THE AFRICAN COURIER. Reporting Africa and its Diaspora! The African Courier is an international magazine published in Germany to report on Africa and the Diaspora African experience. The first issue of the bimonthly magazine appeared on the newsstands on 15 February 1998. The African Courier is a communication forum for European-African political, economic and cultural exchanges, and a voice for Africa in Europe.
Speech by Bob Hooda, founder of power4africa e.V., at the demonstration against racism tagged “I can’t breath” in Dresden on Saturday, 6 June
——
As the lawyer of the Floyd family said, the corona pandemic is not the reason why we gathered here today. Another type of pandemic brought us here today, which has been up to mischief in our country for far too long. Racism! And this can only be fought together.
What is currently happening in the US affects all of us who have gathered here and today. The problem is serious – too serious to take it lightly or just look away; because the murder happened “far away” in the United States, it does not affect all of us.
Police violence is a global issue, as is racism, and if you compare the United States with Germany, the only difference here is in the way institutionalised racism manifests itself or in the degree of police brutality. The only consolation is that the violence in Germany is not taking on the same proportions as in the United States of America.
Victims of violence by police officers are mostly dark-skinned and those who have no place in the “mainstream” of society. Refugees are, of course, one of the groups.
The worldwide demonstrations triggered by Floyd’s tragic death are not in vain. The other three policemen, Tou Thao, J. Alexander Kueng and Thomas Lane, have now been charged with complicity. This shows that these protest marches bear results. People who say otherwise are wrong!
With this protest here and today we want to demonstrate that the progressive forces in the USA can rely on our wholehearted support. The campaign in the USA will no longer be called “Super Tuesdays”, but instead “Black Tuesdays”. The results of these global marches will come to light on 3 November at the latest when the world learns that Donald Trump is no longer the President of the United States.
The candidate to be elected as President of the USA will have to demonstrate measurable results in terms of racial justice and curbing police brutality for all layers of the American society.
History has shown us that we can break up racist structures in unison. I experienced how Nelson Mandela in 1994 brought an end to the apartheid regime in South Africa after a long hard struggle. This example shows, how we can achieve a just society if we struggle together and stay strong globally.
Following are some wise quotes from an African president:
– Racism will never end as long as white cars wear black tires.
– Racism will never end if people still use black as a symbol of bad luck and white for peace.
– Racism will never end if people wear white clothes at weddings and black clothes at funerals.
– Racism will never end as long as those who don’t pay their bills are blacklisted and not whitelisted.
– While playing snooker, you only win by sinking the black ball and the white ball must stay on the table.
– However, I do not care – as long as I use white toilet paper, I’m fine!
Finally, I want to emphasise, that we, power4africa e.V. in conjunction with Afropa e.V. support the progressive forces in the USA wholeheartedly. This we owe to the first President of the United Republic of Tanzania, Dr. Julius Nyerere, who on Independence Day 9 December 1961 said the following:
“I will not rest till the last bastion of white supremacy has been made history”.
