Re: The UN states that Kosovo should split from Serbia

02/04/2007
GRANTS ARCHIVES AGAJA KUYO BARUPE WECHE DONGRUOK MBAKA NONRO JEXJALUO NGECHE LUO GI GWENG' THUM TEDO LUO KITGI GI TIMBEGI SIGENDNI LUO THUOND WECHE ;	Re: The UN states that Kosovo should split from Serbia Something that I thought should enhance our conversations on new states in Africa is this UN declaration that Kosovo should secede from Serbia. Find the report here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6321147.stm A profile of Kosovo can be found here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/3524092.stm No less a world body than the UN supports secesion and independence of Kosovo. Isn't that something? Of course we are not saying that, because Kosovo has been given the greenlight to secede, we too should secede. No! What we are saying is that cases like the coming Kosovo secession show how the Europeans have mastered various, multi-faceted strategies of building states that offer them better opportunities for survival. It shows how flexible the Europeans are with their state formation strategies. When constitutional reforms have reached their limits, and a state can no longer offer viable opportunities for its citizens, the Europeans will try to create new states. They will try new boundaries. They will try seperation. They will move on. They will build new ones from the ground if need be. They will try something new. This is the lesson we should learn from the coming Kosovo separation from Serbia, and other new state formations that have taken place in Europe [plus in Africa] in the last several centuries. Constitutional reforms are not the only means of ensuring good governance in Africa. Indeed, one can say that the reason constitutional reforms have failed to achieve their objectives in Africa is because most African states are "unreformable." "Unreformable" states cannot be reformed. You cannot reform an "unreformable" state. Some African state are just unworkable and unviable. Period! They are "unreformable." You can write a thousand good laws for them, hoping to make them work, but they just won't work. Just look at what Kibaki recently did with IPPG Reform Package of 1997! Or look at what the so-called new wave of African democrats of the 1990's have done to their countries in Africa -- the Yoweris, the Zenawis, the Chilubas! No matter how many thousands of years you spend trying to reform these states, they will just not work. We have seen how constitutional reforms in Africa have failed and failed and failed and failed time and time again and again and again to bring about better, transparent, humane and responsible governments in Africa. That is why we are urging our fellow brothers and sisters in Africa to move on and try something else. Let us try new states. Let us not go back to doing the same thing again and again that have not worked, and will most likely not work. To conclude: if you look at the profile of Kosovo, posted above, you will notice that: i) Population of Kosovo --- 1.8 million ii) Kosovo is landlocked iii) Indigenous Albanians of Kosovo have been discriminated against by the Serbians since the 8th century! In otherwords, since the 8th century, Albanians and Serbians have not achieved unity. Just think about that! I don't want to wait that long for Kenya to be harmonious and united. Meshack Owino. ------------------------ ===================================================== Joluo.com Ka in gi mari moro ma di wandik ka to orni Akelo nyar Kager, jaluo@jaluo.com Daher winjo dwondi in bende, iwinjo?	IDWARO TICH? INJILI GOSPEL GALAMORO : Riwruok mar JOLUO e Piny Ngima, orwaku uduto mondo ubed e kanyakla mar burani. Ornwa nyingi gi nondi kaka obedo. Riwruok e teko joka Nyanam. WENDO MIWA PARO OD PAKRUOK

Re: The UN states that Kosovo should split from Serbia

Something that I thought should enhance our conversations on new states in Africa is this UN declaration that Kosovo should secede from Serbia. Find the report here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/6321147.stm

A profile of Kosovo can be found here:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/country_profiles/3524092.stm

No less a world body than the UN supports secesion and independence of Kosovo. Isn't that something?

Of course we are not saying that, because Kosovo has been given the greenlight to secede, we too should secede. No! What we are saying is that cases like the coming Kosovo secession show how the Europeans have mastered various, multi-faceted strategies of building states that offer them better opportunities for survival.

It shows how flexible the Europeans are with their state formation strategies. When constitutional reforms have reached their limits, and a state can no longer offer viable opportunities for its citizens, the Europeans will try to create new states. They will try new boundaries. They will try seperation. They will move on. They will build new ones from the ground if need be. They will try something new.

This is the lesson we should learn from the coming Kosovo separation from Serbia, and other new state formations that have taken place in Europe [plus in Africa] in the last several centuries. Constitutional reforms are not the only means of ensuring good governance in Africa.

Indeed, one can say that the reason constitutional reforms have failed to achieve their objectives in Africa is because most African states are "unreformable." "Unreformable" states cannot be reformed. You cannot reform an "unreformable" state. Some African state are just unworkable and unviable. Period! They are "unreformable." You can write a thousand good laws for them, hoping to make them work, but they just won't work. Just look at what Kibaki recently did with IPPG Reform Package of 1997!

Or look at what the so-called new wave of African democrats of the 1990's have done to their countries in Africa -- the Yoweris, the Zenawis, the Chilubas!

No matter how many thousands of years you spend trying to reform these states, they will just not work. We have seen how constitutional reforms in Africa have failed and failed and failed and failed time and time again and again and again to bring about better, transparent, humane and responsible governments in Africa.

That is why we are urging our fellow brothers and sisters in Africa to move on and try something else. Let us try new states. Let us not go back to doing the same thing again and again that have not worked, and will most likely not work.

To conclude: if you look at the profile of Kosovo, posted above, you will notice that:

i) Population of Kosovo --- 1.8 million ii) Kosovo is landlocked iii) Indigenous Albanians of Kosovo have been discriminated against by the Serbians since the 8th century!

In otherwords, since the 8th century, Albanians and Serbians have not achieved unity. Just think about that! I don't want to wait that long for Kenya to be harmonious and united.

Meshack Owino.

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