On Mar 19, 2012, at 9:35 PM, Ikhide wrote:
Many analysts have speculated that the US might be interested in the newly discovered oil resources in the Uganda area. The oil deposits are estimated to be about $150 billion or properly managed could provide revenue to Uganda of about $2billion annually..That is hardly worth occupying a country for; good money for Uganda for sure, it is chicken change to the US. The US military's base budget alone for FY 2010 was $680 billion. The Iraq war alone has cost the US about $900 billion. There would have to be a more compelling reason to want to occupy Uganda. In the case of the Arab Spring (?) the US used internal uprisings as opportunities to expand or solidify their influence.Museveni should have been gone many years ago. In real countries, his handling of the Joseph Kony situation would have cost him his job.- IkhideFollow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhide
From: Kennedy Emetulu <kemetulu@yahoo.co.uk>
To: "usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, March 19, 2012 7:19 PM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRA
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Cc: Kennedy Emetulu <kemetulu@yahoo.co.uk>
Sent: Sunday, 18 March 2012, 18:50
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRABrother Kennedy, I think tag "advisors" is misleading. It is attempt by the American military to coach their true aims in benevolent language. The so-called "advisors" are elite Special Forces (e.g. Green Berets, Rangers, Seals, etc). They have boots and guns, they are basically highly trained assassins. [White elite] American objectives in Africa have never been altruistic or even mutually beneficial, they have been wholly extractive--thats why they call them "interests." And while its certainly true that all nations have interests, [white elite] American "interests" in Africa is usually bad news for African people. I pass along a Ugandan journalist's essay regarding the potentially nefarious motives behind US operations in Uganda--OIL. As for relative imperialisms, Pakistan does not have a comparable record of global malfeasance.http://angeloizama.com/2011/10/14/us-deploys-special-forces-in-uganda-but-why/ On Sunday, March 18, 2012 4:07:11 AM UTC-4, Kennedy Emetulu wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com..Professor Harrow,With all due respect, this fictional conversation in Nuruddin Farah's Links has no bearing with the issue we are discussing here, especially as you are trying to present the failed American intervention in Somalia (which is the subject of discussion) as some kind of moral equivalence with the role of the Invisible Children in Uganda. I am a great fan of Farah and I do know that the novel (despite the conversation you excerpted) is not an indictment of American intervention, but rather a regret of its failure and what was left behind in its wake. At any rate, I do not believe we should equate Farah's view with those of his fictional characters. I mean, while I understand the value of literature as social commentary, I do not think this very excerpt works well with what we are saying. Seamus, an Irish NGO worker fleeing Belfast for Mogadishu isn't the best person to philosophise on the failure of foreign intervention in an African country, even if conveniently deployed by Farah. When all is said and done, let's not forget the US mission in Somalia was a United Nations' mandated mission to secure safe environment to deliver relief and its failure is only dramatically overblown because it's the US. After all, Pakistan lost 24 peacekeepers there at the same time and nobody heard a squeak about imperialism. That is the power of framing….I suggest that anyone who wants to know what Farah himself thinks about American intervention in Somalia should simply read his non-fictional essays on the matter. Below is one where it would be clear that he is actually blaming present day problems in Somalia on the withdrawal of the Americans.Having clarified the above, I can still further point out that the Kony 12 campaign is different in key respects. There is no military, boots-on-the-ground operation of the Americans in Uganda. What we have there are 100 American advisers working with the Armed Forces of four countries and the UN mission in the area to get a war criminal. They've done this routinely in one form or the other anywhere war criminals are sought, for instance in Bosnia or Sierra-Leone and Liberia. In this particular case, President Obama actually got Congress to sign a specific law to aid physical and social development in Northern Uganda and, as I said, offer American military advice to drive out the menace of the Lord's Resistance Army, not only in Uganda, but the whole region. Anyone following things will know that the American advice and intelligence hardware has helped to marginalise Kony and close in on him. I have no doubt that he will soon be caught. Once the AU gets its act together and put the military operations to lead all these together, which is billed to be soon, Kony will be caught. What people need to appreciate is the fact that development and normality is already returning to those places because of the activities of America and the Invisible Children, even though Kony is yet to be caught. Considering how long physical and social development has eluded the people, because of the activities of the LRA in the area in the past, this I huge and must be commended....From: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com
