Ethnic broadcast debate rages on

Patricia Edwin | Friday August 8, 2014 11:15

 

The motion, which was defeated, has triggered national debate within and outside the National Assembly on the issue of national languages and the seemingly unending conflict between self-recognition and nation building.

Interestingly, in Parliament, debates were so sharply divided on the motion, that legislators from the same ethnic background differed on the prudence of introducing public broadcasts in more national languages.

Those against the proposal say the move would stir up tribalism by encouraging Batswana to identify themselves by their ethnic identities first instead of citizens of a shared commonwealth. Those in support say ethnic minorities in Botswana have an inalienable right to hear taxpayer funded public communication in their home languages.

The sharp national divisions on the motion spilt over into social media where many Bakalanga expressed their displeasure with some Kalanga legislators who opposed the motion despite their ethnicity.  

In interviews with different legislators this week, Mmegi found that differences over the motion continue and are generally along party affiliation rather than tribal association.

The Botswana Democratic Party (BDP)’s Tati West parliamentary hopeful, Biggie Butale believes the entire affair was a sham designed by the opposition for political mileage. He does not believe the matter is dear to the opposition in earnest. “They would not talk about it if it were not an election year,” he says. 

“You can ask Saleshando how many times he has spoken about this issue and he will confess that maybe he last spoke about in 2009 which was again an election year.

“Nna ke gore ga ke batle botsotsi (I detest trickery),” he said. Butale says while every one of Kalanga or any ethnicity wishes their children could be taught in their language and that their language could be spoken nationally, the BCP was not acting “in good faith”. 

“Why now? This issue won’t divide the tribe because it is just a vain attempt to win elections. If they were to be voted into Parliament, you would never hear them mention it again,” says Butale. 

BCP Tati East parliamentary candidate, Mariah Kusasa, however argues that the issue of ethnic groups is not a scam to buy votes. 

She said United Nations’ studies had shown that instruction in the mother tongue was essential for children’s success in school. 

“Children of other tribes are failing in school because Setswana is being shoved down their throats,” she said.

“There is no tribalism in people desiring to speak and use their mother tongue because a persons’ language is part of their culture. 

“How can we say we are promoting culture if other languages are being swept under the carpet. 

“We cannot have a country that says it is promoting culture yet it does not recognise some languages. That is a lie.” She branded some Bakalanga who are in the BDP as “sell-outs” who refuse to understand the strain children are under due to Setswana being used as the language of instruction.  Kusasa said the Kedikilwe Commission had also found that children should be taught in their mother language for successful results.

“People in the BDP are looking for favour from President Ian Khama. Even if they are Bakalanga or any ethnic group, they will sell out just to be in good books with him. 

“These people are hypocrites because they honestly believe that ethnic languages should be taught and spoken on radio but because they want to please the president they will say what they do not agree with,” she said. 

She said the issue has alienated other tribes. 

“Because they do not allow us to be who we are, that is why we are fighting. We need a sense of belonging,” said Kusasa. 

Political analyst, Log Radithokwa said while the issue is sensitive it is only complicated by the fact that Botswana practices “politics of exclusion”.  If Botswana is working hard to incorporate women, youth, people with disabilities and others, then this should also happen with this issue of tribes and ethnic languages,” he said. 

“There must be formal and informal interventions to include other languages in Botswana.”

Radithokwa said “the problem” lies with the country’s leadership and its attempts at the “politics of exclusion”. 

“If the government or the country was eager to help and include other people they would do anything possible to include other people and other languages. Where resources permit and where possible, the leadership should help and encourage,” he said.  

He added: “This issue should not divide the leadership. If we are creating an opportunity for others to feel included and to boost their self esteem and confidence it should not be dividing leaders of the nation,” he added.  

The UB academic said the expectation on other languages was too much. 

“You will see a Kalanga person with a Setswana name like Kagiso but you will never find a Mokwena or Mongwaketse with a Kalanga name because it simply would not be allowed,” he said. 

“This issue is not a threat to anybody and it should not scare the leadership because the fact of the matter is that people take pride in their own languages.  “A strong leadership should not be intimidated by this issue. A person is supposed to have being and freedom of that person in his or her own language is part of it.”