North Africa

Muldays Mondays The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam II: Qatar,Saudi,Egypt...Who gives a dam?

An homage of colors for all the countries involved

An homage of colors for all the countries involved

Do you see Qatar? 

Do you see Qatar? 

 

DO YOU KNOW YOUR NILE BASIN COUNTRIES AND (OTHER FRIENDS)?

Our countries above are: Uganda, Tanzania, Sudan, Rwanda, Egypt, Burundi, DR Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, China, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

 

the nile basin initiative 

An Update from the Nile Basin Initiative on the Great Dam:

......“I urge member states to take advantage of the solution pathways that have emerged from this forum and build on the networks established. We all have a role to play in ensuring a water secure future in the Nile Basin region and making it a better place for all living beings,
— The Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat Executive Director, Eng. Innocent Ntabana, October 2017

To learn more about, The Nile Basin Initiative and their role in Water Security and Scarcity 

Well that escalated quickly. It appears tensions have escalated quite a bit between Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and Qatar. Yup, Qatar the country that seems to ooze the kind of wealth, we mere mortals could not even imagine because we are poor and useless.

Yo! Keep your shit far away from us, because we have our own problems

— Qatar to all Nile States
 

Before we go any further, did you read the first part? Catch up 

So, Ethiopia is still not giving any $%&*@, they are going through with their Grand Renaissance Dam. This is the Ethiopia that is admired, take no bull approach to fighting for their narratives and spaces. I should also point out here that Ethiopia is doing exactly what China does to feed all those billions of folks at home. To understand some of the woes, read below on China re-creating dams and redirecting Water and the impact of this to India.

The difference between Ethiopia and China would be the openness to discuss all issues related to the dam

IS THE DAM REALLY THAT BAD OF AN IDEA?

There were initially concerns from Egypt and Sudan that the creation of the Dam will take away from sectors such as agriculture and manufacturing, but Sudan is now on “Team Great Dam” as you read from our last post.

Sudan has played the role of mediator between Egypt and Ethiopia. I should point out Sudan has signed quite a few deals  with Ethiopia and stands to benefit from tremendous hydroelectric power. 

 

We do not want your dam, it poses Water Security issues
— Egypt Tears and Feelings that are filling the Nile

From the Genesis of the Dam to current day, Egypt has made it clear, it does not want the creation of this dam. It does not want to halt building the damn, it simply wants to scrap it away. Egypt has gone as far, has threating to start a war with Ethiopia over the dam.  

The talks between Egypt and Ethiopia is just.....

99 Problems but a Dam ain’t one
— Mr. Sean Carter, but you may refer to him as Jigga

THERE IS JUST TO MUCH GOING ON......

Sudan and Egypt have trust issues that are all centered on the ongoing South Sudan War. President Omar al-Bashir has the belief that Egypt gives weapons to South Sudan tthat keeps the war going. 
 

COLONIAL COMPLICATIONS & FALSE LABELS

Egypt and Sudan have issues at home and in West Asia or the "Middle East". 

I have a dream one day, continents will be judged for their continent status and not political relationships. West Asia not Middle East
— Water & Cassava

So you recall that Saudi Arabia and Friends cut diplomatic ties with Qatar because of their support for terrorism. All soughts of irony and it would be funny if the B.S was not getting people killed.
 

 

Do you know this ABBA SONG...... 
 

SAUDI ARABIA & SUDAN

BUT IN 2014....

SUDAN & QATAR

Qatar clearly wants to know Sudan more with that $70 million "investment" to Sudan.  

 Hala'ib Triangle 

This is another big issue between Egypt and Sudan that has lasted from 1899-Current Day

OH GOD, WHY IS IT THIS MESSY???
— Water & Cassava

Just watch

BACK TO SUDAN AND SAUDI

It is fair to conclude that it very awkward between Saudi and Qatar with repect to Sudan and Egypt.

Sudan is playing or trying to play mediator between Saudi Arabia and Qatar… 

Oh SHIT this is to funny, I am in tears. You see the problems with labels and how they confuse folk?
— Water & Cassava

But

One of my parents once told me not to ever confuse tolerance with acceptance.
Sudan that comment was for you…
Bashir you don’t have the Madiba Effect or Diplomacy, so sit DOWN….Wait are you not suppose to be in the international court???….

