Posted on 05/05/2003 1:56:17 PM PDT by Tailgunner Joe
The war on Iraq without United Nations approval should fill African countries with unease, President Thabo Mbeki contended on Monday.
"The prospect facing the people of Iraq should serve as sufficient warning that in future we too might have others descend on us, guns in hand to force-feed us (with democracy)," he said in Pretoria.
"If the UN does not matter... why should we, the little countries of Africa that make up the African Union (AU), think that we matter and will not be punished if we get out of line?"
Mbeki was opening a four-day conference on elections, democracy and governance in Africa.
The event is co-hosted by the AU and South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission. Delegates from 50 AU member countries are attending.
Mbeki made his remarks on Iraq after imploring the gathering to take an honest look at how democracy was functioning on the continent.
A central question that needed answering was how the rule book of democracy should be applied in Africa.
Discussions on democracy among Africans were often marked by consensus that certain rules needed to adhered to.
In a democracy there should, for example, be a time-limit on the number of times an individual could be elected head of state.
Mbeki said other rules included the need for an independent electoral commission, and for international observers to be able to make judgements on elections.
Yet, a democracy such as the United Kingdom did not limit the number of terms a prime minister may serve. It did not have an independent electoral body either.
One also did not hear of international observers verifying whether or not a British election was free and fair.
"In a sense, the challenge we face is to understand why 'the rule book of democratic musts' applies unevenly between ourselves and other countries of the north, such as Great Britain," Mbeki said.
The democratic system was a form of social organisation that was not separate from other factors defining a particular society.
Mbeki said those making war on Iraq said they had taken up arms to transform that country into a democracy.
The proposition was that democracy could be imposed in much the same way that one could force-feed someone on a hunger strike.
"Presumably the argument is that whether a person ingests jollof rice voluntarily or does so because he or she is force-fed -- the fact remains that they have eaten jollof rice."
Mbeki added: "I am not certain that the institution of a democratic system can be approached in the same way that we approach the consumption of jollof rice."
Only those African countries run by tyrants.
Now if that is not the pot calling the kettle black, then I do not know.
Finally. One of them gets it.
When your pissant country has a long history through good times and bad of maintaining an orderly transfer of government based on electoral outcomes then I would think the rule book will be the same. One man one vote one time in a rigged election sort of makes one question the process Thad.
But I thought that Thuggo Mbeki's regime WAS democracy!!! What you say - one man one vote one time??? For shame on you!
what prospect is that, tyrant-less, torture-free governance?
should serve as sufficient warning
(warning to African tyrants, is what he means here, I'm assuming)
that in future we too might have others descend on us, guns in hand to force-feed us (with democracy),"
weird how that "with democracy" thing was put in there by the author of the article.
Anyway, if one thing is clear, it's that The African People really don't want to be "force-feed" with consensual governance or protection of their individual rights. The African People don't want that at all! Just ask their dictators.
"If the UN does not matter... why should we, the little countries of Africa that make up the African Union (AU), think that we matter and will not be punished if we get out of line?"
the man makes a good point.
Mbeki was opening a four-day conference on elections, democracy and governance in Africa.
but I thought The African People didn't want to be force-fed... oh never mind. I'm guessing this thing was catered.
The event is co-hosted by the AU and South Africa's Independent Electoral Commission. Delegates from 50 AU member countries are attending.
And they promise not to force-feed democracy on The African People. They'll just stick with this kleptocracy-and-conferences setup they've got going now.
One also did not hear of international observers verifying whether or not a British election was free and fair.
LOL cuz it's not needed
"In a sense, the challenge we face is to understand why 'the rule book of democratic musts' applies unevenly between ourselves and other countries of the north, such as Great Britain," Mbeki said.
OHHH!! I totally misread the article. Mbeki is complaining about these horrible rules (like term limits) that we've imposed on them (him). Now I understand everything.
Mbeki added: "I am not certain that the institution of a democratic system can be approached in the same way that we approach the consumption of jollof rice."
Me neither. (What's jollof rice?)
(Sorry but my sarcasto-meter is acting up a little bit today, I need to tone it down a little)
In East Africa, the world and UN has done NOTHING while Tutsis and Hutus have butchered thousands (millions?) of the other tribe. I believe there are foreign troops in parts of Burundi, Rwanda, and Uganda.
Again, so many Africans would have been so much better off if European and Arab traders had rescued their ancestors and brought them to the new world as they did yhe ancestors of today's American blacks.
Gotta be culcutrally sensitive, you know. :-)
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