Impeach President Umaru YarAdua of Nigeria Now!
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
With all sense of duty and responsibility, as a Nigerian and as a lawyer, I write to members of the Nigerian National Assembly to urge and demand the immediate and prompt impeachment of President YarAdua forthwith.
The immediate impeachment and removal from of President YarAdua is required, demand and has become mandatory necessity, in order to put an end to presidential unconstitutionalities, illegalities and sundry political rascality by President YarAdua and supporters of his lawlessness
Nigeria’s national and strategic interests demand immediate and prompt action by our National Assembly
Kneeling and begging, is not a position of strength, Nigerians have kneeled and begged Mr. YarAdua enough!
Nigeria’s national interest is paramount and should be the overarching consideration in the removal of President YarAdua. And no political parties, sectional, ethnic, religious or regional loyalties should be considered as relevant factors in the circumstances.
Clearly, President YarAdua should no longer be afforded further discretions in these matters of urgent national importance. Nigeria’s ship of state should not be allowed to head full-throttle to the precipice.
President YarAdua has engaged in gross misconduct and impeachable offense of the most egregious type and nature. President YarAdua has embarrassed and shamed the Nigerian nation long enough and enough is enough! Nigeria cannot wait anymore held hostage or ransom.
The Nigerian National Assembly should promptly and immediately feel duty bound to impeach Mr. YarAdua and do so as a matter of urgent national importance. The constitution of Nigeria provides guidance for Nigerian National Assembly to act accordingly and constitutionally sans the Rule of Law.
Section 143 subsection 11 clearly stipulates and provides as follows and I quote, 143 (11) In this section -
"gross misconduct" means a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the National Assembly to gross misconduct.
This solemn duty is constitutionally mandated. And the Nigerian National Assembly would be acting on behalf of 150 million Nigerians at home and abroad in furtherance and in pursuit of Nigeria’s national best interests.
It is public knowledge within Nigeria and worldwide, that President YarAdua has willfully, intentionally and deliberately, in a premeditated manner, violated provision of the Constitution of Nigeria and he has continued to do so for almost 70 days hence his refusal to transmit a letter to Nigeria’s National Assembly, an instrument which is constitutionally stipulated which would trigger the assumption of office by the vice president as an acting president until the substantive president resumes duty or until a change of circumstances.
President YarAdua has failed, neglected and refused to obey the laws of Nigeria, President YarAdua has violated constitutional provisions as aforementioned and in doing so, has engaged in egregious misconduct. These violations must forthwith be considered by the Nigerian National Assembly as amounting to what is described in our constitution as gross misconduct and as a consequence, impeachable offenses under section 143 as aforementioned and excerpted above.
Nigerians, at home and abroad have been aware, and have been aghast and amazed that the president of Nigeria, the embodiment of nation in symbol and substance, have during the preceding 70 days, unseen and unheard, incommunicado, comatose, vegetative and absent from presidential duties without full disclosures and complete transparency as to his diagnosis, his prognosis and incapacitation.
Nigerians and Nigeria have been held ransom and hostage for embarrassingly, far too long. Nigerians have had enough. Nigerians are tired of inept and arrogant helmsmen who routinely engage in constitutional violations and drunken impunity and lawlessness.
Nigerians have had enough of persons such as President YarAdua and his supports, cabal and acolytes who are utterly contemptuous of the Nigerian electorate. Nigerians have had enough of persons such as Chief Michael Aondoakaa a man supposedly learned in the law. Chief Aondoakaa our nation’s Attorney General, whose reputation is that of aiding, abetting, conniving, and colluding with those who subvert and have subvert the Constitution of Nigeria and those who break all Nigerian laws with reckless impunity.
Nigerians at all levels, Nigerians from all strata of our society and Nigerians across the spectrums of regional, ethnic, linguistic and cultural groups etc have urged, implored and demand that Mr. YarAdua obeys the constitution and he has remained recalcitrant, intransigent and defiant. President YarAdua has adamantly neglected to obey and respect the Constitution and the laws of Nigeria. President YarAdua has neglected and refused entreaty by former Heads of state of Nigeria, such as General Yakubu Gowon, former President Shehu Shagari and former President Obasanjo among others.
President YarAdua continues to defy Nigerians and Nigeria. The world is watching as well. And only this week, the United States, Britain, France and the European Economic Community, issues public statements, in which they essentially echoed the well known feelings, which Nigerians at home and abroad have harbored during these preceding 70 days of Mr. YarAdua absence from presidential duties. I generally have an aversion to foreign interference in Nigerian internal or domestic affairs, but in this instance, the world is reminded of the grave implications which the current political and constitutional crises in Nigeria portends if it remains unaddressed. It could be cataclysmic in human costs.
As Nigeria is misled to nadir, and allowed to teeter in leaderless rudderless manner by President YarAdua and his enablers, persons such as the Attorney General of the Federation Chief Michael Andoakaa should put on notice as to the extreme consequences of their actions as these constitutional violations and illegalities are perpetrated against Nigerians and Nigeria, with the AGF’s implicit, explicit and tacit approvals, with his pungent winks and nods.
Chief Michael Aondoakaa have repeatedly spouted spurious, unconstitutional and completely illegal and unethical arguments, all in order to support and perpetuate fraud against Nigerians and Nigeria’s national interests which the Attorney General had sworn to defend and uphold.
Chief Aondoakaa, the current Attorney General and number one law officer of our federation, has constituted himself, Nigeria’s enemy number one who has presided over all manner of unconstitutionalities and illegal and unethical behaviors, as he has routinely advanced the most warped and most twisted arguments with pretentious coloration of legalities.
No Nigerian individual or persons and or group of persons is more important than Nigeria’s collective national interests. Neither President YarAdua nor AGF Michael Aondoakaa has more stake in what happens to Nigeria and what becomes of Nigeria, than the rest of us 150 million strong Nigerian.
Nigeria’s national interests must be emphasized over and above any parochial, sectional or myopic interests of any persons or political associations or groups within and outside Nigeria
Nigeria is a plural society. Nigeria is a multi ethnic, multi religious, multi lingual and multi cultural nation and as a result, there is a competition for limited public resources. Full citizenship for all Nigerians wherever a Nigerian lives and has indicated permanent interest. Healthy Competition instead of mutual suspicions
Carnage in Jos is connected directly to the same attitude of mutual suspicions between Nigerians our multiple ethnic, regional, religious and diverse cultural background. This attitude of mutual suspicion and emphasis on our differences, instead of emphasis of our national interests and the value, advantage and benefits imbued and encrusted in Nigerian unity in diversity, some continue to persist in treating and dealing with fellow Nigerians as other Nigerians are from the moon or mars! What else could possibly explain Mr. YarAdua’s refusal to peacefully hand over to Nigeria’s vice president who is a fellow Nigerian? Why would Mr. YarAdua think that Mr. Jonathan could by fiat, make Katsina state part of Cameroon or Ghana as soon as Mr. Jonathan assumes the position of acting president of Nigeria?
Full citizenship will eliminate the need for the dichotomy and disparity of settler or indigene. All Nigerians should be able to aspire to the presidency and vice presidency, regardless of ethnic, state and regional origins or religious belief and even absence of religious beliefs.
The National Assembly of Nigeria is constitutionally mandated to steer the Nigerian ship of state away from imminent disastrous crash, anarchy, violence and disintegration and civil war.
It must be clear to all by now, that those who will do Nigeria harm, may cash in, and take advantage of our rudderless parlous state and power void and vacuum which have been foisted upon Nigeria by the egregious constitutional violations and constitutional gross misconduct already committed by President YarAdua and his arrogant cabal of enablers.
It is now public knowledge that the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta, or MEND, has called off a previously negotiated ceasefire to which President YarAdua was a direct participant and party, Mr. YarAdua as a counterparty to a contract or agreement with MEND, has failed to abide by the terms of the ceasefire agreement or contract. Therefore, MEND is arguably right to end the ceasefire entered with President YarAdua in October 2009. And MEND has a valid and legitimate argument, to wit, the absence of President YarAdua, the counterparty or other party to the agreement.
The inability and unwillingness and neglect President YarAdua to enforce the terms and tenor of the said agreement. And the complete disappearance of President YarAdua, the principal party to that agreement who has not been seen or heard from by MEND, Nigerians and the rest of the world during the preceding 70 days! MEND represent a legitimate grouse and MEND may legitimately reject the comatose agreement with the absentee president! MEND should however not engage in violent acts which may lead to loss of lives and properties.
It is clear that Nigerians are now restive. It is clear now that those with legitimate grouse and gripes may now have run out of patience, it is also clear that, foreign and domestic opportunists, may now seek to exact a pint of blood and punishment against Nigerian, as they see an open flank in our current political and constitutional crisis brought about, essentially, by the power void and vacuum by President YarAdua’s constitutional misconduct, constitutional violations, constitutional infractions and outright illegalities which have been committed by him, in his refusal to adhere to and follow, constitutional processes of power transition and peaceful devolution of power set down and laid out specifically in the Constitution of Nigeria.
Therefore, the time has now come, for the National Assembly of Nigeria, to promptly and immediately impeach President YarAdua and remove him from office as president of Nigeria, who has been absent from presidential duties consistently for about 70 days without explanations, full, complete disclosures of his prognosis in open and transparent manner.
President YarAdua should be removed from office as there is no precedent in any and in all of the nations on earth, where a president who is clearly medically and certifiably incapacitated physically and mentally, continues to cling to power, arrogantly and in complete and total subversion of the laws of the law and the Constitution of Nigeria.
Section 143 subsection 1 through subsection 2(b) of the Constitution of Nigeria provides in part, as follows, “The President or Vice-President may be removed from office in accordance with the provisions of this section. Whenever a notice of any allegation in writing signed by not less than one-third of the members of the National Assembly:-
(a) is presented to the President of the Senate;
(b) stating that the holder of the office of President or Vice-President is guilty of gross misconduct in the performance of the functions of his office, detailed particulars of which shall be specified…
Section 143 subsections 10 and 11 provides further, and states as follows…(10) No proceedings or determination of the Panel or of the National Assembly or any matter relating thereto shall be entertained or questioned in any court.
(11) In this section -
"gross misconduct" means a grave violation or breach of the provisions of this Constitution or a misconduct of such nature as amounts in the opinion of the National Assembly to gross misconduct.
It is my view, that President YarAdua has committed gross misconduct by:
1. By his continued absence from presidential duties for about 70 days without explanations in writing, to the National Assembly as constitutionally mandated.
2. President YarAdua has neglected, failed and refuse to abide, adhere and comply and effectuate section 145 of the Constitution of Nigeria, a noncompliance which Nigerian National Assembly is mandated and at minimum, entitled to interpret as a flagrant violation, so egregious in manner and span of time, and deemed President YarAdua’s violation as gross constitutional misconduct which rises to the level of an impeachable offense.
3. By the fact the Federal Executive Council or FEC, Ministers or presidential appointees, convened in obeisance to the constitution of Nigeria to consider the continued fitness of President YarAdua for office. But that the FEC failed to abide by constitutionally stipulated and mandated methods, processes and procedures requiring a medical panel, which includes the personal physician of the president to arrive a certifiable-verifiable medical opinion as continued physical and mental fitness of president to continue as such.
The FEC has therefore, through the action and omission, removed the FEC option from the table and from consideration.
4. The Nigerian National Assembly which is comprised of the Senate and the House of Representatives are the true representatives of Nigerians from all the 774 Local Government Areas of Nigeria, the 36 federating states including Nigerians in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, Nigerians at home and abroad, and well wishers of Nigerians and Nigeria, hereby urge, implore and demand that Nigeria’s National Assembly act as the bulwark and savior and protector of Nigeria’s democracy, and Nigeria national interests and Nigeria’s continued existence through the courageous and heroic action which has now become necessary. Impeach President Umaru Musa YarAdua of Nigeria forthwith.
