One of Africa’s most stable democracies appears to be venturing into a precarious time. Abdoulaye Wade, the octogenarian President has over the course of his two terms attempted to chip away at the solid edifice of the nation’s democratic institutions. But the people are not taking it lying down. Alfred Stepan and Etienne Smith writing for Project Syndicate have a primer:
Wade has been tinkering with Senegal’s constitution in dangerous ways ever since he was inaugurated in 2000. Of the 15 changes Wade made to the constitution, ten weakened democracy; the others were erratic, if not bizarre. For example, Wade at one point abolished Senegal’s senate, only to reinstate it after realizing that it could be put to use as a place to reward political allies. Likewise, he reduced the length of presidential terms from seven years to five, but later restored it to seven.
In February 2007, Wade was re-elected as Senegal’s president amid opposition charges that the election had not been free and fair. As a result, the opposition boycotted the June, 2007, parliamentary elections. That was a mistake, because the boycott gave Wade absolute control over the legislature, as well as the ability to appoint Constitutional Court judges unimpeded.
As an activist for human rights and democracy this is troubling. Why do so many African statesmen find it so hard to relinquish their grip on power? Now, as a Green, I am a bit puzzled by the silence on the part of the Global Greens Movement considering that we will be having an International Congress just weeks after the first round of what promises to be a closely watched presidential election. If I am able to attend the Congress next month in Dakar I will loudly and proudly stand with those protesting against Senegal’s slide into authoritarianism.
To say that it is incredibly difficult to overcome the corruption in most African governments is a colossal understatment. Westerners forget (most never fully understand or even care) that at the heart, in virtually every African country, is tribalism and mob rule mentality. One person belonging to a particular tribe or cartel, or allied with certain tribes and crime syndicates, achieves power; typically through coup, and uses that power to line his own pockets and satisfy 50 per cent of the needs and wants of tribespeople that support him. People of dissenting tribes are ostracized or massacered. In time, there is another coup and the victims become the victors who destroy the enemies who once opressed them with impunity. No one really stops to negotiate for peace and real democracy.
It is a fact that every, and I do mean every, tribal leader, business man and mobster who deliberately seeks professional political power in most African countries is guilty of either plotting or executing this level of corruption and tyranny. It doesn’t matter if the person starts out looking like a supporter of democracy. Such individuals are never born from experiences like Mandela’s.
To end this suffering requires a committed and unanimous abolishion of tribal rites. This is a challenge of titanic proportions. So far the only ones who have actually tried to go that route have been Communists in the 60′s and 70′s (e.g. Angola for just one), and what an infernal mess they made given the violent and oppressive methods they used.
I’m afraid the situation has yet to get far worse before it gets better. I don’t believe I’ll see it in my lifetime. I am so disappointed in that.