Ghana, General Debate, 66th Session
Bolivia, General Debate, 66th Session
21 September 2011
Address by His Excellency Evo Morales Ayma, Constitutional President of the Plurinational State of Bolivia at the General debate of the 66th Session of the General Assembly of the United Nations (New York, 21-24 and 26-30 September 2011)
Related website: http://gadebate.un.org/
Running time: 00:37:34
Language(s) available:
English
Original
COMMENT:
Kwesi Pratt On President Mills' Poor Performance At the UN
By Nana Akyea MensahFeature Article |
I was shocked and very angry to hear the speech of the President of Ghana at the 66th session of the UN General assembly the other day! Don't get me wrong. This is no criticism the NPP can even pretend to take advantage of because, it is obvious from the WikiLeaks revelation, that as Nana Akufo-Addo secretly put it to the US Ambassador, the NPP and the US are natural allies of the United States", they would have rubber-stamped all the whims and caprices of US imperialism.
"Ye nim NPP firi tete!" We all know how they were described by the CIA as being "pathetically Pro-Western"! Thus we know the NPP is incapable of doing better than President Mills on this issue. Even before the mass killings in the Ivory Coast and Libya began, Kwesi Pratt,Jnr., had already warned that the US was ready to kill Africans in its quest for oil, and the NPP is supporting them! See: "Kwesi Pratt Causes Fear And Panic In The NPP!" Part One: What Exactly Did Kwesi Say?, Feature Article | by Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro, Tuesday, November 30, 2010.
Thanks to the WikiLeaks revelations, we also know who are "the natural allies" of US imperialism in Ghana, and from the horse's own mouth:
"¶2.(C) A casually dressed Akufo-Addo met the Ambassador and POLOFF at the door of his well appointed Accra residence, on the edge of Accra's sprawling Nima neighborhood. Ambassador Teitelbaum said that the U.S. valued its relationship with the NPP, which he believed would someday return to power, and that the Embassy remained open to him. Akufo-Addo replied that the NPP was a natural ally of the U.S." See: Reference ID: 09ACCRA55, SUBJECT: AKUFO-ADDO SHARES POST-ELECTION THOUGHTS WITH AMBASSADOR TEITELBAUM.
And from the position of the NPP on the Ivorian crisis, on Libya, on Palestine etc., we know that Akufo-Addo's opinions are determined by the imperialists who pay this suspected wee-smoker. So this is clearly a criticism that only the CPP can take advantage of! And the NDC needs to get its act together, if they want us to see any difference between them and the NPP!
I wanted to attack the President's speech, but when I heard Kwesi Pratt on the air, I realized he had done all the job I wanted to do so the only thing left for me was a simple transcription. See: Mills' “free school uniforms” speech to UN disappointing - Pratt, From: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana, September 26, 2011.
And here is Mr. Pratt's take on the President's speech which so eloquently speaks my own mind and sense of disappointment:
Begin quote:
"To be very very honest with you, I am not impressed by the President's address at the United Nations. I am not impressed at all. This is the kind of speech you make to your national assembly, not at the UN General Assembly.
There is no global context of this speech. The United Nations is a world platform where you go and mobilize the world, you understand, on issues and so on. What are we saying at the United Nations?
"We have eliminated schools under trees. We are distributing free exercise books. We are distributing free school uniforms, and so on."
What has this got to do with the United Nations? So, to be honest with you, even though the issues the President raised are critical to the development of Ghana, they are issues not worth the attention they received at the UN General Assembly.
And indeed, just when we were coming, you were playing Nkrumah's speeches and so on, look at the difference! So something is wrong with the speech writers of the President, something is wrong with our Foreign Ministry, and something is wrong with developing a global perspective. And I think we should say it as it is. I am not impressed by this speech at all!
And yesterday, when I listened to the speech, I felt very uncomfortable you understand? Now, you compare the speech that our President gave, to speeches delivered by people like Evo Morales, and see the world attention, see how they grabbed the world attention and so on. Because they are discussing the world! They are discussing the problems of the world and how they see the world. We didn't!
We went there we were talking about distribution of free text books, free exercise book, free school uniforms, schools under trees and so on! I was not impressed at all!
Look, the organization of free and fair elections in Ghana is important. It is important for us, because if we do not organize free and fair elections in Ghana, we risk pushing our country to catastrophe and so on. So it it is absolutely important, but why the UN? Of course, the supply of free school uniforms is very important. It is a major social intervention and so on. But why the UN?
