I
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Portland Observer
Thursday. November 6, 1975
Page 3
The Sahel .* After the famine
In • land arra a« large aa the
rontinental United State», the live» of an
eatimated twenty two to twenty aix
million people of the Sahel are at ill
endangered. Their livea are threatened
not only hy the prolonged lark of
auffirienl food and water, hut alao hy a
colonial legary which haa in many raaea
atnpped the people of the very meana of
producing food and other auhaiatenre
item» nereaaary to their immediate
aurvival.
Thia, combined with the
dimimahing concern for the plight of the
drought afflicted people now that reporta
of the "alleviation” of the immediate
“criaia" have been circulating and the
increasingly popular theoriea aurh aa
“Triage" (French work for “sorting out”
applied to the concept of letting the weak
diel and "lifeboat ethics" (the proreaa of
"naturally selecting" those beat fit to
aurvive), ia a shocking display of man's
inhumanity toward man It alao casta a
dismal outlook on the future of the poor
and weak wherever they may be
M A I.I
Mali is among the more seriously
affected i * the Sahel stales. Mall lists
ci<s»e to 19 million victims of the drought
within its estimated 5.2 million popula
tions The European Development Fund
estimates Mali lost clone to forty percent
of its 5.3 million cattle, with losses up to
sixty percent in some areas.
Some
forty relief cainpa have been structured
to care for the moat severely affected,
mostly nomadic families.
Mali's grain
production, as well as its cotton and
peanula for export, was heavily reduced
by the continuing drought, thus inten
sifying Mali's already serious budgetary
problems The expanse of the country,
coupled with the lack of rail and road
infrastructure and its land locked poai
tion. makes Mali both difficult to reach
and difficult to traverse.
The American airlift operation only
flew 7,122 tons of food to outlying areas
from May to October 1973 • This is a
striking contrast to the 450,000 tons of
food that were airlifted daily to Saigon
Integrated programs are under way
providing for the development of trans
portation network, storage facilities,
health and nutrition that still need our
continued support.
NIGER
One of the most seriously affected by
the drought, continued poor harvest in
Niger resulted in an increasing number of
nomads and sedentary farmers becoming
dependent on food and relief handouts
Already, more than two thirds of the land
ia desert and the necroachment of the
desert is rendering even more land
uninhabitable and unproductive.
The
margin for survival in the outlying areas
is still considered very thin. Niger has
approximately 250,000 displaced persons
dependent upon relief camps Subslan
tial efforts by the Government of Niger
and the donor community are under way
to reorganize food and relief distribution
as well as to encourage the encamped
populations to resume more normal
activities This country has received a
large share of total Sahelian relief
assistance.
Resettlement is one of the Govern
ment's major concerns. A “return to the
village" campaign is under way. whereby
drought stricken farmers congregating in
relief ramps and towns are being urged to
return to their land for the planting
season Incentives, such as provision of
seeds, hand tools, and two months'
supply of food per person within a family
group are being offered
The destitute nomads, who have no
land, herds or other means of self
sustenance will continue to require
special attention. The following projects
sre under way in an attempt to move
from relief to rehabilitation: I ’re posi
lioning of donor grains and augmentation
of permanent storage associated both
with drought requirements, and re
forestation of Gao trees in Maradi and
Dosso; the acceleration of rice produc
tion; pasture reseeding; date palm
rehabilitation; agricultural development;
animal health; construction of roads and
village development.
CHAD
The situation in ('had continues to
present serious problems It is one of the
poorest and least developed countries of
the African continent and its geographi
cal isolation, climate and slender physical
resources have resulted in an economy of
very narrow range. Political fractional!
ration, lack of internal communication
and transportation network has magni
fied the already romplex problems of
drought and famine.
Chad depends
almost entirely on Nigerian ports and
trucking for grain movements.
The drought and famine have de
stroyed the way of life lor most of Chad's
active population that were dependent on
crop farming and nomadic cattle raising.
