This photo of a French Foreign Legion soldier, part of the invasion of Mali, shows the real face of that war.
That war is not “against Al Qaeda terrorism” (supported by the French government in Libya, and still in Syria). It is not for women’s rights, human rights or secularism.
It is in support of a military dictatorship.
It brings death, mainly to Malian civilians.
This war is a neo-colonial war.
The French Foreign Legion became infamous in the nineteenth century for its atrocities while imposing colonial rule in Algeria and elsewhere. Now, it plays a role in twenty-first century neo-colonialism as well.
While the Dutch government are preaching “austerity” to their citizens, they are planning to spend lots of money on neo-colonial war in Mali.
Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:
Thursday 12 Dec 2013, 18:34
The [Dutch] Lower House of parliament as expected has supported the decision to send 368 troops to Mali. …
Only the PVV, the Socialist Party and the Party for the Animals are against it. The PVV thinks that it is Islamic countries’ turn to supply troops.
It is a bit ironic that the PVV, Geert Wilders‘ xenophobic party, now suddenly has faith in Muslim soldiers. In the PVV ideology, all Muslims are equally absolute evil and supposedly all of them are al-Qaeda … still, now only they are supposed to do the dying for, mainly French, neo-colonial interests.
The SP and the Party for the Animals are afraid that sending troops will only lead to even more unrest in Mali.
Related articles
- Sorting out Mali isn’t our job, France says (trust.org)
- AP Finds Bodies of 6 After Ethnic Killings in Mali (abcnews.go.com)
- Mali, Tuaregs fault France on failing peace talks (trust.org)
- Mali dictator victims’ mass grave discovered (dearkitty1.wordpress.com)
- Dutch Sending 368 Peacekeeping Troops to Mali (matthewaid.com)
- Tuaregs declare return to war against Mali army (modernghana.com)
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Mali gold miners walk-out
Mineworkers at AngloGold Ashanti, Mali, a South African listed gold mining company, began a five day strike on Monday. The strikers at Sadiola and Yatela mines are demanding improved redundancy payments for laid off workers.
The company stopped mining at the Yatela mine and shelved plans for expansion at the Sadiola mine last year. The company says this in response to the price of gold falling from $1920 an ounce to $1275 an ounce and increased production costs. The Secretary General of the civil, engineering and energy labour confederation, Afousenyi Toure said that 70 percent of employees at Sadiola and 90 percent at Yatela had come out by noon on Monday.
Around 2,000 workers are employed at the two mines. The union is asking for 36 months’ salary and one million CFA francs ($2100) for medical expenses for each laid-off worker. The company is offering two months and 10 days pay for each worker.
http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2014/02/14/wkrs-f14.html
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