IN early March this year, many people had received the action portrayed by the AU troops of invading Comoro Island in a bid to topple Anjouan’s local leader in different perspectives. But since the invasion took place there is no any country in the world except South Africa which openly commended on the authenticity of the action saying it was against the humanitarian rights. With 1,350 African Union led troops in support of the union government under the current President Ahmed Sambi walked through the easy way and successfully managed to topple Anjouan’s local leader, a French trained former gendarme Colonel Mohammed Bacar who allegedly clung in power in an illegal election last year. He is now held for trial before the country’s High Court
The whole world witnessed how AU Soldiers took to task when they landed in Moheli Island and walked along the streets as they were passing across crowds of Jubilant people from all walks of life which some citizens saw it as a warm welcome for them. Their injected move aimed to penalize a self-proclaimed President of Anjouan in Comoros, a small Island with 300,000 population.
Comoro is a union of three Islands, Ngazija, Moheli and Anjouan, all under a federal President. Under the Comoro ‘s constitution, each Island has its own President but all are responsible to the Federal President. Anjouan was an autonomous state before coming together with two other islands to form the Comoros. As people, they have a natural right to decide on the future and destiny of their ancestors’ land, a chance they haven’t been given so far. After suffering some 20 coup attempts since independence from France in 1975, Comoro is trying to shrug off a history of instability and inter-Island bickering. The Island lie off Africa’s east coast and grow Vanilla cloves and ylang-ylang a flower whose oils are used in aromatherapy. These were first settled by Arabs seafarers 1,000 years ago.
It is very interesting to note that, a peaceful country like Tanzania was the principal architect behind the move. They led the local troops under AU cover to apply force in settling an affair of a democratic nation. Despite of this, a continental heavyweight South Africa condemned an assault saying dialogue would be more preferable. Some elements in a divided Tanzanian opposition queried the validity of the participation of the country’s military soldiers in the AU mission which was done without the endorsement of the National Assembly as required by the country’s constitution. Political analysts say that, the 750 Tanzanian soldiers obeyed the orders that were issued by current AU Chairman who is also Tanzanian President Jakaya Kikwete.
An AU incursion on Anjouan, cannot provide a lasting solution but marks the beginning of a new chapter of a long historic book. Short sighted solutions like these suggest many chapters yet to be written on the Comoros. With me personally, I am equally upset by the extra-ordinary Tanzanian military presence in the AU mission on the Comoros. I am driving my point in regard to the basic economic issues of our country. Besides, Tanzania appeared to push so much for a military solution than other countries taking into account a poor economic background, with approximately 40 percent of its people living below the poverty line.
Generally speaking, to be open with the matter, I am neither proposing nor opposing the move by AU’s invasion. To some extent it actually depicts the fact that Africa is terrorizing itself, while in some other instances the move helps to restore peace to the few marginalized groups of the people. I thought, the people of Anjouan should have been left free to decide their future and that peace could not be achieved through military action. Dialogue and freedom of choosing a destiny is democracy that cannot be achieved militarily.
If this is how AU saw it as a fitting approach in dealing with the greedy power-hungry leaders like Col. Mohammed Bakar who prepared to shed blood to remain in power, but AU must have set an example to other leaders across African continent if that was the case. From Darfur to the DRC, Uganda to Ethiopia, Kenya to Somalia. Both tribal and political violence have taken their toll. There has been horrific happenings such as the atrocities being committed at the expense of the few leaders who wants to stay in power by force. Ethnic clashes and mass killings have remained the order of the day, a result of which many people have been left destitute and displaced, as well as homeless. The most astonishing thing to note is that, the AU seems to have kept a blind eye to these happenings and never intervened why? Don’t you see the world is making a laughing stock by seeing it being quite and probably seeking help from international bodies?
If military action was the best option for people who do not respect constitutions, why shouldn’t AU apply its forceful movement in the war torn areas where rebel groups have become so troublesome and notorious doing mischief acts to the majority of citizens, why shouldn’t they teach these people a lesson? Why didn’t AU troops take an appropriate actions when it realized President Mwai Kibaki of Kenya clung to power in an illegal post-election results of last December? Which accounted for the loss of innocent civilians? I can say President Kibaki is a traitor and a terrorist as well who clung to power by violating the majority vote cast against his opponent Raila Odinga during the Presidential vote counting last December.
How many African leaders who have clung to power in an illegal election results which are outweighed in a way of forgery and leave the majority with nothing to say? Why don’t the AU intervene and rectify the political instabilities which arises as a result of these chaos? And bring the situation to normal?
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