Burundi; Not Again In Africa

I have been monitoring reports on all media platforms about the unfortunate turn of events in Burundi for the past two weeks and it seems the situation is deteriorating with each passing day. I think the African Union and the International Community, especially the United Nations should impress on the incumbent President to drop his idea of seeking a third term in office.

The situation has to do with opposition parties protesting against President Pierre Nkurunziza's desire to seek a third term in office and have gone ahead to set a date for elections to be held. As a result of the protests, about twenty people have been confirmed dead with many of the protesters also injured as due to the manner in which the security forces are trying to quell the protests. This region has already had its share of violence and conflicts in recent years. Rwanda and DR  Congo have had their own share of conflicts with the former still trying to battle rebels who have hampered the country's stability for a long time.

Due to  the crisis in Burundi, hundreds of Burundians are fleeing across the borders to DR Congo, Tanzania and Rwanda. As usual the International Community will fold their arms and wait for the situation to get out of control then they will quickly evacuate their citizens and watch as the Burundians kill each other. I pray and hope it does not get to that level. The President of Burundi must be made to respect the Constitution which prevents him from seeking a third term in office. He must also be blamed for the deaths that occur as a result of the decision he has taken to disrespect the constitution. This situation must be nipped in the bud before it creates a serious humanitarian crisis in the region.

Its high time African leaders are made to know and understand that the countries they rule are not their personal properties. The African Union must be tough on this attitude of some African leaders who do everything possible to stay in power for as long as they want. Africa does not need another conflict such as the one simmering in Burundi. Innocent lives must not be sacrificed due to the selfish ambitions of an individual and his cronies. #AfricanLivesMatter.

The "Spatula" Revolution of Burkina Faso

The people of Burkina Faso have spoken with their voices and the former President, Blaise Compoare has listened to the voice of reason. He has finally handed in his resignation and the country's Armed Forces have taken charge of the reins of power.

It all started some few days ago as thousands of Burkinabe men and women marched in protest against the decision of the president to table a motion in the country's parliament. He wanted to amend the constitution so that he will stay in power for another five years. The men and women waved spatulas as they protested against Blaise Compoare's 27 year rule. The Parliament building was set ablaze and some shops in the capital Ouagadougou were also vandalized and looted and some of them set ablaze. The security forces responded by firing tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the protesters and in the process two of the protesters have been confirmed dead and scores injured. It seems the dead and injured Burkinabes have really paid the ultimate price.

So after ruling Burkina Faso for 27 years, what has the former president achieved for his country? What was his role in the death of his former friend and Head of State, Thomas Sankara? Since Blaise Compoare was a staunch ally of the US and France, what did these two governments do to make sure he was stopped in his tracks in his attempt to amend the country's constitution for him to prolong his stay in power? Why do some African leaders decide to stay in power for a long time?

I presume by now the transitional government that has been put in place will start looking for the former president's assets that he has accumulated so far during his 27 year  rule. Why did the UN, ECOWAS, AU allow him to continue to stay in power for all this while and not prevailing on him to step down. What is it with power that some leaders find it difficult to step down when their time is up?

Right now the people of Burkina Faso have spoken and long live the Spatula Revolution. I can imagine Thomas Sankara's ghost hovering around in the Burkinabe capital. I hope the transitional government will do what is expected of them and usher the country into a proper democratic dispensation.

The Syrian Question.

The world is on the brink of a major conflict in the Middle East, and it seems the innocent lives being lost in this senseless conflict in Syria is being left to pass by. This Syrian  crisis has so many actors involved. For ethical and security reasons no names would be mentioned here. Some of these actors have come out openly to support one faction and the other actors are doing what they know what to do best, that is clandestinely supporting one faction with arms and ammunition. If i may ask, why is this happening now in Syria? Let me take you back to the genesis of this conflict. It has been raging on for more than a year and almost 7000 lives have been lost. If you look at the situation carefully, it seems there is a calculated plan to get rid of all leaders who have stayed for so long in power in the world. It started with the so called 'Arab Spring' (even though there is nothing like a 'Spring' season in Africa) in Tunisia, where long time leader Ben Ali was forced to flee into exile, followed by Hosni Mubarak of Egypt who was also forced to leave office, and hand over power to the powerful Egyptian military, then the time became very ripe to get rid of their one time foe and later turned ally Muamar Gaddafi of Libya who was murdered after the whole world was told by NATO that he was not a target of their aerial bombing campaigns, in which innocent people also lost their lives. Yemen and Bahrain also had their fair share of uprisings with Abdullah Salleh of Yemen relinquishing his rule by signing an agreement laced with immunity clauses. Bahrain have been able to withstand  protests for some time now. I have a hunch that Iran, Jordan, Morocco and the other countries in the Middle East with long time leaders would be on the list as the next points of call for the so called bastions of democracy. Now, we all know those behind the uprisings in the Middle East, and eventually Bashir Al Assad of Syria would be kicked out and a puppet government would be installed like what they have done in Libya, but Assad would not go without a fight. I hope Syria does not turn into another Iraq, as the situation has now turned into a full scale civil war with women and children bearing the brunt of both the Syrian government forces and the rebels. If i may ask, who is behind all these conflicts in the Middle East? First they ask you to initiate reforms, then they send spies in the form of a UN Observer Mission, they they call for regime change and thats your end.But remember that if you decide use a long spoon to sup with the devil, you must be prepared to bear the consequences when pay back time is due.

