Dem Rep, Hillary Clinton Praised 'The Next Mubarak,' Gabon's Ali Bongo

Protesters in the Central African nation of Gabon are looking for their own revolution in the wake of the tumult that toppled Egypt President Hosni Mubarak, saying that their president also stole an election and has presided over corruption. Gabon President Ali Bongo Ondimba shares at least one trait with Mubarak: he's friendly with U.S. leaders, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-N.Y.).

In May, months after a disputed election in Gabon and a withering U.S. Senate report, Meeks, who represents the borough of Queens, praised the "smooth and swift transition" from Omar Bongo to his son Ali, and the latter's commitment to "eliminating corruption that has plagued Gabon in the past." Much of that corruption, critics allege, was overseen by Omar, who led the country for 43 years before his son took power.

Meeks' tip of the hat came after Ali Bongo visited the United Nations. While in town, the younger Bongo also met with U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who called him a "valued partner." That was in keeping with longtime U.S. support of the Bongo family, which has controlled the tiny country of about 1.5 million people and its now-declining oil reserves since 1967.

A Meeks spokesperson did not immediately reply to a request for comment on Gabon. The congressman released a statement on Friday congratulating Egyptian protesters.

International relations consultant and Gabon observer Julie Owono said Meeks' position on Ali Bongo was "paradoxical," pointing to a February 2010 report from the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations which highlighted that both Omar and Ali Bongo have amassed "substantial wealth while in office, amid the extreme poverty of its citizens." French press reports claim that Ali Bongo spent 100 million euros on a mansion in Paris.

Meeks said last year that he was "particularly interested" in Gabon's role leading the Bank of Central African States (BEAC). Since then, an embassy cable has been released by WikiLeaks that includes claims from a BEAC source that Gabon had undertaken "brazen" defrauding of the bank. According to a source quoted in the cable, the Bongo government received millions of dollars in that affair.

Students and opposition leaders have taken to the streets in Gabon, drawing comparisons between their struggle and that of protesters in Egypt. Reports indicate that troops have suppressed the Gabon protests with tear gas and arrests. Ali Bongo's government has dissolved the National Union, a leading opposition party.

Comments

[Rose Nmogho]

06:20 AM on 02/17/2011

Gabon is part of countries which is developing the most rapidly ! Thanks to his project, Ali Bongo Ondimba contributes daily to build a new developed country. Throughout its wealthes, Gabon has every assets to become a front-rank country. !!
If you want to discover this country, you can visit the website : http://www.legabon.org/

[Desire du Komo]

06:01 AM on 02/17/2011

Gabonese republic must advance ! Andre Mba Obame has failed its own country in non-respecting legacy !! International community is the witness of gabonese developement !
Mrs H. Clinton has understood why it is important to support ABO's policy !!

[Gabon Super Enervant]

05:39 AM on 02/17/2011

Ali Bongo Ondimba is a democratic president !! Gabon has being to embrace Emergence way ! We are to advance and develop our country !! International community has recognized the legitimacy of our President ! We turn its back on past and we look at the future !! Yes we can !!

[Gabon Super Enervant]

05:16 AM on 02/17/2011

President Ali Bongo Ondimba isn't a muslim leader. he was been elected with a democratic way Gabon is a democratic republic. Compared with Egypt and Tunisia is an aberration !! Andre Mba Obame isn't a real politic actor since ha has refugied inside UN office shame on him !!

