Only a few months ago, several organizations of African and Western civil societies rebelled against you and expressed their outrage at your institution which applied for sponsorship of President Obiang Nguema of Equatorial Guinea, for his lavish prices. Today, you tend the perch to Ali Bongo of Gabon, the “yellow jersey” of African dictatorship, as if you are making the difference between AIDS and the plague...
The choice of sponsorship of your institution for some time and his love for African dictators are in line to significantly impair the credit enjoyed by far the prestigious New York Academy of Sciences.
It must be remembered that Mr. Ali Bongo is far worse than President Obiang Nguema when it comes to corruption, dictatorship and deprivation of basic citizen freedoms. Yet history teaches us that the Academy, the first school of philosophy, was frequented by disciples or those carefully chosen. Indeed, Plato, the founder, was a significant engine of the democratic development of his time and his works with the tyrant of Sicily and later with his son, also his thoughts, are perfect examples and deserve an actualization and a fundamental review of the role of our academies today.
If you are so indifferent to the cries of thousands of Gabonese who do not have at least basic social services, have at least consideration for the science that is the reason for your Academy. Are Americans so pathetically and tragically affected by the economic crisis to the point of deepening into complicity with the dirty money of African dictatorships and hence undermining the image of their prestigious institution?
In addition to the U.S. Senate which published a report on the ill-gotten gains of African dictators [1], your embassy in France to let you know, very discreet and laid bare by Wikileaks, that Mr Ali Bongo was placed in power against the will of the people [2], and recently a document of television news of ABC showed the poor living conditions of Gabonese. would Ali Bongo be solicited by the Academy for his brilliant scientific career, his enormous wealth, as a representative of an oligarchic group or as representative of the people of Gabon?
If it is his (bad) treatment of the people of Gabon that earned him so much honor on the part of your institution, we find this very cynical and thus conclude that science has no rightful place in your institution. Possibly taking note of this option, we may consider actions of discredit against you and initiate legal actions against the New York Academy of Sciences in our capacity as taxpayers of Gabon. This will be the battle of David and Goliath!
That is why we, the collective signatories of this letter, do earnestly appeal to your sense of responsibility and the will of your distinguished institution to find another African personality to be given the great honor to sponsor your price, being an individual or a legal entity (e.g. a business) truly representative of the dignity past, present and especially future of Gabonese and / or African, and their hope for greater justice and again and again, more dignity.
By Gabonese of France
WOULD YOU HAVE THE COURAGE TO TAKE MONEY FROM GABON TO FINANCE YOUR PRICE IN THE UNITED STATES?
[1] A trial on the issue much stifled is underway in the Tribunal de Paris
[2] A documentary confirming this is being broadcast right now in France on the television channel of the French Parliament - LCP.
Free translation: C.L.
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