re: "South Sudan offers peacekeepers"

Joshua Keating at PASSPORT ("A Blog by the Editors of FOREIGN POLICY") shows how a new country steps up.

Money quote(s):

"Though still dealing with unresolved border disputes and internal rebelions, the newly indpendent government of South Sudan has offered to help the peace in another country"

Nothing like "giving back."

"Since South Sudan is likely to continue to requre quite a bit of international assistance for its development and security in the coming years, the government consider this a wise investment meant at building up international good will. It can also be a sound economic move.

International peacekeeping missions, including the AU's force in Somalia, are generally funded by Western nations and manned by developing ones. Peacekeeping is often a valuable source of revenue for cash-starved governments."

It's a good way for emerging powers to get operational experience in the multinational military environment.

8/16

re: "Southern Sudan - From Murderer's Stomping Ground To Productive Member of Society"

Ronin at The Jawa Report ("Sand people, get it?") drew a conclusion.

Money quote(s):

"Give people reprieve from oppression and they can contribute to solutions instead of problems."

The people and government of South Sudan, having benefited from the humanitarian and diplomatic efforts of both individual nations and international organizations in being admitted into the world community of nations, are eager to take up their roles as a responsible member thereof.

Good on them!

8/15

re: "If Somaliland is an "Island of Stability" why don't we recognise it? "

Gawain Towler at England Expects asks some solid questions.

Money quote(s):

"(I)t is one of the "Islands of stability and order" in the area. So why on earth is he celebrating the Independence of Southern Sudan, which does not fulfil;l; the criteria set by the African Union for sovereign state status (the pre colonial borders) and failing to do so for Somaliland?

Britain should take the lead, if we accept, as we do the remarkable and peaceful existence of Somaliland over the past 20 years, why on earth do we not go the extra mile to support their accession to the Commonwealth. After all as a former British protectorate they have more right to be there than Mozambique or Rwanda?"

Pay no attention to "international law." It functions, like road signs in the Third World, more as decoration and, perhaps, guidelines, than anything binding on sovereign states. It binds no one, except when someone wants to be bound.

(Or to have an excuse for inaction.)

Not being an "Africa hand" in anything but the most broad (and mostly academic) senses, I can't explain why Somaliland gets the cold shoulder from the international community.

JG - Zimbabwe, African liberation and decolonisation

From my archive of press clippings:

Jamaica Gleaner

Zimbabwe, African liberation and decolonisation

published: Sunday July 6, 2008

Robert Buddan POLITICS OF OUR TIME

Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is faced with sanctions from the west, mediation by Southern Africa and a call for a government of national unity from the African Union. The African Union opposes western sanctions being organised by the French leadership of the European Union (EU) and the American leadership of the UN Security Council with the British in tow.

Read the whole article here.

Snippet(s):

"Mugabe was leader of the liberation movement, Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU), which had fought for independence against the apartheid-like policies of white-ruled Rhodesia, a country that had relied on the support of apartheid South Africa.

In fact, Zimbabwe's 17-year liberation war paralleled that of South Africa's African National Congress (ANC) and both leaderships (Mugabe and Thabo Mbeki) remain close today.

The former Rhodesia became independent as Zimbabwe on April 18, 1980."

&

"Colonisation began when Cecil Rhodes, with the backing of the British, took over land that is now mostly Zimbabwe.

The Shona and Ndebele people fought their first liberation war in 1896/97 to get their land back but white power only grew.

White agriculture flourished and the Shona and Ndebele were shunted off into 'African reserves', the dust bowl of Zimbabwe.

Even when the war for liberation won independence it was a highly compromised independence.

Rhodesia's whites had made up less than five per cent of the population but held 95 per cent of the votes and 70 per cent of the Africans' land.

An agreement for independence reserved as many as one-third of the parliamentary seats for these whites, 20 Assembly seats and 10 seats in the Senate, and whites remained in control of the police, army, air force judiciary and civil service.

Mugabe's liberation government abolished the reserved assembly seats at the first chance in 1987 and the Senate seats in 1990."