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A Close-Up View Os Third World Events"
I A Close-Up View Os Third World Events
.. .And What They Mean To You.
| ON THE INTERNATIONAL SCENE...
I The appearance of Swaziland’s distin-
I guished and bespectacled Minister of Agri-
I culture, the Honorable Abednigo K. Hlope,
( before the United Nations General Assem-
I bly this past fall in traditional dress (or
I what some had called “half naked”) was
infinitely more than a personal act of dar
ing.
Mr. Hlope’s chest and mid-section were
bare, except for native beads and pendants.
He wore a leopard skin short skirt and arm
bands of long animal hair.
His appearance in this manner was one
more major sign that the “emerging na
tions” are, indeed emerging... and that
they intend to be respected on their own
terms. One especially significant sign of
this strongly emergent stance was reflected
in the current demands of the Central Afri
can Herbalist and Traditional Medicine
Association of Central Africa to be granted
official recognition as medical practitioners
by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It would be difficult, to say the least, for
these more than 40,000 “medicine men”
(often called “witch doctors”) not to be
accorded some appropriate category of
recognition. Those familiar with their art
are mindful that their practices combine
some sound sociological insight, a percep
tive sense of psychology and some hard
nosed common sense health practices. The
results, while not European in origination,
are perhaps most often strikingly effective.
Another more than passing bit of evi
dence of an emergent or an ascendant spirit
among the so-called developing nations is
the slow but steady authenticity given the
principle that the far too burdensome for
eign debts of most emerging nations should
be forgiven.
For years the major world powers viewed
this conviction, when enunciated in inter
national assemblies, as sheer impudence.
But the emerging nations persisted in devel
oping the idea that inordinate debt interest
could scarcely match any reasonable for
eign aid and also would make much-needed
foreign investments in mining or cultivating
crucially needed raw materials well-nigh
counter-productive.
This past year, the emerging nations have
begun to reap a promising harvest on their
persistent logic which was viewed not long
ago as hypocrisy and arrogance. Sweden
.led the way which other major powers are
mindful that they must follow in forgiving
S2OO million of debts owed by developing
nations. Even the United States, often slow
to move in the acceptance of the logic of
“lesser powers,” has begun to revise its
s formulas for foreign aid in a manner ap
proaching the spirit of “debt interest” and
“actual debt” forgiveness.
An even more telling sign of the ascen
dant influence of the emerging nations was
-a short-lived victory of a kind for these
, smaller and largely Third World nations in
- the highly controversial International La
r bor Organization (or ILO).
s
The ILO was a major holdover from the
old and ill-fated League of Nations. For
years it was dominated by the leading world
: powers; and the ILO sought, often success
fully, to impose European and American
i labor, health and other Western World
social theories upon the once impotent, but
presently emergent developing nations.
When the one-nation, one vote principle
t made it possible for large numbers of
> smaller nations to effectively control the
F ILO —even though this world body (as with
I the UN as a whole) has no actual powers—
some European nations became alarmed.
: Repeatedly, some major world powers have
I threatened to either cut off financial sup
i port or to withdraw from the ILO. There
had been a continuing debate in this regard
among members of the U.S. Congress.
The United States two years ago had
: served notice of its official intention to
' withdraw from the International Labor
Organization after it had roundly con
demned Israel as a nation inimical to world
peace. Sensitive observers knew that the
ostensible knock at Israel was in reality a
kick in the face for the United States. The
powers voting to condemn Israel were
largely friendly in their individual relations,
a fact indicative of the highly political
character of ILO operations.
By early fall, as the United States’ pro
jected withdrawal became imminent, Cabi
net committee meetings were held at the
White House to review the U.S. posture;
and recommendations were made for the
continued support of and participation in
the International Labor Organization by the
United States.
Meanwhile, the ILO had become—in the
minds of some—more cautious in its anti-
American stance. But the major world,
powers are by and large agreed now that
any world forum of nations must, as with
the unequally populated by equally repre
sented states in the U.S. Senate, each be
respectful of the other regardless of present
strengths or past traditions in regard to
fiscal or policy controls.
