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What is the international community?

A young, bright, gentleman introduced himself recently and said he worked at the Ghana News Agency.  I asked,  ‘Does the Agency still exist?’ He was surprised.  I told him  time was when the news was determined greatly by what the Ghana News Agency put out.

Its reports informed us about what was happening outside the interest areas of the major players and more importantly, we knew what was happening in neighbouring countries and in Africa.  

The young man said that the Agency was being rejuvenated.  I said it better hurry up otherwise we would follow what the so-called international community believes to our detriment.

The United Nations, especially the Security Council, cannot be relied upon these days to uphold the interests of the major powers.  They have the power to impose their will on countries like Iraq and Libya as in the days of gunboat diplomacy.  But they have introduced value systems which they cannot flout easily.  Democracy, human rights and the like must be upheld and seemingly observed.  Therefore questionable deeds are promoted and executed in the name of these values.

The  television and newspapers of the powerful disseminate the news fully briefly dwelling on items which do not promote their views and interests.  There is extensive reporting and discussion of happenings which advance national,  as well as  group interests and purposes.  It is difficult to accuse many of bias but subtle selection and emphasis which produce intended results.

Smart phones have made it possible for ordinary people to be involved in news gathering and propagation.  But the news they discuss is largely influenced by what they see and hear and these are skewed towards the interests of the major players on the international scene.

An international community has been formed and when it is informed that the Syrian government for example, is killing its own people, it is enraged and naturally supports the demand for the head of that government.  Governments of weaker nations should not play into the hands of the powerful.   Africans in particular should realise that their future depend on hard thinking and hard work and not on subservience to those who dish out largesse.  African unity is still of essence and our news dissemination system should promote it.

Gaddafi did some terrible things but he also developed Libya and brought peace and order to warring factions.  He promoted African unity and his elimination has set the movement back.  Kwame Nkrumah would have sent an envoy with a personal letter to Gaddafi to beware of provoking attack on him in the dubious interest of the people of Libya.

The problems of Africa are not due to dictatorial rule by the Gaddafis and the Kigalis.  As Burundi celebrates remarkable progress after the terrible genocide we are not reminded of what was done to bring the country back on its feet.  Rather we are told of the terrible sufferings and violation of human rights which vitiates any achievement.  Even the current problems in The Congo are attributed to the millions of refugees created by dictatorship.  The murder of Lumumba, the rape of The Congo by Mobutu supported by the international community is being pushed into oblivion.  We then begin to doubt our capacity to govern and develop our countries.

We have to accept prime responsibility for our own sorry social and economic plight.  To change things for the better, we have to understand the ever-shrinking world in which we live.  We are not part of the ‘international community’ which determines the course of events but we are made to support decisions and even act against long-term interests.  

We should accept the essential values of the international community.  We should promote democracy and human rights.  But we should also make our people realise their true responsibility.  Rights go with obligations and we cannot move the nation forward if all we think about is personal rights and promotion of self-satisfaction and self-enrichment.  We should maintain the rule of law with vigour and discipline ourselves for a better future no matter what the ‘international community’ says.

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