When the Frierich-Ebert Stiftung, (FES) organised the Abuja Debates on the security situation in Mali, it was with a view to taking a position on the issue as a non state actor.
This, is apart from the meeting of regional Heads of States of the sub-region which had met in Cote d' Ivoire to brainstorm on how to resolve the Malian crisis.
The Malian crisis had since January 2012 been on the front-burner especially due to its complex dynamics that is impacting negatively on the socio-economic and political life of the people.
As the sub- regional leaders make conscious efforts towards resolving the crisis, there is need for the active involvement of all actors in forging a framework for resolving the crisis.
Although the effect of the Malian Crisis is felt more within the country, its negative destabilising implications transcend the borders of Mali and are felt across the entire West Africa and other surrounding regions.
Analysts have identified governance issues as being at the heart of the Malian crisis which is threatening the entire sub-region.
According to Mr. Jibrin Ibrahim, President, West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF), the crisis is as a result of the crisis of governance, massive corruption, mega looting of public resources.
He said it has resulted into a situation where "people begin to distance themselves from the state and they don't see themselves as people who have any benefit-who owe allegiance to the state. That is the origin of the insurgency we are tackling."
Name it, Benin, Chad, Cote d' Ivoire, Niger, Togo, the story is the same- government unable to carry out the basic functions of state.
The situation according to the WACSOF President if not addressed is threatening to consume other countries in the sub-region.
Coordinator, FES regional office, Mr. Felix Henkel did not agree less when he said the question of legitimacy is at the heart of the conflict.
"The heart of the conflict is the issue is the question of legitimacy. Adding that "we need to think about the long term implications of the conflict in order to create peace and security in the long term."
Ms. Nkoyo Ktoyo concurred: "We don't have good government, the one that is driven by corruption and mismanagement and according to her, the Islamists manage to take advantage."
Mr. Jibrin noted that there are certain parts of Nigeria where our armed forces are not able to control.
He suggested that in order to arrest the situation, there is the need to "develop a counter-insurgency strategy that will ensure that people dissociate themselves from the radical elements.
"And then create a basis for security agencies to effectively handle terrorists without punishing the population. And therefore creating a bond between the population and the government."
Mr. Henkel insisted that the first step in dealing with growing insurgency in the sub-region is to encourage political education of the citizenry as the underlying issues in the various conflict are not really reflected in public discourse."
But Ktoyo believes differently even as she opined that it is all about terrorism, crime, criminality, the growing anti-establishment systems which are actually not legitimate in themselves. They actually take advantage of the fact that we have very weak government, very governments.
One thing is obvious, it would need more than political education to sanitise the sub region which has gradually been turned into a 'safe haven' for extremist groups who get their funding from organised crime.
FrontiersNews
Coordinator, FES regional office, Mr. Felix Henkel did not agree less when he said the question of legitimacy is at the heart of the conflict.
"The heart of the conflict is the issue is the question of legitimacy. Adding that "we need to think about the long term implications of the conflict in order to create peace and security in the long term."
Ms. Nkoyo Ktoyo concurred: "We don't have good government, the one that is driven by corruption and mismanagement and according to her, the Islamists manage to take advantage."
Mr. Jibrin noted that there are certain parts of Nigeria where our armed forces are not able to control.
He suggested that in order to arrest the situation, there is the need to "develop a counter-insurgency strategy that will ensure that people dissociate themselves from the radical elements.
"And then create a basis for security agencies to effectively handle terrorists without punishing the population. And therefore creating a bond between the population and the government."
Mr. Henkel insisted that the first step in dealing with growing insurgency in the sub-region is to encourage political education of the citizenry as the underlying issues in the various conflict are not really reflected in public discourse."
But Ktoyo believes differently even as she opined that it is all about terrorism, crime, criminality, the growing anti-establishment systems which are actually not legitimate in themselves. They actually take advantage of the fact that we have very weak government, very governments.
One thing is obvious, it would need more than political education to sanitise the sub region which has gradually been turned into a 'safe haven' for extremist groups who get their funding from organised crime.
FrontiersNews
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