The 7th Anti-imperialism International Conference on “Pan-Africanism and Anti-Imperialism” opened on 25th of October in Dakar, Senegal, with presentations from revolutionary parties of Africa.
The conference was moderated by the International Team Leader of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and President of New Power Gabon, Marie-Josée AYI.
Session 1 began with welcoming and opening remarks from the Comité National Préparatoire (CNP), the Senegalese organizing committee, and the Pan African Unitary Dynamics (DUP). Iancuba Djola N’Djau, Political Director of the PAIGC of Guinea-Bissau, and Adama Coulibaly from Patriotic Alternative, Pan-African-Burkindi (APP/Burkindi) of Burkina Faso, NIYONZIMA Fidèle from National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD), Burundi; and Zalihata BACARI from Suluhu, progressive organization in the Comoros, Albert MUKULUBUNDU, Front Démocratique Africain, progressive organization in Democratic Republic of the Congo; and Fodé Roland Diagne, Editor-in-Chief of Ferñent, Senegal, Moïse ESSOH from the UPC-MANIDEM, Raymond Ayivi of the Coditogo, progressive organization of Togolese, and Booker Omole, deputy leader of the Communist Party of Kenya presented in the 1st session.
During the presentation, we honored the memory of Lamine Senghor, the first communist in West Africa, and Thomas Sankara, a symbol of Pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism, who also served as president of Burkina Faso from 1983 to 1987.
Iancouba N’Zai, a member of the Political Bureau of the PAIGC, Progressive Party of Guinea-Bissau, said: “We are especially enthusiastic to be in Senegal, during this historic year, 2024, where the masses of People rose up and uprooted the neo-colonial puppet and democratically elected DIOMAYE FAYE and OUSMANE SANKO as President and Prime Minister, respectively! We are sure that the imperialists and their neo-colonial agents will do everything to discourage activists from working in unity with determination to win the Legislative Elections on 17 November 2024. We have faith that the revolutionaries and progressive forces will unite and give determined support for the PASTEF so that it wins the OVERWHELMING MAJORITY and takes democratic control of the Senegal National Assembly!”
“Amílcar Cabral teaches us that it is not only shouts that will defeat imperialism or capitalism or neo-colonialism. “Now is the time for actions; not words” (Amílcar Cabral) Actions must be led by thought and these actions must be done by organizing at all levels from the Base to the intermediate, central and international levels, but with emphasis on the Bases!”
Adama Koulibaly from the Patriotic Alternative Pan-African-Burkindi (APP/Burkindi), a progressive party of Burkina Faso, said, “Africa was the first laboratory of imperialism’s territorialization and cultural genocide.” “Specifically, Burkina Faso has a dynamic led by patriots, revolutionary fighters, human rights activists, and communists, who have been fighting against French imperialism for decades. Revolutionary unions, youths, and students fought back against the French military when they invaded their territory. Though Sankara was assassinated, his comrades continued to fight. We still hold the torch of struggle” he said.
Nionzima Fidel of the National Council for the Defense of Democracy (CNDD) said: “Scientifically speaking, in both Burundi and neighboring Rwanda, there is only one ethnic group, the Rundi ethnicity. Before colonization, four social groups (Baganwa, Batutsi, Bahutu, and Batwa) were social classes. They spoke the same language, Kirundi, practiced the same religion, shared the same culture, and lived intermingled on the same hills without pronounced social divisions. The ethnic division that plunged Burundi into political crises, resulting in more than a million deaths since independence, has its roots in the colonial system.”, “Western media analyses often present the tragedies of Burundi and Rwanda as massacres of one ethnic group by another, attributing the wars to ancestral hatreds rather than economic or geostrategic interests.” he said.
“A united and progressive Africa will free the African people from subjection and neo-colonialism and can save not only Africa but the world. A united Africa contributes to peace and progress of humanity,” he said, adding that ”progressive Pan-Africanist parties should work with Pan-Africanists to design education programs for workers, peasants, youth, women, and party members.”
Zaliata Bakari from the Comoros Progressive Organization Suluhu said, “A Pan-African individual who has taken the time to deeply understand and embrace the meaning of Pan-Africanism, its vision, and its objectives, can only be an anti-imperialist internationalist, no matter where they are. Similarly, an anti-imperialist internationalist must logically support Pan-Africanism.”
“I also extend this denunciation to the sneaky terrorist war imposed by NATO and its satellites, aimed at insidious imperialist recolonization in African countries, particularly the Sahel States Alliance (AES), including Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger, ever since the destruction of Libya in 2011. This has intensified since the recent rise of the AES, which has expressed a clear will to take responsibility for its own liberation and sovereignty by decisively cutting the so-called “umbilical cord” linking it to the imperialist colonizer. “We witness this desolation, inhumanity, and indignity, with human lives sacrificed, countries destroyed, and populations forced to flee under dramatically deplorable conditions.” “The neocolonial state Comoros is also suffering under the influence of French imperialism. This suggests that a regime change is needed to make Comoros independent.”
