Cape Town — American lobby groups advocating stronger United States government action to bring peace to Central and East Africa are calling on candidates in the U.S. presidential elections to give their views on the issue in their debates.
The Enough Project says in a blog post that Africa advocates want President Barack Obama and Governor Mitt Romney to discuss what it calls "the growing crisis in Sudan," as well as the regulation of conflict minerals in the Democratic Republic of Congo and the hunt for Lord's Resistance Army leader Joseph Kony in central Africa.
During the debate Tuesday night, the only Africa-related issue the candidates dealt with concerned the recent killing of the American ambassador to Libya.
Enough said on Tuesday that so far there had been only one mention of humanitarian intervention, in the vice presidential debate, when Romney running mate Paul Ryan had been asked for his party's criteria for humanitarian intervention.
The next and last debate before the November election, which will take place on Monday, October 22, focuses on foreign policy.
Enough called on supporters to back efforts by Act for Sudan and the anti-genocide campaign, STAND, to press debate moderators to ask candidates how they would prevent atrocities around the world and "how they propose to change U.S. policy to better prevent human rights abuses in Sudan."
Comments Post a comment
Romney and Obama are fighting for the presidency and are going to talk about what Americans care about. Would that Americans did care about Africa, but unfortunately it's only going to center on Libya, Syria and our embassies. I agree they should but it will never happen
The African leaders should be debating the problems in Africa not the US.
Since when has any caucasian nation brought anything but disease, misery, and death to anywhere?
As a born a raised American of the black persuasion I know what I'm talking about when I say that Africa is to be exploited and nothing else by - not all but - too many in the U.S. The issue on this site is why aren't the candidates talking more about Africa. But did anyone who reads on this site actually pay attention to the tone of, not only the election, but that the country is in a political stalemate 47% to 47% or 49% to 49% - beyond the elections - depending on what poll you subscribe to. A close friend (a white U.S. military colonel) of U.S. General Colin Powell (an African-American) flat out said that his party (the republicans) is infested with racists. Quoting him: "My party is full of racists." Then people ask why Africa is not mentioned? YOU WILL NOT CHANGE THOSE PEOPLE. The president has to tread lightly so as not to alienate voters, it's called being a politician. I sat and had beers with a native of Zimbabwe last week. These things I said to him as well. He's an intelligent guy, but I have worries that he lets his sentiment about America cloud his judgment (the reality) of America. I like to talk DIRECTLY to and with Africans as much as I can WITHOUT AN AGENDA. Just talk. No we native born Americans are not IMAGINING RACISM. 47% of the country is not imagining why MOST of the other 47% is voting for a man (Mitt Romney) who anyone can clearly see is not to be trusted. They vote for him because he's white and for no other reason. He could be Hitler and they would still vote for him. Secretly they want to invest, but under two circumstances: 1) the larger African population does not benefit (invest according to colonialism and apartheid rules) and 2) the larger black population in the U.S. don't benefit and I'm talking more spiritually than materially. Material is important, but it's nothing without a soul and the WHITES by and large still don't understand this. That's why the deception instead of the attitude "when in Africa understand Africa."
If america was such a racist country, how come so many african aspire to live in America instead of Nigeria. Enough of your marxist comments. Don't forget action speaks louder than words.
See All Comments