AFRODEMPTION
(Saturday, August 22, 2020 – Third Forum)
Focus: Low Intensity Conflicts (LIC) in Africa; Causes, Strategies, Sustenance, Political Influence, Sponsorship, Control, Possible Eradication.
Anchor: AD Legend.
PANELISTS: AD LEGEND, AD JAKE, AD OJI, AD MAIGEMU, AD ZINTA.
AD Legend
Opened with a compelling quote: “War is a multi-billion dollars business.”
There are individuals and corporations on earth today whose survival largely depend on the insecurity and instability of nations; especially African nations (they are also known as war profiteers).
A critical instrument of their operations is the financing of low intensity conflicts. A low-intensity conflict (LIC) is a military conflict, usually localized, between two or more states or non-state groups which is below the intensity of conventional war. It involves the state’s use of military forces applied selectively and with restraint to enforce compliance with its policies or objectives.
There are a number of African countries involved in war, or are experiencing post-war conflict and tension.
In West Africa, the countries include Cote d’Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, and Togo.
In East Africa, the countries include Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Sudan, Uganda.
In Central Africa, the countries include Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda.
In North Africa, the countries include Libya and Algeria and in South Africa, the countries include Angola and Zimbabwe.
Base of the Wars (By Africa Sun News)
At the base of these wars is the rich natural resources each of these poor countries hold of timber, oil or diamonds, compounded in many cases by the foreign extractive industries presence, their opaque, unreported payments to the governments and the governments’ opaque, unreported use of the money to create and fund wars.
The wars serve the purpose of creating a distraction, as the countries and their fleeing, displaced citizens are robbed of their countries’ natural resources, easily converted to cash, for the personal use and fortunes of ruling parties.
Tribal conflict is deliberately antagonized, so it can be blamed for the conflict.
Libya:
The Libyan Crisis refers to the ongoing conflicts in Libya, beginning with the Arab Spring protests of 2011, which led to a civil war, foreign military intervention, and the ousting and death of Muammar Gaddafi.
The Second Libyan Civil War is an ongoing conflict among rival factions seeking control of Libya. After erupting in 2014, it is now mostly between:
The House of Representatives, elected in 2014 with a low turnout (18%), relocated to Tobruk, which appointed Marshal Khalifa Haftar as commander-in-chief of the Libyan National Army with the mission of restoring its sovereignty over the whole of Libyan territory.
The Government of National Accord, led by Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj, based in the capital Tripoli and established after failed military coups and the relocation of the House of Representatives to Tobruk.
Nations backing warlord Khalifa Haftar: Egypt, UAE, and Qatar.
Nations supporting the United Nations backed Government led by Fayez Al-Saraj: Turkey and Russia.
Mali:
Ex president Goodluck Ebele Jonathan recently led ECOWAS delegations to resolve the crisis in Mali
On 22.08.2020, Jonathan published:
“We arrived in Bamako this afternoon to continue with the ECOWAS Cedeao mediation and peace talks towards resolving Mali’s protracted political crisis and restoring normalcy in this beautiful West African country. We will continue to engage Malian stakeholders as brothers and sisters until lasting peace is found.”
Nigeria: Boko Haram (an extensive discuss).
AD Gentle
The situation of Nigeria and the importation of weapons that are not available to the rebels are due to lax security checkpoints. Inside information circulated to play a blind eye towards protecting the nation’s interest and national security.
A case study is in Kogi state where a village was shut down and indigenes killed with advanced weapons. If Chad could handle and tackle Boko Haram in the space of one week, then something fishy is going on in Nigeria.
AD Zinta
Nigeria is struggling with a reprehensible lack of security and the political class seems involved in the security issues Nigeria is experiencing. If the Chadian Army could rescue the Nigerian Army and tackle Boko Haram, then our government is to be greeted with zero commendation. The inconsistencies leading to undue dismissals and resignation of our gallant men turn around in most cases to fuel rebellion and banditry in the nation.
AD Jake
When you decide to run a democracy, then you have committed to put the people first; the people who bought into your ideology and lined up for hours to make you assume office. When you assume office, you must make sure you maintain stability with the top three pillars of the society which are Social, Political, and Economic.
If you have any crack in any of these three, then you have created a crack where international bullies with negative invested interests will creep in to create an unstable environment using tools like the LIC. It is a widely known quote in global politics, “Don’t let any crises go to waste”.
Most countries that are looking for LICs to take advantage of are looking for a crack in a country’s political, economic and social pillars to dive in and achieve personal interests.
What Do Countries Gain From This?
1. Countries gain a massive amount of revenue from selling artillery for the sustenance of conflicts and wars.
2. Countries generate revenue from increasing fees of visas from immigrants fleeing their hometown devoured with war.
3. Countries issue loans with sub-par interest rates to countries struggling with LICs.
4. Countries take as much natural resources as they can due to the on-going chaos and societal instability.
How Does These Hurt Citizens?
1. Citizens’ lives and properties are lost due to ongoing conflicts.
2. Citizens struggle with the dark cloud of damaged reputation.
Lack of basic amenities and a halted economic growth, to mention but a few.
AD Maigemu
The sole reason of crises is to benefit from it. It widely known that National security endeavors especially on a high level do not get audited and this leads to greed and corruption. This is the sole reason why LICs are thriving in Africa.
Solutions:
AD Zinta
We need more education in the military and greater political will aimed at eradicating illiteracy in our society.
AD Jake
The policy makers need to communicate frequently to win the citizens’ trust so we can all go against rebel group as one unit. We also need to invest in education to reduce the rebel recruiting process.
AD Maigemu
Government can do more; they should support NGOs to help spread the word against violence.
AD Legend
1. Generals can be stabilizers, some others could be pioneers. Just one general shouldn’t necessarily start and finish a war in 2020 society.
2. Education and jobs.
3. Reform Nigeria Police.
In a Security Sector Reform SSR context, police reform aims to transform the values, culture, policies and practices of police organizations so that police can perform their duties with respect for democratic values, human rights and the rule of law.
The goal of police reform is to ensure that policing becomes more effective, more accountable and more responsive to the needs of all members of society within a framework of democratic security sector governance.
4. Deliberately de-commercialize wars and bring war profiteers (Organizations and individuals) to book.
5. Heighten border checks and security for inflow of fire arms.
6. One Nigeria ideology.
Next Transnational Forum: Saturday 6th September, 2020
Focus: Poverty in Africa (Causes, Sustenance, Eradication)
Anchor: AD Jake (United States).
ABOUT US
Africa Redemption Forum (AFRODEMPTION) is an independent forum that houses pan-Africanists from different fields of human endeavour who share a common goal—BELIEF IN AFRICA. Not only that, they are also willing to contribute their quota (expertise, intellect, time, and resources) in changing the narratives of the Black continent.
Their duty is to constantly look into the multifaceted challenges confronting the various nations of Africa in particular and the continent in general, while proffering strategic, implementable, and lasting solutions.
Afrodemption believes that the future is now! And whatsoever we desire to see happen in Africa tomorrow, today is when to begin. It is time to create our own democracy!
However, we recognize from history that Nigeria (the biggest black nation in the world and largest economy in Africa) has a very pivotal role to play. The direction of Nigeria goes Africa. If Nigeria fails, Africa has failed.
“Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about the things that matter.” -Martin Luther King Jr.
As we continue tackling the various issues from the root by hosting strategic thought sessions, please bear in mind that Africa is the future.
The future of Nigeria and indeed, Africa is in our hands. And the TIME is NOW.
To join us, please send your full name, country, contact details, and interests to afrodemption@gmail.com.
