Written by Asad Ismi and produced by Kristin Schwatrz
The Ravaging of Africa is a four part audio documentary series about the destructive impact of US imperialism on the continent.
9
The ravaging of Africa has been enriching Europe and North America for more than 500 years. The second of four episodes of this audio documentary focuses on the role of the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. Through these institutions structural adjustment polices have been imposed upon African nations forcing them to end free education, to curtail health services, and sell the national wealth to privatizers at bargain basement rates, resulting in pandemics of AIDS, tuberculosis and malaria.
The destruction of health and educational infrastructure caused by these "reforms" has led to 21 million deaths from preventable disease and malnutrition since the mid 1980s. More than 200 million Africans have absolutely no access to health care services. Forty percent of Africa's children are out of school and more than 140 million young Africans are illiterate, all thanks to "structural adjustment".
To listen to the entire 30 minutes of "Economic War on Africa" click the flash player below.
{mp3}ravaging_of_africa/economic_war{/mp3}
| Credits |
| Written by |
Asad Ismi |
| Produced by |
Kristin Schwartz |
| Translation by |
Maziar Mohajir at Toronto Conversation Corner & Farid Omar |
| Voice-over by |
Benedicta Madawo |
| This production was funded by |
Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 CUPE National Canadian Union of Postal Workers National CUPW North Bay Local
Canadian Labour Congress
Public Service Alliance of Canada
Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation
Ontario English Catholic Teachers Association
Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives
MiningWatch Canada
Ontario Public Interest Research Group (Univ. of Toronto)
CHRY 105.5 fm Toronto
Continuing Education Students Association of Ryerson
50 Years is Enough (Washington, DC)
Fair Trade Clothing Co-op (www.fairtradeclothing.ca)
Charles Roach |
| |
|
Broadcast-quality copies of all four episodes of The Ravaging of Africa can be downloaded from www.radio4all.net, where a large and constantly updated library of free, broadcast quality audio is maintained. Click here to download this and the episodes of this documentary.
To listen to episode 1 of The Ravaging of Africa -- Militarizing Africa,
click here.
To listen to episode 3 of The Ravaging of Africa -- Corporate Plunder,
click here.
The A.I. boom is on the verge of bursting like every other capitalist bubble. Financialization and speculation will result in another economic crisis.
On the southern shore of Lake Maracaibo, communards sustain themselves by fishing, but just as much through practices of solidarity.
The western response to crises in Venezuela and Argentina reveals a stark double standard. One nation faces economic pressure and isolation, while the other receives financial support.
In this week’s segment we hear analysis of the Gaza peace agreement, why it took place, and the future of Palestine. But first we hear about data centers, A.I., and their negative impact on the…
We speak with Kali Akuno, co-founder and Director of Cooperation Jackson in Jackson, Mississippi. He joins us from Jackson to discuss the construction of an Amazon web services data center and the…
