NYASA Condemns Russia's Invasion of Ukraine
The New York African Studies Association condemns in the strongest possible terms Russia’s February 2022 invasion of Ukraine, a military action that violates international law and the sovereignty of an independent nation. This invasion is a crime against humanity that continues the history of authoritarianism, injustice, and violence that has inflicted massive suffering on millions of people in Africa and the Global South.
As an association dedicated to studying Africa and the African diaspora, we know too well what happens when White Supremacist powers and authoritarian forces exercise their dominance over a country or region. The dehumanization of African bodies, the wanton exploitation of its resources, and the delegitimization of African political institutions have been the mark of such rule.
As our great African Father and freedom fighter Nelson Mandela taught us, we should fight against White domination and Black domination, we should be prepared to die fighting for “a democratic and free society in which all peoples live together in harmony and with equal opportunities.” Thus, we stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine as they fight for a democratic and free Ukraine.
We applaud the European Union’s decision to grant a three-year residency permit to refugees from Ukraine. We condemn any strains of racism against African refugees in Ukraine or those seeking asylum in other European countries. We ask that the European Union should grant residency permits to thousands of African students who are studying in Ukraine or African residents in Ukraine who were on temporary visas. We also ask European universities to open their doors to these students to continue their studies uninterrupted.
The New York African Studies Association calls for the immediate withdrawal of Russian troops from Ukraine and the cessation of all interference in Ukrainian affairs so that the world can move toward working together to address its exigent and long-ignored problems that include the headlong destruction of the miracle that is Planet Earth.
Finally, given the failure of negotiations and peace talks initiated by various European and American diplomats and leaders, we recommend that representatives of Africa and its Diaspora be considered as brokers for peace. And to that end, we humbly offer ourselves as resources.