The prompt and immediate impeachment of President YarAdua is in Nigeria’s national interests and strategic interests. Otherwise, there could be an onset of violence, anarchy, coup, civil war and complete disintegration of Nigeria, all which have been speculated, feared and rumored since the continued absence form presidential duties by President YarAdua of Nigeria.
Nigeria’s National Assembly should not allow this unnecessary power vacuum and void to continue much longer, as it is a harbinger and a foreboding of immeasurable calamities, catastrophes and it could prove disastrous for Nigeria and the world. Nigerians and Nigeria deserves better. Enough is enough!
God Bless the people and government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Please also see:
A) President YarAdua Is 30 Days AWOL Or Absence Without Official Leave From Presidential Duties
B) President Yar'Adua Should Not Resign; But Obey The Constitution Instead
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Obama's America Response On Haiti A Thunderous Applause! But…
Obama's America Response On Haiti A Thunderous Applause! But…
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
President Obama’s pronouncements, promises and pledges on Haiti have been clear-eyed, vigorous and robust and it could most probably, turn out to be one of the most pivotal and defining moments of the Obama presidency, other than issues and events in the home or domestic front in America which demands presidential attention as well.
President Obama public statements of support for Haiti and Haitians, regarding the magnitude of the catastrophes, calamities and tragedies in Haiti, in the aftermath of the recent earthquake, have been, to say the least, a watershed event, an epochal mark on the sands of time, and an affective turnaround in America’s plethora of negative policies which were imposed on Haiti during the preceding two hundred years and counting.
President Obama’s comments have been such relief, this, even despite the unfair criticisms by some conservatives of President Obama, for his pronouncements and pledges on Haiti. We know that even mere pledges and promises can be subverted as exampled in the unnecessary delays in aid delivery to Haitians, during the past ten days Giving full effect to promises and pledges, through reasoned, and coordinated sustained policies will determine result oriented measurable outcomes.
The outpouring of support, the promises and pledges have been plentiful, but actual delivery on those promises and pledges will be the test at reckoning.
Monitoring will be key as well even as we move from the search and rescue phase to the relief, recovery, to reconstruction and rebuilding the shattered lives of Haitians and Haiti’s physical structures.
Since 1804 when Haiti declared her freedom, political independence and self-determination, the US has had a standing policy through which the US stifled, undermined and stymied economic and political growth in Haiti, including the invasion and occupation of Haiti for several decades by America, and the most recent American interference, manipulation through an engineered regime change in 2004 which saw the overthrow of President Betrand Aristide. It is still quite possible that the United States and others, are still in a position to undermine Haiti even now. On the other hand, the US could be a force for good in Haiti. Hopefully.
Cataclysmic seismic events in Haiti on January 12, is compelling me to publicly reveal what I have expressed privately to close associates and professional colleagues, about a litmus test which I have reserved for President Obama foreign policy, in which is my plan to measure and hinge President Obama’s new America and American policy regarding Haiti and Cuba as my single parameter, for measuring whether or not, President Obama, as president, as distinct from Obama the candidate, possesses the necessary backbone, the Chutzpa and gravitas to rework favorable policies directed at these two beleaguered Caribbean nations.
Two nations of the Caribbean beleaguered, badgered and besieged for far too long by the United States of America punitive policies. It is important to note that America, all through history, have had the support, wink and nod of France and other allies of the United States in the pursuits of these wrongheaded policies. The time is nigh for change. Haitians and Haiti have been punished enough, they have been broken enough!
Outside intermeddling and manipulations have had crippling effects as were intended by those who wanted Haitians and Haiti pulverized and pauperized, thousands of Haitians live abroad and prosper, which shames those who pretend that Haitians cannot govern themselves. Haiti have remained in a blockade, and economic and political emasculation hence negative growth in Haiti
And then came the devastation. The recent earthquake, as terrible as it was, and as high as the magnitude of suffering and hardship which the earthquake has foisted on Haiti and Haitian, it also may be a boundless opportunity … An opportunity for France and American to atone for the affronts and crimes against Haiti and Haitian during the course of the past two hundred years.
The earthquake is an opportunity for a new beginning for Haiti and her peoples, and as well for those who love Haiti and peoples of Haiti. This tragedy, as painful an adversity, as it is, it does presents a chance for reconstruction, reawakening and rebirth for Haiti and Haitians, in which Haitian at home and in the Diaspora will participate actively, vigorously and prodigiously. This can assuredly be given worldwide support and impetus by those who have affronted and wronged Haiti in the past. It provides a chance for atonement and a window of opportunity to do the right thing for Haiti and Haitians and all those who wish Haiti and Haitian well.
Haiti and her people have been strangulated for far too long, with arrested development and planned obsolescence through a foreign coalitions and domestic puppets and enablers of foreign conspirators against Haiti. Haitian leaders were always expected to be in obeisance to America and France or emasculated and undermined upon failing to kowtow.
It is our hope therefore, that the outpouring of sympathy and support after the earthquake continues and leads to a groundswell of sturdy positive policies towards Haiti for the long term and for the long run. Our hope and expectations are that, lasting economic, political and infrastructural structures will be erected henceforth. And that these efforts will, in turn restore Haiti to the once great and proud people of Haiti.
Haiti as we know it, is a nation established by former West African slaves, who rose from the ashes of adversities and twin evils of slavery and colonialism. Haiti and Haitians have been exemplification of heroism, of courage and grace under fire. Haiti and Haitians have had to endure constant pressures and degradations. It is a historical fact that Haiti’s poverty was imposed on her by those who are now quick to sermonize sanctimoniously about how Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere with paucity of infrastructures. Even so, Haiti and Haitians have demonstrated extraordinary determination and resilience in the face of steady adversities.
We hope that from now forward, that the formerly undermined and emasculated Haitian economic and political leadership and Haiti Diaspora, are co-opted into the relief and reconstruction which is now unfolding in Haiti in the aftermath of the recent earthquake.
Haitians and others worldwide interested Haiti’s long term interests, through recovery and reconstruction and reconciliation of the historically disparate political and economic class which has been Haiti. Those who have prescribed economic liberalizations in the past, policies which decimated agricultural sector and local capacity, should be prevented from presiding over Haiti again now and prevented from imposing strictures which have arrested and retarded development in Haiti. Haitian government should not be undermined by foreign governments ever again. Indigenous Haitian political and economic leadership should be cultivated for the purpose of setting Haiti on the path of permanent upsurge in economic and political development.
President Obama should be applauded for offering the Temporary Protective Status or TPS to Haitians who are already here in the US and are in dire immigration limbo. Haitians in Haiti desirous of living in the US should be assisted in doing so, for after all, Haitians are ideal immigrants, Haitians are law abiding and Haitian value education and as a consequence, Haitians are the sorts of immigrants any nation needs. Haitians have been discriminated in all immigration matters, in both formulations and implementations, when compared with other nations infested with economic, political and natural disaster and instabilities which arises as a consequence.
Perhaps too, the devastation will level the class apartheid in Haiti between the establishment business class and the poor majority, classes of Haitians which have historically been pitted against one another, in the game of cat and mouse. The events of last two weeks should be used commence a true national reconciliation and healings for Haiti and Haitians, in order to reach closure of the preceding fractious, turbulent 200 years of ceaseless punishment for Haiti and Haitians.
It should be mentioned here that there were unnecessary delays in the search and rescue efforts in Haiti. There was needless delays in the distribution of water and food during the first ten days. Foods and other essential supplies, were seen behind soldiers and at the airports undistributed, and journalists were able to hand food over to survivors without incidents. There were excruciating delays, quite unnecessary delays in deploying helicopters for air dropping supplies as have been done in other locals in the past. We recognize that disasters of the magnitude in Haiti, imposes logistical nightmares.
But there surely cannot be any excuses for the apparent unconscionable delays witnessed in news reports from Haiti. Two weeks after the earthquake, no water or food, imagine that in New York City and ask yourself if there will be docile reaction. And then there were those who sought to blame hapless Haitians for so-called looting, when it was clear that desperation had set in, after ten days of dehydration and hunger. News that only very limited numbers of survivors have been served is rather depressing, to say the least. Fort Nationale is one such embarrassing example where rescue and relief have not been received 15 days after the earthquake. People literarily have lived with their bereavement and their dead, while still dehydrated and starving. All this have happened while relief planes compete for space and place with what looks like a new military invasion and occupation of Haiti all over again, by the historical usual suspects!
Search and rescue work is ebbing, and most foreign teams are heading out of Haiti. Recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation should be pursued simultaneously. Reconciliation across the board should be actively promoted, so that a lasting economic and political stability and tranquility can be found. It is time for true national reconciliations in Haiti, which evinces peaceful return of all political exiles, including former President Betrand Aristide. There is for instance, the story told of an Haitian lady in Florida, who cannot return to Haiti even after this earthquake calamitous havoc wreaked upon Haiti and Haitian, she, prevented from entering or returning to Haiti, just because she was a supporter of former President Aristide
Millions of Americans have demonstrated immeasurable generosity. I hope however that the United States government demilitarize Haiti, there are already complaints against an overbearing military presence which acted at times, as hindrances, impediments and obstacles to speedy delivery of basic human essentials, water, food, urgent medical care. Haiti will need outside assistance, engineers and technical experts in various fields, but not another foreign army of occupation. The US should withdraw troops, leave Haiti to the UN and a multilateral conglomeration of Latin/Caribbean nations to lead the efforts. To do so will be best, and the US through such dispassionate or objective gesture, will demonstrate to the world, that she is a true supporter and well wisher of Haiti and Haitians
Haiti’s glorious history and her checkered past , cause and effect, are all public knowledge. Haiti’s stunted, stymied arrested and decimated development, particularly the agricultural sector were imposed by outsiders, there is a history of rice farmers from Arkansas etc which were subsidized and enabled to subvert Haiti’s local agriculture and food productions. The new efforts in Haiti, must consciously avoid repeating these evils and affronts of the past, which were perpetrated against Haiti and Haitians.
The cataclysmic and calamitous events of January 12, presents a wonderful opportunity, to rebuild Haiti and stand Haiti in good stead, a Haiti in renaissance is born, glory restored to Haitians and Haiti.
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
President Obama’s pronouncements, promises and pledges on Haiti have been clear-eyed, vigorous and robust and it could most probably, turn out to be one of the most pivotal and defining moments of the Obama presidency, other than issues and events in the home or domestic front in America which demands presidential attention as well.
President Obama public statements of support for Haiti and Haitians, regarding the magnitude of the catastrophes, calamities and tragedies in Haiti, in the aftermath of the recent earthquake, have been, to say the least, a watershed event, an epochal mark on the sands of time, and an affective turnaround in America’s plethora of negative policies which were imposed on Haiti during the preceding two hundred years and counting.
President Obama’s comments have been such relief, this, even despite the unfair criticisms by some conservatives of President Obama, for his pronouncements and pledges on Haiti. We know that even mere pledges and promises can be subverted as exampled in the unnecessary delays in aid delivery to Haitians, during the past ten days Giving full effect to promises and pledges, through reasoned, and coordinated sustained policies will determine result oriented measurable outcomes.
The outpouring of support, the promises and pledges have been plentiful, but actual delivery on those promises and pledges will be the test at reckoning.
Monitoring will be key as well even as we move from the search and rescue phase to the relief, recovery, to reconstruction and rebuilding the shattered lives of Haitians and Haiti’s physical structures.