Albert Mukulubundu from the Front Démocratique Africain, a progressive party in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, said, “At war for three decades, the DRC has lost, according to various sources, between 8 and 10 million lives in the conflict with Rwanda, and more than 7 million people have been displaced. After the electoral fraud of December 2023, the neo-colonial regime in Kinshasa entered a repressive phase aimed at changing the constitution to grant itself a third mandate. A repressive apparatus has been put in place to crush the struggles of the popular masses against the appalling deterioration of their living conditions.” he said, adding, ”The Front Démocratique Africain will draw inspiration from the struggles of the valiant Senegalese people to block the path of the reactionary pro-imperialist regime in Kinshasa.”
Fodé Roland Diagne, editor-in-chief of the Senegalese Fernent, published a tribute to Lamine Arfang Senghor. The first communist in West Africa, Sangor began his revolutionary activities as a member of the French Communist Party (PCF) in the mid-1920s. Along with Nehru, Sun Yat-sen, and other anti-imperialist leaders from colonial and semi-colonial countries, Sangor attended the Anti-Imperialist Congress in Brussels in February 1927, where he emphasized the importance of internationalist unity. Within the PCF, he staunchly defended the autonomy of the anti-colonial and black movements and the independence of African peoples. Sangor remained committed to the anti-colonial struggle and communism until his death on November 25, 1927.
“Following in Sangor’s footsteps is essential for the current generation of pan-Africanist and anti-imperialist fighters in the context of the decline of Western imperialism and the emergence of a multipolar anti-hegemonic world,” he said.
A memorial for Toma Sankara was followed. A symbol of pan-Africanism and anti-imperialism, Sankara came to power with a left-wing coup in 1983. He changed the country’s name from Haute Volta to Burkina Faso and sought to liquidate the remnants of French imperialism. He implemented land reform and boldly carried out the anti-imperial and anti-feudal revolution to realize the rights of the people, including peasants and women. He died in October 1987 at the hands of a stooge of imperialists while devoting to the liberation and unity of Africa.
In the memorial speech for Sangkara, Adama Coulibaly wrote, “His political beliefs were of revolutionary, communist and pan-African origin, and that when he was appointed prime minister, he used the word ‘people’ dozens of times in his speeches. He was a man of the people, who came from the people and loved the people. He never embezzled property, never took wealth from the people,” he said, adding, ”We must build solidarity among our nations so that we can carry the torch of struggle proudly. Our leaders must not die anymore. Let’s protect them so they can live for a new world,” he appealed.
Moïse ESSOH from the Union of the Peoples of Cameroon-Manidem (UPC-MANIDEM) said, “Imperialism is more present than ever, with its embassies calling the shots politically in certain territories; with its economic exploitation agreements, improperly called Economic Partnership Agreements; with its multinationals unrestrainedly pumping Africa’s natural and human resources, organizing or benefiting from armed conflicts created to plunder this wealth even more easily,” said
After more than 64 years of neo-colonial rule, Cameroon is now in the hands of multinationals, notably the French. Cameroon’s main production is geared towards satisfying the needs of Western economies, with agricultural, forestry and mining raw materials, including oil. Young people regularly express their aspirations whenever they can, even if it always costs them a few jailings. In all these citizen and popular mobilizations, the UPC-MANIDEM always tries to stand by the masses in struggle.”> he said.
Raymond Ayivi, from the Togolese progressive organization CODI Togo, said, “On 31 December 2023, the mandate of the parliament in the sixth republic had expired. The government was unable to hold legislative elections within the time frame set by the Constitution. They had learnt with surprise and dismay that a new bill for a new Constitution is considered by the committee of former legislators for approval thereby providing a new Constitution that guarantees lifelong power to a single family.
“Let the Pan-African youth organize themselves region by region to fight the enemies from within Africa, in particular African leaders who allow imperialism in all its forms to flourish. It is these imperialism setbacks that prevent the emergence of a new free, just, democratic and sovereign society” he concluded.
Booker Omole, Vice President of the communist party of Kenya, said: “Recent events in Kenya reveal that the struggle against imperialism is alive and well. We are witnessing a new generation rise up―a generation that is unafraid to challenge the structures of capitalist exploitation and state repression. The widespread anti-IMF-backed finance bill protests across the country, including the recent protests against the administration of the US puppet, President Ruto, are a clear manifestation of the growing discontent with neoliberal policies, corruption, and deepening inequality.” adding that, “The demands of this generation align with the core tenets of Pan-Africanism: the need for true sovereignty, self-determination, and economic justice. This is why our struggle must connect with these movements, guiding them with a socialist perspective that transcends national borders and links their fight to the broader anti-imperialist struggle in Africa and globally.”
