POLITICS-AFRICA: Angry Protestors Target Bush Trip

By Farah Khan Reprint | | Print |

JOHANNESBURG, Jul 4 2003 (IPS) - Protestors in three African nations are gearing for marches to coincide with the visit to five countries by U.S. President George W. Bush.

Putting final touches to posters that read “Bush is a weapon of mass destruction”, South Africa’s Anti-War coalition is reigniting its supporters – quiet since the official end to the war in Iraq – to try to persuade government to cancel the state visit.

Bush, joined by secretary of state Colin Powell and his national security adviser, Condoleezza Rice, will arrive in South Africa next week, the first leg of a five-nation state visit. While the White House reports that Bush has met 25 African heads of state, it is his first trip to the continent as head of state.

They bring with them a 500-strong entourage, 300 journalists, their own sniffer dogs -for security – and their own armoured cars.

In Nigeria, unions protesting against the oil industry are reportedly planning to also target Bush’s visit. There is a close confluence between the African trip and oil. While the stops in Nigeria and Senegal are purportedly to celebrate multi-ethnic and old democracies (Senegal is one of Africa’s older democracies) respectively, they are also two nations being eyed for their oil reserves. Looking to wean itself off the Middle East oil, America is eyeing West Africa’s oil with growing interest. In the medium-term, the economic giant hopes to source up to one fifth of its oil needs from Africa.

In Dakar, Senegal, the activists arraigned around the social forum under activist Samier Amin are also girding their loins for action targeting not only the U.S.-led war on terror, but also the U.S.’s contradictory social assistance and trade policies.

South Africa will not cancel the visit – it regards it as important even though it comes in the middle of next week’s second annual meeting of the nascent African Union. For Bush, the trip is also meant to secure Africa’s support for its ongoing efforts to rout out what it calls “terror networks”.

“America is committed to the success of Africa because we recognise a moral duty to bring hope where there is despair, and relief where there is suffering. America is committed to Africa because we understand failed states spread instability and terror that threatens us all,” said Bush in Washington last week.

Against massive public opposition, both South Africa and Kenya (not on the trip list) are putting the finishing touches to domestic anti-terror laws, while at the same time stressing the need for multilateralism.

The decision by the United States this week to tie military aid to 19 African countries including South Africa, to support its plans to dilute the influence of the International Criminal Court is likely to harden attitudes against the United States ahead of the strategic visit.

While most African nations held the line for multilateralism and against the war in Iraq, the continent has also been feeling the brunt of the U.S. penchant to go it alone.

Protests in Malawi this week against the government of Bakili Muluzi for its decision to arrest, with the help of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), five suspected al-Qaeda supporters, signify a growing demand for national sovereignty by the grassroots.

The U.S. decision to downgrade its representation to the World Conference Against Racism in 2001; its walk-out on the International Criminal Court; and the failure by Bush to attend last year’s World Summit on Sustainable Development in South Africa have all had ripple effects on the continent.

“It’s an excellent opportunity to discuss the world . post-Saddam’s Iraq,” said South Africa’s deputy foreign minister Aziz Pahad at a briefing this week. “Without multilateralism, you can’t tackle the problems of terrorism, HIV/AIDS and the financing of development.”

One area of focus and possibly thorny discussion is likely to include Zimbabwe. The United States has upped the ante on Zimbabwe, pushing for a more robust stance by South Africa and coming close to labelling it a terrorist state. “Notorious human rights abusers, including, among others, Burma, Cuba, North Korea, Iran and Zimbabwe, have long sought to shield their abuses from the eyes of the world.,” said Bush.

This is likely to come up in talks on multilateralism as Mbeki believes the solution to Zimbabwe’s crisis is sovereign, that it lies with the people of Zimbabwe. In Jamaica this week, he reiterated that South Africa would not take a more aggressive role in the neighbouring country.

Pahad said South Africa wanted to top its talks list with an interrogation of “post-Saddam Iraq” and the road-map agreement for Israel and Palestine. “Palestine and Israel are fundamental to solving all the problems that exist in the region,” he added.