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AU should defend democracy all over the continent
2008-04-05 09:49:56
By Emmanuel Hayuka
Africa, my beloved continent has been characterised by numerous civil crises in its contemporary history.
These crises took place in countries like Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic of Congo (former Zaire),Congo Republic, Central Africa Republic, Rwanda, Burundi, Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia, Somalia, Liberia, Angola, Mozambique, Algeria, Sierra Leone, Kenya and the likes.
The cost of these crises is seemingly very enormous both in terms of human and financial costs. For instance, in October, 2007 Oxfam and two other `arms-control` non-governmental organizations (NGOs) found that the economic impact of civil conflicts in Africa was ``a shocking 284 billion US dollars (140 billion Pound Sterling)`` from 1990 to 2005.
Likewise, human cost is also very huge, taking the civil crisis in the Democratic Republic of Congo as an example, it is estimated that about four million people died of either direct or indirect consequences of the war.
This is a very worrying fact as the estimation focuses on the crisis in a single country rather than many.
That`s why a number of human rights and political activists together with NGOs the world over have been appealing to the African leaders to unravel the existing civil crises and create the environment that discourages the recurrence of civil strives in the continent.
Acceptance of the call for change
In recent years, African leaders have adopted some measures which demonstrate their preparedness to accept the call for change. The formation of New Economic Partnership for Africa`s Development (NEPAD) and its brainchild African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM) which among other things do emphasise on issues such as good governance, rule of law; human rights, regular elections, fight against corruption, ensuring transparency in monetary, financial and budgetary matters, providing peace and security, ensuring human and physical development and promoting gender equality.
It can further be reflected in a ``Constitutive Act of the African Union`` that was concluded on 11th of July 2000 in Lome, Togo, by approximately 54 Heads of State and Governments.
Under Article 3, one of the objectives of the establishment of the African Union (AU) is: ``Promote peace, security and stability on the continent``
Suggestions and findings of many analysts, activists, academicians and NGOs, say that the costs of civil crises in the continent are massive and have contributed to both stagnation of development and the continuation of underdevelopment trend in many African countries.
The untold sufferings of Africans make the role of AU on restoring and maintaining peace as well as security and stability to be something of paramount importance.
However, the most realistic way of ensuring the prevalence of peace, security and stability throughout Africa is by promotion of democratic principles, institutions, popular participation and good governance.
The recently ended military operation in Anjoun to remove from power the then self-imposed island leader, Colonel Mohamed Bacar, by the African Union forces reflects AU`s readiness to protect democratic principles in the continent.
The forces comprised of military personnel from Tanzania, Senegal, Sudan and Libya. African Union`s action was prompted by the violation of the Union of Comoros` ``political sovereignty and integrity`` by Col.
Bacar, who kept on refusing to relinquish his power regardless of the expiry of his office tenure.
The breach by Col. Bacar, interfered with territorial jurisdiction of the democratically elected Union Government led by President Ahmed Abdallah Mohamed Sambi over an archipelago island of Anjouan.
Therefore, the decision of the AU to intervene is admissible because the intervention was in line with its objectives, which stipulate precisely: ``Defend the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its member states``.
However, the decision to remove Col. Bacar from power is supported by a sizeable number of people in Africa.
Skepticism remains, especially by the AU`s failure to intervene in other countries with similar situation or with situation that threaten the prevalence of peace, security, stability, human rights and democracy.
Volatile situation once existed or still exists in the country like DRC, Somalia, Ivory Coast, Liberia and Sierra Leone calls for similar military intervention from AU.
The conclusion of 1996-2003 civil wars after intense negotiations that culminated into the formation of an interim government in DRC, many people throughout Africa thought that, at last peace and stability would return to DRC.
Reconciliation process assured Congolese people of quick restoration of a durable peace, security and stability.
A national referendum ended up with a unanimously endorsed new Constitution that guided the first democratic elections held in July, 2006.
In that particular presidential election, the then incumbent, President Joseph Kabila, emerged the victor and formed the government of national unity.
Unfortunately, Kabila`s government does not exercise its sovereignty all over the country due to the rebellion led by allegedly Rwanda backed renegade General Laurent Nkunda in the North Kivu province.
Nkunda, who purports to protect the minority Tutsis from being attacked by the former marauding armed Interehamwe militias, deprives the democratically elected Kinshasa government of its territorial jurisdiction over some parts of the North Kivu province under General Nkunda`s armed combatants.
Thus, it is clear that the situation in Anjoun and that of North Kivu are similar in substance and as a matter of fact the situation in the latter is more serious than in the former in respect of human suffering.
It is, therefore, the general expectation of the peace wishers among Africans and the international community to at least see that AU intervenes soon in defending the sovereignty, territorial integrity and independence of its member states.
The AU also should apply similar strategy to resolve the situation in North Kivu Province and the likes.
This could be done by invoking Article 4 of Constitutive Act of the AU which states, ``the African Union has the right to intervene in a member state pursuant to a decision of the Assembly in respect of grave circumstances, namely war crimes, genocide and crimes against humanity``.
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