You are not a Arab Brother because of a language and a religion is....YOU ARE AFRICAN , AFRICAN BEFORE ANYTHING
— Water & Cassava

SUDAN AND EYGPT (PETTINEESS)
Sudan has banned all agriculture and animal imports to Egypt
 

 

Egypt has banned sudan journalist and Sudan has place travel restrictions.

THE SECOND POINT OF THE DAM MADNESS: CHINA

It seems like the norm to any development in Africa must include China. China spotted $1.2 billion to Ethiopia but still the country seems to be pulling off the unimaginable. The Dam still has a way to go, it takes 5-10 years for a full dam to operate. 
 

SO WHY WOULD EGYPT THINK ETHIOPIA GOT FUNDING FROM QATAR?

 

.......Ethiopia denies receiving funding from Qatar to build The Renaissance Dam

EGYPT AND THREATS

Egypt president Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi issued a stern warning to Ethiopia over the mega dam  saying “water is a matter of life or death.” and that “No one can touch Egypt’s share of water.”
— All Bark and no Bite

 

 

 

Until next Mulday or if the Dam is destroyed

 

CASSAVA TUESDAYS: LIBYA KIF H'ALEK? (Are you okay?)

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The Flag of Libya

The Flag of Libya

Currency: Libyan Dinars

Currency: Libyan Dinars

Capital: Tripoli
Population: +6.2 Million
Official Language Spoken: Arabic
Vernacular Languages: Varieties of Berber, Tedaga and Domari
*You can also speak Italian, English and French in the country. 
 Religion: Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism and Judiasim

 

LIBYANS ARE AFRICANS, ARE WE CLEAR??

If you dey chop fufu..Nah African you be...

Fufu by any other name nah Fufu
— Water & Cassava
Proper African Child... (My dad eats fufu with cutlery, it really hurts my feelings..)Asida "Boiled Pudding".... All North African countries eat Asida, maybe different styles but this is usually eaten in the morning.  SMH!!! FUFU IN THE MORNING…

Proper African Child... (My dad eats fufu with cutlery, it really hurts my feelings..)

Asida "Boiled Pudding".... All North African countries eat Asida, maybe different styles but this is usually eaten in the morning.  SMH!!! FUFU IN THE MORNING, YOU ARE SO AFRICAN!!!

Sub-Sahara African Countries know fufu in many ways, in Libya they say Asida. You know the drill, eat with your right hand and if you can use your index and middle fingers, you my friend are an AFRICAN.
— Water & Cassava

MAN MAY LIVE ON FUFU ALONE

 

Bazin, Libyan style. Barley Fufu. This could be lunch or dinner

Bazin, Libyan style. Barley Fufu. This could be lunch or dinner

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Sub-Sahara African Cassava Fufu with Egusi and vegetables

 

what is north africa? what is sub-saharan africa?

There are some extremely disturbing answers to this question which is surrounded around my beautiful Sahara. Have you visited? I had the opportunity of visiting the entrance to the Sahara through Morocco. The most popular arguments are
 

North Africa is part of the Arab World

We all understand that the Arabs colonized North Africa and took part in the slave trade, right?
— Water & Cassava

Imagine terms like “British West Africa”??Damn I forgot, my maternal grandfather was born in a space that no longer exists, that is another issue with words like country. He was born in British West Africa in a space known as British Cameroons. 

My maternal grandfather is a Bakwerian from Cameroon
— Njoku People

Geography as a Divider
The argument is around my beautiful Sahara! Do you know there are some folks out there that use terms like North Africa and Sub-Saharan based on the line of the Sahara? The Sahara is part of the following African Countries: - Algeria, Chad, Egypt, Libya, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Niger, Sudan, Tunisia. My visit to Morocco, I had the pleasure of meeting people from the Sahara that do not wish to be called Arab. They find it offensive and rude. 

Similarly, to people that listen to American Hip-Hop songs that mention the N* word. These people believe that ending it with -ga compared to -er towards any black person or anyone for that matter is perfectly okay. 

