Dear All,
Let me take this opportunity to thank all those who openly or morally supported a cause of humiliation and disgust to the African Youth in this modern era.
If not for anything, at least our voices have been clear enough to inform our so called foreign aid suppliers that poverty is not crime, but rather, trampling on the rights of the poor is a crime.
The German President's office sent a message that it had no contact with the said organization that trains monkies (EDEJU) and had requested that the President's office links to be disconnected from this criticized organization's website. But if there was any regard and respect for Africans, why wasn't there a request for this mon key to be removed from the website as well?
Can anyone imagine how the world would have been like if the German President was about to visit Israel and someone created a website with Hitler on it? But as Africans, we have to accept any type of insult and humiliation because we don't belong to the human race. Justice where art thou?
Our leaders will allow such incidents to be swept under the carpet, but the African Youth today, the new generation of leaders, wouldn't sit down and allow others to take us for granted.
I think we have proved that we are becoming the new leaders, although some will think I am being too loud, but as the Chinese say: the longest journey started with a step. This is the beginning and we shall be on the look out.
AS for Vincent Ocran and Tobias who were suggesting that we rather talk about important issues in Darfur, why aren't you doing that yourself? If the Darfurians had started voicing out their disgust at the time they were probably being labeled as “monkies”, they wouldn't be receiving the treatment they are receiving today. I saw what disgusted me and I voiced it out.
My appreciations to the Executive Director, Dr. Jansen, for taking bold steps to call the German President's office to book. We need 20 more of her type to continue leading the way. Had we got most of her type in the last 50 years, Africa wouldn't have been in the sorry state that it is in now. Madam, I raise my hat.
Thank you all once again, and let's continue the fight.
William Mukozi
UK
**********************************************
I think the AYF deserves a clap as well as we the Youth of Africa too. We understand the Minister contacted some office to which we could be grateful. But the AYF contacted the President's office and the letters, we all got to read.
We have proved that we are tomorrow's leaders and shall continue taking our issues seriously. Had William Mukozi not sent an Open Letter to the Minister of Foreign Affairs in Ghana, could it be no African political leader would have spoken about this? Are the souls of African Youth being sold for development aid?
As for the man with a monkey as his training child, he is lucky that as Africans, our parents thought us good traditions and culture, or else, by now, we would have been burning down the German Embassies in some African countries. People like him should be happy there are a peaceful race called Africans, who he can always insult and go scot free. But as the Chinese are now ruling the world, so shall it be Africa's turn soon. He should just wait and see.
Ada Okorir
Nigeria
****************************************************
Open Letter to the Bundespräsident's Office
_____
Von: Paulyn Jansen [mailto:[email protected]]
Gesendet: Freitag, 5. Januar 2007 16:25
An: [email protected]
Betreff: Open Letter to the Bundespräsident's Office
Herrn Mühlmanstadt
Referat 22
Bundespräsidialamt
Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin, Germany
Dear Mr. Mühlmanstadt,
Our attention has been drawn to an unfortunate incident in regards to
Bundespräsident Horst Kohlers visit to Ghana and an NGO in Germany, which
purports working in collaboration with the Presidents office on the
Presidents (Partnership for Africa) initiative.
As the director of the coordination of the Bundespräsidents visit to Ghana,we suppose that you may have received the open letters from the Youth, of which copies have already been sent to your office, and have considered in your capacity as a director, not to sweep this issue under the carpet, but to give us a statement on this unfortunate incident.
The African Youth Foundation, on behalf of the African Youth, would
appreciate such a statement on time, as a step towards *PARTNERSHIP*
dialogue, to avoid the media marring the Presidents important trip to
Ghana.
Below is a copy of the open letter again, just in case your busy schedule
hasnt permitted you to read it yet.
We hope to hear from you soon and are counting on your cooperation
Kind regards
Paulyn Jansen, PhD
Executive Director
African Youth Foundation
****************************************************
Von: referat22
Gesendet: Freitag, 5. Januar 2007 17:11
An: [email protected]
Cc:
Betreff: AW: Open Letter to the Bundespräsident's Office
Liebe Frau Jansen,
vielen Dank für Ihren Brief, den ich gerne beantworte - anders als den
offenen Brief von Herrn Mukozi. Es entspricht unserer Praxis, offene Briefe
nicht zu beantworten.
Die kritisierte Organisation hat mit dem Bundespräsidenten nichts zu tun.
