Bending it with Wa-benda

Dear Friend,
Let history be the judge of all the events
I would like to thank those among you who have been responding to this correspondence regarding the Issue of Ivory Coast, thank you to all of you, for your encouragement, for your criticism and also to those who have been able to read our paper, and later realised that we have been lied to by those whom we trusted with our wellbeing.
I would like to start by saying that it seems to be humanly impossible, to imagine how the Ivorian President Laurent Gbagbo will get out of this situation, which has been created by the French and the so called “International Community”. They set up a trap for this modern day freedom fighter and they seem to have won. But in this process we learnt that many young patriots fought and defended their country with no weapon but stones and rocks. Sad to say numerous lost their lives at the hands of the rebels and the French army. They will not be forgotten, they are heroes of time, they are comparable to the June 16 Generation of South African youths. These young people died for a noble cause which was to see Ivoirians able to decide their own fate and not keep on being a puppet of France.
Their heroic sacrificed led by the street general Charles Ble Goude reminds me of the last words left by the South African freedom fighter, Solomon Mahlangu “My blood will nourish the tree that will bear the fruits of freedom. Tell my people that I love them. They must continue the fight”. Solomon was hanged by the South African apartheid government but his words still ring true today and brings to the fore that these Ivoirian young patriots didn’t just die for Ivory Coast but for all of Africa.

The blood of those young people seems to have been spilled in vain and their sacrifice unwise, it is evident by the way in which the world ridicules the leaders of this new revolution. But their actions have planted an inexpressible feeling in the heart of many. Many are joining the ranks of those freedom fighters. Tired of poverty, tired of crony governments, tired of joblessness and tired of the neo colonialist agenda, that which has enriched a few and harmed many. Now my country needs to be free and its people now know the price of freedom.
The resolution that those young people took was, “rather be die poor and free than live in slavery” it is a solemn oath which all African youth takes. Total freedom now is the slogan of the revolution. For the many of us who will fall on the way side, our hope and prayer should be that our death will lead many more answering the call of duty for a free and prosperous Africa.
Pr. Gbagbo incarcerated in a presidential palace, humiliated by all, just like Lumumba, his own people sacrificed him on the altar of the sold for a dime. But also just like Lumumba, history will judge and give reason where it’s due.
To the people of Ivory Coast, don’t be down, take up courage, dust yourself up for the journey is long and the war is not lost. It is in hard times that true heroes arise and you are a heroic people.
Long live Ivory Coast
Long Live Congo
Long live Africa
Jonah W. Tshilenga