Sent: Sunday, 18 March 2012, 2:03
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAdear alli am reading farah's 2003 novel Links for class monday, and came across this passage, which has some remarkable bearing on our discussion over the sense of asking for an american intervention.here farah is alluding to the american troops who entered into mogadishu in 1993, and suffered the deaths of 17 soldiers in that downing of the blackhawk helicopter. more broadly, it is about what the americans expected, and were like.the character who is speaking here is seamus, the irish friend of the main characters jeebleh and bile:"'I've my misgivings about saints and angels,' he said, 'especially as i fear that people describe the Yankees as 'good angels' come on a humanitarian mission, to perform God's work here. Do you think Yankees cease being angels, because of the conditions they met here, conditions that wouldn't permit them to perform any work but Satan's? When do angels cease to be angels and resort to being who they are, Yankees? That's a topic worth pursuing, wouldn't you agree with me, my American friend?' and Seamus looked at Jeebleh teasing." the characters go on, talking about the american use of force, and then Seamus, continues his statement:"'WHy did they come, then?' Seamus said. ANd when no one spoke, he gave his theory: that everything that could've gone wrong for the Yanks had gone wrong because they saw everything in black and white, had no understanding of and no respect for other cultures, and were short on imagination, as they never put themselves in anyone else's shoes. They were also let down by their intelligence services, arriving everywhere unprepared, untutored in the ways of the world; he brought up the collapse of the Soviet Union and the former Yugoslavia, Iraq's invasion of Kuwait, and the disintegration of several ramshackle states in different parts of the globe. 'They came to show the world that they could make peace-on-demand in Somalia, in the same dramatic fashion as they had made war-on-demand in the Gulf. They came to showcase peace here, as a counterpoint to their war effort elsewhere. Iraq and Somalia had one thing in common: both were made-for-TV shows. CHrist, they were uppity, but they never lost their focus--the prime-time performance was their focus all along." (260-61)kenOn 3/17/12 6:09 PM, Pius Adesanmi wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogueFor previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. htmlTo post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.comTo unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com--"you were dancing the ikhide dance"Ha ha ha ha Ken! My hand no dey for dis one o. Is this anything like the fire dance? Or kokoma dance? Or atilogwu dance? Don't worry. If I see "The Ikhide Dance" in the title of a blog or an op-ed in Daily Times and you are not properly credited, the owner of that dance will hear from me!PiusFrom: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, 17 March 2012, 17:35
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAdear kennedy and mosesi see two discussions going on here. one is the parsing of the contents of the video for its accuracy, and to a much lesser degree, the validity of its approach.secondly, the values implicit in the critics of the video.as for the first, i am not really interested in the precise factual accuracy of the video's claims as much as its larger ideological assumptions. i will take your word about the 30,000 etc., i have not watched more than 15 minutes and don't wish to do so, won't write papers on its contents etc. if you find its presentation on the figures is accurate, if oddly presented, fine. that's not the real issue. the issue begins with the question of whether it is above criticism because of its having gone viral and because its purpose is to mobilize american military actions to finish off kony.as i am equally concerned with the devastation the lra has wrought, it might seem odd that i would carp at the presentation. but i was against the genocide in rwanda, and came to hate the films and much of the literature surrounding it. in that case, the indictment of the hutu genocidaires became, eventually, a means to whitewash the crimes committed by the rpf, and the consequences of the rpf's actions in the drc. ignoring the latter while focusing only on the former meant submitting to the ideology kagame has used to sustain his autocratic rule and excuse the horrific destruction for which he bore some important responsibility in e congo.the video here might be viewed in a similar light, if you accept the argument that the museveni regime was responsible for much of the negative effects of the conflict in n uganda.it isn't to muddy the water to say this; it is simple enough. but it changes the lra from an absolute evil into a relative, human