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Anjouan action a big lesson to power seekers, says SA envoy
2008-03-31 10:15:13
By Njonanje Samwel and Michael Haonga
South Africa has commended the African Union-led military action in toppling Comoro`s Anjouan island`s former self-proclaimed president, Col Mohamed Abcar, as a lesson to those who erode and bypass democratic means to leadership.
Speaking at a special meeting with editors of media houses in Dar es Salaam last Friday, South African High Commissioner to Tanzania Sindiso Mfenyana commended the AU action as indispensable upon failure of a peaceful settlement of the impasse.
He said whereas negotiations were the most ideal way in avoiding bloodshed of innocent civilians, military action was unavoidable in the absence of other means to save people from dictatorship.
The South African envoy said there was therefore ``need to bank much on peaceful negotiations to resolve conflicts in the African continent, in the manner the Kenya political situation was diffused by former United Nations Secretary General Koffi Annan and African Union Chairman President Jakaya Kikwete in coming up with a peaceful settlement.``
When he was asked whether the AU military action should be used to force dictatorial regimes or those who manouevred to ascend to leadership by thwarting democratic means out of power, Mfenyana reiterated that he was of the view that `the most commendable means is through peaceful negotiations first.`
In another development, people in Africa have been reminded to strive for unity in fighting various impediments to their economic, social and political prosperity.
The reminder was sounded on Saturday through a play staged in the University of Dar es Salaam`s Nkrumah Hall where diplomats from Cuba, Angola, Namibia and South Africa based in Dar es Salaam met in memory of the African liberation struggle.
The event was held to mark the 20th anniversary of the military victory at Cuito Cuanavale in Angola on March 23, 1988 when South African soldiers were ambushed and annihilated by gallant MPLA government forces supported by Cuban comrades.
The South African envoy said the event would also be used to remember other great liberation struggle heroes such as South African Nelson Mandela, Fidel Castro of Cuba and Augustino Neto of Angola.
Others are Namibia`s Sam Nujoma and Tanzania’s founding father Julius Nyerere.
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