Since 1804 when Haiti declared her freedom, political independence and self-determination, the US has had a standing policy through which the US stifled, undermined and stymied economic and political growth in Haiti, including the invasion and occupation of Haiti for several decades by America, and the most recent American interference, manipulation through an engineered regime change in 2004 which saw the overthrow of President Betrand Aristide. It is still quite possible that the United States and others, are still in a position to undermine Haiti even now. On the other hand, the US could be a force for good in Haiti. Hopefully.
Cataclysmic seismic events in Haiti on January 12, is compelling me to publicly reveal what I have expressed privately to close associates and professional colleagues, about a litmus test which I have reserved for President Obama foreign policy, in which is my plan to measure and hinge President Obama’s new America and American policy regarding Haiti and Cuba as my single parameter, for measuring whether or not, President Obama, as president, as distinct from Obama the candidate, possesses the necessary backbone, the Chutzpa and gravitas to rework favorable policies directed at these two beleaguered Caribbean nations.
Two nations of the Caribbean beleaguered, badgered and besieged for far too long by the United States of America punitive policies. It is important to note that America, all through history, have had the support, wink and nod of France and other allies of the United States in the pursuits of these wrongheaded policies. The time is nigh for change. Haitians and Haiti have been punished enough, they have been broken enough!
Outside intermeddling and manipulations have had crippling effects as were intended by those who wanted Haitians and Haiti pulverized and pauperized, thousands of Haitians live abroad and prosper, which shames those who pretend that Haitians cannot govern themselves. Haiti have remained in a blockade, and economic and political emasculation hence negative growth in Haiti
And then came the devastation. The recent earthquake, as terrible as it was, and as high as the magnitude of suffering and hardship which the earthquake has foisted on Haiti and Haitian, it also may be a boundless opportunity … An opportunity for France and American to atone for the affronts and crimes against Haiti and Haitian during the course of the past two hundred years.
The earthquake is an opportunity for a new beginning for Haiti and her peoples, and as well for those who love Haiti and peoples of Haiti. This tragedy, as painful an adversity, as it is, it does presents a chance for reconstruction, reawakening and rebirth for Haiti and Haitians, in which Haitian at home and in the Diaspora will participate actively, vigorously and prodigiously. This can assuredly be given worldwide support and impetus by those who have affronted and wronged Haiti in the past. It provides a chance for atonement and a window of opportunity to do the right thing for Haiti and Haitians and all those who wish Haiti and Haitian well.
Haiti and her people have been strangulated for far too long, with arrested development and planned obsolescence through a foreign coalitions and domestic puppets and enablers of foreign conspirators against Haiti. Haitian leaders were always expected to be in obeisance to America and France or emasculated and undermined upon failing to kowtow.
It is our hope therefore, that the outpouring of sympathy and support after the earthquake continues and leads to a groundswell of sturdy positive policies towards Haiti for the long term and for the long run. Our hope and expectations are that, lasting economic, political and infrastructural structures will be erected henceforth. And that these efforts will, in turn restore Haiti to the once great and proud people of Haiti.
Haiti as we know it, is a nation established by former West African slaves, who rose from the ashes of adversities and twin evils of slavery and colonialism. Haiti and Haitians have been exemplification of heroism, of courage and grace under fire. Haiti and Haitians have had to endure constant pressures and degradations. It is a historical fact that Haiti’s poverty was imposed on her by those who are now quick to sermonize sanctimoniously about how Haiti is the poorest nation in the western hemisphere with paucity of infrastructures. Even so, Haiti and Haitians have demonstrated extraordinary determination and resilience in the face of steady adversities.
We hope that from now forward, that the formerly undermined and emasculated Haitian economic and political leadership and Haiti Diaspora, are co-opted into the relief and reconstruction which is now unfolding in Haiti in the aftermath of the recent earthquake.
Haitians and others worldwide interested Haiti’s long term interests, through recovery and reconstruction and reconciliation of the historically disparate political and economic class which has been Haiti. Those who have prescribed economic liberalizations in the past, policies which decimated agricultural sector and local capacity, should be prevented from presiding over Haiti again now and prevented from imposing strictures which have arrested and retarded development in Haiti. Haitian government should not be undermined by foreign governments ever again. Indigenous Haitian political and economic leadership should be cultivated for the purpose of setting Haiti on the path of permanent upsurge in economic and political development.
President Obama should be applauded for offering the Temporary Protective Status or TPS to Haitians who are already here in the US and are in dire immigration limbo. Haitians in Haiti desirous of living in the US should be assisted in doing so, for after all, Haitians are ideal immigrants, Haitians are law abiding and Haitian value education and as a consequence, Haitians are the sorts of immigrants any nation needs. Haitians have been discriminated in all immigration matters, in both formulations and implementations, when compared with other nations infested with economic, political and natural disaster and instabilities which arises as a consequence.
Perhaps too, the devastation will level the class apartheid in Haiti between the establishment business class and the poor majority, classes of Haitians which have historically been pitted against one another, in the game of cat and mouse. The events of last two weeks should be used commence a true national reconciliation and healings for Haiti and Haitians, in order to reach closure of the preceding fractious, turbulent 200 years of ceaseless punishment for Haiti and Haitians.
It should be mentioned here that there were unnecessary delays in the search and rescue efforts in Haiti. There was needless delays in the distribution of water and food during the first ten days. Foods and other essential supplies, were seen behind soldiers and at the airports undistributed, and journalists were able to hand food over to survivors without incidents. There were excruciating delays, quite unnecessary delays in deploying helicopters for air dropping supplies as have been done in other locals in the past. We recognize that disasters of the magnitude in Haiti, imposes logistical nightmares.
But there surely cannot be any excuses for the apparent unconscionable delays witnessed in news reports from Haiti. Two weeks after the earthquake, no water or food, imagine that in New York City and ask yourself if there will be docile reaction. And then there were those who sought to blame hapless Haitians for so-called looting, when it was clear that desperation had set in, after ten days of dehydration and hunger. News that only very limited numbers of survivors have been served is rather depressing, to say the least. Fort Nationale is one such embarrassing example where rescue and relief have not been received 15 days after the earthquake. People literarily have lived with their bereavement and their dead, while still dehydrated and starving. All this have happened while relief planes compete for space and place with what looks like a new military invasion and occupation of Haiti all over again, by the historical usual suspects!
Search and rescue work is ebbing, and most foreign teams are heading out of Haiti. Recovery, reconstruction and reconciliation should be pursued simultaneously. Reconciliation across the board should be actively promoted, so that a lasting economic and political stability and tranquility can be found. It is time for true national reconciliations in Haiti, which evinces peaceful return of all political exiles, including former President Betrand Aristide. There is for instance, the story told of an Haitian lady in Florida, who cannot return to Haiti even after this earthquake calamitous havoc wreaked upon Haiti and Haitian, she, prevented from entering or returning to Haiti, just because she was a supporter of former President Aristide
Millions of Americans have demonstrated immeasurable generosity. I hope however that the United States government demilitarize Haiti, there are already complaints against an overbearing military presence which acted at times, as hindrances, impediments and obstacles to speedy delivery of basic human essentials, water, food, urgent medical care. Haiti will need outside assistance, engineers and technical experts in various fields, but not another foreign army of occupation. The US should withdraw troops, leave Haiti to the UN and a multilateral conglomeration of Latin/Caribbean nations to lead the efforts. To do so will be best, and the US through such dispassionate or objective gesture, will demonstrate to the world, that she is a true supporter and well wisher of Haiti and Haitians
Haiti’s glorious history and her checkered past , cause and effect, are all public knowledge. Haiti’s stunted, stymied arrested and decimated development, particularly the agricultural sector were imposed by outsiders, there is a history of rice farmers from Arkansas etc which were subsidized and enabled to subvert Haiti’s local agriculture and food productions. The new efforts in Haiti, must consciously avoid repeating these evils and affronts of the past, which were perpetrated against Haiti and Haitians.
The cataclysmic and calamitous events of January 12, presents a wonderful opportunity, to rebuild Haiti and stand Haiti in good stead, a Haiti in renaissance is born, glory restored to Haitians and Haiti.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Obama Recast And Refocused To Recapture Direction And Legacy
Obama Recast And Refocused To Recapture Direction And Legacy
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
I do not want President Obama to fail; I have a stake in Mr. Obama’s success. Besides, Republican policies don’t interest me! However, I am increasingly worried at Mr. Obama’s prospects.
It bears restating the bare facts, President Obama inherited three major wars. Two foreign wars, and a domestic one. A war in Afghanistan and another in Iraq. And of course the civil war like domestic situation in American, which arose as a result of the financial meltdown and the economic debacle which ensued in the aftermath of the financial market meltdown.
President Obama and the Democrats committed egregious errors in the first twelve months upon receiving a landslide victory and a resounding electoral mandate in the general elections of November 2008. But so inexplicably, President Obama and the Democrats have been splendidly uninterested and unwillingly to state the facts as they are. The facts of how Republicans got America into two foreign wars and ruined the American economy by driving it too close to the precipice and disaster. Are Democrats are self-destruct?
First, President Obama and the Democrats seemingly called a unilateral truce with the Republicans who were repudiated at the polls by the American voting electorate. Republicans who were by now, political orphans, upon being repudiated, displaced and dislocated from power by American voters, Republicans, were quite unlike the giddy and ambivalent Democrats who had just come in from the cold after eight years without occupying the White House.
It was clear to all that defeat for the Republicans was deserved, what with three wars? Afghanistan, Iraq and the deeply troubled American economy as a consequences of the most cavalier regimen of deregulation foisted upon America and fostered by the Republicans? But, Republicans do have clear-eyed killer instincts, quite unlike Democrats.
Secondly, President Obama’s fixation on bipartisanship ignores what he himself knows to be true and self evident, which is that, everyday is an election day, at least, this is how the Republicans see politics. The Republicans are similar to hungry, and wounded lions who have already tasted blood in Scott Brown of Massachusetts. Republicans know the fight and seem always ready for the fight. Democrats fight and seem to quickly lose focus and seemingly become ambivalent and disarrayed.. Republicans understand the rules of fight or flight, the Democrats are distracted by the polemical gymnastics of fights and flights; the Democrats often gets sucker-punched as a result of these self-inflicted inattention or distractions.
During the summer of 2009, Democrats were busily emphasizing their own credentials as confused Democrats, Blue-Dog Democrats and Pink-Dog Democrats and Confused-Dog Democrats, and while the Democrats persisted in their ambivalence regarding own label, whether to be liberal or not to be, the Republicans pounced and seized the narrative and snatched the narrative from the Democrats.
President Obama was making efforts mightily on behalf of the electorate, without explaining such efforts and Republicans adept at commanding American narratives, swooped on the Democrats and won elections in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and most recently, in Massachusetts. Republicans extremists and fringe groups, Tea Party, warts and all, unleashed armies of rabble rousers, which corralled and coordinated public anger over spirally rate of unemployment rates which was over 10.2 percent nationally and actually worse in some localities, and much worse in the African American communities for instance. And in the end, what the American public knew about the Health Care Reform was what the Republicans wanted them to know and told them, such as the Death Panel nonsense etc.
Economic dislocations were exacerbated by mortgage foreclosure and high rate of unemployment, the Republicans which in fact used all manners of obfuscations and delays to derail President Obama and the Democrats engineered palliatives, managed to have emerged smelling like fresh flowers, after exploiting American public displeasure regarding foreign wars and domestic economic debacles.
