The report that Ali al-Megrahi, the alleged Lockerbie bomber (released recently on the grounds of poor health), received ovation from African Members of Parliament in Libya is disgusting and shameful. The 57-year-old was serving a life sentence in Greenock prison for the 1988 bombing of PanAm flight 103 over Lockerbie, which killed 270 people.
The speaker of AU parliament, Idriss Ndele Moussa from Chad, said he and his colleagues had come to “express solidarity”. To express solidarity! Alas… this is but criminal solidarity. He’s quoted as saying that Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi was a “… victim of international injustice and a policy of double standards”.
Legally speaking, al-Megrahi is a terrorist. Giving him a standing ovation is nothing but condoning terrorism and yawing. What AU’s MPs did is conspiracy so to speak. They don’t see the danger today. Time will come when this new marriage with terrorism will flail.
Why did such a respected institution behave this way in the first place? The reason is simple. By attending 40th Anniversary of Gadaffi’s revolution, they’re given gifts; yum-yum even kickbacks that geared them show such suicidal solidarity. Today, in supporting Gadaffi, they’re openly honouring a convict terrorist! Tomorrow they’ll likewise issue a statement supporting even al-Qaeda before the whole outfit flail.
Their presidents recently backed Sudanese Dictator Omar Bashir, who is wanted by ICC for genocide in Darfur. Let’s not to forget how they cowed down before Robert Mugabe. What pains, the same countries whose presidents and MPs support terrorism, are the same creatures spending much time in European capitals begging! What I just can’t understand is: why are rich countries being so sheepish and timid before such double faced creatures of Africa?
By backing al-Megrahi, Gadaffi has shown openly how he’s relegating back to financing terrorism, after getting the support from Hugo Chavez among others. Those who know why Gadaffi denounced terrorism and became a “good boy” before the West, still remember. He backtracked after seeing what goons like Saddam Hussein got from their megalomania. Now that the heat is off, Gadaffi daydreams about going back.
Gadaffi is lucky that tough guys like George Bush are no longer in power, otherwise, he’d be manacled and taught a lesson. He’d have been held accountable for this new take on terrorism, despite all parody of bringing him back to the fold.
If the West does not want to repeat regrettable mistakes that will cost it a lot, it should not tolerate and trust Gadaffi anymore. It should shy away from being satisfied with the redress Libya paid to the victims of Lockerbie. Middle East dictators did the same. They hypocritically cheated, goofed America, that they support it on the war on terrorism. But the same dictators, apart from allegedly producing many terrorists that attacked the US on September 11, did finance terrorist organizations.
This, to some extent, forced some Americans to think and believe that their colleagues were killed and ignored, thanks to saving petrol business in lieu of the livelihood and security of Americans and all that perished on September 11. And truly, this has been repeated in the case in point.
This can be easily traced in the words of British justice secretary Jack Straw’s spokesperson. He was quoted as saying: “And yes, that included trade because trade is an essential part of it and subsequently there was the BP deal.” BP’s ambitions are currently causing mayhem in Nigeria where fights over oil have become the order of the day. Refer to how Ken Saro Wiwa and his colleagues were butchered simply because they questioned this sacred business.
Once again this proves how Western countries sacrifice innocent people thanks to their dubious vested interests in poor countries. Just imagine. If Western countries can release a terrorist that killed hundreds of their people, will they pay any damn when it comes to the rights and lives of the people in poor countries? Currently in Tanzania, famous Maasai in Loliondo are being evicted to give room to an Arab investor who decimates animals like crazy. This was recently reported by big newspapers in the West: The Guardian, Economist and The Financial Times, after local papers warned but were either gagged, reprimanded or ignored.
In Mara region, there has been reported grave environmental degradation caused by foreign investors mining gold there. Sadly the story is the same almost everywhere in Africa. In Kenya, the murder case involving Lord Delamere’s grandson, Tom Cholmondeley, left Kenyans breathless thanks to stupid protective policy in investment and the leniency of the court towards investors and top government officials. In Uganda, we still remember how an Indian tycoon was offered Mabira forest, as opposed to the interests of Ugandans. Thank lord they stopped this bulimia.
To halt this new criminal solidarity, several steps must be taken. Firstly, seeking explanations from African countries individually then AU itself. This will help to avert the repetition of this flaw. It they hardened their heads, rich countries should stop helping and supporting them. I wonder how countries whose budgets depend on donors would develop such myopia and criminal solidarity!
Secondly, the citizenry must give their corrupt governments a heck so as to make them ungovernable. By making them ungovernable, the darling investors will never risk to do business in chaotic environment. Refer to how recently the US issued a new directive warning its citizens to visit Zanzibar after it was tarnished by chaos resulting form political unrest thanks to a doctored voter’s registry.
Thirdly, donor countries should stop the double standard and favourably hunkering with multinational corporations doing business in Africa.
