Our lack of an African understanding: Part 1

There is no doubt that much has been said, written, filmed, photographed or otherwise recorded about Africa. It is a continent of mystery, of sorrow, of immense potential and no small amount of misunderstanding. Especially misunderstanding. It’s billion or so people are amongst the poorest on the face of the planet. Its resources are amongst the most abused in the world and its culture and its knowledge is vastly, vastly underrated by all.

New Zealand is no exception non-understanding of a continent that could teach the world a thing or four about humility. One stems from our reception of people from African nations in society in day-to-day situations such as walking down the street. However, it continues right up to the corridors of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade. New Zealand has the means and the know how to learn. We improved our standing with African nations when we protested in the streets against the Springbok Tour in 1981. Yet New Zealand turns a blind eye/deaf ear to tin pot dictators such as Assimi Goita, head of the Mali military junta. We also ignore corrupt governments such as that in Nigeria who either cannot or will not look after their people. It would do New Zealand no harm to pay closer attention than we have.

Genocidal lessons

Perhaps one of the best examples of the world underrating Africa actually came in a movie about the Rwandan genocide. In Hotel Rwanda, Don Cheadle is playing a hotelier who opens his hotel to refugees from the massacres taking place. He is Hutu but his wife is Tutsi. In particularly powerful scene. The Canadian army officer in charge of the United Nations peace-keepers is explaining a blunt truth about the worlds disinterest: “You’re not even black. You’re African!”.

Nasty. But true. In the 2010’s and early 2020’s we saw it again with Boko Haram. The world goes through the dinner time motions of “oh, that’s terrible”, and then go back to eating their dinner. Yet, if this had been in somewhere like Southeast Asia the outrage would have been palpable. Governments would have acted. I was pleased to get a response from the then Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Hon. Murray McCully. He said New Zealand had in place measures that made it a crime to be in any way supporting Boko Haram. However, the complete silence worldwide when hundreds of innocent school girls were kidnapped, including New Zealand, told me that few cared a jot.

Lessons of history

The west wonders why these nations are messed up. Yet it does not bother to look at the history of the colonial powers that occupied the continent. A good place to start would be the Berlin Conference of 1885. Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain (see map above) – to name the key ones – in a “Scramble for Africa”, divided the continent between them. Countries like Belgium judged ethnic groups by their facial features. This led to discrimination against particular groups and – when they could – horrific retribution in events like the Rwandan Genocide.

One salient point to remember is that Western Africa was part of the slave triangle also involving the southern United States and the Caribbean. Colonial powers confiscated land, killed endangered species and trashed the culture of indigenous groups. Following World War 2, preoccupied with rebuilding themselves they abandoned their colonies to their fate. Revolution, civil wars and all sorts of violent acts occurred as these new nations tried to reconcile with their past.

There are some major gains to be had from recognizing the massive wrong we are perpetuating by ignoring these nations issues. Turning a blind eye to the grief that mining, logging and oil companies are causing Africa, is to commit a massive injustice. It helps to sow the distrust of western civilization, western ways, western culture. Africans see that they are being brutalized by these companies for as little as a dollar a day, whose headquarters are in places like London and New York. Case in point: Shell Oil in Nigeria. If left to smoulder, militant groups bent on attacking perceived western targets such as oil refineries so forth are formed. In part this is probably how Boko Haram formed.

Helping Africa

It was said that Boko Haram needed to be defeated and for good reason. But few – if any people or nations in high places want to understand the how and why of its formation. For now, Boko Haram appears to have faded. This is not because it was defeated, but more because internal circumstances changed. If it comes back, would the wealthier nations – including China – help Nigeria and other African nations? dealing with a revitalized Boko Haram, or an terrorist entity that forms? I somehow doubt it.

In Part 2 I look at how New Zealand can help Africa – and ourselves.