From: amsalu@ecs.umass.edu
Newsgroups: soc.culture.african
Subject: Re: Democracy and Africa
Date: 16 Apr 92 18:43:08 GMT
Distribution: na

In article <92101.202249U49146@uicvm.uic.edu>, <U49146@uicvm.uic.edu> writes:
> In article <1992Apr9.224650.29129@thunder.mcrcim.mcgill.edu>,
> chess@Ice.McRCIM.McGill.EDU () says:
>>
>>One of my Canadian friends in the office asked me about the lack of democracy
>>in most african countries.
>>
>>After thinking for a while, the only logical explanation I could come up
>>was the fact that the borders of african nations were drawn up in europe
>>without much local consultations. Hence different groups of people(tribes)
>>ended up being called citizens (?) of a country, which was formed overnight.
>>The boundaries of these countries were drawn up purely on economic advantages.
>>This process also occured in South America and South Asia.
The fact that African nations are made of arbitrary collection of tribes should
not be considered the root cause for the absence of democracy in Africa.In my
view we should first analyse what we call democracy.If we mean electoral democracy
similar to the US then this is a very young idea & we are not the only ones to
lack it.Except a handful of countries(where the idea was practiced to some extent)
it is in the last ten years it became fashionable.Even the Americans with their
democratic constituition & bill of rights had problems (which are not solved
yet)in implementing it regarding a minority,our Brothers the Afro-Americans.
>>

>>Hence one party states have been very effective in preventing ethnic
>>fighting and disintegration as in Yugoslavia, USSR ,etc .
>>Furthermore politicians who capitalize on racial differences have
>>had no say upto now. I hate to see the day when such politicians begin
>>campaigning on the streets of Africa. This process has already started
>>in South Africa.
As we are discussing about Africa I prefer our examples to be African & I
applaude our sister Sophia for her attempt touse of an African example though e
the facts in her example are incorrect.
>>
> I think you are wrong in this.  One party dictatorial states such as Ethiopi
> a did not prevent ethnic fightings. In fact Mengistu (former president) use
> d a "divide-and-rule" tactic to stay in power by waging propaganda against the
> Eritreans who were fighting for independence.  That some people bought it is a
> point of contention which has polarized the (mainly) Tigre and Amhara ethnic
> groups). (Eritrea itself is made up of many ethnic groups so I don't know if
> you would make a distinction about this).
I will comment on this just slightly.The fact is there is no polarization betwee
n the Tigre & the Amhara people in Ethiopia.The people of Tigre are living
harmoniously with there Amhara brothers of Gonder& Wello as they have done it
for centuries.During the years of Mengistu these people joined hands in the 
rebellion that led to the ousting of that Tyrant.Even now there is absolutely
no tension between these people reported.The tension is to the South,beetween
(mainly)the fanatic muslims of Arsi &Harar & any body who is not in that group
The Eritreans in Ethiopia were not harrased by their Ethiopian brothers at any
time,actually they are living peacefully to this very moment. Ofcourse they 
have taken their share of the beatings & terror from thein human Mengistu 
government as does other Ethiopians. 

 >>My point here is that even though "one party states" have been ineffective
>>in providing alternate views and competition ,but they have worked well as
>>far as holding a nation together. Remember " One Zambia One Nation", KK has
>>been able to hold Zambia together despite the economic chaos.
>>
What do yo mean by'to keep Zambia together despite economic chaos'?Who is
responsible for the chaos? Are you sure the motto does not go "One Zambia
One Nation One Leader Kunda"? I say this because once in Addis Ababa I heard
him saying "One Leader Mengistu One Nation Ethiopia" to a hall full of 
African leaders who took the choir.we said "Shame on them!!"


