Breaking the Silence: Fulfilling The Promise

by Marimba Ani

Amura Onaa tells us that when our Ancestors were being torn apart from each other, we looked into each other’s eyes and made a solemn promise. We promised to reconnect with each other so that this tearing apart would never happen again. It is the Afrikan belief that we are our Ancestors reborn, and through this spiritual rebirth, we gain eternal life. The promise could only be fulfilled by future generations returning as Afrikans who had made this sacred promise to each other. What our Ancestors suffered over centuries, could only have been survived because they had hope. But what could possibly have given them cause for hope? If they had not survived and bore children who bore children who bore children, we would not be here. It is the Afrikan belief that we choose to be born when we are in the spirit world, and that we make a contract to fulfill a purpose in this life. All of this can only mean that we have chosen to be born Afrikan and that we are the hope of our Ancestors. Our purpose on this earth is to avenge our Ancestors and to achieve the victory: Afrikan sovereignty through a Pan-Afrikan world order based on the principles of MAAT. It is our choice to fulfill The Promise to our Ancestors by achieving the victory denied them.

It is now Tuesday, November 4, 2008. Is this the final act of assimilation, accommodation, and integration? Is this how we are fulfilling our promise to the Ancestors? Has America made restitution for what was done to them, still being done to us? Is the Maafa over or has it merely morphed into another, more insidious form of genocide? Are we now experiencing a life-threatening condition of cultural AIDS in which our immune system has turned on itself? Has the Yurugu virus mutated so that it looks like us? Are we participating in our own self-destruction?

We are witnessing a time of the most blatant acts of genocide such as “Katrina” (Maafa - 2005), in which thousands of our people were slaughtered, left to die, placed in disease-producing holding pens, forcibly relocated, separated from their families and support-systems, and their (our) children “lost”, all this for the purpose of corporate profit and for the illegal misappropriation of land.

In our time, Afrikan mothers are being incarcerated in increasing numbers, so that their presence in the u.s. prison system almost equals that of Afrikan men and fathers, who have, for more than a century, been sacrificed to the prison-industrial complex.

We are living in the time of Blackwater, mercenaries used by government and corporations. We are living in the time of American support of European Hegemony taken to the most extreme levels ever in history. We watch as America’s bank, the so-called “world bank,” sucks the life out of Afrika, Jamaica and other Black nations. We are living in the time of the IMF, the Federal Reserve, the Trilateral Commission, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Bilderbergers and more.

The Patriot Act is an updated McCarran Act of 1950. We are living in a time that can be understood as part of “the process of Fascism”. Fascism creates a demon, sells this demonization to the public, then uses it to control (intimidate, detain, torture, kill) anyone who challenges the state’s abuse of human rights. In the l950’s the demons were the “subversives,” and the “communists” ´throughout the “cold war,” in 1968, following the assassination of Dr. King, the demons were those suspected of being “guerrillas”, and by 2001 the term “terrorists” had been accepted as describing the new “demons.” Should we allow the original, the real terrorists to define “terrorism” ?

This brief statement is only meant to point to the reality of the times in which we live, the political legacy that we have inherited as “americans,” and what we need to be aware of at this “historic” moment. In the 1960’s, our people were regarded by the rest of the world as leaders in the struggle for human rights as we fought to expose and confront the genocidal policies perpetrated by the american government towards Afrikan people in the u.s.

We stopped organizing. We stopped confronting “the system.” We became part of “the system.” We sent our sons to fight for u.s. monetary gain. We did not see value in self-determination, self-definition, and self-reliance for our people. Those who were politically conscious read and talked about ancient history. We no longer concerned ourselves with contemporary events, systems, or political realities. Instead of expanding our movement to become a world movement, a truly Pan-Afrikan movement, we were content to become “individuals” in the “greatest” (most materially powerful) country in the world.

