25 January 2008: Politics and Ethnicity

The word ''ethnic politics'' is not very popular in Africa. There is fear that appealing to ethnicity is sub-national, narrow and even dangerous. The generally held view is that politicians should aspire to follow a higher interest - the interest of the nation, and loyalty to African objectives of unity.

For some reason we do not see any contradiction in being nationalists and Pan-Africanists at the same time. It would seem that the two are two sides of the same coin. In fact Pan-Africanism implies that one is already a nationalist, but one with an even greater continental agenda.

One could of course argue that in promoting the idea of a Pan-African Government, and more recently that of a Union Government, supporters of these ideas were hoping that Africans would go beyond national confines in their thinking. But it has always seemed that Pan-Africanism was pursued not at the expense of national identity or aspirations, but rather as the natural extension of nationalism.

What changes is when politics enter the realm below the level of the nation state, and when issues revolving around ethnic identity and rights are perceived as contradictory to national identity and the pursuit of the interest of the nation state.

In short what is acceptable at the continental level is not when it comes to the local milieu. The nation state can live with Pan-Africanism, but cannot co-exist with the championing of ethnicity within a country.

This is by no means an issue that is peculiar to Africa. All over the world there are arguments that revolve around ethnic issues, although they may not be described as such. In Australia, the term ''land rights'' is another way of describing the concerns of aboriginal peoples. In the US some decades ago ''states rights'' reflected a desire of southern states to legally oppose the support the Federal Government was beginning to give to promoting the rights of African Americans. In some countries ethnic rights are couched even in environmental terms - all to avoid the stigmatization that one faces when seen as supporting the right of one ethnic group against the other.

In other cases, ethnicity based struggles assume a wider and even ''national'' color. The breakup of Yugoslavia, the conflict in Sri Lanka and other movements of national self determination certainly have an ethnic basis, reflected in some cases through religion and language when the ethnicity factor becomes difficult to clearly identify.

It is obvious that one cannot deny ethnicity. In fact ethnic identity is proving to be a very potent means by which to mobilise people. Ethnic politics strike a chord as they appeal to local sentiments much closer to home, both geographically and even psychologically. True, they do have an ''us against them'' feel, and '' they'' are probably another ethnic group or the national polity as a whole, which gives ethnic politics somewhat of a parochial and narrow focus. But such politics do endure and even thrive particularly where there a pervasive sense of injustice - be it political, social, economic or even based on religion - or the belief that the ethnic group is under-represented in national affairs.

Ethnicity may also cross borders. Basques live in France as well as in Spain. Ossetians are found in Georgia as well as in Russia. The Hungarian minority in Romania and Slovakia has identity links with the Republic of Hungary. One can elevate one group to nation status, and relegate the other to ethnic group status. But however one looks at it, sentiments based on ethnic identity give rise to politics that cannot be swept under the rug. It is when attempts are made, by repression of one form or another, to deny legitimacy to such feelings and movements, that the door is open to a worsening condition that could lead to conflict and, in the final, stage to war.

Probably the only way for states to deal with the growth of ethnic politics is to bite the bullet and engage with it head on. To those who see the world coming together through communication and globalization, ethnic differences and the ensuing politics may appear to be ludicrous and a throwback to the past. This is particularly the case in Europe, when we see the Czechs and Slovaks parting only to come together through the European Union. The same is on the cards for the former Yugoslav Republics. But there must be something to the fact that the divided countries are coming together to be part of a greater whole, and for economic benefit, rather that reconstituting themselves along former lines.

In Africa, too, the difficulties in finding solutions to conflicts in West, Central and in the Horn of Africa are linked to issues regarding identity. One cannot prescribe a solution that would fit all but the way forward cannot be through denying the phenomena of ethnicity and sub-national feelings. Those sorts of solutions will not last as the real issues would remain unaddressed.

Like other peoples, Africans have multiple identities. They need to be understood, tolerated - even appreciated- and given space to co-exist. Obviously, this is easier said than done. But recognition of the issue is the key as it allows Africans to move on and to embrace the sort of unity that recognizes the variety that they represent.