Africa thread---what Bush put the civilans through

[Capn Sunshine]

Africa thread a couple of days late, Carlos. This crossed my desk today:
one of my friends who just spent a year studying in Africa forwarded this on
to me, it's from one of her friends there. i thought you would find it
interesting.

see you soon

~Chaundra

>Sent: Tuesday, July 08, 2003 12:44 PM

>
>Subject: Bush's visit to Senegal
>
>Dearest friends,
>
>As you probably know, this week George Bush is visiting Africa. Starting
>with Senegal, he arrived this morning at 7.20 PM and left at 1.30 PM. This
>visit has been such an ordeal that a petition is being circulated for this
>Tuesday July 8th be named Dependency Day.
>
>Let me share with you what we have been through since last week.
>
>1- Arrests: more than 1,500 persons have been arrested and put in jail
>between Thursday and Monday. Hopefully they will be released now that the
>Big Man is gone
>
>2- The US Army's planes flying day and night over Dakar. The noise they
>make is so loud that one hardly sleeps at night
>
>3- About 700 security people from the US for Bush's security in Senegal,
>with their dogs, and their cars. Senegalese security forces were not
>allowed to come near the US president
>
>4- All trees in places where Bush will pass have been cut. Some of them
>have more than 100 years
>
>5- All roads going down town (where hospitals, businesses, schools are
>located) were closed from Monday night to Tuesday at 3 PM. This means that
>we could not go to our offices or schools. Sick people were also obliged
>to stay at home.
>
>6- National exams for high schools that started on Monday are postponed
>until Wednesday.
>
>Bush's visit to the Goree Island is another story. As you may know Goree
>is a small Island facing Dakar where from the 15th to the 19th century,
>the African slaves to be shipped to America were parked in special houses
>called slave houses. One of these houses has become a Museum to remind
>humanity about this dark period and has been visited by kings, queens,
>presidents. Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton, and before them, Nelson
>Mandela, the Pope, and many other distinguished guests or ordinary
>tourists visited it without bothering the islanders. But for "security
>reasons" this time, the local population was chased out of their houses
>from 5 to 12 AM. They were forced by the American security to leave their
>houses and leaves everything open, including their wardrobes to be
>searched by special dogs brought from the US.
>
>The ferry that links the island to Dakar was stopped and offices and
>businesses closed for the day.
>
>According to an economist who was interviewed by a private radio, Senegal
>that is a very poor country has lost huge amount of money in this visit,
>because workers have been prevented from walking out of their homes.
>
>In addition to us being prevented to go out, other humiliating things
>happened also. Not only Bush did not want to be with Senegalese he also
>did not want to use our things. He brought his own armchairs, and of
>course his own cars, and meals and drinks. He came with his own
>journalists and ours were forbidden inside the airport and in places he
>was visiting.
>
>Our president was not allowed to make a speech. Only Bush spoke when he
>was in Goree. He spoke about slavery. It seems that he needs the vote of
>the African American to be elected in the next elections, and wanted to
>please them. That's why he visited Goree.
>
>Several protest marches against American politics have been organized
>yesterday and even when Bush was here, but we think he does not care.
>
>We have the feeling that everything has been done to convince us that we
are
>nothing, and that America can behave the way it wants, everywhere, even in
>our country.
>
>Believe me friends, it is a terrible feeling. But according to a Ugandan
>friend of mine, I should not complain because in Uganda, one of the
>country he is going to visit, Bush does not intend to go out of the
>airport. He will receive the Ugandan President in the airport lounge.
>
>Nevertheless, I think I am lucky, because I have such wonderful American
>friends. But there are now thousands of Senegalese who believe that for
>all Americans the world is their territory.
>
>Love to you all
>
>Codou