FYI, this editorial from the Lusaka daily The Post was seen on AllAfrica.com at http://allafrica.com/stories/200607140609.html . There are some interesting comments on languages and linguistic diversity midway through the article. ... DZO
Zambia: Useless And Dangerous Tribal Associations The Post (Lusaka) http://www.postzambia.com/ EDITORIAL July 14, 2006 Posted to the web July 14, 2006 Lusaka Tribal associations or foundations have no progressive value in today's Zambia. These tribal groupings are absolutely incapable of solving the many problems our country and its people today face. On the contrary, they can actually be a recipe for their aggravation. There is need for our people whatever tribal grouping or region they hail from to be helped and made to understand the social roots of the drama they are going through today and not allow them to be manipulated, cheated and confused by petty-minded politicians and other elements who offer the nation no meaningful cultural or political guidance. As we pointed out yesterday, we should help our people to give up the pernicious habit of identifying only with those who come from the same regions as them, who speak the same language and have the same culture and traditions as themselves. It is the duty of every progressive Zambian, every citizen of goodwill, to bring up the next generation of Zambians free from tribalism, regionalism, free from the archaic attitude of ethnicism. For our nation to live and prosper, the tribal consciousness, attitude or mentality must die and be replaced by the consciousness, attitude or mentality of being Zambian. This is not to say we should discard our history and heritage. Our languages and other traditions must be preserved. But the preservation of all this is not synonymous with the promotion of tribal consciousness. And it should be the duty of our government to fund and promote this heritage. For instance, the financing and organisation of traditional ceremonies should not be left to tribal associations or foundations. The cost of these ceremonies should be borne by the government; it should be financed from the treasury. This is because these traditional ceremonies do not belong to any tribe or some amorphous cultural associations or foundations but to all the people of this country. And it must be preserved by the government, not only for those who belong to that tribe but for all the people of this country and indeed for all humanity. Like our languages, no one owns these traditions, they belong to all our people. The Bemba, Ngoni, Chewa, Tumbuka, Nsenga, Tonga, Luvale, Lunda, Lozi languages and so on and so forth do not belong to the tribes carrying these names but to all who use them. The Nyanja language is today used widely across the width and breadth of our country. This language in no way belongs to the people of Eastern Province, but to all who use it. So does the Bemba language which is used extensively in our urban areas and other settlements; it does not belong to a few thousands of Zambians who belong to the Bemba tribe. We need to detribalise our thinking and approach to politics and life in general. And looking at things this way, we don't see where our tribal or regional associations, in their current form and character, fit in. They have no place in today's Zambia and we don't think they will have a place in the Zambia of tomorrow. Last year in August, we criticised the nature and character of the Kola Foundation. We denounced it as a useless and reactionary tribal or regional association or foundation championing the narrow interests of some petty-minded characters. And we pointed out that associations or foundations like Kola will not help this country achieve meaningful and beneficial unity. We also agreed with observations President Levy Mwanawasa had made to the effect that such groupings were divisive. We called on all progressive Zambians to denounce these reactionary associations and foundations regardless of which tribal groupings they claimed to represent. We said the bottom line was that they are reactionary and they will not be a vehicle for either the cultural and political or social and economic development of our people. But the sad part is that very few politicians, including some of our most progressive ones who can clearly see the reactionary nature of these associations or foundations, have come up to denounce them. They fear to oppose, denounce or challenge these tribal groupings because they think they risk losing political support among the members of these associations or foundations and consequently lose their political power or influence. But this is what happens when opportunistic considerations take precedence over principled positions. Political survival is much more at the fore today among our politicians than principles. This is why some of our top politicians don't feel ashamed to totally rely on regional support and use it as a springboard in their quest for political power. There is need for the nation and indeed the government to take a deep look into the operations and activities of these tribal regional associations or foundations. We have meditated deeply over the nature and character of these associations and foundations. And we have come to the conclusion that there is no serious cultural or heritage issues they are pursuing. hey are primarily being used, and in a very divisive and reactionary manner, as vehicles for championing the political interests of those involved in them. This will be easily revealed by analysing the activities of the members of these associations or foundations. And a simple stocktaking will also reveal that there is nothing much these associations are doing to advance the cultural heritage that these associations were primarily founded for. They are much more using these associations as platforms for the formation of political alliances in their quest for national political power. As we have already pointed out, the promotion and advancement of the cultural heritage of any tribe in this country should not be left to the members of that tribe. It is a national responsibility that must be undertaken by the government and not some petty foundations or associations. If this is done, it will deprive the opportunists behind these associations or foundations of their chief vehicle in their divisive activities. There is need for the government to come up with legislation that makes it very difficult for the Registrar of Societies to register associations or foundations that undermine national unity. There is need for the nation to wage a relentless political struggle and make all our people understand clearly the harm tribal consciousness, attitudes, biases and indeed chauvinism can do to them and their country. ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> Check out the new improvements in Yahoo! Groups email. http://us.click.yahoo.com/7EuRwD/fOaOAA/yQLSAA/TpIolB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AfricanLanguages/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