All through the summer of 2009, President Obama appeared to have left his attempt at Health Care Reform on auto pilot, perhaps motivated by his unflinching belief in the fable also known as bipartisanship, to which the Republicans are not subscribers. And so, President Obama and Democrats in the US Congress who seemed confused all through the preceding twelve months, as to whether they like bearing the appellation and label of liberal poster child of American politics.
In all of this, Obama is beginning to look like David Dinkins and Jimmy Carter, a one term former mayor of New York City and president of the United States respectively, both, Democrats and fine gentlemen, were perceived by Americans as indecisive. Recently, President Obama was quoted in the press to have said that he would prefer to be an effective one term president than an ineffective two term president. President Obama may have squandered his electoral mandate during the first year, it remains to be seen whether he can recapture, recast, refocus his presidential legacy and place in history, but suffice to say, that the first year have been mismanaged and that the Republicans snatched the isolated victories in isolated off year elections, which could be a harbinger for President Obama’s legacy, mired one term or two, as president of the United States
On the foreign policy front, President Obama the candidate is not identical with Obama the chief executive and daily manager of America’s affairs. His policy regarding pullout from Iraq is uncertain, and on the matter of troop surge in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama became the war president who argued in favor of just wars. His American policy toward African nations remain inarticulate and unarticulated. And I am on record as expressing utter displeasure over his speeches to parliament in Ghana and to NAACP in New York City in July 2009. In the Ghana speech, he came across as an American president of Jewish heritage who visits Israel on his way to Auschwitz and Dachau, who says to Jews in Tel Aviv that the Holocaust was no big deal and in any case, it is time to get over it!
In my opinion, this is the moral equivalent of Mr. Obama’s off hand comments about the effects of slavery and colonialism on African development. His moving-right-along cavalier attitude regarding the historical horrors and brutalities directed at Africans and peoples of African descent, were most probably a delicately deft political calculation to please or placate conservatives at the expense at the rest of us. This is similar to Mr. Obama’s adamant insistence or belief that his attackers are not motivated by racism, even after President Jimmy Carter and others agreed with the rest of us, upon analyzing the tenor and tempo American national conversation regarding Obama. Mr. Obama seem to subscribe to the fluke which is also called post racial America, just as he similarly persists in pursuing a nonexistent bipartisanship with the Republicans who are set to dismantle his policies and presidency, one policy, and one election at a time. President Obama must avoid coming across as over-produced and too delicately balanced in his policy pursuits, as he stands the risk of being perceived as a feckless fake Republican-Democrat hybrid. I think it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who once said, paraphrased, those who do not have the gravitas to stand for worthy causes tend to fall for worth than useless things.
Furthermore, Mr. Obama’s foreign policy appears grounded or predicated on dialogue and multilateralism, and this, of course is a breathe of fresh, when contrasted against his predecessor’s arrogance and unilateralism. President Obama as candidate, was criticized by his opponents as appearing to be a champion of appeasement, and therefore a weakling. This was because of his stated desire to dialogue with Iran, North Korea and other real and imagined enemies of the United States. I find quite out of sync with Mr. Obama pronouncement and practice, the fact that he has no policy on Nigeria beyond the current infantile snub and slap, in which he denied Nigeria the “reward” of a stop-over “visit” for a few hours in July 2009, an act widely interpreted as a snub, and his recent placement of Nigeria on a terrorism watch list, which again, is widely seen as a slap and muscling attempt directed at Nigeria. These two acts are only capable of eliciting frowns, discomforts and even antagonism, not partnership and cooperation. Nigeria has always had a very friendly and cordial diplomatic ties with the United States, despite Nigeria’s internal or domestic wrangling and challenges. And on the matter of terrorism, Mutallab’s father is my best defense, he reported his son the Americans and he exemplifies the excellent character and integrity in the majority of Nigerians, 150 million strong. Regarding Nigeria therefore, Mr. Obama will need a shift of the paradigm, from snub-slap, to dialogue and engagement. .
There is no doubt that President Obama’s presidential legacy, will for the most part, be shaped by domestic policies, and I have very strong feelings that the outcomes will be determined by his fruitless efforts at bipartisanship. President Obama seem ensconced and entrenched in his starry-eyed bipartisan utopian dreams, while Republicans and other political opponents of President Obama readies for the next election and fight for supremacy in American politics. President Obama and the Democrats will be better served to hold the feet to the fire of Republicans Party, the party of NO, and let the public see the Republicans for what they are. Similarly, President Obama also need to remind himself and his own party members, the Democrats, that they were elected to pursue policies for which the Democrats are known and loved. Bipartisanship is desirable, but in the current American political environment, it is rather a utopian wish and it amounts to a unilateral truce and self-limitation on the part of the Democrats, who are still shrill-shouting themselves hoarse about the necessity of bipartisanship with Republicans who are only interested in the next, and the next, and the next electoral victories
Bipartisanship as an idea remains an aspiration to what ought to be quite distinct from what is. Republicans have all through the first year of the Obama presidency, mounted solid opposition, locked step and very disciplined, even in their minority capacity. This fact seem to manage to escape the Democrats.
President Obama and the Democrats were elected in repudiation of Republican conservative policies, but, the Democrats are acting as though, they are confused as to what political and economic policies they represent.
President Obama and his Democrats must stand up and fight, and this means pursuing liberal economic, social and political policies for which they were preferred over the Republicans. President Obama’s Health Care Reform was not vigorously explained to the American electorate by the president and the Democrats, even so, it had 56 percent public approval, but subsequent to President Obama’s State of the Union Speech, the Health Care Reform Bill received a 66 percent public approval rating, according to a CBS News poll, only barely a few hours after President Obama gave the speech or address to the US Congress.
This increase in public approval through understanding, is clearly illustrative and demonstrates how the president and his party dropped the ball in the public explaining department. President Obama and the Democrats inherent the worst economy since the Great Depression, and then the galloping trillion dollar public expenditure in deficit spending on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and then the stimulus package, necessitated by the damage wrought upon America by wrongheaded policies unfurled by the Republicans during their preceding eight years reign at American economic and political policy helms.
I am unable to understand why President Obama and the Democrats seem to think that they will be demeaning themselves, if they reminded the American electorate how we got where we are, while explaining as well, steps which the Democrats are taking to remedy these situations, and further, the derailing impediments, obstacles which Republicans are stacking against the Democrats, who are doing the heavy lifting and clearing the Augean Stable and undertaking the Herculean tasks cleaning up after the Republicans.
It should be, it ought to be very clear that the Democrats are engaged in doing the difficult job of cleaning up after the Republican induced public policy hurricanes, and who is better to do this explaining than President Obama and his Democratic Party, the inheritors of the gargantuan losses and mismanagement of the Republican years? Perhaps it is not too late for President Obama to explain, recast, recapture and refocus Democratic Party policy thrusts which takes cognizance of the electorate.
President Obama still has time to recast, recapture and gain momentum and refocus on what will be his presidential legacy, as a one term president, but preferably, my president for next seven years. There is so much stake in his outcome for the rest of the world, and me.
Written by Paul I. Adujie
Lawcareer@gmail.com
I do not want President Obama to fail; I have a stake in Mr. Obama’s success. Besides, Republican policies don’t interest me! However, I am increasingly worried at Mr. Obama’s prospects.
It bears restating the bare facts, President Obama inherited three major wars. Two foreign wars, and a domestic one. A war in Afghanistan and another in Iraq. And of course the civil war like domestic situation in American, which arose as a result of the financial meltdown and the economic debacle which ensued in the aftermath of the financial market meltdown.
President Obama and the Democrats committed egregious errors in the first twelve months upon receiving a landslide victory and a resounding electoral mandate in the general elections of November 2008. But so inexplicably, President Obama and the Democrats have been splendidly uninterested and unwillingly to state the facts as they are. The facts of how Republicans got America into two foreign wars and ruined the American economy by driving it too close to the precipice and disaster. Are Democrats are self-destruct?
First, President Obama and the Democrats seemingly called a unilateral truce with the Republicans who were repudiated at the polls by the American voting electorate. Republicans who were by now, political orphans, upon being repudiated, displaced and dislocated from power by American voters, Republicans, were quite unlike the giddy and ambivalent Democrats who had just come in from the cold after eight years without occupying the White House.
It was clear to all that defeat for the Republicans was deserved, what with three wars? Afghanistan, Iraq and the deeply troubled American economy as a consequences of the most cavalier regimen of deregulation foisted upon America and fostered by the Republicans? But, Republicans do have clear-eyed killer instincts, quite unlike Democrats.
Secondly, President Obama’s fixation on bipartisanship ignores what he himself knows to be true and self evident, which is that, everyday is an election day, at least, this is how the Republicans see politics. The Republicans are similar to hungry, and wounded lions who have already tasted blood in Scott Brown of Massachusetts. Republicans know the fight and seem always ready for the fight. Democrats fight and seem to quickly lose focus and seemingly become ambivalent and disarrayed.. Republicans understand the rules of fight or flight, the Democrats are distracted by the polemical gymnastics of fights and flights; the Democrats often gets sucker-punched as a result of these self-inflicted inattention or distractions.
During the summer of 2009, Democrats were busily emphasizing their own credentials as confused Democrats, Blue-Dog Democrats and Pink-Dog Democrats and Confused-Dog Democrats, and while the Democrats persisted in their ambivalence regarding own label, whether to be liberal or not to be, the Republicans pounced and seized the narrative and snatched the narrative from the Democrats.
President Obama was making efforts mightily on behalf of the electorate, without explaining such efforts and Republicans adept at commanding American narratives, swooped on the Democrats and won elections in Virginia, New Jersey, New York and most recently, in Massachusetts. Republicans extremists and fringe groups, Tea Party, warts and all, unleashed armies of rabble rousers, which corralled and coordinated public anger over spirally rate of unemployment rates which was over 10.2 percent nationally and actually worse in some localities, and much worse in the African American communities for instance. And in the end, what the American public knew about the Health Care Reform was what the Republicans wanted them to know and told them, such as the Death Panel nonsense etc.
Economic dislocations were exacerbated by mortgage foreclosure and high rate of unemployment, the Republicans which in fact used all manners of obfuscations and delays to derail President Obama and the Democrats engineered palliatives, managed to have emerged smelling like fresh flowers, after exploiting American public displeasure regarding foreign wars and domestic economic debacles.
All through the summer of 2009, President Obama appeared to have left his attempt at Health Care Reform on auto pilot, perhaps motivated by his unflinching belief in the fable also known as bipartisanship, to which the Republicans are not subscribers. And so, President Obama and Democrats in the US Congress who seemed confused all through the preceding twelve months, as to whether they like bearing the appellation and label of liberal poster child of American politics.
In all of this, Obama is beginning to look like David Dinkins and Jimmy Carter, a one term former mayor of New York City and president of the United States respectively, both, Democrats and fine gentlemen, were perceived by Americans as indecisive. Recently, President Obama was quoted in the press to have said that he would prefer to be an effective one term president than an ineffective two term president. President Obama may have squandered his electoral mandate during the first year, it remains to be seen whether he can recapture, recast, refocus his presidential legacy and place in history, but suffice to say, that the first year have been mismanaged and that the Republicans snatched the isolated victories in isolated off year elections, which could be a harbinger for President Obama’s legacy, mired one term or two, as president of the United States
On the foreign policy front, President Obama the candidate is not identical with Obama the chief executive and daily manager of America’s affairs. His policy regarding pullout from Iraq is uncertain, and on the matter of troop surge in Afghanistan, Mr. Obama became the war president who argued in favor of just wars. His American policy toward African nations remain inarticulate and unarticulated. And I am on record as expressing utter displeasure over his speeches to parliament in Ghana and to NAACP in New York City in July 2009. In the Ghana speech, he came across as an American president of Jewish heritage who visits Israel on his way to Auschwitz and Dachau, who says to Jews in Tel Aviv that the Holocaust was no big deal and in any case, it is time to get over it!