You know, all my other colleagues have spoken about key issues confronting the world today. Today the world is confronted with the bellicosity of imperialism. Today, the United Nations has become something which is in the back pockets of the United States of America. Today, on the basis of things which were found in the WikiLeaks and so on, the United States is killing hundreds of thousands of people across the globe! What is the stand of Ghana?
Do we mean that we have no stand? Are we afraid of the United States of America? Are we afraid of the imperialist powers? What is wrong with us? Look at the bellicosity of imperialism! Look at the ravaging recklessness of imperialism and so on! And we go and talk about free school uniforms!
It's incredible. I must say with all honesty that I was not impressed with this speech. One of the key issues being decided at the United Nations is whether or not the Palestinians are entitled and should be given a seat at the UN. This is a crucial issue. And it is an issue of national liberation! Why? You declare Founder's Day in Ghana. What is Founder's Day? What makes Founder's Day so relevant if it is not our commitment to national liberation, our commitment for the struggle against colonialism?
And yet what is happening in Palestine is that there is harsh colonial occupation, colonial occupation of Palestinian land! It is about racism and so on. Indeed the Organization of African Unity in the 1970s equated Zionism with Apartheid. you understand, equated Zionism with Apartheid! So why can't we be bold enough to join the worldwide movement against Zionism? Why can't we?
In any case, I find that a bit strange, why because, long ago in the 1980s, under the PNDC, Ghana recognized the State of Palestine. In those days, Ghana was one of the few countries which recognized the State of Palestine. And that is why Palestine has a diplomatic mission in Accra, a full diplomatic mission in Accra!
So we took the lead in recognizing the State of Palestine. How come that at this juncture, we are all running away and why? We are afraid of United States of America! And if we are afraid of the United States of America, where can we go? So it is important to bring this matter to the fore. It is absolutely important!
Now, look at what is happening around the world. Look at the thrust that is being directed at countries like Iran and so on, and we are silent on it!"
End quote.
Surely, our President could have done far better than this! I promised I would be joining the NDC just before the Sunyani Congress. I put that on hold. I can see some action at the CPP front. Even though it is a lot of hot air and no substance, I am eager to give them a second chance. But for the CPP to become relevant, it is the CPP that ought to be making statements of the nature Kwesi just made.
So far, it is still very silent, as imperialism becomes more aggressive, more deadly, and far more arrogant than it has ever been even during the period of slavery and colonialism! Where is the CPP?
Forward Ever! Backwards Never!!!
Cheers!
Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheOdikro
Feature Articles: http://nanaakyeamensah.blogspot.com/
Comments: http://theodikro.blogspot.com/
"Ye nim NPP firi tete!" We all know how they were described by the CIA as being "pathetically Pro-Western"! Thus we know the NPP is incapable of doing better than President Mills on this issue. Even before the mass killings in the Ivory Coast and Libya began, Kwesi Pratt,Jnr., had already warned that the US was ready to kill Africans in its quest for oil, and the NPP is supporting them! See: "Kwesi Pratt Causes Fear And Panic In The NPP!" Part One: What Exactly Did Kwesi Say?, Feature Article | by Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro, Tuesday, November 30, 2010.
Thanks to the WikiLeaks revelations, we also know who are "the natural allies" of US imperialism in Ghana, and from the horse's own mouth:
"¶2.(C) A casually dressed Akufo-Addo met the Ambassador and POLOFF at the door of his well appointed Accra residence, on the edge of Accra's sprawling Nima neighborhood. Ambassador Teitelbaum said that the U.S. valued its relationship with the NPP, which he believed would someday return to power, and that the Embassy remained open to him. Akufo-Addo replied that the NPP was a natural ally of the U.S." See: Reference ID: 09ACCRA55, SUBJECT: AKUFO-ADDO SHARES POST-ELECTION THOUGHTS WITH AMBASSADOR TEITELBAUM.
And from the position of the NPP on the Ivorian crisis, on Libya, on Palestine etc., we know that Akufo-Addo's opinions are determined by the imperialists who pay this suspected wee-smoker. So this is clearly a criticism that only the CPP can take advantage of! And the NDC needs to get its act together, if they want us to see any difference between them and the NPP!
I wanted to attack the President's speech, but when I heard Kwesi Pratt on the air, I realized he had done all the job I wanted to do so the only thing left for me was a simple transcription. See: Mills' “free school uniforms” speech to UN disappointing - Pratt, From: Myjoyonline.com/Ghana, September 26, 2011.