So now we are “making history” by being swept up in someone else’s definition of what history is. We are “making history,” by capitulating to integration, accommodation, and assimilation. We have reached the mountain top, for we have been able to vote for a “first to.” The struggle is over. We have won. We can proudly say that one of our people represents the most repressive, destructive, inhumane, anti-Afrikan nation ever to have existed! We are proud to be part of a multinational corporate structure run by sociopathic adolescents who think nothing of stealing from their own people. (Imagine what they will do to us.)

We say that we vote because our Ancestors died to get the vote. Yes, if you decide to vote, that is your “right.” Do not, however, blame it on “the Ancestors.” That’s like saying Black people died to go to school with white people, so I will make sure that my children go to white schools. I have a personal experience of that Movement. Registering to vote in Mississippi was a means of confronting a system of oppression head on. Today we vote to avoid confrontation with a system that is Fascist. In Mississippi, attempting to register, meant putting your life on the line, if you were Black. This effort became part of a strategy to expose the system of oppression that existed in this country, which continues to exist even though we, Black people, can now “vote” (even in Mississippi). No, that is not what our Ancestors died for. They died to fulfill The Promise. And that is the question that we should raise. “What are we doing to fulfill The Promise?”

Is this occasion “historic” because it represents the abandonment of our sacred obligation to the Ancestors? Will we go down in “his” story as having finally capitulated and become satisfied with the evil that is represented in contemporary globalization, privatization and international capitalism? Have we aborted our movement for freedom, liberation and sovereignty? Or have we merely redefined that objective in “american” individualistic, “what’s in it for me” terms? Have we now “won”? Or have we simply taken the easier road, finding it more comfortable to be colonized than to fight for liberation? Are we excited about the possibility of being closer to power than we have ever been before?, even though that power rests on the exploitation, even murder, of Afrikans and other non-Europeans throughout the world? Have we even dared to ask ourselves “what kind of person would want to be president of the United States of America?”

What is the significance of this moment, Tuesday, November 4, 2008, in “our” story?

Let us make this a time for reassessment of our lives, each of us. Let us reconnect with each other in ways that will help our people to become self-sustaining. Let us read and study and become aware of what this country stands for in the world. Let us teach and learn about the monetary system.

Organize, Organize, Organize!
Food cooperatives,
Investment groups
Independent Afrikan schools
Alternative sustainable energy
Communal and collective social entities
Susus (saving together)
Vehicles for harnessing and sharing our resources
Ways of educating ourselves for optimal healthy living
Methods for alternative social organization
The study of ways in which our Ancestors organized communities, so that we can get ideas for the future (doing Sankofa)
Black political conventions
An independent Afrikan/Black vehicle for political action and race (Kanda) decision-making
A Back-to-Afrika process.

We must read the following:
Blueprint for Black Power (Amos Wilson) (especially chapter 31)
The Choice (Sam Yette)
There is A River (Vincent Harding)
The condition, Elevation, Emigration and Destiny of the Colored People of the United States of America (Martin Delany)
The Miseducation of the Negro (Carter G. Woodson)
The Destruction of Black Civilization (Chancellor Williams)
Two Thousand Seasons (Ayi Kwei Armah)
Wretched of the Earth (Franz Fanon)

By Europeans:
The Shock Doctrine (Naomi Klein)

And watch:
Goodbye Uncle Tom
Zeitgeist
Zeitgeist Addendum
End Games
Loose Change
The Corporation
(pass this on and add suggestions)

