Once upon a time ago, a cruel and barbarous colonial power came to Africa with its friends to rape and pillage and murder and spread disease. The year was 1839 and through the nefarious barrel of cannon, France forced the signature of a treaty with local chiefs that gave it powers over the southern coastal regions of Africa which we presently call Gabon. The arrangement was made upon a gentlemen agreement made by Europeans at the BerlinConference of 1885 which awarded all of the territory discovered by Pierre deBrazza to France. By 1910 this area would become French Equatorial Africa, and would encompass the separate colonies of Gabon, Congo, Chad, and Ubangi-Shari was formed. Fast forward to 2016, and although a semblance of independence has been achieved by Gabon and its fellow French colonized compatriots, nothing has really changed. Like the majority of African countries after colonialism, many in the west seldom hear of, mention or concern themselves about Gabon. In typical fashion, independence from France in this case only meant that the regular abuse and impoverishment of its population and rampant political corruption would happen under the rule of a fellow African instead of a European: an Africa which as in most examples is merely a stooge for the former pre-colonial power.
Thursday, September 22, 2016
Once upon a time ago, a cruel and barbarous colonial power came to Africa with its friends to rape and pillage and murder and spread disease. The year was 1839 and through the nefarious barrel of cannon, France forced the signature of a treaty with local chiefs that gave it powers over the southern coastal regions of Africa which we presently call Gabon. The arrangement was made upon a gentlemen agreement made by Europeans at the BerlinConference of 1885 which awarded all of the territory discovered by Pierre deBrazza to France. By 1910 this area would become French Equatorial Africa, and would encompass the separate colonies of Gabon, Congo, Chad, and Ubangi-Shari was formed. Fast forward to 2016, and although a semblance of independence has been achieved by Gabon and its fellow French colonized compatriots, nothing has really changed. Like the majority of African countries after colonialism, many in the west seldom hear of, mention or concern themselves about Gabon. In typical fashion, independence from France in this case only meant that the regular abuse and impoverishment of its population and rampant political corruption would happen under the rule of a fellow African instead of a European: an Africa which as in most examples is merely a stooge for the former pre-colonial power.
According to the constitution of 1961, Gabon is a
republic in which the president and members of the legislature are directly
elected. Leon M'ba, the first president of the republic, died in office in 1967
and was succeeded by Omar Bongo whom introduced a one-party system in 1968. Not
until popular protests occurred in 1990 was Bongo forced to make revisions to
the constitution to legalize multiple parties and reduce the term of office for
president from 7 to 5 years. Bongo, was the sole candidate in 1973, 1979, and
1986, yet was reelected president amid charges of fraud in multiparty elections
held in 1993. His party won a clear majority in legislative elections held in
December 1996 also but political unrest continued. In 1997 the constitution was
revised again to re-extend the presidential term to 7 years, renewable once,
beginning with the 1998 elections, after Bongo won again.
One could suggest that France is mostly to blame for
this upheaval. Mostly as a function of an antiquated Cold War-era policy known
as "Françafrique," whereby France props up dictators in its former
colonies in exchange for access to natural resources, military bases, and
influence. In the case of Gabon, the country's uranium reserves
have been particularly strategic for France. Gabon, like many other
post-colonial African nations is a sad example of what has occurred throughout
much of Africa, in particular Francophone Africa. Moreover, Gabon also has
large oil reserves, but its people are poor, and the country has one of the
world's highest infant mortality rates.
No matter what occurs, France will always be the main
problem. Although it says politically it has attempted and desires to dismantle
the incessant caricature of Françafrique, it has supported and continues to
maintain a perceived invaluable yet operose relationship with the only family
that has ruled the nation since its quasi-independence from France. The
question is if Bongo is removed from office by whatever means, what would fill
the vacuum? When France has tried to play the “I’m objective card” itself, it
can't. Not to mention that France has to keep on propping up the governments of
Mali and Chad as well because if they don’t, like in every other place, radical
Islamist movements would create terrorist safe havens and likely fill the void
(something the Obama Administration has yet to learn).
But this is what history has shown
us what France does. For example, after
supporting a war in Biafra, overthrowing several presidents, collapsing
Guinea’s economy and bribing leaders to support its interests, France started
to lose the control that it once exercised in Africa. This is probably why
France uses extortion to make many African countries continue to pay colonialtax to France since their independence still today.
So what's next for
Gabon? Civil war is definitely a petrifying prospect. So is a crackdown that
keeps the Bongo’s in power. At some point, France will probably try to broker
an outcome, but the situation may get out of hand. Omar Bongo ruled Gabon, now
the continent’s fourth-largest oil producer, for 41 years until his death in
2009. Add this to what all African leaders as well as the European political
establishment are very much cognizant of (that nations like France need for
their countries' resources); it is very likely that the sleight of hand
European manipulation game of passing the buck, turning away the eyes and
pretending to be objective will only continue.
I wouldn’t be surprised
if Bongo even adopted the same manipulation tactics once used on them by France.
Take the example of Total, the third largest European Oil company based in
France. Total is the oldest foreign petroleum company in Gabon and owns 58.28
percent of Total Gabon, with the Gabonese government holding 25 percent and if
estimates are correct, it produces between 200,00 to output to 500,000 barrels
per day. This is a major card to play to maintain French support regardless of
how oppressive the Bongo regime is toward its citizenry.
France
will not consider past practices, especially in the age of social media.
History has shown that when in trouble previously, France will do anything to
make sure it has access to natural resources in Africa. When Africans under colonial rule were
fighting to liberate themselves from European colonization, France would
frequently use the French Foreign Legion to orchestrate military coups against presidents actually represented and selected by the
people of those countries. In fact two such efforts were successfully
implemented against the First Presidents of theCentral African Republic and the Republic of Upper Volta (Burkina Faso). In total since independence
from France, Coups have occurred more than 15 times in former French colonies.
But propping up Bongo and his
lineage for the purpose of access to natural resources isn’t anything new for
France. The question is how will the everyday
citizens of Gabon end this deadly infection?
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