Here is an excerp from a correspondence regarding the coup in Ivory Coast.
Jabou
<< I agree with you and all the other colleagues who are enthusiastic about
the
change of leadership in Cote d'Ivoire. I have watched the new President very
closely and weighed his every word carefully. He is to me an earnest
humanist,
a patriotic military philosopher-statesman who has used his "passage in the
desert" to develop his mind and spirit and reflect on the future of his
country.
He means well, he knows what he wants, his time is right and if there is any
man
able to pull if off, he has a good chance.
Nevertheless, a word of caution from a long-term observer of the military in
government; after all, my country - Nigeria - holds the record in the region.
Most military leaders start with public applause on taking over. But the
acclamations seldom last. Firstly, military rulers are products of a system
that requires "total obedience" and the implementation of orders "with
immediate
dispatch". Operating in the political arena which requires debate,
discussion
and consensus runs against their acquired nature and training. They become
testy, impatient and hence resort to the instrument they master the most:
force
and coercion, and hence, dictatorship. Secondly, economic and public sector
management is a complex undertaking that requires time, patience and
consultation - with internal stakeholders, with external partners and is
subject
to the vagaries of the international political environment. Yet, time and
patience are two requirements the militricians (military-politicians à la
Nigerian) do not have at their disposal. They are under constant pressure to
return to democracy and "constitutional order".
Thirdly, coup d'etats are usually accompanied by high expectations from the
population. But since take-overs usually happen during periods of economic
down-turn, the financial means to meet the often too high expectations are
usually not available within the time-frame the new rulers have to work.
With
popular needs unsatisfied and expectations unmet, dissilution sets in, the
population forget yesterday's pains and the clamor for yet another change
resurges.
Finally, power is sweet. As a wise man once said: "power corrupts, and
absolute power corrupts absolutely". Military rulership is invariably
absolute. The general might be the most honest and disciplined man in the
world, but few human spirits are able to resist the temptations of power -
its
perquisites, the horde of sycophants and hangers-on whispering in his ears
that
he is the "savior", the "messiah" the country has been waiting for. He is
then
likely to look at the presidential candidates - especially where they had
once
served in the military under "his command" - and feel he could definitely do
better. Then the hedging on time-tables for elections start. What's more,
in
an atmosphere like here in Cote d'Ivoire, the temptation is high that one of
the
political parties will start encouraging him to either perpetuate his stay as
military ruler (if only to deny the hated opponent from having a chance) or
contest as "their" presidential candidate. And then again, we are back to
square one.
I do not want to spoil the party. I repeat that Cote d'Ivoire is two-fold
lucky: (a) to have a new chance to rebuild its
crumbling socio-political house; and (b) to have a strong, self-confident and
humane personality like General Guei leading the process. But you have to be
careful, no, watchful is a better word. Watch out that the "oaths of
allegience" currently being pledged by all the political parties, NGOs and
other
members of the civil society are not taken as licence to do whatever the
regime
deems right. Trust is good, control is better. The Ivorian intelligentsia
must
observe closely every move they make, be ready with warning posts.
As for the international community, history has taught us that "principled"
hypocrisy and self-interest are classic instruments in global economic and
political relations. I am sure Ivorians will not have to go back to
"cassava-leaves". You will still have them, as the delicacies they are, as
well
as the other foreign goodies you have developed the taste for. You just
have to
know how to play the game.
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