In my opinion, this is the moral equivalent of Mr. Obama’s off hand comments about the effects of slavery and colonialism on African development. His moving-right-along cavalier attitude regarding the historical horrors and brutalities directed at Africans and peoples of African descent, were most probably a delicately deft political calculation to please or placate conservatives at the expense at the rest of us. This is similar to Mr. Obama’s adamant insistence or belief that his attackers are not motivated by racism, even after President Jimmy Carter and others agreed with the rest of us, upon analyzing the tenor and tempo American national conversation regarding Obama. Mr. Obama seem to subscribe to the fluke which is also called post racial America, just as he similarly persists in pursuing a nonexistent bipartisanship with the Republicans who are set to dismantle his policies and presidency, one policy, and one election at a time. President Obama must avoid coming across as over-produced and too delicately balanced in his policy pursuits, as he stands the risk of being perceived as a feckless fake Republican-Democrat hybrid. I think it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who once said, paraphrased, those who do not have the gravitas to stand for worthy causes tend to fall for worth than useless things.
Furthermore, Mr. Obama’s foreign policy appears grounded or predicated on dialogue and multilateralism, and this, of course is a breathe of fresh, when contrasted against his predecessor’s arrogance and unilateralism. President Obama as candidate, was criticized by his opponents as appearing to be a champion of appeasement, and therefore a weakling. This was because of his stated desire to dialogue with Iran, North Korea and other real and imagined enemies of the United States. I find quite out of sync with Mr. Obama pronouncement and practice, the fact that he has no policy on Nigeria beyond the current infantile snub and slap, in which he denied Nigeria the “reward” of a stop-over “visit” for a few hours in July 2009, an act widely interpreted as a snub, and his recent placement of Nigeria on a terrorism watch list, which again, is widely seen as a slap and muscling attempt directed at Nigeria. These two acts are only capable of eliciting frowns, discomforts and even antagonism, not partnership and cooperation. Nigeria has always had a very friendly and cordial diplomatic ties with the United States, despite Nigeria’s internal or domestic wrangling and challenges. And on the matter of terrorism, Mutallab’s father is my best defense, he reported his son the Americans and he exemplifies the excellent character and integrity in the majority of Nigerians, 150 million strong. Regarding Nigeria therefore, Mr. Obama will need a shift of the paradigm, from snub-slap, to dialogue and engagement. .
There is no doubt that President Obama’s presidential legacy, will for the most part, be shaped by domestic policies, and I have very strong feelings that the outcomes will be determined by his fruitless efforts at bipartisanship. President Obama seem ensconced and entrenched in his starry-eyed bipartisan utopian dreams, while Republicans and other political opponents of President Obama readies for the next election and fight for supremacy in American politics. President Obama and the Democrats will be better served to hold the feet to the fire of Republicans Party, the party of NO, and let the public see the Republicans for what they are. Similarly, President Obama also need to remind himself and his own party members, the Democrats, that they were elected to pursue policies for which the Democrats are known and loved. Bipartisanship is desirable, but in the current American political environment, it is rather a utopian wish and it amounts to a unilateral truce and self-limitation on the part of the Democrats, who are still shrill-shouting themselves hoarse about the necessity of bipartisanship with Republicans who are only interested in the next, and the next, and the next electoral victories
Bipartisanship as an idea remains an aspiration to what ought to be quite distinct from what is. Republicans have all through the first year of the Obama presidency, mounted solid opposition, locked step and very disciplined, even in their minority capacity. This fact seem to manage to escape the Democrats.
President Obama and the Democrats were elected in repudiation of Republican conservative policies, but, the Democrats are acting as though, they are confused as to what political and economic policies they represent.
President Obama and his Democrats must stand up and fight, and this means pursuing liberal economic, social and political policies for which they were preferred over the Republicans. President Obama’s Health Care Reform was not vigorously explained to the American electorate by the president and the Democrats, even so, it had 56 percent public approval, but subsequent to President Obama’s State of the Union Speech, the Health Care Reform Bill received a 66 percent public approval rating, according to a CBS News poll, only barely a few hours after President Obama gave the speech or address to the US Congress.
This increase in public approval through understanding, is clearly illustrative and demonstrates how the president and his party dropped the ball in the public explaining department. President Obama and the Democrats inherent the worst economy since the Great Depression, and then the galloping trillion dollar public expenditure in deficit spending on wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, and then the stimulus package, necessitated by the damage wrought upon America by wrongheaded policies unfurled by the Republicans during their preceding eight years reign at American economic and political policy helms.
I am unable to understand why President Obama and the Democrats seem to think that they will be demeaning themselves, if they reminded the American electorate how we got where we are, while explaining as well, steps which the Democrats are taking to remedy these situations, and further, the derailing impediments, obstacles which Republicans are stacking against the Democrats, who are doing the heavy lifting and clearing the Augean Stable and undertaking the Herculean tasks cleaning up after the Republicans.
It should be, it ought to be very clear that the Democrats are engaged in doing the difficult job of cleaning up after the Republican induced public policy hurricanes, and who is better to do this explaining than President Obama and his Democratic Party, the inheritors of the gargantuan losses and mismanagement of the Republican years? Perhaps it is not too late for President Obama to explain, recast, recapture and refocus Democratic Party policy thrusts which takes cognizance of the electorate.
President Obama still has time to recast, recapture and gain momentum and refocus on what will be his presidential legacy, as a one term president, but preferably, my president for next seven years. There is so much stake in his outcome for the rest of the world, and me.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
Haiti My Love; We Are All Haitians Now; Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
Written Paul I. Adujie
I am overwhelmed with emotions. I am mournful and tearful. I am so saddened and feel broken and helpless.
I am compelled to ask why Haiti tragedies are seemingly ceaseless and endless. And why is it that Haiti never gets any respite? Why is it that Haiti has all through history suffered calamities, catastrophes and disasters? Why is a once great people in a nation which was full of promise, now perpetually embroiled in palpable devastation and abject poverty?
Haiti’s beginning was auspicious and most audacious, and that, in itself, inspired ceaseless and endless reprisals from two hemispheres. And then, there are also reprisals from outer space and now, reprisals from underground.
An article in The New York Times by one Tracy Kidder captures the core and essence of Haiti’s plights and predicaments, Mr. Kidder a few days ago, wrote what encapsulates the happenstances of history regarding Haiti “Haiti is a country created by former slaves, kidnapped West Africans, who, in 1804, when slavery still flourished in the United States and the Caribbean, threw off their cruel French masters and created their own republic.”
Mr. Kidder further stated that “Haitians have been punished ever since for claiming their freedom: by the French who, in the 1820s, demanded and received payment from the Haitians for the slave colony, impoverishing the country for years to come; by an often brutal American occupation from 1915 to 1934; by indigenous misrule that the American government aided and abetted. (In more recent years American administrations fell into a pattern of promoting and then undermining Haitian constitutional democracy.)”
In the aftermath of this calamitous earthquake, there have been outpouring of promises and pledges of disaster relief and it is hoped that these promises and pledges are delivered. And again, in the words of Mr. Kidder, “The ultimate goal of all aid to Haiti ought to be the strengthening of Haitian institutions, infrastructure and expertise.”
It must be clear to all by now, that the decision to disband Haitian military was wrongheaded. It is similar in consequence and outcome to the disbandment of Iraqi military at the onset of the invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States in 2003.
In Haiti as in Iraq, some members of the military were anti people and operated with impunity and above the law. But the thing to have done, was to reform both militaries, instead of abolishing or disbanding them, and leaving a void or vacuum. While the foreign search and rescue team will be in Haiti for a short time, and then leave, it must be stated that Haitians must be assisted to endow own local infrastructure, managed by the locals in the locales. The world must get out of the business of decimating local capacities and local enterprise, whether it relates to the raising of pigs or the production of milk or the management of local military or paramilitary. There is so much value in local content, even imperfect ones, they usually know the terrains, and conditions and with stake in the outcome for the long term or long haul.
Haiti was pressured into a situation, in which she had no army or military, while in Iraq, the US disbanded Iraqi military by fiat or pronouncement, as the US described uniformed Iraqis as tools in the hands of Saddam Hussein. I take the view that no nation should be in the business of deciding what other nations should have a standing army or military. In the case of Iraq, the disbandment of Iraqi military, which was ostensibly loyal to Saddam, produced unintended consequences, including, becoming the source of insurgency and disgruntlement which undermined America’s occupation of Iraq. Regarding Haiti, abolishing the military, produced yet another unintended consequence. It deprived Haiti of trained, organized and cohesive first responders or military efficiency which could have been directed at rescue efforts in partnership with arriving foreign rescuers and first responders.
Reform should have been encouraged instead of disbandment of military and paramilitary. After all, on the matter of lawlessness and impunity, local police forces and law enforcement agencies in America were in cahoots, connivance and collusion to oppress African Americans, segregate and discriminate against African Americans. Local police and law enforcement agencies in America were tools of the Klu Klux Klan, they were intertwined, interconnected and doubled and piggy backed in their nefarious activities. There were multiplicities of impunity and lawlessness, racism and criminality all at the expense of African Americans... even as recent as 40 years ago. Jim Crow was official policy until the Civil Rights movement and until segregation requiring the US National Guard to enforce human rights and civil rights which were routinely violated by local officials and other local police and local law enforcements agencies... until there were reforms. Reform should have been policies in Haiti and not the disbandment of law enforcement agencies in Haiti. Disbandment was as a consequence and was precipitated by pressures from the outside
In the days and weeks ahead, a Haitian military or paramilitary force, would have been useful in maintaining law and order. Directing traffic and preventing anti social behavior and chaos, which are quite likely to ensue, as victims who are still stunned, recover from shocks and soon become desperate for limited resources and services.
The grief is palpable and thankfully, through all of this, Haitians are generously supportive of each other; Haitians are digging fellow citizens out of earthquake rubbles and sharing water, gauzes and the very minimal of resources which they have left
There will be desperations borne of long suffering and hardship. The paucity of resources, such as water and food, could very likely lead to stampede and disorderliness, and yet again, the world will wonder why? There could be stampede and local military, paramilitary and or civil defense forces would have been useful in this regard. But there have been deliberate decimation and depletion of local capacities.
There are concerns that there could be outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea and other diseases which might result from the now festering poor sanitary conditions and the scarcity of clean water, electricity, as well as exposed broken sewers. All these present logistical nightmares for search and rescue personnel, local and foreign, requiring dynamic modalities. And again, building local capacities is crucial, in view of long term considerations.
Haiti, just like Jamaica, Guyana have had their local capacities whittled by outsiders deliberately. Those who resisted such outsider usurpers, have been labeled castigated and cast off, Linden Forbes Samson Burnham of Guyana was called socialist communist, and so was Michael Manley of Jamaica, just because they sought to protect and preserve local initiative, local enterprise and local capacities. Haiti used to produce a great deal of what she consumed, and even exported. There was abundance of rice and animal husbandry. Jamaica used to produce milk and dairy and banana in abundance, until Jamaica was targeted by the multinationals, and resisters labeled communists. Farmers, food and agro industrial conglomerates in America continue to receive subsidies from governments, while same western governments pressure Caribbean and African nations not to grant any such subsidies. This practice creates unfair trade practices for the advantage of western conglomerates, farmers and food producers, and this in turn decimates local initiatives and local enterprise and capacity building in Caribbean and African nations… for the advantage of western entities. Sadly, there are no social safety nets in these nations, quite unlike it is found in western societies. So many odds are piled upon Caribbean and African nations and these odds are all connected by the strands of race which in turn festoon social political instability. There are these cause and effect which are all connected and our fates are linked and in the Haiti earthquake, I see the plights and predicaments of all Caribbean nations and continental Africans and peoples of African descent worldwide. Never a dull pleasant moment, never a respite!
