Comments on: Colonial borders. Does Africa have a choice?

By: Dave Donelson

Dave Donelson — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 19:09:39 +0000

The question isn't really whether Africa should observe colonial borders, it's whether a choice exists to do otherwise. I ask: what option exists? Even if by some miracle the lines on the map could be re-drawn, would we have each tribe be the master of its own country? Each and every linguistic group? Each and every religious sect? All national borders--as well as all states, provinces, parishes, canons, counties, cities, towns, and hamlets--are arbitrarily imposed by some group on another. With luck, they serve to unite disparate residents into a common cause that promotes and protects the greater good. What matters isn't the borders or who drew them; it's what good will lies in the hearts of the people within. Dave Donelson, author of Heart of Diamonds

By: Matthew Tostevin

Matthew Tostevin — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 11:35:45 +0000

Life would certainly sound easier without visas, but even when they are not needed in theory – for citizens travelling between the ECOWAS countries of West Africa for example – it can still take an age to get through borders guarded by officials who use them to extort bribes. Is a more fundamental change needed?

By: Adekunle Samuel Owolabi

Adekunle Samuel Owolabi — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 09:58:07 +0000

i quote good day with the following comment African people should not be forced to carry Visas, just because westerners do. African people should be free to travel wherever they like on the continent. Do Americans need Visas to travel between states? Why is Africa such a mess? Africa is a mess because westerners/Europeans keep interferring…

By: Jasper Seren

Jasper Seren — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 07:26:35 +0000

Karma, what goes around comes around … there are higher beings in the cosmos who are watching everything unfold. Does Africa or Europe have a choice? No. True natures will be exposed, and time will tell. People who have exploited others will be forced to repay everything (including resources, culture, human lives,…) over time.

By: Doug

Doug — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 13:08:46 +0000

An interesting question, “does Africa have a choice” with regards to colonially directed sovereignty. As if it’s something of the past! From my perspective as one who loves to encounter Africa; the past as I see it never really was nurtured and allowed to progress into an independent present as promised. Yeah, many national machinations have taken place, new flags were sewn, wars have been fought, there are the renowned leaders, there are leaders who continue to be viewed as colonial lackeys and then others who are seen as hero’s whilst their people starve. Nope, I suggest just the opposite has happened,… the more people “Westerners – Europeans – now heavily returning Asian influence…the more they all have talked throughout the decades of having done the right thing by their exodus from Africa…the more they’ve actually dug in deeper. Africa “it’s wealth any way” in the end isn’t owned by Africans…which isn’t such a big revelation to anyone living in Africa is it….maybe it’s manipulated a bit by a few at the top for selfish gain, chopped up and bleed off by a few in the middle to take their slice at the expense of the masses below, but in the bigger scheme of things not really owned by Africans at all. Those colonialists everyone continues to talk about in such ancient term, they still call the tune and still own your pink slip. They still decide from afar what foreign policies will be accepted or not accepted “African foreign policies that is”…it’s just done a whole lot quieter and a lot less hands on than in years past. Some might even call it economic terrorism but that’s a whole other avenue beyond this historic-lines-in-the-sand ethnic/economic border and boundary’s issue, albeit very joined at the hip. So does Africa have a choice in this instance…?….as an outsider I suggest Africa needs to decide soon to unite and develop some hard and fast unity choices before it looses it’s hold on the future entirely, piece by piece. Africa’s wealth, no matter where the lines-in-the-sand have been drawn by others so many years past will eventually, like is happening today in Georgia and many other global regions of critically demarcated economic control… for similarly different reasons…will become a thing of desperate value to the owners. And when that fully happens, not too far down the road I fear…if Africa isn’t capable as a unified structure, to stand together…the battle will be waged between owners, with or without you, but it will be waged on your soil by those who presently lay claim to ownership and want more till the finish. Waged, openly and brutally, with little or no regards to those who claim this soil as home! Globalization…a brilliant piece of business that’s become a shameful word really….not much more than a new and improved form of modern Colonialism!

By: good day

good day — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 21:50:01 +0000

African people should not be forced to carry Visas, just because westerners do. African people should be free to travel wherever they like on the continent. Do Americans need Visas to travel between states? Why is Africa such a mess? Africa is a mess because westerners/Europeans keep interferring…

By: Matthew Tostevin

Matthew Tostevin — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 13:03:20 +0000

Interesting points. It is true that African leaders at the founding of the OAU were quick to pledge respect for colonial borders and that their successors have shown no interest in changing that. Might not any changes to borders put their own positions in doubt though?

By: Shamba Shambamuto

Shamba Shambamuto — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 07:42:18 +0000

The issue around colonial boundaries in Africa remains a thorny issue that has seen Africa’s aspirations towards total emancipation and unity thwarted. Africa was carved into the current colonial boundaries as a result of the Berlin Conference of 1885-86, a conference whose articles have continued African decimation and remains unquestioned in the transition process to African independence in all African countries. The continued use of colonial boundaries have kept African people in constant mistrust of one another thereby stalling economic, social and political integration and cooperation amongst African citizens. Africans today remain ensconced in particular regions with the movement to a neighbouring country as difficult as going to Europe or the Far East. African leaderships need to start dismantling these structures that keep us subjugated and under-developed. The AU, SADC, ECOWAS, COMESA et al need to come together in dismantling colonial boundaries, allow the free movement of our people across the continent as long as they have valid and genuine travle documents. The dismantling of these colonial boundaries and their VISA requirement will be a major step toward total African emancipation, unity and development.

By: Dan

Dan — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 23:15:49 +0000

Does Africa has a choice ? The answer is big no.
Modern day colonialism is still well and alive. The five so called permanent security council countries manipulate border issues depending on their interests.
If we take the Ethio Eritrean case it is a clear and cut case, yet in spite of Ethiopia breaking international law, stolen elections, it is being diplomatically shielded by the very people who lecture Africa of good governance and rule of law and aid is given by the billions, yet isolate Eritrea as a pariah state but has moral and legal right on its side .
http://www.slate.com/id/2178793/
http://www.iht.com/articles/2007/04/08/n ews/arms.php

AU (former O.A.U.) charter states as sacrosanct African borders that were drawn up capriciously by colonial officers. So please when you report, be accurate, there can never be a dispute. There is the colonial maps, and to clarify it, there is the international arbitration. Once past that stage, it is clear who is the aggressor, unless one has an ulterior motive.

By: Anwar

Anwar — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 21:21:45 +0000

The European who curved once Africa are now who seat to arbitrate the dispute of many boarder quarrels in Africa. As ironic as this may sound, nowadays, Europeans hold the highest post in almost all of UN and international court and peace activities; Africa has no choice but to abide by it. The problem is not who curved what or who seats where any longer. There is international law supposedly governing them all. Europeans and USA in particular should be abide by it and enforce such laws fairly and equally, even if it contradict there own self interest at all times. Case in point: – If Europe and USA were to pressure Ethiopia to accept and implement the international ruling, not only Eritrea and Ethiopia would be at peace today, but the suffering of Somalia’s and suddenness would have been averted.