[Imc-africa] (no subject)

[winters]

Hi, 

I am very happy to see Africa IMC list set-up. A means of easy communication 
to all IMCs and local collectives. It is time to make IMC happen in Africa. 
Not like any other continent but like it should happen in Africa. This is no 
longer a north/south issue or digital divide but a collaboration of Africa 
people, Local IMCs and groups in Africa. 

Lots have happened in Africa since the first IMCs came to stay in Africa , 
these were IMC Nigeria and IMC South Africa. It has been rough but very 
interesting as lots of progress and  good results have been achieved . 

Now is time for us to put forward our individual IMC's problems and see how 
we can all help as individuals or as collectives. My experience in Nigeria 
IMC and other non-profit organisations organising am sure will be very 
helpful. I am very sure i will be ready to help anytime, wherever i am 
invited. 

Valentine contact person for  IMC Ambazonia,  have raised a point on what we 
should do and how we should go about making indymedia happen as an everyday 
affair in Africa. I think this is a nice question that needs all our 
collective contribution and effort for and answer.  This question also 
points to another question '' what is or would possibly be retarding forces 
to the effective spread and sustainability of indymedia in Africa?'' 

Like i said earlier and have always stated in my discussions about 
independent media in Africa, Indymedia is more of a foreign project but 
luckly enough provides answers to the non democratic media and violation of 
freedom of expression or information. it tackles the major problem of free 
press which is the backbone of Africa liberation and a solution to the 
unending agony of Africans political freedom, democratisation of development 
and empowerment of local people. But funny enough indymedia does happen in 
many countries i have visited in the western world but has not been able to 
happen at same scale in the already existing Africa IMCs for lots of 
reasons. 

1. Like in Nigeria and many other Africa countries, access to Tech equipment 
is often not encouraging. 

2.True Volunteers are rare as lot of people/local wakes up daily to face the 
ugly faces of poverty, i mean poverty hence their first priority is looking 
for their daily bread instead of having time for non profit activities. 
Research have shown that people prefer to volunteer their time to religious 
activities as the general view is that since government have failed the 
society only God could be looked up to. 

3.Lack of Tech volunteers. The few available InfoTech expert are over 
demanded, hence have no enough time to provide the needed help to aid in 
non-profit activities that rely much on tech support. 

4. Internet activities in Africa presently rely on V-SAT technologies and 
dial-up internet connections which are mostly able to be funded by 
corporation rather than individuals or homes that could help in projects of 
indymedia nature. 

5.Currently, there are different human threatening laws affecting the easy 
take off of some aspect of media work like local community radio stations. 


But with all these obstacles and limitations there is still a great need to 
make indymedia happen in Africa. Nigeria currently is localising indymedia 
in Nigeria with a bid to making it work in Nigeria. How indymedia work in 
any country in Africa is an issue that local IMC Organisers in various 
contries need to address. If IMC works well in different Africa countries 
then IMC have finally worked in Africa. Localisation of indymedia is the key 
to INDYMEDIA happening in Africa and all over the world. Let indymedia 
happen , localised indymedia in your area and let join hands to spread its 
principles and objectives. 

I am of the opinion we make the existing IMCs happen locally while also 
working to spread IMCs in Africa. Only when local existing IMC happen that 
other new once can follow. 

Solidarity and happy new year!
Winters
Nigeria IMC 

N:B. I will be glad to contribute more on this later.