Think-tank warns of power vacuum

The International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS), in its ‘Strategic Survey 1999/2000’ published on Thursday last, argued that the vicious, intertwined wars that have engulfed the Central African region in recent years showed no signs of subsiding because: “Although most governments would benefit from an end to the fighting ... their control of the situation has eroded. Central power has declined in the different states, and the power of warlords and local barons has grown.” Whatever their original reason for picking up guns, youths in the region now lived by them, the IISS analysis stated. “Government leaders may try to make peace through signing pieces of paper; these vicious warriors have no interest in, nor expect any benefit from, peace. As always, in the ceaseless fighting in Africa, it is unarmed and peaceful civilians who are the victims,” it added.