President Obama recently spoke to the Ghanaian Parliament; as I read through, certain parts resonated with me as I begin my second year in Guinea. The following are just a few of my thoughts on some points of his speech.
We must start from the simple premise that Africa’s future is up to Africans…As for America and the West, our commitment must be measured by more than just the dollars we spend. I’ve pledged substantial increases in our foreign assistance, which is in Africa’s interests and America’s interests. But the true sign of success is not whether we are a source of perpetual aid that helps people scrape by – it’s whether we are partners in building the capacity for transformational change.
Being an American in Guinea – and not just any American but an American here with a primary goal of sustainability, this statement spoke very clearly to me. This idea is not always so transparent to many of the Guineans that myself and other Peace Corps volunteers work with; the way they see it, money comes from an endless source sitting high on the throne in the land called America. A strength of Peace Corps is the training they provide to volunteers and to Guinean counterparts that help all parties understand how a project is funded and evaluates the sustainability of the project. If a project is not one that will continue to support the community after the volunteer leaves, it is not a project we’re here to support. Teach a man to fish – that’s Peace Corps’ style although our projects are very small scale. Our greater objective which is often not understood is that we’re here for a cultural exchange; I envision many of the people I’m working with here in Guinea as volunteers to do big, great things someday with the knowledge they’ve gained and can only be gained by what work we’re doing here. Give a man a fish is so easy and undoubtedly so many have benefited from this philosophy in times of crisis; refugee situations would not be able to sustain without it. But Mr. Obama makes a necessary point about building capacity and I hope to continue to see strong programs that support this. Seeing all that I have in this year, I realize that it takes people with expertise to commit to these types of programs and that type of commitment is impressive for those who make it; those I’ve met working with water-related infrastructure projects or those working on AIDS or malaria research – that is commitment.
…each nation gives life to democracy in its own way, and in line with its own traditions. But history offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not…No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves – or if police can be bought off by the drug traffickers. No business wants to invest in a place where the government skims 20 percent off the top – or the head of the Port Authority is corrupt. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy’ that is tyranny, even if occasionally you sprinkle an election in there. And now is the time for that style of governance to end.
Now, make no mistake: History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions.
Captain Moussa Dadis Camara…are you listening? Mr. Obama’s points here are exactly the types of things that cripple Guinea presently or historically. These remarks came on July 11th ; on July 8th Major Moussa Keita, a permanent secretary of the CNDD (the CNDD is the National Council for Democracy and Development and Dadis’ political party), made these following remarks at a rally to express support for the CNDD:
They want to impose Western-type of democracy on Guinea, a type of democracy that they had developed for two to three centuries now. They want to impose that type of democracy upon us in a year or even in six months. These are Machiavellian plans. They want to prevent Guineans from really moving into the direction of happiness for our nation. These is no other democracy than referring to the people. In whatever Dadis does, he refers to the people. But according to these people, democracy means giving power to those who had distanced themselves from the state or those who have been prepared mentally by the former colonial masters…We want to put in place all the necessary conditions for the economic takeoff of our country. That is our priority but some people keep telling us to hold the elections because it is Dadis who is in power. Is he not a Guinean citizen? Is he not a valiant and competent citizen? Therefore, Dadis or death! (‘Dadis or death’ was changed over and over.)
Clearly, not a statement made by a political party ready to surrender the presidency to a free and fair election. If you ask anyone here on any given day what the status of the election is, you will get responses from Dadis is going to step down for December elections to people beginning to embrace another 26 years of tyranny.
Now, we all have many identities – of tribe and ethnicity; of religion and nationality. But defining oneself in opposition to someone who belongs to a different tribe, or who worships a different prophet, has not place in the 21st century. Africa’s diversity should be a source of strength, not a cause for division. We are all God’s children. We all shared common aspirations – to live in peace and security; to access education and opportunity; to love our families and our communities and our faith. That is our common humanity.
I think about being here where there are eight ethnicities, all with their own languages and traditions, living harmoniously under the nationality “Guinean” and I am filled with joy. This harmony is not common among nations. My hope for Guinea is that among each other they can build the democracy Mr. Obama spoke of and use the harmony they have among each other to their advantage. This is their strength; they do not know to use it. Mr. Obama speaks here about common humanity and I feel Guineans do have a strong sense of this respect. Muslims live side-by-side with Christians; Malankes and Pules can live in the same neighborhood. I know very few Guineans that speak less than French and two local languages. The problem is poor governance; living in peace and security, accessing education and opportunity – the barrier to all of this is the corruption and lack of priority by the government.
Of course I say this with many of the gender equity issues in the back of my mind, but there is a true harmonious feeling that I know is unique and hard to change if a place lacks. No money and foreign aid could have built what they have.
“We are all God’s children” is something Guineans do feel and is evident in the way they treat one another and strangers. I like how Mr. Obama references God in his speech; for Africans, the idea of living your life without a belief in God is absurd, and the longer I am here the more I don’t understand my atheist co-volunteers. Appealing to Africans with a reference to God’s children makes a lot of sense in this context.
…I am particularly speaking to the young people all across Africa…here is what you must know: The world will be what you make of it. You have the power to hold your leaders accountable, and to build institutions that serve the people. You can serve in your communities, and harness your energy and education to create new wealth and build new connections to the world. You can conquer disease, and end conflicts, and make change from the bottom up. You can do that. Yes you can – because in this moment, history is on the move. But these things can only be done if all of you take responsibility for your future. And it won’t be easy. It will take time and effort. These will be suffering and setbacks. But I promise you this: America will be with you every step of the way – as a partner, as a friend. Opportunity won’t come from any other place, though. It must come from the decisions that all of you make, the things that you do, the hope that you hold in your heart.
I have a side that enjoys what some may call "cheesy" songs, quotes, or other cliché inspirational tidbits from Gandhi, Eleanor Roosevelt, Mark Twain, or any other often-quoted person. I think it is because I don’t have the words myself, and although the messages are simply stated, I find them necessary when I lose my optimistic spirit about justice, change, and progress. Great men and women have done many remarkable things and their words to me are inspiration. This closing statement by Mr. Obama is my new inspiration. I want to hang it in my classroom for my students back in the village. They love Barack Obama, and here he is speaking directly to them and that is just really cool. I couldn’t agree more with what he is saying, and for the youth of Guinea, it is going to be a long struggle. Their whole lives could be spent fighting for a democracy that will lead to opportunity for their future children. I really love how “America will be with you every step of the way – as a partner, as a friend.” I think about how a Guinean would interpret this word “friend,” and how here love to hold the hands of their friends. I don’t think that’s what Mr. Obama had in mind, but maybe holding the hand of a friend when they need it and knowing when to let go. I feel lucky that for these two years, I have the chance to represent America in this truly unique context. I’ve started the “where will I be a year from now” thought process, and know that no matter what I do or where I go, nothing will offer the chance to live in the village and teach students in this context.
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