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Gaddafi says Africa should have
continental army
Reuters
Thursday April 5, 2007
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi urged Africa on Wednesday to form
a unified continental army to defend its interests, and he said
former colonial powers should pay compensation for the raw materials
they had extracted.
In a fiery speech at a military parade in Dakar marking Senegal's
National Day, Gaddafi said African nations had the right to demand
reparations from their former colonial masters for the diamonds,
gold and other resources they had "pillaged".
Military and political unity would help Africa resist any attempts
to re-colonise it, the Libyan leader said.
"If we manage to unify all of Africa's armies in a single
army, Africa will have such power," Gaddafi said, wearing a
double-breasted white jacket with medal ribbons pinned on the left
and a green outline of Africa emblazoned on the right.
"We must be strong so as not to be an easy prey for the colonisers,"
said the Libyan leader, standing beside Senegalese President Abdoulaye
Wade who was sworn in for a second term in office on Tuesday after
winning elections last month.
While Gaddafi advocated a mighty African army, a top African Union
official in Sudan appealed for better logistical support and weapons
for the struggling, overstretched AU peacekeeping force serving
in Sudan's violence-torn Darfur region.
Gaddafi, who often portrays himself as a champion of African unity,
said the thousands of Africans who tried to migrate to Europe each
year were merely following the route of the natural riches shipped
out of Africa by European ex-colonial powers.
"Today, they contest our departure for Europe, they say it's
illegal migration ... after they came from Europe and elsewhere
to occupy Africa ... was that legal?" he added, speaking through
an interpreter.
"They have left us in poverty. They have carried off our resources
and raw materials to their countries ... so we want to go after
them, or they should send them back ... in the form of compensation
for their colonisation of Africa," Gaddafi said.
Suggesting that racism coloured Europe's view of Africa, the Libyan
leader added: "Who says white is better than black?".
"Both black and white cows give white milk," he said,
before finishing his speech with a revolutionary slogan borrowed
from the guerrilla legend Che Guevara: "The struggle continues.
Ever onwards unto victory!".
INFOWARS:
BECAUSE THERE'S A WAR ON FOR YOUR MIND
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