Have your say: No more coups?

Last week, West Africa's regional body, Ecowas, banned military intervention in any of its countries.

Ivory Coast has been devastated by unrest in recent years

Leaders from 11 member states resolved to impose strict sanctions against anybody who seized power by military force.

From the early 1960s, most countries in West Africa have suffered coups and counter coups. However as a wave of democracy swept through much of Africa in the 1990s, military regimes began to crumble, paving the way for democracy and the rule of law.

However, with current events in Ivory Coast and the recent coup in Central African Republic do you think there are ever occasions when military intervention is justified in African politics? Or do you think the military has had its day?

Africa Live on the BBC World Service will be discussing these issues on 4 June at 1630 and 1830 GMT. Include your phone number - which will not be published - if you wish to take part.

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Your comments:

The idea of coups and counter coups will be around for a long time. As long as we have individuals who hold on to power regardless of the cry of the people, the military will be the only apparatus to bring down corrupt administrations.
Alphonso Gbatu, Liberian/USA

What west Africa governments need to do is to ensure that they provide a good government to ensure that everybody lives a better life rather than taking all the money to Switzerland or London, where they believe their future is rather than the countries they rule.
Alhaji Kamara,the Gambia

African heads of state should start shunning and isolating leaders who are not democratically elected and those who misrule their nations. Willie, Kenya

This is a step in the right direction. African heads of state should start shunning and isolating leaders who are not democratically elected and those who misrule their nations.
Willie Chopa,Kenya

I guess no one in their right mind would endorse a military take-over of any sort on the African continent. Democracy in Africa is rigidly tied to liberalism presided over by the international autocracies of IMF, World Bank & WTO. African leaders, therefore, are confronted with two constituencies with opposing demands. African people look up to these leaders to offer a glimmer of hope from disease, poverty, suffering and misery. But the international tyranies will go all out to whip these leaders into line to satisfy the Washington consensus and the Global North in general. The consequencies? The leaders inability to deliver giving "room for improvement" for any one including the military to cash in on the situation. Until Africans work feverishly toward self-empowerment, the situation will always be volatile and precarious.
Kwadwo Poku,USA

The only way out of this downward spiral is to come up with a force like the G8, who will enforce to law and prosecute any gun-totting military general who wants to overthrow a democratic regime. On the other hand, until Africans begin to see each other as brothers & sisters within a country, and not ethnic groups and villages, we will always have that divisive and barbaric nature that make us kill each other over nothing but pure greed.
John Adebayo, Nigeria

There will always be coups in Africa as long as elections are rigged, leaders loot national treasuries, and one tribe lords it over others. Chief Okereke, USA

There will always be coups in Africa as long as elections are rigged, leaders loot national treasuries, and one tribe lords it over others. This has been the case in Africa. The only way the army will stay away from politics in Africa is the implementation of good governance and justice in the respective countries. Good governance is the key to the problems of Africa, socially, economically, and politically. In the midst of peace, prosperity, and good governance, if the army intervenes, it will face the wrath of the people and international community.
Chief Charles O. Okereke, USA

How many of the current leaders of ECOWAS came to power through the barrel of the gun? By imposing sanctions on future coup plotters who succeed, they are protecting their regimes from the same fate they espoused the leaders they dethroned. I say, all current leaders who came to power by force should resign.
Malamin Johnson, Gambia

This is funny like. Military uniform has nothing to do with the problems in west africa, but rather the personalities and their intensions for their imporverished nations. Greed and corruption has been ingrained in the hearts and minds of most of these rulers be they military, civilians 'politricians' and whatever. The idea of strict sanctions against any group who seize power in their country is laughable. The West must desist from supporting military coupist in Africa, directly or indirectly.
Ona Mike, UK