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T only in Kenya but in

many other parts of Africa
the struggle of the people
against their oppressors has
taken a new turn.

There is nothing new in the
struggle itself. It is as old as
imperialism. The new factor
is that African people through-
out the continent are now
adopting modern forms of re-
sistance against imperialist ex-
ploitation.

As empires have expanded in
Africa, engulfing vast lands
many millions of people, a bour-

and

geoisie and a working class have
developed. among subject peoples
formerly living in tribal societies.

Both these new forces are now
in the forefront of the Africans’
struggle for national liberation.

From the end of last century
British imperialism has made use
of the

through native chiefs to maintain

system of indirect rule

its hold on the African people.

By preserving the institutions of
tribal life the imperialists could

isolate large concentrations of

African manpower. These served

as labor reservoirs on which they
could draw for their mines, farms
and plantations.

This was the concept behind the
creation” of the Transkei and
Ciskei native reserves of the
Union of South Africa; the
protectorates of
Basutoland*and Swaziland; Nyas-
saland and Barotseland in North-
ern Rhodesia; the Kiwuyu, Masai
and other tribal reserves of East
Africa; and the so-called Native
Authority areas of the West Af-
rican colonies and protectorates.

The indirect. system, with its
emphasis on tribalism, confined
the advance of the African people
within the limits of a primitive
form of society.

e

For some time the indirect sys-
tem has been failing in a number
of territories. The social change
which its disintegration implied
was well advanced before the
Second World. War.

The war itself speeded the pro-
cess of change,

The economie needs of the in-
perialists have themselves helped
to destroy the tribal system which
imperialism has been at pains to
preserve.

l ia {hi olf Wb

Bechuanaland,

Last year the South African government o
Daniel Malan, striving to maintain white supremacy, banned the '

Lit Minti | L Ui ll

inn tau t 1 att
UR OOH CCI OED EOE SM Er Henrie in HEC Tt eT Me CTE Me TC TE CQO MeN TE et OL U

Africa strides |

Jomo Kenviits Gueve): leader
of the Kenya African Union, is be-
ing defended by D. N. Pritt, QC,

distinguished British lawyer,
against charges of “conspiracy.”
His wife and son (right) are in
Britain.

Through the poll tax and other
means the imperialist rulers have
forced Africans to leave reserves
and tribal villages and work in
mines and on farms owned by
white men.

This has led to the mixing of
populations and the interchange
and growth of new ideas. During
the war, too, many hundreds of
thousands of Africans served in
the Middle East, Indian and Bur-
ma.

In addition, the cultivation. of
cash crops by the imperialists for
a world market ‘has meant the
seizing of large tracts of African
land and the creation of a land-
less proletariat among the African
people.

®

The awakening of the’ African
people and the growth of a new
confidence in themselves and _ in,

Fa

f Prime Minister

Guardian, the militant weekly paper which was the most outspoken
opponent of the Malanazis’ racist apartheid policies. The Guardian
was banned, but the equally: militant. Clarion appeared in its stead
and here Sam Kahn, FP ousted from parliament under the Sup-
pression of Communism Act, offers a copy to Justice Minister

into the
20th century

By DESMOND BUCKLE

their power to influence change
comes at a time when imperialism
is undergoing the most serious
crisis,

British imperialism is trying to
wring more profit out of Africa
in order to compensate itself for

huge losses elsewhere. At the
same time it has to try to satisfy
the insatiable demands of the

major partner, the United States.”

The contradictions that Jomi-
nate the African scene are, there-
fore, of two kinds. ;

First, between the African peo-
ple, determined to throw off im-
perialism, and the imperialists, no
less determined to maintain their
grip.
imperialists themselves.

Secondly, among the rival

U.S. capital investment is stead-
ily assuming the major role in the
exploitation of African resources.
Taking advantage of the weakened
position of the colonial powers of
U.S. capital has been
penetrating into the African ter-

Europe,

ritories.

The Northern Rhodesian copper
belt, for ifstance, is already do-
minated by American money. And
U.S. capitalists plan a greatly in-
creased rate of investment in Af-
rica.

The pressures to which British,
imperialism is subject, arising

and less capable of acting with the

astuteness and poise of bygone
days. ;

@

The actions currently taking

place in Kenya reflect by their
gressive U.S. rivalry, render it Tess

For decades British imperialism has made use of the §
of indirect rule through native chiefs to maintain its hold of
African people. This was the concept behind the creatio
serves—labor reservoirs for the mines, farms and plantations.
indirect system confined the advance of the African people.
the economic needs of the imperialists have themselves helpe

PT ee ELT Me Te Te eee ne Tee oe Oh

crudity an American rather that
a British imperialist mentality.
British technique in the face of
pressure from the African people
has hitherto been to make a show
of giving important concessions
where vigorous national liberation
movements have been formed &
are being established, as in the
Gold Coast and Nigeria. But
where there is as yet no considet-
‘able popular movement, only very
minor changes have been made.

However, the phase of mere $9
cial change is giving way all ove?
Africa to one in which trade un
ions, peasant organisations| and

mass political parties are makin’
their appearance. ¢

In countries such as Keny’
where white men have settled in
some numbers, the confiscation of
African lands for white settler
and the humiliation of the colof
bar, have forced the African pe
ple to the very brink of revolt.

British imperialism sees evetY
move to~ redress long-standing
grievances as a direct threat t?
overthrow it. The result is the
violent reaction we are witness
ing today in Kenya.

But by their violence the ie
perialists create more difficulti®
for themselves and solve nothing:

The desire for freedom which }9
surging through Africa will grow
until the entire continent is fina”
ly rid of oppression and eyploit®
tion.

ystem!

J 1

Swartz. Since this picture was taken the Advance has replaced the ©

. nd
destroy the tribal system and led to the growth of new ideas
Clarion.

new movements for social change. A
PACIFIC TRIBUNE — JANUARY 16, 1953 — PAGE }

both from the demands of the peo-
ple under its rule and from ag-