Africa

Obama warns S. Sudan against military coup (via AFP) President Barack Obama warned South Sudan on Saturday that Washington and its allies would cut aid to the country over any attempted military coup, amid growing fears of civil war. And top US diplomat John Kerry called South Sudanese President Salva… South Sudan (pop. 9 […]

Africa

Why are Christian Militias never “Christian Extremists”?

Juan Cole

(By Juan Cole) The dramatic events in the Central African Republic no doubt seem distant and complex for a North American audience. CAR is geographically as large as France, but with a population of only 4.5 million (similar to Lebanon or Costa Rica). It consists roughly of 25% Muslim, 25% Protestant Christian, 25% Catholic Christian, […]

Africa

After Mandela: Can Massacred South African Mine Workers get Justice?

Juan Cole

The summer, 2012, massacre of striking mine workers by South African police, which killed 44 persons and wounded at least 78, continues to wend its way through the South African system. The largest casualty toll was on August 16, 2012. The mine is owned by Lonmin and is located in Marikana. South Africa is seeing […]

Africa

Can Mandela’s Truth and Reconciliation Heal the Middle East?

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole Every transition from an authoritarian government to democracy is different. Some go relatively smoothly (Poland, South Korea). Others are rocky (Taiwan, Bosnia, Tunisia). In some instances, authoritarianism reasserts itself to a lesser (Russia) or greater (Ukraine, Egypt) extent. In some cases, the country falls into chaos (Iraq, Yugoslavia). What to do with […]

Africa

The Mandela Problem of the AWM Wing of the GOP

Juan Cole

The US Republican Party has become the party of the angry white man (AWM) in the United States, which is a large part of the reason it has had trouble winning presidential elections. There are more female than male voters, and if you add white females to Asians, Latinos, African-Americans, gays and agnostics, you have […]

Africa

Today’s South Africa by the Numbers (with Photos)

Juan Cole

Population of South Africa: 51 million (slightly larger than South Korea) Annual Gross Domestic Product (nominal): $384 billion (in neighborhood of Taiwan, Austria, UAE) Rank among world economies: 29 Rank among African economies: 1 Amount GDP has grown since end of white rule in 1994: 3 times Number of people added to middle class in […]

Africa

Photo of the Day: Apartheid South Africa Sign

Juan Cole

This sign is left over from Apartheid days and is preserved under an awning in downtown Johannesburg, South Africa as a reminder of what was. I photographed it in August, 2012. —— Related video: For more context, the BBC has a minute-and-a-half review of the horrible institution of Apartheid in South Africa:

Africa

Photo of the Day: Mandela Training in Algeria

Juan Cole

h/t Sami Ben Gharbia ‏@ifikra Nelson Mandela training with the Algerian Liberation Front in 1962. The Algerians fought an 8-year war, 1954-1962, to become independent from French imperialism, in the course of which between half a million and a million Algerians died (the population of the country was then 11 million). In 1962, South Africa […]

Africa

Mandela: We want equal Political Rights; When Protest was Outlawed, we chose Sabotage

Juan Cole

Mandela’s declaration to the court as his trial began in Pretoria at the Supreme Court of South Africa on April 20, 1964 I am the first accused. I hold a bachelor’s degree in arts and practised as an attorney in Johannesburg for a number of years in partnership with Oliver Tambo. I am a convicted […]