Peace-building or structural violence? Deconstructing the aftermath of Nigeria/Cameroon boundary demarcation

ABSTRACT

There is a great conviction that the International Court of Justice’s ruling in 2002 on the Bakassi boundary dispute between Nigeria and Cameroon, and Nigeria’s decision to obey the ruling may have stopped a fierce inter-state war over the boundary. Indeed, many then ascribed to the whole boundary demarcation process as peacebuilding, disregarding the structural changes marked by the violence of forced migration. This article explores how the boundary delimitation has produced particular sorts of structural violence characterised by state neglect, loss of livelihoods and destitution. Thus, the article argues that although a full-blown war was avoided, the socio-economic conditions of the Nigerian populations on both sides of the border were not adequately considered and guaranteed as part of the peace-building agenda. It further argues that Nigeria, like many post-colonial states with the concentration of developments in major cities, neglects rural and border communities. Thus, the border communities accommodating the former Bakassi residents have further degenerated into ‘ill-governed’ spaces. This article uses structural violence as a framework to analyse the primary and secondary data to provide some deeper insights into the issues of violence being experienced by the local populations living on both sides of the demarcated border.     

“These aren’t the SLOC’s you’re looking for”: mirror-imaging battles of the Atlantic won’t solve current Atlantic security needs

ABSTRACT

Discussion surrounding the announcement of a new NATO Maritime Command for the North Atlantic seems to have settled on the assumption that there is again a vital “sea-line of communication” (SLOC) between North America and Europe as there was supposed to be during the Cold War. The Soviet Union had a large fleet of nuclear and conventional submarines and it seemed very clear that Soviet admirals intended to fight a third “Battle of the Atlantic” in the event of war to prevent Western resupply of NATO. However, this scenario bore no resemblance to what the Soviet Navy actually intended to do in case of war. Changes in technology, notably in submarine propulsion, antisubmarine warfare (ASW), and ballistic missile range and accuracy were the real drivers of the Cold War in the Atlantic. Cruise missile-armed submarines that can attack shore-based economic infrastructure are the real threat from the Russian submarine force.     

能力型防空群指控系统概念模型及效能评估

为提高能力型防空群整体作战能力,应用系统论方法分析了能力型防空群指控系统的构成要素及运行模式,提出了指控系统信息结构力的概念,建立了能力型防空群指控系统概念模型。在此基础上,提出了能力型防空群指控系统效能评估指标体系,运用网络复杂性理论、图论、集合论及信息论方法建立了能力型防空群指控系统的物理性能及信息结构力计算模型,给出了指控系统效能综合评估函数,可为防空指控系统构建提供参考。     

船舶动力装置监控系统CAN总线的设计

以某船动力装置监控系统CAN总线的应用设计为例 ,提出了先建立系统各部分都必须遵守的约定 ,然后根据CAN2 .0A协议、用户建立的约定和系统配置来进行设计的方法     

线膛火炮烧蚀弹道解法

以烧蚀火炮的阳线磨损曲线和一种挤进压力计算方法为基础 ,建立了考虑弹带挤进过程的内弹道模型。该模型可对不同磨损程度的火炮进行内弹道计算 ,能够较好地反映火炮内弹道性能随内膛磨损程度不同而变化的特征。     

论高校科技期刊的审稿工作

高校科技期刊现行审稿方法主要是单盲审稿和双盲审稿 ,这种封闭式暗箱操作的方法必然受到一些人为因素的干扰 ,影响审稿的客观和公正 ,从而影响期刊的学术质量。对此 ,在审稿中应加大外审稿的比重 ,启用中青年学者审稿 ,公开审稿和网上审稿。     

知识经济与期刊文献资源

开发和利用期刊文献 ,在知识经济时代具有重要的作用。要开发、激活、利用好其中大量、最新科技信息 ,应做到以下几点 :增加文献开发利用意识 ,对文献进行科学收藏 ,建立合理的管理制度 ,加快期刊工作的现代化建设 ,提高读者文检能力 ,培养高素质的文献管理队伍     

从区域特色看兵团经济持续发展战略

世纪之交,在全球社会经济增长模式及产业结构大调整的历史时期,围绕兵团的特殊地位及资源区位优势研究探讨适合兵团特性的持续发展战略,从宏观上探索兵团中长期社会发展规律,为兵团充分发挥自身优势参与国内外经济一体化进程,责无旁贷地肩负起屯垦戍边的历史使命,作一些有益的探索。     

反腐败中“保护主义”现象的原因及其治理

在我国的反腐败斗争中,有一种保护主义现象。它来自社会各个方面,存在于人们的思想感情、政治倾向及权力运作等各个领域,是影响反腐败斗争深入开展的严重障碍。文章从我国当前反腐败斗争的社会现实出发,着重列举了“保护主义”在党员、干部思想行为上的主要表现及其原因,提出了治理办法：要教育广大党员、干部进一步加强建设有中国特色的社会主义理论和社会主义市场经济理论的学习,确立社会主义的改革开放观;要把清除“保护主义”影响的工作纳入源头治理的范畴,实行综合治理;要切实落实党风廉政建设责任制,增强各级领导干部反腐败的责任意识,加大党内和群众监督的力度;要建章立制,加强对党风廉政建设工作的检查和考核。