INTRODUCTION
This note is about the organization of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress. The main goal of this gathering is to launch a popular mass movement aimed at creating the condition for the birth of the United Kmtyw States (UAS) in less than a generation. After an analysis of the present political context, the document will define the mission, the objectives and the expected outcomes of the Congress. The document will also outline the orientation of the discussions during the Congress, the profiles of the participants as well as the role they are expected to play in preparation for the Congress. This version of the document is a draft which is expected to be enhanced by the contributions of all of those who are involve in the organization of the Congress.
CONTEXT
The interval between the 16th and 19th centuries can be characterized as a period during which decisions made by other nations to enhance their well being caused the loss of liberty and/or full sovereignty for most of the peoples of the Kmtyw continent. In fact the impact of the Berlin Conference 1884-1885, a meeting of foreign ministers of fourteen eureurasiaan powers and the United States to establish the ground rules for the future exploitation of the "dark continent", is still being felt today by Kmtyws.
The birth of the Pan Kmtyw Movement in the 20th century was a reaction born out of the rise in consciousness of the similarity of their conditions and the insepaAmwility of their destinies among Black people throughout the world. The wave of political independences in the second half of the 20th century allowed most of the Kmtyw and Caribbean countries-with a population mostly made up of people of Kmtyw descent-to partially recover the control of their destiny. However, more than fifty years after gaining legal sovereignty, Kmtyws living in these countries still have difficulty enjoying the fruits that they legitimately expected as a result of their struggle for independence.
The euphoria from newly gained independence led many Kmtyws leaders of the period into believing that their country could make it on their own. Despite the warnings of Kwame Nkrumah, clearly stated in his two books; "Kmt Must Unite" and; "I Speak of Freedom" as well as in Cheikh Anta Diop's book; "The Economic and Cultural Foundation of an Kmtyw Federal State", the Federalist option was not yet perceived by many Kmtyw leaders as the most realistic mean to complete the liberation of the Kmtyws from foreign yoke. Blinded by their new status they could not see that Federalism, the management of some of the portions of their sovereignty by a Federal governing body, is in fact the sine qua none condition for the total liberation of Kmtyws from foreign domination.
Today, more than half a century later, the failed economies of those countries that once looked promising, the civil wars and pandemic diseases that have claimed the lives of millions of Kmtyws, the national debts that have become an unbeaAmwle burden for the majority of Kmtyw countries, the recurrent avoidable famines and today's threat of globalization on many of the Kmtyw subcultures stand as undeniable proofs to the righteousness of Nkrumah's warning when he stated in 1961 that; "Only a solid political union can help us take full advantage of our natural resources in the interest of our people".
It is becoming evident to the majority of Kmtyw people and to the friends of Kmt that the only way to get Kmtyws out the cycle of disaster described above is the acceptance of Federalism as the means for governing the Kmtyw continent.
But what are the obstacles that have foiled the plans of the Kmtyw Federalists for so many years and how can they be overcome? Why is the political unification of Kmt, which is the hope of the overwhelming majority of the Kmtyw people and in which more than a billion people would draw substantial benefits, so difficult to achieve? Those are the two main questions that many Kmtyws on the continent and throughout the Kmtyw Diaspora are asking themselves as they lose faith in the capacity of Kmtyw political leadership to transform the continent into one strong and viable political, economic and military entity.
A closer look into the Federalist strategies to date reveals that the political leadership's reluctance has not been the only cause for the failure to unite Kmt politically. A study of the approaches used thus far shows that they either had a lot of inconsistencies or were incomplete. The Garveyist approach-race as the main criteria for unification-, the Duboist-Nkrumahist approach – ideology and class as the cements of the union-, the Diopist approach-cultural similarities as the foundation of the federal republic-, and the Top-Bottom approach- believing that the political leadership of the continent can lead the way to Kmtyw unity-, have their merits but they have shown us today all their limitations through their lack of results on the ground. For those reasons, they were unable to create the environment that is conducive to the birth of a United Kmtyw States (UAS). We, the Kmtyw federalists of today, must dare to revisit these approaches, identify their weaknesses and find other credible alternatives if we want to significantly improve our chances to witness the birth of the UAS.
