Ethiopia: Autocratic with Western Silence

The recent trial of two Swedish journalists in Ethiopia has shed light on the countries increasingly autocratic practices. Though various human rights groups and international media have raised some concern over human rights and the treatment of the journalists, Western leaders have been largely silent on Ethiopia’s turn towards autocracy.

The Western silence may be explained through Ethiopia’s geographic positioning. They are viewed by many in the West as a important strategic partner in countering violent extremism in the Horn of Africa. Further, Ethiopia is a neighbor to North and South Sudan who could be headed for war. In addition, Ethiopia is a neighbor to Somalia where the al-Shabab terror network is based.

These geopolitical factors combine together to mute criticism of the regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi who has used a vaguely worded, far reaching anti-terror law to imprison opposition leaders and journalists as threats to the state.

Nice to see that the Cold War model of diplomacy isn’t dead. The West is basically saying as long as your not an Islamic terrorist, you can abuse human rights at will. Enemies may change, but our policies don’t change with them.

2012: The African Autocratic Revival

Several African nations appear set to reverse their democratic gains in 2012, which has prompted the Christian Science Monitor to question whether 2012 will mark the return of the African Despot.

I have previously commented on the situation in Senegal here: http://wwwbookdiplomacy.blogspot.com/2012/02/senegal-not-another-africa.html.

A constitutional court ruled that President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term, in spite of a two term limit that Wade himself signed into law after his election in 2001. Wade had argued that he could run again because he had been elected under the old constitution, a claim the five judges all appointed by Wade, agreed with.

In the Congo, Joseph Kabila was declared the winner of last November’s elections, despite widespread irregularities and poor organization led international observers to declare results inconclusive and one opposition candidate declared himself present before votes were cast.

 Not helping matters, the main negotiator between Kabila and the opposition parties was killed in a plane crash on Feb. 12^th, complicating the task of government formation.

Zimbabwe still has Mugabe. Mugabe is vowing to run in the 2013. He’s served as prime minister and president for the last thirty two years. Opposition forces are trying to draft a constitution to block such long tenures, but Mugabe has vowed to never sign such measures.

 Even more disheartening, he’s banned twenty nine aid groups, that provide valuable aid to Zimbabweans at risk of starvation.

In Malawi, President Bingu’s creeping autocracy and economic mismanagement has caused international donors, most notably the IMF to suspend loans and financial aid to the country.

 Bingu has also imprisoned human rights workers and journalists for questioning his governing/lifestyle and he expelled the British ambassador for calling the President “becoming more autocratic and intolerant of criticism.

SOURCE: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0217/Will-2012-be-the-Year-of-the-African-Despot-again

Though Mugabe is no surprise, this is disheartening for democratic development in Africa.

Western analysts saw great hope in the regimes Senegal and Congo, who themselves defeated autocrats to ascend to power, amid promises of reform.

Apparently, the iron law of oligarchy is stronger then we thought.

Senegal: Not Another Africa

Africa is dogged by fragile democratic institutions. The latest example of democratic fragility comes from relatively peaceful Senegal.

 Protests have broken out ahead of the February 26^th presidential election after a constitutional court ruled that President Abdoulaye Wade could run for a third term, in spite of a two term limit that Wade himself signed into law after his election in 2001.

Wade had argued that he could run again because he had been elected under the old constitution, a claim the five judges all appointed by Wade, agreed with.

 Last June, Wade attempted to reduce the number of first round votes needed to win from fifty to twenty five percent. Source: http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Africa/2012/0206/Senegalese-opposition-denounce-president-s-bid-for-third-term

These sound like the actions of a would-be autocrat. Attempting to violate constitutionally prescribed term limits while getting a favorable ruling from judges that Mr. Wade appointed. We cannot have African democracy while we have leaders willing to use constitutions as toilet paper.

Sadly, the type of behavior exhibited by Wade is an all too common story around Africa that the African people cannot and should not tolerate. The people of Senegal can choose to stand for democracy or they can choose to stand for masked tyranny.

Does Democracy Need Authoritarian Government?

My reading for seminar this week was satisfaction with democracy. The literature I’ve read indicates that satisfaction with democracy has been on the decline since the fall of Communism in the Soviet Union. I doubt, many people are going to be shouting “Down with democracy, Up with Communism” and carrying pictures of Lenin, Stalin and Mao in the streets.

 Still the question is interesting: Does Democracy need some form of autocratic government?

During the Cold War, politicians could use the very real threat of Communism to differentiate themselves by arguing “We’ll at least were not Communists.” Following the fall of the Soviet Union, lots of inadequacies with democracy and the democratic process have had a rather harsh spotlight shined on them.

 Parties that were previously bastions of democracy were revealed to be just as corrupt as the evil communists. Furthermore, citizens have grown increasingly dissatisfied with unresponsive, “do nothing” political parties, that don’t care about them.

 Certain political figures throughout history have advocated this idea of a world completely governed democratically. Great idea, we can have mass discontent throughout the world. One can’t deny that democracy was easier with communism around. Because we could always say “Look how they live in Communist countries”!

Once the light was shined on democracy though, we found that though democracy may be preferable, it is far from the perfect paradise that some made it out to be. The fall of Communism forced us to confront the reality of democratic imperfection.