Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Atta Mills' Reelection Is Already In Jeopardy Over Cote d'Ivoire

Like Pius, I do not see where in the report it mentions that President Mills' re-election is in jeopardy. It is fair if Abdul wants to see President Mills voted out office because of his position on the current impasse in the Ivory Coast.

 

However, I am surprised by Abdul's inability or unwillingness to understand the official position of the Ghanaian government. For me, besides the cost of lives and the economic interruptions, I find it difficult to understand how such a move can be defended as a principled stance. For if it is, is Abdul seriously contending that if Jonathan Goodluck decides to rig the next elections in Nigeria - which most astute observers suspect is going to be the case - ECOWAS troops are going to go to Abuja and frog march him out of Aso Rock?

 

Let's be honest, I am all for that pan-Africanist stuff, but I don't want Ghana to send in troops to another African country to impose someone on that country as their president. Similarly, I do not - certainly do NOT - want another African country imposing a president on my country. Shouldn't the role of ensuring a country gets who they chose as leader belong to the active citizenry? Of course, with the help of international co-operation. When African Americans decided they were tired of discrimination, they did not need troops from the OAU marching to America. When South Africa decided they had had enough of apartheid, the regime crumbled from within and not from the outside. 

 

If you ask me, I think what should be happening in Ivory Coast is the imposition of strict sanctions against any Ivorian who serves in the illegal government of Gbagbo. The sanctions should include but not restricted to the forfeiture of retirement benefits and eventual prosecution, especially of the senior military officers and civil servants who give comfort to the regime. If those are done in addition to travel restrictions and confiscation of assets world-wide, it will only be a matter of time before Gbagbo's intransigence wilts.

 

To me, the above will represent more of a sensible, repeatable and principled option versus the choice to invade. Yet, if Abdul can prove to me that he can at all times find West African countries that are willing and able to invade Nigeria in the event an Abacha (or for that matter, any amala-head) nullifies an election and imposes himself as president, I am willing to join his not-so subtle campaign to call for the ouster of President Mills. In any case, can he tell me what is the legitimate quorum - coalition-wise -  for invading another ECOWAS country? Two countries? Three? Perhaps four?

 

Kwabby

-----Original Message-----
From: Pius Adesanmi <piusadesanmi@yahoo.com>
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Sent: Wed, Jan 26, 2011 7:07 am
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Atta Mills' Reelection Is Already In Jeopardy Over Cote d'Ivoire

The-sky-is-falling-Mwalimu-Bangura: Pray, where in this report is any threat to Atta Mills's re-election mentioned? Are you preparing for a possible move to FOX News? Pius --- On Tue, 25/1/11, Abdul Bangura <theai@earthlink.net> wrote: From: Abdul Bangura <theai@earthlink.net> Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Atta Mills' Reelection Is Already In Jeopardy Over Cote d'Ivoire To: "USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com" <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com> Cc: "leonenet" <leonenet@lists.umbc.edu> Date: Tuesday, 25 January, 2011, 22:16 Ghana accuses BBC of perpetrating mischief 19:34, January 25, 2011 Alhaji Mohammed Mumuni, Ghana's foreign affairs minister, on Monday accused the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) of perpetrating mischief through deliberate misrepresentation of statements made by President John Evans Atta Mills on the Ivorian political crisis. The minister also accused the broadcaster of trying to create hostilities for President Mills and Ghana in Africa and in the West African sub region. Mills, at a recent meeting with senior journalists at the presidency, said Ghana was mindful of the volatility of the Ivorian crisis but would be mind full of an "Akan"(local language ) adage "dzi wo fie asem", to wit, "mind your own business". The BBC, on its Network Africa Program on Friday, January 22, quoted President Mills' comment as a wise saying for the day which subjected Mills to numerous criticisms from listeners through calls and text messages. In an interview to Xinhua, Alhaji Mumuni emphasized that the BBC was unfair when it represented President Mills as a self- centered and inward looking person who did not care about the crisis in Cote d'Ivoire. "Indeed the BBC quoted President Mills out of context." he said the context in which the president made that comment was completely disregarded. "They ignored the several indications he made that he was extremely concerned about the conditions in Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) and created the impression that our president is a self- centered, inward looking and selfish man who doesn't really care about what is happening in Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire). In fact, there is abundance of evidence to show that it is not true." The minister said President Mills wanted the Cote d'Ivoire problem to be handled with absolute diplomatic care to avert the situation which would lead to an outbreak of violence. He said the president referred that the Ivorian crisis was an African problem which demanded an African solution based on dialogue, conciliation and peace-building. "President Mills doesn't want to see the people of Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire) streaming out of their country into Ghana as refugees," he added. Source:Xinhua -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue- unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin.
For current archives, visit http://groups.google.com/group/USAAfricaDialogue
For previous archives, visit http://www.utexas.edu/conferences/africa/ads/index.html
To post to this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com
To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to USAAfricaDialogue-
unsubscribe@googlegroups.com