AJF:Newsletter[quarterly]"Africa NOW" No.91

Africa Japan Forum (AJF) works with African People for African People's better life.

Africa NOW No.91

Issued on May 31, 2011 by Africa Japan Forum (AJF)

Special Topic: Getting a hint through books on Africa

The Football World Cup made year 2010 a year of Africa in Japan and many books on the World Cup, South Africa and African issues were published. Our members and friends read some of those books and got hints in understanding of Africa, international cooperation and development theories. This issue of “Africa Now” features the hints that they recieved.

pp.3-8 My South Africa, writing “60 chapters for understanding South Africa”, by MINE Yoichi, MAKINO Kumiko, TSUYAMA Naoko, KOYAMA Eriko, SATO Chizuko
Five authors of the book spoke their encounter with South Africa. One met anti-apartheid activists in the freshman year of the University and became an activist himself, one heard the song “Steve Biko” and became a dreamer of free South Africa, one was inspired by Swedish People’s support to anti-apartheid movements and became a staff of Africa National Congress’s Tokyo office, one met African AIDS patients in Tokyo and went to support to an AIDS hospice near Johannesburg, one studied the North-South problem and was interested in the South African land issues. What do you get from their words?

pp.9-15 TAKAHASHI Motoki’s Talk: Thinking about the bridge of area studies and development studies by tracing “Development and the State.”
Tahakashi points out the problems that the Structural Adjustment Programme had on African countries, tracing history of his thoughts which developed from empathy with the Third World Theory. He raised the question of “rational people” that neo-classical (neo-liberal) economists take for granted.

pp.16-18 Thinking from the book “My South Africa”, by KUSAKA Kana
The book written by Keiko Kusunose addresses power of entertainment like arts, music, and books as a mean to speak up for their rights and express their identity. Entertainments are a good way to get to know South Africa better, making it easier for us to think about its history and culture.

p.19 Book Review: Chris Chidume C. “LET THEM LIVE”, by TAI Yuko
The book vividly show discrimination and prejudice that HIV-positive people face through the eyes of the protagonist, Beatrice. Although people live normally as they used to live, tension between Beatrice and people around her seems to have changed.

Reports: Disabled People are traveling in Africa

pp.20-21 Joined in the research for “Main streaming and Empowerment of Persons with Disabilities in Africa”, by FURIHATA Hiroaki
Furihata describes the powerful civil society working for disabled people and infrastructure that is still not friendly to the disabled. Although there are many individual barrier-free buildings, the infrastructure and vehicles are not good enough to connect these buildings. In Africa, civil societies are actively appealing their governments for a change.

pp.22-23 Rwanda gave me a key to new life, by SODA Natsuki
In her blossom years, a disease has taken away SODA of her smooth walk and smile. But meetings and talking with Rwandan disabled people and their efforts to stand up in the world against discrimination gave her a key to new life.

4th cover "Hitotsu no musubime toshite" ( "To readers" in English) and daily report
Information from the secretariat of AJF to readers.

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