Lesson 2: NADCSC Initial Plebiscite Survey

INTENT OF THE INITIAL PLEBISCITE SURVEY:

"To build upon the previous work in this specialized field to methodically assess the needs, concerns and socio-political aspirations of the African-American and to help generate much needed basal data relative to assessing African-Americans citizens' familiarity with human rights provisions as covered under international law, as well as determining their attitude toward the issue of 'self determination' and the four options of a plebiscite as originally formulated by Imari Obadele - comparable data which is almost non-existent today."

"The (Plebiscite) exploratory committee began its work April 3, 2021 at the Afro Descendant Nation Grassroots Unity Outreach: Self-Determination Conversation held in Atlanta, Georgia. A steering committee for their upcoming nine-day conference was formed and on April 19, 2021 the AFRO DESCENDANT STEERING COMMITTEE SELF DETERMINATION SURVEY was published. To the question, “Would you participate in a plebiscite recognized by the United Nations that would give you the a chance to choose among the four options: (1) US citizenship, (2) return to Africa, (3) emigration to another country and (4) the creation of a new African nation on American soil”, eighty-one percent (81%) responded “yes” and sixty-five percent (65%) pledged financial support between $5 and $500 with four percent (4%) pledging more than $500.

On June 25, 2022 a presentation entitled “Reflections on a Plebiscite” was given at an N’COBRA International Affairs Commission (NIAC) workshop which started a discussion on plebiscite strategy. It was noted that a plebiscite properly conducted today would require support from the member states of the African Union in order to be able to effect a remedy for those who choose option (2) return to Africa. Currently, there is no official support in the form of legislation or policy for the Afro Descendants’ “right to return” by the member states of the African Union with the possible exception of Ghana and Sierra Leone. This necessitates developing a New Afrikan Diplomatic Corps that would engage the governments of African states and assist them in developing Right to Return & Citizenship legislation and policies. Additionally, a plebiscite properly conducted today would require the willingness of the United States to cede territory, as it did during Emancipation, for the establishment of self-governing, independent Afro Descendant territories. Currently, there is no support from the United States Government to cede land and recognize an independent New Afrikan nation on territory currently controlled by the US as a remedy for those who choose option (4).The “Reflections on a Plebiscite” presentation concluded:

“Currently there is no organized authority with the political will and sufficient resources to properly prepare a plebiscite for Afro Descendant self determination in America. In other words, there is no Afro Descendant entity in the United States that could command consent from 10 million of its community members to participate in a plebiscite [thus requiring the development of a New Afrikan Civil Service to staff a plebiscite campaign machine]. Thus it is premature to conduct a plebiscite at this time. Even a well attended plebiscite could produce at most symbolic gains and a moment of unity and direction, but the realistic opportunity for remedy remains extremely limited. A substantial amount of pre-plebiscite mobilization could create a proper narrative and obtain the financial resources to produce a professional marketing campaign designed to inform the Afro Descendant population on the necessity and requirements of a plebiscite. A plebiscite campaign has the potential to finally mobilize all Afro Descendants in the United States into unified action since the plebiscite seeks a remedy for all 4 options. Properly framed, the narrative is - ‘Afro Descendant Self Determination - you choose your destiny.’ We all support each other’s right to choose. In this way, we can stop the fighting between repatriationists and integrationists, integrationists and New Afrikan nationalists, New Afrikan nationalists and repatriationists, emigrationists and repatriationists, etc. It’s an ‘all for one and one for all’ - we struggle for ALL FOUR REMEDIES. Essentially, the reparations discussion should be framed in terms of the plebiscite - how do we get the resources to provide remedy for all four options?”

In conjunction with the NIAC Workshop, a web page,TOWARDS A PLEBISCITE FOR SELF DETERMINATION OF THE AFRO DESCENDANT COLONY IN THE UNITED STATES: AN IMARI OBADELE READER AND STRATEGIC PLAN, was published. The NIAC then created a Plebiscite Committee which set as its task creating and conducting an Initial Plebiscite Survey to inform the planning of a plebiscite education campaign.After nearly a year, however, the NIAC Plebiscite Committee has not been able to finalize the survey 

to understand the "intent" of the Initial Plebiscite Survey, as I proposed it exactly a year ago, you must start with understanding that I am following the instructions of Imari Obadele and my teacher, Dr. Y.N. Kly and building on the work of IHRAAM.

"It was within this socio-legal context that IHRAAM conducted a national telephone survey of predominantly African-American citizens. . . .This exploratory survey sample of 710 subjects covering 24 major American cities with high concentrations of African-American voters. The primary purpose of this fledgling study was to help generate much needed basal data relative to assessing African-Americans citizens' familiarity with human rights provisions as covered under international law, as well as determining their attitude toward the issue of 'self determination'. Except for a pilot phone survey of registered voters in the City of Chicago, as conducted by IHRAAM in 1993, comparable data is almost non-existent." 

Additionally,

"In 2001, a more comprehensive version of this study was shared by IHRAAM with the UN Human Rights Commission, the UN/World Conference on Racism (Durban, South Africa), as well as the UN Special Working Group on Minorities. In conclusion, it is highly recommended that further and more thorough investigative studies of this nature be conducted to methodically assess the needs, concerns and socio-political aspirations of the African-American and similarly marginalized national minorities in the U.S.A. Such research, which is simultaneously framed within the context of international human right laws and provisions, is deemed essential as we strive to address the long-term challenges . . . . "

In 2001, it was not possible to make a claim for remedy for Ethnocide because the African Ancestry DNA test did not yet exist. Now, new technology allows for new reparatory justice legal strategies centered around ethnocide and in particular, the Geneva Convention, which is now the key to an entire line of strategic reparations claims. Some of the questions are there to show evidence that we are suffering from ethnocide - we don't know where our ancestors come from - and some questions are designed to "help designate much needed basal data . . . that is almost non-existent." Remember, the goal is to get data that hasn't been compiled before...... .