IDENTIDADES 1 ENGLISH IDENTIDADES 8 ENGLISH | Page 8
discussed with the main purpose of
ensuring that they won´t be happen
again. Such a strategy is exemplary for
solving problematic conflicts as the
triple exclusion of Afro-Peruvian women because of gender, class and ethnicity. The issue is presented by Peruvian
maestrandos Angie Edell Campos and
Jorge Rafael Ramirez, who are studying
in Brazil. In Peru multiple bloods,
cultures, languages, and colors converge, but the Afro-Peruvian population
is invisible and the situation of AfroPeruvian women is worse: they are
objectified and remain at the lowest
level of the social scale. Also invisible
is the black population in Argentina, as
the anthropologist Norberto Pablo Cirio
shows in his contributions on the Rita
Montero Lucia [1928-2013] collection
of photos. He thoroughly researched the
photographic legacy of the mentioned
singer and actress, who was an AfroArgentinian of the so-called colonial
trunk, id est: descendant of enslaved
Africans, and also reveals that this
social group is on e of the most invisible
and least understood in Argentina, as a
result of the certificate of biological and
cultural death was issued during the
second half of the nineteenth century in
the vain attempt to whitewash the country and to attract more European immigrants. Photography is a compelling
evidence of the continued presence of
African descendants in the Argentinean
culture, but Cirio also demonstrates that
this social group is fighting for their
visibility and for a better position in
both the national history (from where
they were virtually excluded) and the
present state of affairs. Along with
those of the colonial trunk, the AfroArgentinean include the sub-Saharan
African immigrants who arrived in in
the early twentieth century and keep on
entering the country nowadays. A
shocking vision of this social group
comes from the Africanist historian
Omer Freixa in his rigorous analysis of
the Massar Ba´s case. This renowned
activist of Senegalese origin died in
Buenos Aires on March 8, 2016. There
are many clues to suspect he was murdered, but the investigation has been
delayed and Freixa states that this case
calls into question the alleged tolerance
toward immigrants in Argentina. It also
puts on the table that oblivion prevails
over both memory and justice in regard
of the sub-Saharan diaspora. Precisely
one of the figures of such diaspora, MD
Fisayo Lanre O., a Nigerian living in
the UK, gives a testimony of identity
problems in his home country related to
tribal origin and religion. Half a century
of independence has not been enough
for gathering the tribes, shaping the
national identity, and promoting the
unity in a country where one of six
Africans live. Dr. Lanre O. stresses that
they are divided firstly by tribal lines
(Hausa, Yoruba and Igbos) and then by
religious creeds (the Northerners are
mainly Muslims and the southern regions are predominantly Christian).
However, if Nigerians would be able to
overcome such sociocultural differences, the nation would have much to
gain and the national identity would be
strengthened in order to give full meaning to the expression often heard when a
Nigerian excels anywhere: “Proudly
Naija". This section is proud to publish
the collaboration "Cuba in 2015: A
Perspective from Central Europe," by
Martin Palouš, former US ambassador.
UU. (2001-2005) and former permanent
representative to the UN (2006-2011) of
the Czech Republic. The author notes
that, despite the stubborn resistance of
the Cuban government, the spirit of
civic initiative is awakening among the
Cuban democratic opposition. Thus,
both the United States and the European
Union can and must open up spaces for
cooperation and coordination in the
dialogue on human rights with the
Cuban government, as well as for more
assistance and political support to the
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