Donkeyshott & Xuitlacoche

Letter to the New York Review of Books About Adam Hochschild's interesting and valuable account of the big Congo exhibition in Belgium… (In the Heart of Darkness, NYRB, 6 October 2005)...He describes how: "Again and again, both the Royal Museum's exhibit and its catalogue pass glancingly over the darker side of an aspect of the Congo's history, and then stress its benign side. " [what benign side is that, by the way?]… This is so recognisable, as the way revisionists everywhere are emboldened these days to recast African colonial history – let alone ignore the existence of post-independence neo-colonialism and its relentless savaging of some African leaders of real quality and courage, like Lumumba and numerous others, in the 1950s, 60s and 70s. Africa is once again some dark generalised landmass. The only difference is that these days, you feel sorry for it. Along with the cry "Make Poverty History" goes the Impoverishment of History. The evidence that

At the end of a series of exchanges on the SA Debate network, in late August 2003, I put the question: What can be done, in any constructive sense, about the serious malaise in ANC policy, and ANC leadership? I said I would do another, a final note, outlining the dream that I have been having. It went something like this...The ANC executive, SG Kgalema Motlanthe, Treasurer Mendi Msimang and others, with other tripartite alliance leaders, call a huge indaba, a big, big bosberaad of all the leadership, including senior stalwarts...Invite the likes of Cyril Ramaphosa, Tokyo Sexwale, Matthews Phosa ...Ask them to leave any (justifiably) resentful and (understandably) bruised political egos at the door, along with their inflated business personas, so their charisma, great ability and energy can be redirected to help a revival of the national political project rather than a corporate/enrichment project.Bring in the mobilising and analytical powers of those such as Jay Naidoo, and Pallo Jorda

Tony Hall writes: on the eve of Jacob Zuma's next court appearance, here is a selection of writings and raves back to 2003, mostly my own, on how victimising and villainising the man has damaged our body politic, which can now be healed only through the Tripartite Alliance _______________________________ This email to friends and debaters, in late August 2003, was one of the earlier warnings after leading ANC figures Jacob Zuma and Mac Maharaj came under a media spotlight beamed on “corruption”. We sent it to the ANC website itself, in a critical but loyal approach… We sing out a warning We are circulating this because we really do note there is a dangerous campaign going on. Whatever the real or apparent levels of corruption, we must keep alive to the political agenda of those knowingly doing this – and how much we are being diverted from focussing on where the real corruption liesIn the face of the present all-out media attack on leading figures, the latest attempt to sub

SOME PEOPLE make strong and important points about new frontiers and new strategies, as they run through the imperial performance of the last decade or so. Some make the usual conflations which may end up deepening fault-lines in the so vitally necessary understanding between the left and left-liberals towards a common front. An internationally esteemed left-winger, an icon, performed an odious comparison: that the US bombing raid on a Sudan medical drugs factory killed more people than the Twin Towers outrage. Ouch… One debater conflates/equates the US forces landings in Somalia at the height of the internal chaos there, with US counterinvasion of Iraq in the 1991 Gulf War. It's not at all obvious, in either the Iraq 91 or the Somalia cases, that the immediate motive behind these was to extend control to secure resources and markets for imperialism. Some power with the capacity had to go in and drive the Iraqis, quickly and firmly, out of Kuwait. The UN is of course not geared for

In 539 Cyrus, declared on the cylinder (now in the British Museum) that:... when my numerous soldiers in great numbers peacefully entered Babylon and moved about undisturbed in the midst of the Babylon, I did not allow anyone to terrorize the people of the lands of Sumer and Akad and ... I kept in view, the needs of the people and all their sanctuaries to promote their well being. I strove for peace in Babylon and in all his other sacred cities. As to the inhabitants of Babylon who against the will of the gods were enslaved, I abolished the tax which was against their social standing, I freed all slaves. I brought relief to their dilapidated housing, putting thus an end to their misfortunes and slavery ...... I announce that I will respect the traditions, customs and religions of the nations of my empire and never let any of my governors and subordinates look down on or insult them until I am alive. From now on, till (Ahura) Mazda grants me the kingdom favor, I will impose my monarchy

Is it any coincidence that the party that Yegor Timurovich Gaidar joined, the "Union of Right Forces" is now considered to be the Liberal and Democratic alternative to Putin. Gaidar was, as he said, on a Kamakaze mission to establish a market economy in Russia at any cost in the first year of Yeltsin's government. This is where state support is withdrawn and prices are set by demand with the people paying the cost. This is the kind of shock therapy that the IMF was promoting in the 80s. You remember. The kind of market theology that said that the way to right a balance of payments was to "reduce domestic demand": this was a euphemism for cutting back state support and poverty programmes and depressing wages to put everyone into poverty. And yet these people still talk about the lost opportunities to totally transform Russia. Wasn't the damage they did enough? Wasn't the damage that Yeltsin and his accomplices, Gaidar amongst them, enough? What more could

To comment on the cleverness or stupidity of birds, one has to be anthropomorphic – how else translate their actions, and give them a meaning? So that’s the way I’ ve tried to think about it and I’m afraid I’ ve come to the conclusion that they’re nothing but a pretty face - the “bird brain” label sticks. Chickens are stupid. When they’re scared, they huddle together and suffocate each other; and they rush across roads in the face of oncoming traffic. In fact their brains are so redundant that they can still run around without them.From my experience, geese too are stupid, never mind what the Romans say – they can’t in fact tell friend from foe, and gaggle indiscriminately. My landlady in Harare had a flock of them in her garden that refused to recognise me as a legitimate, fully paid-up tenant. What’s more stupid looking (and actually, bloody frightening) than seeing 12 geese rush at you, necks outstretched, hissing? Hadeda ibises are stupid – they fly over our heads crying with hu