One common feature among us, Eritreans, in general is that the tendency characterize any movement that emerges from our society as an exclusively representative of (belongs to) only certain class, religion, or region. Many people have this tendency notwithstanding the movement’s structures, stated objectives, and activities that do not, in any way, warranty any exclusiveness. People with this tendency are always on search of hints that would give them some basis for their assertion. Others try look into backgrounds of the movements’ leaders or members. The search for the background is done with the intent to characterize the movement as an exclusive representative of certain group. Some also try to create links between the movement and other groups or individuals which rationalize their assertion. With such perception in mind, they try to link all policies and activities of the movement solely to the benefit of the group which they claim the movement belongs to. Once they created the exclusiveness image up on themselves, they try to spread this perception into minds of many others.

 

Individuals who promote these ideas play a big role in creating the exclusiveness perception. The perception is usually inflamed by agents of the government which would ultimately be benefited by the weakness of the movement. However, it is the person’s readiness to entertain such claims mainly that causes the perception to grow.

 

One should keep in mind that the leader or any other member of the movement has to come from certain group in our society. In our case, the person is either a Christian or a Muslim; a high-lander or low-lander. It is natural that he speaks one of our nine ethnic languages. It is also natural that he comes from one of the six (9 former awrajas) administrative zones. The person has to belong to either of the above mentioned groups because these are the structures that make up Eritrea as a country. However, the fact that he is from certain background does not necessarily mean that he or his movement stands only for the benefit of that specific group. Therefore, to deny this perception any chance of success, one should judge a movement by its charter, programs, and activities instead of on the individual’s background.

 

The exclusiveness perception affects negatively any struggle for democracy. Its effect can, especially, be immense to a non-violent movement because their poplar-uprising strategy can be influenced by apathy and rejection caused by the perception. Any non-violent movement requires the active participation of all people from every group in the country. People can actively participate in the movement only if they percieve the movement’s objectives reflect the aspiration of all the people as opposed to any specific group. Hence, any hint which suggests that the movement is striving only for one specific group can lead into suspicion or even hostility from the “excluded” group. A typical African example for apathy from the mass for a right cause is the current politics in Zimbabwe. Despite the crisis in the country for the last 7 years, the governemnt has won two elections during that period. The ruling party has won those elections not because the people benefited from its policies but because of the people’s (specially the rural majority) perception of the ruling Zanu-PF party. The partiy’s policies in the last seven years has turned the country from African “bread-basket” into food aid dependent country, with inflation upto 900%, lawlessness, and massive human right abuses. Despite all these the ruling party won two elections because it is perceived by the majority (uneducated) as anti-colonialists. Whereas the oposition MDC is, fuelled by a massive government media campaign, perceived as pro-colonialists. With these two perceptions in people’s minds, the real issues are ignored and the perception becomes the basis for the election. Therefore, it is important for everyone to focus on more relevant national issues instead of these trivial perceptions. The movement, on its part, should avoid engaging itself in any activity that would fuel these perceptions.

 

Samson Tesfamichael