Pambazuka Blog Review – March 19, 2009

Enie Cecile of the Social Forum blog comments on the disturbing “breast ironing” phenomenon in Cameroon which is supposed to prevent teenage pregnancy:

“The UN says that 3.8 million West and Central African girls are at risk of this painful form of body mutilation. In Cameroon where the practice is most widespread, 50% of adolescent girls in cities and a quarter of all girls nationwide have their breasts 'ironed,' often by their mothers. While some reports proclaim One-quarter of all Cameroonian women are said to have been victims of this painful "breast-ironing".

Ironically, the tradition was a mystery to many in the West African nation until a recent campaign to stop the potentially dangerous practice, aimed at delaying a young girl's natural development was launched.

Nevertheless breast ironing is widespread and interestingly, the high prevalence in cities attributed to the effects of urbanization.”

Agendia Aloysius outlines his expectations of Pope Benedict during the pontiff’s first visit to Africa:

“As a spiritual leader who represents hope, he"> must not only tell us to just keep waiting and hoping. We expect him to be courageous enough to tell those thwarting the hope of…Africans to at least, have some feelings for human beings and or their fellow citizens.

We expect him to speak about and against neo-colonialism and its funded wars and its economic and political domination in Africa. We expect him not only to hinge on the murder of Jews by Nazis, but, also recognise that even before that, millions of Congolese were murdered under the auspices of the Belgian King Leopold… Thousands continue to die till date because of these economic-neo-colonial driven wars. It is not about going back to the past. But we must know the present was shaped by the past and struggling during and for the present, will determine the future.”

Nigerian Best Forum writes about the “text message insurgency” of Somali Islamist group al-Shabab:

“The radical militia is a fiercely secretive and ruthless organisation with alleged links to al-Qaeda. The leaders of the group - which has taken over swathes of central and southern Somalia - are unknown to their subordinates. The middle lieutenants get their orders through text messages, or phone calls from recognised voices, giving them proof the instructions are coming from the right person.

The leaders of al-Shabab are called “emirs” and they do not usually come from the region they administer. The emirs are said to use text messaging systems daily. The mid-ranking emirs and foot soldiers are given prepaid phone cards to carry out their day-to-day operations.

Text messages are also used to threaten those al-Shabab believes oppose them. Anyone who ignores these warnings is likely to receive a visit from the gunmen.

Gef’s Outlook publishes a podcast interview with Rosebell Kagumire, winner of the Waxal Award for Best English-Speaking African journalist's blog:

"This investigative journalist for ‘The Independent’ news magazine in Kampala - Uganda thinks if blogging is made close to everyone in Africa it could serve as a counterweight to the depiction of Africa by international media like the CNN and the BBC as a place of suffering, despair and poverty. She supposes it might even make these media view Africa differently.

My conversation with Rosebell also delved into the difference between blogging and journalism and how she copes with both caps...

Rosebell's Blog was described by the members of the jury of the Pan-African awards as ‘attractive blog, interesting and diverse content. Easy to read and navigate. The image makes it more interesting’.”

Tgoose's Blog condemns the army-backed regime change in the Republic of Madagascar in no uncertain terms:

“I am still reeling from all the events of yesterday, I can hardly believe that such a travesty of democracy could happen so quickly…. What this coup represents is a serious step backwards for Madagascar, or at least freedom in Madagascar and potentially some trouble for its future...

The methods used by the TGV to obtain power were illegal… There ABSOLUTELY has to be repercussions for what happened to the government of Madagascar, and hopefully the international community will start that. But this is just the tip of the iceberg…

Now you are going to see people come out of the woodwork, now that their puppet (or scapegoat) has taken control of the country… How can a 34 year old DJ with approximately 1 year of political experience being mayor bring down a government without major help from someone else?

So… what’s next? A fourth republic? Massive overhaul of the constitution? Didier Ratsiraka coming back to Tana for a visit? Who knows… but we will all be watching, hoping that someone will pay for what has been done to Madagascar.”

Scribbles from the Den publishes a rejoinder to an earlier blog on gerontocracy in Cameroon with a guest contribution by Emmanuel Konde of Albany State University, in Georgia (USA):

“Nowhere in Cameroon do we find a Fon, Lamido, Chief, or Village Headman removed from power through the ritual of election. All over the land every Fon, Lamido, Chief and Headman who ascends to power rules for life if some vicissitudes of history beyond human control do not intervene to force a displacement…

And so I ask: ‘why should the President of Cameroon be expected to relinquish power by election if his counterparts everywhere in the country, including those who preceded his rise to power in 1982 in the various ethnic polities, have not done the same in their fondoms, lamidats, chiefdoms, and villages?’
It is with the utmost humility that I question the hypocrites and parasites amongst us, people who would expect the whole to operate in contradiction to its aggregates. Why should the national government of Cameroon be anything but gerontocratic if the Fon and his cabal of old men called kwifon rule their Fondom, and the Chief and his Council of Elders consisting of old men rule their chiefdom?”

* Dibussi Tande, a writer and activist from Cameroon, produces the blog Scribbles from the Den

* Please send comments to [email protected] or comment online at www.pambazuka.org/