Muncie Times, Muncie, Delaware County, 18 August 2005 — Page 44

Page 44 • The Muncie Times • August 18, 2005

AFRICAN BRIEFS

Africans insist on UN Security Council vetoes powers seats By Thalif Deen

UNITED

(IPS/GIN)—The 53-m African Union (AU largest single regional at the United Nati exercising its, pphtf by refusing to'

its demand nent seats

Security

hard-to-g

With 1

reinforcel mit met nations in ital of | week, p

mined Group

Japan, IS new perm; the veto powe All four coi sponsors of a res3 the expansion of t member Security CouncITT dropped their demand for vetoes hoping this would help them overcome strong opposition from some or most of the five veto-wield-ing permanent members (P5): the United States, France, Britain, China and

Russia.

The P-5 have been accused of wanting to hold onto their veto powers, while denying the same powers to newcomers. But with the AU sticking to its guns, the proposal to add new veto-less permanent members to the Security Council has come to a virtual dead end—once

again.

A draft resolution introduced by the AU says the new permanent members should be accorded ’’the same prerogatives and privileges as those of the current permanent members, including the right to veto.” The resolution followed a decision taken at the first AU summit meeting of heads of state in Libya in early July. ’The AU should continue to demand veto power,” says Bill Fletcher Jr, president of

the Washington-based TransAfrica Forum, a nongovernmental organization (NGO) that is also a centre for activism focusing on conditions in the African

jivorld. ,

NATIONS# 8 ™

existing vetoes or create new permanent seats with veto powers. ”It is utopian to think we can do it. Many member ites would want to do that, ^t it is not possible. And iy are not willing to create Hyiitional vetoes (either),” added.

Zimbabwe, Congo and Mali, rejected the proposal for a compromise, stressing that the AU should demand two permanent seats for Africa

but with veto powers. Currently, the 15-member

Security Council has five permanent members and 10 elected members rotating on

basis. The nded to 26 (is by the

!gjps remain

l the issue

jlening to

jess to a

economic security programs designed to stop violence

and help victims.

Congress reauthorized the VAWA in 2000, adding services for rural, older and immigrant women, as well as those with disabilities. According to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), the key immigration provisions in the reauthorization bill would stop the deportation of immigrant victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking; extend immigration relief to victims of family violence; guarantee economic security for immigrant victims and their children; and provide an economic

U:'safety net for trafficking vic-

jns.

a letter to the Senate iary Commi&ee. the A "has ved the

must not only

ion be linked 16

Bill Pace, general secretary of the World Federalist

equitable representation but Movement, says that the also to formal power,” expansion of the Security Kwame Akonor, director of ? Council is an important goal the African Development ”to revitalize the council's

Institute, told IPS. “The fact is that the veto power (of the Security Council) still is a key instrument of international politics. The African Union should, therefore, not compromise on its demands for immediate veto rights for any new permanent council members.”! Akonor also pointed out that it is quite clear that the AU has neither P-5 support nor the two-thirds majority needed to sustain its position but sacrificing this principle (in any reform discussions) is a declaration by Africa of its willingness to remain a silent non-actor in world

politics.

’’The point cannot be overemphasized, especially if we bear in mind the fact that over half of the Security Council's current agenda deals with Africa.”. At a press briefing last month, U.N. SecretaryGeneral Kofi Annan described as ’’utopian” attempts to either abolish the

representativity and legiti-

macy.”

”My organization, however, fiercely opposes adding more vetoes or more permanent members to the council. Permanent membership has resulted in dysfunction and ineptitude. As the world becomes more democratic, this imperial anachronism must be discarded,” he

added.

According to an African diplomat, the Addis Ababa summit rejected a proposal by Nigeria, the current AU chair. ”on the need to show more flexibility towards forging a unified African stance on the expansion of Security Council member-

ship.”

He said the proposal had called for abandoning the veto right in Attica's bid to get two permanent seats on the Security Councir According to one published report, the majority of AU member states, including Egypt, Algeria, Libya, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania,

urces to ensure that law

;sions of two of the

U.S. landmark civil liberties laws are not allowed to expire because of congressional failure to renew them. The laws are the Violence Against Women Act

sponse to

ice against women and has provided critical services necessary to support women and children in their struggleTo overcome abusive situations." uth Anne Robbins, an

(VAWA). originally passed associate law professor at in 1994. and the Voting the Rutgers University

Rights Act of 1965.

"For 10 years, VAWA has provided needed support to women, children and men

Domestic Violence Clinic, told IPS that domestic violence is the most prevalent crime in the United States —

facing violence." says the by a large margin. National Task Force to End "Without VAWA literally Sexual and Domestic tens or hundreds of thouViolence Against Women, a | sands of domestic violence coalition of more than 2,000 Ivictims would go without organizations dedicated to critical and life-saving serending violence against vices," she said.

women.

Reauthorization

.

legislation, already intro|uced by a bipartisan group of sponsors in both houses of Congress, would enhance the civil and criminal justice response, improve services and outreach to victims, and provide resources fof sexual assault victims through rape crisis centers and state coalitions. It would also help children and youth who experience or witness violence, address the needs of victims from communities of color, aid immigrant and tribal victims, and support prevention, health, housing and

The clinic began in 1995

and is sustained primarily

through VAWA grants. Volunteer law students

provide legal information to 700-1,000 domestic vio-

lence

victims each year. Its home county — which includes Camden, one of the most poverty-stricken cities in the U.S. — has the highest rate of domestic violence in all of New Jersey. "The stereotypical image of the 'damsel in distress' domestic violence victim, false though it is, tends to make some politicians think continued on page 45