It is so easy for some in the world today, to ignore or be willingly ignorant of the evil seeds which were sown in these nations, seeds sown and nurtured, which have led to these structural defects and persisting instabilities. There are continued manipulations, interventions and interferences by outsiders, which undermines growth and development and sturdy structures. It is quite easy for those willing to be superficial, intellectually lazy and or, unwilling to confront the inconvenient truth, to blame the victims and say, why can’t these nations ever help themselves?
The truth is, there is nothing ordained or preordained about people Caribbean and continental African nations. There is nothing in our genes which guarantees failed nation economic, political and socials instabilities and failed nation statuses. Tracy Kidder and Bill Quigley addressed some of these in Mr. Kidder’s article in The New York Times and Mr. Quigley’s in the Huffington Post of January 14, 2010 titled, “What the Mainstream Media Will Not Tell You About Haiti: Part of the Suffering of Haiti is "Made in the USA"
Some are right now installing puppets in Afghanistan and Iraq, puppets who are too willing and only amenable to the wishes of foreign powers and the political and business interests of outsiders, in denigration, dimunition and complete disregard of the interests and roles of the local peoples. Local political and business power structures which are inconsistent and in contradiction to the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq are being planted, but in a few years, may 50 or 100 years hence, people will wonder why the offspring of today’s Afghan war lords are undemocratic or corrupt or both, ditto for Iraq.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/what-the-mainstream-media_b_424126.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/opinion/14kidder.html?pagewanted=print
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/01/27/world/1194817109852/haiti-democracy-undone.html
In this immediate aftermaths of the earthquake and in the long term, Haiti need us all.
The people of Haiti would need money, and sundry material assistance from all of us. There is need for more. President Obama should extend Temporary Protective Status or TPS to Haitians. The Congressional Black Caucus have for many years argued that the US bring equity and justice to Haitians regarding immigration opportunities. This is the immigration status which have in the past been extended to citizens of nations with political turmoil and or natural disasters. Haiti unfortunately, have faced political instability, hurricanes and now, this earthquake devastation. Haitians therefore doubly qualify for the TPS status, because Haiti has been afflicted by political crises and natural disasters and so, both criterion have been met. Haiti’s doubly whammies qualifies her for TPS, if any nation was ever so qualified. Haiti and Haitians have always been treated differently compared with other nations.
Haiti in all of these, it must be remembered, has had a very checkered history and Mr. Kidder’s article referenced above alluded directly to this point. And it must be restated here, because it bears repeating the major role and the enormous negative impact in Haitian affairs, by the direct interventions, manipulations and interferences in Haiti’s economic, political and constitutional development.
Haitian history is full and replete with abundant evidence of the havoc wrought upon Haiti by France, the United States and Britain through direct actions, collusion and connivance to punish Haiti for, having the audacity to auspicious resist French usurpation and domination, and thereafter, having the temerity to declare political independence in 1804.
The defeated France, demanded and received punitive reparations from Haiti, which subsequently left Haiti impoverished. Haiti is country of rich culture, forerunners in the fight for freedom and independence for Black peoples worldwide. Haiti’s freedom and political independence predated American Emancipation Proclamation for African Americans. Haitian independence and freedom was precursor to political independence for African nations post colonialism.
Haitians by laying claim to the fundamental human right to be a free people, earned the wrath of the French and the United States. Haitians declaration of independence and freedom, was seen as a direct affront and challenge to the superiority complexes in France and the United States. Haiti’s declaration of independence and freedom, was inconsistent to American and European worldview of racial hierarchy and superiority complex, and in this singular act by Haitians more than 200 years ago, there having been relentless efforts to undermine Haiti by the Americans and the French.
This deliberate policy to undermine Haiti, culminated in the labeling and overthrow of former President Betrand Aristide, albeit, an imperfect man, an imperfect politician.
The government of the United States under former President George W. Bush, funded the National Republican Institute which directly undermined Haitian democracy. The American government directly and indirectly supported criminal and murderous elements, including drug dealers, known to the US, all in efforts to remove the constitutionally elected government of Betrand Aristide
Haiti paid for her independence and paid dearly, deforestation set in, result of sale of mahogany trees… foreign intervention have been negative for Haiti, the US have intervened thrice, the US also prevented $500 million IMF/World Bank facility… which in turn, led to deprivation, social discontent, violence and chaos. The former President Betrand Aristide was deceived and lured away by the Americans into exile on February 29, 2004 and he remains in South Africa. The quandary is unmitigated and unabated, all these are now multiplied by this devastating earthquake.
Haiti need the support of everyone on earth and the Gods need to come down from the heavens! Haiti has done nothing wrong and Haiti deserves respite. Haiti earned her political independence and freedom more than 200 years ago and these have been mostly rubbished by reprisals against Haiti for her audacity.
Lovers of political independence, freedom, liberty and justice should support Haiti into a new dawn of recovery, reconstruction and rebirth. We must all join hands to foster a new dawn and a renaissance in Haiti. We all have a stake in what becomes of Haiti, Haiti matters, particularly, as the forerunner of freedom from slavery and political independence for peoples of African descent and continental Africans. We are all Haitians. We are all more Haitians now! We all feel Haiti’s ageless, ceaseless and endless agonies and pains
Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
Haiti Darling, I Love You!
Written Paul I. Adujie
I am overwhelmed with emotions. I am mournful and tearful. I am so saddened and feel broken and helpless.
I am compelled to ask why Haiti tragedies are seemingly ceaseless and endless. And why is it that Haiti never gets any respite? Why is it that Haiti has all through history suffered calamities, catastrophes and disasters? Why is a once great people in a nation which was full of promise, now perpetually embroiled in palpable devastation and abject poverty?
Haiti’s beginning was auspicious and most audacious, and that, in itself, inspired ceaseless and endless reprisals from two hemispheres. And then, there are also reprisals from outer space and now, reprisals from underground.
An article in The New York Times by one Tracy Kidder captures the core and essence of Haiti’s plights and predicaments, Mr. Kidder a few days ago, wrote what encapsulates the happenstances of history regarding Haiti “Haiti is a country created by former slaves, kidnapped West Africans, who, in 1804, when slavery still flourished in the United States and the Caribbean, threw off their cruel French masters and created their own republic.”
Mr. Kidder further stated that “Haitians have been punished ever since for claiming their freedom: by the French who, in the 1820s, demanded and received payment from the Haitians for the slave colony, impoverishing the country for years to come; by an often brutal American occupation from 1915 to 1934; by indigenous misrule that the American government aided and abetted. (In more recent years American administrations fell into a pattern of promoting and then undermining Haitian constitutional democracy.)”
In the aftermath of this calamitous earthquake, there have been outpouring of promises and pledges of disaster relief and it is hoped that these promises and pledges are delivered. And again, in the words of Mr. Kidder, “The ultimate goal of all aid to Haiti ought to be the strengthening of Haitian institutions, infrastructure and expertise.”
It must be clear to all by now, that the decision to disband Haitian military was wrongheaded. It is similar in consequence and outcome to the disbandment of Iraqi military at the onset of the invasion and occupation of Iraq by the United States in 2003.
In Haiti as in Iraq, some members of the military were anti people and operated with impunity and above the law. But the thing to have done, was to reform both militaries, instead of abolishing or disbanding them, and leaving a void or vacuum. While the foreign search and rescue team will be in Haiti for a short time, and then leave, it must be stated that Haitians must be assisted to endow own local infrastructure, managed by the locals in the locales. The world must get out of the business of decimating local capacities and local enterprise, whether it relates to the raising of pigs or the production of milk or the management of local military or paramilitary. There is so much value in local content, even imperfect ones, they usually know the terrains, and conditions and with stake in the outcome for the long term or long haul.
Haiti was pressured into a situation, in which she had no army or military, while in Iraq, the US disbanded Iraqi military by fiat or pronouncement, as the US described uniformed Iraqis as tools in the hands of Saddam Hussein. I take the view that no nation should be in the business of deciding what other nations should have a standing army or military. In the case of Iraq, the disbandment of Iraqi military, which was ostensibly loyal to Saddam, produced unintended consequences, including, becoming the source of insurgency and disgruntlement which undermined America’s occupation of Iraq. Regarding Haiti, abolishing the military, produced yet another unintended consequence. It deprived Haiti of trained, organized and cohesive first responders or military efficiency which could have been directed at rescue efforts in partnership with arriving foreign rescuers and first responders.
Reform should have been encouraged instead of disbandment of military and paramilitary. After all, on the matter of lawlessness and impunity, local police forces and law enforcement agencies in America were in cahoots, connivance and collusion to oppress African Americans, segregate and discriminate against African Americans. Local police and law enforcement agencies in America were tools of the Klu Klux Klan, they were intertwined, interconnected and doubled and piggy backed in their nefarious activities. There were multiplicities of impunity and lawlessness, racism and criminality all at the expense of African Americans... even as recent as 40 years ago. Jim Crow was official policy until the Civil Rights movement and until segregation requiring the US National Guard to enforce human rights and civil rights which were routinely violated by local officials and other local police and local law enforcements agencies... until there were reforms. Reform should have been policies in Haiti and not the disbandment of law enforcement agencies in Haiti. Disbandment was as a consequence and was precipitated by pressures from the outside
In the days and weeks ahead, a Haitian military or paramilitary force, would have been useful in maintaining law and order. Directing traffic and preventing anti social behavior and chaos, which are quite likely to ensue, as victims who are still stunned, recover from shocks and soon become desperate for limited resources and services.
The grief is palpable and thankfully, through all of this, Haitians are generously supportive of each other; Haitians are digging fellow citizens out of earthquake rubbles and sharing water, gauzes and the very minimal of resources which they have left
There will be desperations borne of long suffering and hardship. The paucity of resources, such as water and food, could very likely lead to stampede and disorderliness, and yet again, the world will wonder why? There could be stampede and local military, paramilitary and or civil defense forces would have been useful in this regard. But there have been deliberate decimation and depletion of local capacities.
There are concerns that there could be outbreaks of cholera, diarrhea and other diseases which might result from the now festering poor sanitary conditions and the scarcity of clean water, electricity, as well as exposed broken sewers. All these present logistical nightmares for search and rescue personnel, local and foreign, requiring dynamic modalities. And again, building local capacities is crucial, in view of long term considerations.
Haiti, just like Jamaica, Guyana have had their local capacities whittled by outsiders deliberately. Those who resisted such outsider usurpers, have been labeled castigated and cast off, Linden Forbes Samson Burnham of Guyana was called socialist communist, and so was Michael Manley of Jamaica, just because they sought to protect and preserve local initiative, local enterprise and local capacities. Haiti used to produce a great deal of what she consumed, and even exported. There was abundance of rice and animal husbandry. Jamaica used to produce milk and dairy and banana in abundance, until Jamaica was targeted by the multinationals, and resisters labeled communists. Farmers, food and agro industrial conglomerates in America continue to receive subsidies from governments, while same western governments pressure Caribbean and African nations not to grant any such subsidies. This practice creates unfair trade practices for the advantage of western conglomerates, farmers and food producers, and this in turn decimates local initiatives and local enterprise and capacity building in Caribbean and African nations… for the advantage of western entities. Sadly, there are no social safety nets in these nations, quite unlike it is found in western societies. So many odds are piled upon Caribbean and African nations and these odds are all connected by the strands of race which in turn festoon social political instability. There are these cause and effect which are all connected and our fates are linked and in the Haiti earthquake, I see the plights and predicaments of all Caribbean nations and continental Africans and peoples of African descent worldwide. Never a dull pleasant moment, never a respite!
