As we lunch into 2014, countries around the world retrospect on 2013. From the "Centers" down to peripheries, juxtapose of positive and negative events will determine the future of nations.
The global economic crisis that riddled
economies had a blanket effect on both advanced and developing countries. News
of marginal economic recoveries in the USA, UK, Canada and Japan gave respite
to the crashing hopes of people. However, this contestable positive news was
tampered by natural disasters in the Philippines, isolated acts of indiscriminate shootings in the USA, political cleansing in North Korea, uprisings in Central
African Republic (CAR) and South Sudan. At the tail end, the world was humbled
by the death of Nelson Mandela; a man of impeccable and outstanding legacy.
Despite the ups and downs of the receding year, the gap between advanced and
third world countries continues to widen. With a greater concentration on third
world countries, in Africa and the Far Eastern countries, a common trend that
has plagued these regions remain governance and leadership failures.
Africa
World’s cradle of civilization continued to trail behind in its own invention-‘civilization’. One cannot collocate the existence of a great leadership icon like Nelson Mandela in a continent that is constantly challenged by poor governance as evident in African leaders with absolute powers allowing themselves to get corrupted absolutely.
From the decade-long civil war in Sierra Leone which ended in 2002, down to the 1994 genocide in Rwanda with a record breaking killing efficiency, Africa’s achievements has revolved around bloodbath, corruption, greed and poverty. Recently, our breakthroughs was increased with the on-going tussle in the Central African Republic and South Sudan. Death toll is on the increase... Africa continues to break grounds in the negative.
Central African Republic:
Located in the north central region of Africa, the Central African Republic was a French colony and gained independence in 1960. The landlocked country shares border with Sudan (northeast), South Sudan (east), Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Congo (south), Chad (north) and Cameroun (west). With capital in Bangui, Central African Republic has an estimated 4.6 million population.
The country which is rich in uranium, crude oil, gold, diamond and lumber, ranks among the world’s poorest. The country’s major GDP driver is agriculture and it also ranks among the ten poorest countries in Africa.
Since independence in 1960, the Central African Republic has seen five coups, widespread corruption, abuse of power, underdevelopment and instability.
The country’s woes started with the St. Silvestre coup d’etat which saw Colonel Jean-Bedel Bokassa taking over power from President Dacko. In 1972, President Bokassa declared himself as life president and suspended the constitution. Violent suppression of opposition started in 1979 when around 100 students and teenagers were killed for protesting against a government Decree. This ignited widespread apathy against his government and President Dacko was reinstated in a French-led coup against Emperor Bokassa (as he was called). Since then, the country has seen violent change in power and abuse of authority with most of its leaders either focused on remaining in power till death or systematic annihilation of other ethnic groups.
In March 2003, General
Francoise Bozize overthrew President Pattasse and took over power. President
Bozize was re-elected in the widely fraudulent election of 2011 and this led to
emergence of rebel groups fighting to unseat the President. The pressure on
President Bozize was overwhelming and in January 2013, a power sharing
arrangement with the rebels was concluded. The rebel groups had control of some
towns in the North while the President had control over the capital and other
towns. However, the rebels backtracked on the arrangement in January 2013 and
invaded the capital Bangui.
President Bozize was ousted and Michel Djotodia took over power. Due to long-stayed violence in the country, rebel and militia activities went out of control. The Muslim led Seleka group came under reprisal attacks from the Christian militias.
Although this appears as a religious uprising, there are political undertones to the recent skirmishes in the country which has seen more than 600 people killed and up to 400,000 displaced.
President Bozize was ousted and Michel Djotodia took over power. Due to long-stayed violence in the country, rebel and militia activities went out of control. The Muslim led Seleka group came under reprisal attacks from the Christian militias.
Although this appears as a religious uprising, there are political undertones to the recent skirmishes in the country which has seen more than 600 people killed and up to 400,000 displaced.
South Sudan:
Officially the youngest country in the world, the Republic of South Sudan was granted independence from Sudan in 2011 and has its capital at Juba.
