Caution is needed to avoid setting the entire Middle East aflame
The West Asian nation of Syria has for almost two years now descended into a civil war. The problem started with the uprisings in the Arab world that led to change of governments in countries like Tunisia, Egypt and Libya. Attempts by Syrians to replicate such did not augur well for a country where power is held by Bashar Al-Assad who leads a moderate Islamic sect called the Alawites.
Ever since the war broke out, it has been growing in intensity and scope, with the United Nations estimating that more than 100,000 have been killed and millions displaced. But a more dangerous dimension was added to the tragedy early last month when chemical weapons were deployed to wipe out more than 1000 people, including innocent children. United States' President Barack Obama said Assad was responsible for the sordid development and therefore has crossed a “redline” that must attract military actions from the US and some other allies. Precisely on August 30, Obama said he was looking at the possibility of "limited, narrow" military action against Damascus.
However, on September 9, Russia proposed an initiative to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control and Damascus accepted. Subsequently, Obama announced on September 10 that he has put the plans for military action on hold. On September 14, the US and Russia agreed on a framework for the removal and destruction of Syria's chemical weapons by mid-2014 but the US still warned that any attempts to renege by Syria could also trigger a military action.
As a continental body, the African Union (AU) is yet to take a definitive position on the Syrian crisis and the current efforts at mediation. The pronouncements made by individual members and some groups within the organisation point to the fact that the continent is not ready to support any attack by foreign powers on the Arab country. That perhaps explains why senior officials of the African Union Commission (AUC) welcomed the proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin on sequestering Syria’s chemical weapons. They consider the intervention by Russia as a crucial defence for the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Their position is understandable given the descent to chaos witnessed after the NATO-led mission in Libya in 2011.
The African Forum, a caucus of 43 former African heads of state and senior diplomats, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African President Thabo Mbeki and former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, has also issued a strongly-worded statement against unauthorised western intervention in Syria. “As Africans we remain acutely conscious of the elaborate disinformation campaigns in which major powers engaged…to propagate falsehoods to justify their armed interventions in Iraq and Libya …we are directly interested in a law-governed rather than an arbitrary system of international relations, imposed on the world by those who exercise military and other might,” they said.
However, on September 9, Russia proposed an initiative to put Syria's chemical weapons under international control and Damascus accepted. Subsequently, Obama announced on September 10 that he has put the plans for military action on hold. On September 14, the US and Russia agreed on a framework for the removal and destruction of Syria's chemical weapons by mid-2014 but the US still warned that any attempts to renege by Syria could also trigger a military action.
As a continental body, the African Union (AU) is yet to take a definitive position on the Syrian crisis and the current efforts at mediation. The pronouncements made by individual members and some groups within the organisation point to the fact that the continent is not ready to support any attack by foreign powers on the Arab country. That perhaps explains why senior officials of the African Union Commission (AUC) welcomed the proposal by Russian President Vladimir Putin on sequestering Syria’s chemical weapons. They consider the intervention by Russia as a crucial defence for the Charter of the United Nations and international law. Their position is understandable given the descent to chaos witnessed after the NATO-led mission in Libya in 2011.
The African Forum, a caucus of 43 former African heads of state and senior diplomats, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, former South African President Thabo Mbeki and former Secretary General of the United Nations Kofi Annan, has also issued a strongly-worded statement against unauthorised western intervention in Syria. “As Africans we remain acutely conscious of the elaborate disinformation campaigns in which major powers engaged…to propagate falsehoods to justify their armed interventions in Iraq and Libya …we are directly interested in a law-governed rather than an arbitrary system of international relations, imposed on the world by those who exercise military and other might,” they said.
Remarkably, in the heat of the whole development, the British parliament voted against joining forces with the United States in any military action against Syria. It is the opinion of this paper that the position of Nigeria should be in tandem with that of other African countries in this matter especially as the Russian formula opens a window of opportunity.
While we advocate that Assad be made to toe the path of peace, it should be understood that the Middle East region is unique in its composition and fragility such that an attack on Syria could exacerbate, if not internationalise, the crisis. In looking for a lasting solution we call for a revisit of the proposal of Kofi Annan which involves an immediate end to the bloodshed, the delivery of humanitarian aid, a process for opposition demands to be peacefully articulated, the release of political detainees, allowing foreign reporters into the country, and permitting peaceful demonstrations. Syrian forces and rebels must be told to allow normalcy to return to their country.
While we advocate that Assad be made to toe the path of peace, it should be understood that the Middle East region is unique in its composition and fragility such that an attack on Syria could exacerbate, if not internationalise, the crisis. In looking for a lasting solution we call for a revisit of the proposal of Kofi Annan which involves an immediate end to the bloodshed, the delivery of humanitarian aid, a process for opposition demands to be peacefully articulated, the release of political detainees, allowing foreign reporters into the country, and permitting peaceful demonstrations. Syrian forces and rebels must be told to allow normalcy to return to their country.
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