As I trekked last night from Brooklyn to The Bronx to catch up with my pal, James Lebbie, New York, the city that never sleeps, looked even sleepless. And this the world’s largest city will in fact experience more insomnia this week as the United Nations family gathers. The General Assembly, otherwise known as the World Parliament, will host leaders from around the world. It’s an interesting organ of the world body where countries, regardless of their power, size or influence, have only one vote.
Also at the UN this week there will be a special session of the Security Council, believed to be the most powerful body charged with ensuring world peace and global security but also seen by many to be uneven and unfair where any one of five countries (USA, Britain, France, Russia and China) can veto the decision of the other fourteen members. As an African, you probably know that Salim Ahmed Salim, Tanzanian, would have been the first African UN Secretary General if the United States had not been the only Council member to veto his candidacy, or, for the same reason, Egypt’s Boutrous Boutrous Ghali would have served a second term as UN Secretary General.
There are several highlights expected to form part of the UN family gathering this year. President Barack Obama will add to his many firsts by becoming the first US president to chair a UN Security Council meeting. He will chair the session because, as part of its rotating presidency, the United States will be in charge of the Council this month and will set the agenda. And who better to do that than President Obama. A man who has set out to change the face of the world in view of his recent rapprochement with Russia and even with Iran to which he has stretched a hand.
But this year’s meeting will be another first for the Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi. It’s his first trip to the country as leader of his country. And don’t be surprised if other highlights include demonstrations against him and his Iranian counterpart in this city where their haters are in no short supply. Mahmoud Ahmadinejad because of his country’s nuclear programme, and Muammar Ghaddafi because of his past links, according to western intelligence, with terror organisations immortalised by the Lockerbie bombing of 1988 and the recent apparent hero’s welcome accorded by the Libyan leader to the only convict in that bombing.
Because of this, the visit of the controversial Libyan leader has generated a lot of invectives against the man who also heads the African Union. His first request, to pitch his trademark Bedouin-style tents in Manhattan’s central park, was rebuffed by the New York City authorities. Since his country owns a property in nearby New Jersey he made a bid to erect the tents there which also received vile comments from Americans. That was followed by a comment by State Department spokesman, Ian Kelly that “In keeping with prior arrangements, the Englewood, New Jersey property is not available for any use in connection with the upcoming visit”. A congressman, John Adler even called for the Libyan leader to be “barred from New Jersey” which was home to 38 victims of the Pan American Flight 103 over Lockerbie in 1988.”Let him land at the UN by helicopter, do his business and get out of the country,” Mr Adler said.
It has become increasingly clear that if Americans had their way they would even not allow Ghaddafi in their country. But the US is obliged to allow freedom to leaders visiting or working at the UN to move within a 25-mile radius of its Manhattan headquarters. Englewood in New Jersey is around 12 miles north of Manhattan.
Despite his rock star status in the eyes of the rest of the world, and most Americans I have to say, President Obama will be taking time off his recent busy schedule and tough time chiefly evident by the attacks he has been ceaselessly coming under by rightwing Republicans and the rightwing television channel Fox News which I told you a bit about on Friday. Well if you thought there was going to be a let-off, you should think again.
On Thursday the House Speaker Nancy Pelosi held an emotional press conference at which she held back tears as she appealed to the country’s political party leaders to show leadership and not allow the ongoing rhetoric to bring back events of the 1970s in California which culminated in the assassination in San Francisco of Mayor George Moscone. For anyone who wants peace to reign in this the world’s leading democracy that would have been a fair and legitimate appeal for the country’s third most powerful person to make at the moment when some opponents of the Obama administration are even threatening civil war.
You would think so that is if you don’t work at the rightwing TV channel Fox News. On Friday, they went for Pelosi’s jugular accusing her of stoking up violence by making reference to the violence of the 1970s. In this country of media pluralism, MSNBC, the liberal television network, took a swipe at the Fox tirade. They not only defended Pelosi’s appeal as genuine in view of the current scheme of things, but they hit Fox News hard. In my view, these two news channels, which by the way are not owned by the country’s two main political parties even if they believe what they stand for, should be moderated. Their viewers, even though sophisticated, believe almost hook, line and sinker what they watch on them.
As the UN family meets here this week, African leaders should put a strong case for the continent especially with new warnings that there is no end in sight for the impact of the global recession on developing countries. And these leaders should reflect this in the way they will definitely be watching things being done and address and challenged by the people here. With the right-wingers who used to question US support for the UN no longer in the White House, the time is now. And during the reception by the White House again this week for world leaders, may be, just may be, President Ernest Bai Koroma should try to say something in Michelle Obama’s ears; even if it’s a question as to whether or not her ancestry can be traced back to Salone. That will be a diplomatic coup for my country which needs more heads and hands to strengthen Tony Blair’s muscles in carrying the load called “selling Sierra Leone to the tourist world”. That way, more jobs can come for my unemployed compatriots who have resorted to armed robbery and other vices which ironically will only worsen their situation. I better rush up to process my accreditation to be able to be inside there where it will all happen. See you on Friday.
By Umaru Fofana
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