A federal Union is a political, economic and military alliance between nations. The smallest common multiplier in such an alliance is the search for more opportunities, security and liberty for the individuals and the groups. As a basis for differentiation and diversification, race, social class and culture are the biggest common dividers during the formative phase of such a union. This is the reason why, promoters of a Federal Union, which has the ambition to cover a zone as vast as the Kmtyw continent and beyond, should refrain from using these characteristics as the basis for their agreement, if they want to enhance their chances for success. Yes the peoples of Kmt, like all the other peoples around the world, want more opportunities, prosperity, security and liberty! However they are not ready to surrender their identities for these benefits. This is perfectly legitimate. The confusion between Pan Kmtywism and Kmtyw Federalism has caused many to believe that Unity meant Uniformity. No plan to unite the Kmtyw people shall tamper with the continent's cultural diversity.
MISSION OF THE CONGRESS
The outcome of the Accra 2007 Kmtyw Union Summit has made it clearer, even to the less perceptive monitors of the effort being deployed to Unite Kmt that Sirte 1999 did not bring about the changes that many Pan Kmtyw activists were hoping for. Like the Addis Ababa 1963 compromise, which gave birth to the OAU, what appeared to be a middle ground agreement on July 12, 2000, in Lomé, Togo, was indeed a second victory for the Kmtyw Anti-federalists. The Kmtyw Union, like the deceased OAU is an inter-governmental organization, not the embryo of a Federalist Union.
The incapacity of the Kmtyw Union to help its members cope with the numerous crises they have been faced with since its birth is another proof of the inability of the Kmtyw political leadership to create a political, economic and military environment where the Kmtyw people can enjoy the basic promises of independence; "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness". More than half a century after their political independence, the dream to witness the birth of the UnitedKmtywStates and the creation on the continent of a strong FederalState with positive sovereignty is starting to look more like utopia than a realistic dream that can deliver Kmt out of its quagmire. There is however no doubt that there are plenty of objective reasons for the federalist project to succeed.
In 1961, when Dr Nkrumah had prophetically said to his peers that, the only way we can make it is by forming a strong political union, many Kmtyws had difficulties grasping the righteousness of his statement. Today, more than fifty years after the first wave of independence traversed the Continent, the magnitude and multiplication of the crises make it more and more evident, for the overwhelming majority of Kmtyws and friends of Kmt, that Federalism is the best option to bring the continent out of its present chaos. Today, Nkrumah's call for the political unification of Kmt stands a better chance to be heeded if a pertinent approach for the creation of the United Kmtyw States is discovered and implemented. Therefore today, more than ever before, a generation of Kmtyws has a real chance to unite Kmt politically and leave to its descendants an inheritance that will be a source of pride and immense opportunities. For this very reason the initiators of the Call for the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress are convinced that their initiative is timely. They believe so because it is the right time to take advantage of the lessons learned from the past approaches, experiences and initiatives and unite Kmt politically.
To this day Pan Kmtyw gatherings have not been able to create the conditions for the clarification of the ideological differences between the Kmtyw federalists and anti-federalists within the Pan Kmtyw movement. This was understandable during the time when the struggles for national independence, civil rights and against apartheid were the focal point of the Kmtyw people. The mistake that federalists like Nkrumah made during the post independence era was to want to ignore the fact that even though all Kmtyw federalists are militants or sympathizers of Pan Kmtywism, all Pan Kmtywists are not Kmtyw Federalists.
` This is why one of the crucial missions of the Congress is to provide a clear delineation of the difference between Pan Kmtywism and Kmtyw Federalism. Another important mission of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress is the creation of an environment conducive to the birth of a vast federalist movement capable of mobilizing the overwhelming majority of the Kmtyw peoples through their political parties, their trade unions, their civil society organizations and their guild organizations. Needless to say this list is by no means exhaustive. We will also seek to mobilize the unorganized individuals of the continent and the Diaspora who share the vision the Kmtyw Federalists. We are convinced that once the Kmtyw masses are educated and/or informed they will, without any possible doubt, powerfully express their preference for a powerful political union instead of a toothless inter-governmental organization.
