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Perspective Stephen Mpofu
Is Africa fast relapsing into a primitive past riven by tribal conflicts?  An outer-space student of ancient African history might pose this question when suddenly put in direct contact with this planet; and the answer will be yes — plus. For religious fundamentalism has teamed up with fatalistic ethnic or tribal fundamentalism as nemesis of peace which ought to catalyse social and economic emancipation to lift the continent out of its under-developed status.

Today millions of Africans wander daily in countries rendered peaceless deserts by internecine violence as peace can no longer ply its trade without let or hindrance due to tribalism camouflaged as political disaffection and with religious extremism adding to the conflagrations that have left peace smoldering in the Central African Republic, Mali, Nigeria, Egypt, Somalia, to some extent next door in Mozambique, and in Africa’s fledgling state of South Sudan.

Yet when peace finally becomes the evidence of unity, order and contentment Africa can rise to become a post-modern parallel of the rich North but minus hegemonic tendencies of the latter.

For now, and probably in the distant future the value peace remains an ever-receding mirage as the continent grapples with both self-inflicted ethnic divisions and Islamic extremism which are causing disunity, disorder and discontentment with the result that people kill each other in the affected countries, thereby also killing any developmental initiatives by frightening off potential investors with capital as the much-needed golden egg that hatches development in various economic sectors for the benefit of the masses.

Intervention by former colonial powers in Mali and the Central African Republic for instance between Islamists and other religious groups, with Nigeria also remaining a case study of the widening gulf between Christians and Moslems there are rendering the future of Africa’s most populous state very bleak indeed.

Even to nations such as the Democratic Republic of Congo to which the United Nations has attempted to export peace, the people remain divided, displaced, hungry and slaughtering one another in an age where civilisation has long dawned, expelling dark primitive years of the past.

It should be understood of course, that where Western imperialists exported conflict to back up their obscene appetite for Africa’s mineral wealth morally as well as by bankrolling rebels; it might remain near-impossible to end rebellions and strengthen nations to shape their own destiny and unity.

One might also cite worsening conflict in Egypt and elsewhere in North Africa where imperialists sowed seeds of division in the so-called Arab Spring which saw virtually the entire Arab world rich in oil resources blazing, so to speak.

So as we enter 2014 the vexing question that must be asked is: Wither to Africa? The obvious answer to that question is that Africa has to make difficult decisions to restore peace and security, or else political hawks watching conflicts next door or farther afield on the continent might find themselves enticed to rebel against their own governments for selfish political aggrandisement or as Trojan horses for external, hegemonic forces.

One might even risk asking the embarrassing question of whether African leaders regionally or as a body of the African Union have or lack the capacity to resolutely move in early enough to quell any festering rebellion against a government of a member state before peace is drowned under vicious political or ethnic or religious storms.

South Sudan and much earlier than it, Mozambique are cases in point here.  Right now, East African leaders are struggling to bring an end to the conflict in South Sudan, a result of ethnic divisions. Yet had the AU stepped in at the first signs of simmering tensions there would not have been any need for a cease fire which appears difficult to achieve now with so many people already killed and thousands others displaced-the grass that suffers when tribalistic elephants duel.

Mozambique is another test this time around to the Southern African Development Community’s rapid response to tensions in the regional organisation’s member states.

Sadc has warned it would not sit idle by while rebel chief Afonso Dhlakama’s Renamo threatens not just that country’s internal peace and security but also the peace and security of neighbouring states.

The warnings have fallen on deaf ears, however as Renamo has not ceased its dangerous activities, posing a serious threat to Mozambicans themselves and to those around them.

That the Mozambican government persistently said it sought a peaceful solution through dialogue no doubt persuaded Sadc to watch the goings-on in that country before opting for any decisive action to try to guarantee regional peace by eliminating the Renamo menace.

It is all very well for neighbouring countries not to interfere in the internal affairs of a fellow Sadc member state, yet it is difficult to believe, let alone accept that Renamo is causing mayhem internally and threatening the peace in neighbouring countries without the hideous hand of imperialism which is not happy at all  that people it called terrorists yesterday should today continue to remain at the helm of their own governments and protecting the rich natural resources of their country after which imperialists salivate their mouths almost dry.

With a vast Indian Ocean spreading away from the country’s back to the outside world, far, far away, what can stop the same people who once discredited freedom fighters as outlaws in Mozambique and elsewhere in the region from sending arms to Renamo across the ocean and under cover of darkness; otherwise what gives Dhlakama the bravado to continue with his terrorism activities?

Contextually, therefore until Africa acts decisively and timeously in pre-empting conflicts of any nature, for peace to do its own thing with its head raised high, the continent, at least much of it, will remain embroiled in conflicts that are totally dysfunctional so that the people of Africa risk remaining pawns in the continent’s economic re-colonisation by western imperialists.