From: almas haile (almashaile@yahoo.fr)
Date: Fri Aug 21 2009 - 02:58:36 EDT
Dr.R.RASHIDI is a renowned historian on Africa and Africans in antiquity. I read Dr. RASHIDI's and the late IVAN VAN SERTIMA's books (African Women in Antiquity, They Came Before Colombus, African Presence in Early Asia etc) twenty years ago. Dr. RASHIDI came to Eritrea in order to visit the Pre-Axoumit archeological sites. Ofcourse, he is old enough to understand that culture and traditions do not change overnight, inspite the efforts made by the government during the liberation struglge to present day.
Native-Indians in America were exterminated by the whites, and those who survived, were only good enough to be kept in reserves, just like wild beasts in a zoo. Unlike the Native-Indians, African-Americans fought and won so many battles against enslavement, discrimination and injustice. People like F.DOUGLAS, W.E.DUBOIS, G.PADMORE, M.GARVY, KING are some of the so many African-Americans who fought for their rights. The same system that exterminated the Native Indians in the past, is detaining so many African-Americans in prison today. But I also know that personalities like ANGELA DAVIS and some other progressive activists are courageously fighting against this particular injustice.
But one wonders why Mr. MOUNTAIN is so irritated and disturbed by Dr. RASHIDI's visit to Eritrea. And please keep your racist and paternalistic appraoches away from Africa in general and Eritrea in particular.
Almaz G/AMLAK
Asmara