Obituaries
RSS FeedHoward Zinn, activist historian
1922 - 2010
Shailja Patel
2010-01-29, Issue 468
Howard Zinn, 87, an activist historian whose 'People's History of the United States' resurrected neglected stories of the country's past and became a surprise bestseller in the 1980s and beyond, died of a heart attack on 27 January in Santa Monica, California, where he was on a speaking tour.
Howard Zinn: A true American hero
1922-2010
Staff and Board at the Oakland Institute
2010-02-04, Issue 468
Howard Zinn, social activist, historian and playwright, passed away at the age of 87, on 27 January 2010. The Oakland Institute remembers him: ‘the world has not only lost a legendary historian but an individual, whose commitment to social and economic justice, peace and internationalism, and passion for telling the truth, can be matched by few others… Indeed the world has lost one of its best teachers.’
Howard Zinn: A tribute to the legendary historian with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove
1922-2010
Democracy Now
2010-02-04, Issue 468
In this tribute to Howard Zinn, historian, writer and activist, Democracy Now speaks with ‘those who knew him best: Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove’. This is a video interview and includes a full rush transcript. Howard Zinn’s classic work A People’s History of the United States ‘changed the way we look at history in America. It has sold over a million copies and was recently made into a television special called The People Speak.’
David Coetzee, progressive journalist and publisher
1943-2010
Adrian R Crewe
2010-01-28, Issue 467
David Coetzee, the founder of the alternative information bulletin SouthScan, for a number of years the most significant source of independent, uncensored information about what was going on in apartheid South Africa, passed away on 24 January 2010 at the age of 66.
Bill Sutherland, Pan-African pacifist
1918-2010
Esi Sutherland-Addy, Ralph Sutherland, Amowi Sutherland Phillips and Matt Meyer
2010-01-14, Issue 465
Bill Sutherland, unofficial ambassador between the peoples of Africa and the Americas for over fifty years, died peacefully on the evening of 2 January 2010. He was 91.
What we learned from Dennis Brutus’ troubadour politics
Patrick Bond
2010-01-07, Issue 464
‘No South African threw themselves more passionately into so many global and local battles. But from where did the indomitable energy emerge?’ Patrick Bond pays tribute to troubadour Dennis Brutus, who died at the age of 85 on 26 December 2009, ‘battling cancer, climate change and capitalism.’
Dennis Brutus: ‘An ironclad sense of solidarity’
(1924-2009)
Patrick Bond
2010-01-07, Issue 464
Patrick Bond collates excerpts of testimonials about the late Dennis Brutus, ‘a poet whose work will be celebrated forever, and whose wisdom in so many campaigns for social justice will be sorely missed’, from institutions, individuals and the media.
Comrade Ronnie Press
The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU)
2009-11-06, Issue 456
The South African Congress of Trade Unions (SACTU) pays humble tribute to Comrade Ronnie Press, one of the Movements great heroes, one of whom may not always be spoken of, but one whose contribution to the National Liberation of South Africa, the wor...
Keith Goddard (1960-2009): Champion of LGBT rights
GALZ
2009-10-15, Issue 453
Keith Goddard, champion for the struggle for lesbians, gay men, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people's rights in Zimbabwe, passed away on 10 October, Gays and Lesbians of Zimbabwe (GALZ) has announced.
Ramanbhai Khandubhai Naik
2009-10-17, Issue 453
RK Naik, who has died aged 81, was the only Indian to have served as a member of the central committee of the Zimbabwe African People's Union (Zapu), the resistance movement started in the then Southern Rhodesia in 1961. Ramanbhai Khandubhai Naik was...
Keith Goddard
Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum
2009-10-17, Issue 453
The Zimbabwe Human Rights NGO Forum is sad to announce the tragic death of our colleague, Keith Goddard, a champion of human and LGBT rights in Zimbabwe and on the world stage. Sadly, after a short illness, Keith died last night, Friday 9^th October ...
