You said: “ There is the African Union, and Africans should be pushing for a greater role and funding for that body. African organizations from throughout the Diaspora should be allowed to be part of the African Union, as the variety of perspectives can show many more areas of cooperation. “

Are you kidding? The Organization of African Union (OAU or AU) usually is at odds with the interest of Africa populations. Their diplomatic effort is pro-US. Several African governments member of the AU fail to support the African liberation struggle caught up in political opportunism, and sympathy and assistance. There's a variety of reasons why somehow several leader members of the AU neglect African nations: fear of intimidation, violence, or assassinations? In fact, due to Cold War Western policy in Africa is just a weak and failing institution. No! I think the long suffering of majority of Congolese population will come only when we take control of our resources, politics, and society as our National Heros Patrice Lumumba, and Laurent Desire Kabila intended to, but paid the price of awful premature deaths for their real self-determination for Congo.

Also, the only way to stop the current problems in Africa is for the Africans in the most advanced countries to take a greater responsibility, given their resources, to win global effort for humanitarian intervention in Africa. Along with their white liberal counterparts, they protested against the evil white government of South Africa in the 80's, and by their massive boycott caused the UN to vote a resolution against South Africa favoring Nelson Mandela ANC. Similar campaigns can affect on Euro-American policy, and intervention in the all Africa. If Diaspora Africans are serious about preventing the racism, genocides, exploitation, and neglect of African continentals they have to try a more aggressive activism. But like you said, they have to feel concerned with Africa and African continentals’ criticism first and foremost, with or without their white counterparts singing their tune.

You said: “ Africans on the continent should work to remove those silly colonial border restrictions, so Blacks can move easier throughout the continent. They need to set up their own African free trade area to further encourage African nations to get favorable conditions when dealing with each other. “

Africa is a combination of several ethnic groups. In the DRC alone they are more than 350! This was actually part in all aspects of Africa before the influence of the oppressors. I claim not just my nation/people but my bakongo tribe as my home! As long as continentals and Diaporians are not being taught indifference and racism, we will continue to be ok about ourselves when we value our ethnic groups.

You said : “ The key is to build people from right where we are in our respective countries. Africans are already helping to build local communities.”

So if the Diasporians should be concerned for their own people and thoughts, why should continentals accept the call for Panafricanism? What has being our interest in doing so?

B.K