From: Biniam Tekle (biniamt@dehai.org)
Date: Thu Jul 10 2008 - 09:52:36 EDT
*Wed, July 9, 2008* *Cutting aid may be solution* *West must show Africa's
leaders that tolerating bully like Mugabe will make enemies, not friends* *By
PETER WORTHINGTON*
Two major issues at the G8 summit in Japan that ends today were to oust the
"illegitimate" regime of Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe bounced, and to deal with
more aid to African countries.
Both problems are inter-related.
G8 countries, including (if not led by) Prime Minister Stephen Harper,
finally have had a belly full of Mugabe's corrupt and Stalinist methods of
power. After the phony June 29 runoff vote where Mugabe was the only
candidate, they want him gone.
African leaders don't necessarily like Mugabe, but are uneasy and would like
South African President Thebo Mbeki to negotiate a compromise whereby Mugabe
would "share" leadership with Morgan Tsvangirai, who actually won the first
Zimbabwe vote. Sharing power is no answer either - the late Joshua Nkomo
tried that for a while, and gave up. As leader of the Ndebele people, and
the foremost fighting leader in the war for independence against white
Rhodesia, Nkomo eventually sent his wife and family to Canada because he
feared Mugabe's revenge.
After years of tolerating Mugabe's tyranny, the Commonwealth finally
expelled him. When Jean Chretien was PM, he defended Mugabe and blocked
moves to isolate him. Canada even forgave loans made to Mugabe's regime.
Harper is made of sterner stuff -- sort of, so long as he doesn't have to
meet presidential candidate John McCain, thereby possibly offending Barack
Obama.
At the G8 summit, African heads of state grumbled that aid and investments
previously promised by the industrial countries were not flowing as fast as
they'd like. Canada, Italy and France were criticized for their stinginess.
An answer to both the Mugabe and aid problems could be linked.
In the roughly five decades that Africa has been free of colonial rule, it
has proven a sink-hole of corruption and economic disaster. Foreign aid has
largely resulted in entrenching dictators and tyrants. Instead of promising
more aid and investment, the G8 countries could tell South Saharan countries
there will be no increase in either aid nor investments until the continent
rids itself of Robert Mugabe's continued tyranny.
And no nonsense like sharing power with the Tsvangirai or his Movement for
Democratic Change (MDC) which most Zimbabweans would support if they didn't
fear for their lives and safety. Or unless they are bribed with food and
benefits.
As a policy, that would motivate countries to insist on positive changes in
Zimbabwe than more embargoes and sanctions, which don't hurt those in charge
but penalize and punish the people -- who are already jobless, starving and
without hope.
Warning all African countries that their tolerance of Mugabe's regime
reflects badly on them, and makes them unworthy of trust by countries
outside the continent, will have far more effect than sanctions.
Self-interest is a great motivator, and African countries are no exception.
Western countries have difficulty accepting that aid is not a solution to
poverty. Self-help is.
A dozen years ago, President Isaias Afwerki of Eritrea told the leaders of
the Organization of African Unity (now renamed the African Union) that their
greatest enemies were not former colonial powers or the state of Israel, but
their own greed, corruption, and tribalism which is racism. Afwerki
condemned their limousines, nepotism and lavish lifestyles -- attending
conferences while neglecting their people and blaming former colonial powers
for their own leadership failings.
It did not make him popular. But it was true.
It is something the G8 countries should take note of.
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