Musicman
1
Introduction
· Although African states are today independent of colonialism, they remain
heavily dependent and exploited under the effects of neo colonialism and neo
liberalism.
· This dependency and exploitation particularly through the activities of Trans
National Corporations, adversely affects the living conditions of millions of
people in Africa, creating economic hardship and in some cases encouraging
political repression.
· These problems can be linked to the crisis of underdevelopment in Africa and
the attendant refugee problem.
What is neo-colonialism?
· One of the foremost proponents of neo colonialism was the former Ghanaian
leader Kwame Nkrumah who described Neo Colonialism as the worst form of
imperialism and capitalist exploitation.
· The essence of neo-colonialism is that the State that is subject to it is, in
theory, independent and has all the outward trappings of international
sovereignty. In reality, its economic system and thus its political policy is
directed from outside.
· Foreign capital is used for exploitation rather than development of less
developed countries; investment increases gap between rich and poor.
· Aid given to neo-colonial state returns to the imperialist country.
Workings of Neo Colonialism
· Largely because of the world capitalist system and the so-called
international division of labour which sees Africa only as producers of primary
commodities, most African nations have no viable integrated industries which can
diversify their economies and supply the rest of the world with finished goods.
· Mining production for example is destined principally for exportation. What
stays in Africa is the wages paid for the mineworkers. A majority of money spent
on salaries goes to Western directors, and much of the profit goes to Western
Trans national corporations.
· Two examples 1) Debeers and the diamond trade in Angola, Sierra Lone and the
Congo that has encouraged the war in these countries and impoverished them. A
recent UN report implicated Western firm and countries including Belgium in the
illegal diamond trade. 2) Shell in Nigeria and the Ogoni crisis which led to the
state execution of the environmental right activist Ken Saro Wiwa
· Due to centuries of slavery and imperialism, Africa does not have very much
capital with which to begin industrialization. Although agriculture is
important, industrialization is more important in today’s industrial world.
· African states often do not get fair prices for their primary export
commodities, which are usually their only source of income. This is because they
have little control over the international money market. The prices of cocoa,
timber, rubber have all collapsed. Recently, the price of oil which is the main
source of revenue for some developing African and Arab countries increased but
the big financial powers in the West rallied to make sure that it came down
within days because it affected them. But for many years, such inflation in the
prices of imported consumer good has affected Africans without anyone coming to
their aid.
Obstacles to African Economic Progress
· The global outcry and opposition over the inequitable trade regulations being
put in place by the World Trade Organization has drawn attention to the
inequities in the global economic system. The demonstrations in Seattle against
the WTO meeting there are an example of this growing awareness. At no other time
in history has there been greater disparity between very rich nations and very
poor nations.
· Nations in the west are forming coalitions to integrate protect their
economies (NAFTA in North America and the European Union in Europe). Yet at the
same time, poor developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America are
continually told by the World Bank and the IMF to liberalize and remove
protectionist policies from their economic programs.
· For Africa, redressing this is an urgent challenge. Africa needs continental
planning more than national planning, because “Africa is clearly fragmented
into too many small, uneconomic and non-viable states.
· Neo-colonialism and neo liberalism makes continental planning harder over
time, because narrow national markets becomes structurally entrenched.
· The domination of Africa’s economy by foreign firms must be ended and a
more equitable international economic system established if we are to achieve
rounded economic growth” (27).
The Implications of Neo Colonialism on the Refugee Question
· Although many people may not readily see it, there is an obvious link between
contemporary neo colonialism in Africa and the refugee question which currently
confronts many Western sates and affects the lives of so many displaces
Africans.
· Historically, the wave of refugee migrations has always been associated with
political and economic difficulties. People have also moved to other countries
when confronted by economic hardship and political persecution.
· The history of Canada, considered by many, as one of the most liberal nations
in the world is an example of this pattern of refugee migration. In the 17th and
18th century, the first migrants were English common men who were seeking a
better economic life in the New World. The English were followed by poor
starving Irish who were fleeing the Irish Famine of 1845-50. Then cane the
Italian in the early part if the 19th century, again fleeing the economic
hardship in post War Europe and later, came the Ukrainians fleeing communist
persecution. Today, it is the turn Africans and Asians fleeing economic
hardships and political persecution. Thus, historically Canada is a nation built
of waves of refugees immigrants which has gives the country the appealing
multiethnic diversity that it has today.
· In the same way, the economic hardship and political persecution induced by
the workings of neo colonialism has been one of the major reasons for the influx
of refugees from developing countries in Africa to the West. But as I have
pointed out these migrations are not unique to Africa or historically
unprecedented. They only reflect the present global economic and political
realities.
· Thus, to adequately address the refugee question, we must first address the
problem of neo-colonialism, global economic inequalities among the nations of
the word, the exploitation of multinationals and the complicity of Western
countries in the political persecution of opponents by African regimes.
· The refugee question therefore has to be put in proper historical context and
address in the light of the fundamental economic problems that give rise to it.
The clamp down and harassment of refugees now being carried out by some Western
countries will not adequately address the problem. Such tactic only addresses
the symptom rather than the ailment.
Giazilo