Sour Tandem
So there they are, the two entities, Africa and Europe, the historical conquest and the conquered, the one-time pillagers of territory and resources, the colonial powers taking unto themselves what more helpless undeveloped countries could not protect and retain for themselves - meeting to achieve concord and amicability after a long and unfortunate shared history.The Europeans feeling the anguish of guilt, a currently-accepted most heartfelt acceptance of past bad behaviour.
Which the African nations are only too glad to encourage. And the more they do, the more umbrage they feel, the more entitled to brandish the cudgel of blame for all that has gone wrong with their grand entrance into national independence set free of the shackles of imperialistic domination ravaging their self-respect, their intrinsic geographic wealth, their enterprise and entry into the equality of nations.
And it is interesting to note as an aside that the host country, Portugal, in consultation with its EU colleagues had the itinerary well in place. What temerity. Forgetting, perhaps, that the African countries, double in number to that of the EU, might have had another agenda in mind. Which Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi was quick to put to rights. So, first on the agenda, payment to African countries in recompense for the damage done by their colonization.
"This will be one of the main issues of the summit", claimed Mr. Gadhafi, never one to shy away from essentials. Europe, in its mea culpa advance to Africa, sees this meeting as the first of many, to consolidate their relationship with the troubled Continent, and build on an opportunity for a new relationship among equals. So she can readily overlook such inconveniently pointed entitlement-perceptions.
To mollify and flatter the African attendees is the first order of business, welcoming them to the soil of another continent. As welcome and equal guests, not reflective of the manner in which their own was invaded, divided, and despoiled. "We have come a long way for this moment ... I always noticed a spirit of urgency, a sense of the importance and the need to establish political dialogue between Europe and Africa", Portugal's Jose Socrates proclaimed.
'Twas the philosopher in him. Germany's Chanceller Angela Merkel waxed otherwise when she pulled out all the accusatory stops in confronting Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe over his abuse of his country and his countrymen. Doing the favour to her British colleague who disdained to attend because of Mr. Mugabe's presence. However, EU Commission president Mr. Barroso tch-tched all that away, for the summit has far more to settle than mere human rights abuses.
Despite which one wonders whether Darfur will somehow manage to crop up inconveniently on someone's agenda; certainly not Khartoum's. Fact of the matter is there is a topic of supreme importance to all concerned; there always is. And its name is trade. 'Tis the way of the world.
Labels: Heroes and Villains, World News
posted by Pieface @ Sunday, December 09, 2007
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