re: tribalism and its effects on unity. we can argue on semantics; the reality is-tribal/ethnic barriers (among other factors)amongst africans have had an adverse affect on our operating in the spirit of a common good.

i will refer to Haile Selassie's words:

Goal Unity

"But through all that has been said and written and done in these years, there runs a common theme. Unity is the accepted goal. We argue about means; We discuss alternative paths to the same objectives; We engage in debates about techniques and tactics. But when semantics are stripped away, there is little argument among us. We are determined to create a union of Africans. In a very real sense, our continent is unmade; it still awaits its creation and its creators. It is our duty and privilege to rouse the slumbering giant of Africa, not to the nationalism of Europe in the Nineteenth Century, not to regional consciousness, but to the vision of a single African brotherhood bending its united efforts toward the achievement of a greater and nobler goal.

"Above all, we must avoid the pitfalls of tribalism. If we are divided among ourselves on tribal lines, we open our doors to foreign intervention and its potentially harmful consequences. The Congo is clear proof of what We say. We should not be led to complacency because of the present ameliorated situation in that country. The Congolese people have suffered untold misery, and the economic growth of the country has been retarded because of tribal strife.

"But while we agree that the ultimate destiny of this continent lies in political union, we must at the same time recognise that the obstacles to be overcome in its achievement are at once numerous and formidable. Africa's people did not emerge into liberty under uniform conditions. Africans maintain different political systems; our economies are diverse; our social orders are rooted in differing cultures and traditions. Further no clear consensus exists on the "how" and the "what" of this union. Is it to be, in form, federal, confederal or unitary? Is the sovereignty of individual states to be reduced, and if so, by how much, and in what areas? On these and other questions there is no agreement, and if we wait for agreed answers generations hence, matters will be little advanced, while the debate still rages.

-His Imperail Majesty Haile Selassie
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i hope this provides for an overstanding as to my reasoning for calling your words "a tribalistic diatribe."

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"Should diasporans have to live in a region for a specified period of time, prior to assuming "leadershop roles" in continental african affairs?"
http://www.rastafarispeaks.com/cgi-bin/forum/config.pl?read=61295
What do you mean by that?
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i have made material, emotional, and physical plans to repatriate to africa w/in the next 1.5 years. with that in mind, it is necessary to seek guidance from continnetal africans. would you not agree? if i wish to work to establish farming cooperatives or assist in opening health centers or facilitating the training of rural midwives, or working to resettle displaced persons etc; i must find out the best ways by which to initiate actions to achieve development goals, is it best to take on a leadership role in these affairs, or is it best to work in the background of organizations that already exists?

do you not think discussions such as these are important?
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And why do you keep boasting about what you are (allegedly) doing? If your works were real then they would have been coming from a desire to glorify the Almighty. You would not be so hungry for human recognition. The best work is done in silence. So I was taught. But maybe you know better.
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no, mr eja its not about boasting it is about frankly discussing reality. the protection of refugees and internally displaced persons in africa/and those africans who have sought refuge in the states-is a part of what i consider my life's work. as many of us speculate on the various aspects of 'returning home to africa' the reality exists of millions of people that CANNOT RETURN HOME, because of fear of death or persecution. so yes, in a small way speaking about the societal conditions that force people to fleee from their homes and seek protection in foreign lands are topics that need to be discussed-and when i discuss it, some aspects of my reasoning are from a first person point of view. my goal is not to big myself up-it is to speak up about a topic that is not often reasoned about. if we allow ourselves to simply 'work in silence' many people may not come to realize the severity of the problems refugees and asylum seekers in the usa,urope and in africa encounter. if you see horrific crimes being committed against your brothers and sisters, should you act and react in silence-or should you shout out as loud as you can to make sensible people hear about the sufferings of people. do you think that if more noise was made about rwanda in 1994 that maybe less people would have died? do you think that africans and sensible non-africans would continue to stand by when these statistics exist, im not sure-but does it hurt anyone to share information about the plights of your brothers and sisters?:

Statistics on Uprooted Peoples - Africa

At the end of 2004, there were 3,295,900 refugees and asylum seekers in Africa, most of them fellow Africans.

Principal sources of refugees
Sudan 703,500
Congo-Kinshasa 469,100
Burundi 482,200
Liberia 328,300
Somalia 324,900
Angola 223,300
Eritrea 204,200

Countries hosting the largest number of refugees from other countries
Tanzania 602,300
Uganda 252,300
Sudan 225,900
Congo-Kinshasa 200,700
Zambia 174,000
Guinea 145,200
South Africa 142,000

Four African countries have populations of over half a million internally displaced persons:
Sudan, with 5.3-6.7 million; Congo-Kinshasa, with 2.33 million; Uganda, with 1.33 million, and Ivory Coast, with between 500,000-800,000.

Countries with between 200,000-500,000 internally displaced:
Liberia, Algeria, Somalia, Kenya, Central African Republic, Nigeria
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if you wanna keep throwin stones bredin keep em comin. i come in the spirit of unity to heal myself and my fellow africans, not continue to open up old wounds. thats how i see it.