ECOWAS And The Guinea Conundrum

Military rule is an aberration in the body polity of any nation. Their primary function amongst others is the defence of the territorial sovereignty of a nation against any external covert or overt aggression.
But with the reality and wind of democratistion that swept through African nations in the past few years, military interregnum not only became unattractive but condemnable on the account of their lack of transparency accountability, total disdain for human rights and intolerance of divergent views.
Africans have heaved a huge sigh of relief from military rule and happily embraced the principles of democratic governance. But the news from Conakry has become a sad commentary and sordid embarrassment to all peace loving people of Guinea and indeed the universe.
A military junta led by Captain Moussa Dadis Camara had on 23rd December 2008 seized power through a bloodless coup after the death of President Lansana Conte.
The junta had promised immediate political transfer to civilian governance come December 2009. However, the opposition political parties and civil society groups have doubted such promise greatly considered to be hallowed. They could not be trusted to deliver on their political promises as recent events in Guinea clearly point to.
The junta leadership has become more desperate to consolidate their political powers and this indication started emerging with obvious repudiation to renege on the promise of neutrality and non-participation in the political process.
Captain Camara had promised not to contest the presidency come January 31. But with simmering political situation in Guinea, he may go against his promise of non-participation to contest the presidency. As it is fashionable with successful military coup leaders, peaceful political transfer of power to civilian governance are hardly contemplated without domestic and foreign pressures exact on such military leader.
Today in Guinea it is obvious that Captain Camara has been taken hostage by the forces of political retrogression whose desires were nothing than the protection of their political and economic interests, thereby wanting the military officer to contest the presidency. The ultimate interest of the Guineans and the country is economy that had stagnated over the years through trade union protests are usually not considered in such political struggle for powers.
The recent senseless killing of over 50 peaceful demonstrators in the capital city’s stadium had actually shown the penchant for the violation of human rights by the junta’s leadership. The government saw the demonstration as insurrection which pitted government troops against innocent civilians leading to the unprovoked attack and killing.
However, the political imbroglio and impasse not only in Guinea but also in Niger should challenge (ECOWAS) Economic Community of West Africa States leaders to be resolute in their resolutions on protocol for good governance for effective implementation to serve as a deterrent that the sub-regional body meant well for the people of the sub-region.
Happily enough, the arms embargo imposed by ECOWAS and European Union sanction on the Guinea’s junta is a welcome development. Nevertheless, much needs to be done through the efforts of various international, regional and sub-regional institutions to impose more strict trading embargo on the junta and seek meaningful ways to strengthen the democratic processes in Guinea. China must join the efforts of the international community and protect the political interest of the generality of the Guineans, rather than beneficial economic interest as the new empire for the scramble of Africa longed concluded in the 19th century.
President Blaise Compaore of Burkina Fasso as the ECOWAS special chief mediator in the Guinea’s crisis should ensure that the junta’s political and electoral transitional processes are transparent and inclusive with the various political parties having confidence in the Electoral System.
The pedigree of the President Compaore is not in doubt having ben appointed once by the sub-regional body leadership to mediate in the crisis in Togo, Niger Republic, Cote D’Ivore and Guinea-Bissau. He exhibited much mastery strategies that ultimately restored peace in these troubled countries.
However, to sustain the momentum, Guinea’s political and military leaders must consider their perceived selfish interests.
The killers of the demonstrators must be brought to book in the overall interest of justice, perhaps they should be tried in accordance with the principles of the country’s rule of law or African Coalition for ICC should consider the necessity of dragging Guinea’s junta leaders for obvious genocide against peaceful and innocent demonstrators before the ICC.
ECOWAS leaders must not fail the sub-region. Times for rhetorics are gone. It is time for concrete and meaningful editions within the context of ECOWAS protocol on good governance.

Philip-Wuwu Okparaji