>APIC: Note to Readers >Date distributed (ymd): 000614 >APIC Document > >Introductory note: > >The letter below, from new APIC director Salih Booker, has just >been mailed out to APIC members. Many of you who receive these >postings have already sent in membership contributions this year. >We appreciate your support. > >The postings in our electronic distribution list are free to APIC >members and non-members alike, as are the additional resources on >our web site (http://www.africapolicy.org). Those of you who chose >to contribute make it possible for us to continue and expand the >impact of our work, to make information serve the cause of justice >for Africa. > >Thank you very much for your attention. > >********************************************************* > >June 13, 2000 > >Dear Friend, > >Africa is facing a deadly plague while the prosperous western >countries spend huge amounts of money on finding cures for >baldness and obesity. Africans have been far more affected by >the AIDS pandemic than people in any other part of the world. > >This crisis is a stark reminder of the double standard which has >marginalized African lives for the past five hundred years, and >which now divides the world between rich and poor. Unless rich >countries take their responsibility to fight AIDS and poverty in >Africa, this new century will witness only a deepening of the >divide between the global haves and have-nots, with devastating >results for humankind. > >The White House has recently declared HIV/AIDS a threat to US >national security (see the report distributed electronically by >APIC last month http://www.africapolicy.org/docs00/nie0005.htm). >Yet the Clinton Administration is requesting only $254 million from >Congress to combat this devastating disease worldwide! This >ridiculously puny figure is 1/1000th of the administration's >request for the Pentagon this year. > >Most African countries are deeply in debt to international >financial institutions and rich creditor nations. The average >African government spends more money per year to pay its foreign >debts than on national health care. Early gains in healthcare in >the sixties have been all but reversed by the rigid free-market >policies imposed by international creditors in the eighties. > >Last week the World Health Organization released a report >indicating that "healthy life expectancy in some African >countries is dropping to levels we haven't seen in advanced >countries since medieval times." I am sure you agree with us >that the U.S. must pay its fair share of greater international >efforts to support improved healthcare systems in Africa. But >until the American public is better informed and more engaged in >shifting US policy priorities, Africa will remain neglected. > >That's where we come in. If you use one of APIC's electronic >services such as the e-mail distribution list, the web site, or >are among the members of the Advocacy Network on Africa, for >which we serve as communications facilitator, you are already >well aware of our work to increase the visibility of critical >African issues and to provide information for activism on US >policies. > >These and other APIC efforts help fight the ignorance that still >prevails among rich-country policymakers and publics. These >efforts also support coalitions and campaigns working to change >US and international policies. We need to strengthen our work >and we need your support to do so now! > >We are busy connecting organizations and activists in the US, >Africa and elsewhere. We provide a strategic information >exchange, we support the work of key networks on African issues >and we promote dialogue and debate. Our focused use of >electronic communications technology helps to multiply the impact >of the wide range of collective efforts that are essential to >dent the entrenched indifference to Africa in policy circles. > >In recent months (as always!) we have kept our readership >abreast of key political and economic developments in Africa >including the passage of the African Trade Bill, the lack of >progress on canceling Africa's debt, and the half-hearted US >response to conflicts in Sierra Leone and elsewhere. Our work is >intended not only to inform and educate, but to provide >information for action! With your support APIC has made a >difference in the past several years in many different ways. > >* APIC's publications, personal networking and electronic >communications played a key role in facilitating greater >participation by African partners in the Campaign to Ban >Landmines. This in turn helped African governments to play a >leading role in negotiating a comprehensive treaty free of >exceptions, and contributed to the unprecedented success this >movement had in moving an international treaty process to >conclusion. > >* In the campaign to end the illegal exploitation of diamonds and >other natural resources that prolong the conflict in Angola, >APIC's early input on research and framing, and its >dissemination of information on this issue through e-mail, the >web, and to members of Congress, made a very substantial >contribution. While the issue is far from resolved, the United >Nations commission on violations of sanctions and the declaration >by the De Beers company that it will not purchase diamonds from >"conflict areas" show that this campaign is having an impact. >Moreover, it has paved the way for a similar campaign focusing on >Sierra Leone's diamonds and war. > >* APIC's electronic networking services as a facilitator for the >Advocacy Network on Africa (ADNA) made it possible for this group >to expand from approximately 100 organizations in 1997 (the vast >majority in Washington) to more than 200 organizations