Women and children seem to comprise
the majority in the groups of relief
dependent populations in the north; the
men believed to have left with the
remaining herds for southern pastures,
markets and/or work
In a society in
which herding was the main source of
family wealth, families in Chad are
mainly victims of herd losses. On the
basis of limited data, the European
Development Fund study indicated that
twenty one to twenty eight percent of
Chad's 417 million cattle and unknown
percent of its sheep and goats have been
loat (with some areas recording up to
ninety percent loss). Medical aid in Chad
is fairly limited to urban centers, the
majority of the people are not being
reached The Center for Disease Control
preliminary report indicates the severe
problem of hunger and malnutrition in
their sample: 22.5 percent of children
examined were below the acute mal
nutrition threshold (point at which a
physiological or psychological effect
begins to be produced). In addition, there
have been reports of measle epidemics in
thirty nine percent of the villages sur
veyed.
Chad's "Operation Agriculture" and a
good rainy season have brought about
many significant improvements, yet work
is still needed in the folowing areas:
improvement of grain storage in deficit
areas, establishment of cordon sanitaire
(animal health), accelerated grain and
vegetable production under irrigated
conditions in the la k e Chad area, and
transportation.*
M A U R IT A N IA
The situation in Mauritania remains
precarious despite considerable improve
ment in relief management and increased
capacity to handle emergency relief
shipments. Geologically. Mauritania is a
part of the vast western Saharan "shield
of crystalline rocks and plateaus. These
are often minerally enriched, the most
famous being the "iron mountain of the
Kedia d'Idjil", where ten million tons of
high grade iron ore are now mined
annually.
Mining has thus helped the financial
situation of Mauritania but has not
resulted in improvement of agricultural
conditions The drought has resulted in
the reduction of river plains, produce and
dry land agriculture (the river region is
said to produce 100,(XX) tons of millet anil
the oases 15,000). Priorities related to
the drought in Mauritania are now
geared toward the problems of internal
distribi ion of foods, improvement of
tra n s p o rta tio n fa c ilitie s , increase of
vegetable and cereals production, con
struction of grain storage in outlying
areas, and animal health programs.
SE N E G A L
The flood plains of the Senegal river
delta and the country's coastal position
have contributed to its generally better
condition than the other Sahelian nations
However, the economic development of
Senegal under colonial rule led to the
dependency on the production of export
crops which was critically curtailed by
drought conditions and resulted in an
important shortfall in cereals and pea
nuts.
Livestock, which plays an
somewhat less important role in Senegal
than in other countries, has also
registered a loss In 1974 there was a loss
of an estimated twenty percent of 2.5
million cattle.*
Reports indicate that
relief measures continue to provide
medical needs and vaccines for people in
need. Senegal has also played a crucial
role in assisting Mali and Mauritania to
meet their cereals import needs by
accelerating and expanding the use of
Senegal's interna! port, storage and
transport facilities. Much of the imports
for Mali and Mauritania pass through
Senegal.
Projects in Senegal include
provision of pumps for wells in agricul
tural villages, work on range rehabilita
tion, provision of livestock vaccines,
improvement of agricultural production
in flood plain areas; and the provision of
human medicines and vaccines. Emphasis
in Senegal has been on initiating
innovative small agricultural production
activities.
G A M B IA
The Republic of Gambia is Africa's
smallest state and, apart from a very
short coastline, the Gambia is an enclave
in Senegal. The situation in the Gambia,
which was only partially affected by the
drought, has become somewhat more
serious. Food production has dropped
and there have been some livestock
losses.
Prior to the drought the
production of groundnuts had accounted
for more than ninety five percent of the
country's domestic production, an ad
ditional handicap which created a depen
dency on other countries for imports of
Third World Wrap-up
basic necessities.
The government of
Gambia requested 6,(XX) tons of grain in
1974 to help feed their tiny population.
The development programs have aimed,
mainly through road building, to enrour
age farm production, principally of
groundnuts, rice and rattle.
I PPER VO LTA
With few mineral or natural resources
and approximately ninety four percent of
its population employed in agricultural
activities it is not surprising that the
drought has had a severe effect on the
lives of people who reside in the northern
section of Upper Volta which lies within
the Sahelian zone Most of the inhabitants
and its president General Mobutu Sese
Kuku Ngbendu Waza Hangs (which
means “the cock which leaves no hen
untouched”
Mobutu renamed himself
such in 1970, when he was Joseph D.