group, one we need to stop, but not at the cost of ignoring its emplacement in the larger political realm of ugandan politics. and furthermore, i really don't see what was so terrible in those questioning the presentation raising issues has become "vicious," making it seem that the video is above any criticism.moses, your critique seemed like an attack to me; sometimes the difference is mostly rhetorical, and surely your empassioned rhetoric betrayed an enormous anger and disgust. it was powerful, like the video itself; but anything but a disinterested critique, an academic critique, a dispassionate critique. i don't see what is wrong with attacking things you think are wrong, and clearly you found much wrong in the liberal stance. you were dancing the ikhide dance, and ole ik would never shrug off the label attack, i think.but i am struggling to get what is at stake, especially in referring to the critical readings of the video as hiding the self-serving liberalism of the critics. maybe we don't see liberals as being the same beast: for me, it is a leftism that is not willing to change the existing order, but only to modify it mildly, while cloaking its criticisms in moralizing language. progressives choose a different word because they are more or less opposed to the existing order, in this case, both the neoliberal economic order and the larger imperial aims of the dominant world powers. you rather cast it in terms of ivory tower carping, people who take pleasure in nit-picking, thus undermining any effective action. your "critique" was very powerful: for ikhide, it seemed to be white liberals. i am still not quite sure what is at stake here, and who precisely they are. i suppose it is those on the left who believe they have all the truth in their quiver, willing to save the world. ok, we can attack that, critique it. but to attribute any critical readings of that video to that mindset seems way off base. starting with mamdani's piece.here is my problem: you and kennedy seem to ignore the possibiity that there is an ideological underpinning to the video that merits scrutiny and, i still believe, strong criticism. i heard serious arguments made against monuc, to my astonishment, at the asa 2 years ago--forcing me to rethink my unqualified support for it. the argument was that it might have actually worsened the situation. i remain undecided, but at least open to the possibility that that is the case. the same here: the last time monuc and the fardc went after the lra, hundreds died. it was a nightmare.i repeat, i would be happy to see the lra dismantled, and kony tried for crimes against humanity. what would you want for that to happen? bring in the ugandans to the drc?? the last time they were there, thousands of people were killed and their minions still ship minerals through uganda in exchange for billions of dollars and guns. u.s. troops? well, could you imagine the repercussions?kenOn 3/17/12 3:41 PM, Kennedy Emetulu wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogueFor previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. htmlTo post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.comTo unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com--..Professor Harrow,Below is what Joshua Keating said in the article you posted:"Additionally, the LRA (thankfully!) does not have 30,000 mindless child soldiers. This grim figure, cited by Invisible Children in the film (and by others) refers to the total number of kids abducted by the LRA over nearly 30 years. Eerily, it is also the same number estimated for the total killed in the more than 20 years of conflict in Northern Uganda".But isn't the above a misrepresentation of what the video says? Now you listen to it yourself:About 11 minutes into the video, the narrator says this:"For 26 years, Kony has been kidnapping children into his rebel group, the LRA – turning the girls into sex slaves and the boys into child soldiers. He makes them mutilate people's faces and he forces them to kill their own parents. And this is not just a few children; it's been over 30, 000 of them and Jacob was one of those children".Now isn't it obvious that Jason Russell or the Invisible Children aren't saying that Kony has 30,000 mindless child soldiers? Even Mr Keating knows this, but chose to speak with both sides of his mouth. Yes, the narrator is referring to the estimated number of children (boys and girls) abducted by Kony over 26 years and he didn't say all of them were child soldiers, but only the boys and he didn't say they are "mindless", because the only mindless person in his narration is the man forcing them to do these things. He certainly didn't say all these 30, 000 children are still with him (after 26 years, some frozen in age, eh?) and the fact that Jacob who was one of them is no longer there signifies that the Invisible Children aren't saying he has 30, 000 child soldiers with him today, as made out by Keating. Anyway, I'm not surprised, because such breathtaking twist of simple information has been the specialty of vicious critics of the Invisible Children.…From: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, 17 March 2012, 17:38
