Africa, Past and Present
I had a chance to hear a speech by the Ambassador of Mozambique to Japan (see June 28th UNESCO lecture on page 2). I had long thought that Mozambique was a wonderful place because I once heard Ms. Ayako Ishigaki say that she wanted to live an easy life in a country like that. However, when I look at the Africa's current situation through the media, I cannot help but feel sad. Most of Africa has become independent from European countries, which had colonized them after World War 2. African people must be full of hope for the future now that they have broken their fetters. However, in reality, hideous tragedies are happening one after another. Ethnic conflicts have broken out all over the continent, most of which have been caused by the scramble for economic interests. The land has been laid waste by the spread of civil wars. Many people have become refugees after political systems broke down. Diseases like AIDS have spread due to poor hygiene. Why should Africa suffer so much We must think deeply. Homo sapiens are thought to have originated in Africa. Although they were not our direct ancestors, there are footprints left about 3 million years ago by anthropoids that walked on two legs at the Laetoli site in Tanzania, north of Mozambique. They seem to be footprints of a family, and that gives a heartwarming impression. Why do modern people feel discomfort with races, cultures, and languages that are different from their own When did people come to hate what is not like theirs Why do people in some parts of Africa give weapons to boys who cannot discern between good and bad, and force them to go through combat exercise in an attempt to throw the society into disorder Sad to say, we cannot but think that human dignity, sanctity of life and other educational principals that are important to foster children, are simply being ignored