THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION (UNO) AND ITS IMPACT ON THE AFRICAN NATIONALISM

 In 1945 the UN was formed immediately after World War II replacing the highly discredited League of Nations that had ignored the rape of Ethiopia by Italy, and watched world war 11 without coming up with lasting solutions.

THE UNITED NATIONS ORGANISATION (UNO) AND ITS IMPACT ON THE AFRICAN NATIONALISM

The UN had a charter which was partly inspired by the Atlantic charter of 1941 which was concluded by the American president Franklin Roosevelt and the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.

The UN was inaugurated at San Francisco (in USA) conference which basically continued with the observations of the principles of the Atlantic charter.

The UN was therefore the revival on the defunct League of Nations in a more serious manner. Its roles can be analyzed as follows:-

  • Among its objectives was the eradication of imperialism article 10 declared that people should enjoy equal rights and be allowed to be self-determined which was in line with the principles of the Atlantic charter which had called for the respect of the right of all people to choose their own form of government. This therefore laid ground in a move to impart pressure to the colonial masters to decolonize as long as they were members of the UN in effect the growth nationalism was innevitable

  • The UN upheld the principle of human rights; it denounced racism, segregation and discrimination among the people based on color, religion, race and other differences. It therefore granted the recognition of all peoples of the world as far as their sovereignty, integrity and independence was concerned. It is against this background that Africans were influenced to fight for their independence.

  • In 1955 there was the adoption of the idea of the Non-Alignment Movement (NAM) at Bandung conference in Indonesia and the Afro-Asian countries adopted the character of the UN in their struggle to consolidate their independence and liberate other. Its inspiration was based on the provision of the UN which among others called for an end to colonialism. The UN then gave a platform to the Afro- Asian solidarity to condemn colonialism.

  • The UN set up a trusteeship council which took responsibility to prepare the mandated territories for independence. People in those territories (Italian and Germany colonise) directly appealed to the trusteeship council to quicken the pace of events leading to their independence. Such included Italian colonies of Eritrea, Somalia and Libya and Germany colonies like, Tanganyika, Togo, Cameroon and South West Africa. Togo and Cameroon got their independence in 1960 and this was because of the positive attitudes of the trusteeship council that other African states intensified their demand for independence.

  • The UN acted as a powerful forum for African nationalists through its organ the General Assembly where Africans were allowed to voice their grievances for example Julius Nyerere deliberated on African independence when he was invited to address the General Assembly in Washington, Nkrumah and Kenyatta where also given similar opportunities and these African Nationalists used this chance to condemn colonialism in Africa – others who addressed the UN meeting included Sam Nujoma of Namibia, Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe Nelson of South Africa. These received sympathetic audience and were given moral, financial and military support in their struggle for liberty.

  • The UN also had a decolonization committee in which countries that had not got independence could put across their voices and since many African countries were still under colonial rule, this committee turned out to be the only path of hope. The UN sent its people to find out the claims of the Africans and to find out if they were mature for independence, For example in 1954, a commission was sent to Tanganyika to find out if Nyerere’s claims to be granted independence were convincing. The Trusteeship council then pressurized Britain to make proper steps to grant independence and Tanganyika was granted independence in 1961.

  • The UN invited many liberation movements and offered moral and financial assistance even leaders of political parties were accorded the same opportunities for example CPP of Nkrumah was given platform and assistance in their independence struggle.

  • Similarly within the UN General Assembly people from independent countries shared voices with those still under colonial rule for example Mahatma Ghandi and Nehru of India, Mao TseTsung of China impressed upon African states their fighting spirit to end European imperialism and influence. This gave the Africans determination to stage independence struggles.

  • The African states formed a group of 77 which united them with the purpose of condemning colonialism and colonial aggression. After its formation it was recognized by UNO. Accordingly with pressure from this group, UN applied sanction against the rebellious state of southern Rhodesia between 1965 and 1980. In spite of its short comings the UN policy of sanctions contributed to the decolonization of Rhodesia the present day Zimbabwe.

  • Similar measures were applied against the apartheid regime of South Africa. In 1970, Ten African States secured the expulsion of South Africa from the UN as a weapon against apartheid. It was partly through such a pressure that the evil policy of apartheid later collapsed in 1994. The UN therefore played a supportive role in the liberation efforts taken by the OAU to burnish colonialism from Africa.

  • The UN has intervened in the African crises. The UN intervened in Congo crisis to restore order and to prevent the disintegration of the DRC. Dag Hammarsk Jold sent a neutral force and in September 1961, the force suppressed the rebellious army of Katanga. Medical and economic assistance were given and UN paid clearly in terms of money and its secretary General Dag Hammarsk Jold who died in a plane crash on his mission to Congo.

  • The UN played a big role in pressurising the colonial master powers to prepare African countries for quick self Governance this was evident when it pressurized Italians to grant independence to her colonies. Italy had to clean her notorious record by initiating a crush programme to train Administrators as well as introducing representative institutions. Accordingly Somalia was granted independence in 1960.

  • Though the UNO encountered stiff resistance from South Africa, she opposed her continued domination of Namibia and constant pressure was applied by the UN until Namibia was granted independence in 1990.

  • In addition UN agencies such as the economic commission for Africa, UNDP, the UN has tried to fight poverty, diseases and ignorance from Africa. Other agencies which have played a significant role in Africa include the World Health Organisation (WHO), FAO, and UNESCO among others. In the recent past the UN has contributed in trying to end wars in Angola, Mozambique, Somalia, Libya and Rwanda. It has helped to rescue the life of refugees in Africa through the UNHCR (United Nations High Commission of Refugees).

  • Through the UN countries like USA and USSR critised the continued existence of colonialism in Africa, these countries went on to provide military, financial and moral assistance that effected the decolonization of Africa. These were not colonial powers so they wanted to deal with independent countries, this move was helped by UNO uncompromising attitude.

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