times alternating between three radio dials--the new messages of three
heads of state: 1) Nicolas Sarkozy (France); 2) Denis Sassou Nguesso
(Congo-Brazzaville); and 3) the Raïs (DRC). A captivating exercise in
comparative speech writing...
What was interesting between the three messages was that whereas
Sarkozy gave to French citizens a clear lowdown of the action his
government will undertake in the upcoming year, with precise
benchmarks to be achieved, the two Congolese presidents' messages were
instead circumlocutions crammed with what appeared at first blush as
unrealistic empty promises.
I even caught in Nguesso's message this glaring tautology, "social
solidarity"--as if a social dimension weren't necessarily inherent in
the notion of solidarity!
The Raïs promised that the new year will be a year of "individual
development of citizens." In fact, for viewers (those privileged ones
not deprived of viewing the speech due to permanent blackouts) and
radio listeners (the vast majority of denizens in the dark) the
expression "épanouissement individuel des citoyens" was odd as it
literally translates as "individual blossoming of citizens!" Quite
religious or moral wishful thinking. As it happened, Nguesso, on the
right bank of the Congo River (Brazzaville and Kinshasa are the
closest capitals in the world), also used a French word that is
usually found in the religious register: "espérance" (hope) instead of
"espoir." Though he didn't push the envelope on "religion-ese" as did
the Raïs at the end of his speech: "May God be our road companion all
along this new year."
Well, the Raïs, just like the majority of the Congolese, may
misconstrue God as a magician. But the fact remains that there's no
magician who could pull the trick of having him achieve the
"individual blossoming of citizens" in one year.
Item: earlier on during the day, at a Senate hearing--and I commend
senators and MPs for working on New Year's Eve--the Minister of
Primary and Secondary Education was confronted by senators over the
"achievement" being claimed by the government of "free primary
education for all children!" It did however transpire from the hearing
that the claim of free primary education is at best a pipe-dream or at
worst a practical joke at the expense of Congolese citizen. Many
parents, fleeced by schools, have already given up on educating their
kids--in a country with 96% unemployment rate! As all Congolese
ministers are wont to do, the Minister of Primary and Secondary
Education blamed the dwindling portion earmarked for education in the
budget on Mobutu, the wars, the current world economic crisis, and the
drastic regimen the IMF imposes on the country!... In other words,
there won't be any "individual blossoming" for millions of Congolese
kids anytime soon.
In his new year's message Sarkozy said that inaction isn't an option
for him and his compatriots in a world changing at a "stunning speed."
Then, while the world is spinning at this stunning speed, Congo is
hardly stirring in its dizzying inertia...
Well, it seems that another bleak year is about to start for the
Congolese beset by a government--like all their previous governments
for the last 50 years-- that is their worst nightmare!
***
(Erratum: in the previous post I mistakenly wrote "Swedish" in the
stead of "Danish")
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