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Although we are the poorest people, our continent is the
richest one. If we had not been rich, they would not have
colonized us. If Europe was rich, why did they colonize us?
We were
richer than them; that's why they colonized us. They were
forced to leave Africa by the liberation revolution, by the
armed struggles; the latest of which were the battles of the
seventies, especially in the Portuguese and the Spanish
colonies and against the racist regimes that had been
prevailing in Africa.
The
unity, we mean now for and which we changed the organization
into Union is to build the instrument that benefits from the
capabilities of the liberated continent to achieve the great
future for the African peoples.
I don't
know how this task was entrusted to me, although I was not
comfortable for you, because I have always been urging my
brothers the African leaders and sometimes provoke them to
move forward and to unite the continent.
I hope
that you understand my stand.
This is
a recognition of me that the countries before me are
independent and sovereign, and these people, who are around
me, are the leaders of these countries and came to power by
elections through the peoples, whose will must be respected.
Some of them came to power through armed struggle against
colonialism and racial segregation.
Therefore, in front of me are independent and sovereign
countries, whose leaders came to power by elections or by
armed struggle. In any case, they deservedly came to this
post. Thus, there is nothing for me to do, but to ask them;
urge them and sometimes to provoke them, because before me
there are people who have sovereignty, sovereign countries
and respectful leaders, who are deservedly assuming the post
in which they are.
For all
of that, I would like to ask from this place where you are
now to accept my plea and motivation, which represent
aspiration of the African peoples, whom I visited and saw
them chanting the African Unity.
African
masses, youth, women, intellectuals, the whole African
peoples are all against anyone who obstruct the unity of
Africa. If they will not regret their fall on the contrary
they will rejoice.
The
masses applaud those who stride for unity, they carry them
on their shoulders.
You saw
the millions who come out when I travel by land in Africa,
chanting for unity.
Millions go out for Qathafi... why? Only because, I call for
unity. If Nkrumah rises from his grave, the masses will
carry him on their shoulders... all of them. I also too…
because he was the historical champion of the African unity.
Had it not for Nkrumah's insistence or even pleading with
his brothers of the OAU would have come into existence in
1963.
Whether
was that Nkrumah... Qathafi or someone else, the reason that
the masses applauded them is because they see in them the
champions of African unity. They know that unity is power,
unity is sovereignty.
My
brothers the presidents have come to me and suggested many
time that since the Union started upon your proposal and
launched form Syrt in Libya on 09.09.99, you must be the
first president of the African Union.
I
strongly refused that although most of the presidents came
to me, where my brother and friend "Mbeki" was the last of
them, when he came to know from me and to whom I said,
prepare yourself, you will be the first president of the
African Union, because I want the last country that took
independence in Africa to be the first country to which the
honour of African Union's presidency is given.
Because
South Africa is the last country that took independence
after a struggle of hundreds of years, in which all of us
took part by money, blood, sweat, work and time, it must be
the first country to preside the African Union in
recognition of the struggle values, the African history and
the African culture. The meaningful thing is that the last
country that took independence is to be the first country
presiding the African Union.
When
journalists asked me in "Durban" after the African Union
launched, they thought I might be the one nominated the
president of the union. I said to them I refuse. I refuse
the presidency even in my country. I am just a revolution
leader.
The
journalists asked me where my position was. I answered, when
there is a car or a vehicle that is in need to be pushed
forward, there should be people behind it to push it forward
on the road and another one inside it should be at the
steering wheel. I am with those who are behind the car
pushing it forward and I don't care who would be the person
at the steering wheel.
I have
been in this position for ten years to push forward the
African wheel and I don't care who would be at the steering
wheel.
Now it
appears that you had me down in the inevitable road. You
entrusted me with this mission. I wondered why you did so
when I was so plausible to you, especially as far as
Africa's unity is concerned.
At this
moment I want to explain why I was not so plausible and I
sometimes got angry with you and you too with me. This is a
confession from me that you are the decision-makers. I
worked to convince you to yield to the call to unity, to set
up a federal government, an executive body, a continental
apparatus that can implement our decisions, push forward
Africa until we become the United States of Africa like the
United States of America.
It was
impossible without your consent. You decided after that.
Hadn't
I considered you the masters of your own the decision
makers, free in your countries that gained their
independence deservedly after bitter struggle, and you
claimed your positions deservedly either through elections
or armed struggle. I would not have pleaded with you,
provoked you, begged you to take a decision because you are
the decision makers who can do so and so. Hadn't I
considered this I might have said do this or this and why
did not do this, come to sign this and that. But we are not
colonies. We are independent states, sovereign States,
things can be done only with free will.
Now, by
the will and understanding, and after a diligent work for
two days of more, during which we sat in small rooms, dining
rooms and tea rooms, in group of two, three and four
persons, and even more and less than that, discussing with
each other until we, especially the rivals, could reach by
our will building the authority of the African Union.
