Three stories have dominated the African blogosphere in the past week. The US election and not surprisingly, African blogs are almost unanimous in their support of US presidential candidate, Barack Obama. The two more localised stories – the arrest of Nigerian blogger, Jonathan Elendu on the 19th October and the conflict crisis in the DRC.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_01_abantu.gifKenyan blogger Abantu is carried away with the moment by declaring he “feels like an American”. Nonetheless he recognises that whoever wins the election will determine our lives to a greater or lesser degree whether US citizens or not.
… but the unfortunate bit about it all is that, that US election, will unfortunately determine the worlds next four years and American voters better make the right choice. for me, as a citizen of the world, the iraq war has to end, gitmo closed, americans' safety restored, al qaeda vanquished and the world economy stabilized..... really.....

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_02_dulcecamer.gifFrom the Cameroon, Dulce Camer uncovers some of the views of Cameroonians on the US elections and beyond - a mixture of hope and ambivalence.
“I don’t see Cameroon benefiting substantially from any American presidency until our government changes. Cameroon is self-sufficient and can provide for the immediate needs of its people. But what does our government do? Embezzle.”
“US foreign policy drives me crazy! Can't stand the way they bully everyone else and the "other people" just sit there and take it. Internally, their economy is a mess right now but that just shows you how different we are as humans. They have a failing economy but are still adamant on pumping billions on a "supposed" war against terrorism. Talk about misplaced priorities!”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_03_koluki.gifKoluki points to the “emotional rollercoaster” experienced by many Black Americans in the hope of seeing the first Black president of their country...
“Only recently have many of us allowed ourselves to envision what once seemed impossible: A U.S. president who is a person of color. With Obama leading in national pre-election polls, the suspense has become nearly unbearable...................Even deeper at the centre of our current anxiety are at least two questions that carry all the complexity of black Americans' history in this country: What will it mean personally to us if he wins? And how will it affect the future of African Americans? Win or lose, how will we cope?”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_04_africanloft.gifFrom African Loft comes “Obama the Musical” which speaks about the challenges faced by Obama in first becoming a US senator and now possibly the next US president.
Watch an excerpt online at http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id=4566825n.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_05_elendureports.gifN... bloggers outraged at the arrest and illegal dentention of blogger,
Jonathan Elendu declared October 31st “Jonathan Elendu” day and called upon Nigerian bloggers and their supporters to focus their posts on Elendu.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_elendu.jpg

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_06_curiosity.gifNigerian Curiosity has the list of bloggers who participated in the day’s event.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_06a_whatsnew.gif Nigeria, What’s New - asks whether “this is the pattern of future Nigeria”
“Freedom from oppression and freedom to develop one's potential are reflected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, but it comes with responsibilities that includes virture, what it is to act well in relation to others. This JE saga was adopted to highlight the dangers of writing about Nigeria. Channels news employee Bashir Adigun, who also works for The Associated Press in the Nigerian capital, Abuja was released with others in September 2008 following his arrest by security agents. Jonathan Elendu was released yesterday after 11 days of in a jail.”

We have all watched with horror as yet another conflict crisis unfolds in front of our eyes. Only two years ago there was much hope in the DRC following the 2006 elections in which Joseph Kabila was elected. The various conservationist blogs covering the DRC have been providing regular updates on how the conflict has impacted on local communities around the national parks.

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_07_gorilla.gifGorilla CD has been especially vocal. Here he reports from the Ranger Refugee Camp”
“I saw Kalvanda, the Ranger who was so badly beaten by the military that he couldn’t walk last week. He is doing so much better and you only recognize him because he is still wearing the same shirt! You can see for yourself in the photo (his wife is in the background with one of their children) and the photos from yesterday’s blog post of when we finally were able to get him to a clinic.”

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_ranger.jpg

http://www.pambazuka.org/images/articles/405/nov05_08_bl.gifBlack Looks points to an article in the Guardian by Johann Harris who writes that it is the “armies of business” who are ultimately responsible for fueling the violence in the DRC. Black Looks goes on to comment on the proposed EU troops deployment in the country which will operate under the guise of providing humanitarian aid but in reality is there to protect EU’s interest in Congo’s numerous resources.
“This helps to explain the EU proposal, lead by France, to send troops to Goma under the guise of humanitarian aid - the reality is the troops are being sent to protect their interests. In the post, “1906 - 2006 History Repeats Itself” I detail some of the multinationals created by King Leopold at the beginning of the 20th century, the early post independence period and Patrice Lumumba up till the present.
200 years of conflict minerals fueled by Western multinationals in the Great Lakes region. Harris ends his report by calling for the prosecution of multinational corporations buying the “blood-soaked natural resources” from rebel leader, Laurent Nkunda and Rwandan businessmen who then sell to Western businesses and corporations.”

* Sokari Ekine blogs at www.blacklooks.org/

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