Peace and Security Summary
Prepared by Mercy WambuiAmong the issues raised on Peace and Security, was that beyond institutional frameworks for peace, there is need to develop mechanisms to promote reconciliation within society that would help deal with the social tensions as well as factors such as factions that fuel social tensions in the no peace-no war period. In this connection, reference was made to the Lusaka Protocol in the Angolan situation.
Achieving demilitarization and reintegration of soldiers is a complex exercise and according to AbdouMaliq Simone, and it is important to understand the local and specific aspects of conflict (the nature of warring factions), the behaviour of participants in the conflict and the effects of behaviour. That peace-keeping missions should seek to interact with local communities in meaningful ways, generalizations will not do.
Muthoni Wanyeki raised the issue of impunity (in a broad sense) with respect to politicians who are behind the privatization of militarization and that are never censored. Those in private militias (either in different political parties or different factions within political parties) are charged individually and for individual offences rather that in the context of political violence and the disruptive impact they have on communities. Use of ethnic stereotypes among pastoralists who raid and where banditry is part of their heritage to cover large scale illegal commercial interests by those in positions of authority was noted. She urged the need to develop, document and use innovative approaches to end impunity not just when eruptions occur and impunity takes on a strictly judicial tone, such as in the case of Rwanda. Atrocities that that occur daily remain unaddressed and these daily violations of individual and collective security are where it all begins.
Conditions of social justice, respect for human rights, democracy and economic prosperity are crucial for the creation of a peaceful society. Countries like Gabon and Botswana are cases in point. Technical approaches like measures to curtail the supply of small arms and the reduction of demand for small arms and that the weapons of violence be brought back into the control of the state, with the state itself being accountable will not address the fundamental roots of conflict in Africa.
Chidi Anselm Odinkalu pointed out in his remarks that the short-sightedness of short term military solutions to security; radicalization commonly seen in the logistical and political support given to African conflicts by the relevant members of the Security Council who do not consider African conflicts as worth the price of a Northern body-bag, and the tragedy of this radicalization as seen in the case of the Rwanda genocide and as clearly reported on in the Carlsson Report.
On the piece on small arms vis-à-vis peace and security by Ambassador Sahnoun, Rod Chavis made reference to the destructive effects of the spread of arms in the US and the role of powerful forces such as the national rifle association, the US congress (many of who receive campaign financing from gun manufacturers) and legislation. Markets and profits dictate this spread. In Africa, small arms and guns equal power. The risk of compromising on security and fuelling violence (as a means to power) by the spread of small arms is too high.
Africa has as much potential for peace as it has for war.
Africa Policy Information Center
|