We continue to reflect the participation of different delegations in the I LIS Pan-African Congress that is taking place in Nairobi, Kenya.
Suzete Chaffin – Socialist Revolution (Brazil)
Hello people! I am Suzete Chaffin, a member of the Socialist Revolution, a section of the International Socialist League in Brazil, and I am here to tell you about this incredible experience of participating in this first Pan-African Congress of the LIS. First, the emotion and the joy of being in our mother Africa, the land of my ancestors. And then talk about the importance of this fundamental activity that was carried out here, of meeting with colleagues from 14 African countries and discussing with them the specificities of each country, exchanging experiences, exchanging knowledge and, through the debate, concluding that we need to unite to build a socialist society, the need to unite to defeat capitalism, because it is the only way out for the working class and to know the many evils that capitalism imposes on this region of the world. To my ancestors, I want to say that I came here with a romantic vision, I think all of us in Brazil have it, of being in mother Africa. And then reality imposes on us a whole critical political conscience that leads to what is the first Pan-African Congress of the LIS, the union of the African peoples for the construction of socialism, of the fight for a better society. And look, I leave here very happy, very inspired, very encouraged and strengthened, because our struggle in Brazil against racism, this racism that capitalism imposes, which ends up killing Black, poor and working class people, needs to be unified. It needs to have the strength of socialist consciousness and practices. And that I found here. I leave very strengthened. I bring to Brazil the idea of revolutionary pan-Africanism and the strength of many brothers and sisters who stand with us in this construction of a socialist society. One Africa, free Africa, socialist Africa! as the brothers and sisters here taught me. And long live socialism!
Chaia Ahmed baba – Western Sahara
I’m Chaia. I am from Western Sahara, and today we close the 1st Pan-African Congress of the ISL, where we have discussed, as we usually do about all international issues, about the economy, about women, about everything that is happening in Niger and in Haiti. And we made resolutions where we are going to continue fighting, driving companies and supporting each other because we are absolutely certain that everything can be solved with internationalism and the ISL is internationalist.
Hadija Amina, African footprints (Tanzania)
Hello comrades, my name is Hadija Amina from Tanzania. I am a member of the Tanzanian Youth Pan-African Leadership Foundation. In today’s conference, I see that to beat up capitalism in the world, we need to work as a team and need to unite together.
Celestine Obafemi, Alliance Against Neoliberal Attacks, Nigeria
Greetings, my name is Celestine from Nigeria. I represent the Nigerian Students Against Neo-liberal Attacks (ANSA). I was so excited to join this group because at the time I was at Comoros and I had seen the cases, the stories, I felt like it was something close to home and I thought I wanted to do something about it. Still, I wanted to give my opinion, at least put some action on the conviction I had. Besides, I’m thrilled to know that there is a group that supports students like this, and in Nigeria, no less. So I was excited to put my passion and energy ahead. And when I came to the conference today, I was moved to see that the convictions that I hold are not just international, they count across the continent, they are international and continental. I’m excited that I can join more people and that people can join me in the visions that I have. I love the real points we’ve made. I love the representation that everyone is giving. It sounds like the kind of passion and conviction I’ve been looking for, and I’m pleased to have the opportunity to speak with all of you. I’m glad to have the chance to get to know them more, and I’m glad to feel like I’ve at least done something. I want to do more of what I want to achieve. However from where I see it, we still have a lot to do. But we are on the right path, we are going in the right direction, we have the people and we can achieve more. I am pleased about that. So what we do at Nigerian Students Against Neo-liberal Attacks (ANSA) is to carry out social advocacy, capacity building and youth empowerment. We have done programs where we go to different institutions. We have sat down to talk, to dialogue digitally, face to face, to express our opinions, our feelings, our convictions, feminism, socialism and all the tendencies and influences of the new colonialism that we feel in our country, in our neighbouring countries and in the continent. In addition, we can interact with many people and find out what they are thinking. And if they feel the same way that we do, that they can do something about it, we win more people every day, we get additional information and we have more opportunities to open the farm, and that empowers us. Thank you.
Benedict Badiane, Front for a Popular, Pan-Africanist and Anti-imperialist Revolution (Senegal)
Greetings, Congress, I am Benedict. I am from the Front for Popular Revolution Organisation in which we basically teach the comrades about the anti-imperialist revolution. That is the most important thing to stop, facing French imperialism. Especially in Africa, since French imperialism is still affecting the economies of African countries, in such a way that French monetary rules and laws, their economic rules, are applied in African countries. That is colonialism and imperialism.
So we are trying to teach people how to fight against French imperialism, how to depend on ourselves, find our own way of evaluating our economy and have sovereignty over the economy of the African countries, mainly all of them. So today we had a meeting where we gave our opinions, resolutions and talked about how to fight to get rid of the French and other colonists that affect Kenya. I mean Kenya, Senegal, Uganda, among others. Therefore, today we have held a congress where we have come up with some very good ideas and solutions that can help us unite and have African sovereignty. Because Africa is one of the homes of humanity.
Evelyne Adbiambo, Leah Wanjiru, Mary Wanjiru -RSL Kenya
Leah: My name’s Leah I coordinate the Justice Center, which is a centre of a social justice movement, where we advocate for human rights. It’s a movement based in Nairobi, but we have other chapters in Mombasa, Korogocho and the Western part of Kenya. Our main aim is to see a country with zero violence on human rights.
Evelyne: My name is Evelyne D. from Korogocho Peace and Justice. It is an NGO , an organisation that defends any violation of human rights, such as gender violence, police brutality, extradition and murder. We do mentorships for the young mothers, young women, we also support the environment, like now that we are fighting for the climate to change.
Mary: I am M. from the Korogocho Center in Nairobi, Kenya. What I would say about the Congress is that I am very impressed, I learned many new things. I have realised that also at the international and pan-African level, we have to unite to free ourselves from the capitalists. So, whatever the place, let’s go back to the community, and let’s train in different areas of our community where we can educate and give an opportunity in the land, and I believe that we can in this way free ourselves from oppression.
Mary: The Korogocho Centre is also a member of the Revolutionary Socialist League (RSL) whereby we have a political centre area. So our main villa is ecological, and we’re so much advocating for mass production of Bamboo and food trees so that we are able to mitigate the air. Yes, so we are part of RSL, we are a membership organisation to the Revolutionary Socialist League.