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INTERVIEW WITH CHIEF ELDER OSIRIS AKKEBALA OF P.A.I.N.
Q1) Chief Elder Osiris Akkebala, thank you for taking
time out of your very busy schedule to participate in
this interview. I'd like to start off by asking you a
bit about your personal background and formative
influences. What led you to become an advocate of
self-determination for Africans in America?
Q2) Your movement is called the Pan-Afrikan
International Movement or PAIN. Could you please
enlighten our readers about the history of PAIN? When
was it formed and what key events shaped the life
of the organization?
A2) P.A.I.N. was formed in 1983, and the reason being
that there was no sincere Black nationalist
organization addressing the problems of Blacks in
America and offering a Garveian solution
without compromise.
Q3) What is the program of the Pan-Afrikan
International Movement? Does it advocate a
particular political/economic system?
A3) The P.A.I.N. program is to fight to maintain the
racial integrity of the Afrikan nation by advocating
racial separation, repatriation with reparation, and
the right for Blacks in America who are descendants of
Afrikans slaves to be able to establish an independent
state upon the land of our ancestors. I think we are
owed the right to have a choice of remaining in
America or having our own state in Afrika. If ISRAEL could do it, so should we be afforded that
same opportunity as well?
Q4) Marcus Garvey is noted for developing a highly
advanced Pan-Nationalist philosophy that predated
similar ideologies in Europe and Asia by many years.
Since PAIN is described as a Garveian 'Back-to-Africa'
movement, what are the most important elements of
Garvey's work that you draw upon?
A4) Garvey was a visionary, a dreamer and a prophet.
Garvey was able to re-instill self-love,
self-confidence, courage and self-respect back into a
nation that had been broken by the institution of
slavery and by the disrespect that was shown, and
still is, by those who are in authority and control.
Garvey set an example of how we can redeem ourselves
by not accepting the misinformation coming from the
Caucasian authority telling Black folks what we need
to do and what we should think. Garvey made a
statement that I will never forget, "A RACE WITHOUT
POWER/AUTHORITY IS A RACE WITHOUT RESPECT".
Q5) PAIN advocates a return to the worship of the old
Gods and Goddesses of Africa. Could you provide us
with a description of your theological system and how
you maintain these beliefs in modern-day America?
A5) I am a former ordained Baptist minister and I do
know a little about the Christian doctrine but since I
came into the knowledge of the religious theology of
my ancient Afrikan ancestors, there is no other
religion that can influence me. P.A.I.N. theology is
very simple. Our religion is referred to as PETAHISM,
which means complete submission to the universal
intelligence of the God element. We do not prescribe
or subscribe to the disorder of belief; when it
involves GOD one must know. We maintain that to know
thyself will put you into the knowledge of what GOD
is. To believe is to indicate uncertainty about it
all. We teach what is to be known and not believed in.
Q6) In your quest to revive traditional African
spirituality, do you feel any affinity to the similar
struggle being waged by European and
Euro-American pagans (i.e. the Odinists)?
A6) I am not that familiar with the Odinists but let
me make it clear to you that there is nothing mystical
about our theology. As a matter of fact, in comparison
to ancient Afrikan theology, all others fall within
the category of paganism and is therefore a
secondary theology.
Q7) On the Spartacus Press website (now since passed on) there is an
interview with John Baumgardner, a White separatist
whom you've met and discussed issues with. What other
contacts have you had with White separatists, as well
as separatists of other races?
A7) Not any in the States that would measure up to the
working relationship John and I had established. I do
have connections with two groups in the UK. Also I can
say that P.A.I.N. is beginning to establish a
relationship with the Sons of the Confederate.
Q8) Within the African-American community, what other
groups and individuals do you consider your
foremost allies?
A8) None. P.A.I.N. is a strict constructionist of the
Garvey philosophy without compromise. Most groups- as
a matter of fact all of them- in the Black community,
and mainly the N.A.A.C.P., are strict assimilationists
and have no problems referring to themselves as
Afrikan-Americans. P.A.I.N. IS A SEPARATIST MOVEMENT
and we are proud to be descendants of those who were
strong enough to survive the evils of chattel slavery.
We refer to ourselves as Afrikans in America. Anything
else is an admission of accepting and being proud of
the American LEGACY. We in P.A.I.N. will never embrace
such a legacy and identify it as our own.
Q9) Conversely, what African-American groups and
individuals do you see as enemies or impediments to the
cause?
A9) All of the assimilationist individuals or groups
are enemies to the Black nationalist cause, which is
the total emancipation of the Afrikan nation. To
advocate anything less than that makes them
an impostor.
Q10) Some fairly convincing evidence has come to light
implicating the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA)
in flooding African-American communities with hard
drugs, most particularly crack cocaine during the
1980s. What is your opinion of drugs in general and
the CIA-cocaine connection in particular?
A10) For as the C.I.A., drugs is a way of maintaining
control of the Black family which in turn secures the
control of Black communities. A drugged (Black)
community is a safe community in the eyes of the
C.I.A. When drugs were allowed to be introduced into
the Black community, it had the same affect that the
A-BOMB had upon the Japanese. Need I say any more?
Q11) What are your thoughts on Africa itself? Even
though all African nations have achieved at least
nominal independence from European colonialism, the
continent still suffers from many ills including
genocidal wars, an AIDS epidemic and chronic poverty
and corruption. In your opinion, why is this the
case and how can it be remedied?
A11) Afrika is the hope of the world. She is going
through a transformation now. Unless she is restored
back to her rightful place within the world community,
great devastation will come upon the earth. Afrika's
redemption is dependent upon the mental redemption of
the Afrikan in America. The poverty, sickness,
senseless killing and political foolishness will only
be purged at the hands of the descendants of Afrikan
slaves. It is our obligation to liberate the
Afrikan nation.
Q12) Over the years the US media has reported on the
growing gap between the African-American upper/middle
class and the African-American working/underclass. The
implication is that African-American elites have
abandoned their poorer brothers and sisters and are
collaborating with the present capitalist system. Do
you consider this to be serious problem? What are
PAIN's positions on class and social justice?
A12) Class struggles have and all ways will be a
problem in a capitalist system, but it has always been
a puzzle to me when I see Black folks jockeying for
position and class status against each other within a
White capitalist society. Our only struggle should be
to get the hell out of here and go claim what is ours
and stop begging for respect. AS THE HONORABLE MARCUS
GARVEY SAID, "RACE FIRST". Our job is to rebuild the
Afrikan nation which the western world destroyed. They
must pay for their inhumane treatment towards my people.
Q13) Finally, are there any current or future PAIN
projects that you would like to inform our readers
about? I understand that you've recently completed
two books.
A13) To intensify the campaign to awaken the sleeping
giant and alert him to the job he has before him. Yes,
I have just completed writing two books entitled LIES
ABOUT GOD and MY GOD THE CREATOR. For the first time,
a view from the Black perspective and through the eyes
of a Black spiritual man.
PETAHOTEPH: CHIEF ELDER OSIRIS AKKEBALA (P.A.I.N.)
To discuss this Article and other issues please visit the Folk And Faith Discussion Board.
Interview originally conducted By Spartacus Press/ Terra Firma News. Our thanks to them for their contributions!
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