Read this twice: I know many people that will beat the breaks out of your body for using the N* word, please do not let your favorite rapper send you to the hospital...
— PSA from Water & Cassava

But in the words of X…..You don't know....Who We Be?

Best of DMX: https://goo.gl/LVLFFu Subscribe here: https://goo.gl/RLFjLM Music video by DMX performing Who We Be. (C) 2001 The Island Def Jam Music Group

HISTORICAL BACKDROP OF NORTH & EAST AFRICA SLAVERY 

TIPPU TIP:  THE AFRICAN SLAVE RUNNER

Slave runner or in my books a SOB but his parents named him Hamad bin Muhammad bin Juma bin Rajab el Murjeb. My primary school teacher referred to this man as Tippu Tip, a name forever stamped in African History. He was born in modern day Zanzibar, …

Slave runner or in my books a SOB but his parents named him Hamad bin Muhammad bin Juma bin Rajab el Murjeb. My primary school teacher referred to this man as Tippu Tip, a name forever stamped in African History. He was born in modern day Zanzibar, owner to 10,000+ slaves and sold people throughout North and East Africa. 

Let us use his name in a sentence: -
Hamad bin Muhammad bin Juma bin Rajab el Murjebi be tip man!  

.. THE ATLANTIC SLAVE TRADE WAS NOT THE SAME AS THE ARAB TRADE??

These are the folks in the plantation, please avoid them... RUN AWAY
— Daughter of Bantu Folk

STUDY YOUR MAPS, PAY ATTENTION TO DATES....

You know about this story....

You know about this story....

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EXHIBIT A- EGYPTIAN SLAVE MERCHANT

Slave merchant, Cairo, c 1865 - National Maritime Museum. Slave sellers. (Pinterest)Read that date as many times as you need to wash that disease of colonialism. 

Slave merchant, Cairo, c 1865 - National Maritime Museum. Slave sellers. (Pinterest)

Read that date as many times as you need to wash that disease of colonialism. 

exhibit b-COLONIAL TRAUMA ON AFRICAN SEXUAL LIBERTIES

The Arab slavemasters refer to some of those stolen men from the map above as Chamba. Chamba are Eunuchs. Now with your new map, see those spaces and let them stay in your brain. These men from those African spaces, had their penis sliced off their bodies.

 After slicing the penis from the body, hot coals were pressed on to the fresh wound. You can guess many of those men did not survive such injury. The female slaves were kept for the sick depraved sexual privileges from Arab colonial masters.  

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Do you understand now why we argue African Sexual Liberties and our Sexual Ontology is thoroughly corrupted? We spoke of this topic on our Public Health Wednesdays entries. 
 

...Before we discuss the modern day slavery in Libya, we need to be aware of certain issues. We are not
Believers in Historical Revisionism but......

LEADERSHIP IS COMPLICATED IN LIBYA...

There is a version of this story that begins with a young boy born in a colonial space, known as Italian Libya. Child to a camel and goat herder in the arms of economic oppression and a minority twice from foreign invaders and as a reality. Italian Libya previously colonized by the Ottoman Empire, a young boy growing up in a colony as his illiterate father’s father.
As a young man he would admire champions against colonialism such as Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein and in a very short time, he would be an associate to his hero.

Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was a G.O.A.T.
— Water & Cassava

This man will be celebrated as a leader/hero to those from occupied spaces particularly in North Africa. However, for others, this man was a monster and nightmare that lasted for decades. 

Redistribution of Wealth or Buying Loyalty??
Free Healthcare, Electricity, Interest free loans, push gifts for mothers, newlyweds got money for homes and citizens got some money from the oil sales of Libya.” 
— Asking for a friend...
Push Gifts: Your partner gives this to you after you push the child.....Apparently, he gave out $5k a push!
— Water & Cassava

Muammar Mohammed Abu Minyar Gaddafi is now dead and long gone. However Libya is left with a plate of complications.

This is the Prime Minister Fayiz Al-Saraj of Libya but depending on whom you ask.....it is complicated

This is the Prime Minister Fayiz Al-Saraj of Libya but depending on whom you ask.....it is complicated

HOW THE HELL DID LIBYA GET HERE?

