Can Africa live a future without war?
An Open Letter to Mandela
By Fubara David-West
Special to USAfrica The Newspaper, Houston
USAfricaonline.com,
and The
Black Business Journal
Dear President Nelson Mandela:
Althoug
h
you retired about 2 years ago after serving as president of
post-apartheid South Africa, yours is one African name that is
universally recognized as a tower of dignified statesmanship, a
symbol of selfless sacrifice and of inspirational leadership.
Without your political stature acting as a flag post to direct the people to where they should be heading in their tasking journey, the struggle to rid South Africa of the crime against humanity that apartheid was might not have led so smoothly into the new dawn that South Africa now represents for all Africans, for the African Diaspora and for the entire world. That is why I am writing to you to give you another challenge, one that would put an end to all similar crimes against humanity on the continent, extinguish all future armed conflicts among African states and peoples, and put the continent on a permanent and progressive path to democracy and prosperity.
When Tolstroy in 'War and Peace' observed that morale is more decisive than a count of tanks, soldiers and air planes that an army comes to battle with, he implied a hopeless note at the end of the wise observation: an army with neither morale nor the requisite numbers in materiel is a sorry claptrap, defeated long before morale and numbers come into play.
Africa stands exposed in that hopeless state and military conflicts between African states produce a deteriorating lack of capital, moral and material to bring to the field of human and political development and achievement.
Every African war is a new avenue for a wasteful transfer of capital from the impoverished continent to the advanced post-industrial states of the North. It is an absolute waste to the continent because the military jets, the tanks and the bombs that Africans import for these conflicts, do not come with any kind of technological transfer. Africans do not develop new plants for the manufacture of military hardware for possible export to the North or to the South. At the end of every conflict is a people further devastated and impoverished and deeper in international debt. Stopping this trend is an urgent need if Africa is to have any hope of developing the institutional, economic and technological strength that another African giant, Kwame Nkrumah called Black Power.
Africa is at a critical crossroads, that point in a peopleís history when a giant leap forward is only possible with the deliberate efforts of inspiring leadership, and conscious, progressive followers. This situation is dramatized by a cursory look at the continent which displays a crisis-ridden cauldron, always attempting to put out fires from a past era, for ever at the center of the many disasters of the contemporary world, from AIDS and widespread poverty to destructive wars and technological obsoleteness. Take the AIDS pandemic as an example of what could happen if Africa changed its course. Twenty-two million Africans are infected with AIDS.
What would happen if a mere 10 percent of the funds wasted on wars and domestic armed struggles for political power on the continent were spent on fighting AIDS and on doing research in virology and immunology in general? Africa might find itself in the forefront of modern medical research, building up the resources for meeting prospective public health crises in Africa and around the world. The continent might develop research centers and teaching hospitals as magnets for importing ìbrain powerî into the continent to guarantee future success in science and technology.
Europe was at a similar crossroads in 1945, devastated by two world wars in a short three decades. Germany had just demonstrated the depth of barbarism that Christian Europe, which was at the center of human civilization was capable of, through its gas chambers and its concept of total war. Nothing we have seen in Africa comes even close to comparing with the carnage the world witnessed in Europe. Would Germany rise up again to attempt another drive for world domination? Would France and Germany ever trust each other again? Could the United Statesí commitment to European security be relied upon? What was the meaning of Stalinism and communism in the Soviet Union? Did the Iron Curtain as Churchill called it mean a preparation for another global war?
These were all on the table in 1945, when the French statesman Jean Monnet started promoting the then incredulous idea that the democratic states of Europe should be gradually united. An idle dreamer! Impossible! Many people might have declared. Six short years later (1951) Europeans had recognized the economic value of such a dramatic move. Belgium, France, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and West Germany would establish the European Coal and Steel Community. Fifty years later, and with unrelenting movement in political and economic process, the impossible dream is a reality.
Europe is a democratic political union, a zone of peace between neighbors, where the available human and material resources are garnered for the betterment of life and ultimately for the promotion of economic and political security. That is the model that must be replicated in Africa today, but the continent does not have 50 years; and it should not. Africans are not reinventing the wheel. They are merely expected to retool it for their purposes. Furthermore, there is a weakness that could be turned into strength in the drive for continental unity: the level of market, social infrastructure, industrial and technological development of African countries is virtually equal across the continent. Thus local differentiation will pose little of an impediment to swift action.
When you joined other African leaders in Durban to launch the African Union on July 9, 2002, hopes were raised all over the African world, although there was also some apprehension among many people that the new body would turn out to be nothing more definitive for African progress than the OAU which it replaced. However, sitting on the sidelines and finding possible faults with the new organization are not enough.