It is so easy for some in the world today, to ignore or be willingly ignorant of the evil seeds which were sown in these nations, seeds sown and nurtured, which have led to these structural defects and persisting instabilities. There are continued manipulations, interventions and interferences by outsiders, which undermines growth and development and sturdy structures. It is quite easy for those willing to be superficial, intellectually lazy and or, unwilling to confront the inconvenient truth, to blame the victims and say, why can’t these nations ever help themselves?
The truth is, there is nothing ordained or preordained about people Caribbean and continental African nations. There is nothing in our genes which guarantees failed nation economic, political and socials instabilities and failed nation statuses. Tracy Kidder and Bill Quigley addressed some of these in Mr. Kidder’s article in The New York Times and Mr. Quigley’s in the Huffington Post of January 14, 2010 titled, “What the Mainstream Media Will Not Tell You About Haiti: Part of the Suffering of Haiti is "Made in the USA"
Some are right now installing puppets in Afghanistan and Iraq, puppets who are too willing and only amenable to the wishes of foreign powers and the political and business interests of outsiders, in denigration, dimunition and complete disregard of the interests and roles of the local peoples. Local political and business power structures which are inconsistent and in contradiction to the peoples of Afghanistan and Iraq are being planted, but in a few years, may 50 or 100 years hence, people will wonder why the offspring of today’s Afghan war lords are undemocratic or corrupt or both, ditto for Iraq.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-quigley/what-the-mainstream-media_b_424126.html
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/14/opinion/14kidder.html?pagewanted=print
http://video.nytimes.com/video/2006/01/27/world/1194817109852/haiti-democracy-undone.html
In this immediate aftermaths of the earthquake and in the long term, Haiti need us all.
The people of Haiti would need money, and sundry material assistance from all of us. There is need for more. President Obama should extend Temporary Protective Status or TPS to Haitians. The Congressional Black Caucus have for many years argued that the US bring equity and justice to Haitians regarding immigration opportunities. This is the immigration status which have in the past been extended to citizens of nations with political turmoil and or natural disasters. Haiti unfortunately, have faced political instability, hurricanes and now, this earthquake devastation. Haitians therefore doubly qualify for the TPS status, because Haiti has been afflicted by political crises and natural disasters and so, both criterion have been met. Haiti’s doubly whammies qualifies her for TPS, if any nation was ever so qualified. Haiti and Haitians have always been treated differently compared with other nations.
Haiti in all of these, it must be remembered, has had a very checkered history and Mr. Kidder’s article referenced above alluded directly to this point. And it must be restated here, because it bears repeating the major role and the enormous negative impact in Haitian affairs, by the direct interventions, manipulations and interferences in Haiti’s economic, political and constitutional development.
Haitian history is full and replete with abundant evidence of the havoc wrought upon Haiti by France, the United States and Britain through direct actions, collusion and connivance to punish Haiti for, having the audacity to auspicious resist French usurpation and domination, and thereafter, having the temerity to declare political independence in 1804.
The defeated France, demanded and received punitive reparations from Haiti, which subsequently left Haiti impoverished. Haiti is country of rich culture, forerunners in the fight for freedom and independence for Black peoples worldwide. Haiti’s freedom and political independence predated American Emancipation Proclamation for African Americans. Haitian independence and freedom was precursor to political independence for African nations post colonialism.
Haitians by laying claim to the fundamental human right to be a free people, earned the wrath of the French and the United States. Haitians declaration of independence and freedom, was seen as a direct affront and challenge to the superiority complexes in France and the United States. Haiti’s declaration of independence and freedom, was inconsistent to American and European worldview of racial hierarchy and superiority complex, and in this singular act by Haitians more than 200 years ago, there having been relentless efforts to undermine Haiti by the Americans and the French.
This deliberate policy to undermine Haiti, culminated in the labeling and overthrow of former President Betrand Aristide, albeit, an imperfect man, an imperfect politician.
The government of the United States under former President George W. Bush, funded the National Republican Institute which directly undermined Haitian democracy. The American government directly and indirectly supported criminal and murderous elements, including drug dealers, known to the US, all in efforts to remove the constitutionally elected government of Betrand Aristide
Haiti paid for her independence and paid dearly, deforestation set in, result of sale of mahogany trees… foreign intervention have been negative for Haiti, the US have intervened thrice, the US also prevented $500 million IMF/World Bank facility… which in turn, led to deprivation, social discontent, violence and chaos. The former President Betrand Aristide was deceived and lured away by the Americans into exile on February 29, 2004 and he remains in South Africa. The quandary is unmitigated and unabated, all these are now multiplied by this devastating earthquake.
Haiti need the support of everyone on earth and the Gods need to come down from the heavens! Haiti has done nothing wrong and Haiti deserves respite. Haiti earned her political independence and freedom more than 200 years ago and these have been mostly rubbished by reprisals against Haiti for her audacity.
Lovers of political independence, freedom, liberty and justice should support Haiti into a new dawn of recovery, reconstruction and rebirth. We must all join hands to foster a new dawn and a renaissance in Haiti. We all have a stake in what becomes of Haiti, Haiti matters, particularly, as the forerunner of freedom from slavery and political independence for peoples of African descent and continental Africans. We are all Haitians. We are all more Haitians now! We all feel Haiti’s ageless, ceaseless and endless agonies and pains
Haiti Cheri, Mon Amour, Je t'aime
Haiti Darling, I Love You!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Mutallab Terrorist Incident As A Teachable Moment Or Lesson To All Nigerians
Mutallab Terrorist Incident As A Teachable Moment Or Lesson To All Nigerians
Written Paul I. Adujie
Some Nigerians, oftentimes, make pronouncements, as though they are temporary citizens of Nigeria
The failed attempt by Umaru Farouk Abdul Mutallab to bomb United Airlines flight 253 out of the air and the aftermaths, have managed to act as a reminder to those who pretend to be temporary citizens of Nigeria, that they are in fact still Nigerians, just like other 150 million of us, with shared destiny, warts and all!
Those Nigerians abroad or in the Diaspora, who are too often badmouthing Nigeria and are too quick to engage in ethnic, religious and regional jousting, claiming superiority, engaging in chauvinism, bigotries and flame-throwing, are now lumped with the rest of us. The rest of us, who have often pointed out that it is infinitely more beneficial to focus on tackling Nigeria’s national challenges and national issues, and refrain from the debilitating negative matters of ethnic, religious and regional difference or claimed superiority.
We have frequently argued that paucity and or complete absence of public infrastructure is not peculiar to a particular ethnic group, or region and religious group. National issues such as the downward spiral of our educational institutions, the absence equipment and medicines in hospitals are not unique to particular ethnic group.
The high rate of unemployment in Nigeria is a national phenomenon. The absence of clean drinking piper borne water is not an Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba issue, it is and remains a national issue. Neither is the absence of adequate power generation and transmission by NEPA or, PHCN
And now, the United States has just increased our burden, as the US lumped Nigeria together with nations which the US accuses of antagonizing it and having animus toward it and suddenly, 150 million Nigerians are once again, for better and for worse, inextricably bound and linked together, by reason of our national origin. Nigerians at home and abroad now have a choice in the matter resist the generalization against Nigerians and Nigeria, demand that the US remove us from the unsavory list or some Nigerians can continue to say that they are from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics, or pretend to be from the moon or mars!
I take the position that Nigerians in unison, should protest and demand that our nation not be so labeled, castigated with current unfair generalizations; Or, Nigerians who so wish, can approach security agents at airports worldwide, and insist on introducing selves as citizens of Arewa,or Biafra or Oduduwa Republics and therefore, separate, apart and distinct from those of us Nigerians! There is a clear choice.
It is the case that when unwarranted attacks were directed at Nigeria, soon after the Mutallab incident in Detroit, Michigan in the United States, some Nigerians quickly engaged in their usual practice of finger pointing. These finger pointing were predicated and rooted in, the useless perfunctory distinctions in Mutallab’s religious faith, his ethnicity and the region of Nigeria from which his father hails. For these finger pointing Nigerians, it was not enough to just denounce the attempted criminal acts of Mutallab, it instead became quite important to some, to specify Mutallab’s religion, ethnicity and regional origins.
The truth is that Mutallab has lived more than half his life, until the incident, outside the shores of Nigeria, but he nevertheless remains a Nigerian for good and for evil, and in success and in failure. But some Nigerians sought to portray him as merely from that religion, that ethnic group and that region! The bitter truth is that, non-Nigerians are splendidly uninterested in our internal workings or arrangements and the schisms and family squabbles between the various political, ethnic and religious divisions in Nigeria. Those Nigerians bigots can engage in all the splitting hairs they want, to their heart content.
All Nigerians should see generalizations against Nigerians and Nigeria for what they generalizations are. All Nigerians should see discrimination against Nigerians and Nigeria for what discrimination is
We must see double standards and disparities in treatments reserved for Nigerians and Nigerian in comparison to all others for what such double standards and disparities really are.
Nigerians should stop accepting, explaining and justifying maltreatment of Nigerians and Nigeria by airlines or credit card companies and all other entities, be they nations or corporate entities. Nigerians must get away and get out from the mindsets which allow some Nigerians accept discrimination as something Nigerians and Nigeria have earned and deserves! Nigeria is as imperfect as other nations of the world. Nigerians must therefore using Nigeria’s internal imperfections as acceptable excuses as why nations and corporate entities must accept our money and our efforts and yet give us less that we deserve, because we have Nigerian origins and heritage!
There are internal frictions in Nigeria which are a result of plural and diverse nature of Nigeria. The benefits derivable from our diversity and being a plural society are quite tremendous.
Nigeria is a plural society. In plural societies, it is not uncommon to have competition for space and resources. Resources are not infinite and as a consequence, resource allocation is liable to have tinges of competition between the multiple variables of imbued in a multi ethnic, multi religious, multi cultural and multi lingual and multi regional interests. This “competition” for resources, can often mean, competing and sometimes conflicting interests, but, such competing-conflicting interests, need not be violent or unfriendly. There is no necessity for violence or war and bitterness in the “competition” which ensues as a result resource sharing or resource allocation processes.
Unfortunately, there are too many Nigerians who have instead, become entrenched in bigotries, biases and prejudices against other Nigerians, too many Nigerians make negative pronouncements as if in auto response and almost reflexively about other Nigerians, other than members of their ethnic, religious, linguistic and regional group. There are too many Nigerians who are quick to describe fellow Nigerians of other ethnic, religious, regional and or linguistic groups in the most abrasive, base and most corrosive terms.
There are these Nigerians with romantic notions of distinct fictional entities to which these Nigerians owe superior loyalty, passion, commitment and dedication. There are too many Nigerians who expend, no, squander, is more appropriate a term, they squander wastefully, valuable time in dwelling in their infantile make-belief Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics. And as such, all debates of Nigerian national issues are too often mired and subsumed in ethnic, religious and regional lopsided perspectives based on parochial, myopic and ridiculously illogical prisms of being from the variously superior and holier than thou Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics. The Mutallab incident has be no exceptions.
