The Challenge of Democracy in Africa 19.2

Colonial Rule Limits Democracy European colonies in Africa ignored ethnic divisions Borders divided ppl w/ the same backgrounds, while putting together ppl w/ different. ∴ national identity hard to develop when colonies were given independence. Most relied on only 1 or 2 cash crops = weak economies

Short-Lived Democracies Br and Fr left many African colonies w/ fragile democracies Rival ethnic groups fought for power Strong militaries took power and often created military dictatorships (Similar to Latin America)

Nigeria

Civil War in Nigeria Nigeria was controlled by Britain until 1960 when they peacefully won independence Africa’s most populous country + possibly richest Huge ethnic division

A Land of Many Peoples Three major ethnic groups: Hausa-Fulani (mostly Muslim) Yoruba (Christian, Muslin, animist) Farming ppl w/ a tradition of kings Igbo (Christian, Muslin, animist) Farming ppl w/democratic tradition) Once they gained independence Nigeria adopted a federal system Power is shared b/w state + central govt’s Nigerians set up 3 states (1 of each ethnic group)

War With Biafra January 1966: Igbo seized power after an uprising in the North by a non-Yoruba minority group Igbo army officers set up martial law: temporary military rule Hausa-Fulani attacked the Igbo + killed MANY 1967: Igbo survivors fled east + declared eastern Nigeria was its own nation called Biafra Nigerian gov’t declared war on Biafra for seceding to reunite Nigeria 1+ million Igbo were killed/died from starvation

Nigeria’s Nation-Building …”People just went back to living” after the war Igbo were not punished, Nigerian gov’t helped them rebuild their region

Federal Government Restored 1970s: military governed Nigeria Strong central gov’t w/ regional units Worked to build a stronger economy based on oil 1979: Military began to put civilians back in power Nigerians happy to return to democracy but worried about ethnic divisions 1983: Military overthrew the gov’t (charged it w/ corruption) Set up a military dictatorship led by the Hausa-Fulani

A Return to Civilian Rule… Eventually Military promised they would restore democracy Election of 1993 Moshood Abiola won the election Military officers declared the results invalid Placed General Sani Abacha in charge Placed all dissidents (gov’t opponents) in jail + banned political activity 1998 General Abubakar came to power after Abacha died Promised to bring back democracy + kept his word

Civilian Presidents 1999 elections held  Olusegun Obasanjo was elected, reelected in 2003 He was a Yoruba + former military leader ∴ he had the support of the military Sought to end corruption + restore unity in Nigeria Easier said than done Appealed to the world to aid hunger in Nigeria

South Africa

South Africa Under Apartheid South Africa racially divided for centuries White minority controlled the black majority 1910: South African gained self-rule from Britain 1931: South Africa became an independent member of British Commonwealth Had a constitution that gave whites power + denied rights to blacks

Apartheid Segregates Society 1949: National Party came to power in S. A. Promoted Afrikaner (Dutch South African) nationalism Established apartheid: complete separation of races Everything completely segregated Hospitals, neighborhoods, schools, etc

Apartheid The all white gov’t set up reserves called homelands where blacks would live Forbidden to live in white neighborhoods Completely unbalanced Blacks made up 75% of the population but were only allowed to live on 13% of the land

Black South Africans Protest Many instances of protest against the white gov’t over time: 1912: African National Congress was formed ANC organized strikes + boycotts to protest the racism S.A. gov’t banned the ANC + jailed its members Including Nelson Mandela – leader of the ANC

Black South Africans Protest 1976: 600 students dead after protest of the racist school policies in Soweto 1977: Police beat protest leader Stephen Biko to death while in custody Nationwide state of emergency declared in 1986

Struggle for Democracy Late 1980s: S.A. under pressure to change Desmond Tutu – black South African bishop Won Nobel Peace Prize in 1984 for nonviolent methods Called on international community to refuse to do business w/ S.A. until they changed Nations responded w/ trade restrictions + banned S.A. from the Olympic games in 1964

F.W. de Klerk 1989: whites in S.A. elected F.W. de Klerk He sought to end S.A. isolation + transform the country 1990  legalized the ANC + released Nelson Mandela from prison Then, S.A. parliament repealed apartheid laws 1994  first universal elections (everyone could vote)

Majority Rule Election of 1994: De Klerk + Mandela among the candidates ANC won 63% of the vote and Mandela won! ANC also won 252 of the 400 seats in National Assembly

A New Constitution 1996: New democratic constitution was created Gave equal rights to all citizens Bill of Rights modeled off of the U.S. B.O.R. Election of 1999 ANC candidate Thabo Mbeki won  peaceful transition of power

South Africa Today Extremely high crime rates Rape + murder rates among highest in world 40% unemployment for blacks, 60% lived below poverty level Struggling economy Negotiated w/ EU, U.S., Canada, + Japan for free trade agreements AIDS epidemic 19% of the population have HIV