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAhi kennedy this is what i have located on the issue concerning the 30,000 children figure: it appeared in Foreign Policy agthttp://blog.foreignpolicy. com/posts/2012/03/07/guest_ post_joseph_kony_is_not_in_ uganda_and_other_complicated_ things there seems to be a concensus on the number of children abducted, but not on how that figure is then deployed in the film ken-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.comPosted By Joshua Keating
Wednesday, March 7, 2012 - 6:18 PM
Thanks to an incredibly effective social media effort, #StopKony is trending on Twitter today. The campaign coincides with a new awareness-raising documentary by the group Invisible Children. Former FP intern Michael Wilkerson, now a freelance journalist and grad student at Oxford -- who has lived and reported from Uganda -- contributed this guest post on the campaign. -JKBy Michael Wilkerson:"Joseph Kony is basically Adolf Hitler. He has an army of 30 000 mindless children who slaughter innocent people in Uganda.""#TweetToSave the Invisible Children of Uganda! #Kony2012 Make Joseph Kony Famous!!""Kony 2012," a video posted by advocacy group Invisible Children to raise awareness about the pernicious evil of Lord's Risistance Army (LRA) leader Joseph Kony, has already been viewed over 8 million times on Vimeo and more than 9 million times on YouTube (and surely more by the time you read this) since its release this week.It would be great to get rid of Kony. He and his forces have left a path of abductions and mass murder in their wake for over 20 years. But let's get two things straight: 1) Joseph Kony is not in Uganda and hasn't been for 6 years; 2) the LRA now numbers at most in the hundreds, and while it is still causing immense suffering, it is unclear how millions of well-meaning but misinformed people are going to help deal with the more complicated reality.First, the facts. Following a successful campaign by the Ugandan military and failed peace talks in 2006, the LRA was pushed out of Uganda and has been operating in extremely remote areas of the DRC, South Sudan, and the Central African Republic -- where Kony himself is believed to be now. The Ugandan military has been pursuing the LRA since then but had little success (and several big screw-ups). In October last year, President Obama authorized the deployment of 100 U.S. Army advisors to help the Ugandan military track down Kony, with no results disclosed to date.Additionally, the LRA (thankfully!) does not have 30,000 mindless child soldiers. This grim figure, cited by Invisible Children in the film (and by others) refers to the total number of kids abducted by the LRA over nearly 30 years. Eerily, it is also the same number estimated for the total killed in the more than 20 years of conflict in Northern Uganda.As I wrote for FP in 2010, the small remaining LRA forces are still wreaking havoc and very hard to catch, but Northern Uganda has had tremendous recovery in the 6 years of peace since the LRA left.So why is "Uganda" trending on Twitter?Unfortunately, it looks like meddlesome details like where Kony actually is aren't important enough for Invisible Children to make sure its audience understands. The video, narrated by Invisible Children co-founder Jason Russell, says its purpose is to intensify pressure on the U.S. government to make sure Kony is brought to justice this year, and as the message broadcast throughout says, what is important is simple: Stop Kony.Among other emotive shots, the video features Russell's attempt to explain the LRA to his toddler son, enthusiastic (and mostly white) volunteers putting up posters and wearing Kony 2012 bracelets, and some heart-wrenching footage of children who walked for miles to sleep in a safe place at the height of the LRA's power in Northern Uganda. The latter comprised much of Invisible Children's namesake first film and brought the organization to prominence.But in the new film, Invisible Children has made virtually no effort to inform. Only once, at 15:01 in the movie, over an image of a red blob on a map leaving Northern Uganda and heading West, is the fact that the LRA is no longer in Uganda mentioned, and only in passing:"As the LRA begain to move into other countries, Jacob [one of the children filmed in Northern Uganda in 2003] and other Ugandans came to the US to speak on behalf of all people suffering because of Kony. Even though Uganda was relatively safe they felt compelled to tell the world that Kony was still out there and had to be stopped."That's it, in a 30-minute movie. And with both the graphic and reiteration of how awful the LRA is, you might think reasonably "move into other countries" meant expanding rather than fleeing. In any case, the focus, seconds later, is on Invisible Children's activities in the U.S. at the time, not what was happening back in Africa. I can see why some of P. Diddy's followers might be confused.Award-winning Ugandan journalist Angelo Izama is among those not thrilled:"To call the campaign a misrepresentation is an understatement. While it draws attention to the fact that Kony, indicted for war crimes by the International Criminal Court in 2005, is