Letters Readers’ views

Libyan rebels in Benghazi are put through their paces

Were they to realise there are mutual benefits to be gained from moving from the past to create a desired future, greater progress would surely be achieved.

My pension does not provide for the purchase of magazines or books, these days, but now and then the temptation is too strong to resist. Your publication will certainly be one of those – if only occasionally. Long life to the NewAfrican!

amela Krummeck Diep River, South Africa ring it on Beefeater! Great to have the spirit of New African back in black in the form of the indomitable Baffour Ankomah, shortcomings notwithstanding. Welcome brother to the pages you have made legend, and take a break any time if that is what you think you need to continue the legend.

One just feels the heart and soul of New African when Baffour talks in his no-beef-around-the-bush way. One gets a sense of direction, a feeling that at least somebody sees it the way it is, and knows what is going on. Someone who not only listens to others, but listens to himself too! One who can take it on the nose and give it too. So far as the subject matter is concerned, it is secondary. So long as the beef is talking, he’s bringing on more beef. Bring it on Beefeater.

omaliswe Radebe Johannesburg, South Africa In defence of Akua Djanie Yes, Akua Djanie’s Reflections on beauty have been a hot topic, and going by some of the responses from readers, I believe the truth is really being told.

As for those readers who think that globalisation gives us the right to have choices based on many cultural ideas in the world, I say although this is true, what I find disturbing (and why I agree with Akua) is that today ideas, on the global scale, seem to flow one way. Only one way!

In this so-called globalised world, how many people have taken up our religion, clothing style, etc, and proudly practised or worn them? I have travelled to quite a few places, and aside from the African diaspora, I have not seen any other eth-

6 | June 2011 New African Attention Readers: Full adress please Letters for publication should bear the full name and address of the writer, whether sent by post or email. We can withhold your name and address on request but we cannot publish letters that do not bear the full names and addresses of the writers. Could you also please keep the letters short and straight to the point (maximum length: 300 words).

nic population willing to devote US$9bn to synthetic, fake, and animal hair in the name of globalisation. Someone once said, “the truth hurts”. And somewhere down the line we will have to own up to what Akua and Stella Orakwue (whose column I miss very much) have been saying. They are telling some very important truths.

atani Lawson Veracruz, Mexico he Libyan crisis I must congratulate New African (May) for presenting the Libyan crisis in a most balanced manner. The rebel forces in eastern Libya are constantly referred to as “democratic” in the Western media. It would seem to me that there are undemocratic tendencies and groups within the forces opposed to Colonel Muammar Al Gathafi.

There have been reports of teenagers in eastern Libya being pushed into battle by the National Transitional Council, with exhortations in the name of Umar Muktar, a Libyan jihadist who fought against the Italians in the 1920s.

I am critical of Gathafi for possibly trying to pass on power to his son, Saif Islam, which is indicative of a kind of undemocratic, dynastic nepotism. In addition, Gathafi has been in power for too long, over 40 years. As Lord Acton once said: “Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power tends to corrupt absolutely.”

revor Johns Bromley, England ouble generalisations My letter is in response to Baffour’s Beefs (May). The phrase “ ...and what natural blessings they might have seen from this son of Kwame Nkrumah’s country where men are still men and women women”, was of particular interest to me. I would like to believe that I understand the context with which you meant it.

But given that the column criticises generalisations such as “regimes”, “the people of Libya” and the “rebels” in Libya, how can you expect us, your readers, to take you seriously when you do exactly the same thing you are criticising – ie, making sweeping statements such as “where men are still men, and women women”, not to mention the gender and sexuality issues that come into play.

ourensa Eckard Stellenbosch, South Africa AfricAn Business AwArds 2011 Celebrating business excellence in Africa

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