Word: biafras
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...African can be happy at the press reports of mounting starvation in secessionist Biafra. The fact of secession and the consequent human casualities represent a permanent tragedy for Africa. Newspaper advertisements carrying hungry African babies whose survival depends largely on the outcome of a march-of-dimes-type crusade are a humiliating reminder of Fanon's sad conclusion that black people of our generation are indeed the wretched of the earth. Our fellow Africans who, for various reasons now identify with secessionist Biafra, feel this deep sense of shame also...
Your reporter's assertion also does not accord with the facts concerning the obstacles to the current "food for Biafra" projects. The Vatican, the International Red Cross, the London Times, the New York Times (to mention only a few) have consistently stated that if the relief efforts are to have any impact on Biafran starvation, food must be transported by land from the rest of Nigeria, because of the inadequacy of airport facilities in what remains of Biafra. The Nigerian Government would surely be responsible for Biafran starvation if she refused to permit the transportation of the badly needed food...
Thus the primary responsibility for the present mass starvation in Biafra rests with the secessionist leaders. They cannot be meaningfully excused from any ethical exercise we may engage in on the Nigerian war. At the very least Biafran leaders are guilty of gross deceit. Only a few months ago they were proudly announcing to the world that the Biafran economy was running efficiently in spite of the war. At the time, these leaders considered it politically expedient to "prove" the viability of secessionist Biafra outside of a Nigerian federation. Nigerian reports of mass hunger were rejected out of hand...
...their exploitation in pre-coup Nigeria, the foreign minister, an Ibo, was busy singing the glories of Nigeria at the U.N. The Head of State who supervised the political corruption of pre-coup Nigeria is now a Biafran ambassador at large. It is significant that it is only in Biafra that these corrupt politicians have not been permanently thrown out of office...
Only pseudo liberals and enemies of Africa can seriously advocate organized trips into Biafra with the avowed purpose of forcing American intervention in favour of secession. For quite apart from the risk of creating another Vietnam, such action can only condemn Africa to permanent underdevelopment. An Africa based on tribal units has no chance. Only our enemies can knowingly encourage African fragmentation while they themselves enjoy the fruits of unity in their own countries. Omafume Onoge Teaching Fellow Social Relations Dept...