still on the loose, its portrayal of his alleged crimes in Northern Uganda are from a bygone era. At the height of the war between especially 1999 and 2004, large hordes of children took refuge on the streets of Gulu town to escape the horrors of abduction and brutal conscription to the ranks of the LRA. Today most of these children are semi-adults. Many are still on the streets unemployed. Gulu has the highest numbers of child prostitutes in Uganda. It also has one of the highest rates of HIV/AIDS and Hepatitis.If six years ago children in Uganda would have feared the hell of being part of the LRA, a well documented reality already, today the real invisible children are those suffering from "Nodding Disease". Over 4000 children are victims of this incurable debilitating condition. It's a neurological disease that has baffled world scientists and attacks mainly children from the most war affected districts of Kitgum, Pader and Gulu."Along with sharing the movie online, Invisible Children's call to action is to do three things: 1) sign its pledge, 2) get the Kony 2012 bracelet and action kit (only $30!), and 3) sign up to donate.There is intense criticism out there over Invisible Children's finances, including that it spends too much money on administration and filmmaking, while still touting its on the ground NGO-style projects. Also, apparently it's never been externally audited. I'm going to stay out of that, other than to say you can check out IC's own financial disclosure information here.What worries me more is that it's unclear what exactly Invisible Children wants to do, other than raise a lot of money and attention. Here's Russell in the video (21:40):"We know what to do. Here it is, ready? In order for Kony to be arrested this year, the Ugandan military has to find him. In order to find him, they need the technology and training to track him in the vast jungle. That's where the American advisors come in. But in order for the American advisors to be there, the American government has to deploy them. They've done that, but if the government doesn't believe the people care about Kony, the mission will be cancelled. In order for the people to care, they have to know. And they will only know if Kony's name is everywhere.So the goal is to make sure that President Obama doesn't withdraw the advisors he deployed until Kony is captured or killed. That seems noble enough, except that there has been no mention by the government of withdrawing those forces -- at least any I can find. Does anyone else have any evidence about this urgent threat of cancellation? One that justifies such a massive production campaign and surely lucrative donation drive?There are many reasons uninformed and oversimplified advocacy can cause trouble, and Siena Antsis catalogues some of them here, noting that Invisible Children expertly "commodifies white man's burden on the African continent." Buy a bracelet, soothe some guilt.But as researcher Mark Kersten notes, after "stopping Kony", then what? Or what if the activism just results the the 100 U.S. advisors staying but no Kony?One of the biggest issues with a simplistic "Stop Kony" message is that discussions of Navy Seals or drone strikes are inevitable when patience runs out with Ugandan-led efforts . But what about the dozens or hundreds of abducted and brainwashed kids? Should we bomb everyone? Will they actually stop fighting after Kony is gone? What if they shoot back?Coming back to the "Kony 2012" video and its celebrity endorsements, what are the consequences of unleashing so many exuberant activists armed with so few facts? Defining Uganda in the international conversation by issues that are either geographical misfires (Save northern Uganda!) or an intentional attempt to distract the international community (Death to the gays!), do a disservice to the many critical problems Uganda has.In addition to the problems of poverty and nodding disease Izama highlights, Uganda is barely (if at all) democratic, and the president Yoweri Museveni ushered himself to a 4th term last year, taking him to over 25 years in power. Corruption is rampant, social services are minimal, and human rights abuses by the government common and well documented. Oh, and oil is on the way.Stopping Kony won't change any of these things, and if more hardware and money flow to Museveni's military, Invisible Children's campaign may even worsen some problems.Here's to hoping Kony hands himself in tomorrow and that the fear of the U.S. "cancelling" its LRA-hunt support is misplaced. But if the most impactful the result of Invisible Children's campaign is to cause millions of viewers to think Northern Uganda is a war zone, even if it's not their intent, it's hard to defend.On 3/17/12 5:21 AM, Kennedy Emetulu wrote:--..Professor Harrow,My questions are entirely based on a proper reading of your queries to Ikhide. The mere fact that you have seen a report or reports quoting contrary figures or claiming that one or the other is exaggerated does not make the report(s) questioning these others right. Anybody can publish anything, but whatever is published has to meet a certain standard to be credible. Though here, you have not exactly