The prospect that the International
Labor Organization will continue to sur
vive and prosper is, then, another victory
for the emerging nations. It is their major
forum for the true voicing, in some of their
Have you liven to Operation PUSH, QIC. SCLC, NAACP or the local Urban League this month?
stated opinions, of the “one nation, one
voice” principle, at least in theory. For
many nations, authorized multiple seats are
occupied by labor, commerce and govern
ment.
The continued participation by the AFL
CIO and by the U.S. Chamber of Com
merce remained, for a time, in doubt. But
the principle of “open and equal” partici
pation in one of the longest established of
world bodies became one which even the
United States was willing to openly reject
.. .either as a possible “sop” to Israel or as
an Administration ploy to mollify a possibly
defected U.S. Congress.
ON THE NATIONAL SCENE...
—The White House... President Car
ter’s signing of a Department of Housing
and Urban Development measure provid
ing funds for the removal of urban physical
blight may do some image building for
some of our central city physical waste
lands. But for inner city residents a larger
question remains as to what may be done in
terms of human resource development.
If, as the most humane sentiment sug
gests, “cities are people,” the primary
focus in all urban rebuilding must be on the
people themselves... who may then create,
as they choose, their own proper or appro
priate physical environment.
Black Americans have been particularly
sensitive to the insensitive nature of physi-
Helps Shrink Swelling Os
Hemorrhoidal Tissues Due To
Inflammation. Relieves Pain & Itch...
Gives prompt temporary relief in many cases from
hemorrhoidal pain and burning itch in such tissues.
There’s an exclusive formula
tion which actuallyhelps shrink
the painful swelling of hemor
rhoidal tissues caused by infec
tion. In many cases the first
applications give prompt, tem
porary relief from itching and
pain in hemorrhoidal tissues.
The sufferer first notices re
lief from such painful discom
fort. Then this medication helps
to gently reduce swelling of
hemorrhoidal tissues. Tests con
ducted by doctors on hundreds
of patients in New York City,
Washington, D.C. and at a Mid-
New National BLACK MONITOR ■ February, 1978
cal (or urban renewal) programs emanating |u/
from Washington. Black Americans are ||||
increasingly of the opinion that blacks must ||||
control, that is “own” their own environ- ||||
ments, including especially—or most par
ticularly—their own homes.
One of the major themes of the late
Honorable Elijah Mohammad (of doubt- tart
less blessed memory!) was that black
Americans must engage in independent _
"nation building.” “This must begin,” he
repeatedly emphasized, “with the owner
ship of our own homes.”
H
In this sense, black Americans perhaps
must consider a call for a halt in all urban |
housing which does not involve some form 2«
of occupant ownership and control, whe-
ther individually (as in a condominium) or
collectively (as in a cooperative).
55
That reduced maintenance costs of 200 tart
percent of building value could be effected F*
within a 20 to 30 year span with occupant
ownership rather than rentership has been
evident since the early 1960’5. Urban hous-
ing clearance by any method may sound
good to some politicians and social theor- Ms
ists on paper. But the tragic fact is that 2|
urban renewal has meant far fewer black
home owners in 1977 than in 1947 while
white home ownership has soared.
It has been an old and apt adage that he ST
or she who owns his own home has do- w J
minion where he or she may live and has a
disproportionately high investment of a
long range nature in one’s community, r*?
state and nation. R
Renters put out as little as they can and
seek to gain for that little as much as they
possibly can. This is nothing short of a
parasitic posture. Home owners make an H|||
(Continued on page 13.) Kg.
west Medical Center showed
this to be true in many cases.
The medication used by
doctors in these tests was
Preparation H*— the same ex
clusive formula you can buy
at any drug counter without a
prescription. Preparation H
also lubricates the affected area
to protect the inflamed, irri
tated surface and so helps make
bowel movements more com
fortable.
There is no other formula like
Preparation H. In ointment or
suppository form.
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