You
agreed, and there was nobody to impose on you establishment
of this authority. This is the way to deal with you. I will
keep on this and urging leaders and independent countries
that with their free will would agree with me about things
that I see they are capable of uniting and building Africa,
given that the president has the competence in the present
constitutive act.
The
thing for which I will be cooperating with my colleagues in
the presidency and the commission, and with Jean Ping, who
is active and intelligent, and on whom we could rely, is
that the amendment on constitutive act of the African Union
did not attain the quorum to be ratified. After reviewing,
it became clear it needs to be reviewed once again to be
submitted to you afterwards. We can, during the session,
agree about the final draft of the amendments.
I found
that there were a lot of modifications, nonsense
modifications that fit to be in the rules not in the
constitution. But they were inserted in the statute though
they were not necessary.
This
could create a problem for governments and parliaments when
they seek to ratify them because of clarity. I have tried to
omit some and leave the substantive ones, those we needed
and agreed upon.
On our
agenda, there is a very important proposal for endorsement.
If we agreed upon it we would have overcome a big hurdle in
the legal and constitutional measures that if we agreed to
an issue that needs ratification from parliaments we have to
wait until the next summit; if there is no objection by two
thirds namely 37 states, there could be objections from one,
five, ten… then there would be no objection to the matter
that we agreed.
If
there were objections that were made before the summit that
followed the one in which we decided on the matter, then the
project has failed because it was declined by parliaments
but if the summit came and there was no objection reaching
the quorum then what we agreed becomes effective as of the
next summit.
Suppose
we decided a thing now in this summit in Addis Ababa in the
month of January, and we wished to ratify it at the
parliaments. You took it and returned it back; each one
revived this thing, about which we agreed, to give it to the
government to submit it to the parliament, and suppose next
July have come and no objection by two-third appeared, this
would be still valid.
You
have the right if you wish to reject. When we say
ratification, ratification does not mean approval for the
thing that we agreed about. No! The matter is not like this,
ratification means you can agree or reject. Ratification,
agree or disagree. It is not necessary to agree about and
decide something and then we say it needs to be ratified by
the parliament. No; the parliaments can reject it and this
matter is legal. We have to pay attention to this point.
When
ratification of things relevant to the common defense treaty
or amendment of the constitutive act that we agreed about
was crippled, no answer came to the commission from the
member states. I extended invitations to the African
parliaments' speakers, where a large number of them came and
told them it is not possible. We have submitted you
protocols for ratification; why you did not ratify? They
answered none they received. What is this! The parliaments
have received nothing. They said the governments did not
submit us anything to ratify or not.
When we
talk with brothers the presidents and the foreign ministers
and I ask them why you didn't summit this thing to the
parliament? They say we have submitted, but the parliaments
did not pay any attention, for example.
In such
case, we become like a ball on the table "Ping Pong" between
the governments and the parliaments and become marking time
and the time passes, the world changes dramatically, whereas
Africa is still waiting for ratifying or not ratifying
necessary constitutional things.
Therefore, the solution is when we decide anything and wish
to ratify it by rejection of acceptance, this thing is
assumed to be valid, according to the next summit, if legal
quorum to reject is not attained.
There
was an Islamic juridical rule I am not sure if there were
similar rules in other religions, which says "silence is a
sign of consent". If you tell someone something then he
became silence that means he consented to what you had said.
This is a rule we apply in marriage in Islam. When there
would be pride whether she consented to someone to be her
husband and she may shy and kept silent, if she remained
silent then she consented. The same is true with there would
be pride groom. This is a juristic rule that "silence means
consent".
If we
decided something and remained silent up to the next summit
that means we are satisfied, because otherwise we objected
to it.
I hope
that the next period will be a time for work and quick
measures as the world changes rapidly, not just time for
talk.
I was
impressed by the way my son Jakaya moderated the conference
all sessions in the previous conference and in this
conference as well. I have repeatedly asked him to continue
to moderate the conference, even today we met and he told me
if you asked me I would refuse.
I was
very much pleased by his moderation and by no means I can
match him in that I am not a man of administration, but
battles, certainly not these files.
You
don't need too much to rely on me to sit with my son
"Jakaya" for long hours to run the sessions. I am thinking
about the union on the other hand. Even at my house or tent,
I think about other things relevant to the union, which
would be implemented by the union's authorities. But, the
representatives would be running the session. Similarly,
today's session can be run by my son "Soussouly" or any
other representative.
However, the kings have a ready speech; we can listen to
them, because they represent the popular base. They held
meetings in West Africa, central Africa, east, and North
Africa and mobilized the traditional public opinion. I see
they can make us hear their voice. If they are ready, it
would be an opportunity for them to make us listen to their
speech.
I would
like to congratulate you, my son Jaya, on the work that you
have achieved and I hope that you would be always with me.
He
agreed. He kept silent; that means he agreed. Silence is a
sign of consent.
Thank
you. And forward.
Addis Ababa, 02.02.2009 (JANA source) |
