By: Ollus Ndomu
On Wednesday, March 2, 2022, 28 African condemned Russia’s aggression on Ukraine through a vote during the United Nations’ emergency General Assembly session. Following this condemn-Russia vote, debates on whether the decision was right have arisen among some African think-tanks, politicians and historians. Some argue that all African countries should have abstained, in keeping up with the principle of neutrality and non-alignment between the West and the East.
After analyzing the history of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, we hold a completely different view. Our understanding is that the Wednesday vote was not on the question of alignment between the East and West polemicist powers but rather, to determine the morality and legality of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. For argument sake, we should ascertain whether Russia’s military aggression on Ukraine is justified. This forms a basis for understanding the condemn-Russia vote.
According to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the invasion is meant to protect Russian speaking people in Ukraine’s Dombas region whom he claims have been subject to the Ukrainian Government brutality, citing possibilities of a genocide. In addition, Putin is opposed to Ukraine’s desire to join the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), a desire he thinks would greatly undermine his country’s national security as the forces and sophisticated arms of the enemy (the west) would be right at Russia’s doorstep.
Let us say all Putin claims are true; that Ukraine was committing genocide in Donestk and Luhansk, constituent states of Dombas region, and was planning to join NATO and bring its mighty forces in its capital, Kiev, would this justify Russia’s large-scale assault on 44 million Ukrainians? Food for thought.
If indeed Ukraine was committing genocide against its own citizens in disputed states, does that give Putin a Messianic authority to launch offensive against Ukraine in the pretext of peacekeeping? Russia should have asked a neutral body such as the United Nations to undertake to probe Ukraine and if found guilty, then punitive actions should have been taken in accordance with the international law.
Ukraine’s plan to join NATO, a move that would undermine Russia’s national security, does not in any way justify Putin’s preemptive strike. Where does Russia get the power to dictate which club or association another independent country should join? For those saying Russia is doing what the U.S. did to Cuba in 1960s resulting into the Cuban missile crisis, we are opposed to this history.
We remember Cuba joined the East cold war alliance ‘Warsaw Pact’, and despite its proximity to the U.S., no invasion of any sort happened. Problems only began when Russia decided to deploy nuclear ballistic mussels to Cuba causing a blockade and stand off between then US President John F. Kennedy and then Soviet Union President Nikita Khrushchev. Russia’s best response to Ukraine’s plan to join NATO should have been to revive the Warsaw Pact and entice countries like Mexico, Canada and others closer to the U.S to join.
In the abundance of this background, it is just appropriate for principled countries to call for Russia’s withdrawal of its forces from Ukraine. Africa must not be afraid to condemn a wrong regardless of which country is perpetuating it. The Wednesday vote was a question of morality, whether it was reasonable for Russia to continue bombarding innocent civilians. It was not a glorify-U.S. vote as some may think. We should outgrow the colonial mentality of leaving the discussion of global issues to the white world alone.
The same way white nations discuss our affairs and condemn Africa for its wrongs is the same way we should condemn any country when it gets on the wrong side of history. There is no sacred cow. Going forward, Africa should embrace an uprightness that apply both ways i.e. even when America and its allies start to engage in baseless wars as in the case of Iraq, Libya and Afghanistan, our leaders should not hesitate to cast a vote of condemnation. This world needs peace.
