Dear Professors Nathalie Arnold/N.S. Koenings, MFA, PhD.:
I am baffled at the following statement that you have made: "They don't need an
explanation, and indeed the details are still emerging and changing." Yes, events in Zanzibar are still unfolding. Nevertheless, it is clear that (1) under the rules of confederation, Zanzibar is an autonomous region of Tanzania; (2) Zanzibar can hold its own elections, independent of those on the mainland; (3) Zanzibar has its own government; (4) elections were recently held; (5) the Chairman of the Zanzibar Electoral Commission (ZEC) effectively annulled the elections, stating that there had been widespread "cheating" and "double-voting" in several polling stations. The ZEC chairman concluded that the elections were unfair and did not adhere to the law. He called for new elections in three months; (6) the main opposition party in Zanzibar, the CUF, rejected the chairman's decision and accused the CCM party of complicity in the annulment. The violent and destructive mobilization that is now occurring through out Zanzibar is associated with the annulment. Many in the international community have asked the Chairman to immediately resume counting and tabulating the votes in order to bring the exercise to a peaceful conclusion.
Now, even though you claim that the statement that you put out is directed primarily at Zanzibaris, not all of them, including especially those in the Diaspora, might be current on or aware of the nature of the conflict. Even if they are aware of the situation, remaining them of what are settled facts is important if you want to rally them into peaceful action. In any case, there are other people on this forum who are interested in Africa generally and Tanzania particularly who would appreciate unbiased insight into the goings-on in the country. These scholars, including me, would want to see Tanzania remain peaceful and have a peaceful transition.
That is why a "complete" statement is necessary.
On Mon, Nov 2, 2015 at 6:44 AM, 'Chambi Chachage' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:
--------------From: N.S. Koenings <naIA@hampshire.edu>
To: Chambi Chachage <chambi78@yahoo.com>
Sent: Monday, November 2, 2015 4:35 PM
Subject: Re: Fw: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STATEMENT OF CONCERN FROM SCHOLARS OF ZANZIBAR NOVEMBER 1 2015
Hi Chambi. We are naturally collecting more signatories and may put out
another statement in the coming days if people want to. This initial
statement is truly aimed first of all at the Zanzibar and Tanzania
governments, and at the people of Zanzibar whose safety is currently at
stake. We want them, the people who make our work possible, that we see
them and don't want them to be hurt or killed. They don't need an
explanation, and indeed the details are still emerging and changing. A
second statement may indeed, as the comments suggests, say more. But
with this first one our immediate audience is Zanzibaris themselves.
Thank you for forwarding these messages. You are welcome to share my
comment here if you find it useful.
---
Nathalie Arnold/N.S. Koenings, MFA, PhD.
Associate Professor of Fiction Writing
Hampshire College
School for Interdisciplinary Arts
Amherst, MA 01002
On 2015-11-01 16:58, Chambi Chachage wrote:
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> FROM: John Mbaku <jmbaku@weber.edu>
>> TO: "usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com"
>> <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
>> CC: Wanazuoni <wanazuoni@yahoogroups.com>
>> SENT: Sunday, November 1, 2015 11:45 PM
>> SUBJECT: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STATEMENT OF CONCERN FROM
>> SCHOLARS OF ZANZIBAR NOVEMBER 1 2015
>>
>> Dear CC:
>>
>> Thanks for the reference. I am quite aware of the problem with
>> Zanzibar's annulled elections. Unfortunately, the Zanzibari
>> scholars, in their statement, did not elaborate on what the problem
>> is and, as a result, readers who are not current on what is
>> happening in Tanzania, especially with regard to the elections on
>> the island of Zanzibar, would not understand what the scholars are
>> referring to in their statement. That statement should have provided
>> the necessary background to their request--first, the fact that
>> Tangayinka and Zanzibar united to form a unitary system; second,
>> that the unitary system was later modified to grant Zanzibar
>> political and economic autonomy; and third, that Zanzibar has the
>> right to elect their own government. Last month, those elections
>> took place and they were later annulled and there lies the crisis
>> that has enveloped the island.
>>
>> On Sun, Nov 1, 2015 at 12:44 PM, 'Chambi Chachage' via USA Africa
>> Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>>
>> Thank you for your concern, I have blind-copied the 'brain' behind
>> the statement, in the meantime kindly read this article:
>>
>> Zanzibar's political crisis worsens as home-made bombs are found
>> [1]
>>
>> [1]
>>
>> Zanzibar's political crisis worsens as home-made bombs a... [1]
>> An electoral stalemate is getting tense.
>>
>> View on qz.com [1]
>> Preview by Yahoo
>>
>> -------------------------
>> FROM: John Mbaku <jmbaku@weber.edu>
>> TO: "usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com"
>> <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com>
>> CC: Wanazuoni <wanazuoni@yahoogroups.com>
>> SENT: Sunday, November 1, 2015 10:21 PM
>> SUBJECT: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STATEMENT OF CONCERN FROM
>> SCHOLARS OF ZANZIBAR NOVEMBER 1 2015
>>
>> The "statement" does not say what the problem is. What is the
>> concern of these scholars and how can other African scholars support
>> them when they (the other African scholars) do not know what it is
>> that these Zanzibari scholars are complaining about or agitating
>> for?
>>
>> On Sat, Oct 31, 2015 at 11:21 PM, 'Chambi Chachage' via USA Africa
>> Dialogue Series <usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com> wrote:
>>
>> ----- Forwarded Message -----
>> FROM: N.S. Koenings <nkoenings@gmail.com>
>> TO: [...]SENT: Sunday, November 1, 2015 7:02 AM
>> SUBJECT: STATEMENT OF CONCERN FROM SCHOLARS OF ZANZIBAR NOVEMBER 1
>> 2015 - pls share
>>
>> dear all: here is the statement. please share it widely. also
>> attaching photos if those are easier to share.
>> in hope,
>> nathalie
>>
>> --
>>
>> sky! just look!
>>
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> --
>
> JOHN MUKUM MBAKU, ESQ.
> J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
> Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
> Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
> Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
> Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & John S.
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>
> JOHN MUKUM MBAKU, ESQ.
> J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
> Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
> Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
> Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
> Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & John S.
> Hinckley Fellow
> Department of Economics
> Weber State University
> 1337 Edvalson Street, Dept. 3807
> Ogden, UT 84408-3807, USA
> (801) 626-7442 Phone
> (801) 626-7423 Fax
> --
> Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
> To post to this group, send an email to
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>
>
> Links:
> ------
> [1]
> http://qz.com/538384/zanzibars-political-crisis-worsen-as-home-made-bombs-are-found/
> [2] http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
> [3] http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
> [4] https://groups.google.com/d/optout
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
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JOHN MUKUM MBAKU, ESQ.
J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & John S. Hinckley Fellow
Department of Economics
Weber State University
1337 Edvalson Street, Dept. 3807
Ogden, UT 84408-3807, USA
(801) 626-7442 Phone
(801) 626-7423 Fax
J.D. (Law), Ph.D. (Economics)
Graduate Certificate in Environmental and Natural Resources Law
Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Attorney & Counselor at Law (Licensed in Utah)
Brady Presidential Distinguished Professor of Economics & John S. Hinckley Fellow
Department of Economics
Weber State University
1337 Edvalson Street, Dept. 3807
Ogden, UT 84408-3807, USA
(801) 626-7442 Phone
(801) 626-7423 Fax
Listserv moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To subscribe to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue+subscribe@googlegroups.com
Current archives at http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
Early archives at http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
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