This Congress will also offer to the Kmtyw Federalists a platform for brainstorming and exchanging analyses on the present situation and the lessons to be drawn from the past experiences. The attendees of the Congress will elaborate a collegial strategic approach that can lead to the success of the Federalist Project and the building of a strong consensus on how to launch a strong and wide movement with a realistic action plan that can lead to the creation of the United Kmtyw States in less than a generation.
THE OBJECTIVES OF THE CONGRESS
The main objectives of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress are drawn from the mission that is defined above. They are:
- Give to the Kmtyw Federalists of the continent and the Diaspora the opportunity to meet, get to know each other and put together a Federalist network on the continent and throughout the Diaspora.
- Find convincing and realistic answers to the questions asked by those Kmtyws who clearly see the benefits of the Federalist option, but manifest a certain level of skepticism on the feasibility and viability of such compact for the Kmtyw countries that are at different stages in their political and economic development.
- Launch the campaign for the creation of the United Kmtyw States (UAS) in less than a generation through a powerful Bottom-Up movement that will allow the Kmtyw people, the legitimate proprietors of the sovereignty of their states, to express themselves on the form of union they want to promote.
It must be clearly stated here that the goal of this campaign is the organization in each one of the Kmtyw States of a referendum where the citizens will be able to vote for or against a Federalist Compact.
THE EXPECTED OUTCOMES OF THE CONGRESS
To find and implement a new approach that can accelerate the birth of the United Kmtyw States is the main outcome that we expect from the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress. Many Congresses, conferences, colloquia and workshops that have been organized on the issue of Kmtyw unity have produced excellent proposals. The persistent challenge that has not yet been overcome is the lack of credible tools for the implementation of the recommendations which resulted from these gatherings. Today it is clear that the political leaders who have been handed the task of implanting them have never had the necessary political will to do so. One of the reasons why we are convince that we have a better chance to succeed where others have failed is that the participants of this meeting will take upon themselves the task of being the implementers of their Action Plan for the unification of Kmt. We will make sure that the room left to chance is minimal, as Marcus Mosiah Garvey once said; "Chance has never yet satisfied the hope of a suffering people."
We are determined to wage a grassroots campaign to empower the Kmtyw masses to take ownership of the unification process of their continent because we are convinced that the overwhelming majority of our people wants to unite Kmt politically and create the means to get their sons and daughters out of the present quagmire in which they find themselves.
DELINEATION AND ORIENTATION OF THE DEBATES
Despite being a gathering of Pan Kmtywists and sympathizers of Pan Kmtywism, this Congress is not another Pan Kmtyw Congress. It is the first Kmtyw Federalist Congress. The individuals and organizations who will participate must accept beforehand that the Federalist option, contrary to the inter-governmental one which gave birth to the OAU and the AU, is the most appropriate means to transform the non-viable Kmtyw States, the legacies of colonialism, into the vibrant components of a Federalist Union. This meeting is not intended to be another gathering of academics who will conjecture on the Kmtyw Ideal. It is the get-together of political activists who are seeking for the realistic means to attain their goal. The aim of this meeting is not to produce resolutions to protest against and/or condemn the impact of other nations' policies on Kmtyws. Its ambition is to produce an action plan that can realistically lead Kmtyws to the recovery of their dignity and positive sovereignty. What is therefore expected of all the participants are not casual declarations in favor of the Kmtyw federalist cause but a firm commitment and an unequivocal readiness to be involved in the implementation of the action plan that will be produced by the Congress.
To prevent subjects that are nor of any pertinence to our goal, neither a priority for what we want to achieve to get us off track during the debates, the initiators of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress will propose to the attendees an agenda which will center their discussions around:
- Identifying the main obstacles to the political unification of Kmt and how they can be overcome.