[Kamau Njoroge]

01:41 AM on 02/17/2011

I find it interesting how the guy who proclaimed himself president 15 months after the elections locked himself immediatly in UN offices, inviting people to fight on his behalf, and trying to find similarities with other countries. In the other countries, the revolt came from the street, from the people, without no one trying to take its leadership, no one inciting people to fight on their behalf. Now that Gabonese are not following him in the country (the few pics available only show tens, at best hundred of 'supporters' in the street (but, as one post points out, they could just be thugs paid by this guy), they try to bring the fight to the net. But I find the arguments mentioned here quite lacking. From what I saw and read, Gabon is improving tremendously recently, with the minimum salary even multiplied by 3 or so. So may be Gabonese (and they are somehow the only one that counts here) are, if not happy, at least content with the policies of their President and the return to economic growth and have no desire to revolt. Let us be careful then to not project realities from one country to the other just because it's Africa. And let us not either be victims of people who might use our lack of information to manipulate the truth.these people might just be agitators hidden behind their computer, or in a UN compound.

[Roxee]

11:39 PM on 02/16/2011

Wikileaks and other sources have shown us the immorality our representatives display when they support the unsupportable for money or political opportunism. They can say what they like, but they shouldn't be able to support regimes that their citizens find are reprehensible.

[chlai88]

05:44 PM on 02/16/2011

Anyone whom Clinton praised is now on shaky ground. Such is the total failure of American foreign policy. Nobody has faith anymore in the US but the State Dept is still completely clueless to the waves sweeping thru the MidEast & Africa. They failed to realize hidden underneath the waves is a strong loathing of American decades-long meddling in their nations. Further actions that act against the aspirations of their peoples will only result in worse outcomes when the genie is finally let out.

[Dantee]

08:30 AM on 02/16/2011

Just tell me how much of my tax money goes to Gabon anually. When anyone in the US gov says any leader of any country is a 'friend', that means their on the payroll. How much?

[goddessNdiva]

09:48 PM on 02/16/2011

Just tell me how much of Gabonese oil goes to the US. When anyone in the US gov says any leader of any country is a "friend", that means that US and European companies have drilling rights. How much indeed.

[PatrioticGaboma]

07:03 AM on 02/18/2011

That means we do business together, your tax money ask President Obama and folks on Capitol Hill !

[moose and squirrel]

08:00 AM on 02/16/2011

Im the king of bongo, baby...
 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJMLJVha5sw

[piul05]

08:56 AM on 02/16/2011

I LOVE Manu Chao!

[moose and squirrel]

08:58 AM on 02/16/2011

he he me too!

[PatrioticGaboma]

04:04 AM on 02/16/2011

It is one thing to make a justified echo of political news around the world, it is also one thing to make sense while writing about a country with an altered and stereotyped perception­ of factual occurrence­s. Comparing Gabon to Egypt is simply delusional and poorly informed. For your informatio­n President Ali Bongo has been in power for LESS THAN 2 years. 2nd of all, the so called uprising in Gabon is conducted by a tiny minority of people (roughly 200 at each rally). These are for the most Young an-educate­d folks that are exploited by the Politicall­y corrupt opposition leaders ( Whom personal fortunes are estimated at Billions of Dollars) that have been hit by the reforms initiated by the hard working President Ali. Most of the Opposition­s leaders have beneffitte­d from the Corruption that plagued the country while they held important Government Jobs (ministers­, CEO...). After his election President Ali BONGO in his effort to establish a more equal society decided to suspend benefits to All those who earned too much for having held Government pisitions. Today the stirr up is just an undergroun­d effort by those who lost their benefits to RESTORE CORRUPTION AND INEQUALITY IN GABON. The PEOPLE OF GABON WILL NOT BACK THEM. And as a people we SAY NO TO POLITICAL MANIPULAT­ON.
That's the difference between GABON and Egypt.
Any attempt to destabilize the Government of President ALI is DOOMED TO FAIL BECAUSE is not a fight for THE PEOPLE”

[mike72]

06:02 AM on 02/16/2011

If US wants one of its puppet governments to fail so a manageable chaos could be manufactured for the benefits of US Dollar resuming its controlling positition, it will work.

Do you think the Presidents of Sunisia and Egypt DO NOT know what is going on? Do you think they just pack and run with some street protests? Do you think 30 years of total control can suddenly collapse because some street protests?

