Annan advocate of peace
THE international community has lost one of its most influential and strong advocates of pacific settlement of conflicts between nations or occurring at regional or national levels. Kofi Atta Annan passed on at the age of 80 years.
He was reported to have died on 18th August 18, 2018. He was born on April 8, 1938. He will be remembered by his contributions to peace-keeping operations and steering the UN during turbulent periods in the history of the world organisation.
Annan was brought up in a royal family of the Fante ethnic group of Ghana. He could be considered as truly a prince by birth even if he had not or it is not known that he had made such a claim of being part of the family of a royal establishment.
Since most African kingdoms were reduced to Sultanates or Chiefs by foreign invaders, for example the slave traders and those who followed them as rulers and then followed by colonial governors, it could be argued that the Fante chiefs were influenced by those waves of intruders.
These historical facts could be used to justify the claim that the names of Annan: Kofi Atta Annan are originally pronounced as Kaffi Attallah Hannan (or Ainnan). If this is confirmed, it would have its implications for Annan that the reader may surmise. Of course, an academic exercise.
Annan had outstanding education. It enabled him to hold high profile positions especially at the UN. He went to the most prestigious universities and colleges, such as, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Macalester College, Kwame Nkrumah University of Sciences and Technology, the University of Geneva, etc.
He became the first African from Sub-Saharan country, Ghana, to be chosen as Secretary-General of the UN. But Annan should be considered as the second African to hold the post of SG of the UN.
The first was Boutross Boutross Ghali of Egypt. Annan assumed the roles of SG of the UN from 1997 to 2006 an epoch of successes and failures in the politics of the UN.
Annan devoted most of his time at the UN in the service of humanity. He advocated pacific means for the resolution of conflicts whether those conflicts were of international or civil magnitudes. His love for humanity and crusades for peace were recognis ed by the world community.
As a result, he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2001 jointly with the UN. He published a book titled as “Intervention: A Life of War and Peace.” This book should be read by all peace-loving
Died on 18th August 18, 2018. He was born on April 8, 1938. He will be remembered by his contributions to peace-keeping operations and steering the UN during turbulent periods in the history of the world organisation. persons. It should also be a good read for the so-called Warlords wherever they may be. We would recommend it for the warring groups in South Sudan. The book is of great utility to those doing studies in peace and conflicts resolution.
In the book of Annan referred to previously, the author preaches the virtues of peace. He decries the evils of war, evidences of his dedication to the causes of peace. When England was subjected to bombardment by the Nazi forces during World War II, the British Prime Minister of the time, Winston Churchill called on the British people and their Allies in the Britannic colonies and told them that “if you want peace, prepare for war.”
Annan’s message has a different tone and emphasis. He would have pronounced “if you want peace, prepare to prevent war by pacific means.” And that is what this article stands for, advocate vigorously and recommend.
We must always resolve disputes or disagreement or misunderstanding by dialogue a standard method of peaceful settlement of any kinds of conflicts, domestic, national or international in nature.
We learn from Annan that we must play our roles effectively in the service of mankind. Our efforts, energy and time must be expended in defence of humanity, justice, order and peace. These are cardinal elements of progress for all nation-states, especially war-torn countries, such as. South Sudan.
We all know that war will bring nothing but tears, deaths, destruction and poverty. War is evil. It has no face. But its effects are pervasive: displacement, dislocation, fugitivity, lamentations due to deaths and devastations. For these reasons and others, Annan tells us to avoid and prevent war.
War is prosecuted by way of the use of offensive instruments, such as, spears, arrows and bows, pangas, knives, sticks as in the olden periods. In the early modern and late modern times the prosecution of warfare involves destructive weapons, such as, guns, tanks, rockets, missiles warheads carried by long-range ballistic missiles.
These missiles may be used to deliver nuclear warheads. Whichever weapons are employed, the resulting deaths and destructions are massive. The Iraqi-Iran wars, the two Gulf Wars and before them the Second World Wars could be cited to show the horrors that had resulted from those wars, especially the cases of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in Japan.
The civil wars in Angola, Ethiopia, Uganda, Central African Republic and Southern Sudan could be mentioned to explain the evils of war, and why we should cooperate together to prevent war as Annan had done. War has no mercy for anyone. It inflicts unhappiness on both sides in the warfare despite pretences.
The costs of the Second World War in terms of deaths were catastrophic and in terms of USA dollars were colossal. It was only the Marshal Plans that had managed to pull Europe from abject poverty. The effects of the various Gulf Wars will continue to cost billions of dollars to be expended in rehabilitation and reconstruction, money that could have been used for developmental purposes. The people of the Gulf region will for many years to come remain affected by those wars.
The adverse effects of civil wars in Angola, Central African Republic, South Sudan, etc will continue to be felt by the people of those countries for many years to come, thereby retarding socio-economic progress and modernisation.
In short, war should never be an option for the resolution of conflicts. A country that is engulfed in civil war will be progressing backward rather than forward. This is exactly the case of South Sudan.
It follows from the immediate preceding discussion that peace is the only way to socio-economic advancement for all nation-states of the world. Peace can be achieved by dialogue - peaceful dialogue at home to resolve misunderstanding among the members of that particular household; dialogue held to settle disagreements between political leaders.
Where such mechanisms cannot work, the parties to conflicts should seek the assistance of a neutral mediator. Mediation is another effective means for the resolution of conflicts. Peace also can be realised through reconciliation and healing the South African styles.
All these processes are cheap and do not cause deaths among the people. They promote development and human flourishing. We would therefore appeal to those fighting elsewhere in Africa to choose peace as the only option of coexistence between their respective peoples.
Historical animosity, intense rivalry for dominance, the claims for leadership especially among the Nilotic people of South Sudan, should not stand in the way of forgiveness and healing. If people cannot forget the injustices of the past, they should forgive one another for those misdeeds and avoid resort to revenge because revenge generates revenge ad infinitum. Such are the lessons we acquire from the works of Annan.
Annan advocated peace for obvious reasons: peace brings happiness to all of us. It enables us to plan for our daily bread and for the future. It enables us to strive for the common good. It fosters solidarity, cohesiveness so that we can, as President Kenneth David Kaunda preaches “TIYENDE PAMOZI.”
When people live in peace it is as if they are in the Kingdom of God or Allah. But when war descends on people, they are reduced to bare skeletons because of constant running, fear, diseases and starvation: all of these evils are purveyors of death and underdevelopment.
As the world celebrates the life of Annan, we wish to add our tributes to a man who had struggled for peace for all women and men of the world. We pray to God to receive Annan into His Kingdom. MHSRIP.
*The author is Associate Professor at the Zambia Open University.