Nigerians will do well from now on, to engage in the debate of issues affecting Nigerians and Nigeria, from the point of view of common national and strategic interests. Time is nigh for Nigerians of all ethnic, religious and regional background to rally around Nigeria. Nigerians need to engage in vigorous and vibrant debates regarding sundry national issues, proffer solutions, in efforts to amicably resolve Nigeria’s challenges. Nigerians must cease and desist from the not so beguiling self-defeating and energy sapping and energy dissipating fixations on ethnic, regional and religious distinctions and dichotomies
All Nigerians should concentrate on demonstrating our intellectual prowess and resilience, through problem solving which benefits every Nigerian and Nigeria. Nigeria is currently bedeviled with myriad challenges and Nigerians are known worldwide, for astuteness and for intellectual acumen. It is time to deploy our prodigious and superb intellect on behalf of all Nigerians and Nigeria. Post independence Nigerians have been wedded together for fifty years, and time is nigh to make it stick! All Nigerians should quit pretending that there is a suitable alternative to the nationhood of Nigeria and our citizenship.
All Nigerians should stop pretending that our Nigerian-ness is some sorts of temporary arrangements. Nigerians are in this together and for good, it is time to settle down and make it work best for us. There are examples of multicultural, multi-ethnic and multilingual nations on earth with similar complexities such as we have in Nigeria.
There are more than a billion people each in China and India. Coincidentally, the economies of both China and India, are in the upsurge and in double digit growth, most of these advances are powered by Diaspora Chinese and Indians. Both China and India are similar to Nigeria in their multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi lingual compositions. Both China and India, have huge Diaspora populations, similar again, to the way Nigeria is today. And recently, a Chinese America chose returning to China to contribute to Chinese national development, over a ten million dollar opportunity offered to him in America where he currently conducts important research.
The European Economic Community/European Union now have a common continental currency, which competes, frequently out competes the US Dollar. The EEC/EU arrangements ensures a large market, mobility of labor, which have engendered higher standard of living for Europeans east and west… There is an identical strength, okay, potential political, economic and strategic strength in Nigeria’s numbers as currently composed, this is good for Nigeria, for West Africa, for the African continent and indeed, it is good for the whole world! Why would any Nigerian seek to change that?
Besides, it is quite foolhardy for any Nigerian who tries to convince any airport security agent around the world, that he is not Nigerian or that he is uniquely from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa imaginary republics. Our Nigerian swagger will shine through and the security agents do not care about these unknown imaginary republics! Claiming to be from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa makes you a fraudster and it would increase the heightened security odds against you!
In October 2010, Nigeria will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of her national political independence from Britain, a former colonizer and usurper of Nigeria’s political, economic and cultural powers. Nigerians should therefore focus on the business of making Nigeria a nation which is developed, advanced and great. We all must learn to focus on the big picture. Every nation is playing to win, it a is hostile race to the top, it is grueling and only the organized, efficient and focused survives.
Nigerians must focus on how to put Nigeria on international platforms and pedestals in the comity of nations of the world in the scheme of things, as the wheels of history continues to turn.
All Nigerians should focus on whatever it takes to attain Nigeria’s rightful place at the global table.
Written Paul I. Adujie
Some Nigerians, oftentimes, make pronouncements, as though they are temporary citizens of Nigeria
The failed attempt by Umaru Farouk Abdul Mutallab to bomb United Airlines flight 253 out of the air and the aftermaths, have managed to act as a reminder to those who pretend to be temporary citizens of Nigeria, that they are in fact still Nigerians, just like other 150 million of us, with shared destiny, warts and all!
Those Nigerians abroad or in the Diaspora, who are too often badmouthing Nigeria and are too quick to engage in ethnic, religious and regional jousting, claiming superiority, engaging in chauvinism, bigotries and flame-throwing, are now lumped with the rest of us. The rest of us, who have often pointed out that it is infinitely more beneficial to focus on tackling Nigeria’s national challenges and national issues, and refrain from the debilitating negative matters of ethnic, religious and regional difference or claimed superiority.
We have frequently argued that paucity and or complete absence of public infrastructure is not peculiar to a particular ethnic group, or region and religious group. National issues such as the downward spiral of our educational institutions, the absence equipment and medicines in hospitals are not unique to particular ethnic group.
The high rate of unemployment in Nigeria is a national phenomenon. The absence of clean drinking piper borne water is not an Hausa, Igbo or Yoruba issue, it is and remains a national issue. Neither is the absence of adequate power generation and transmission by NEPA or, PHCN
And now, the United States has just increased our burden, as the US lumped Nigeria together with nations which the US accuses of antagonizing it and having animus toward it and suddenly, 150 million Nigerians are once again, for better and for worse, inextricably bound and linked together, by reason of our national origin. Nigerians at home and abroad now have a choice in the matter resist the generalization against Nigerians and Nigeria, demand that the US remove us from the unsavory list or some Nigerians can continue to say that they are from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics, or pretend to be from the moon or mars!
I take the position that Nigerians in unison, should protest and demand that our nation not be so labeled, castigated with current unfair generalizations; Or, Nigerians who so wish, can approach security agents at airports worldwide, and insist on introducing selves as citizens of Arewa,or Biafra or Oduduwa Republics and therefore, separate, apart and distinct from those of us Nigerians! There is a clear choice.
It is the case that when unwarranted attacks were directed at Nigeria, soon after the Mutallab incident in Detroit, Michigan in the United States, some Nigerians quickly engaged in their usual practice of finger pointing. These finger pointing were predicated and rooted in, the useless perfunctory distinctions in Mutallab’s religious faith, his ethnicity and the region of Nigeria from which his father hails. For these finger pointing Nigerians, it was not enough to just denounce the attempted criminal acts of Mutallab, it instead became quite important to some, to specify Mutallab’s religion, ethnicity and regional origins.
The truth is that Mutallab has lived more than half his life, until the incident, outside the shores of Nigeria, but he nevertheless remains a Nigerian for good and for evil, and in success and in failure. But some Nigerians sought to portray him as merely from that religion, that ethnic group and that region! The bitter truth is that, non-Nigerians are splendidly uninterested in our internal workings or arrangements and the schisms and family squabbles between the various political, ethnic and religious divisions in Nigeria. Those Nigerians bigots can engage in all the splitting hairs they want, to their heart content.
All Nigerians should see generalizations against Nigerians and Nigeria for what they generalizations are. All Nigerians should see discrimination against Nigerians and Nigeria for what discrimination is
We must see double standards and disparities in treatments reserved for Nigerians and Nigerian in comparison to all others for what such double standards and disparities really are.
Nigerians should stop accepting, explaining and justifying maltreatment of Nigerians and Nigeria by airlines or credit card companies and all other entities, be they nations or corporate entities. Nigerians must get away and get out from the mindsets which allow some Nigerians accept discrimination as something Nigerians and Nigeria have earned and deserves! Nigeria is as imperfect as other nations of the world. Nigerians must therefore using Nigeria’s internal imperfections as acceptable excuses as why nations and corporate entities must accept our money and our efforts and yet give us less that we deserve, because we have Nigerian origins and heritage!
There are internal frictions in Nigeria which are a result of plural and diverse nature of Nigeria. The benefits derivable from our diversity and being a plural society are quite tremendous.
Nigeria is a plural society. In plural societies, it is not uncommon to have competition for space and resources. Resources are not infinite and as a consequence, resource allocation is liable to have tinges of competition between the multiple variables of imbued in a multi ethnic, multi religious, multi cultural and multi lingual and multi regional interests. This “competition” for resources, can often mean, competing and sometimes conflicting interests, but, such competing-conflicting interests, need not be violent or unfriendly. There is no necessity for violence or war and bitterness in the “competition” which ensues as a result resource sharing or resource allocation processes.
Unfortunately, there are too many Nigerians who have instead, become entrenched in bigotries, biases and prejudices against other Nigerians, too many Nigerians make negative pronouncements as if in auto response and almost reflexively about other Nigerians, other than members of their ethnic, religious, linguistic and regional group. There are too many Nigerians who are quick to describe fellow Nigerians of other ethnic, religious, regional and or linguistic groups in the most abrasive, base and most corrosive terms.
There are these Nigerians with romantic notions of distinct fictional entities to which these Nigerians owe superior loyalty, passion, commitment and dedication. There are too many Nigerians who expend, no, squander, is more appropriate a term, they squander wastefully, valuable time in dwelling in their infantile make-belief Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics. And as such, all debates of Nigerian national issues are too often mired and subsumed in ethnic, religious and regional lopsided perspectives based on parochial, myopic and ridiculously illogical prisms of being from the variously superior and holier than thou Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa republics. The Mutallab incident has be no exceptions.
Nigerians will do well from now on, to engage in the debate of issues affecting Nigerians and Nigeria, from the point of view of common national and strategic interests. Time is nigh for Nigerians of all ethnic, religious and regional background to rally around Nigeria. Nigerians need to engage in vigorous and vibrant debates regarding sundry national issues, proffer solutions, in efforts to amicably resolve Nigeria’s challenges. Nigerians must cease and desist from the not so beguiling self-defeating and energy sapping and energy dissipating fixations on ethnic, regional and religious distinctions and dichotomies
All Nigerians should concentrate on demonstrating our intellectual prowess and resilience, through problem solving which benefits every Nigerian and Nigeria. Nigeria is currently bedeviled with myriad challenges and Nigerians are known worldwide, for astuteness and for intellectual acumen. It is time to deploy our prodigious and superb intellect on behalf of all Nigerians and Nigeria. Post independence Nigerians have been wedded together for fifty years, and time is nigh to make it stick! All Nigerians should quit pretending that there is a suitable alternative to the nationhood of Nigeria and our citizenship.
All Nigerians should stop pretending that our Nigerian-ness is some sorts of temporary arrangements. Nigerians are in this together and for good, it is time to settle down and make it work best for us. There are examples of multicultural, multi-ethnic and multilingual nations on earth with similar complexities such as we have in Nigeria.
There are more than a billion people each in China and India. Coincidentally, the economies of both China and India, are in the upsurge and in double digit growth, most of these advances are powered by Diaspora Chinese and Indians. Both China and India are similar to Nigeria in their multi ethnic, multi cultural and multi lingual compositions. Both China and India, have huge Diaspora populations, similar again, to the way Nigeria is today. And recently, a Chinese America chose returning to China to contribute to Chinese national development, over a ten million dollar opportunity offered to him in America where he currently conducts important research.
The European Economic Community/European Union now have a common continental currency, which competes, frequently out competes the US Dollar. The EEC/EU arrangements ensures a large market, mobility of labor, which have engendered higher standard of living for Europeans east and west… There is an identical strength, okay, potential political, economic and strategic strength in Nigeria’s numbers as currently composed, this is good for Nigeria, for West Africa, for the African continent and indeed, it is good for the whole world! Why would any Nigerian seek to change that?
Besides, it is quite foolhardy for any Nigerian who tries to convince any airport security agent around the world, that he is not Nigerian or that he is uniquely from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa imaginary republics. Our Nigerian swagger will shine through and the security agents do not care about these unknown imaginary republics! Claiming to be from Arewa, or Biafra or Oduduwa makes you a fraudster and it would increase the heightened security odds against you!
In October 2010, Nigeria will celebrate the fiftieth anniversary of her national political independence from Britain, a former colonizer and usurper of Nigeria’s political, economic and cultural powers. Nigerians should therefore focus on the business of making Nigeria a nation which is developed, advanced and great. We all must learn to focus on the big picture. Every nation is playing to win, it a is hostile race to the top, it is grueling and only the organized, efficient and focused survives.
Nigerians must focus on how to put Nigeria on international platforms and pedestals in the comity of nations of the world in the scheme of things, as the wheels of history continues to turn.
All Nigerians should focus on whatever it takes to attain Nigeria’s rightful place at the global table.
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