No to war

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Jibrin Ibrahim

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Aug 4, 2023, 10:50:39 AM8/4/23
to 'chidi opara reports' via USA Africa Dialogue Series

Niger: Apply Pressure BUT Stop the Countdown to War

 

Jibrin Ibrahim, Deepening Democracy, Daily Trust, 4th August 2023

 

Last Sunday, at its 51st Extraordinary Summit in Abuja, ECOWAS announced a series of resolutions that would guide its action towards the restoration of constitutional order in Niger following the coup. The most spectacular was as follows:

 

“In the event the Authority’s demands are not met within one week, take all measures necessary to restore constitutional order in the Republic of Niger. Such measures may include the use of force; To this effect, the Chiefs of defense staff of ECOWAS are to meet immediately.”

 

This type of threat worked effectively in ousting President Jammeh of the Gambia in 2017 because there was unity of purpose in the entire region and the military threat against such a small country was credible. The situation in Niger and in West Africa today is significantly different after a fourth coup in the region. It is important to think carefully before taking a risky path. I am however confident that it is possible to reverse the current trend of the return of the military.

 

It would be recalled that on 9th July 2023, President Bola Tinubu was elected Chairman of ECOWAS. In his acceptance speech, he warned that the threat to peace in the region had reached an alarming proportion with terrorism and an emerging pattern of military takeovers that ECOWAS must take concerted action addressing with the urgency the matter demands. This decision of Nigeria to retake its leadership position in West Africa is positive. His first action point as ECOWAS Chairman was establishing the Presidential Troika + 1 (Talon - Benin, Embalo – Guinea Bissau and Bazoum - Niger + Umar Tourray, President of ECOWAS Commission to develop an immediate action plan to address terrorism and coups d’états in West Africa. The four presidents met in Abuja on 18th July and drew up plans to engage Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea on expeditious return to constitutional rule, credible and inclusive elections. 

Shortly thereafter, President Bazoum himself became the next victim of a coup. President Tinubu is right to show strong leadership in this struggle against terrorism and return of the military. His actions however need to be carefully considered as the threat is against not just one but four countries – Niger, Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, who have already announced that they will fight together if Niger is attacked. Algeria has also issued a statement stating it would not allow a repeat of the dismantling of the state and subsequent chaos that was allowed to happen to Libya. Niger itself is not completely isolated as its borders with Mali, Burkina Faso, Chad, Libya and Algeria have already been reopened. The only closed borders it has today are with Nigeria and Benin.

Nigeria, on whose neck a lot of action would rely on has to consider the long history of amical and fraternal relations it has had with both the State and people of Niger. During the civil war, in spite of a lot of pressure, Niger resisted French solicitations to support Biafra. When they wanted to dam the river Niger, they accepted Nigeria’s appeal not to, so that Nigeria could fully benefit from its own hydroelectric dams on the River Niger. In compensation, we have been providing them electricity until the current sanctions’ regime went into force and the supply was stopped. What would be the implications of this measure for future bilateral relations?

The most important concern I have for the threat of war is the current geopolitical dynamics in which France and the United States are determined to keep a foothold in Niger where they have stationed their solders and have a major drone base in Agadez covering the entire region. As France has already been booted out of Burkina Faso and Mali, and their place taken over by the Russian Wagner Group, the risk of a proxy war between world powers could easily replace the ECOWAS objective of the restoration of the democratic order. Already, there are reports that the Niger putschists have gone to Mali for meetings with the Wagner Group. For Nigeria, the implications of a military confrontation could be the inflow of millions of refugees and maybe terrorists  into our territory.

I believe that ECOWAS must maintain its principle of Zero Tolerance for unconstitutional change of government as enshrined in the ECOWAS and African Union Protocols and other instruments but the sanctions regime currently being implemented should be enough to force the hands of the junta. These include:

 

1. Closure of land and air borders between ECOWAS countries and Niger;

2. Institution of ECOWAS no-fly zone on all commercial flights to and from

Niger;

3. Suspension of all commercial and financial transactions between

ECOWAS Member States and Niger;

4. Freeze of all service transaction including utility services;

5. Freeze of assets of the Republic of Niger in ECOWAS Central Banks;

6. Freeze of assets of the Niger State and the State Enterprises and

Parastatals in Commercial Banks;

7. Suspension of Niger from all financial assistance and transactions with

all financial institutions, particularly, EBID and BOAD;

8. Travel ban and asset freeze for the military officials involved in the coup

attempt. The same applies to their family members and the civilians who

accept to participate in any institutions or government established by these military officials. 

 

It is also important to maintain and indeed intensify the current mediation efforts. In this regard, I strongly support the dispatch of a mediation team to Niamey yesterday by theChairman of the ECOWAS, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with a mandate to expeditiously resolve the current political impasse in the country. The delegation is headed by former Nigerian Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar (Rtd). Other members are the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III and the President of the ECOWAS Commission, Omar Alieu Touray. President Tinubu has also sent a separate delegation led by Ambassador Babagana Kingibe to engage with the leaders of Libya and Algeria on the Niger crisis. 

