In 2008, I and a few jedi from the Jedi Sanctuary looked into the problems facing Africa and its peoples after we found that slavery still existed there, in one form or another. I have since been monitoring this war torn continent, which is fast becoming the next major battle ground in the war against terrorism, and there is hope, though it is hard to see with all the suffering shrouding my view.
http://www.thestrange1.co.uk/jedistrange/stop_human_trafficking.html
Judging by a recent UK tv campaign, it appears that Cadbury have finally gone fair trade, which is a great thing for chocolate lovers, and the African cocoa farming communities of people that will benefit from this action (Cote D’Ivoire and west coast countries primarily). It is to be hoped that Nestle and others will eventually follow Cadbury’s more enlightened lead in this matter.
Judging by the following excerpt, it seems that there is still hope for Africa in the form of the recently reorganized NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development), but that hope won’t be realized overnight.
President Wade, speaking bluntly, in the Senegalese capital, Dakar, at the opening of the 44th assembly of the African Development Bank (AfDB), did not miss out on African leaders with the target being the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD). A lot of money has been spent for nothing, he said, adding that the problem of NEPAD can be compared to “a Mercedes without a good driver”.
The Senegalese president said the fundamentals were well in place and what was needed was a good pilot for the situation to evolve positively. He expressed the hope that the new Executive Secretary of NEPAD, Ibrahim Mayaki, is going to apply the NEPAD programme which has been transferred to the African Union Commission.
President Wade said the continent would only improve by bringing African countries into a single country. “As long as we work separately, we will achieve nothing,” he declared, saying the solution lies in the establishment of a United States of Africa.
Dakar - 13/05/2009
A United States of Africa would be an interesting development, and, I feel, a movement in the right direction, not only for Africa and its people, but for the whole world. Having said that, we must be mindful that it took 200 years for the USA to become what it is today, and even there they have problems of one sort or another, as do most countries - east and west.
I feel education is still the key, but it may be a couple of generations before the fruits of education - an enlightened and empowered general public led by people of incorruptable and moderate inclination - are tasted across the whole of Africa.
The “Age of Aquarius” is still some way off in the future, I feel, but it is still a possibility for all people around the world. It will not happen, however, without right action. Compromise is usually the way to peace, if thirst and hunger are sated, though, for some, compromise is never enough, which is a shame.
May the Force be with You
Jedi Richard Strange
