lundi 11 mars 2013

#Gabon: American diplomacy dragged through the mud by an historian

American diplomacy dragged through the mud by an historian

Translate from French: «La diplomatie américaine traînée dans la boue par un historien», a written text by Marcel Djabioh, March 7, 2013.

From the last of my mother’s uncles, I learned that "it is by gesticulating with too much force that the bird is released from the trap, and it is also by gesticulating too much that the bird’s neck tightens more in the trap".

For a diplomat, Sir Eric D. Benjaminson is actually doing more than it should. And the image of the world's greatest power is found tarnished by an individual with questionable diplomatic skills.

Indeed, Gabon’s distinguished lawyer Paulette Oyane-Ondo, who was, at the invitation of the U.S. State Department, supposed to be going to the United States to receive the distinction of "Female political leader" awarded by that department and stay from March 2 to 22, has just learned that this invitation was canceled by the will of a clumsy and impetuous diplomat who obviously does not hide his relationship with the corrupt regime in power in Gabon. As an excuse, his argument stands flat and empty as an empty sack can do. According to this historian of the University of Oregon, this invitation was «politicized» by the press. But damn! How can he take the Gabonese for less than nothing brandishing an argument as fallacious and contradictory? Is it not to receive the distinction of "Female Political Leader" that Ms. Paulette Oyane Ondo was invited? Who really politicized this issue? The press or the «seaside palace» (Bongo’s presidence palace in Libreville) in which his excellence does not miss an opportunity to make allegiance with whom he teams up well?




From the last of my mother’s uncles, I learned that: "roosters with ringworms on their crests often contaminate healthy roosters with ringworm." And now a diplomat representing one of the most democratic state in the world spits on the values upheld by his Republic. Suffering from ringworm, the man still believes he lives in the era when slave ships poured black slaves on the american coasts where, by auctioning, each slave master chose his negro of service.

People who understood knew it well with the press release of the Embassy of the United States, just a few weeks after his presentation of credentials to Rais, Ali Bongo.

In fact, born March 2, 1960, and holding a degree in history from the University of Oregon, it is in December 2010 that Sir Eric D. Benjaminson, presented his credentials, accrediting him in quality of Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to the Gabonese Republic, replacing Sharon Eunice Reddick, born 21 August 1951 in New York, has a bachelor of arts from New York University, also holding a Masters degree in International Relations from the University of Columbia, former Director of East African Affairs Office at the U.S. State Department, before being promoted as Ambassador of the United States of America in Gabon, where she presented her credentials on 6 November 2007 to late president Omar Bongo Ondimba, and held this position until December 2010.

Once in office, following the swearing in of Mr André Mba Obame, Eric D. Benjaminson who barely followed the presidential elections in Gabon in August 2009, had this statement published on his behalf by the U.S. embassy: "The United States recognizes Ali Bongo Ondimba as President of Gabon. We encourage all (political) parties to respect the law and the Constitution of Gabon (he had not even had time to read it), to exercise restraint and to encourage dialogue"; a statement of two paragraphs, without details and inoportun, already betraying his choice for one side. For him, democracy, human rights and good governance and the welfare Gabonese account for cat pee.

The man who does not like things to be politicized has not bothered to address some of the opposition parties as "Violent Parties", closing his eyes as a crocodile biting its prey, on the violence of regime in power which began at before the «Cité de la démocratie» (Gabon’s Conference center, so-called City of Democracy), against presidential candidates, before continuing with cruelty to Port-Gentil where the dead were counted by dozens and wounded by bullets.

How many died due to the violence of the unarmed opposition, His Excellency has counted since December 2010? What does he think about the victims of violence of the PDG’s (ruling party) system following attacks of red berets (loyal army of the regime) to UNDP office (where opposition leaders where barricaded) and «Cocotiers» square? Does this man read the press that he accuses of having shamelessly politicized the invitation to Paulette Oyane Ondo, to know about the number of Gabonese found dead and decapitated, and for which no investigation has been done since he is in Gabon? Can he objectively and with intellectual honesty say that the 2011 elections of members of the national assembly that took place under his eyes, had been conducted according to the rules of art (democratically)? And His Excellency defends the interests of his former university which will use gabonese taxpayer money, for we don’t know what real utility, through an agreement of fooled, signed on the back of the Gabonese Parliament, sorry, the «pédégiste» parliament.

And violation of academic freedom; and violence suffered by students who have had as only fault that they demand better treatment or studying conditions; His Excellency obviously doesn’t care.



Overall, it is necessary to thank the Ambassador of the greatest world power and one of the largest democracy for allowing us to reveal to the whole world, what the regime in power in Gabon could have hidden, namely, its autocracy and perpetual violation of the human rights. Long live the «Erico-Alian» (Eric and Ali) friendship and long live USA-Gabon relations. Congratulations to Mr «Quality» Ambassador. President Obama can maintain him at this position until the end of his term and recommend him to his successor to the benefit of the influence of the USA foreign policy.

We are far from the time of great diplomats like Henry Kissinger!


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Translation by CLG
@gabonishere


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