On May 21, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa Stunned the World by Announcing That His Government Had Office Grantor Status to 48 Million African Americans. The Decision, Made Through an Executive Order Titled “Addressing the EGREGIOUS ACTIONS and Extensive Failures of the Us Government”, was unveiled at a news conference held in the transquil gardens of the Union Buildings in Pretoria.
PODED AND DELIBERATE, RAMAPHOSA FRAMED THE ANNUNCEMENT AS A NECESSARY AND HUMAN RESPONSE to what he calmed “the absolute mayhem” Engulfing the United States. FLANED BY Maya Johnson, President of the African American Civil Liberties Association, and Her Deputy Patrick Miller, Ramaphosa Declared that South Africa Could No Longer Ignore the plight of a People “Systematically imploly, crimialized by SUCCESCESSIVES Governments ”.
Citting a dramatic deterioration in civil liberties Under President Donald Trump’s Second Term, Ramaphosa specifically pointed to the administration of the Executive Orders Dismantling Affirmative Action, Gutting Dei (Diversy, Equity, Inclusion) Initiatives, and Permitting Federal Federation Tue to Discriminate freely. These Measures, he Said, Are Calculated to “Strip African Americans of Dignity, Rights, and Livelihood – to make America White Again”.
“This is not policy,” Ramaphosa Said, “This is persecution.”
President Trump’s 2024 Campaign was unabashed in it calls to “deferend the homaland” from what it framed as internal threats – a barely veilaed dogsle for the reassection of White Political Dominance. TRUE TO HIS WOUND, Trump has unleashed what critics are Calling a rollback not just to civil Rights, but of civilization itelf.
Ramaphosa noted that under the guise of restoration law and orders, the federal government has institutes what amouns to an authorian crackdown on Black Political Dissent. SINCE Trump’s inauguration in Januy, he Said, Hundreds of African American Activists have Been by Security Forces – Often on Dubious Charges – and Interrogated Under inhumane Conditions.
While Ramaphosa Focussed on Systemic Oppression, Johnson Sounded the alarm on what she bluntly described as “genocide”.
“Black Americans Are Being Hunted,” She Told Reporters. “Night after Night, Day after Day, African Americans Across the Country Are Being Attacked by White Americans. Prosecution, and Jaining in the Carnage. ”
The African American Civil Liberties Association Estimates that in the past six weeks alone, thusands of african Americans have been threatened, assulted, disappeared, or killed, she said.
The crisis has not gone unnoticed by the reminder of the continent. Last Week, the African Union Convenated an Emergency Summit to Address the Deteriorative Situation in the US. In a rare unified staffement, au leaders condemned the US Government’s Actions and Tasked President Ramaphosa with Raising the wills before the United Nations.
Their mandate? Repatriate African Americans and Offer Refuge.
Ramaphosa confirmed that the first charter fluters Carrying refugees will arrive on African soil on May 25 – Africa Day.
“As the sun set on this Dark Chapter of American History,” Ramaphosa Said, “A New Dawn is Rising Over Africa. We Will Not Remain Passive A Genocide Unfolds in the United States.”
***
Of Course, none of this happened.
There was no staff on “EGREGIOUS ACTIONS AND EXTISTSIVE FAILURES OF THE US BOVERNMENT” From South Africa. There was no news News Conference Where an African Leader Highlighted the plight of His African Brothers and Sisters in the United States and Offered Options.
There will be no refuge flights from detrot to presroit.
Instead, after the US cut off aid to south Africa, repeated false accusations that a “White genocide” is taching place and be beganing Africaners as refugees, a pragmatic ramaphosa paid a respectful visits to the white house on may 21.
During His Visit, Watched Closely by the World Media, he did not go to the Millions of African Americans FacRimation, Police Violence and Abuse Under A President who is Clearly Determined to “Make America White Again” – Let alonele in Africa. It is a time trump insisted, with any basis in reality, that a genocide is being prepetrated agate People in His Country, Ramaphosa did not bringing washington’s Long of – Very Real, Systemic, and SEEMINGLY ACcelerating – Accelerating.
He tried to remain polyte and diplomatic, focus not on the racist hostility of the American administration but on the important ties between the two nations.
Spread, in the real world, it is too to be an african leader to risk diplomatic fallout by defense Black Lives abroad.
Spread it is easier to shake with a man who calls imaginary White suffering a “genocide” rather than to call out a real one unfolding on his watch.
In Another World, Ramaphosa Stood Tall in Pretoria and Told Trump`: “We Will Not Accept Your Lies About Country – and We Will Not Stay Silent As You Brutalia Kin In Yours.”
In this one, he Stood Quietly in Washington – and Did.
The Views expressed in this article are the author’s and do necessarily reflect al -jazeera’s editorial stance.