by April >2000, almost one third outside of Washington. This would not have >happened without APIC's contribution. ADNA is now becoming a >powerful vehicle for organizing efforts to change US and >international policies toward Africa. > >* APIC's recently concluded electronic roundtable in >partnership with the Economic Commission for Africa showcased >debates on issues such as debt and development among some of >Africa's brightest and most creative thinkers and writers as well >as US Africanists. The roundtable was yet another reflection of >how we are ensuring that authentic African voices and debates are >heard in the US and around the world. > >* APIC has played a vital role in the international movement to >cancel poor countries' debts. The vast majority of impoverished >nations needing debt relief are African. APIC's Africa's Debt >Background Paper met a real need in the movement for a broad, >meticulously researched and yet popularly written overview of >African countries' debt burden, its impact on ordinary Africans' >lives, and what Africans think about this problem. APIC has >highlighted the work of its partner, the Africa Fund, in >mobilizing African American state and local legislators and >churches to demand the cancellation of these illegitimate debts, >which hold Africa back and deny her children their rightful >development and progress! > >We have a great deal of work to do and we're developing ways to >improve our -- and your -- effectiveness. In this spirit, the >Board of Directors of APIC recently voted to pursue a merger with >the Africa Fund and the American Committee on Africa (ACOA) based >in New York City. This will increase our collective capacity to >make a difference in public discourse on Africa and in US >policies toward Africa. We hope that we can count on your >continuing support as we work to bring this decision to fruition. >You can certainly count on us here at APIC to continue to provide >you with the information for action that you find useful. During >this period I will act as interim director for APIC and Africa >Fund/ACOA and I am extremely excited about the prospects. > >In the next several months we are going to increase pressure on >the US government to develop more progressive policies toward >Africa by working with grassroots activists and other strategic >sectors. We aim to help achieve the cancellation of Africa's >debts, an end to Africa's wars, and the promotion of fair trade >and sustainable human development in Africa. We seek nothing >less than an end to the GLOBAL APARTHEID that keeps Africa >marginalized in the world today > >I can't wait to hear from you! Your contribution will serve the >cause of justice for Africa. > >Thank you for your partnership. > >Sincerely, > > >Salih Booker >Director > >P.S. We appreciate the support you have provided to APIC in the >past. Please renew your support now. We must step up our >efforts to end global apartheid. If you can possibly afford it, >please make a contribution of $100 or more. You may also >contribute by credit card through our secure web site >(http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm). > >For additional information on APIC and APIC programs, please visit >our web site (http://www.africapolicy.org). > > >$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**BEGIN FORM**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$ >$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**BEGIN FORM**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$**$$ > code:em0006 > >How to Become an APIC Member or Renew Your Membership: > >(1) By credit card (Visa or Mastercard) > >You may submit your membership on our secure web site (go to >http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm). Or you may send in the form >below by e-mail to [log in to unmask], >by fax to 1-202-546-1545, or by post to >APIC, 110 Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 509, >Washington, DC 20002, USA. > >(2) By check or money order (in US$) > >Print out the membership form below or from the web >(http://www.africapolicy.org/join.htm). Fill it in and send it by >post, along with your check or money order, to APIC, 110 >Maryland Ave. NE, Suite 509, Washington, DC 20002, USA. > >Note: To return this form by e-mail, either "reply" with >message included or "copy and paste" to a new e-mail >message. Fill in the brackets with X or the appropriate >information. 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APIC provides accessible information and >analysis in order to promote U.S. and international policies toward >Africa that advance economic, political and social justice and the >full spectrum of human rights. > >Auto-response addresses for more information (send any e-mail >message): [log in to unmask] (about the Africa Policy >Electronic Distribution List); [log in to unmask] (about APIC). >Documents previously distributed, as well as a wide range of >additional information, are also available on the Web at: >http://www.africapolicy.org > >To be added to or dropped from the distribution list write to >[log in to unmask] > >Africa Policy Information Center, >110 Maryland Ave. NE, #509, Washington, DC 20002. >Phone: 202-546-7961. Fax: 202-546-1545. >E-mail: [log in to unmask] >************************************************************ > > > > ________________________________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free E-mail from MSN Hotmail at http://www.hotmail.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe/subscribe or view archives of postings, go to the Gambia-L Web interface at: http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/gambia-l.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------------