Two poems for Haroub Othman
Issa Shivji
2009-07-30, Issue 444
Professor Issa Shivji pays tribute in verse – in English and in Kiswahili – to the late Haroub Othman, former professor of Development Studies at the University of Dar es Salaam. My dear friend and comrade, Ho: I shan’t write a letter, I can’t. I shan’t sing a song, Or recite a poem. ‘Cause I don’t have the talents. I shall say what I feel, Deep down in me. Those were the days, Of the Vietnam war. Ho Chinh Minh was your uncle, My uncle, our uncle. Demos, sit-ins and boycotts, Petitions, pictures and panels, Unclothing war criminals. People’s courts sentenced, public opinion enforced. Those were the days, Of Bertrand Russell and Stokely Carmichael, Sitting in Stockholm, Hearing napalmed men, women and children. The public gallery wept, students shouted, ‘Down with uncle Sam, Long live Uncle Ho.’ Your kinship was unmistakeable, Your Cause was clear. You stood on the side, Of the oppressed, humiliated and exploited. You proudly signed your name, with a big ‘H’ and a small ‘o’, Ho. Moderate in language, Measured in tone. Civil in demeanour, Generous in kindness. Gentle in argument, Steadfast in disagreement. That was our Ho. In Lebanon and Palestine, In Vietnam and Indonesia. In Chile and Cuba, In Iraq and Afghanistan. In Mozambique, Angola and Guinea Bissau. Wherever there was oppression and injustice, Our Ho knew his side. Imperialism he condemned, Human rights he upheld. On union, he stood his ground, Often stoutly, Seldom silently. Unity he applauded, Secession he feared. More I say, more I want to say. But a little more I’ll say. Jenerali wrote: ‘Poor Saida! She wanted to retire. Now she’ll have to unretire, To lead us from where Haroub left off.’ + Ndugu yangu, rafiki yangu, kamaradi Harubu: Sitaomboleza kifo chako; Sitatowa salamu za rambirambi. Tumelia ya kutosha, Tumehuzunika ya kutosha. Tumesononeka, tumelalamika: Ewe Muumba, Kwa nini unatupora watu wetu wema? Kwa nini? Eti ulimpenda zaidi ya sisi, Kwani upendo wetu una kikomo? Sasa basi: Mamia tumekutana Nkrumah, Maelfu wametega masikio, Moshi, Miatu na Mbezi. Sio kuomboleza, wala kulia, wala kulalamika. Bali kusherekea. Kusherekea maisha yako, Fikra zako, Msimamo wako. Kusherekea maisha yako, Harubu, Mwana wa Miraji, Mwana wa Zanzibar na Tanzania, Mwana wa Afrika. Tunasherekea fikra zako, Tunatamani kuchota kutoka busara zako, Hekima yako, Mtazamo wako. Fikra zako za uungwana, Fikra zako za ukombozi, Ukombozi wa wanyonge, Ukombozi wa mwana wa Adamu. Fikra zako zisizotingisika, Kupinga dhuluma na ufisadi na ubeberu. Fikra zako za kutetea, Haki za wanyonge. Harubu, umetoweka bila kutuaga. Hatulalamiki, hatukulaumu. Kwani, kila pumzi la uhai wako, Ulikuwa na ujumbe na nasaha. Enyi makamaradi, wana wa harakati. Katika medani ya mapambano, Hakuna kuaga wala kuagana. Hakuna muda, Hakuna anasa Ya porojo za kuaga na kuagana. La kesho, tendeni leo. La siku, tekelezeni kwa saa. Mapambano sio lelemama. Ukombozi sio usanii. Buriani ndugu yangu, Rafiki yangu, Kamaradi Ho. Kwaheri za kuonana.
Haroub Othman: Champion of social justice
Chris Maina Peter
2009-07-16, Issue 442
Haroub Othman could have worked anywhere in the world, but out of a deep love for the country, 'he chose Tanzania as his station in life', writes his former student and friend Chris Miana Peter, in a tribute to the 'irreplaceable' professor. Othman was one of the most committed academics and civil society activists in Tanzania and Zanzibar, says Peter. His remarkable work through the Zanzibar Legal Services Centre established him as a local institution, while many of his students, whom he treated as equals and to whom he gave opportunities to excel, have gone on to 'hold high offices in governments all over the world'.
Professor Haroub Othman Memorial Gathering
Saturday 18 July 2009, UDSM Nkrumah Hall, Dar es Salaam
2009-07-16, Issue 442
The Institute of Development Studies in collaboration with the Directorate of Public Service (UDSM), Mwalimu Nyerere Chair, UDASA, University of Dar es Salaam School of Law, UDSM Philosophy Club and Educational Perspective UDSM Chapter, is organizing...
Tracking Taju’s political roots
Okello Oculi
2009-07-16, Issue 442
Obituaries of the late Pan-Africanist Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem continue to arrive at Pambazuka, such was the stature of the man and the esteem with which he was held. In this article Okello Oculi discusses Nigeria's broader historical background in the immediate post-independence period and Tajudeen's many experiences of tumultuous times across different political settings.
Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem (1961–2009): A celebration of a life in full
Kayode Fayemi
2009-07-09, Issue 441
With a 40-day period of mourning having elapsed following the untimely death of Tajudeen Abdul-Raheem on Africa Liberation Day, Kayode Fayemi looks back on the life and work of the great Pan-Africanist activist and scholar. Highlighting his extraordinary energy and compassion for ordinary people, Fayemi salutes Tajudeen's unfaltering commitment to speaking truth to power. Looking back on an array of institutional, activist and scholarly achievements, Fayemi points out that while Africa may have lost one its brightest gems, Tajudeen will forever remain a symbol and inspiration for ongoing struggles.
At least not in my lifetime
Remembering Professor Haroub Othman (1942 – 2009)
Chambi Chachage
2009-07-09, Issue 441
Chambi Chachage pays tribute to Professor Haroub Othman, a man passionate about the Pan-African ideals of peace, justice and unity, who was ready to be among 'what is left of the leftists'. Chachage writes that while his encounters with Professor Othman were 'brief, albeit memorable', they were 'filled with lasting humane impressions'.