Mobutu, as part of his attempt to give
himself an "anti imperialist" cover.
Secretary of State Kissinger has
attempted las previously reported I for
several weeks now to break loose an
emergency $79 million aid loan to Zaire.
It is well known that this money will go
toward the Zairean invasion of Angola,
and that is the Secretary of State's
purpose: to involve Congress in a Ray of
Tonkin kind of action. As the head of the
NSC, Kissinger had himself the authority
to allot the money through the C IA
budget He now apparently no longer has
that authority.
A component of the State Department
scenario for southern Africa has been
that the oil rich Cabinda province of
Angola would go to Zaire. A New York
banker recently described Zaire as
"invertebrate...with no fabric of nation
hood...it is always a tinderbox in Zaire
the population is up in arms. Mobutu is
extremely paranoid and unstable. The
only person who ran talk to him is (State
Department Africa expert) Sheldon
Vance..." The situation in Zaire is that if
the Cabinda revenues (Gulf Oil) are not
forthcoming, Mobutu land the C IA ) will
lose control of Zaire.
The head of the Africa subcommittee of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee
Senator Clark (Demo Iowa) has recently
accused the State Department of with
holding information on Zaire, and has
sought a review of United States
Zaire
Peggy Joseph
For all areas of
I Jfti Insurance
Family Ftaaaciai Planning
Health Insurance and
Group Insurance
282 3680
relations.
Sergeant Shriver (October
26th) in a campaign appearance de
manded there be no aid for Zaire until the
Angola question is settled.
According to the Portuguese Diario de
Noticias. there are other troubles in
Zaire.
Outbreaks of cholera have
occurred in the F N L A held areas near
and inside Zaire. 150 rases of cholera
have also occured in the crowded
Portuguese refugee ramps around Porto
in Portugal.
Bankers Meet to Discuss the
“New Economic Order"
October 28th an important meeting of
leading Export Import bankers from 220
countries (excluding the United States)
met in Havana. Cuba to discuss the
extention of trade with the Third World
countries. West German, French, British
and Soviet banks established important
economic packages (e.g.. the Japanese
government Export Import bank pro-
ferred credits for thermal and fertilizer
plants in Cuba; Mitsubishi is building a
$72 million textile plant; Mitsui and Hino
Motors have contracted for the opening
of shipyards and truck and bus deliveries.
At issue here is the sidestepping of the
paper debt, and effecting the Echever
ria Routeflika “new economic order." As
the Governor of the Central Rank of
Algeria told the delegates, credit to
maintain and expand such trade deals
"ran only be issued as part of political
agreements for debt moratoria and a new
monetary system based on the COME
CON bloc's transfer ruble." Recognition
of this by the Chicago banks (in
particular, serves to clarify the reasons
behind the installation of Donald Rums
feld as the new Secretary of Defense.
Typical of the trade agreements estab
lished during the meeting of the 220
countries was a $460 million credit
extention to Algeria from West Germany
for German participation in Algerian
offshore oil following the West German
Rundestag call for massive increase in
export credit to the Third World.
3933 N .E . Uulan
IS CARING
Those who wish to contribute should
contact R A IN S ¡Relief for Africans in
N eed in the Sahel) a coalition of twenty
six National Black organizations formed
to assist hungry Africans and educate
Americans as to the need. (475 Riverside
Drive. New York, New York 10027)
Shop Wards Bargain Center
21%-65%off
REGULAR LOW
CATALOG PRICES
21%-43%offl TOYS
REG. 6.77, PLASTIC GAS STATION
Complete with car wash, turntable,
lift, working gas pump. Cars leave sta-
tion from ejector. 4 cars — 2 trucks.
J
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REG. 7.49, TARGET DART GAME
Play indoors or out! 16" diam target
on tripod legs. Plastic guns shoot rub-
ber-ttp darts, has safety. Fun for all!
/g J /
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REG.6.99, HOT BRUSH HAIR STYLER
You get brushes, combs, rollers, clips.
bows, ties, and mannekin with rooted
hair. Battery operated hot brush.
»
REG. 4.44. QUICK-CURL BARBIE
By Mattel. She is poseable — make
her look extra pretty when you style
her hair. She’s about l l ‘/ i ” high.
