Regionalism: A device for the weakest link

12 Nov, 2007

“When evil men plot, good men must plan. When evil men burn and bomb, good men must build and bind. When evil men shout ugly words of hatred, good men must commit themselves to the glories of love.”


Martin Luther King, Jr. quotes


I have been watching in depth the comments of public on different websites and pal talk. I heard people expressing their hatred attitudes (regionalism and ethnical) amongst each other. From my observation, this issue has reached its peak. The melanoma of regionalism has taken roots in our Eritrean society. I am panicked that this disease has reached into a plague stage, and it bullies the well-being of the intact nation. The Eritrean opposition mass media (especially websites and pal talk) has become a podium to make bizarre regionalism-centered hate messages from public comment writers on blogs and articles. They have become normal channels for propagating regionalism repugnance messages. Even a cursory reading of comments on websites signifies the debilitating infirmity of regionalism. Frequently, regionalist hate mongers inter-post their wicked messages within public channel of communications. They try to grab any discussion with their ongoing hate and divisive comments. The fingerprints of these hate mongers are everywhere, and, like cancer, they invade the healthy cells of Eritreans. The debilitating disease of prejudice and odium is alive and spreading among our brothers and sisters. Detestation is evident in most of the comments on the aforementioned outlets. Regionalist hate mongers progressively spread aspersions against each other.


It is amazing to read some of the insensitive comments on web from so-called “fellow and devoted citizens”. It is disappointing to observe such extreme and intense phobia among us. Yet, it is almost impossible to find an Eritrean family that is strictly homogeneous. Because of inter-marriage, education, business etc, each Eritrean family comprises members of several ethnic and regional groups. You will find members of different ethnicity and regions in most family. These relationships are critical components of Eritrea’s civil society.


We Eritreans need to work toward bridging differences among us. We need to enjoy the company of other Eritreans, regardless of their ethnic, regional or social status. We must be aware of the richness of the varied cultures within our country. We all need each other. My life has been enriched precisely due to these priceless varied experiences. For me, the basic criteria for friendship are the qualities of trustworthiness, candor, sprite, respect, and modesty. These are universal values. Ethnical attachments, social status, physical description, education etc are non-factors if you cannot treat others with respect, fairness, and humility.

To give you an illustration based on my personal experience, I went to school with people from different regional and religious groups. Through the opportunity of closeness, we visited the hometowns and families of each other. My personal experience confirms my principle that we are indeed each other custodians.

It is too much damaging to view barefaced display of hatred-centered comments. I am most disappointed when such hate message comes from (citizens?) who are in their comfort zone. I feel that provocative, antagonistic and willful display of regionalism has no place in contemporary Eritrea. Our innate qualities are rooted in our common humanity, not our regionalist affiliations. Regardless of our political standings, we can still show sincerity and caution with each other. Regionalist hatred breeds more hatred and all of us must work hard at achieving a just and fair and tolerant society. All the problems of one group are the problems of every Eritrean group, indeed family. Is there any one region of Eritrea that is devoid of corruption, crime etc.? These are problems of under-development, injustice and poverty. We cannot deal with these problems unless we work together. We must not intensify the fault-lines of hatred-centered divisions.


We need to achieve beyond our immediate environment since the world has become a market place. We must reach out to all Eritreans from all ethnicity and regions. We must learn from each other. The web and media outlets are means for cultivating a united and tolerant world community let alone “Eritreanism”. However, the anonymity it fosters nowadays has become a front for expressing evil and dangerous comments about regionalism and hatred issue. Otherness pre-supposes division. In Eritrea, however, we appreciate differences since these elements boost our national entity.

Eritrea is perhaps unique among African countries in being able to minimize the impact of regionalism divisions. There are lessons for us, judging by the experience of next-door Somalia or perhaps the horrific history of Rwanda. You cannot scapegoat one group for the problems of a society. Societies that selectively blame some groups for the ills of society are bound to self-destruct. The combat against de facto discrimination should persist. The fight against narrow-mindedness enhances the national entity and prop ups a healthy social/economic atmosphere. The society needs to realize all these things and must do and effective injunctions against blatant practices of hate mongers.


We need each other. Eritrea is in the figurative sense a football team. We would win when we bear each other. We would be defeated if the team were at odds and divided. We must all condemn hatred feeling wherever it surfaces. Words are not mere invisible constructs. Words are living realities that carry arsenal effect. Evil regional thought must remain in long gestation. Eventually, such evil thoughts could be flushed through the human system down the drain. However, when we give birth to evil thoughts, when we give expression to evil thoughts, we would have no control on how far they travel or what chaos they demolish. Evil thoughts have their own drive by proliferating in deadly and atrocious forms. There is no power as to the targets of evil thoughts.


Let us all join in the fight against regionalism. The fight against such hatred must complement, not hamper, the struggle for a just and fair society. We must disdain the predisposition to judge an entire group based on one person. We can struggle together (regardless of our political affiliations) toward a healthier society. Eritrea can and must do better. Eritreans love each other when we love members of other ethnic and regional groups.


Dawit Maekele
EMDHR
E-mail: dawmaek@yahoo.com
Tel: 0124404749
Pretoria
South Africa