Charlie Cobb Jr.
19 September 2001
(Page 2 of 2)
The Administration has been emphasizing the need to 'fight terrorism' characterizing it as a war. At the same time the Administration has argued in various forums for 'democratic transparency' as the real solution to any number of issues in Africa, any number of states in turmoil. And the two notions seem to be in conflict with one another: the need to fight terrorism and the argument for democratic transparency. How do you resolve that?
It kind of goes back to that old adage that authoritarian governments are stable governments. They are authoritarian and hence can make security happen. In the short term you can probably make a case for that. In the long term you most certainly cannot. In the long term the stable secure countries are ones that are democratic, that have institutions that let the body politic have a voice. They are countries that have independent judicial systems where civil liberties and human rights are protected and private property rights are protected. So in the long term you'll be more effective in fighting terrorism and keeping a stable environment if you have a democratic system than if you have an authoritarian one.
And how do you convey that message, that idea?
That's a toughie. That's hard. And I think that just takes time and you have to continually demonstrate why a free and fair election and why an independent judicial system, and why these checks and balances within a government benefit the body politic. Some of it is very apparent. Obviously if you have a free and fair election the people of a country get to speak and they feel like they have a voice. But in times like this, it's sometimes hard.
How do you, in your capacity, read a population, as distinct from their political leaders, in a place like Egypt or Algeria where, particularly among poor people, there is a fair amount of sympathy for what, for lack of a better term, we might call a militant Islam?
Or take a Russia. You have a fair amount of yearning for that authoritarian Soviet system to come back and give the country some stability, especially in times when you were having terrorist bombings from Chechens in Moscow. There was very much an outcry, from the people if you will, to bring back that authoritarian structure.
I'm asking at bottom whether your work isn't made more difficult by grassroots sympathy for radical Islam?
I think it makes it more difficult for some African countries and some African governments. I think it probably complicates the political horizon. But I don't think it's an impossible complication. I think it's one that most African governments can work through. And I think we're starting to see that.
For example?
I think Tanzania, for instance, is an interesting example. There have been voices within the body politic which have been calling for a more theocratic type of policies and the government has been very adept and very good at acknowledging these concerns and letting that voice be heard but at the same time maintaining political institutions that are proper and democratic.
How about what from this administration's view might be described as key or critical African states? Nigeria. Egypt. Algeria. South Africa. All of which have been rocked to some extent.
Nigeria and South Africa are the two that are in my bailiwick. Algeria and Egypt are not. Nigeria clearly this week has been dramatic and traumatic as far as the sectarian violence that has gone on. The public statements I have seen that President Obasanjo has made have been very helpful in trying to bring some calm and bring the early seeds of reconciliation. And that is going to have to constantly go on. These are sophisticated political leaders and they know that. This is not a one-speech policy from President Obasanjo. Every day he is working this issue. I think South Africa probably is on a much reduced scale in terms of that kind of conflict although there are very real political sensitivities there too. Cape Town. Durban.
Is your case made stronger as you jockey for more resources, more attention, by this kind of tumult?
It's not that big on the radar screen. What's much more important to us and what's been so satisfying has been the outpouring of not only sympathy, which has been unbelievable from African countries, but equally as important, eagerness to cooperate on the [anti-terror] coalition. We asked all the African ambassadors to come in on Friday and every ambassador from every African nation that has a mission in Washington came.
And what did you ask them?
First of all we thanked them for attending the Cathedral service and thanked them for the sympathies and condolences that were sent by every African country to both President Bush and the American people. But we also thanked them for their eagerness and their willingness to join the coalition against this terrorist threat which every African country has been very affirmative and positive in wanting to assist, wanting to help. Specifically doing things like sharing intelligence, being conscious of borders, flows of people coming in and out; a whole host of issues, some that might come into play in the future and some that might not. The cooperation, the coordination and the willingness to participate in this coalition has been fantastic but also unbelievably reassuring to me as an American. When it really gets tough you really see who your friends are and Africa is very much our friend. That meeting on Friday, it was just humbling to see that support.
Will Africa take a coordinated continental approach to assisting or will it be up to individual countries to assist?
The OAU right now is drafting a resolution supporting the war against terrorism. But in kind of real terms it will be more on a bilateral basis, but it will be coordinated. And there are going to be countries and regions and neighbors that clearly work together with us in the coalition.
Be the first to Write a Comment!
Copyright © 2001 allAfrica.com. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.
AllAfrica aggregates and indexes content from over 125 African news organizations, plus more than 200 other sources, who are responsible for their own reporting and views. Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica.