Go to:
www.libradio.com
www.blackagendareport.com
www.houseofknowledge.com

Let this be a beginning again for us. Let us have the courage of Martin Delany and others, who organized the Black Convention Movement, and sought Afrikan sovereignty in the 1850’s. Let us recapture the spirit of the 60’s, with its “togetherness” of our people, only now with greater clarity about what we want. Let us revive the independent political party movement of the early 70’s (NBIP and CAP), when our people came together in activism in Gary, Indiana and elsewhere. Let us organize with our people, out of love for our people. Let us build a movement without hierarchy among the most economically depressed of our people; a movement that will be responsive to the immediate survival needs of our people, while raising the political consciousness and knowledge-base of us all. Let us study together and build together and fight together and teach each other. Let us build a revolutionary Pan-Afrikanist movement of all of our people, so that we can hold any and all elected officials accountable for their decisions and actions. Let us be in the vanguard of the movement for radical upheaval of the american reality. Let us organize a support system for the Katrina resistors. Let us not forget them. Let us organize sustainable struggle and self-sustaining institutions that can protect our people from the intentional “disasters” of monopoly capitalism, and save them in the natural disasters caused by the greed and selfishness of the rulers.

Let this be the moment in which we step back onto the stage of history, shouting ourstory to the world. “We are not capitulating.” “We are not allowing ourselves to be part of a Fascist nation.” We are not giving up our people, our movement, or our Ancestors for “one america.” Let us be unrelenting in our confrontation with the anti-Afrikan, anti-human mechanisms of oppression.

Never forget that our power is in our connectedness. If they did not succeed in disconnecting us through the middle passage, through enslavement and lynching and incarceration, let them not succeed now through the duplicity of false “democracy.”

Let us not believe the hype. This is not our victory. This “historic occasion” is a victory for america, it is a victory for the status quo, for all of the things that we should be fighting against. Be in Washington DC in January to make demands on the new administration. If you voted for it, make it work for you!

Let us make this a time for real change, a time for fulfilling The Promise. Tugane pamoja tutafune nia yetu. “Let us come together and define our cause.” Let the circle be unbroken.

Marimba Ani,
A Race Woman, A Cultural Warrior.

http://www.africawithin.com/ani/marimba_ani.htm

Wadu

World Afrikan Diaspora Union (WADU)

Pan Afrikan Movement Summit 2008

May 24-31, 2008

Trinidad & Tobago, 6^th Region of Africa

Cultural Determination for Political & Economic Rebirth

We are Building the African Diaspora with Africa

With Our Eminent President & Distinguished Veterans

His Excellency Dudley Thompson

PRESIDENT OF THE DIASPORA/SECRETARIAT

Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Vice President, N. Region

Khafra Kambon, Vice President, C. Region

Nana Farika Birhane, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs

Dr. Shelby Lewis, Commissioner of Economics Affairs

Elombe Brath, Commissioner of Political Affairs

Akbar Muhammad, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs

Dr. Joyce King, Commissioner of Education Affairs

Herb Boyd, Commissioner of Communications Affairs

& Leading Officials, Elders, Activists, Ministers, Students, Builders, More!

WADU’s primary goal is to unify the African Diaspora as an integral part of a Pan African continental government after 500 hundred years of captivity, enslavement, and ‘colonialism.’ To accomplish this, WADU is led by His Excellency Dudley Thompson (a living legend) and veteran Pan Africanists. Baba Dudley Thompson was a participant in the famous 5th Pan African Congress (PAC) with Kwame Nkrumah, Jomo Kenyatta, WEB Dubois, Amy Garvey, George Padmore, etc. He was recently elected as the Chief Elder & President of WADU at the 2007 Diaspora Summit in Jamaica. Our Ancestors are calling you to join us as a 2008 delegate to the next PAM Diaspora Summit from May 24-31, 2008. We will celebrate the 108th anniversary of the formal launching of the Pan African Movement and redouble and recommit our efforts to build a strong African Diaspora that is unified with a secure Africa.