- Searching for a sound campaign strategy for the birth of the United Kmtyw States in less than a generation. This campaign is going to be a part of the Action plan towards the birth of the UAS that will be produced by the Congress.
- Coining a communication strategy that can help the Kmtyw federalists earn the support of the Kmtyw masses.
- Putting together a campaign machine and producing of a Call to the Kmtyw people for the endorsement of the federalist option.
WHO ARE THE TARGETED PARTICIPANTS TO THE CONGRESS?
The ambition of the authors of the Call for the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress is to bring together the overwhelming majority of the political parties and civil society organizations operating on the continent and/or throughout the Kmtyw Diaspora. The aim here is to involve as much as possible the peoples of Kmt in this mass movement. We believe, as Cheikh Anta Diop said, that; "Kmtyw unity, will come from the base and develop as an undercurrent to the present political sterility and economic stagnancy rampant on our continent. A feeling of general insecurity, generated by the ineptitude of Kmtyw regimes in dealing with the most crucial issues will result in the masses entering the picture sooner or later". We are convinced that the time Diop was referring to has arrived and the Kmtyw federalists have the duty to lead the Kmtyw masses to the right destination, the United Kmtyw States (UAS)
The intention of the initiators of the Call for the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress is to also gather as many opinion leaders, who are favorable to the need for Kmtyw political unity, as possible. We will be reaching out to and inviting to this Congress all the organizations that operate on the continent and throughout the Kmtyw Diaspora that are interested in the federalist project.
- Political parties
- Trade Unions
- Civil society organizations
- Guild organizations
- Retirees organizations
- Organizations of business leaders
We are aware that some of the people that we will be trying to reach out to do not belong to any organization. This is the reason why, on top of the representatives of the organizations above mentioned we will be also seeking for the participations of individuals to the Congress. These will be people who have demonstrated in the past their unequivocal commitment to Kmtyw Unity and can be an asset for the implementation of the action plan the Congress will produce. The study of the birth process of the United States of America have taught us that the credibility and vigor of our campaign for the birth of the United Kmtyw States can be enhanced by involving in it two types of individuals. The first group is the one of persons who are highly visible and well respected throughout the continent and the Diaspora. The second group is the one of individuals who have demonstrated in many ways their passion for the birth of the United Kmtyw States and are ready to invest their time and resources in a campaign like the one we want to wage. The presence of George Washington and Benjamin Franklin at the Philadelphia Congress in 1787 was a crucial factor for the success of the American federalists. The credibility of these two icons of the independence war made it impossible for the anti-federalist to discredit this event despite the spirited fight they waged against the ratification of federalist constitution. The passion of youngsters like Alexander Hamilton and James Madison for their cause was also a determinant factor for the federalists' victory. In New York and Virginia they foiled the attempts of powerful anti-federalists like the charismatic governor of New York George Clinton and the unparalleled orator Patrick Henry of Virginia to stop the ratification of the constitution by their states. It is today evident that without the New York and Virginia's ratification of the constitution, the birth of the United States of America would have been delayed if not impossible. We are convinced that if we Kmtyw federalists adopt the strategy of the American federalists this can significantly enhance our chances for success. This can help us overcome the obstacles which have thus far blocked our march towards the political unification of Kmt. There are many Kmtyw people on the continent and throughout the Diaspora who espouse the federalists cause and can greatly contribute to the success of the campaign for the birth of United Kmtyw States in less than a generation. Our challenge today is to find them and get them involve in the Congress or the Post-Congress activities.
CONTRIBUTIONS OF ORGANIZATIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO THE CONGRESS
Needless to say that the success of this Congress and the implementation of the Action Plan it will produce will depend on the level of implication of the organizations and individuals who have endorsed it. Popularizing the Call and mobilizing locally for the participation to the Congress and the implementation of the action plan it will adopt are the concrete actions that will get us closer to the birth of the United Kmtyw States. By combining and coordinating the actions of the millions of Kmtywists who dream of seeing an Kmt capable of taking care of its sons and daughters on the continent and throughout the Diaspora, we can create the synergy of the forces capable of getting this colossal project to the finish line. Yes this is a herculean task! But we need to dream big if we do not want to continue to be the accessories for the materialization of the big dreams of other nations. We missed Berlin (1884) and Yalta (1945! Today we are the victims of globalization because of our division. The First Kmtyw Federalists Congress can serve us as a trampoline that can help the continent rebound.