Republic of South Sudan is led by President Salva Kiir Mayardit who serves as the first president of the country. The country is rich is crude oil reserves and on independence from Sudan, the country retained around 4 times the crude reserves of Sudan.
An oil revenue sharing arrangement is currently operational between Sudan and the Republic of South Sudan. The country relies on pipeline networks and refineries in Sudan for transporting and refining its crude oil. President Mayardit currently faces an uphill task in quelling uprisings from rebels and militia in the country.
The armed groups cited government’s intention to stay in power indefinitely, unfair representation of ethnic groups as well as under development of the rural areas as their motivation for arming up.
In a recent turn of events, President Salva
Kiir alleged a coup plot against his government by his deputy, Riek Machar. This situation fuelled deadly rivalry between President Mayardit’s Dinka group
and Machar’s Nuer clan.
Heavy fight between government troops and Machar’s ‘White Army’ continues in Bor with more than 1000 people killed and lot more displaced. Although a mediatory talk has was initiated in Ethiopia, heavy fight continued in the city of Bor.
The two scenarios discussed above shows some similarities.
Firstly, the Central African Republic and South Sudan have crude oil and other forms of natural resources. This leaves us with the ‘resource curse’ theory where nations with natural resources continued to wallow in abject poverty. Leadership in both countries are hewn on sycophancy, greed and insensitivity.
It beats my imagination on how best to explain the irony of abject poverty and paucity of infrastructure as seen in both countries, in the face of crude earnings. The answer is not far fetched; few privileged men enriching themselves whilst clinging to power till 'death do them part'.
African leaders may have gotten away with this motive in the past, but given recent trends in the Arab world (Arab spring) coupled with the impact of the electronic media, one can conclude that the end is indeed near for corruption in Africa.
Heavy fight between government troops and Machar’s ‘White Army’ continues in Bor with more than 1000 people killed and lot more displaced. Although a mediatory talk has was initiated in Ethiopia, heavy fight continued in the city of Bor.
The two scenarios discussed above shows some similarities.
Firstly, the Central African Republic and South Sudan have crude oil and other forms of natural resources. This leaves us with the ‘resource curse’ theory where nations with natural resources continued to wallow in abject poverty. Leadership in both countries are hewn on sycophancy, greed and insensitivity.
It beats my imagination on how best to explain the irony of abject poverty and paucity of infrastructure as seen in both countries, in the face of crude earnings. The answer is not far fetched; few privileged men enriching themselves whilst clinging to power till 'death do them part'.
African leaders may have gotten away with this motive in the past, but given recent trends in the Arab world (Arab spring) coupled with the impact of the electronic media, one can conclude that the end is indeed near for corruption in Africa.
Secondly, the nature of the crimes committed by purported freedom fighters in Africa leaves one in awe. Arming underage children to participate in killings, a situation where children are forced to kill their own relatives is sickening.
Raping underage girls, arming women to kill their own husbands, staged horrific killings and maiming as well as slaughtering pregnant women and the newborn all under the guise of fighting for freedom, are a common trends in Africa.
After these crisis, the people live in perpetual shock and unable to carry on with normal lives. This situation has a long term negative affect on the social and economic recoveries and development in war torn zones.
Moreso, the motivation of external factors in crisis ridden regions of Africa still leaves some questions unanswered. In most cases, rebels as well as government formations are usually armed by external countries with varied interests in the situation.
For instance, how can a country like Russia continue to arm militias and rebels in Africa and the Middle East, still turn around to cry foul on humanitarian crimes or genocides.
This to me is another form of hypocrisy and sycophancy and requires re-evaluation.
....How long will Africa continue in poverty and underdevelopment in the face of natural abundance?
....How long till our leaders realise that our current pespective to life and polity could be likened to archaic practises in this modern times and therefore unacceptable?
...How long till Africans realise that civilization started out right here and must continue?
....How long till failed leaders like Charles Taylor go public and renounce their own actions in true repentance and remorse?
.......How long till we
have true heroes like Nelson Mandela in Africa?
We earnestly wait!
Write-up by: Obianuju Mbanusi (2014)
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