Re: RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Why is Africa in such a mess?

Peace OA--African nations of been "independent" from roughly two generations. How does that work out to "many years"? Moreover, we have inherited borders and political systems that were mostly imposed. 

Re: Sudan--There is a lot more going on there than bad leadership. The Sudanese are divided by foreign religions. But they are also 

• fighting over increasingly scarce resources, particularly in Darfur (arable land). 
  
• The north-south skirmishes are being pushed along by Islamicists in Khartoum, by 
  
• nationalists in Khartoum who believe that securing oil and other natural resources by any means necessary from southern Sudan is in the national interests 
  
• Zionist who want to undermine Islamic regimes 
  
• old and new imperialists (e.g. US and China)
  
• undisciplined rebel factions. 
  

Re: Asia--Yes, Singapore, Japan, South Korea would appear to be far ahead of many African nations. Most of these nations have not abandoned their Gods and Ancestors, although Mau certainly tried to banish them China. Also these nations was not forced to deal with imposed languages and borders. This is especially daunting in Africa given the stunning level of cultural diversity. 

Chinese elites still speak Mandarin and Cantonese. African elites often prefer English or French or Portuguese. Not only that but China's path towards "development" is wrecking havoc on the environment. And the level of poverty in some parts of India would embarrass many Africans. 

My sense of things is that we Africans have been colonized psychologically in ways that Asian nations were not. This is what Biko was attempting to address. 

Last and most importantly, I think the slave trades--transatlantic, saharan, red sea, indian ocean--have undermined African development profoundly. kzs

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