I
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REG. 6.99, PEANUTS LAP TRAY SET
Set of 4 snack trays, each about 12‘/ ixl7".
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Brass-toned folding legs, storage rack is
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$3-*4off
POLYESTER BLEND
NO-IRON JACKET
5 97
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Snap-front; yoke back. 2
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Contrast stitch trim.
FLAREDJEANS
J97
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EXTRA-WIDE SEMI-SHEER TIERS
Delicately textured sheer poly
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1 97
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88x30 '. Reg. 3 .9 9 ............. 2.47
88x36", Reg. 4 .9 9 ............. 2.97
R EG . 3.99
SAVE *2
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DECORATOR SCALES
97
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SAVE *24
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M>l I)
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Rustic Spanish style of
roughly
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dark
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VAUGHN STREET STORE ONLY
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SAVE 25%-65%
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38% OFF! 7.99. Girls 7-14 jackets
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features audio lights.................................. 179.97
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40% OFF! 14.88, Junior dresses
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S O M E IT E M S i scratched, dented, slight freight damage, one and tw oo la kind. Subject to prior sale.
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Just say, “Charge it!”
SHARING
low cost farm machinery, production of
trypano resistance oxen, supplementary
feeding of livestock, herd replacement
and improvement, reforestation in Kom-
brissi. seed multiplication and production
grain storage facilities, repair of key food
distribution roads, and rural public health
activities.
CATALOG OVERSTOCK SALE
by Roy H arvey
W ith independence for Angola due in
only five days, the United Stales press is
'curiously' devoid of any coverage Octo
her 23rd, the Portuguese daily O Serule
reported that Ih r M P I.A began a Luanda
area recruiting drive, to arm and prepare
the population for the Zairean South
African attack
In Luanda alone, the
M PI.A recruited 30.000 troops- men and
women between the ages of eighteen to
thirty five
Thoae unable to fight are
deployed to boost the economy under the
slogan: “production is resistance."
In
addition. 10,000 white Angolans rallied
October 22nd to call for a "speedy demise
of the N A TO run Azevedo government"
in Portugal, and pledged their "uncondi
tioned support for the M P L A ." Similar
rallies have been held in Portugal,
sponsored by the Soldiers United for
Victory, and the PCP
According to the Diario de Netieiaa
(Portugal), the Zairean troops which
invaded the diamond rich Lunda and
Malanje provinces were repelled
Ac
cording to the same paper, the M PLA are
advancing on the South African U N IT A
stronghold in Novo Lisboa, to the south.
According to M uh am med Speaks (Or
tober 31st), some form of coalition
between U N IT A and the Soviet backed
Popular Movement for the Liberation of
Angola (M P L A ) is in the works.
Muhammed Speaks notes "the Zairean
C IA , and China barked F N L A . headed by
Mobutu's brother in law, Holden Ro
berto, has no popular support in Angola "
One of the ironic, though predictable,
consequences of the Zairean efforts to
stop the pro development M P L A from
victory is the increasing isolation of Zaire
who have been forced to relocate their
farqilies are nomadic. The movement of
food into Upper Volta is proceeding fairly
well.
Internal distribution is being
handled in an efficient manner by the
Army of Upper Volta.
As the emergency phase of the drought
has come under greater control in Upper
Volta, efforts have turned to expanding
the capacity of the people to cope with
living in a situation which has been made
fragile by the changes in their environ
mental and social conditions. Projects
include the digging of 6(X) wells, earthen
dam repair and construction, expansion
of animal traction by fabrication of
V A U G H N ST. STO RE
27th and N .W . Vaughn
Open Mon., thru Fri. 9:30-5:30
Sun., 11:00-5:00; S a t, 9:30-5:30
M ONTGOM ERY
IW » • J
BARGAIN ANNEX
Armas st. from Vaughn St. store
W ALNUT PARK STORE
Union Ave. at Killings worth
Open Mon. through Fri.. 9:30-9:00
Sun.. 11:00-5 00. Sat. 9:30-5 30
Open Mon., Thurs., Fri. 9:30-8:00
Sun.. 11 00-5 00, other days 9:30-5:30