Former Bosnian Serb leader Radovan Karadzic refused to appear before the International Criminal Court (ICC) yesterday being the 26 October 2009 at the Hague over 11 counts of war crimes,genocide and crimes against humanity to attend to the start of his war crimes trial saying that he was not ready.I quickly reached for a copy of the New African July edition to verify the validity of the fact they claim to have stated thus: " by October 2007,the ICC has received 2,889 communication about alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity in at least 139 countries,and yet by March 2009,the prosecutor had opened investigations into just four cases: Uganda,Dr Congo and Central African Republic and Sudan /Dar fur all in Africa.In addition,the ICC has issued 13 public warrants of arrest-all against Africans".Was Karadzic not wanted by this same court within the period that is stipulated above.
I begin to wonder if the case is different from the 2,889 or form another category.Then it beholds reasonable individuals to query why African leaders will chose to convene on the invitation of Libyan Leader Muammer Al-Qaddafi to reject to the allegations of the International Criminal Court.Their argument is that the court is deliberately targeting Africa or that the continent has a monopoly over crimes against humanity.I hope that the self serving heartless leaders of Africa are monitoring this development as regards Karadzic.This is the irony of Africa where a man such as the Libyan president who has held on to power for over 40 years all to the detriments of its citizens will continue to toss the continent back and forth to their whims and caprices.It is no news that Africa tops the list of highest rate of conflicts and wars in modern times.These leaders who pretend to serve the people refuse to quit power and lure their citizens into all manners of conflicts.
All the bequeath to their people at the end of their stay in power is the suffering,neglect and poverty that is eating deep into African societies.We occupy the back bench in all indices of human development.We have the harshest living condition in this generation.These crazy leaders have held the citizens hostage for so long only to enrich themselves and their cronies.Billions of dollar of African wealth is daily stashed away in Western financial institution with the acquisition of choice properties by these leaders.To add salt to injury these leaders gang up and deceive everyone of us by shielding those who perpetuate heinous crimes.The case against al-Bashir is the systematic acts of rape,murder and pillage against the Darfuri people of Sudan.This crimes are still ongoing because our disgruntled leaders take ordinary African as chess pawns in their Chessboard which they can play at will.
It is indeed cheering new that the Mo Ibrahim Foundation summed up the courage to tell them in their face that they do not deserve the foundation's prize for good governance for this year.It would have amounted to insult on the conscience of all the the suffering and oppressed people of Africa who are at the receiving end.I want to believe that it will be difficult to find an African leader among the crop of leaders that exist today who will deserve this award in few years to come.Therefore the annual prize money of $5million dollars should be distributed to the poor who the UN have told us will go hungry this year except the rich Western powers gives us aids.Civil societies,political activists and NGOs who are independently promoting democratic ideals and constitute opposition to the tyranny and dictatorships of this men should share in the prize.
Many African critics of the ICC has has argued that impunity when exhibited by African leaders backed by America and Western interest such as in Dr Congo,Rwanda and Uganda between 1996 and 2003 will never be punished and such are never counted except when the show of impunity is by an black African leader disliked by the West.A crime is a crime and a crime against humanity should be treated as such even if it committed by the US president.
We have to face the reality that the future and destiny of African nations depend son all of us.Over 1million people will go hungry this year and most of this population reside in Africa.The West has doled out over 1 trillion dollars to save their collapsing economies and have cut off aids.Only a little percentage of this huge sum can feed all hungry people on earth for the next 10 years.Does that tell us anything? We have to start living in the 21st century.We have to bring to book all those who have been indicted because it when we have justice that freedom can thrive.The way Africa is going we will always continue to play second fiddle in the global events.Why do we have to wait for the perpetrators of crimes in Iraq and Palestinian to be punished before we put our house in order.Moreover the nature of this conflicts are completely different.Can we ever be the initiator global events.If we don't subscribe to the ICC we can bring the Court of Justice of the African Union into force provided it will be free and fair to all.Let us teach Western power how to behave.The Chinese are calling for a new world currency against the domination of the dollar.So lets initiate a good thing for once.
It is also on record that the leadership of Africa is the poses the great es challenge to the development and growth of Africa.We have in abundance roguish leaders have taken ordinary Africans into a new form for of slavery.They rig elections,illegally amend the constitution and forcefully take over power to the peril of the common African.We have long list of living and dead examples not worth mentioning.We cannot keep blaming the rest of the world for courting and tolerating these leaders.The race for the abundant resources of Africa is enough to shut them up.Africa deserves a new generation of leaders whose altruistic nature will ignite a fiery fire in them to develop the continent putting us on the part to greatness.Yes, we overtake other continents in the world because we are naturally blessed and our race is hardworking.We cannot only achieve this developments if we don't end various conflicts and wars raging across Africa.We need as a matter of urgency allow justice to take its cause by handing over all those who have been indicted for various crime and atrocities.
As the Former Serbian leader is trialed at the Hague,it is time for these leaders to decide if they will arrest and hand over these wanted men for trail or continue the status quo.If they remain adamant a fire such that was lit in the heart of Pan-African nationalist who fought for our various independence will be lit in the heart of men and women of Africa and that fire will consume those who fight its progress.
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