Fourthly, they should stop casting a blind eye on corrupt African rulers, that they use to rob Africa’s resources. And this is why stinking dictators and thieves like Denis Sassaou Ngwesso, Teodoro Obiang Nguema and Paul Biya are still in power plundering and ruining their countries. My cry has always been to categorize theft by rulers a crime against humanity. For it kills many especially in Africa.
Nkwazi Mhango is a Tanzanian living in Canada. He writes regularly for “The African Executive” and also has a blog entitled “Free Thinking Unabii”. He is a regular contributor to AfroSpear.
afrospear.wordpress.com 
Who really controls the AU? North African pro Islamic Arab leaders.
I am not surprised that the MP’s of the AU “expressed solidarity” with the Islamist terrorists. It is so easy to blame outsiders for your problems when you are not ” man” enough to solve them.
Black African leaders are very silent members of the AU, lacking” riñones”(kidneys-gall), trying hard to be invisible while committing their own brand of atrocities at home, hence relinquising whatever power they could have in such organization(AU).
Gaddaffi is a coward. When Reagan bombed his tent and killed his daughter, it left him scared straight.
His recent utter nonsensical rambing at the UN is sure sign that he should be on medication or in a mental asylum.
This poor crop of corrupt African leaders lack vision. It is so easy for them to have short term goals ,sell off their country and earn large concessions . These non-statemen are only of and for today.
A new group of leaders must be groomed with a long term vision of nation building, or else African nations may be doomed for a long time to come if not forever.
Saludos,
Ana
Ana you are truly a revolutionist. Africa is currently under dogs. Something needs to be done. This is a clear message to Obama regime that promised to discuss with terrorists. Will Obama stomach this?
I have enormous faith that one day soon, Africans freely and independently will find their way.
Enjoy the Mighty Congo River,one my favorite rivers.
Please, just ignore Mobutu Sese Seko…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cHzYsj8rZp0
Saludos,
Ana
Apparently my brother you have engaged you mouth without the use of your brain and have not bothered to check out the FACTS of this shame of a conviction that sent Mr Ali al-Megrahi to prison in the first place… Even those who oppose his release KNOW that the so-called evidence that was used against him was useless and didn’t stand up. Even the Scottish authorities were looking into this long before thise release issue came up… Do a bit of research before you besmirch… We get enough of that from the Western Press as it is…. As for African leaders and the so-called “pro-Islamist” tendency you mention, there are a hell of a lot more preesing issues on the continent then this mans release .. he’ll be dead soon, but the corruption, graft, repression, slaughter of the innocents that DAILY take place in many of Africa’s countries continue on and THAT IS WHAT NEEDS TO BE ADRESSED AS WELL AS AN END PUT TO BY ANY MEANS NECESSARY!
Furqan, I just can’t understand you. Do you mean this stinking terrorist was convicted illegally? Alas. Your defence is but nugatory and far fetched so to speak. Whether he dies tomorrow or today, this does not exculpate him. You are right. Africa has many many problems. But why should you force the author to toe your line. If you think you know pressing matters, why don’t you jolt them down sir?
Regarding the DAILY slaughter of the innocents, you are dead right. Gadaffi is one of the butchers of African thanks to backing terrorism in the neighboring Sudan.
Though you have given the lesson of using mouth instead of brain, you too seem to have done the same. This is but your irony and satire emanating from yourself.
The problem with the Furquans is that they believe the problem of the Islamicists is the same problem of black people.
I do not give ten coconuts about the problems of the Arab world.
This is why the Darfurian problem and that of South Sudan have been swept under the rug by the Muslim world.
Black Muslims are supposed to be the scapegoats of the Arab Muslim world.
And the irony is that many Muslims (non-black ones) believe that many of us(Black Westeners) are foolish to protect and defend their interest in the West. “¿Yo?”(Me?) “Por favor”(Please)
Arab Muslims need to fix their problem and leave the blasted world alone.
It is amazing how Furquan can only see Africans having problems.
Furquan:
Problems abound all over this planet just in case you have been living under a rock.
Furquan, it will snow in the Congo first before Arab Muslims solve their problems.
It is amazing how they lack moral compass and are quick to always defend terrorisists.
Terrorism is the highest level of “cobardia” (cowardice).
Real men and women know how to fight better than that.
Saludos,
Ana
Indeed, my friend Furqan, if you are not a terrorist, you are about to be. Maybe, you theoretically are save that what you say confirms what is on the offing. You soon will be immersed totally into it. Stop thinking in retrogression. With such frozen way of thinking, sir, I beg to differ. You have neither used your head nor your mouth but ass.
The evil things vis a vis foolish creatures is pretending to know even where they openly show how myopic and hallow they are. Guy, the ball is in your court. Why don’t you write even ten lines so that the readers can make a difference?
Funny. I was reading the thread about his release…and lots of material about his ‘taking the fall’ was tossed back and forth.
I didn’t keep notes unhappily.
If one wants to know about problems, I suggest you try ‘Home – by the Home Project’ on YouTube. 1 hr 33 min of infomercial that relates the destruction of our world : no exaggeration.