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A majority of Africa's political leaders are in different states of shock. They may also be on bended knees in supplication, prayer, and hope. The difference between many of them and Tunisia's Ben Ali, Egypt's Mubarak, and Libya's Gaddafi is not very significant. They are all different species that belong to the same family. How many of them are truly democratically elected leaders? How many of them have allowed or even paid better than lip service to democratic practice? How many of them have created or allowed the development of viable democratic institutions?
Political independence from European colonial powers has been generally followed in Africa and the Middle East by the age of home-grown tyranny .
Foreign occupation of country, however benevolent it tries to be, is still a form of tyranny. When it ends, the home/local potentates that succeed foreign occupiers take over a country without deep and strong democratic traditions. The dominant potentate like a giant octopus, spreads its tentacles and grabs all authority and power. He cherishes this emergent authority and power. By design or fiat, he creates a cabal that transforms itself into a direct replacement of the former foreign occupiers. This cabal and its leader overtime, becomes the country. This leaders knows all and knows best. If it is good for him, it is good for the country. There is now a chemical mesh of his interests and the country's interests. His interest is the public interest.
One tyranny has replaced another. The only difference from the status quo ante is that the current tyranny is domestic which by the way is advantageous to the cabal. It is not foreign and cannot therefore be criticized for that reason. The oppressed know however that tyranny is not acceptable for the reason that it is home-grown and not foreign. The cabal and especially its leader copies and practices the art, ways, and means of the erstwhile foreign occupiers. Former compatriots who also worked to dislodge the foreign powers but now disagree with them become detractors and political enemies. A home grown dictatorship has emerged under the pretext of saving the country from agents of erstwhile foreign occupiers wanting to recreate the situation ante. A local tyranny has replaced a foreign tyranny. Stability becomes the bogey word, rallying call, and also the universal and eternal justification for mindless misrule and gross injustices.
It is no surprise therefore that Africa's political leaders have been sonorously silent on the wave of protests that is rocking the countries of the North Africa and the Middle East. The protests has spread both to the east and west of Tunisia. The next move is southward. Africa's political leaders rightly have nothing to say.
oa
-----Original Message-----
From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Cornelius Hamelberg
Sent: Wednesday, February 23, 2011 5:48 AM
To: USA Africa Dialogue Series
Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - What says the African Union about Colonel al-Gaddafi and current events in Libya?
The Arab League has taken their stance and it is not as if the African
nations care less about the fate of Libya and Libyans.
An important question for us in this forum, and indeed for the rest
of Africa and diaspora, is why the gaping silence from the Africa
Union, about the lastest antics of the man who has played such a
pivotal role in African Union matters, not least of all in his
largesse in providing funding for a few projects in Africa and also
not least of all his well known ambition to become the first president
of the United States of Africa?
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