Searching through the entire precondition for human development, Peace is without doubt the most fundamental and indispensable. In its absence, it would be illusory to expect an improvement of the human condition.
Africa, a continent with contrasting beauty has faced tough situation from within and outside of its territories over centuries ago. This continent has fought wars, engaged in deadly bloodshed battle all in their attempt to rediscover themselves. This approach can never gain a true peace for Africa. Realizing true peace in Africa can only be achieved without war of any kind.
Over the past decades, a handful number of peacemakers and diplomats from and outside of Africa have talked on this subject “peace” and proffer a handy opinion on how to achieve it, but its positive impact is not yet overt in our beloved continent Africa, this devastating problem has disturbed our contemporary youth and our future leaders. In this literature, the idea of fighting wars to achieve peace is condemned and the underlying cause of war is delineated as first step to achieve a lasting peace in Africa. This highlight could serve a promissory advent of attaining peace without violence or war.[1]
In recent years, some of the most devastating wars have been fought in the horn of Africa. Although nobody has kept an account of casualties, the available estimates make unmistakably clear that; the loss of human life was enormous. Although enjoying a common language, religion, etc, some countries today are lands without a government and without any kind of civil society to speak of[2].
Conflicts between clans and sub-clans have reduced countries to such a degree of ‘ungovernability’, that even the task of distributing relief supplies could not be undertaken without massive intervention of foreign troops. What makes the situation particularly volatile is that, the problems of all countries are inter-linked and tend to flow across national boundaries. In West Africa, the example that comes most readily to mind is Liberia,[3] where to this day rival factions struggling for power are engaged in mortal combat, with untold consequences for the population. The fallout from this conflict has not spread neighboring Sierra Leone. Another country that has been ravaged by war is Chad[4]. There are also countries, which are characterized by heightened political tension, which the stuff of the future conflicts are often made. Not to be left out is religious extremism, which has paralyzed nations and shattered political stability. Virtually all of the conflicts owe their origins to a backlog of unresolved economic, social and political grievances, often complicated by ethnic or religious dimensions. As long as these underlying conditions prevail, whatever peace may be achieved is bound to be tenuous at best; quite possibly, it may be the lull before another war.
In this sense, it is difficult to name many countries that are truly at peace. "That war is destructive is obvious and requires no demonstration. It kills and maims, creates displacement on a massive scale, causes family disintegration, and traumatizes people, especially children perhaps scarring them for life". It also wreaks havoc on ‘infrastruction’ to destruction. No less significant is that it undermines political and social stability and makes it impossible for societies to be guided by a vision of the future, without which any strategy for human development over the long haul is unthinkable. It would be equally meaningless to talk about a peace divided, when there is no peace or where it is so brittle that it cannot be taken for granted. The search for peace must therefore be taken as a matter of the highest priority.
However, peace cannot be achieved by merely preaching sermons in praise of it. In one way or the other, the conflicts that have been devastating countries are reflections of economic, social and political needs that have suffered neglect for too long[5].
In many of these countries access to power and resources is highly uneven and the opportunities for seeking redress through a peaceful political process are minimal. In such circumstances, arms appear as the only solution. Therefore, unless the root causes of poverty, inequality and injustice are tackled, the chances of durable peace must remain fragile.
- ↑ African War –http://www.africasunnews.com/wars.html
- ↑ Crime of War- http://www.crimesofwar.org/africa-mag/afr_01_porteos.html
- ↑ Liberia Civil War – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_Liberian_Civil_War
- ↑ Civil War in Chad 2005 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/War_in_Chad_%282005%E2%80%93present%29
- ↑ http://www.codewit.com/nigeria/envision-the-new-nigeria.html#comment-54
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