No, they know who is behind it and they know they can not resist that force. And no that force is not a bunch of wild eyed, democracy-chanting kids on streets.

[goddessNdiva]

06:28 AM on 02/16/2011

Stop the propaganda already.

Bongo son and father were put in power by the French not the Gabonese, which is why your country still has a French army base after your so called "independence".

How shameful that when a fire broke out in one of the business buildings in Libreville, it is only the French army that had the resources to put it out, while your soldiers watched and applauded.

Yes, I lived there and the living situations are pretty sad for MOST Gabonese. Ever been to West Africa? Central Africans, thanks to the numerous dictators supported by the French has the living standards of peasants.

I am Congolese and will take a guess that your new account on HP is paid by your corrupt government.

[Regis B]

01:02 PM on 02/16/2011

fanned;-)

[PatrioticGaboma]

07:08 AM on 02/18/2011

When Hurricane Katrina hit in the South the Government of Gabon donated half a million Us dollar to help. Putting out a fire doesn't determine the well being of a country or its democratic values... look for other Alibis.
President Ali has undertaken major recontruction project that are now underway ! I suggest you travel there and see what being done instead of referring to your stay in Gabon back in the 70s !!!

[TheGaboness]

03:38 AM on 02/16/2011

Ali Bongo is just a Gaboness citizen! Gaboness people don't want him. Like father like son (dictator), where is Gaboness people money? why people still poor? Gabon is not a kingdom... Gaboness revolution is On...

[PatrioticGaboma]

04:01 AM on 02/16/2011

Gaboness revolution is On...First , you sound stupid, second you stupid and third your sound even more stupid

[Weareonenow]

09:15 AM on 02/16/2011

You sound like a Dictator who has contempt for his "subjects'.

[Amr Abouelleil]

10:31 AM on 02/16/2011

Next you will be saying Gabonese people aren't ready for democracy, telling the youth to go home to their parents, and that Ali Bongo has truly, sincerely, heard the voice of the Gabonese people and he truly, sincerely, will enact reforms. All the while, he'll be transferring his money to off-shore accounts.

[PatrioticGaboma]

07:09 AM on 02/18/2011

That's dry and flat , baseless and subjective...simply ignorant !

[Doctoress]

02:08 AM on 02/16/2011

U.S. has always been the supporter of Dictators all around the world for as long as it serves it's own imperialist interests. What is new? This is the major reason whey they oppose and try to undermine the government in Iran. Iran does not submit to U.S.

[Team Brogan]

01:05 AM on 02/16/2011

In the early and mid 90's I was good friends with the French daughter of of one of Bongo's ministers. While she and her mother lived a modest life in Paris, occasional meetings with her father's family were eye-opening to a then 20 year old. Massive 10+ bedroom apartment in the best area of Paris, limo drivers on call 24/7/365, only to be used for the several weekends a year one of the minister's various wives blew into town for a shopping trip. When Bongo was nearly toppled, this minister claimed to be 'broke', stopped paying child support to my friend, and went into hiding and resurfaced even richer a few months later. Some may say corruption is inevitable, but why does the US have to officially condone it by supporting Bongo et fils??

[PatrioticGaboma]

07:10 AM on 02/18/2011

lol, so you're corrupt poor spirit !!!

[mike72]

12:11 AM on 02/16/2011

And with US government and its military bases and carriers firmly in control of the world situation (with a managable chaos), the US Dollar resumes its power.

The partying and celebration of consumerism with printed money continues.

[mike72]

12:08 AM on 02/16/2011

It is getting clearer: US is making a big play in Africa after its failed attempt to destablize Europe and Asia in 2009 and 2010.

Through WikiLeaks (constantly leaking "diplomatic cable just in time for events to happen) and ground efforts instigating the clueless and discontended youth, US government has finally managed to make a corner of the world in chaos.

And through this chaos, US can turn around and reassert its "leadership" for the world, with European and Asian looking desperately for stability and the safety of the trade routes.

Very well planned.