Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso put Africans in danger

The military leaders of the three West African states, Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, have decided to leave the ICC International Criminal Court in Den Haag. They argue the court has been the instrument of Neo-Colonialism and has been biased in favour of the White man while harming African interests. This move comes at a very critical time to set Africa free from old and modern-day colonialism, citing a very dangerous move to sell out the people of these three countries to the Russians and ensuring Africa will, for generations to come, not stand on its true own feet, always aligned with certain outside powers instead to create and rely entirely on African countries itself.

The ICC did not interfere in African matters in the specific way Africans claim. African countries are or were members of the ICC, knowing their rules and mandate. They joined voluntarily (not by force) and submitted themselves to the independent justice system of the ICC, dealing with cases like Sierra Leone and Charles Taylor, or the genocide in Rwanda. It is not these and other arguments from Africa against the ICC, their actions and inactions, their potential biased nature, the potential preferences of whites over blacks, etc., which must concern Africans about the latest decision of these three African men.

This new development faces one decisive lack of credibility. Before separating from old, useless instruments that help little or not at all in the eyes of the decision makers, an alternative must be in place, in preparation, or in a vision with a clear deadline of completion before jumping into a vacuum, leaving justice abandoned. Accessible information on social media or conventional news outlets does not state that these three countries have already set up an African Criminal Court. Undeniably, in Africa, leaders misuse their mandate to mishandle and misuse their people. The genocide in Rwanda, the Civil War in Sudan, flights in Somalia, election results killings, and like on African soil do not go away with the decision made by the three military leaders involved. Humanity has come a long way not only to hold individuals accountable in the court of justice for criminal offences, but also elected political leaders or leaders who have taken over power through coups. It must be hoped and assumed that these leaders are not in denial that such atrocities still happen on the African continent. The public was not served with the new laws, which should from now on apply on African soil and which mechanism is supposed to be used to hold criminal African leaders by the African justice system to account, and when found in violation of the set rules, be imprisoned on African soil. This must be completed BEFORE any announcement to leave a body not seen as fair, right, and just.

Captain Ibrahim Traoré, President of Burkina Faso, has separated his country from the West to find a closer ally in Russia, not aware that Russia has no better ideas than any of Africa's former colonial masters, slavery in a different colour, not more, no less. He has created many jobs for his people and improved the infrastructure of his country immensely, setting up schools, kindergartens, hospitals, and roads paid for by selling the nation's natural resources to the outside world at a much better price, seen as fair and right by him.

Before a new leader in a coup takes over an old, corrupt and inefficient political system to avoid chaos, an artificial power vacuum and an unwanted path to walk on military strength is not the answer but a new constitution draft to benefit the people not the new junta, outline of a vision in written form, a detailed step-by-step plan how to move a nation from Zero to Hero. This alternative must be put before the people to rally them behind the new leader and get their full support to make victory happen for the people and not the leaders as individuals. Nothing can be achieved overnight, but must follow a one action after the other approach to be a lion, not a day-fly with a short life span.

Critical positive observers of the movements of the three leaders in question, their words, their actions, their missing new constitution drafts, their missing master plans made public, etc., shift the narrative from something good, something great would come out of their coups, into a corner of concern. This latest move, before having set up an African ICC, leaving the ICC in Den Haag, can suggest they have a plan when they do something wrong against their people later they do not want to be held accountable for their actions. Having instead set up an African ICC BEFORE would give them the much-needed and required credibility and the reassurance that their actions are in the best interest of their people.

Time will tell, as wise people always win over glamour and glory.