A speech and then some..

for critics who contend that Barack Obama is undeserved of the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009, his speech yesterday must have left food for thought..

A speech that was expected to, at best, be one of platitudes, and at worst be filled with soaring oratory steeped in the unrealistic, this speech perhaps like none other in Nobel history, afforded a stark look at peace in our time..

The speech had it all.. from a reminder of the reality that human beings live with conflict, to laying bare the complexities of his world.. our world. Also expressed was an exhortation to the human being to strive for a more peaceful tomorrow..

It was a speech steeped in realism whilst embracing a refreshing idealism...

It was a speech that seemed to get better the more it was listened to.. and perhaps one that history would consider his most significant...

It was a Nobel speech for our time...

When an army turns against its own people..

The shocking story of the rape and humiliation of Guinean women, perpetrated by the country's military last week in the course of suppressing a political demonstration, is put in perspective.

The actions of the military have been viewed at with disgust, even revulsion, in a country which sees rape and degradation of women as alien to its culture..

Which begs the question.. what makes elements of an institution meant to protect ordinary people resort to rape and dehumanising the very people it has sworn to protect?

The answer to that question is perhaps that beyond the loss of a sense of duty to protect, something even more fundamental is lost.. the sense of a common humanity..

A sense of common humanity is something the State, through its commitment to justice, fair play, and the upholding of citizens' rights, would do well to preserve..

'.. In the context of Nigeria'

The latest unrest in the north of the world's most populous black nation [Nigeria] perpetrated by the fundamentalist 'Boko Haram' represents yet another incident that has alerted the world to that which has been painfully obvious for quite some time..

.. That Nigeria suffers from a lack of leadership capable of fostering a sense of unity in its disparate population.

..A sense of unity born out of love, justice, equity and a supreme belief in the State's commitment to protecting the 'mere insignificant' Nigerian on the streets from harm.

Like the politically instigated religious riots and militancy activities before it, the skirmishes with law enforcement officers brought about by the acts of violence perpetrated by the 'Boko Haram' represent a canker worm that is slowly eating away at the very fabric of Nigeria's stability and hence, its promise..

The People Vs. The "Harare Syndrome".

In response to Morgan Tsvangirai's visit to the U.K, an editorial in The Times newspaper of June 23rd 2009 describes the " Harare Syndrome" with a question: "Is morgan Tsvangirai identifying with his persecutors [Mugabe and his cronies] and turning a pragmatic blind eye to their appalling crimes?"

There is some sense in the thinking in this editorial that giving Zimbabwe the much needed aid requested by Mr Tsvangirai may well serve to continue to perpetuate Robert Mugabe in power..

What the editorial perhaps fails to do is highlight in starker terms, the plight of the ordinary man woman and child on the streets.. a plight made particularly worse by crippling sanctions.

Putting the plight of ordinary Zimbabweans side by side with the anxiety over propping up a dictator and his cronies might well help to proffer best and practical solutions to dealing with the regime without alienating Its people.

Morgan Tsvangirai decided on a power sharing agreement with Robert Mugabe, not to validate Mugabe. He did it for the sake of ordinary Zimbabweans..

The more talk is motivated and driven by conviction, the surer the acceptance..

Reports have it that the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has dispatched defense minister Ehud Barak to Washington in the hope of reaching a compromise with the Obama administration regarding continued settlement expansion in the occupied West Bank.

Benjamin Netanyahu was earlier said to have declared the Obama call for total freeze of settlement construction as 'unreasonable'.

At this critical point in the discourse, it is important that the message coming out of Washington remains resolute, unequivocal, unambiguous..

In other words, it is important that Washington's talk continue to be driven by conviction..
..a conviction that a freeze on settlement expansion is in the interest of peace.

As tough as it may be, successfully making painful and difficult compromises serves to foster long term sustained acceptance and followed from that, long term mutual accommodation..

Obama's way.. Israel's way?