 

Public opinion in Niger and indeed in much of the Sahel is very deeply anti-French. ECOWAS needs to be careful and ensure that the people do not see its actions as being teleguided by French and American imperialism. The ECOWAS Vision 2050 is for a West Africa of the peoples and the organisation must conduct itself in a way and manner that does not alienate the said peoples. 

 

 

Professor Jibrin Ibrahim
Senior Fellow
Centre for Democracy and Development, Abuja
Follow me on twitter @jibrinibrahim17

Toyin Falola

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Aug 4, 2023, 11:27:33 AM8/4/23
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Anything that halts the informal economy is destroying lives. Thousands of people rely on trade to make a minimal living. They are not involved with all the power games. There is an extensive trade network—so if those carrying goods from Cotonou and Lagos to Niamey are prevented, who is being punished?

Why not ask the junta to return the country to a so-called democracy, and they can change their uniform?

If Tinubu is trying to send a message that there will be no more coups, he is daydreaming.

 

TF

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Cornelius Hamelberg

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Aug 4, 2023, 5:14:35 PM8/4/23
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Re- “ and they can change their uniform?”

As has happened so many times in the past, the change from military uniform into civilian clothes, the former military man now in civilian attire standing in a presidential election representing this or that political party and miraculously thereby winning legitimacy in the name of long live democracy as happened with Flight-Lieutenant Jerry Rawlings, as happened with former General Muhammadu Buhari, and lastly,  with former Brigadier Julius Maada Bio, to name just three.

In the case of the latest putsch in Niger, the transformation could be instantaneous  - as instantaneous as feasibly possible, a little longer than the unreasonable one-week ultimatum from ECOWAS Chief Tinubu - overnight - Niger’s army chief already a popular the peoples’ man could get himself democratically elected and thereby make everybody, almost everybody ( apart from La France & the US-Africom High Command) VERY HAPPY  

Of relevance: YOWERI MUSEVENI: SIX AFRICAN PRESIDENTS ... - YouTube

Victor Okafor

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Aug 4, 2023, 5:27:34 PM8/4/23
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Besides, the human experience in certain parts of the world indicates to me that coups, as representing an illegal/unconstitutional/brute acquisition of political power, could be manifested either in military uniforms by an unruly band of soldiers claiming to be saviors of society and using intimidating weaponry otherwise meant for the defense of a country against an external foe or an internal foe that threatens the peace and societal stability, or in civilian agbadas by a band of Machiavellian civilians through strong-armed falsification of election data, suppression of votes with intimidating weaponry under broad light "watchful eyes" of both thugs and uniformed police officers looking the other way. Both forms of coups do not measure up to acceptable moral, legal or constitutional standards for rulership of a society of a free people where the ruling class understands and accepts the notion that sovereignty resides with the people, court orders are not to be selectively observed or brazenly ignored, and the rule of law (along with proclaimed principles of justice, equity, and fair play in public affairs), is not twisted to steer the arc of the moral universe towards injustice.

I am of a conviction that true democracy (not paperwork democracy) marked by free and fair elections and conducted according to codified rules applicable equally to all contesting parties, is the key by which Africa can fully liberate itself from the clutches of neocolonialism and institutionalize a system of governance that primarily caters for the human interests of African peoples, as well as the wellbeing and prosperity of its peoples. Broadly speaking, our experience with military rulership does not evoke nostalgia. A free people should not be governed through brute force. 




--
Sincerely,

Victor O. Okafor, Ph.D.
Professor and Head
Department of Africology and African American Studies
Eastern Michigan University
Food for Thought
"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass


Harrow, Kenneth

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Aug 4, 2023, 5:39:23 PM8/4/23
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Agreed, 100%

From: 'Victor Okafor' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 4, 2023 5:14:40 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - No to war
 

Dompere, Kofi Kissi

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Aug 5, 2023, 9:27:12 PM8/5/23
to USAAfrica Dialogue
THANK YOU ALL.
DEMOCRACY IS NOT SIMPLY ABOUT ELECTION AND V OLES.
 DEMOCRACY IS ABOUT RECONCILING CONFLICTS IN INDIVIDUAL PREFERENCE  IN THE COLLECTIVE DECISION-CHOICE SPACE WITHOUT VIOLENCE RELATIVE TO THE DEGREES OF INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION IN THE COST-BENEFIT SPACE WITH PEOPLE-CENTERED ACTIONS IN THE SOCIAL SETUP.
THE DEFINITION OF DEMOCRACY AS THE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE IS AN IDEOLOGICAL FICTION THAT
IS USED BY IMPERIAL WEST JUST AS  THE USE OF CHRISTIANITY AND CIVILIZATION TO ENSLAVE AFRICANS AND COMMIT GENOCIDE AGAINST NATIVE PEOPLE IN AFRICA THE AMERICAS, AUSTRALIA, NEW ZEALAND, THE CARIBBEANS, AND OTHERS '
LET THE MEMBER OF ECOWAS REFLECT ON THE CONDITIONS OF AFRICAN INDEPENDENCE AND FRANCE; HAITI AND FRANCE, AND MANY OTHERS WITH FRANCE.
COUPS AND COUNTER-COUPS WITH WARS OF RESISTANCE ARE GOING TO BE PART OF AFRICA AWAKENING AND AFRICAN RESTRUCTURING TO GET RID OF NEOCOLONIAL LEADERS IN CONTINUAL COLLABORATION WITH THE IMPERIAL WEST FOR THE PRACTICE OF INDIRECT ENSLAVEMENT  WITH A CONTINUAL EMPOVRISHMENT OF THE AFRICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR DESCENDENTS.
PEACE 
KOFI