Muammar Gaddafi's Ghost In Mali?

The West African country of Mali just had a coup d' tat, and their democratically elected president was overthrown. This unfortunate incident was undertaken by the army. One of the reasons they gave for their action was that, the government was not handling the Tuareg insurrection in the northern part of the country very well. Most of the northern towns have been taken over by the Tuareg rebells and the soldiers were being killed and disgraced by the well equiped  Tuareg rebells. Just ask yourself, where did these rebells get the weapons and how come their numbers have swelled all of a sudden. The condemnation of the coup have come from all angles, first from the regional bloc, ECOWAS, the AU, UN and other countries who tout themselves as adhering to the tenets of democracy. The ECOWAS bloc is even thinking of sending troops into Mali to reinstate the democratic government which was overthrown. I see some hypocrisy at play here. Have the world forgotten that Gaddafi's murder is now having a disastrous effect on the African continent. Most of the remnants of Gaddafi's forces have now joined the Tuareg insurrection in the northern part of Mali and they are well armed with sophisticated weapons. We are being told that the former Libyan leader had about 10,000 elite troops who would have staged a last stand in the Libyan desert to restore their leader back to power, but only God knows why that did not happen. Why did the AU sit down and close their eyes for NATO to interfere in the Libyan conflict under the guise of protecting civilians?  Now the coup leaders in Mali have got the support of the masses in the country, and no amount of threats and sanctions imposed on them would coerce them to restore the former government. One would have the impression that, i support this coup in Mali, but i would be the last person on this earth to do so. Before a decision is taken against the junta by all those condemning their action, a critical look and assessment must be done to find out the remote and immediate causes of the overthrow of the democratic government in Mali. Muammar Gaddafi's ghost would continue to haunt the African continent for not standing by him at the time he needed his brothers most. But, hey, ghosts do exist, go to Mali and you will find Gaddafi's ghost there. 

Veto Power.

Once again the world has witnessed the calling of the bluff of the Americans and their western Allies by the Russians and Chinese. This was done at the UN Security Council meeting. The Russians and the Chinese used their veto power to block a set of resolutions being tabled by the Americans and their European Allies on the situation in Syria. I applaud the Chinese and the Russians for that. It is high time that the Americans and their European Allies are made to know that they are not alone in the world. The days that unilateral decisions were taken should be done with. These decisions have caused a lot of harm and death in many countries that America nad her European Allies have intervened militarily under the guise of protecting the civilian population in these countries. Examples could be made of their intervention in Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Somalia and quiet recently Libya. This carnage would have been extended to Syria if not for the veto of the Russians and the Chinese against the resolution which was initially strongly worded, but had to be toned down after the Russians and the Chinese complained about it. Now the Americans and their European Allies are calling the veto of the Chinese and the Russians against the rsolution all sorts of names. Why was America not criticised when she threatened to use her veto power against the Palestinian bid for statehood at the UN? Is Palestine not part of the world? Syria, i know for sure is the next target on the list of the Americans and their European Allies or NATO. The Russians and the Chinese must be commended for blocking this move. The Americans and their European Allies ahve a bad track record of causing more desolation in any country that they have intervened. I pray and hope the Syrian situation would be reslved peacefully, but who knows if those formenting the troubles over there are being sponsored by foriegn elements or powers, since before the Libyan situation got out of hand, certain world powers had their intelligence operatives on the ground in Libya laying the foundation for the overthrow of Colonel Moammar Gaddafi. This "Disease" must be prevented from spreading to other parts of the world.