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A Place in the City

A Place in the CityNearly 15 years since apartheid ended, millions of black South Africans still live in self-built shacks - without sanitation, adequate water supplies, or electricity.
But A Place in the City will overturn all your assumptions about 'slums' and the people who live in them.
Read more...

A24media

Become part of a virtual movement

This is a call for applications for volunteer researchers for the Southern Refugee Legal Aid Network (SLRAN), a new FAHAMU global project.The SLRAN project is co-ordinated by Dr Barbara Harrell-Bond. Find out more

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NEW AWARD!

Pambazuka News has been voted one of the the top websites for 2008 in the annual 'Top 10 Who Are Changing the World of Internet and Politics' award organised by PoliticsOnline and eDemocracy Forum.
This is the fourth year running that Pambazuka News has been voted onto the shortlist, where it is once again the only Africa-related website. Pambazuka News is described by PoliticsOnline as
'..a pan-African community of over 1000 citizens - academics, social activists, women's organizations, writers, artists, poets, bloggers, and commentators who together produce insightful and thoughtful analyses that make it the most innovative and influential sites for social justice in Africa... Pambazuka has become the source of authentic voices of Africa's social analysts and activists.'
With thanks to all those who voted for us,
Editors
Pambazuka News

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Fahamu Books

Ending Aid DependenceYash Tandon (2008) Ending Aid Dependence.
New book from Fahamu
Developing countries reliant on aid want to escape this dependence, and yet they appear unable to do so. This book shows how they may liberate themselves from the aid that pretends to be developmental but is not.

China’s New Role in Africa and the SouthDorothy-Grace Guerrero and Firoze Manji (ed) (2008) China’s New Role in Africa and the South: A search for a new perspective.

Visit the full list of Fahamu books

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Books & arts

A tribute to the Man in Black

Vivek Mehta (2008-01-18)

http://www.pambazuka.org/en/category/books/45473

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This is a tribute to the “Man In Black T Shirt”
His name we may or may not know
But that’s how he was referred to by the KTN Television network...

A TRIBUTE TO THE MAN IN BLACK


This is a tribute to the “Man In Black T Shirt”

His name we may or may not know

But that’s how he was referred to by the KTN Television network

The date was Wednesday 16th January 2008

I spent an hour sitting alone last night replaying the KTN clip in my mind

Did you see it?

The Man in Black was dancing in Nyanza, Kenya – was it in Kisumu?

He was Dancing and also Protesting with his friends

He was exercising one of his basic Human Rights – The Right to Free Speech and Assembly

He had no stone to hurl and no panga in his hand to hurt

He was just Dancing and Protesting

He was not looting either

Just Dancing and Protesting

Then came the grand finale

He was running away… he was not fighting

He was not dancing or protesting either

The Man in Green was only a few feet away

Two rapid shots from an automatic rifle

and the dance was over ….

The Man in Black lay on the floor together with his friend

He tried to get up one more time – he was only dancing!!

But the shot had done its job

As he tumbled down yet again the brute in Green had to kick him

Probably to kick the Man in Black’s last breath out

That was the sudden end to the Dance

Farewell Man in Black – a friend I never got to meet

A friend who gave up his life for Kenyans’ freedom

As I sat I realized that The Man in Black was probably a ‘poor man’

No riches and no bank account either to his name

All I can offer his Soul are my Prayers for His Soul’s Peaceful Journey

And May My Prayers and those of Many Others enrich your Soul

And May that Enrichment of your Soul be our reward and thanks for your Sacrifice

May that Enrichment Power your Journey

And your Soul be Blessed with Riches not seen

I take Solace in that the Nature of the Soul is

WEAPONS CUT IT NOT, FIRE BURNS IT NOT, WATER WETS IT NOT, WIND DRIES IT NOT

After this thought propped up in my Being

Yet another Powerful thought Burst thru

This was the one that surprised me, my friend

May the World of Justice Notice this Brutal Crime against Humanity

In the Meantime May Peace and Justice Prevail in Kenya

When will we see sense in this beautiful Land and Country called Kenya?


By Vivek Mehta Jan 17th 2008, Mombasa

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ISSN 1753-6839 Pambazuka News English Edition http://www.pambazuka.org/en/

ISSN 1753-6847 Pambazuka News en Français http://www.pambazuka.org/fr/

ISSN 1757-6504 Pambazuka News em Português http://www.pambazuka.org/pt/

© 2008 Fahamu - http://www.fahamu.org/