France suffers African dictators: Denis Sassou-Nguesso warmly welcomed by Sarkozy · Global Voices
Jennifer Brea

France is famous for getting cozy with the dictators who govern their former colonies, a tradition called Françafrique that newly-elected French president Nicolas Sarkozy appears keen to continue.
In March, he received Omar Bongo, President of Gabon since 1967.
And last week he played host to Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of Congo-Brazzaville.
Both have been accused of manipulating democratic institutions to extend their own rule, perhaps for life, of mortgaging the futures of the people they lead for their personal enrichment.
Both are under investigation by the French police for allegedly embezzling millions of dollars in public funds (i.e., oil revenue) to buy property in France.
Little wonder so many internautes think Sarkozy’s willingness to turn a blind eye to dictatorship and corruption has something to do with coveting the millions of barrels of oil in Gabon and Congo.
In Congo-Brazzaville and the diaspora, people are sick of France’s willful complicity in the story of African despotism.
Here I translate some excerpts from Vous reprendrez bien un peu d'humanisme?, who lampoons Sassou-Nguesso's recent visit to France in series of blog posts and cartoons, and comments left by readers of Mwinda.org, a participatory Congolese news website.
Sarkozy:
He’s like Marcel’s banania.
Ajar, always with a smile on his lips.
But who is it?
Sassou-Nguesso?
Ah yes, one of our black governors that allow us to make the shareholders of Total rich.
We’ll let him think he’s important.
Sassou aide:
They gave us paper to color but not the crayons. Where did I put mine?
Doesn’t everyone deserve democracy?
Humanisme sent Sarkozy a letter via a form on the Elysee website to protest his reception of Sassou and urges readers of Mwinda.org to do the same.
He asks whether the Congolese are any less deserving of the democracy French citizens enjoy:
La gouvernance, la déontologie et l'honnêteté du Président de la Rapublique du Congo sont particulièrement mises en doute par différentes instructions judiciaires en cours au niveau international (RICO aux Etats-Unis ou la plainte de Survie et Sherpa à Paris). Les dernières élections législatives au Congo ont montré un énorme déni de démocratie vis à vis du peuple Congolais comme les observations convergentes remontées par de nombreuses sources indépendantes en attestent. Alors qu'en tant que français, je peux témoigner de l'organisation transparente de nos élections en France qui vous ont porté à la place que vous occupez aujourd'hui et qui ont permis l'élection de nos députés sans que nous ayons aujourd'hui des suspicions d'irrégularité.
The last legislative elections in the Congo showed, as the observations of numerous independent sources attest. As a French, I can testify to the transparency of our elections in France that brought you into the office you occupy today and that allowed the election of our deputies without any suspicions of irregularity.
The legislative elections were a major sticking point.
Numerous calls for an independent electoral commission were made, but ignored.
In the end there were serious election irregularities (Fr). Humanisme calls the June 24 election “the most undemocratic election in years.”
Not the facade of democracy that serves as an easy justification for sending back undesirable Africans to their countries where they have no future.
No, a democracy with a respect for rules, one that cannot be put in doubt.
Not everyone agrees the elections were compromised.
On Mwinda.org reader, Aime jules, writes :
A member of government was even beaten in his [district].
It’s not certain that frederic bitsangou will win in the second round.
The voters expressed themselves in complete freedom…there is no dictatorship in Brazzaville.
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Sassou: “They could wait until I voted to begin stuffing the ballots.”
First lady: “My dress and my jewelry are beautiful!!”
France, friend of oppressed peoples
As evidence of French hypocrisy, Humanisme points to Sarkozy’s own words during a visit to Africa as interior minister:
In a similar vein, Gracias, a Mwinda.org reader, writes:
Vive la Françafrique!
Meeting between M. Denis Sassou-Nguesso, President of the  of Congo
Sarkozy: “A firm grip to crush his hand.”
Sassou: “He’s hurting me this racist, neocolonialist, lingering stench of colonialism. He’s crushing my fingers.
Oh my Jacques, how I miss our passionate embraces.”
From the perspective of many Africans and despite Sarkozy’s rhetoric to the contrary, Françafrique is alive and well.
Here is a sampling of comments from Mwinda.org readers:
Some among us told me that they (l’elysee and the other doctors of misery in the Congo) know, that’s must be true because a lot of the fruits of the embezzled money are eaten in France…
Sarkozy qui pronait la rupture est reduit à recevoir un homme cité dans une enquête pour crime contre l'humanité. Celui-là meme qui a fait bruler le drapeau de la France par des voyous conduits dans des bus devant l'amabsaade de France a BZV avec l'organisation de certains membres de son gouvernement.
[endif]
Sarkozy, who trumpeted a break with the past, is reduced to receiving a man implicated in an investigation for crimes against humanity, a man who made hooligans burn the French flag in buses before the French embassy in Brazzaville in coordination with certain members of government.
In less than six months before coming into power, Sarkozy has received both Bongo and Sassou, the two biggest scoundrels in Africa.
France is known for supporting, and therefore validating, the victory of African dictators after rigged elections, for the history of France has never been one of ruptures but of continuities.