Sunday, August 28, 2011

Libya: Compaoré Extends Helping Hand to Gadaffi


Source: allAfrica.com

President Compaoré
Muammar Gaddafi.

Burkina Faso's Foreign Minister, Djibril Bassolé, has announced his country's recognition of the National Transitional Council (NTC) as the legitimate authority in Lybia.
At the same time, Burkina Faso is reportedly prepared to grant asylum to ousted Libyan leader, Muammar Gaddafi. A position that divides the public opinion in Burkina Faso.

In the capital Ouagadougou, many welcome the asylum offer to Gaddafi. For others, Gaddafi doesn't deserve such a fate, whatever his merits are. "I think Gaddafi has been a great leader for his country and for Africa. As a matter of fact, wherever you go in Burkina Faso people know about Gaddafi. Today, he is in a rather difficult situation and we must not let him down. That's the least we can do," says Albert Coulibaly, a civil servant.


Welder Yaya Sanou, resting in the shade, adds: "As for me, I entirely agree with Gaddafi finding sanctuary in Burkina Faso. He is welcome to stay and feel at home. As Africans, we must host him in the name of African brotherhood."


Victim of Western powers
According to journalist Hervé Taoko, "humanely speaking, every man has the right to asylum, regardless of the charges against him. This [Gaddafi's possible asylum in Burkina Faso would boost President Compaoré's image on the international scene. Blaise could be the intermediary between Gaddafi and the new Libyan regime."


For many Burkina Faso citizens, 'President Compaoré's friend' is a victim of Western powers. "Gaddafi did not start the current crisis in Libya. Western powers do not want him in power. Therefore, we Africans must not turn our backs on him," says businessman Kontilsonko Hamado.


According to Koffi Felix, journalist for the satirical paper 'Le Journal du Jeudi', "Burkina Faso should find country at odds with NATO and the US, who would then cause us trouble."

herself new allies, in the event Gaddafi's asylum becomes problematic. Hosting Gaddafi must not put the
As for Hervé Taoko, he admits that if the allegations against the ex-Libyan leader turn out to be true, that could negatively impact the country's international reputation. "Burkina Faso will be regarded as the country that granted asylum to a dictator. Judging by the statement of the Burkina Faso Foreign Minister, it appears our country is the one offering asylum."


For student Emmanuel Kambu, Burkina Faso is blowing hot and cold. "I find Burkina Faso's position ambiguous. One cannot befriend two warring factions. Suppose that Gaddafi comes to Burkina Faso and that the NTC, at some point, demands his extradition for judicial reasons, what would then be the position of Burkina Faso?"

Journalist Koffi Félix has similar concerns. "Gaddafi can surely find sanctuary in Burkina Faso, but will the country resist pressures to hand him over to the International Criminal Court? From a humanitarian point of view, it is a way of saving an isolated Gaddafi from his opponents, who are determined to lock him away."
For Noffou Zougmorré, "our country is not sufficiently independent, especially with the involvement of France in the conflict. This decision is not surprising to me. For the past three years, relations between Comaporé and Gaddafi have been cold. Nevertheless, politics has prevailed over emotions."

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Inside Liberia with Bernard Gbayee Goah

Everyone is a genius

Everyone is a genius. But if you judge a fish on its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid. – A Einstein

Drawing the line in Liberia

Crimes sponsored, committed, or masterminded by handful of individuals cannot be blamed upon an entire nationality. In this case, Liberians! The need for post-war justice is a step toward lasting peace, stability and prosperity for Liberia. Liberia needs a war crimes tribunal or some credible legal forum that is capable of dealing with atrocities perpetrated against defenseless men, women and children during the country's brutal war. Without justice, peace shall remain elusive and investment in Liberia will not produce the intended results. - Bernard Gbayee Goah



Men with unhealthy characters should not champion any noble cause

They pretend to advocate the cause of the people when their deeds in the dark mirror nothing else but EVIL!!
When evil and corrupt men try to champion a cause that is so noble … such cause, how noble it may be, becomes meaningless in the eyes of the people - Bernard Gbayee Goah.

If Liberia must move forward ...

If Liberia must move forward in order to claim its place as a civilized nation amongst world community of nations, come 2017 elections, Liberians must critically review the events of the past with honesty and objectivity. They must make a new commitment to seek lasting solutions. The track records of those who are presenting themselves as candidates for the position of "President of the Republic of Liberia" must be well examined. Liberians must be fair to themselves because results from the 2011 elections will determine the future of Liberia’s unborn generations to come - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia's greatest problem!

While it is true that an individual may be held responsible for corruption and mismanagement of funds in government, the lack of proper system to work with may as well impede the process of ethical, managerial, and financial accountability - Bernard Gbayee Goah

What do I think should be done?

The situation in Liberia is Compound Complex and cannot be fixed unless the entire system of government is reinvented.
Liberia needs a workable but uncompromising system that will make the country an asylum free from abuse, and other forms of corruption.
Any attempt to institute the system mentioned above in the absence of rule of law is meaningless, and more detrimental to Liberia as a whole - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia's Natural Resources
Besides land water and few other resources, most of Liberia’s dependable natural resources are not infinite, they are finite and therefore can be depleted.
Liberia’s gold, diamond, and other natural resources will not always be an available source of revenue generation for its people and its government. The need to invent a system in government that focuses on an alternative income generation method cannot be over emphasized at this point - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Liberia needs a proper system
If Liberians refuse to erect a proper system in place that promotes the minimization of corruption and mismanagement of public funds by government institutions, and individuals, there will come a time when the value of the entire country will be seen as a large valueless land suited on the west coast of Africa with some polluted bodies of waters and nothing else. To have no system in place in any country is to have no respect for rule of law. To have no respect for rule of law is to believe in lawlessness. And where there is lawlessness, there is always corruption - Bernard Gbayee Goah

Solving problems in the absence of war talks

As political instability continues to increase in Africa, it has become abundantly clear that military intervention as a primary remedy to peace is not a durable solution. Such intervention only increases insecurity and massive economic hardship. An existing example which could be a valuable lesson for Liberia is Great Britain, and the US war on terror for the purpose of global security. The use of arms whether in peace keeping, occupation, or invasion as a primary means of solving problem has yield only little results. Military intervention by any country as the only solution to problem solving will result into massive military spending, economic hardship, more fear, and animosity as well as increase insecurity. The alternative is learning how to solve problems in the absence of war talks. The objective of such alternative must be to provide real sustainable human security which cannot be achieved through military arm intervention, or aggression. In order to achieve results that will make the peaceful coexistence of all mankind possible, there must be a common ground for the stories of all sides to be heard. I believe there are always three sides to every story: Their side of the story, Our side of the story, and The truth – Bernard Gbayee Goah

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