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The rise of an
ethnic leader to power and growing ethnic intolerance.
The military quickly
installed overnight Mr. Gbagbo as the President. Alassane Ouattara's supporters
then took to the streets and again another round of mayhem was unleashed with
the goal of unseating the newly installed President. Unfortunately. Lauren
Gbagbo took a very acrimonious step, directed at Alasanne Ouattara. He banned
Ouattara from returning into Ivory Coast, which again fueled riots, especially
in the north of the country among the "Dioulas". The story has it that Ouattara
receives support from Burkina Faso. President Gbagbo again forbade Ouattara from
running for Presidency, claiming that he is not from the Ivory Coast. Again,
this fanned the amber of hatred and animosity from the northerners.
Through the intervention of the French and some African leaders, a truce meeting
was called between General Guie, President Gbagbo and Alasanne Ouattara. This
meeting led to the decision to allow Alassane Ouattara back into the country, as
well as General Guei. Everyone expected a government of national unity. However,
the trouble waters run deep. Ouattara continued to believe that if a free and
fair election was held and he was allowed to run, he would win. He continued to
press that he is an Ivorian. On the sidelines. General Guie having tasted power
for a while now wanted to come back to power. This is what is at the heart of
the current crisis in Ivory Coast.
The current crisis:
“Renegade soldiers” or outcomes of political in fighting?
A group of soldiers
were retired by President Gbagbo. The news has it that these soldiers were seen
as loyalists to General Guei and some of them were also from the North, with
sympathy towards Alassane Ouattara. The renegade soldiers then decided to
overthrow the government by force. During the heavy fighting in the capital city
of Abidjan, the rebels were driven out by the loyal forces. However, the loyal
forces killed General Guei. The mansion house of Alassane Ouattara was torched
and burnt down and he fled for refuge in the French Embassy.
The renegade soldiers then captured the major towns of Bouake and Khorogho. Both
towns are towards the north and largely populated by the "Dioulas". Supposedly,
according to some news, reinforcements for the renegade soldiers were coming
from Burkina Faso - a charge that the government of Burkina Faso denied.
Although the government says this is a crisis of renegade soldiers, it is hard
to believe this. Evidence seems to suggest that the chicken has come home to
roost. The root cause of the current crisis can be linked to the ethnic politics
and efforts by the current President to even up with his enemies. This is
African ethnic politics, again, at its worst. The soldiers are simply being used
to fuel the conflict.
A prayer for the lovely city of Bouake
Our hearts and prayers
go to the people living in these cities, as it appears that war is inevitable.
President Gbagbo has declared an all out war – a sign of gross political
immaturity. What is needed is not war but dialogue. But I suppose, as with most
Africans, he would rather kill his enemies than dialogue with them, to
understand the real reasons for their behaviour. I suppose he knows, especially
as this seems to be part of a theatrical act, with its winner keeping the
esteemed office of the President.
We
lived in the city of Bouake for five years. Our children went to the Baptist
International School, the only American school in the city. Indeed, when we were
thinking recently of sending our son to a boarding school, we almost sent him
there! The children there were trapped in gunfire for one week. Fortunately the
French army has rescued them. Also close to our heart is the situation of the
staff at the West Africa Rice Development Association (WARDA), where we worked
for those five years. WARDA has a lovely station at the outskirts of Bouake on
the road to Khorogho in the north. It is not impossible that the renegade
soldiers might loot this property as they entrench themselves in the city and
prepare for war. We can only imagine the crisis in our lovely city of Bouake. It
used to be a very nice and quiet place to live.
Is there any hope
for Africa?
The situation that is
occurring in Ivory Coast today is another reminder of the problems of ethnic
politics and the inability of Africans to live at peace with each other. African
politics is rife with hatred and animosity. Once you are not from my tribe, I am
supposed to see you as the enemy. The old politicians preach hatred and lack of
tolerance. It is a shame that despite all the great human and natural resources
that Africa has, it has been unable to become prosperous because of ethnically
driven fights and wars. From Rwanda to Burundi. From Uganda to Rwanda. From
Zimbabwe to the Democratic Republic of Congo. From Eritrea to Ethiopia. From
Uganda to Sudan. From Guinea to Sierra Leone and to Liberia - everywhere you
look you see wars or little fires that may lead to new rounds of wars. We have
lived in so many African countries now to see this development run its cycles.
I
come out to the conclusion that something is terribly wrong in or perhaps with
Africa. Those that are called "leaders" in Africa are not worthy of such.
Instead of leading to prosperity, all they know how to do is to lead Africa into
wars. These wars may be the beginning of the end for Africa in the Commonwealth
of Nations. The so-called New Partnership for African Development (NEPAD) is a
child that is being born while the mother is almost out of oxygen to even
breathe. It may become a stillborn child in the end! Who wants to invest in a
continent where all you see is war and talks of wars?
I
get up daily and pray to God for this continent – my motherland. I know God is
looking down at me and wondering: “what else do you want from me? I have
given the continent all it needs to succeed, already!”
As
I get older I begin to ask when that success come for Africa? I now strongly
believe that unless a new generation of Africans that are civilized come into
power, and are able to lead the continent away from these ethic clashes and
wars, Africa's future will be doomed to the backwaters of development. Perhaps
Africa will become a leader in the world as many say, but the question is
“leader of which world? I think Africa is already a leader – a leader of the
under-developed world. But it is loosing its leadership for another league.
Unless it stops all these senseless wars and flames of ethnic intolerance used
to burn out political opponents (now often called “terrorists”), it will not be
long for it to become the undisputed leader of the group of "never-developing
countries". Perhaps that is the end goal of many empty heads with faulty
genetic make-ups parading themselves as African leaders. If it is so, then I
must concur that all the irrational actions they are taking are in the right
direction! But I will never say an Amen to this. I believe that failure is the
door to success. Setbacks are sometimes necessary on the way to glory.
A prayer for Africa
I know our
time shall come, O God, I know! But please answer just one more prayer from me,
O Lord. Be patient with me. Please rid Africa of the old politicians, so that a
new breed may come up! Do it and don’t delay. Let the new breed not be a new
generation of thieves and rogues. Let not the rest of the worlds deride us
anymore. May Africa rise and shine, and may we have the courage to rise like the
northern star! Give us leaders that sow seeds of unity and peace, so we can live
in harmony, peace and prosperity. Let Africa be a place you will be proud of.
Let Africa sow the seed of peace to reap the fruits of peace. Help us to sow the
seed of hard work to reap the fruits of hard work. Help us to love our neighbour
as ourselves, whether black or white. Help us to reach for the sky like the
eagle. Help us to run and not be weary. Help us to walk and not faint. Let my
eyes see a prosperous Africa! Arise O, Lord!”
Amen.
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