By Prof. Ali Mazrui

Africa victim of US fight against terror

The President of Kenya marched in sympathy with the victims of September 11. The Kenyan Muslims marched against the America bombing of Afghanistan. The then President Moi asked “Why didn’t the Kenya Muslims march when Nairobi was bombed by terrorists in August of 1998?” the Kenya Muslims turned the tables on their President “Why didn’t President Moi lead a march when Nairobi was bombed in August 1998?”

The President of Tanzania declared a day of mourning for the victims of September 11 in the United States. His critics retorted that they did not remember a day of public mourning in Tanzania when 800,000 Rwandans were killed in the genocide of 1994.

In short, Africans grieve when Americans are massacred, but do we grieve as much when Africans are massacred?

An unknown number of Africans were killed at the World Trade Centre, in New York on September 11, 2001: Senegalese hawkers, Nigerian investors, Ethiopian or Eritrean drivers or professionals, Ghanaian students and South African tourists and others. Who knows for certain?

September 11 had other consequences for Africa. African security forces opened their doors to the United State’s FBI and the CIA. Africa has fewer secrets from the Americans than ever, if it ever had any. Pax-Americana had returned to Africa.

The FBI reportedly arrived in Tanzania after September 11 with 60 Muslim names for interrogation and potential action.

Pax-Americana was forging an alliance with elements of Pax-Africana. The Kenyan authorities were so eager to please the Americans that they were tempted to repatriate their own citizens to the US on the slightest encouragement. Fortunately, the American embassy in Nairobi was sometimes more cautious.

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