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01/29/2006:

"Justice from an African woman’s standpoint"

...The other important factor to consider when thinking of justice for Africans is that justice must be rooted in history. History is important because it provides the means for us to understand the roots of the indignities we experience and it also gives us the means to express anger, pain and frustration at the present economic system. As we encounter the poor in our society, we experience the power of anger that motivates us to stand in solidarity with those who are pushed to the margins by the institutionalized power relations in our societies. Deconstructing our history also gives us a reason to celebrate our survival despite the oppression we have experienced by providing us with memories of those who fought for justice even unto death. African history has its roots in African traditional culture, colonialism and neocolonialism. We have to analyze the effects of this history on our social institutions and on our identity. Understanding our history helps us to define ourselves not as helpless victims but as survivors who are the agents of change. It gives us not only the motivation and the courage to work for change but also a vision of what kind of society we want to strive for.
africafiles.org