On July 8, 2000, the Africa Solidarity Council, Inc. hosted the African Solidarity Conference to commemorate the one hundredth anniversary of the birth of the Pan-Africanism movement. We also used the opportunity to reaffirm the call for unity, solidarity, and cooperation among Africans and to kindle a rebirth of the "new" Pan-Africanism movement for the achievement of social modernization of African society and the realization of African unity on a continental scale.

The conference was successful, but for the astonishingly low audience participation. This was the first major event organized by the Council and we are encouraged and buoyed by the reviews from the members of the African community throughout the United States and particularly from the Washington Metropolitan Area. We have videotapes of all the speeches and presentations at the conference. We also have produced a T-shirt marking the anniversary. These items will be marketed and the information about how one can get them will be posted on our web site.

In this issue of Unite, and subsequent Issues, we will reproduce the speeches made at the conference by the various speakers. In this issue, we present two speeches. Mr. Christian C. Nwacfhukwu, Jr, delivered the first speech. Dr. Peter Njang, Attorney-at-Law, delivered the second speech.

-Christian C. Nwachukwu, Jr.

A people can be grouped, even classified, by a common heritage. A common nostalgic detour can name a people if it leads to a common beginning. But language, a common tongue reciting the history of a race through syllable and song can define a people. To deny a people the inalienable right to speak and sing as their ancestors spoke and sang is undoubtedly criminal. And never was a people more wronged than the displaced African and the current day African-American. Can this crime be undone? No. But can the wrong be set right? Yes.

But I am greatly troubled by apathy that if not expressed by the African, then surely by the African-American--not disdain or dislike, but certainly disinterest. A disinterest in reclaiming a vocal heritage stolen and denied. I am troubled at the fervor with which black schools educate young black minds in the culture and language of the Spanish, the French, or the Japanese. I am troubled at the comfort African-Americans take in employing their children in vigorous, year-long, college-level courses centered solely on the education of another people's writing and language with a barely a week out of a single month for their own.

It is important to know about the world and the people around you. It is important to study a variety of cultures. But how can one understand others, without first becoming intimate with oneself?

Let us, Africans and African-Americans, become intimate with ourselves by becoming intimate with each other. We must reach back into the bowels of a painful past. We must reclaim what was so wrongfully taken and denied. We must retrieve our tongue. I emphasize the "we," because this is not a solitary journey and the battle can not be won alone. The African-American needs the help of the African and the African must answer the plea and extend the helping hand. We must work to develop programs within our educational system to teach African culture and African language. We must encourage enrollment into African courses by African-American students and we must demand the funding to make the dream of such courses a reality. The need has arisen and the time for action has come. In a period of social upheaval and social injustice at such a great magnitude the need for unification has never been more urgent. And never have a people need unification more than the African and the African-American for a stronger Africa.

There is nothing as important about a people as their relations to one another and there is no more common and basic form of relations than speech. We must retrieve our tong not from the world, which took it. We must retrieve our tongue from the only place where it can be found--within our very souls, within each other.

-Peter Njang, Esq.

1. Is Anyone Immune from the Law? No. You may not in your lifetime stand before a judge to defend yourself but that is mere chance. In fact, in Africa most people during their lifetime never come in contact with the law. However, in the United States, it is very unlikely that anyone can possibly be born and die without coming in contact with the law unless that person must have died before age sixteen. You do not necessarily have to be a criminal to come in contact with the law in the United States. Violation of speed limit, being fired from a job, renting an apartment, buying a house, does not make you a criminal but it usually brings you contact with the law involuntarily!

2. You and the Police: The law permits police officers to approach you in a public place to request information. You need not submit to questioning and are free to walk away. But if the police reasonably suspect that you are committing, have committed or are about to commit a crime, they may briefly detain you for questioning. The officer may require your identification and an explanation. Your are required to produce your identification but are not required to answer any questions or give any explanation. Refusing to answer questions or give any explanation does not make you guilty.

3. Arrest: The police can arrest you in your home only with an arrest warrant. Out of your home, you can be arrested, if the police have reason to believe that you have committed or are about to commit: (1) a felony whether or not in their presence; (2) a misdemeanor in their presence; or (3) a misdemeanor not in their presence if they have reason to believe you may escape, cause injury to persons or property, destroy evidence unless immediately arrested.

A citizen can arrest another citizen if the arresting citizen sees the arrested citizen commit a misdemeanor amounting to a breach of the peace or a felony in that citizen's presence.

If you are taken to into police custody, you have the right to: be informed of the charges against you and the allowable penalties; obtain a lawyer, including the right to have one appointed if you cannot afford one; have a judge decide whether you should be released from jail until your trial; and remain silent. The police may ask your name, address, and other routine processing questions. Before questioning you about the matter of your arrest, they must read your Miranda rights and explain them to you.

