Continuing the series that began in May, on 7 July the second World Humanist Forum discussion took place under the title “Is colonialism a thing of the past?
With the participation of people and collectives from different continents, the aim was to explore the modalities of domination that still allow the exploitation of ex-colonies to continue today and do not change the pattern of cultural supremacy that has been installed.
On the other hand, the previous analysis pointed to the various forms of segregation and inequality resulting from previous cycles of colonial violence, while highlighting how, in affluent societies, this continues to be reflected in the living conditions of migrant minorities and their descendants, who are now indigenous.
From Mozambique, the humanist activist Remigio Van Eys Chilaule introduced the session by pointing out that the intention of the activity was not only to deepen the diagnosis of the situation, but also to highlight what ordinary citizens can do to overcome it.
For his part, Javier Tolcachier, one of the Latin American editors of the Pressenza news agency, presented some questions as a possible framework for the debate and pointed out the coincidence of holding the activity on the day designated by UNESCO as the World Day of Kiswahili, one of the ten most spoken languages in the world.
The member of the Humanist Movement also recalled Silo’s intervention at the Forum “Humanism and the New World”, which was held in Mexico City on the same day 33 years ago.
The next speaker was the lawyer and journalist Florbela Malaquías, humanist member of the Angolan Parliament, who categorically affirmed that colonialism is not a thing of the past, but has been reconfigured to continue controlling former colonies without the need for direct territorial occupation.
Colonial powers maintain the dependence and subordination of former colonies through various economic, political, cultural, military and now even informational strategies, while continuing to exploit the natural resources and markets of former colonies, he said.
Malaquias pointed out how the economies of formerly colonised nations continue to rely on colonial-era structures, limited to the export of raw materials and the import of manufactured goods in a relationship of economic subordination that creates underdevelopment. Multinational companies from developed countries have set up operations in former colonies and control key economic sectors such as mining, oil and agriculture, to the detriment of local economies. She also explained how neo-colonialism manifests itself in financial dependency through the application of structural adjustment programmes by the IMF and World Bank, which force cuts in social spending and promote privatisation and economic liberalisation for the benefit of foreign investors and creditors.
Another aspect of neo-colonialism is so-called “development aid”, which is conditional on economic and social policies in line with the interests of the donors. Similarly, free trade agreements are another instrument that favours stronger economies by giving their products preferential access to former colonies, while imposing protectionist barriers on poorer countries.
Neo-colonial interference is also political, with former powers often supporting autocratic governments that privilege the interests of the former powers and perpetuate a system of governance at the expense of national interests. Local governments that seek to break with this established economic order are often subjected to direct intervention or coups d’état to maintain the neocolonial order.
The President of the Humanist Party of Angola also pointed out how the hegemony of cultural imperialism affects one’s own roots, creating a world view that prioritises its model of development and its values, through education, media and cultural institutions that promote the superiority of the values of the old Western powers and marginalise local traditions, customs, languages and knowledge, which is reflected in the loss of cultural identity. This is the perverse legacy of colonial rule that still persists, she stressed.
Another vestige that is difficult to eradicate is the social domination maintained by the hierarchies established by the colonisers, as well as the unequal distribution of resources and the exclusivity of power in the hands of minority elites formed during colonisation. They maintain their privileges, prevent the redistribution of wealth, undermine social cohesion and, in most cases, reproduce the policies of exploitation and oppression promoted by international financial institutions.
With regard to possible ways of overcoming these situations, Florbela Malaquías expressed the need for great solidarity, organisation and collective commitment, addressing the different manifestations of colonisation.
In order to overcome this colonial legacy and promote development, the first and most important measure would be mental and cultural decolonisation, which would mean valuing and revitalising local cultures and promoting the cultural identity of the younger generations through education that produces and transmits knowledge from an endogenous perspective, taking into account history, languages and national expressions, as well as local artistic and cultural expressions.
In the economic sphere, structural reforms must be envisaged to create more equitable systems based on internal development. Raw materials should be transformed into locally manufactured products with higher added value. Self-sufficiency and economic diversification are also essential, with the implementation of policies in favour of food security and agricultural sovereignty, without excluding traditional agricultural practices.
In the social sphere, we are committed to respecting and protecting people. We also need to improve the quality of democratic institutions to ensure equitable and efficient use of public resources, which are essential for the realisation of social justice.
We also advocate greater community participation in decision-making, political and economic decentralisation of power, and independent oversight and accountability mechanisms to hold political leaders to account in the public interest.
In order to eradicate the vestiges of colonisation, humanist organisations must lead this process, denounce so-called development aid programmes that serve the priorities of donors rather than the interests of beneficiaries, demand the cancellation of the unjust and unbearable foreign debts of former colonies, and strengthen links with other human rights organisations to work together for justice and world peace, concluded the Angolan parliamentarian.
For her part, Afro-descendant researcher Maali Kentake began her intervention by typifying the issue as a virus that has spread and now covers the entire planet.
The creator of the educational project “Ubunto – The Return” used a simple image to illustrate the tragedy of colonialism: “You are in your home and suddenly a stranger, whom you have never seen before, enters by force and takes over not only your home, but also you and your family. They take control of everything you do, from what you eat to when you go to bed, what kind of work you do and who you are.
Only the names have changed, but the system has been perpetuated, a system that has not been dismantled, but merely moved to another phase of its development.
Another central component and dynamic of colonialism, the Dominican-born scholar continued, was the concept of civilisation, which morally justified the colonising action, with the invaders claiming that it was necessary to “come and civilise me at home because I am a savage”. Religion, especially Christianity, was the key to sustaining dispossession.
Kentake also pointed out the false logic of the inferiority of the colonised, which acts as a foundation stone for the white supremacist system and even takes the lead in this whole new scheme of colonialism.
Another crucial issue that needs to be looked at is the justification that this is the product of the natural struggle for survival, the false choice of kill or be killed. In this way, colonialism and neo-colonialism are presented as the justified outcome of a natural struggle for survival. This is something that needs to be addressed in depth, otherwise it will continue to happen, Maali meant.
As we are witnessing now in the Middle East, what is happening in Sudan, what is happening in Africa and in many other places. The descendants of the settlers are still dominant in the government, while the indigenous or subjugated classes are the ones who suffer the most and would have to migrate. On the other hand, more and more people are boldly expressing their so-called white supremacy, especially against Africans and people of African descent. We cannot ignore this!
The alleged white supremacy is the same wherever you go. It is the same in India, in Australia, in Latin America. It is an attempt to perpetuate colonialism.
After citing several examples of the persistence of discrimination, the scholar and activist also mentioned how, in this situation, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged states to take concrete measures, with the full participation of people of African descent and their communities, to combat old and new forms of racial discrimination and to dismantle entrenched and structural institutional racism.
Following the interventions, Chilaule, as host and representative of the World Humanist Forum, proposed a collective reflection, inviting participants to relate the theme to their own lives and to explore within themselves what attitudes and actions could contribute to overcoming this inherited and unchosen situation.
Finally, the participants were divided into groups to exchange experiences and opinions on how to deal with this important issue in the future. This led to the initiative to create a permanent working group, to which all organisations and individuals who wish to contribute to overcoming the violence of colonialism, an issue that humanity must repair and resolve in order to move on to a new moment in its evolution, will be invited.