I’m sticking my nose out of reports for a second. Couldn’t help but react. I tried to shut it after Guinea’s events, after Bongo’s, but news out of the Hague about Sudan are too big for me to just keep quiet. Are things moving for Africa… Maybe?
Well, you know what I think of all these people, “African leaders”… I don’t have to repeat it! (Not all of them, but let’s say 99.9% of them)
*Bongo, the only man shorter than Sarkozy… They only froze a tiny part of what he stole… Freeze more! With all its potential, Gabon is still one of the poorest country in the world. You’d think it’d be otherwise given the size of the country and small population… not sure this will hurt in any way, but it’s clearly publicity not needed
* Al Bashir, it’s sad that there is even a debate about whether there should be an international warrant for his arrest. It is the right thing, is it what’s needed? Unfortunately not… Of course, the dire situation humanitarian agencies and peacekeeping mission are going to take a it and be retaliated against… BUT, the bigger picture you ask me? This will show any and everyone no one is above the law, not even a Pdt.
Overall, it’s about time the Internaltional justice community took notice of Africa’s woes. Now, I’m not calling for radom intrusion. Call me bias, but any warrant against Kagame for example, I’ll stand against… Now people like Al Bashir, I salute the “intrusion”, that is if you call trying to stop a genocide an “intrusion”. It is certain more need to be tried, more injustices need to be highlighted and more atrocities condened and swift action to be taken, in many places accross the globe. BUT, some intervention is better than no intervention. Some are saying, why randomly assess who gets tried, and who doesnt. Sudan’s case is not random. It’s long overdue!
*As to Vieira, well the man is gone. Rest in peace, and may your people finally get out of misery… AT LAST!
AND CAN SOMEONE ASK WADE (Senegal’s pdt) TO SHUT HIS TRAP? That I know, he’s never done anything to allievate Darfurians suffering, hell, doesn’t do half nearly enough for his own people in Senegal, except for his pockets getting fatter…. So Puh-Lease….Actually, that all these leaders (Tanzania, Senegal to cite a few) would rather ask for more patience, I’m bewildered. It’s been going on for so long, how much more time do you need? 400,000 dead and 2 million displaced. More time for what? The cowards only fear for themselves and one other importance of this arrest warrant: precedence. If it happens to Al Bashir, it can happen to anyone of them. Meanwhile, they all sit around him in meetings, they may not congratulate him, but they might as well! It’s sad this has to be taken care of by international community. I hear the argument about making the situation more volatile…because Al Bashir and his people are senseless murderers. The issue is not that there shouldn’t be a warrant out for his arrest, the issue is the lack of action: unlilateral, miltary use of force to back it up…
All pigs, and will all burn in hell: I said it! Ocampo is a hero. The chances of arresting Al Bashir are not so low. As soon as he flies in international space, he can be arrested by UN agents,according to Intl Law. Bottom line, people are slowly dying: women are massively gang raped, 500,000 die each month of excrutiatingly painful deaths… in th end, maybe, just maybe al Bashir acts eraticly, then action will be taken.
Allright! I’m out… I’ll have to come back and profess my love for Kigali, Rwanda overall …AND Kagame, my skinny hero!
I’m watching his monthly press conference on TV: when asked about the situation, he doesn’t agree with the ICC and the selective nature of how it deals with its programs. He finds the institution too political. He acknowledges his bias and that he might not be the best person to ask about the ICC. Now, about Al Bashir, he sees as a separate issue than the ICC, and doesn’t want to take a stand about his being guilty or not. BUMMER! Very disappointing answer. What happened to fighting for the vulnerable and defenseless. He of all people should know. Didn’t he cry foul and hammer the Intl community for not standing up for his people. He’s had to take charge in a country that went through the horrors of Darfur and worst… I really thought his answer would be different, but then again maybe Sudan is geographically too close, maybe all african pdts know in the back of their minds not to disavow each other (god knows they’re almost all alike anyway!), and mayb it might be the fact that some judges are on his case as well.
I’ ll say more next time.
Peace out!
March 11, 2009 at 10:06 am
I can sense your furry, rightfully so. You and I know that this whole issue of trying a president is a sensible topic for our African presidents simply b/c they know that eventually they are next. It reminds me a meeting I was in where we were determining SA’s position for aid effectiveness and someone said we must be careful abt not being too forward or passionate because as donors ourselves it will come back against us. So it’s strategic.
Al Bashir will get what he deserves and I honestly don’t think that trying him will right any wrong that’s been done or will change the situation in Darfur. He was only one “pion”, the other stakeholders are re-adjusting and will continue. There’s too much at stake. Sad but true. Look at Hissen Habre’s case, Tchad is still bleeding today…
Finally as for Guinea Bissau, despite everything, I think that the president died in a cruel way and it was unecessary. I’m not sure how things will go from there. I’ve just spoken with a colleague there and all he said is that things are difficult and he works in government. So yes maybe freedom at last but maybe things will go downhill. Sigh, when will it end?
Awww, Kigali is a loveable city, hope you enjoy(ed)/are enjoying.
March 12, 2009 at 2:39 pm
I love reading your perspective and can relate to your frustration.
I will say for Sudan, that while I agree with the sentiment, the indightment/warrant for Bashir’s arrest, whatever they are calling is not what is needed and nothing more than a band-aide.
I know he’s done his dirt, but Darfur is such a tangled web of issues right now, and to quite honest, I (and others) don’t really think Bashir has real/substantial control over it anymore. (Which is why his power-hungry self should not have made it escalate to this level anyway). My main point: here should have been more names on that calling-out list. Bashir’s not my favorite person, but I don’t like scapegoating.
Just my two cents.
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