4. Do I need a Lawyer: In our complex society, virtually everyone needs the advice of a lawyer. It would be unwise for anyone to buy a home, write his/her will, transact a business deal, enter into a contract without professional legal assistance.

Never think of hiring a lawyer as the last resort. In most instances, it is wise to first consult a lawyer before you have a legal problem. By consulting with a lawyer before signing a contract, closing a business deal or moving ahead with any legal matter, you can avoid costly and often complicated legal hassles. A lawyer is to the law as a doctor is to illness - PREVENTION! A stitch in time saves nine, is a popular English adage!

In this society where suing has become the desire of most people, you are better of consulting a lawyer before embarking on most projects, such as, initiating a suit or defending a suit, organizing a business, signing a contract, when contemplating divorce, when you have or anticipate having tax problems, when arrested, buying a real estate, when involved in personal injury, etc.

5. Lawyers, Legal Fees and You: Lawyers sell services and not tangible goods. A lawyer's professional skills is expressed through the time spent to develop a solution to a client's legal problem, which form the basis for any fee a lawyer charges a client. Much of a lawyer=s work is accomplished when the client is not present: researching, developing a theory of defense or offense, etc. A two-page document and advice given by your lawyer in just a few minutes are the product of training, skills and many hours of work.

Factors that a lawyer takes into consideration when computing his/her fee are time spent to develop a solution, ability, experience, reputation, operation and overhead costs.

Always discuss the cost of legal services during the first interview with the lawyer. Also note that lawyers often would want payment or part thereof up front before they begin work because they must meet their commitments, such as wages, rents, etc. while working on your case.

You can reduce your legal fees by doing some work yourself. For example: get the names, addresses and telephone numbers of witnesses; write down the facts of your case; take any papers relating to your legal matter to the first interview with the lawyer; be very accurate as you can possibly be when relating the facts of your legal matter to the lawyer; make sure you honestly and completely disclose all the facts whether they are favorable or unfavorable; avoid unnecessary telephone calls to the lawyer; obtain legal advice before signing any document or taking legal action; discuss the financial advantages or disadvantages of a proposed legal action with the lawyer, etc.

6. Auto Accident: No matter how minor an accident may be, do not fail to stop. Always endeavor to stop as close to the accident scene as much as possible. If you collide with another car, never, never move your car from the position of collusion until police come to the scene even if you are blocking traffic. Never accept to move your vehicle from the collusion point at the suggestion of the party at fault even if he/she says he or she is at fault; wait until the police arrive. Never accept to follow an ambulance before the matter of who is at fault is settled in the presence of the police unless you are seriously injured and you must be immediately attended to by a doctor.

If you have a camera in your car, take pictures of the cars immediately after the accident and before the cars are towed away, take pictures of the damages on each car. If not, make sure you find out where the other car was towed to, follow it afterwards and take pictures of the damages caused by the accident and damages of your own car too.

7. Traffic Tickets: Two categories of violations- minor traffic and major traffic violations. Minor violations do not carry jail terms, for example, a speeding ticket. However, a minor traffic violation may subject you to the assessment of points against you.

The other category of traffic offense is the major category because they may lead to incarceration, for example, driving while intoxicated (DWI) or driving under the influence (DUI) of drugs or alcohol.

If an offense will subject you to a jail term, you may need a lawyer. If you are unemployed or an indigent, an attorney can be provided at no cost to you by the Public Defender office if you request for one. A lawyer would assist you to prepare a defense, will know what evidence is legally admissible, what should be objected to during the trial and the elements to a finding of guilt; assist in presenting mitigating circumstances if your enter a guilty plea; and will know of alternative dispositions to jail or maximum penalties.

8. Landlord and Tenant: A written lease is always best. Do not sign a lease that is blank or has any blanks spaces. Verbal promises made by either the landlord or the tenant should not be relied on. You should obtain a fully completed and signed copy of the written lease.

There are very few times when a tenant may withhold rent because the landlord has not performed an obligation of the lease. The tenant may be entitled to withhold rent where dangerous defects exist because the landlord has failed to perform an obligation under the lease, which constitutes a danger to the life, health or safety of an occupant.

The landlord should be notified of the defect by certified mail and given reasonable time or opportunity to repair the defect after receiving notice from the tenant.

Unless required by the lease or state or local law, the landlord is not responsible for maintaining the property, other than to insure that dangerous conditions do not exist on the property. If something in the rental unit needs repaired, and then the landlord is required to repair it, however the tenant must notify the landlord about the problem in writing.

If the tenant's property is damaged by the landlord's failure to make repairs required by the lease or law, the tenant may file a civil action for damages against the landlord. However, the landlord may not be liable for damage that is beyond his/her control.

Both the landlord and tenant may terminate the lease if one of the parties breaches the lease. But it is advisable for the tenant to seek the advice of an attorney before attempting to terminate a lease because of the landlord=s actions, since the law in this area is complex. 

TO BE CONTINUED