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On Ivory Coast: Atta Mills says Dzi wo fie Asem

Thu, 27 Jan 2011 Source: Transient Justice

The statement Dzi wo fie asem has recently become a controversy with the

Neo-Colonial BBC using it to mock Atta Mills views on Ivory Coast. In my view,


the statement does literally means mind your own business and, this falls in


line with Atta Mills statement about protecting the countries territorial


integrity. Inherent in this is looking out for Ghana’s interest! It is in


Ghana’s interest for Ivory coast to be peaceful thus, for the Neo-Colonial BBC


to attempt to present it as meaning that Ghana would turn it’s back as Ivory


Coast burns is simply disgraceful. If anything is certain is the fact that “Dzi


wo fie Asem” and protecting our territorial integrity cannot happen if full


scale war breaks out in the Ivory Coast.











The war in essence would have to be sanctioned by the UN and paid for by the


UN, French and other world “powers”. In fact, it seems ECOWAS countries who seek


to use troops to oust Gbagbo are going around the globe seeking support from the


UN and other world powers to do the job.











Source: http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/rwb.nsf/db900sid/MCOI-8DFEBX?OpenDocument








This is pretty funny considering the fact that many of these countries have

never had a single clean election and, some have leaders who have been in power


longer than Gbagbo yet; they consider it a duty to do re-install democracy in


Ivory Coast! Specifically, they consider it their duty to wage a war on a


sovereign state to “bring democracy back”. Thus, this comical game being played


by Neo-Colonial forces using these Jokers to try to promote a war is quite funny


and, looking at how this is playing out it is self evident that outside forces


may be calling the shots or, many of these leaders are hoping to gain fame at


the expense of Ivory Coast.








It will be interesting to see, how the people who were quick to Proclaim


Ouatarra the winner and rubbish Ivory Coasts constitution as worthless will


react. The Ivorian Constitution says the Constitutional Council has the final


say and, The Council is saying Gbagbo won thus, what is the real issue? Did he


throw out legitimate votes? Where is the evidence that those votes were


legitimate? Is it legal to overlook Ivory Coasts Constitution and pick a winner


for the country? Constitutionally Gbagbo is the president but, the international


community has recognized Ouatarra.











In the year 2000 the supreme court of the United States awarded the US


presidency to George Bush, Gore got more popular votes than Bush and, there was

controversy in the state of Florida were Bush’s brother was governor. The


Supreme Court being the most superior body declared Bush the winner and, he


became the president.








Thus, what is the real problem here? Even if Gbagbo rigged the election he did


it intelligently and through the law of his state thus, he has legitimate claims


in saying he should be named president. The US Supreme court like the Ivorian


Constitutional Council is an institution that is affected by political bias


thus, the cries that Ivory Coast has a problem with its instructions is a


Neo-colonial mechanisms. Namely, it is the same rules being applied differently


to different Countries!








Ghana’s interest is in solving the issue peacefully and, not starting a war


which can escalate into a bigger war. If a war happens in Ivory Coast our


territorial integrity would cease to exist because, we would want to protect


people fleeing death as we have done for decades by hosting them. Wanting to


protect territorial integrity does not mean we don’t want foreigners in our


country, what it means is we want to know who is in our country. This along with


"Dzi wo fie asem" is not the biggest issue , the biggest issue is the fact that


the Military option is a bad idea.









The Military option is thus a bad idea because, the likelihood of it failing is


certain. That is, the Military of Ivory Coast is supporting Gbagbo as we speak


thus, will they be removed also? How can one install a president who the


Military does not recognize? Is Ouatarra going to rule over a country without a


Military? What is he going to do to those who supported Gbagbo? Is Ouatarra


simply going to use the Rebels in the Northern part of the country as the new


Military? How will the others in the country feel about this?











The Military Option will not work and, Gbagbo is the ONLY source to peace. If


Gbagbo does not recognize Ouattarra then, Ouatarra can never be president.





These are the real issues that should be discussed instead of the nonsensical


neo-colonial BBC getting into semantic debates with Foreign minister Mumuni


about what Dzi wo fie Asem means. These are the points we expect Mumuni to be


saying rather than this cat and mouse game and, maybe Atta-Mills needs to speak


out on his own behalf and, ask these questions in public. ECOWAS may not like


it but, these are the real issues that must be discussed and these seem to be


some of his concerns.









In the Ivorian case, Dzi wo fie asem is very relevant because, the only way to


solve the problem is through peaceful means and, not through invading Ivory


Coast. If one invades Ivory Coast we are entering their house with Guns and


Tanks. Even if they are our brothers no country has the right to do that to


another state while knowing the full consequences; this especially true because,


failure in the mission is basically a certainty. Gbagbo and his military are he


only source of peace. If he is removed and the Military don’t support his


removal the country will break out into a war. This is not debatable but, a


fact because, THE MILITARY SUPPORTS HIM! The Military supports him because;


the Constitutional Council said he is the winner so, they are defending their


constituion. If ECOWAS is a means for countries to invade others and install


leaders outside of a countries constitution then, it is a Neo-Colonial


organization and Ghana must re-evaluate our relationship with it or at least


clarify that it cannot interfere in our affairs and be above our laws.








Penname: Transient Justice

Columnist: Transient Justice