COALITION AGAINST FOREIGN MILITARY INTERVENTION IN AFRICA: HANDS OFF LIBYA! HANDS OFF COTE D'IVOIRE! HANDS OFF AFRICA!

We have come together as organizations and individuals to stand in support of the people of Libya, Cote d'Ivoire and all of Africa as we face an onslaught of foreign military aggression. We cannot remain silent while our people and our sovereignty are under attack. We must let all those who chose the side of exploitation know that wherever there is oppression or aggression there will be resistance – this is just one form of that resistance. In this statement, we want to make it clear that all actions will have consequences and that we all have a role to play in defending the right to self-determination for Africa. We also want to make it clear that the people can see who the enemies of Africa are and those that are working in the interest of Africa.

I. Condemnation of Africa's leaders and the African Union

To date, African leaders have shown that they do not represent the people of Africa. They must be held accountable to the people. African leaders must be made to understand that playing puppet to imperialist masters (as was the case in Tunisia and Egypt) will provide no security and no safe haven. It is only through their bond with the masses of the people that they have a chance to survive. It is only through this bond that they will have a chance to defend themselves and the people against the determined efforts of imperialism to control them.

To date, the performance of most African leaders has been nothing less than shameful. Their lack of honesty, courage, political will, and insight, has revealed them to most of the people as mere caretakers for foreign interests; as caretakers who are willing to sell out their people and their resources for personal gain and undeserved wealth.

The impotence of the African Union today is a reflection of this lack of commitment on the part of these puppet African leaders. The African Union and the present African leaders bear no resemblance to the African leadership of the immediate post colonial era and the plan for a United States of Africa as envisioned by Kwame Nkrumah, Sekou Toure, and others. We know that it is only this political union of Africa that will bring about true peace, security and development for the people of the continent.

II. Condemnation of NATO intervention in Africa

The military attack on Libya by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization represents a blatant attack on Africa's sovereignty. Under no circumstances should these or any foreign powers have the right to impose their will on Africa through military force. NATO has not been given any authority by the peoples of the world to defend any so-called “international interests.” Their actions have been and are consistently to the detriment of the people of Africa.

III. Interventions in Ivory Coast and Libya must stop

Imperialist meddling in African affairs must stop. Solutions to African problems, even when they are fueled and instigated by foreign interests, must be solved internally – by Africans. The interventions in the internal affairs of African nations are attacks on our right to self-determination. We are not slaves! We are not colonies! We must and will make our own decisions and in our own interests. We must resist any effort to dictate who our leaders should be or what type of political and economic system we use.

It is only through the development and implementation of internal and sovereign systems of democracy that true peace and stability can be attained – and protected. Although the imperialists would try to make us believe otherwise, the struggle is not about personalities. We are not fooled by imperialist attempts to demonize this or that leader. The real struggle is about resources and who will control them. Imperialism will stop at no end to gain control of resources for their own benefit – be they oil, cocoa, diamonds, gold or rubber. There are indisputable records of their role in staging coups, committing assassinations, decimating economies, all with the intention of gaining control of African resources and its people.

The report of the ECOWAS observer mission to the Cote d'Ivoire elections has never been released. This is just another example of the manipulation of information that is used to justify the actions of foreign interests in Africa. This manipulation of information has been as consistent and vicious as the military attacks. There is an incessant bombardment from imperialist controlled media outlets that seeks to confuse the people and hide the truth behind the motives for these attacks on Africa. This media attack is further propagated by regurgitated stories and images carried by media outlets across the continent.

IV. AFRICOM, the American tool for the re-colonization of Africa must be dismantled

AFRICOM offers no benefit to Africa or its people. It is simply the guise through which America can further collaborate with puppet African leaders to intervene and meddle in African affairs, and in neo-colonial fashion, consolidate the control of African resources. Had AFRICOM not been successfully resisted by the people of Africa, the military forces being unleashed on the Government and people of Libya today would be coming from bases within Africa itself rather than from those in Germany. Why would African countries provide safe haven for an American military that will launch attacks on other African nations?

V. Stop United Nations Interventions in Africa

The examples of the blatant use of the UN to further imperialist interests are many. It has proven to be a tool for political coercion against the legitimate aspirations of African people.

The UN Security Council has become simply a method to try to legitimize imperialist military actions. This is evidenced in their role in the Congo with the attack on the legitimate government of Patrice Lumumba, as well as the invasions of Iraq and now Libya.

The UN system is completely bankrupt as the General Assembly, which in theory represents all the people of the world, is totally sidelined to the advantage of the so-called “permanent members” of the Security Council. These self-interested imperialist forces then use the Security Council to create or represent a so-called “international community” or “international opinion” that then justifies their selfish military and economic interventions.

At this point in time, we are calling for the mobilization of all African people and peoples' organizations to denounce the foreign military attack on Africa. This expression of resistance will give resolve to those fighting to defend our sovereignty in Libya and in Cote d'Ivoire. At the same time, our resistance must lead us to higher levels of organization. It is only through the full and complete organization of the people that we can defend our interests against foreign intervention and against corrupt and puppet leaders.

Join us as we move to make a clear and profound statement of our resolve when we hold a public demonstration on Tuesday, April 12, 2011. The demonstration will start with a rally at the Obra Spot, Kwame Nkrumah Circle at 7.30 am.

It is proposed that all demonstrators should endeavor display something red in the dress code, but if you possible you are still welcome.

It will end at the Hearts Park on the High Street in Accra. We urge all African patriots, Pan Africanist and progressives to join this manifestation of resistance against re-colonization.

Thank you very much for coming and you may now ask questions.