> This "holding together" is very superficial and unstable though.
> 
>>I hope legislation is brought up so that political parties can be formed
>>only on economic , social and political lines and parties that adopt any
>>attitude of racial hatred are banned in newly democratized nations in Africa.
>>
> I have to disagree with you on this.  Africa is made up of many many many ethni
> c groups and I just don't see the point in not facing up to this fact and desig
> ning policies that acknowledge this diversity.  What I am advocating is certain
> ly not policies that promote racial hatred but ones that promote racial equalit
> y and harmony.  In some countries like Ethiopia, power has been in the hands of
> only one ethnic group for so long that the new transitional government is imple
> menting representation based on ethnicity.  Now this has not,in some cases been
> the most peaceful one,as there are certain ethnic groups that are fighting with
> in themselves concerning the representation, but I think it is one that will cr
> eate the most stable solution in the long run.
I am sorry to say it again the Ethiopian parallel is not drawn properly.
First let me put my ideas & I will return to this case later.
I do not believe that tokens of ethnic representation can solve the problem.The
representation should be real & just.I do not believe the fact that the leader
of a country being from the same ethnic group as the man on the streets will
change the situation for him.As far as the system is not based on the free vote
of the constituents ethnicity  does not matter.I believe as far as the people 
can control their leadres by their votes We shall group ourselves according to
ideas rather than ethnicity.I believe we shall evaluate a candidate on his 
actions & ideas instead of his ethnicity.I believe our politicians should start
campaigning about how they can do away with the crisis we are in instead of 
trying to take advantage of the ethnic clashes by sawing hatred among the differ
rent ethnic groups of our countries.What is happening is,our politicians are
trying to divert our attention towards ethnic conflict instead of adressing our
 real problems.I see two reasons behind this; 1)the solution to our problems
is a tiresome & hard task for which our politicians seem to lack the dedication
as well as the comptence, besides your performance is evaluated by what you
did here 2)the elite of each ethnicity are afraid of national competition
I believe there is no clash of interest between ethnic groups as far as on man
one vote is conserved.Every thing should be evaluated against our social &
cultural values before we implement it.We should try to develop the democratic
system begining from the grass roots integrated with our culture.Then it will
not be a superficial ,alien thing.Once it takes roots in our culture it will
grow & blossom.If we continue to import 'ready made' system from other parts 
of the world as we are doing now we will end up in mess(as we already have donea0
The result is an infertile monster that will take us  only to our doom.
Now back to the Ethiopian case.Unlike Sophia's insubstantiated claim that power
has been in the hands of one nationality( the Amhara),in the last 300 years
there has been few instances of Amhara rule in that country.Even those instances
the leadres has parents or grandparents from other ethnic groups.I do not believe
the childish implication if the man in power is from one ethnicity then the
whole ethnic group is in power & responseble for his wrongs.In Ethiopia there 
has been kings in each region & this report to the King of Kings.Every time
the position of King of kings is open the local kings(natives of the region)
 fight among each other for the supreme position.The on that can outwit the 
others will be the next King of Kings.Only Haileselasse with his notion of
Europian centralisem abolished the local kings& Rases, that were autonomus
feudal version of a fedral state.I am not saying this is democracy as the
local kings are not controlled by the people.Mengistu was from one of the minority
ity ethnic groups of Ethiopia,Ghimira.Does this result in anything of value
for those people? none. Mengistu took the pain to assign one vicepresident each
from Eritrea,Tigre,Oromo & muslims.Could these cronies of Mengistu be considered
to represent their people?No one even noticed it.The same thing with the new
government.The new government is trying to create a facade of multi-ethnicity,
& I am surprised to see such enlightened people as Sophia  falling for it.   
What happened was in its haste to create an image of diversity & democracy
the TPLF created an organization, from the government officers it captured,
that 'represents' the Oromo,about 40% of the Ethiopian population.Some people
were approached to form organisations to represent their group or to be repres
entatives themselves.The ironic thing is some of these people have never set 
foot to that part of the country for 30 years.The number of seats assigned for
the ethnic groups does not depend on the population but the whim of the 'gover-
nment'If any of the so called representatives opted to say something against
the government they will be dismissed from the council(as was the case with
the leadre of the Omotic group).Is that what we are suggesting for Africa?
Yes there is a lesson to be learned from the Ethiopian case;but it is not a case
to be considered a model.The fight Sophia mentioned is not simply a fighte for
representation,it is a fight against the government's soldiers,against the 
imposed representation & multi-ethnic facade.The people want their own represen-
tatves & are not decieved easily by press releases like us who are abroad.
  
>>Can anybody think of any other LOGICAL reason for this observation (ie
>>lack of democracy in most african countries).
>>
>>
> The following sounds logical to me :).  Africa was practically in stage of dev.
> political scientists call the "primitive society" for the most part (please not
> e that I am for the most part ignoring various civilizations such as the Egypti
> an, Meroitic, Axumite ones that flourished during various times) when the Europ
> ean colonizers and Western influence began to arrive.  Our societies were not
> allowed to develop at their own pace going through the various economic and pol
> itical stages (like various European countries did). (Assuming they needed to d
> evelop at all). The Europeans came and lef
> t and you have all this chaos (the boundaries etc that you mentioned).  Anyhow
> the question regards lack of democracy and not economics.  You have these few
> elite people who seem to be shrewd, take up power and generally it seems power
> does corrupt.  Because of the literacy rate of the people, ethnic differences,
> the lifestyle (mostly peasants who live scattered all around), it becomes reall
> y hard to get rid of such dictators.
> 
> Anyway democracy is a rather new notion (not the Greek/Athenian version please)
> So while we hopefully don't have to wait for it for a long time, I hardly think
> its lack is such a surprising fact.
I can not agree with you better.
My question is shall we import democracy like the Jeans,
cars & every thing as it is or shall we just take the core concept & let it
develop integrated with our culture??
> 
>>Regards
>>
>>K.G.S
>>
> 
> Sigh.  I feel like I'm talking with myself with so many postings.
> 
> Sofia
Lastly I would like to express my admiration to our sister Sophia for her active
& valuable participation in this network.We want our sisters to stand by our side
without them,our efforts are 'trying to clap with one hand only' as they say
it in Amharic(band ej machebcheb).
UNITE THE CHILDREN OF AFRICA! 
Araya.