Retro Raunch Revisit

This month marks the 55th anniversary of the publication debut of RASCAL magazine (1963). The final print issue was Jul 1977.


MAY 1963 ON THE WORLD STAGE Leaders of 32 African nations have set up an institution that will give them a united voice for the first time in Africa's history. The African summit conference ended today in the Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa, with an agreement from all delegates to found an Organization of African Unity. Its primary aim will be to "decolonize" the remaining bastions of white rule in Southern Rhodesia, South Africa, Mozambique and Angola. It plans to support African "freedom fighters" with finance, arms, volunteers and training bases, to give material & moral support for liberation movements, and to close off their airspace to colonial forces. Heads of state throughout the continent and in the West were urged to impose sanctions on South Africa and break off diplomatic relations based on their apartheid policy. The conference also expressed concern about racial discrimination in the United States. The OAU charter also states it will co-ordinate efforts to raise the standard of living of member states, have an impact on ordinary citizens, and defend their sovereignty, but seeks to guide rather than lead an Africa that is still finding its feet. With its model based on social, political & economic co-operation/co-existence, the group has 4 main institutions -- an annual assembly of heads of state, a council of ministers, a general secretariat, and lastly a commission of mediation, conciliation & arbitration. Addis Ababa will be the headquarters. Some critics have said that the OAU's concept of non-interference in internal disputes enshrined in its constitution is problematic and has the potential to become a union for dictators. The conference host is 71yr old Emperor Halie Selassie, has spent a year preparing his city for the summit of African nations which represents a total population of 200 million people. Selassie is best remembered for his speech he delivered to the League of Nations in 1936 which condemned Italy's invasion of Ethiopia, and was also a dire warning to the NATO precursor that it's failure to stand & act on the principles of which it was created would see doom come to Europe. His rebuke came true in 1939. He told delegates, "may this convention of union last 1,000 years" and his 2,000 guests were then treated to a lavish banquet. The OAU creation comes at the same time as 73yr old Jomo Kenyatta has won Kenya's first general election and is set to become his country's Prime Minister. Known by his tribesmen as "Burning Spear," he's called for tribal & racial differences to be buried in favour of national unity under "the principles of democratic African socialism" and said while his government aims to free itself from British colonialism, it would not try to avenge past injustices such as the denial of fundamental rights or the suppression of Kenyan culture, but he did once call former British Governor Sir Patrick Renison "the African leader to darkness and death.". In 1953, Kenyatta was jailed & exiled for his alleged involvement in the Mau Mau rebellion (1952-60) that fought for independence and saw over 14,000 killed. He was released in 1961. The OAU charter will be signed by all but Morocco which sent an observer instead of an official because of the presence of Mauritania with which it has a border dispute.