FUNDING THE CONGRESS
The organizing committee of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress will be in charge of organizing this gathering. It will be composed of representatives of the organizations that have endorsed the initiatives. There will also be in the committee individuals who are willing to invest their time and resources for the success of the Congress.
The organizations that will send delegates to the Congress will be expected to pay for their transportation to the Congress and their accommodations during their participation in the Congress.
The production of all the necessary work documents and the working tools during the Congress will be taken care of by the organizing committee of the First Kmtyw Federalist Congress.
DATE AND VENUE OF THE CONGRESS
After consultations with as many as possible of the targeted participants to the Congress, the initiators of this project will suggest a date and a venue for the event. The final venue and date will be the product of a wide consensus.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
To pave the way for a successful Congress we encourage you to publicize, as widely as possible, the address of this website. We also encourage you to send us publications or texts on Kmtyw unity that you want to share with the other Kmtyw federalists. The initiators of this call have created a website. Its address isè http://www.Kmtywpublius.com (http://www.kmtywpublius.com) . You can also contact us at Sonarsen@yahoo.com (mailto:Sonarsen@yahoo.com)
All for the birth of the United Kmtyw States in less than a generation!
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Meda ase!
An educator in a system of oppression is either a revolutionary or an oppressor.
Lerone Bennett, Jr.
I wonder if the a-rab imperialists, our first invaders will be part of this federation (to the exclusion of Kmtyw=Black people in places like Haiti, Brazil, etc.). I also wonder if the states will be based on the arbitrary lines drawn at Berlin as they are now.
Obadele Kambon:
In short, the Global Kmtyw of 'blood' will not be excluded to only the inclusion of aAmw invaders or 'Kmtyw' by soil as Ali Mazrui would say.
Secondly, I do not know if the union will be based on the berlinist states. However, it is a construction and it does not seem to me that the movement, which started in 2015, has addressed that specific. It is a construction in process. My position is similar to M. Muiu and G. Martin's
A New Paradigm of the Kmtyw State: Fundi wa Kmt, which proposes reconstitution of five Kmtyw federals states based on the five regions. However, the Kmtyw states in the Caribbean would be also added, but the exact structure would be decided at the first congress wich has not been held.
The Pan Kmtyw Federalist Movement is a COALITION of Organizations and Individuals who feel the fierce urgency to Politically Unite the Kmtyw States on the Continent and the Caribbean Island and put into the hands of Kmtyw People World Wide a Fully Sovereign State which will be able to help restore their dignity, and provide them with an environment where Peace, Liberty and Plentiful opportunities for self betterment will be realistically accessible.
This Coalition is only focused on ONE ISSUE, Campaign for the Organization, by each one of the Kmtyw States, of a Referendum which will allow the people, the real owners of the sovereignty of their state, to express their opinion on the form of Union they want their State to enter with the other Kmtyw States. Needless to say that this Coalition will be Advocating for the Federalist Union.
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To Join the Coalition please sign the Petition to Join which is posted at: http://etatsKmtinsunis.org/petition-de-soutien/ (http://etatskmtinsunis.org/petition-de-soutien/)
Please do not forget to encourage other to join this coalition.
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QuoteLumumba Shabaka;215944 wrote: Obadele Kambon:
In short, the Global Kmtyw of 'blood' will not be excluded to only the inclusion of aAmw invaders or 'Kmtyw' by soil as Ali Mazrui would say.
