The Hypocrisy Of The African Union
BY CHRIS ONUORAH-(AFRICAMESSAGE)-There are mixed reactions about the African Union’s recent expulsions of
some countries on the continent which are experiencing political turmoil. At a time when observers prefer to watch
developments in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Madagascar, the AU decided to take drastic actions against the emerging
military regimes in those countries.
The anger against the AU from its critics stem, not from an endorsement of military dictatorship in place of democracy,
but in the dubious African Union definition of these systems of government. Some have, indeed, declared the union a
hypocritical organization made up mainly of selfish, out of sync, old men with outdated ways and ideas.
How else, they ask, can you explain an African Union headed by Libyan Leader, Colonel Muammar Gadhafi whose
government has remained under the firm grip of one man for almost forty years. Gadhafi seized power when he
overthrew King Idris on September 1, 1969.
Gadhafi’s absolute rule is seemingly endless as no presidential election is anywhere in sight. Libya has been run since
1977 according to the provisions of Gadhafi’s Third Universal Theory. Needless to say, the system is exclusive,
suppressive and oppressive. But today, Gadhafi runs the African Union.
The African Union is full of Heads of State who have been accused of organizing sham elections, unleashing state
security personnel on the citizens and mind boggling graft and misrule. Consider the case of Zimbabwean President
Robert Mugabe. Mugabe has run his country’s economy into the ground, murdered opposition figures and refused to
leave office even when it has been clearly observed that he lost his own election. He has been in power for almost
nineteen years.
Still, the AU that expels military governments, cuddles, defends and protects Mugabe.
Consider, also President Omar el-Bashir of Sudan. There is an international warrant for his arrest. El- Bashir is accused
of committing human atrocities which have led to war, death and displacement of millions of Sudanese. He runs a non-
party system that evolved from military rule that allows him to elect himself and disband government at will.
In power since October, 1989, President el-Bashir was recently rated, along with Mugabe and Gadhafi, as one of the
world’s worst dictators. He defies the United Nations and the rest of the world. He oversees the Darfur massacres and
was accused of assassinating his Vice President, Colonel John Garang by blowing up his helicopter in the air in 2005.
But when an international warrant for his arrest was issued recently, the African Union condemned it and expressed
solidarity for him.
Dr Harry Dagah considers the African Union a disservice to Africa. The International Relations expert told africamessage.
com that despite claims to the contrary, the AU is no better than the Organization for African Unity which it replaced.
Like the OAU, he observed, the AU claims to promote African development and to ensure respect for human rights. But
he concluded that many African leaders are destroying the continent and violating the rights of their citizens.
Again, the African Union’s position on Madagascar, Guinea Bissau and Guinea might have reinforced the argument that
its members are hiding behind democracy to commit atrocities.
Until his death, Guinean President Lasana Conte ran the country like his private business. He came to power by force,
organized sham elections that sustained him and his cronies and left Guinea as one of the world’s poorest countries.
The table has turned in Guinea. With his father dead, General Conte’s son has been transfixing the world with
television confessions of how he, his father and their cohorts used every government apparatus to run an international
drug ring among other crimes. But the African Union was quick to ban the new military regime that is trying to clean up
the mess in Guinea.
It goes on and on. Analysts are of the opinion that the African Union is not the answer to the many problems facing
the continent. If at all, it is part of the problem. But most of all, the AU is simply the plaything of the Libyan strongman
Colonel Muammar Gadhafi who has never hidden his dreams of an empire under his thumb.
Armed with his stupendous oil wealth, Gadhafi has bought the conscience of the heads of state of the smaller, weaker
and poorer African countries south of the Sahara. Many years ago, he tried unsuccessfully to annex his north African
neighbors under his command. But with the AU, he now has an obedient and willing tool with which to massage his
large ego. Not done with his conquest of black Africa, Gadhafi recently invited the countries of the Caribbean to join his
African Union.
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