President Barack Obama's Middle East envoy George Mitchell has recently reiterated the conviction of the Obama administration that two states living side by side in peace "is the best and only way to resolve the conflict" between Israel and the Palestinians.

This happens even as Obama seeks a rapprochement with Iran, Cuba, Syria and even Venezuela.

The question then.. is Obama's way Israel's way?

It is hoped that for the sake of peace between the Jewish state and the Palestinians, the current government in Israel will commit honestly and steadfastly to the idea of a two state solution.

What is perhaps the most potent way.. the only way.. to ensure this happens is for the Obama administration to continue down its chosen path.. to actively engage with friends as well as critics. To take the hand of the 'enemy' if he will 'unclench his fist'..

That way the prevailing discourse remains about Peace and not conflict.

.. That way the stakeholders in the Middle East conflict Israel included, either sign up to genuine peace or risk isolating themselves and remaining on the fringes..

Unity is strength.

Salam Fayyad has just resigned as Palestinian Authority [in the West Bank] P.M, a move designed to pave the way for unity between Palestinian Factions.

It is not clear as yet how the West, including Israel view this move.. one that is necessary, even vital to achieving a viable two- state solution.

For Abu Mazen Palestinian Authority president, there is perhaps a significant opportunity.. an opportunity to project strong leadership, something which has eluded him for much of his presidency.

Abu Mazen must quickly become a voice for a united Palestine.

Whilst actively seeking the uniting of the different Palestinian factions, he must make clear to the rest of the world that if they truly want to deal with him, they would have no choice but deal with a united Palestine.

The realities of conflict.

As the war in Gaza has shown, conflict brings in its wake the death of innocents.. a fact that the world needs to face up to, if peace is to be achieved.

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Sky news also in Britain, made a decision not to air appeals for aid for Palestinian victims of the Gaza war. Their reason? That it could come across as taking sides in the conflict.

This in itself, is a quite simply flawed argument.

The death and displacing of innocent men, women and children in Gaza is very real. The need for help to rebuild their shattered lives is also very real..

Without getting into the justification or not for the war in Gaza, the death of innocents was an inevitability known to all when the possibility of Israeli strikes was still being muted, prior to the start of the war.

It is perhaps best that the world begin to see a consideration for the plight of innocents as a means to shift focus.

Whether war is justified or not should not be what is important. The focus should be on the utter devastation that arises from a lack of peace.

"What are you gonna do about taking care of the people?"

.. A question posed to the government of Israel by CNN contributor Lt. General Richard Honore rtd. as Israel's bombardment of Gaza and Hamas' firing of rockets into southern Israel enters Its 9th day.

So far, 507 Palestinians have been killed and about 2,200 have been injured. Much of Gaza's infrastructure have been decimated by persistent and ruthless Israeli bombardment. 6 Israelis have so far lost their lives in the last 9 days from Hamas rocket attacks.

Israel insists it is doing what is neccessary to bring peace to Its citizens who are living in constant fear of Hamas rockets. Israel's biggest ally the United States agrees wholeheartedly..

.. But has Israel used its might, as well as its so far unequivocal support from the U.S as leaverage to truly challenge Hamas to reach a peace that is, in the words of U.S secretary of state Condi Rice "durable and sustainable"?

The discourse so far perhaps, has suggested war and not peace.. even if Israel and the U.S say otherwise.

A discourse that has peace as its basis would immediately appreciate the dangers inherent in creating conditions in Gaza that alienates the man, woman and child on the streets to the extent that they become even more hateful of the Jewish state and Its people.. this a situation that can only fuel Hamas anti - Israeli rhetoric and rocket attacks instead of a dialogue for peace..

In the last 9 days Israel has so far not articulated how it intends to accommodate ordinary Palestinians on Gaza's streets as It targets Its Hamas adversary. Instead, the number of dead women and children rises to unacceptable levels..

For Israel again the question, what are you gonna do about taking care of the people?