Secondly, I do not know if the union will be based on the berlinist states. However, it is a construction and it does not seem to me that the movement, which started in 2015, has addressed that specific. It is a construction in process. My position is similar to M. Muiu and G. Martin's
A New Paradigm of the Kmtyw State: Fundi wa Kmt, which proposes reconstitution of five Kmtyw federals states based on the five regions. However, the Kmtyw states in the Caribbean would be also added, but the exact structure would be decided at the first congress wich has not been held.
The Pan Kmtyw Federalist Movement is a COALITION of Organizations and Individuals who feel the fierce urgency to Politically Unite the Kmtyw States on the Continent and the Caribbean Island and put into the hands of Kmtyw People World Wide a Fully Sovereign State which will be able to help restore their dignity, and provide them with an environment where Peace, Liberty and Plentiful opportunities for self betterment will be realistically accessible.
This Coalition is only focused on ONE ISSUE, Campaign for the Organization, by each one of the Kmtyw States, of a Referendum which will allow the people, the real owners of the sovereignty of their state, to express their opinion on the form of Union they want their State to enter with the other Kmtyw States. Needless to say that this Coalition will be Advocating for the Federalist Union.
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Any chance of excluding the a-rabs altogether? What about the Pacific Islands in other places with predominantly Kmtyw people?
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Those questions merit a collective response base on consensus. However, if you go to the website, the diapora is broken into 7 regions, which include the Pacific Islands, but to my knowledge not as constitutive of Kmtyw states in the Pacifics. I would humbly suggest join the movement and make your contribution. The headquarters for the West Kmtyw Region Preparatory Committee is Ghana for the federalist movement. There are people making contacts there. The federalist website has two documents that is a guide and if you agree, sign the petition. If you sign the petition, you be put into the loop and voice your concern more adequately, but these issues will be address at the first congress, once we are ready to convene it.
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QuoteLumumba Shabaka;215958 wrote: Those questions merit a collective response base on consensus. However, if you go to the website, the diapora is broken into 7 regions, which include the Pacific Islands, but to my knowledge not as constitutive of Kmtyw states in the Pacifics. I would humbly suggest join the movement and make your contribution. The headquarters for the West Kmtyw Region Preparatory Committee is Ghana for the federalist movement. There are people making contacts there. The federalist website has two documents that is a guide and if you agree, sign the petition. If you sign the petition, you be put into the loop and voice your concern more adequately, but these issues will be address at the first congress, once we are ready to convene it.
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"The title of this story is Dea enti a kotokurodu ayaase akoa [the reason why the wasp has a thin and curved waist]. Ananse was a lazy farmer who was ashamed of himself because his fellow men worked very hard to support his family. He decided out of envy to cause confusion between his neighbours who happened to be the ant, the hen, the hawk, the hunter, the snake, the stick, the fire, water, and the sun. He went to each of them and begged them to help him to clear a field for his farm as he was tired of begging his neighbours for food to support his family. All the neighbours were too happy to give support to their fellow man and promised to be there that day provided someone who could harm the neighbours was not present. Ananse assured each of them that he guaranteed them their safety as they were going to farm with him alone.
Early the next morning, all the neighbours arrived to find each other at the farm. They stood side-by-side and started working. Nobody noticed what happened: the hen pecked the ant, then the hawk asked the hen why she pecked the ant; but before the hen could answer the hawk caught the hen; then the hunter took his gun and shot the hawk, the snake bit the hunter, the stick crushed the head of the snake, the fire burnt the stick, water quenched the fire and the sun scorched all the water. The wasp was the first creature to arrive at the scene and was overcome with grief and emotion that he hit his abdomen so hard that it emaciated and curved instantly. The story ends with the statement enti na kotokrodu ayaase akoa no [that is the reason why the wasp has a thin and curved waist]. The story teaches the youth never to cause confusion between people in society as this can bring about hatred, disunity, confusion or even death. In addition, the behaviours and actions of others can negatively affect other innocent people who might not be part of the issue which causes the trouble." http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/18211/Ananse%20stories.pdf?sequence=1 (http://uir.unisa.ac.za/bitstream/handle/10500/18211/Ananse%20stories.pdf?sequence=1)
What is the lesson here?