told us what report you read that contradicts the 30, 000 figure nor have you provided a link to it for us to follow, I nonetheless believe that if you question a claim on the basis of another claim, it is your responsibility to show the veracity of the claim you support or the falsity of the claim you challenge. You just don't question a claim with another and leave both hanging in the air. We don't have to get into scholarly mode or be experts in the field to make logical statements in an informal discussion like this.I'm sorry if you get the impression from my writing that I want you to "shut up". That is far from the truth. Everything I said there indicates I want us to discuss and debate. I have come to know you enough on these pages to say I respect you as an informed and conscientious interlocutor. We may disagree sometimes, but that is entirely acceptable. It's the spirit, isn't it?..From: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com
Sent: Friday, 16 March 2012, 22:07
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAhi kennedy i didn't say that the figure of 30,000 was wildly exaggerated, but that i had seen reports to that effect. i don't believe anything since i am not expert in the field, but before i would purvey that figure, i would want to know if it is accurate, and if there are criticisms about its inaccuracy and others in the film, that would matter to me. as for amnesty, i am not speaking for them. they took a someone reticent position on the video, as have almost all the groups i've seen who are experts in human rights. reticent, not overt dismissal; concerns over exaggerations or omissions. fair game for any public document. as for the acholi in camps, that is no longer the current figure but one i ran across in past years when the lra was operating in uganda and the govt response was to protect them by placing them in camps. i read a piece recently in the african studies review that took the position i have been transmitting here, that the policy was intended to decapitate, dismantle acholi resistance to museveni, and further that the govt was happy to use the lra as an excuse for doing so. that matters to me when i am viewing a video that purports to present the significance of that group to the outsiders. as for the right numbers on either of these situations, i am not exchanging emails here as a professional scholar exhibiting his knowledge in his field, but an interlocutor in a discussion. i am sure there are plenty of people on this list who can point us to the valid sources of research. i do respect those who speak to these questions with their expertise, but i can't and don't want to pretend i can. if that is supposed to mean that i should therefore shut up, well that depends on how you see the usefulness of having a discussion with others who share your interest, but are not scholars in the particular issue. i see email as enabling us to share views, not as a scholarly outlet ken harrow On 3/16/12 11:23 AM, Kennedy Emetulu wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com--…Professor Harrow,I'm surprised you are disputing the figure of 30, 000 people dead with your claim that it is "wildly exaggerated". While you claim it is what you've heard on one hand, you seem to believe it on the other by questioning why such "grossly exaggerated" figure does not matter to Ikhide. I say I'm surprised, because you are a well-known supporter of Amnesty International and have not hesitated to quote them at every turn. Yet, the 30, 000 figure is something they regularly state anytime they discuss the LRA. Are you saying Amnesty International is wildly or grossly exaggerating the number of the dead? Well, if that is your position, what exactly do you feel is the right number and where is your authority for such s contrary claim?I don't know where you got the idea that 1.5 million Acholi are incarcerated in camps, but we will discuss that after you've clarified the above….…From: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com>
Cc: "usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, 16 March 2012, 14:36
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAikhide you are probably right about liberal thinkers applying a double standard. but that is not relevant to this video. for instance, i have heard that the figure of 30,000 is wildly exaggerated. and in your response, you allude to the failures of the ugandan army to catch him, but don't address my concern, which is that they actually wanted him to operate so as to rationalize their incarceration of 1.5 million acholi into camps, thus disempowering them as opponents to museveni. it is sort of like Hotel Rwanda or Shake Hands with the Devil, which demonize the hutus, but make no allusion to abuses from the RPF. And nowadays, with upwards of 6 million dead in the congo, with rwanda having played a major role in that situation, to continue to hype the horrors of the genocide in rwanda without mentioning the subsequent actions of the rpf and the rwandan govt in congo is to be partisan and to support those who are responsible for horrific crimes. the ugandan govt has been accused of similar actions, and by deflecting our attention