From: Dompere, Kofi Kissi <kdom...@Howard.edu>
Sent: Saturday, August 5, 2023 4:05 PM
To: Dompere, Kofi Kissi <kdom...@Howard.edu>
Subject: FW: USA Africa Dialogue Series - No to war
 


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Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - No to war

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Agreed, 100%

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From: 'Victor Okafor' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Friday, August 4, 2023 5:14:40 PM
To: usaafric...@googlegroups.com <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - No to war
 

Besides, the human experience in certain parts of the world indicates to me that coups, as representing an illegal/unconstitutional/brute acquisition of political power, could be manifested either in military uniforms by an unruly band of soldiers claiming to be saviors of society and using intimidating weaponry otherwise meant for the defense of a country against an external foe or an internal foe that threatens the peace and societal stability, or in civilian agbadas by a band of Machiavellian civilians through strong-armed falsification of election data, suppression of votes with intimidating weaponry under broad light "watchful eyes" of both thugs and uniformed police officers looking the other way. Both forms of coups do not measure up to acceptable moral, legal or constitutional standards for rulership of a society of a free people where the ruling class understands and accepts the notion that sovereignty resides with the people, court orders are not to be selectively observed or brazenly ignored, and the rule of law (along with proclaimed principles of justice, equity, and fair play in public affairs), is not twisted to steer the arc of the moral universe towards injustice.

I am of a conviction that true democracy (not paperwork democracy) marked by free and fair elections and conducted according to codified rules applicable equally to all contesting parties, is the key by which Africa can fully liberate itself from the clutches of neocolonialism and institutionalize a system of governance that primarily caters for the human interests of African peoples, as well as the wellbeing and prosperity of its peoples. Broadly speaking, our experience with military rulership does not evoke nostalgia. A free people should not be governed through brute force.


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Sincerely,


Victor O. Okafor, Ph.D.
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Department of Africology and African American Studies Eastern Michigan University
Email: vok...@emich.edu <mailto:vok...@emich.edu>

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Food for Thought:
"The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress." -- Frederick Douglass


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Harrow, Kenneth

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Aug 5, 2023, 10:17:22 PM8/5/23
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Kofi, the fact that it is the military who are breaking these last ties with the french, does that mean it represents the voice of the people any more than did the previous civilian govt that was voted into office? And the fact that they are turning immediately to wagner to support them, does that represent some kind of conclusion to the colonialism of the past??
Not so easy. Quoting an american slogan for democracy doesn’t solve this for me. People want to be able to vote, not to be dictated to. Before that, they want to be able to eat, to be left in peace. Your call for a social order is important, but how does one arrive at it without giving people the right to vote?all the people? And all the people without. Being subject to intimidation or false choices?
Ken

From: 'Dompere, Kofi Kissi' via USA Africa Dialogue Series <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Saturday, August 5, 2023 6:57:07 PM
To: USAAfrica Dialogue <usaafric...@googlegroups.com>
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Oluwatoyin Adepoju

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Aug 6, 2023, 3:27:51 AM8/6/23
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An interesting piece from Kofi which I which I wish was conventionally formatted bcs of it's precision in describing the nature of democracy, although I don't understand why Lincoln's summation of democracy is unequivocally described as inimical to the fine definition earlier presented.

I prefer to see Kofi's definition and that of Lincoln as visions, ideals to work towards, even as one recognizes the inadequacies in their implementation.

I'm wary of the unequivocal coupling of coups in Africa with efforts to free those countries from neo-colonialisism,
 beceause I think creative social growth is often a slow and painful process that is not readily achieved through force.

The records of African coupits, of Ghadaffi's and Castro do not impress me, and I'm not inspired by the Iranian Revolution either, since I see all these as efforts to impose ideologies on people, or promote one man centred govts, although I wonder about the ultimate value of the French Revolution in all the bloodshed it generated and I wish Nigeria's peaceful EndSars drive for change of style of govt in Nigeria had succeeded, a speedy but bloodless change.

Thanks

Toyin

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Oluwatoyin Adepoju

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Aug 6, 2023, 3:40:53 AM8/6/23
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But can the French be removed without the use of force?
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