Zaire: the bitter fruits of neo-colonialism

Zaïre THE BITTER FRUITS OF NEO-COLONIALISM Recent events in Zaire have served, in many ways, to stress the fact that the era of imperialist domination of the African continent is far from receding. from the racist àssumption of the official 'humanitarian' grounds for the French and Belgian intervention (implying that imperialism has the the unfetter ed right to act at will when white lives are involved, while Africans have no rights at all), all inforned observers admit that the French operation had a clear military objective. This was to do what the corrupt and oppressive Mobutu regime could not do - defeat the Congolese National Liberation . Front in their strategio position in Kolwezi and bring 'security' (for imperialist economic operations) to the area. Of course behind these military goals lay the objective of tightening French imper ialist control of the country at the expa ense of both their Belgian rivals and the people of the country. betrayal That Imperialism could embark upon such an audacious and blatant operation after a, decade of being on the defensive, and supposedly outflanked by the rise of the "third world', may seem surprising to key is easy to find: it is some. But the the increasing readiness of the rulers ruling classes of the various African and countries to openly embrace the imperia].ists when their own interests are under attack, as they increasingly are by the mass of impoverished Africans - poor farmers, workers and un and under employed town dwellers. The history of French intervention in Tchad and Gabon, the collaboration of African regimes in the military operation in Entebbe, and the OAU intervention last year, were all storm clouds preceding the Kolwezi torrent. Kolwezi represents more than a declaration that 20th century 'paratroop diplomacy? is here to stayi it is profound testimony to the bank ruptoy and treachery of the neo-colonislist regimes in Africa. The OfU, rather than an organisation building the anti- imperialisi unity of the firican people, has become a club of dictators, more concerned with preserving the 'holy! boundaries of imperialist diviced Africa, and thereby defend their own sinecures. collaboration The depthe of this political betrayal were dramatically unveiled in the closing address of President Bongo of Gabon at the recent Franco-African Conference: 'Africa is currently undergoing a crisis the gravity of which we cannot over empha. sise. In more precise terms, I would say that it is a question of a vast subversive enterprise designed to overturn the geo political equilibrium of our continent• .? Addressing the author of the Zaire advent ure, Gisoard d'Estaings Bongo assumed an appropriate demeanours "We thank you, and through you the Government and peopla of France, for your courage, for your delermination and for your concern to give content to the agreem ments which have been concluded between France and the najority of our countries •o. we say to you simply that we have also made the "richt cholde!. We must establish a distinobion betseen those who understand No at Me to usy who love as, and those who seek the regression of Afrioncóo''Io leave Africa to ! the Afrimine in no way signifies that we must zooept the snoonragenont of subver sion, much less its provooation. Nothing can justily murder, genoolde, massacre. To preserve Aírioa from these evils, 1t Is not too strong to attin that all the genudaely oivilised oountries must now come to our aldoso! "geauinely elvilised Union 0f all the countries' to presorre the (geopolitica] equilibriu 8 discard could not have said it better! But the rising genes Mos of oppressed Ple or comfort in Africans all Pleas the such a formula, no rebirla of a genuinely prolace spirit, denysay Tea Sabetialise to trample eera! walfor, business ey costumes is 00