to the 250 ragtag lra troops while ignoring uganda's role is to tell half the story, to distort the story. it must matter to you at least somewhat if the figure of 30,000 is grossly exaggerated; and it must matter if we learn the ugandans are guilty as well of crimes like those committed by the lra. ken On 3/15/12 8:44 PM, Ikhide wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.comThere is a certain mindset that seems bewildered that Africans are not of a single mind and opinion on this matter itself. It gives me pause actually, it does. Take the interpretations of the movie given by many white commentators. In their own communication, they unknowingly reveal their own prejudiced slips. It is complicated. They saw white racial superiority manifesting itself and without consulting me declared me outraged. The movie starts with a young white boy being interrogated by the dad and these guys felt I should be offended that it was a white boy. Despite my own protestations, they are refusing to accept my own testimony that my son connected with another boy just as I connected with the boy William in Richmal Compton's books about a rambunctious little imp of a boy in England. In scoffing at my testimony, are these liberals denying me my humanity? See where I am going with this? We are far from a post-racial society, everybody knows that, but liberals are determined to be the one to tell me when I am finally human and can relate to another human.The most galling and I must say racist part of all of this is the refusal of these liberals to hold me accountable to the same degree of rigor that they are holding Jason Russell accountable. What they are saying to me is that Russell is human enough to withstand the scrutiny, but I am not. Otherwise why would someone defend the incompetence of Uganda by saying that Joseph Kony is no longer there, so we must villify the IC for bringing up an old subject. Hello, upwards of 30,000 children have been maimed hurt and killed by this bastard. Where is the outrage at this analysis? The Israelis have gone after everyone that did the holocaust to the Jews as they should, Why should there be a statute of limitations for Joseph Kony?And hear the incompetent demanding what should have been in the video. It is only 30 minutes, taped from a partisan standpoint, yes. Go and tape yours from your own standpoint. Was it not Wole Soyinka that said, everyone takes a stand, even the act of sitting on the fence is taking a stand. African intellectuals should stop sitting on the fence, only getting up to write long self-serving essays against whomever dares do what they will not do for others.I am in awe of the genius of Jason Russell and the Invisible Children.- IkhideFollow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhideFrom: Ayo Obe <ayo.m.o.obe@gmail.com>
To: "usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com>
Cc: "usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com" <usaafricadialogue@ googlegroups.com>; Kenn Harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 6:24 PM
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRA-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.comWell, Mahmood Mamdani has given some explanation of why he thinks that the Kony2012 video is actually harmful here http://www.pambazuka.org/ en/category/features/80787If the problem has been being ignored by the 'international community' for three decades, what effect does it have if citizens in 'the international community' hear only 'one story' or even get a distorted picture of events? Does it stop those who are doing something, or trying to do something from doing it?Of course, it isn't true that nobody has been bothered about what the LRA has been doing. For example, the International Crisis Group produced a report last November which makes a number of recommendations, which you can find here
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/ regions/africa/central-africa/ 182-the-lords-resistance-army- end-game.aspxand an article in January this year here http://www.crisisgroup. org/en/regions/africa/horn-of- africa/uganda/op-eds/dalby- ending-the-lra.aspxI'm trying to follow Prof Mamdani's argument because so much of the complaint about Kony2012 seems to be that 'It's wrong and gives people a false picture', but I think he is going beyond to say that 'it's wrong and could lead to wrong and/or dangerous actions by governments stampeded into public opinion-driven hasty steps'. But what actions exactly? Surely any government being stampeded into action would do more than just watch Kony2012? Might they not read some Crisis Group reports (among others) for a more balanced picture and suggested courses of action?It is also complained that Kony2012 does not equally highlight the suffering in the Eastern DRC. But again, while nobody is prevented from making their own film, and there has indeed been a lot of focus on - for example, the terrible abuse being suffered by women in the DRC (e.g. at the Chinua Achebe Colloquium at Brown university in 2010) - is it a valid argument to object that before Kony2012, two problems were being ignored by the outside world, and now, only one is being ignored?
