The
dictators and despots of Africa have always been the sources of embarrassments
and irritation which make Africans lose confidence and hope in the continent.
The decision of the African Union to re-elect the sellout Meles Zenawi as its
chief negotiator is outrageous and needs to be denounced. It is a
misrepresentation of Africa pre-destining the continent to be the loser in the
global climate deals. Moreover, it represents a significant blow to the
aspirations of Africans for a fair deal which will facilitate the continent`s
development efforts. It is harmful to the interests of Africa and shows the
failure and inability of the African Union to promote and stand for the common
interests of the continent. The leaders of the African Union should have drawn
ample and useful lessons from the Copenhagen Climate Conference of 2009 where
Meles Zenawi Zenawi betrayed Africa and joined ranks with the rich west. It is
to be recalled that Zenawi`s mercenary role and betrayal of Africa in the
December 2009 world climate conference outraged Africans and others who were
working for a fair global climate deal. Zenawi has his own personal motives and
abused the Climate Conference at Copenhagen to renew his patronage with the
Obama administration.
In re-electing Meles Zenawi, the African dictators and
despots are paving the way for a deal which will not take care of the longe term
climatic concerns and interests of Africa. The decision also shows the absence
any African or continental vision in the African Union. With the exception of a
couple of countries (The Republic South Africa and Ghana), political power is in
the hands of dictators and despots preoccupied with securing their power through
foreign aid and support. Thus they do not mind about the consequences of their
outrageous and reckless decision to entrust the sellout Meles Zenawi with such a
vital task whose outcome will have a bearing on the future of the continent.
However, unlike Meles Zenawi they accept and do not degrade their African
heritage and identity. Independent and sovereign dictators could be the better
choices since they have some commitments which can lead to securing favorable
deals for the continent.
At the same time it is a tall order to expect rational
decisions from the self serving African dictators and despots who have their
eyes fixed on the so called climate money pot pledged by the west. It is
expected that many Africans who closely follow developments and events in the
continent have some knowledge on Meles Zenawi and his ethno-fascistic rule in
Ethiopia. His obsessions with the colonial past of the continent, defunct
colonial treaties and implementation of the administrative methods envisaged by
the former colonial powers are among the most important features characterizing
his discriminating and illegitimate rule in Ethiopia. His divide and rule
policies are drowning the country in persistent inter-communal conflicts and
violence. It is becoming pretty common among Ethiopians to describe his rule as
that of an alien and occupying one due to the widespread aversion to it in the
country.
There are many good reasons for opposing Meles Zenawi`s
re-election and speaking loud against it. He is very dependent on the west and
has thrown his lot with serving non-African foreign interests. He heads a tribal
regime described as one of the world`s most backward, and modelled after the e
apartheid rule which existed in South Africa. He does not accept the equality of
humans and citizens. His economic policies are causing increasing environmental
damages in Ethiopia. Most of all, his guiding political outlooks of ethnic
anchored fascism and ethnic supremacy make him the most unsuitable candidate to
play any role in any continental or global issue. On the other hand it is
important to point out that the re-election of Meles Zenawi is a significant
victory for the west since it increases their bargaining position in the
negotiations. As witnessed at the Copenhagen conference, the rich western
countries do not appear to be willing to acccept their responsibility and commit
themselves to equitable emission cuts and financing commensurate with their
contribution to global warming. The rumoured western lobbyings and manipulations
of African diplomats and leaders to get their man Meles Zenawi elected as the
continent`s chief negotiator can not be dismissed. Africa will be handcuffed and
can not be in a favorable position to negotiate a fair deal with the agent of
neo-colonialism Meles Zenaw as its chief negotiator. In this regard it is
important to take note of one scenario which also emerged at the Copenhagen
climate Conference. The position of the emerging economies like China and India
which firmly opposed the western proposed emission cuts and economic or
financial burden shariing which were not found fair and just enough to address
the critical issues involved in global warming. These countries wield influence
and can play signifcant roles in directing the process and the outcome of the
coming negotiations.
It is of vital importance for our African brothers and
sisters to be informed of the fact that the marriage of convenience between the
ethno-fascist Meles Zenawi and west is the main cause of the ever increasing
misery and suffering in Ethiopia. Thus Africans and other forces seeking a fair
and sustainable global climate deal should denounce and strongly oppose the
betraying decision the African Union has taken. Africans should also increase
their engagement in issues concerning climate and exert pressure on their
respective leaders to reject any such deal ignoring the interests of Africa. The
poor and underdeveloped Africa will be the one to be most affected by global
warming and bearing the brunt of the burden if its concerns are not taken care
of.
There is now sufficient evidence linking climatic changes to
the erratic and more frequent shortages of rainfall in some parts of the world.
The horn of Africa especially Ethiopia is very vulnerable andperiodically
experiencing the negative impacts of failing rains and subsequent droughts.
Ethiopia is the country facing acute shortage of food and where tens of millions
of citizens are dependent on foreign food aid. Thus it is natural for Ethiopians
to be very concerned about the unfavorable climatic changes and actively engage
themselves in all the efforts aimed at finding ways of mitigating them. The
available knowledge indicates that the rich industrialized countries are
responsible for most of the pollutions contributing to the global climatic
changes. Hence the rich industrialized countries are expected to make the
necessary concessions in order to come up with a fair and acceptable global
climate deal. Climatic changes pose long term global challenges andself serving
dictators like Meles Zeawi can never be partners in addressing them.
