DATE=3/9/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=AFRICA / LOBBYING
NUMBER=5-45607
BYLINE=UDUAK AMIMO
DATELINE=WASHINGTON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: As Africa's prospects for trade and
partnership with the United States improve, many
observers say the countries of Africa could advance
their interests even further if they became more adept
at influencing, or lobbying, U-S policymakers. For
better or worse, the observers say, lobbying is an
integral part of the American political system. Those
interest groups that do it best often get what they
want from the system. Uduak Amimo tells us more.
TEXT: A clear example of powerful lobbying in the
United States is the case of Elian Gonzalez, the Cuban
boy who was the lone survivor of an attempt to flee
Cuba that took place last November. When U-S
immigration authorities ruled that he should be
returned to Cuba, Cuban-American leaders in the United
States said no - and began a campaign to reverse the
ruling. They donated money, wrote letters, gave
interviews and organized protests to let Cuba and the
American government know that they wanted Elian to
remain in the United States, which is where he still
is. /// OPT /// This kind of effort is called
lobbying, also known as advocacy. The Cuban-American
community is one of the strongest lobbying groups in
the United States. They speak with their votes and
their wallets. /// END OPT ///
Imani Countess is the former executive director of the
African Policy Information Center. She says that if
there had been a lobbying group for Africa on Capitol
Hill in 1994, members of Congress and the Clinton
Administration would have paid more attention to
events in Rwanda. Ms. Countess cites a report by the
human rights group Human Rights Watch shows that, at
the time thousands of Rwandans were being killed, U-S
government officials were focussing on other issues.
/// COUNTESS ACT ///
The report reveals that U-S officials were much
more concerned about very narrow economic
interests than they were about saving Rwandan
lives. A U-N secretariat official who in early
1994, perhaps anxious to avoid displeasing the
United States, failed to convey to the Security
Council the gravity of the warnings of crisis
and urgency, thereby limiting access to others
in the Security Council who, if informed, might
have pushed for earlier and more creative
interventions.
/// END ACT ///
Ms. Countess says whatever form the lobbying for
Africa takes -- telephone calls, letters, campaign
contributions, ad campaigns - it is important to make
an effort. She says it takes only 42 letters -- or
ten phone calls -- for American lawmakers to take up
an issue.
Congressional staffer Malik Chaka says people who want
Congress to do something have to be clear about what
they want.
/// CHAKA ACT ///
Never come to Capitol hill without asking
someone to do something. Now not everything you
ask for will you get, but if you don't ask
you'll never get it.
/// END ACT ///
Mr. Chaka is on the staff of Congressman Edward Royce
(R., Calif). He says a person who wants something
from Congress has to understand how the congressional
system works.
/// CHOPRA ACT ///
It could be something like a wife advocating for
her husband who (has) been held by the
Immigration and Naturalization Service, someone
who's a refugee from Sierra Leone; it could be
something country particular (specific), and
some of the most active folks are the ones from
African communities here in the U-S, for
example, the case of Liberians in this country.
They were able to make a case (to Congress) and
make headway on the immigration issue. Their
time was up for staying in this country and they
understood this system well enough so they
didn't have to go back home into an unstable
situation.
/// END CHOPRA ACT///
Mr. Chaka says Africans lobbying the U-S government
can make their case more effectively if they are
joined by someone who works for a non-profit
organization.
/// CHAKA ACT ///
Folks coming from this type of (non-profit)
organization have a built-in advantage; they
understand the system and how the U-S system
operates; they understand the difference between
the executive branch; they understand (the
congressional) committee structure; they know
that sometimes it's important to get a letter
signed by the right congressman than to hold a
hearing; they know the power or the strength of
a resolution. Folks coming from the continent
(Africa) -- most of the people that I see --
don't understand how the system operates.
/// END ACT ///
Part of the problem for Africans is that the U-S
political system is different from their own systems
of government and influence.
Korwa Adar, a Kenyan, teaches political science in
South Africa. He says one difference lies in the age
of the systems. The U-S government is over two
centuries old, compared to modern African governments
that date back to independence about 50 years ago.
Mr. Adar says another difference is that, unlike
government in America, where power is divided, the
African system is focussed more on the individual
leader.
/// ADAR ACT ///
It is based mainly on neo-patrimonial rule,
which constitutes a form of personalized rule
based on personality traits, loyalty, patronage,
or basically what is called strong man
centralization of power within one person, the
president. In the American case, it is more
diversified; in other words, the issue of
separation of power constitutes an important
concept both in theory and in practice.
/// END ADAR///
Mr. Adar also says the American government is more
open and accessible than African governments. He also
says lobbying is difficult in Africa because interest
groups there are not as well established - and in some
cases are openly discouraged.
/// ADAR ACT ///
Now, in the African context, at least in most
African countries, the idea of group formation
becomes a problem because some governments don't
allow group formation. In Kenya, for example,
group association has been a major problem,
because. the government sees the idea of group
formation as a threat to its survival.
/// END ACT///
Mr. Adar says he is not suggesting that Africans
should adopt the American political system. But he
does say that in order to get their message across,
they should learn how the system works. (Signed)
NEB/UA/KL
09-Mar-2000 11:51 AM EDT (09-Mar-2000 1651 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