SOME OBJECTIVES:

*WADU African 6^th Region of Africa

*WADU Manifesto/BluePrint for Power - 2008

*2008 African Union Summit Strategy Sessions

*Building the Afrikan Diaspora Secretariat & Congress

CONTACT: WADU AT WWW.WADUPAM.ORG

Mama Aswan or Min. P.D. Menelik – 404-527-7756/404-822-2049

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO AFRICANS OF THE DIASPORA PLEASE CIRCULATE‏

I greet you with peace and love during this sacred season as a time never before to usher in African power in the world. I am truly delighted, thankful and grateful to those like you who have accepted the awesome and historic responsibility of leading and supporting WADU and the overall Pan African Movement in whatever capacity. Indeed, you are who we have been waiting for – restoration (of the African mind), reconstitution (of leadership) and reconstruction (rebuilding) of our communities, at Home and Abroad. As you may know, since my election as your President at the 2007 Summit in Jamaica, I have been diligently engaged in promoting WADU far and wide. I have spoken in the Caribbean, Europe, Africa and the United States. The meeting in South Africa with leaders such as Chairman Alpha Konare of the African Union and President Thabo Mbeki of South Africa was most significant in that the leaders at this continental ministerial meeting supported my plea for greater African-African Diaspora unity and empowerment. In Africa, I stressed the vital role of the Diaspora to ensure a politically, culturally, economically and even militarily strong and secure Africa and African people. Indeed, WADU becoming a vital vehicle for the empowerment of African people, worldwide.

Now you are asking what can YOU do to support WADU? First, print and post WADU flyers in your communities. Second, organize family and extended family meetings in your community on topics and issues related WADU’s mission, goals and objectives. Third, identify, support and recommend leaders in your community for leadership of WADU. Finally, give financially to support WADU’s work.

Let me conclude now by stressing that no longer do we need to feel forgotten or isolated. WADU has reached out to embrace you in a global system to reawaken the spirit of our fathers and mothers who fought exemplary to throw off the worse of slavery, racism and injustice. In your support lies our strength, THIS NEW AND ENLARGED FAMILY OF BILLIONS recognizes our allegiance, reverence and respect to our Ancient Kings and Queens of our own true history of Africa, our MOTHERLAND. We urge you to be faithful through service to our people and humanity. And please visit our website for updates at

WWW.WADUPAM.ORG. See you or your representative in Trinidad this May 2008. Pamoja Tu Ta Shinda (Together we shall win), Kwaheri (blessings)!

Baba D.T. is a Highly Esteemed Leader and one of the African Union Eminent Elders of Africa. Baba was a participant of the 5^th Pan African Congress with those like Kwame Nkrumah, Amy Garvey and WEB Dubois. He was Attorney for President Jomo Kenyatta during the Mau Mau revolution in Kenya, ambassador to Africa and other nations, a former government leader of Jamaica, advisor to Nigeria’s President MKO Abiola on Reparations and indeed a living ancestor and the foremost Pan Africanist today.

President Appoints Secretariat, Urged Unity and Action Now

“We have a duty to redouble our efforts to make Pan Africanism real in our life time and to ensure Africans in the Diaspora not remain orphans of our Motherland, Africa,” declared His Excellency Dudley Thompson. Dudley Thompson, the President of the World Afrikan Diaspora Union (WADU) was speaking at a Special Session of WADU on the 57^th Anniversary of the 5^th Pan African Congress at Howard University in Washington, D.C. on October 27, 2007. The Special Session of WADU also coincided with the 20^th Anniversary of NCOBRA. WADU obtained unanimous endorsement to unify the Diaspora at the NCOBRA Conference.

During WADU’s Special Session to appoint key leaders to the Secretariat, President Thompson emphasized that “Our most important goal is to establish the African Diaspora as the 6^th Region of Africa and as an integral part of the African Continent.” Consequently, the following key appointments were made to implement the mission of WADU: Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Vice President of WADU (WADU North – U.S.A, Canada & Europe); Kafra Kambon, Vice President (Central Region - Caribbean, Central America & Asia); Elombe Brath, Commissioner of Political Affairs; Akbar Muhammad, Commissioner of Foreign Affairs; Dr. Shelby Lewis, Commissioner of Economic Affairs; Dr. Joyce King, Commissioner of Education Affairs; Nana Farika Birhane, Commissioner of Cultural Affairs; and Herb Boyd, Commissioner of Communications.