And here is Mr. Pratt's take on the President's speech which so eloquently speaks my own mind and sense of disappointment:
Begin quote:
"To be very very honest with you, I am not impressed by the President's address at the United Nations. I am not impressed at all. This is the kind of speech you make to your national assembly, not at the UN General Assembly.
There is no global context of this speech. The United Nations is a world platform where you go and mobilize the world, you understand, on issues and so on. What are we saying at the United Nations?
"We have eliminated schools under trees. We are distributing free exercise books. We are distributing free school uniforms, and so on."
What has this got to do with the United Nations? So, to be honest with you, even though the issues the President raised are critical to the development of Ghana, they are issues not worth the attention they received at the UN General Assembly.
And indeed, just when we were coming, you were playing Nkrumah's speeches and so on, look at the difference! So something is wrong with the speech writers of the President, something is wrong with our Foreign Ministry, and something is wrong with developing a global perspective. And I think we should say it as it is. I am not impressed by this speech at all!
And yesterday, when I listened to the speech, I felt very uncomfortable you understand? Now, you compare the speech that our President gave, to speeches delivered by people like Evo Morales, and see the world attention, see how they grabbed the world attention and so on. Because they are discussing the world! They are discussing the problems of the world and how they see the world. We didn't!
We went there we were talking about distribution of free text books, free exercise book, free school uniforms, schools under trees and so on! I was not impressed at all!
Look, the organization of free and fair elections in Ghana is important. It is important for us, because if we do not organize free and fair elections in Ghana, we risk pushing our country to catastrophe and so on. So it it is absolutely important, but why the UN? Of course, the supply of free school uniforms is very important. It is a major social intervention and so on. But why the UN?
You know, all my other colleagues have spoken about key issues confronting the world today. Today the world is confronted with the bellicosity of imperialism. Today, the United Nations has become something which is in the back pockets of the United States of America. Today, on the basis of things which were found in the WikiLeaks and so on, the United States is killing hundreds of thousands of people across the globe! What is the stand of Ghana?
Do we mean that we have no stand? Are we afraid of the United States of America? Are we afraid of the imperialist powers? What is wrong with us? Look at the bellicosity of imperialism! Look at the ravaging recklessness of imperialism and so on! And we go and talk about free school uniforms!
It's incredible. I must say with all honesty that I was not impressed with this speech. One of the key issues being decided at the United Nations is whether or not the Palestinians are entitled and should be given a seat at the UN. This is a crucial issue. And it is an issue of national liberation! Why? You declare Founder's Day in Ghana. What is Founder's Day? What makes Founder's Day so relevant if it is not our commitment to national liberation, our commitment for the struggle against colonialism?
And yet what is happening in Palestine is that there is harsh colonial occupation, colonial occupation of Palestinian land! It is about racism and so on. Indeed the Organization of African Unity in the 1970s equated Zionism with Apartheid. you understand, equated Zionism with Apartheid! So why can't we be bold enough to join the worldwide movement against Zionism? Why can't we?
In any case, I find that a bit strange, why because, long ago in the 1980s, under the PNDC, Ghana recognized the State of Palestine. In those days, Ghana was one of the few countries which recognized the State of Palestine. And that is why Palestine has a diplomatic mission in Accra, a full diplomatic mission in Accra!
So we took the lead in recognizing the State of Palestine. How come that at this juncture, we are all running away and why? We are afraid of United States of America! And if we are afraid of the United States of America, where can we go? So it is important to bring this matter to the fore. It is absolutely important!
Now, look at what is happening around the world. Look at the thrust that is being directed at countries like Iran and so on, and we are silent on it!"
End quote.
Surely, our President could have done far better than this! I promised I would be joining the NDC just before the Sunyani Congress. I put that on hold. I can see some action at the CPP front. Even though it is a lot of hot air and no substance, I am eager to give them a second chance. But for the CPP to become relevant, it is the CPP that ought to be making statements of the nature Kwesi just made.
So far, it is still very silent, as imperialism becomes more aggressive, more deadly, and far more arrogant than it has ever been even during the period of slavery and colonialism! Where is the CPP?
Forward Ever! Backwards Never!!!
Cheers!
Nana Akyea Mensah, The Odikro
Twitter: http://twitter.com/TheOdikro
Feature Articles: http://nanaakyeamensah.blogspot.com/
Comments: http://theodikro.blogspot.com/