It is time for the people to make this popular cause, one against which all Africans aspiring to lead will be evaluated. Africa will redefine its future as a timeline of progressive achievement in politics, in international diplomacy, in technological, scientific and agricultural development, in international trade and in popular culture. If Africa succeeds it will become another continent without wars, joining the rest of the world as equals in the search for freedom, human dignity and progress. You are Mr. Mandela, the most capable African statesman to lead this charge.
You should pick ten Africans whom you recognize as selfless
Pan-Africanists to champion this cause for mass mobilization to push
the continent into the future. The task of this group should include
the drawing up of a treaty that accomplishes five objectives:
(1) an end to military conflicts between African countries,
(2) full and permanent democratization of African political systems
and an end to all military actions for political power within African
countries,
(3) the adoption of a common standard of human rights and of legal
and political process both of which could be adjudicated by any
African anywhere in Africa, before a continental court,
(4) accelerating the full implementation of NEPAD as a retooled
vehicle for continental cooperation and coordination in social and
economic infrastructure renewal, and for agricultural, medical,
scientific and technological research and development,
(5) a declaration that at a date certain all past treaties among
African countries and between African countries and the rest of the
world will be interpreted in the context of African unity and in
accordance with the legal and political objectives of the African
Union.
In this regard, the Peace and Security Council should be remodeled. It should become a political decision-making body with the authority to use continental armed forces to end military conflicts within African countries and between African countries. It should also be capable of defending continental interests around the world. The model should not be the United Nations Security Council. It should rather be NATO and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe. Every country should make available to the Council a percentage of its total military forces to be deployed anywhere on the continent and out for peace-making, for peace-keeping, and for promoting and protecting African interests around the world.
The task is urgent and absolutely essential. The entire
continent, the whole world waits to say heartily, and with the
unvarnished dreams of last night singing on every rooftop: Good
Morning! Good morning, Africa, to a new day!
David-West is a contributing editor of USAfricaonline.com
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COUNTERPOINT
Should Africa debates begin and end at The New York Times and The Washington Post? No Johnnie Cochran will soon learn that defending Abacha's loot is not as simple as his O.J Simpson's case. By Chido Nwangwu The Economics of Elections in Nigeria  HUMAN
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY How far, how deep will
Nigeria's human rights commission go?
Rtd. Gen. Babangida trip as emissary for Nigeria's Obasanjo to Sudan raises curiosity, questions about what next in power play? COUNTERPOINT
'Why is
Bill Maher spreading racist nonsense about
HIV/AIDS
and Africa
on ABC?
USAfricaonline
LITERATURE As
Chinua Achebe
turned 70, Africa's preeeminent statesman Nelson
Mandela, Toni Morrison, Wole Soyinka, Ali Mazrui, Leon
Botstein (president of Bard College), Ojo Maduekwe, Emmanuel
Obiechina, Ngugi wa Thinong'o, Micere Mugo, Michael
Thelwell, Niyi Osundare, and an army of some of the world's
leading writers and arts scholars joined to pay tribute to
him at Bard College in New York. (Achebe is in pix
with Morrison). Meanwhile, the Nobel committee has,
again, chosen a relatively less known (globally-speaking)
Chinese novelist, Gao Xingjian, rather than Achebe for the
Literature prize. Achebe was seen as a top favorite for the
2000 award. What the Swedish  Nobel
committee will not give, Achebe has, for well over 30 years,
won in the hearts of millions in 53 languages. By Chido
Nwangwu
Literary giant Chinua Achebe returns "home" from U.S., to love and adulation of community Hate groups' spin by Lamar Alexander benefits anti-Blacks, anti-Semites, and racists Annan, power and burden of the U.N The Civilianizing of African soldiers into Presidents At 39, Nigerians still face dishonest stereotypes such as Buckley's, and other self-inflicted wounds. JFK Jr.: Death of a Good Son 'Why is Bill Maher spreading racist nonsense about HIV/AIDS and Africa on ABC? National Summit on Africa, Congresswoman Jackson-Lee hold policy forum in Houston '100 Black Men are solutions-oriented' says Thomas Dortch, Jr., Richard Johnson and Nick Clayton II as they share perspectives with USAfrica's founder on the national organization. ARTS
The Life
and Irreverent times of Afrobeat
superstar,
FELA
TRANSITION General Tunde Idiagbon: A nationalist, an iron-surgeon departs Abiola's sudden death and the ghost of things to come Gen. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua's prison death, Nigeria and The Ghost of Things to come ..... Soni Egwuatu, Houston businessman, joins his ancestors |
22 million Africans HIV-infected, ill with AIDS while African leaders ignore disaster-in-waiting
Steve Jobs and Apple represent the
future of digital
living. By Chido Nwangwu
Apple announces Titanium, "killer apps" and other ground-breaking products. iTunes makes a record 500,000 downloads. The coup in Cote d'Ivoire and its implications for democracy in Africa. By Chido Nwangwu (Related commentary) Coup in Cote d'Ivoire has been in the waiting. By Tom Kamara Nigerian stabbed to death in his bathroom in Houston. DEMOCRACY'S
WARRIOR Out
of Africa.