AyoI invite you to follow me on Twitter @naijamaOn 15 Mar 2012, at 21:20, Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com> wrote:-- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.comKen,I am chuckling, shaking my head, rolling my eyes, all at once. When intellectuals and institutions start talking from both sides of their multiple mouths, then you know, they are doing the dance - to reality. The 80 million people that have watched this (and climbing by the time you read this) do not read us. Their eye-balls are plastered on their smartphones, ipads, whatever, transfixed on a single story - as told by Jason Russell and IC. Kony 2012 is the face of the new world of communication. For good or for bad, those of us complaining must find a way to tell our stories, instead of complaining and engaging in these speculations about motivations, etc. All I read is people getting all defensive; they look like they were caught napping.Now ACAS is acknowledging grudgingly that IC has fostered a global conversation about a lot of issues. Duh! We need more of these videos to get these thinkers off their idle butts and put their money where their mouths are. Imagine 80 million people actually worried about children who happen to be African. What a concept. Under the circumstances we find ourselves, I have little patience for these individuals and groups, they lack credibility. Who knew ACAS until all of this penkelemesi? They should go back to their ivory towers and enjoy their grant funding, we are too busy chasing that jerk Joseph Kony. I hope an unmanned drone finds him in his cave, idiot!Again, I say to folks who are whining racism, military industrial complex, prattle, prattle, prattle, if you don't like the video, go do your own. I am not holding my breath. Remember, until the lion tells the story of the hunt, the hunt will always be glorified by the hunter. Do not agonize, organize. Quit the hand-wringing.- IkhideFollow me on Twitter: @ikhideJoin me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ikhideFrom: kenneth harrow <harrow@msu.edu>
To: usaafricadialogue <USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com>
Sent: Thursday, March 15, 2012 2:26 PM
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Fwd: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRAacas is taking a position onthis video. i don't want to add to it, except to say that colonial discourse is alive and well. it might be well-intentioned, but to ignore its centering in a particular world view, and to disseminate its message as though a message were independent of its packaging, is naive. ken -------- Original Message ---------- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/ group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/ conferences/africa/ads/index. html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@ googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.comColleagues, With more than 79 million viewers, the Invisible Children's KONY2012 video on Joseph Kony and the Lord's Resistance Army in Central Africa truly has gone viral. The national Association of Concerned Africa Scholars (ACAS - founded at MSU in 1977) feels this sudden attention to Africa and American action to help Africa needs to be considered carefully and channeled so that American action should, at least, "do no harm." ACAS has sought to be "positive," suggesting what those millions of US students (reportedly 800+ at MSU) who have been captivated by the KONY2012 video can do for seriously addressing the violence issues in CAR, Congo, and S.Sudan ACAS also is suggesting where to give to seriously address the human needs of child soldiers, rape victims, and the IDPs. ACAS will be offering further resources in response to KONY2012 of possible actions and a leaflet for students on "What you can do." ACAS also is deeply concerned about: - the serious misleading of Americans in this campaign (LRA has not been an issue in Uganda for more than six years!; there are worse militias in the Congo with more than 200,000 women raped) - the serious racism (using ugly racial stereotypes, saying Kony is worse than Hitler and Osama bin Laden) - the religious messianism that implies we can save Africans from their leaders and that Americans can "change history," "change the world" in Africa with a few simple actions - the militarism pressing for U.S. boots on the ground and for action by the Ugandan and other armies who have killed more Africans than Kony's LRA - the negating of peace negotiations, which Acholi church leaders in northern Uganda are seeking instead of military solutions - the suspicious finances of the Invisible Children campaign - the simplistic focus on this one person and movement (What would happen with this good will if Kony were caught tomorrow?) - the failure, once again in the U.S., to back and trust the United Nations and 57-nation African Union to address the problems when we already rely on UN Peacekeepers in 16 nations - the failure to channel resources to the UNHCR and UNICEF, the only agencies with serious and sustained help for IDPs, child soldiers, rape victims and others in all four affected countries. Please feel free to forward this message with your own comment to any local media or colleagues. The ACAS statement is at http:// concernedafricascholars.org/ wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ ACAS-Central-Africa.pdf%29.%A0 The press release is at: http:// concernedafricascholars.org/ wp-content/uploads/2012/03/ ACAS-Press-Release-3-15-12.pdf Als, up on the website at http:// concernedafricascholars.org/ our-work/ are the briefs for the three current political action task forces: ACAS Task Force on Demilitarizing Africa and African Studies ACAS Food Sovereignty Task Force ACAS Task Force on Land Grabs and the document "The Africanist Positions on Military and Intelligence Funding" We would like your comments, edits, and suggestions on all these. And we would like for you to join the work of ACAS...only $5! (http:// concernedafricascholars.org/ about-acas/)Regards,
Subject: FYI: ACAS Press Release/Statement on Kony2012 & LRA Date: Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:18:38 -0400 From: David Wiley <wiley@msu.edu> To: Recipient list suppressed:;
Dave Wiley 517-332-0333-- kenneth w. harrow distinguished professor of english michigan state university department of english east lansing, mi 48824-1036 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu-- kenneth w. harrow distinguished professor of english michigan state university department of english east lansing, mi 48824-1036 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.edu
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unsubscribe@googlegroups.com-- kenneth w. harrow distinguished professor of english michigan state university department of english east lansing, mi 48824-1036 ph. 517 803 8839 harrow@msu.eduYou received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com
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