By Ahmed Ojulla Bangura
There are rumours in some Western media circles that the African country of Zimbabwe might soon be invaded to topple president Robert Mugabe and his regime. I sincerely hope this is not true.
Any attempt to invade Zimbabwe is an European conspiracy to re-colonise Africa. The intent and plan to execute diabolic gross human right violations in that country in the form of an invasion contravenes international Law and is an indication of a self proclaimed ‘moral right’ by former colonial dictators to lord it over colonies they at one time looted, abused and disintegrated into geographical conflicts.
Any invasion in Zimbabwe by whosoever is contemplating it would remind Africans of colonial abuses inflicted on our fore-fathers, disrespect for our identity, exploitation of both human and natural resources that have contributed to making Europe what it is today, reminding us of the cruel trade in precious African men, women, and children, and above all vividly demonstrating the application of the Darwin theory by which most Western scientists believe that Africans are yet to go through the climax of human development.
Africa has experienced human right violations politically, economically, and socially from countries which portray themselves as champions of human rights. Since pre-colonial days, Europeans entered Africa with the Bible to deceive our people they termed backward. People they claim metamorphosed from the ape stage to a stage they claim is the superior stage of human development.
Later the so-called word of God became a sinister ploy in Africa. The Bible was put aside and exploitation of natural and human resources flourished in an unprecedented way at the expense of Africans of all generations. Today Africans can read about and experience around them the inhuman treatment African heroes and heroines suffered at the hands of Europeans.
But this immoral aspect of history is swept under the carpet by some hypocritical African leaders. These leaders have not only undermined Africans’ integrity but betrayed other leaders who vehemently defy any form of re-colonisation of Africa.
Western countries have accused President Mugabe of human rights violations and a long reign after things fell apart between him and them. Like in all regions of the world, one cannot dispute or ignore the human rights violations committed by President Mugabe in Zimbabwe. He is not the only leader in the world committing human rights violations.
From Africa to Asia, Europe to America and down to Australia political leaders violate human rights. The only difference could be the victims. Whilst most leaders in Africa and other developing countries violate human rights of their own people, Western countries protect their own peoples’ right and abuse the human rights of others in developing countries. But Western countries have always used human rights violation as a pretext to demonise President Mugabe. But the indisputable and obvious reason for their so called interest in the people of Zimbabwe is to protect their white descendants and the colonial legacy in Zimbabwe.
The planned use of ‘human rights violations’ to justify any invasion in Zimbabwe is only a product of the whims and caprices of Western double standards.
If one is permitted to use the previous and recent crack down on monks and the rest of the people of Burma and the house arrest of pro-democracy activists by the repressive military junta in Myanmar, it would remind many who just see things at face value and accept the condemnation of President Mugabe by the ‘coalition of invaders’ that there is something up their sleeves to invade Zimbabwe.
It is evident that the incidents in Burma closed the doors of democracy without any form of opposition. This, to say the least, warrants an invasion to restore democracy before thinking of invading Zimbabwe.
Indeed there was no intent of invasion during the second phase of Africa’s era of colonialism and apartheid after the days of slavery. None of these European and Western countries invaded South Africa and most of Southern African countries during those odd and unforgettable days.
If the self proclaimed saviours practise what they preach, what would they say about the recent kidnapping of children in Chad without parental, political and legal consent? Is that human rights when foreign nationals are stereotyped and blamed for systemic errors in Europe? Is that human rights for foreign nationals to seek state approval before getting marriage in European countries that execute those laws? Is that human rights when Western economic activities and the ‘dragging of feet’ attitude on climate change is affecting the developing world immensely? Is that human rights to assume cultural supremacy over other cultures?
Therefore, any invasion in Zimbabwe is ethically unjustifiable and is a sign of the third phase of Africa’s predicament at the hands of former colonial dictators. Africans and their leaders must not keep quiet. They have to speak out aloud against imperialism to save the Black race from being perceived as weak human beings.
Long Live Africa!
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