SECRETARY-GENERAL of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu, described the situation in Mali as a reaction to the separation of South Sudan. He told Turkey’s Anadolu Agency that the separation of Sudan into two countries has created a “chain reaction” in the region.
He added that “allowing this separation was a breach of a major principle for the underlying stability in Africa which is to maintain unity and the old borders of each state” and that “we as an organization told our friends in the West that the secession of South Sudan from Khartoum’s rule would not be a unique case of Sudan but it is assumed that this case would be replicated in the region as a chain reaction,” he added.
Moreover he warned that “this will increase violence and discrimination movements in Africa.”
In a sense, he has a point. Separation did not solve Sudan’s problems, and what is more troubling is the fact that the newly born state of South Sudan seems to be replicating the same bad policies that were pursued by Sudan which eventually led to the split of the country.
The recent firing of Lakes State Gov. Chol Tong Mayay, a democratically elected representative, clearly reflects the approach that aims at consolidating the power of the central government at the expense of the regions.
Therefore, it is not only the separation that is at stake, but so is the kind of political system that satisfies the aspirations of the people and opens the way for people to pursue their socioeconomic and political development in a well-recognized and peaceful environment. That is the main challenge that bodies like the OIC need to address.
The fact that the French military intervention in Mali was met with appreciation from the mainstream segments of the population, who suffered at the hands of the extremists during their ten-month rule, highlights the magnitude of the problem. Of course, welcoming a foreign power is not new. It has been seen in Afghanistan and Iraq, but it did not take long for that welcome to turn sour and the conquerors turned into occupiers, for being heavy-handed in restoring law and order, which gradually turn the people who welcomed them first to turn their back on them later on.
In Mali, in particular, getting rid of the Islamist extremists came also with an additional cultural price, where precious historical manuscripts, some dating back to the middle ages, were put on fire. It is no surprise that those who don’t value life itself can destroy such intellectual heritage in Timbuktu.
The main question facing the French is for how long they can sustain the political and economic burden of their intervention in Mali despite the initial welcome and backing they got.
The lesson learned from the US-led intervention in Afghanistan and Iraq suggests that it is not enough to rout out extremists, undergo a cosmetic training program of the local armed forces and bringing about some socio-economic development. The real issue is state building. And it is not just state building along the Western lines and repeated experiences have proven that to be an elusive goal to attain. Despite allocating huge resources to attain that goal, the outcome has been less than satisfactory. A quick look at what is going on in Iraq and Afghanistan 10 years after the United States invaded these two countries shows clearly how difficult is the mission of state-building.
The fact that in Afghanistan, Taleban continue to be a political force that could not be overcome highlights this problem.
Bu the question is how to come up with an indigenous political system, deeply-rooted in the cultural, historical and social fabric of each country, while at the same time having the means to go along with modern trends and equipping with relevant tools to make aspirations a reality? There is no ready-made blueprint, nor a template to apply to each and every country, but with different environments, different experiences and different socio-political settings, the way could be different. And that where an organization like the OIC can help these troubled countries find their way in this complicated socio-political environment.
