, ending zero hours contracts, and strengthening the National Health Service, which we all rely on, rather than dismantling and privatising it. Which ever way you look at it, the majority of the population, including most Africans, will benefit from the ten points Jeremy Corbyn is standing to deliver.

“But it’s not going to happen, if we don’t rally round the Corbyn-McDonnell leadership. We cannot afford to lose this unique window of opportunity,” adds Serwah. “As John McDonnell pointed out in his speech at our launch, they are facing an onslaught from sections of the media and others outside and within the Labour Party.”

If you have any ideas and can help with the organising of what should be the next AFJCV event, please let us know by contacting Awula Serwah via africansfor@gmail.com.
We'd like to commit more to the AFJCV work, so to improve our human and financial resources, we'll soon launch a crowdfiunding appeal to cover one full-time worker and admin. Of course if you have deep pockets or connections to donations, you're welcome to get in touch!




AFJCV background video: http://bit.ly/AFMVid
AFJCV launch video: https://youtu.be/tx6ncg0GGHg

AFM/AFJCV Launch Harrow Times coverage: http://www.harrowtimes.co.uk/news/14318946.Young_people_from_Harrow_discuss_Africa_in_Westminster/?ref=mr&lp=14

Croydon networking article: http://www.the-latest.com/uks-africans-declare-support-labour-leader-jeremy-corbyn