Since I was in Gabon when it had its first coup in 1964, I want to briefly discuss what happened in 1964, since in late August (2023) another coup in Gabon has taken place. Several issues emerge in most of these coups—reaction to abuse by the former European colonizers, unwillingness of leaders in democratic African countries to accept the loss of their election, the continued presence(including military troops)** of the former colonizer, how much oil, gold, managanese, and other materials the world needs is in a former colony, the growing influence of non-colonizing nations such as Russia, China, the USA and some others, the lack of experience in having legal checks and balances to political and economic power, many have only state-owned media, the recent surge in Islamic insurgencies, political dynasties, and many other factors.
The first coup in Gabon was in February 1964 when Leon Mba was the first president*** On the night of February 17, Mr. Mba was awakened from sleep non-violently and taken by car toward Lambarene. The few troops (mostly French), hearing no gunfire, stayed in their Libreville barracks. France's president, Charles de Gaulle, ordered French forces from Dakar, Senegal and from the closer base in Brazzaville to reinstate Leon Mba. Now the first violence occurred when the French reinstalled Leon Mba as president. Only one French soldier was killed and about 20 Gabonese military also died. The head of the short-lived provisional government, Jean-Hilaire Aubame**** was imprisoned and later freed by President Omar Bongo in 1972.
The first U.S. ambassador to ‘independent’ Gabon, Charles Darlington and his wife Alice,**** wanted the US to intervene on behalf of the new provisional government. They were accused of “localitis”—a widespread ‘malady’ in such situations--what may have been good for the ‘local’ situation in Gabon would not be good for international order. Perhaps U.S. foreign policy leaders remembered that only ten years earlier (1954) when the U.S. sided with France at the battle on Dienbenphu in Vietnam. Vietnamese forces under Ho Chi Minh won but did not prevail until 1973. What is needed is for United Nations deliberations in such situations before any action is taken. UN Peacekeeping troops are not always the best solution.
Some countries in Africa have leaders who will not accept results of a democratic election. Let’s hope that the USA will serve as an example of how democracy should work as November 2024 approaches.
*The Gold Coast became Ghana in 1957.
**France still has about 400 military personnel in Gabon today.
***Gabon became ‘independent’ from France on August 17, 1960. The recent coup was also on August 17, 2023.
‘Aubame’ is the French equivalent of the English ‘Obama’—both names of Bantu origin.
****Charles F. and Alice B. Darlington, African Betrayal (David McKay Company, Inc, New York, 1968). They argue that the USA betrayed a new nation.
For a more detailed account of the present coup in Gabob, see Jeffrey Paller’s mailto:thisweekinafrica@substack.com
Friday, September 1, 2023.