…The
cock that crows in the morning belongs to one household but
his voice is the property of the neighborhood. -- Chinua
Achebe, Anthills of the Savannah. An editor carries on
his crusade against public corruption and press
censorship
in his native Nigeria and other African countries. By
John Suval.
Biafra-Nigeria war and history get fresh, critical look from a survivor. By Alverna Johnson and Vivian Okeke. 'Biafra: History Without Mercy' - a preliminary note. By Chido Nwangwu ODUMEGWU EMEKA OJUKWU:"It was simply a choice between Biafra and enslavement! And, here's why we chose Biafra" Biafra: From Boys to Men. By Dr. M.O. Ene Johnnie Cochran will soon learn that defending Abacha's loot is not as simple as his O.J Simpson's case. By Chido Nwangwu Should Africa debates begin and end at The New York Times and The Washington Post? No Nelson Mandela, Tribute to the world's political superstar and Lion of Africa Winnie Madikizela-Mandela's burden mounts with murder charges, trials  CONTINENTAL
AGENDA Bush's position on
Africa
is "ill-advised."
The position
stated by Republican presidential aspirant and Governor of
Texas, George Bush where  he
said that "Africa will not be an area of priority" in his
presidency has been questioned by
USAfricaonline.com Publisher Chido
Nwangwu. He added that Bush's "pre-election position was
neither validated by the economic exchanges nor
geo-strategic interests of our two continents."
These views were stated
during an interview CNN's anchor Bernard Shaw and senior
analyst Jeff Greenfield had with Mr. Nwangwu on Saturday
November 18, 2000 during a special edition of 'Inside
Politics 2000.' Nwangwu,
adviser to the Mayor of Houston (the 4th largest city in the
U.S., and immigrant home to thousands of Africans) argued
further that "the issues of the heritage interests of 35
million African-Americans in Africa, the volume and value of
oil business between between the U.S and Nigeria and the
horrendous AIDS crisis in Africa do not lend any basis for
Governor Bush's ill-advised
position which
removes Africa from fair consideration" were he to be
elected president. By Al Johnson
HUMAN
RIGHTS AND DEMOCRACY How far, how deep will
Nigeria's human rights commission go?
Rtd. Gen. Babangida trip as emissary for Nigeria's Obasanjo to Sudan raises curiosity, questions about what next in power play? 110 minutes with Hakeem Olajuwon Cheryl Mills' first class defense of Clinton and her detractors game
PetroGasWorks
Shell picks Leslie
Mays
as VP Global Diversity
EndGame in Kinshasa: U.S must boot Mobutu for own interest, future of Zaire and Africa Why Powell's mission to the Middle East failed. By Jonathan Elendu 
Will the rash of Ethnic
Violence
disrupt
Nigeria's effort at Democracy?
Arafat's duplicity, terrorism at the heart of Israeli-Palestinian crises. By Barry Rubin Nigerian stabbed to death in his bathroom in Houston. Nigeria at 40: punish financial thuggery, build domestic infrastructure Is Obasanjo really up to Nigeria's challenge and crises? By USAfricaonline.com contributing editor Ken Okorie. Commentary appears from NigeriaCentral.com BULLET
Versus BALLOT The bloody stain
of military coup, on Friday December 24, 1999, sullied the
once unique history of democratic rule in the beautiful and
historically democratic, French-speaking west African
country of Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast) by General Robert
Guei (inset). USAfricaonline
report
and
commentary.
COMMUNITY
INTEREST  Why
the revisionist forces of racist oppression in South Africa
should not
be allowed to
intimidate Ron and Charlayne Gault.
SOUTH
AFRICA
Nigeria, Cry My Beloved Country
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Impeachment
process shows Nigerian democracy "is alive... being
tested." Nigeria's president retired Gen.
Olusegun 
democratic way, which is not easy, would probably have been
done by taking arms or by -- with bullets. So, but with
democracy, of course, some people feel that this is the way
this should be, and then I have an opportunity to defend
myself. There is discussion. There is dialogue. There is a
decision. There is fairness." He made
these
Africa's
stability
Africa
suffers the scourge of the 
What has
Africa to do with 