On this day five years ago, a NATO-led coalition began its military intervention in Libya. French fighter jets were deployed over the African country on March 19th, 2011. The operation triggered a series of events that changed the face of Libya. RT LIVE http://rt.com/on-air Subscribe to RT!

ABOUT THE ARAB SPRING AND LIBYA.......

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DEAD BODIES ON THE SHORES OF LIBYA

The bodies of migrants headed across the Mediterranean desperate for a better life wash up on the shorelines of Garabulli, Libya. Christiane Amanpour reports.

AUCTION, AUCTION

Smugglers in Libya are auctioning migrants off as slaves. At a property outside Tripoli, CNN's Nima Elbagir witnessed a dozen men go under the hammer in the space of minutes.

EXPLOITATION

Hundreds of African refugees and migrants passing through Libya are being exposed to harsh realities in their quest to reach Europe. Many are held for ransom or subjected to forced labour or sexual exploitation. Leslie Mirungu now brings us the story of returnees from Gambia.

MALTREATMENT AND CHILDREN

Sky's Alex Crawford uncovers evidence of beatings and poor treatment inside overcrowded detention centres which house thousands of migrants moving through Libya to try to get to Europe.
Slaves in 1850 cost on average $400 -$1600, currently in Libya a slave is sold for $400
 
Our Top 7 Reasons for Modern Day Slavery in Libya
— Water & Cassava

1.   Civil War & Isis

Shit is bad in Libya and there are no ways to mince words about this very clear fact that some wish to be in denial about.


The Government House of Representatives were democratically elected in 2014, while the global community accepts this as fact, in Libya it is just complicated. The rival party General National Congress (AKA, National Salvation Government) in addition to countless rival groups that rule different regions of Libya will not come together as one government.

This is the definition of insanity and madness. The same people killing each other came together to kill Gaddafi but cannot come together for their country.
Well as the Libyan people are slaughtering each other, ISIS is enjoying the oil reserves of the country.

A couple of days ago, there was an issue with Tobruk airport and the Government House of Representatives not allowing the plane to land

 

2.   Academia

During the days of Gadaffi, Libya had the highest literacy rates in Africa. Schools and Universities were completely free because of all that oil! After his death, infrastructures of schools and constant bombings made it very difficult for students to access education. It is very difficult to understand your instructor as bombs drop around you or as classmates and teachers get killed daily.

3. Banking
Constant robbing and bombing around the bank makes it difficult to conduct business. The inflation rates are so high in Libya and there are barely any foreign investors trying to invest in the country.

Central Bank of Libya Governor Saddek Omar El-Kaber speaks to Capitol Intelligence/CI MENA using CI Glass during IMF World Bank Annual Meetings in Washington, DC. October 14. 2017

4. Oil Production

The country of Libya is home to one of the largest reserves on our big blue planet with over 45 billion oil barrels. During the reign of Gadaffi, the country produced over 1.6 million barrels of oil a day but now that has dropped to 260,000 barrels.

5. Liquor and Drugs

Alcohol consumption in Libya is now a norm and people are making their own stronger versions of vodka, this is also killing the people.

6.  Who oversees Libya?

There are no governing bodies and no agreed legal frameworks!... We have two “governing bodies" again I use governing bodies very loosely as they cannot agree on anything. Ministers and Government officials at anytime can be killed, kidnapped or assaulted. There are no functioning hospitals or staff members to treat the people. These dysfunctions with daily bombings is just a brewing pot for the current issue.

7. Slavery/Human Trafficking

The new thriving economic despicable nauseating industry since the death of Gadaffi. Proximity to Europe makes it a popular passage for immigrants from Libyan’s southern neighbors: Ghana, Senegal, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Niger, Cameroon, and Chad. Smugglers can enjoy their new business because there is not a functioning government in the country.

THIS IS THE FAULT OF ALL MENTIONED COUNTRIES AND LIBYA.

 On Monday we discussed the Blue Economics of Africa, but we also discussed the need for agreed frameworks which would prevent such tragedies.

 

See you next Cassava Tuesday