The Central American Black Organization (CABO) was addressed by Julius Garvey, son of the late Marcus Mossiah Garvey, world renowned promoter of Black unity and progress, at its XIX Assembly held in Nicaragua about a week ago.
Garvey pledged to work with CABO for the advancement of Blacks in the region. He told those attending the meeting that the event coincided with the 50th anniversary of African Unity.
The main thrust of Garvey’s message, which he sought to impress on those at the CABO meeting, was that Blacks are “a powerful people, potentially”—the third largest world population next to the Chinese and Indians—and that they have a responsibility to carry on the work of legendary leaders who went before them.
“We have not achieved the fullness of our potential,” Garvey declared. “It is up to us who are gathering here today—and I am very pleased to see so many young faces in the audience—it’s up to us to maximize that potential so that we can truly be a political force within the world economy and within the world socio-political scene.”
He noted, though, that all politics is local, so the struggle must begin with Central America and CARICOM.
“This is the reason why you’re here: For us to develop the organizational strength and the networking, so that we could get to know each other, so that we can work together… and have the appropriate economic and developmental strategy,” Garvey said.
He also commented on the life and work of the recently departed icon, Nelson Mandela.
“It seems as we have come to the end of an era that Nelson Mandela represents, but it’s the beginning of a new era, because you and I know that while in South Africa the government is African the economy is 95% run by the white minority ethnicity. And this is true in pretty much all of Africa…
“It is interesting to note that Nelson Mandela himself and his political party, African National Congress, were founded in part on programs of Marcus Mossiah Garvey. The founding members of the ANC were members of the UNIA…” Garvey said.
He told the CABO team that they stand on the shoulders of those who have gone before, who have left a legacy that they must take on and carry forward to completion.
“Marcus Garvey faced the same problems that you face, and he created the UNIA. You have created your organization to carry forward the dreams of Marcus Garvey and the dreams of Nelson Mandela,” Garvey said.
Dedication is the only way that people can become free from the chains of enslavement that still enslave our minds, Garvey said.
(We understand that a few days after Garvey’s address to CABO, elections were held for a new president. However, the outcome of those elections is under dispute. We plan to have more on that aspect of the CABO meeting in the next edition of Amandala.)