Haroub Othman: A friend and a comrade
P. Anyang’ Nyong’o
2009-07-02, Issue 440
The late Haroub Othman, professor of development studies at the University of Dar es Salaam, 'worked very hard and was singularly dedicated to his work and his people', writes P. Anyang’ Nyong’o, in a tribute to 'a friend and a comrade'. Professor Othman died on 28 June 2009.
Transition of a titan: Professor Haroub Othman
Don Deya
2009-07-02, Issue 440
Don Deya pays homage to the late Haroub Othman: 'The professor. The activist. A sophisticated city gent with an amazing grassroots and rural touch. Knowledgeable, knowing and known. Wise, skilled, experienced. Self-assured and quietly assertive, yet so humble to a fault. A strategic thinker, who published prolifically, networked furiously and patiently planted small seeds now that would reap whirlwinds later. One of a diminishing breed of genuine, gentle, generous pan-Africanists who could see clearly where we were coming from and what we urgently needed to do in order to get to where we so desperately need to go.'
Sad and shocking news from Zanzibar
Friends of Haroub Othman
2009-07-02, Issue 440
Chambi Chacage broke the news of Professor Haroub Othman's death on 28 June to friends and colleagues. Here are some of the memories, thoughts and feelings of people whose lives Othman touched, upon hearing the news of Othman's 'passing on'.
Giovanni Arrighi: Internationalist par excellence
(1937-2009)
Salimah Valiani
2009-06-25, Issue 439
Socialist scholar Giovanni Arrighi was a man who lived the knowledge he was seeking and who built his life around it, writes his former student Salimah Valiani.
Another great socialist scholar: Giovanni Arrighi
Bill Martin
2009-06-19, Issue 438
It is with great sadness that I report that Giovanni Arrighi passed peacefully yesterday morning in Baltimore (Thursday June 18, 2009), with his partner Beverly Silver, and his son, Andrea, at his side....
Somali media director assassinated
Somali Speaking Centre of International PEN (SS PEN)
2009-06-18, Issue 438
cc ctsnowFollowing the assassination of Radio Shabelle's Media Director Mukhtar Mohamed Hirabe in Mogadishu on 7 June, the Somali Speaking Centre of International PEN (SS PEN) condemns the attack and decries the inability of Somali journalists to operate without risk of physical harm.
Tributes to Tajudeen continue pouring in
Firoze Manji
Pambazuka News
2009-06-04, Issue 436
Tributes to Tajudeen Abdul Raheem, pan-Africanist, fighter, comrade and friend to so many, continue to pour in at Pambazuka News. Since last week, we have received some 60 tributes bringing the total to more than 250. Tributes include those from Dismas Nkunda, Norah Matovu-Winyi Executive Director FEMNET, Breyten Breytenbach, Juma V. Mwapachu, East African Community, Tukumbi Lumumba-Kasongo, Owei Lakemfa, Ibrahim Abdullah, Ama Biney, Ernest Wamba dia Wamba, L Muthoni Wanyeki, Bisi Adeleye-Fayemi and many more.
Fr Gerard Jean-Juste (1947-2009)
Sokari Ekine
2009-06-04, Issue 436
Sokari Ekine pays her last respects to Fr Gerard Jean-Juste, a gentle man and a liberation theologist who dedicated his life to fight for justice for Haitians in Haiti and the US.
Death of a pioneer activist in Zanzibar: Khalfani Hemed Khalfan
Salma Maoulidi
2009-04-02, Issue 426
Salma Maoulidi pays tribute to Khalfani Hemed Khalfan, who died on 28 March 2009. Khalfan, an activist who campaigned primarily for the rights of people with disabilities in Zanzibar through organisation UWZ, helped bring about the passage of Tanzania's Disability Act and encouraged participation in civil society more broadly in Zanzibar.
Smitu Kothari
Society for International Development
2009-03-26, Issue 425
Smitu Kothari, noted Indian and international scholar, author and activist, who contributed to the SID (Society for International Development) network for over twenty years, passed away on 23 March. Deeply involved in ecological, cultural and human rights issues, Kothari strove to forge global alternatives to the world’s injustices.
Tribute to Oscar King'ara and Paul Oulu
Beatrice Kamau
2009-03-12, Issue 423
Comrades Oscar and Oulu, They may have shot you dead, but they have not shot down what you believed in and stood for. They may have destroyed your physical bodies, but your spirit and what you believed and stood by is now more alive than ever...
Farewell To Tayeb Salih: One Of Africa’s Most Illustrious Literary Figures
Mustapha Marrouchi
2009-02-26, Issue 421
They are no longer stirring still. In fact, they are dying at an alarming rate. First, there was Edward Said, then Mahmoud Darwish, and now Tayeb Salih. And if Said sang about the pleasures of the “placeless place,” Darwish wrote like a jealous child...
Goodbye, Mama Afrika
Miriam Makeba
Tajudeen Abdul Raheem
2008-11-13, Issue 406
Miriam makeba was an icon who used music to serve Africa and the cause of humanity. The ancestors woould be pleased to recieve her as a worthy daughter who gave her best. She lived through apartheid, fought it and survived to see a liberated multirac...
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