Stories about France from October, 2006
France, Togo: Koffi Yamagne's 12 Years in French Public Office
Togolese-origined politician Kofi Yamgnane posts a pamphlet about his 12 years in elected public office in Finistere, France. Says the pamphlet (Fr): “All the work accomplished was done with incessant dialogue with your mayors and your elected officials. but also with you through your citizen groups.”
Martinique, France: Stereotypes of the French
Pondering stereotypes of the French, Martiniquan Le Blog de Moi writes (Fr): “When I arrived in the States with a group of people from all over France, … our recruiter explained to us very seriously that because of complaints by American students, he encouraged us to bathe and to change...
Celebrating the Birth of the Guadeloupean Nation
On October 21, Convention Pour Une Guadeloupe Nouvelle commemorated a historical moment (October 21, 1801) it identifies as the birth of the Guadeloupean nation and added: “Nation without state, Guadeloupe is eternal and no one can destroy it. Our national rights must be respected by the French authorities that govern...
Togo, Congo, France: Failed Diaspora or Simply Depression?
France-based Togolese blogger Kangni Alem reposts (Fr) an email allegedly authored by Kabiona-Kaseke, a Congolese lamenting the failures of the African diaspora. Says the email: “Diaspora, we have failed in our dreams. Dreams of succeeding in our native countries after studying in the West. … Diaspora, we've failed in our...
China: Where my Nobels at?
When one of the best writers in the country flees, is asked not to come back and then wins a Nobel prize in literature while in exile, would it be a bit disingenuous to accuse the Swedish Academy of bias against awarding Nobel prizes to mainland Chinese? Perhaps not, judging...
France, Togo: What's the Use of African Book Fairs?
France-based Togolese writer Kangni Alem writes (Fr): ” African literature book fairs in France are, by and large, rarely satisfying. They don't always actually sell your books, they don't feed you right, and worse you have to follow the law of star writers who bore you too death when they...
France, Togo: No Smoking
France-based Togolese blogger Kangni Alem writes (Fr): “France is going to progressively completely forbid tobacco smoking in public places. Thank God. To say I had no problem with public smoking would be a lie.” Tony, a commentator to the blog responds (Fr): ” In Africa smokers will continue to have...
Armenia: Genocide Bill Fallout
Blogrel outlines some of the impacts and consequences of the passage of France's law against denying the Armenian genocide. While the author is happy the bill passed, he hopes that it ultimately fails in the interests of free speech.
Mexico, Argentina, France: Fort Boyard
Bilingual Mexican blogger Andrés Bianciotto reminds readers of the reality TV show Fort Boyard? (which was apparently very popular in Argentina) and points them to a post about the fort on Google Sightseeing.
Congo-Brazzaville: Should a Colonizer Be Honored Like a Founding Father?
For me, this De Brazza business is like someone telling you: “We got the crap beaten out of us, but at least De Brazza put on some vaseline while the others let our wounds dry. So let's give thanks to De Brazza.” (Fr) – From a reader at Mwinda.org This...
Congolese Writer Alain Mabanckou on André Schwarz-Bart
Alain Mabanckou, a novelist and poet from Congo-Brazzaville now living in California, pays tribute (Fr) to Polish-Jewish writer André Schwarz-Bart, author of Le Dernier de justes who passed away last weekend. Schwarz-Bart, who grew up in France during the German occupation, lived in Guadeloupe with his wife, writer Simone Schwarz-Bart.
Senegal: Illegal Immigration
On illegal African immigration Senegal Diaw (Fr) writes that “the reasons that push young, able men to risk death to come to Europe…are many and complex, and are not necessarily linked to [Senegal's] poverty,” but are rather a product of a country that is not advancing fast enough, whose youth...