The Special Session of WADU was a follow-up to the Pan African Movement Summit in Jamaica in July, 2007 when the Honorable Dudley Thompson was unanimously elected to the Office of Chief Elder and President of WADU and to immediately organize a secretariat to unify the Diaspora as an integral part of Africa. Under the theme Political Determination for Cultural and Economic Rebirth, the Jamaica Summit prioritized the importance of forming a structure for the building a strong Diaspora region that will influence the creation of an All African government in Africa as a mandate of Pan Africanism.

Some key participants and presenters of the 2007 Summit in Jamaica were: Dr. Leonard Jeffries, Vice President of the Association for the Study of Classical African Civilizations (ASCAC); Nana Norma Yaa Farika, former official Diaspora delegate to the OAU 6^th Pan African Congress (PAC) & 7^th PAC organizer; Minister Akbar Muhammad, Nation of Islam (NOI) Representative to Africa; Elombe Brath of Patrice Lumumba Coalition (PLC)/December 12^th Movement; Mutabaruka, Artist and Activist; Dr. Roselea Hamilton, Office of the Prime Minister; Ms. Maxine Stowe, Jamaican Creative Artist Network; Michael Henry, Representative of the Jamaica Parliament; Dr. Karen Carpenter, Jamaican Language Unit, UWI; Dr. Ashe Hamilton-Taylor, Science and Technology, UWI, Queen Mother Moses, Rastafari; Zaki Baruti, Universal African Peoples Organization (USA); Sister Vivine Abena, All African Peoples Revolutionary Party (England); Osei Bandele, USA; Jumoke D. Abrahams, Traditionalist; and Elder Ma Shanti, Rastafari.

The PAM Summit was the second of a series of annual summits to unify the African Diaspora with Africa. The first Summit was held at Clarke Atlanta University (CAU) in Atlanta, Georgia. Some key leaders and participants of the 2006 Summit were Dr. Shelby Lewis, Africa Development Advisor & Consultant; Dr. Asa Hilliard, Vice President of the ASCAC; Charles Barron, NY City Council/former Black Panther Party; Joe Beasley, RainbowPush Coalition/Africa Ascension; Traditional High Priest Wande Abimbola of Nigeria; Cardinal Mbuyi Chui, Shrine of the Black Madonna/Pan African Orthodox Christian Church (PAOCC); Njeri Algahnee, National Coalition Of Blacks for Reparations in America (NCOBRA)/Rastafari Movement, Dr. Jewel Crawford (M.D.), Global African Congress; Joe Kumasi, WHADN/PAOC; Sobukwe Shakura, All African Peoples Revolutionary Party (AAPRP); Prince Rahm, African Hebrew Israelites; Atty. Mzee Tate, Concern Black Clergy of Atlanta; and Nana Prempe, UNIA. Additionally, representatives of the Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, Republic of New Africa, NAACP, Progressive National Baptist Convention, the Presbyterian Church, USA, African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church, the African Methodist Episcopal Church, etc. have participated and supported the PAM Summit.

The Special Session of WADU in Washington, D.C. scheduled May 2008 for the next Diaspora Summit to be held in South America. The Theme for the 2008 WADU Summit is Cultural Determination - for Economic and Political Rebirth.The next Special Session of WADU to consolidate the Secretariat is December, 2007 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. To participate and support, please contact Mama Anna Swanston at 404-527-7756 in Atlanta, GA or visit our website at http://www.wadupam.org/.

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Breaking the Silence: Fulfilling The Promise

by Marimba Ani

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE TO AFRICANS OF THE DIASPORA PLEASE CIRCULATE‏

President Appoints Secretariat, Urged Unity and Action Now

The Seven Principles of KWANZAA

ALL YEAR ROUND