Dass diese Organisation offensichtlich einen Link zu unserer Webseite
hergestellt hat, war uns nicht bewusst und konnte von uns auch nicht
verhindert werden. Inzwischen ist das Link auf Bitten von Herrn Gnad
(Zeit-Stiftung) entfernt worden.
Ich freue mich auf die weitere Zusammenarbeit mit Ihnen.
Matthias Mülmenstädt
Bundespräsidialamt
Leiter Referat 22
Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin
English translation:
Dear Ms. Jansen,
Thank you for your letter which I am glad to respond to unlike the open
letter from Mr. Mukozi. It is against our practice to respond to open
letters.
The German President has no contacts with the criticized organization. We
were not aware that the said organization had created a link to our website
and as such, couldnt prevent it from happening. We have however requested
for the removal of the link, through Mr. Gnad (Zeit-Stiftung) which has been done.
We look forward to further cooperation
Matthias Mülmenstädt
Bundespräsidialamt
Leiter Referat 22
Spreeweg 1, 10557 Berlin
**************************************************
Dear Honourable Minister Akuffo Addo,
It is with much displeasure that I have to draw your attention to some
depressive developments in reference to the German President (Mr. Horst
Kohler) visit to Ghana from 11 15 January 2007.
I was invited as a young African, to participate in a forum that was sharing
ideas regarding issues that had to be solved and how the African Youth could
be developed for global competition. I checked on the website of this NGO
which is alleged to be the youth organization representing African Youth and
working in partnership with President Kohlers office, especially for this
very trip to Ghana in January 2007.
To my surprise, the index page of the website of this organization, had a
picture of a white man with a MONKEY in his hands, and that is supposed to
be the organization representing African Youth. I cant tell if the monkey
is the symbol of an African youth or the white man (the director of this
organization) is training monkies which he assumes are African youth. Please
check the website up for yourself
(
This in my opinion is an insult beyond humanity. And my utmost surprise is
that, no one in the German Presidents office has noticed this major INSULT
to all African Youth, and has a link from this website to the Presidents
Partnership for Africas website.(
http://www.edeju.de/english/actual.html). How could anybody be so
insensitive as far as to the German Presidents office, and with this, the
German President will be travelling to Ghana for Africa partnership? Could
this be the involvement of African Youth or monkies? Could we still be
animals?
Mr. Minister, there are African Youth organizations in Europe, and even in
Germany, which are delivering impressive results when the issue of African
Youth is mentioned. Just in case, President Kohlers office cannot
acknowledge any of such organizations and as usual, the white man has to be
our savior and thus decides to choose an European organization which has
nothing in common with African Youth but monkies, then I would want to
kindly inform you that I am a member of one of such hardworking
organizations known as the African Youth Foundation (AYF: www.ayf.de), also
based in Germany. And I must conclude that this dynamic lady (Dr. Paulyn
Jansen) running this organization is contributing her best in raising the
image of African Youth in Germany. If nothing at all, we the African youth
in Diaspora would want the AYF to represent us, as we know what the AYF
stands for, and not this organization training monkies in the name of
African Youth. Should there be a need for youth organizations in Africa too,
I am aware that there are a lot in Africa and my brothers and sisters
working hard in Africa can also confirm this.
As much as I would want to speak to the German president myself about this
issue, I am being stopped from many corners. A call to the presidents
office since the last 3 weeks only meant my being informed that someone will
get in touch with me later, and till today, 2nd January 2007, no one has got
in touch with me. Thus my appeal to the Honourable Minister, for the German
Presidents office to set the records straight.
1. The African Youth in the diaspora, dont want to be represented by
an organization that trains monkies (EDEJU)
2. If the German President sincerely wants to involve the African Youth
in his Africa Partnership agenda, then we want our African organizations to
represent us and not the typical white organizations who have no idea
about African issues and cant even relate to us. (The Presidents office
can start from the AYF where I am also a member and I would be ready to
represent the Youth as well as AYF. Apologies Madam Executive Director)
Honourable Minister, We the Youth of Africa, think it is about time the so
called developed countries also accorded us the respect we accord them if we
are talking about partnership. We (Africans) are capable of contributing our
share to the development of Africa, and are ready to represent ourselves. We
(Africans) are not less intelligent than any other race in this world.
I would be very grateful if your good offices could please take action on
this issue. If not for the youth of Africa, at least, for mother AFRICA: We
are not MONKIES or any other ANIMAL for that matter! Thank you!
Yours Sincerely,
William Mukozi
AYF Youth Member
213 High Road
Leyton E15 2BY
United Kingdom
CC: The Executive Director
Dr. Paulyn Jansen
African Youth Foundation
Germany
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