Ethnic problems of the tropical Africa

The recent publications of nharnet com concerning ethnicity indicate that the ELF RC is taking a serious research in studying the ethnic problems in Eritrea. In addition to this we are observing a growing interest among Eritrean writers on this subject in Eritrean Media. All these efforts are very important.

I am convinced that there are ethnic, religious and regional (auragawi) problems in Eritrea which demand our serious attention. But I am concerned also by the growing extreme ideas. The tendency which undermine the problems and the tendency that intend to exaggerate it. I believe that both this tendencies are not helpful to our democratic struggle.

While ethnic communities exist in Eritrea there will also be the interests of each ethnic group alongside the national interests. Ethnic nihilism and ignoring of the needs of the separate peoples when drawing up and implementing economic and social development programs not only do immense harm to the development of interethnic relations but also retard the effort of nation building. In addition to this the exaggeration of the separate interest is also unhelpful and has the same damaging effect. Thus there is a demand for a balanced democratic approach which embraces the unity and diversity of our people.

Today I am just presenting notes form Russian scholar R.N.Ismagilov book, Ethnic problems of the tropical Africa, published 1978.

‘’ There are great differences of opinion among social scientists and African politicians and public figures on how to accelerate the integration of ethnically varied populations and to put an end to the tribal isolation and ethnic discord that are so dangerous to political stability. The issue of ethnic affiliations is sharply debated; there being two diametrically opposite points of view. These were distinctly expressed at the International symposium in Bouake (Ivory Coast) in 1962. The supporters of one view asserted that there should be a decisive abandonment of tribal self-awareness, which they thought would speed up integration of the different ethnic groups and create national unity. In some countries the use of ethnic names and appellations has even been banned and people are supposed to call themselves solely by the name of their country.

Representatives of the other view suggested that the existence of many peoples within one country should not be denied, and that every person belonged to a definite ethnic group. Sekou Toure, the President of Guinea, Dr. Julius Nyerere, the President of Tanzania, President Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, and others held this view in particular.

In his programmatic article setting forth the principles for dealing with the national question in the Republic of Guinea, ‘Ethnic Groups, the Party, and the National Question’, Sekou Toure has emphasized that

The best form of combating ethnic exclusivism should not consist in a pure and simple negating of ethnos that well and truly exist, or in the use of repression of any kind. The best form of struggle against ethnic exclusivism would be to take into consideration the condition of existence and flourishing of each ethnos through the development, consolidation, and even greater prosperity of the whole national community.’’

Let me quote additional note.

‘’ While the slogan of a united nation helped rally the peoples of one country or another against the external enemy, i.e., colonialism and imperialism, during the struggle for political independence, the concept sometimes leads to negative results in the new stage of development, when it is necessary to resolve internal problems, some of them extremely acute. One of these results, at best, is to underestimate, and at worst to ignore the interests of separate peoples, especially national minorities. Such a policy causes great complications and can cause even greater ones.

Any going too fast and proclaiming of the united nation when several ethno-social communities are taking shape, harms both theoretical study of ethnic problems and practical solution of the national question in contemporary African states.’’

Let me add another piece.

“The main thing in the conditions of contemporary Africa, it would seem, should be to consider a complex solution of the ethnic problems, i.e. not merely the juridical equality of peoples but primarily elimination of the imbalance in the development of the different areas and peoples, solution of problems of state structure taking into account the interests of ethnic minorities, and so on, That would make for equally favorable opportunities of economic, social, and cultural development for all the country’s citizens, irrespective of their ethnic affiliation.

Solution of ethnic problems is unrealizable without simultaneous solution of the language problem, which is very acute in almost all African countries, and a radical restructuring of the system of education and of training national cadres corresponding as far as possible to the interests of the small peoples as well as of the big ones.

Consistent application of the principle of actual equality, the granting of various forms of autonomy (taking historical and political development into account) on the maximum democratic bases compatible with a strong central authority would undoubtedly, in our view, encourage a more effective solution of the problem of national minorities. The training of an adequate number of cadres belonging to all the ethnic groups in any one county, without exception, would give the state authorities and ruling parties the chance to carry out the personnel policy adopted in their programs more consistently. One of the ugliest ulcers of the contemporary Africa states machine-its monopolization by individual ethnic groups – would then gradually be healed.’’

And my last note:

“ Democratic measures to deal with ethnic problems presuppose the following: equal rights for all peoples, big and small; the rooting out and suppression of discrimination of every kind or, on the contrary, of any kind of ethnic privilege; a democratic state structure that guarantees the equal development of ethnic minorities; an absence of compulsion in dealing with the language question, respect for the national culture, creeds, and traditions of backward peoples, and help for them in closing the gap in standards of economic and social development, and so on.’’