Maravi

Let's negotiate, compromise

Let's negotiate, compromise
By Editor
Monday August 20, 2007 [04:00]

IT is annoying that after more than four years President Levy Mwanawasa is failing to establish reasonable and meaningful consensus over the constitution review process.

We say Levy has failed to bring about consensus over this process because if he had done so, the dissension that is coming from civil society today wouldn't be there. It has not been possible for Levy to build consensus with others because he hasn't been honest.

Working with others demands a very high level of honesty. It is not possible to build consensus with others if all that you are trying to do all the time is manipulate them, trick them or dribble them. If you do that, you may have them on your side for a day or two but soon they will discover that you have not been honest with them, and they will move away. Lasting consensus can only be reached where there is honesty and respect for others. Political partnerships or coalitions can only be built on the basis of trust and respect for each other. Manipulators have never been successful for a long time.

As soon as people realise that they have been manipulated, resentment sets in. Everything is only possible where there is honesty and respect. If you are honest, truly honest, you can't go out trying to manipulate other people; trying to cheat others or crook them into doing what you want to be done. If you are unassuming and have a clear understanding of the worth of people and of yourself, you won't go round trying to manipulate others.

Levy has not been seeking genuine dialogue with other political stakeholders; he has not allowed anything to be negotiated. What he has done is to find ways to impose his will on the nation. There is nothing that he has given - in the spirit of give and take that should characterise any negotiations - in this whole constitution review process. The arrangements we have today are hundred per cent as per Levy's desire. Even the opposition that has opportunistically gone into some deal with Levy are just simply helping him fulfil his desire.

We don't see the stand-off over the constitution review process ending peacefully if Levy does not change his approach. Taking puppet opposition leaders with him in the apartheid Bantustan style or the Smith-Muzorewa approach will not help him.

As we have stated before, there is need for Levy to try and comprehend the true spirit of negotiation and compromise over this constitution review process. It will be impossible for Levy to come up with an acceptable constitution that will be a product of compromise and consensus among all our political forces without engaging into honest negotiations with all stakeholders. But not all will accept to get into negotiations in the manner the opposition political parties have disgraced themselves. Decent people will only accept to participate and enter into negotiations with him on their terms.

And moreover, Levy has so far not given any concessions or compromises over this process. Everything is today being done his way - and only his way. For Levy, negotiations are nothing but a platform for him to impose his will on others or manipulate them to support his line. This has been our experience with him so far on this constitution review process because whatever has been done so far has been to his dictates and nothing else. Levy has not given any concessions that are supposed to be inherent in any negotiations. There has been no spirit of give and take on his part. This in itself demonstrates that Levy has no respect for the views or positions of other stakeholders; he has not accepted the integrity and rights of other stakeholders.

Until Levy is ready to compromise and commit himself to that, there will never be any meaningful negotiations with him. The problem is that Levy thinks he is right and others are wrong, and because he thinks he is right, then he should be allowed to do that which he thinks is right and others who appear to be wrong should shut up. Negotiations are not based on wrong or right but on the rights of the stakeholders. This is because every person has the right to believe they are right and those opposed to them are wrong. But if this position remained permanent there would be no compromise or consensus among people.

This is why negotiated solutions can be found even in conflicts that appear intractable. Negotiations are about bringing to a common solution those who have been divided on any issue. And such divisions are on fundamental issues, on big issues. This is because there is no reason for people to waste time trying to reach consensus on trivial issues; on matters that don't really matter. Insignificant issues, peripheral issues, issues that don't seem to affect anyone don't need any compromise.

Levy has never entered into any serious or meaningful negotiations probably because he knows that he is not prepared to compromise. If one is not prepared to compromise, one cannot enter into negotiations.

But for as long as legitimate bodies of opinion feel that they have been left out, they are being marginalised over the constitution review process, it will be very difficult for Levy to come up with a constitution that will be acceptable to all and put the issue to bed. No sensible citizen will surrender his right to have a say on how the constitution of his or her country should be constructed or re-constructed. What Levy is not realising is that by trying to manipulate his way in this whole process, he is challenging the very humanity of all other fellow citizens.

There is need for Levy to take an approach that is based on the respect of the rights of other citizens and come up with a constitution review process that meets the desires of the great majority of our people and all sections of our nation.

Labels: CONSTITUTIONAL CONFERENCE, EDITORIAL

posted by MrK @ 3:49 AM