Tribalism is ugly.

When lawyer Eva Maria Nangolo’s acid-laced tweet about a cultural event of the Damara people provoked strong condemnation, many Namibians would have felt the equivalent of an all too familiar punch in the gut. Namibia has struggled with tribalism and the more we talk about it the more it becomes prevalent.

The strong loyalty to one’s own tribe can lead to the exclusion and demonisation of outsiders, often resulting in conflict and even violence. Tribalism has been a significant contributor to many of the world’s most severe conflicts.

In 1994, members of the Hutu ethnic group in Rwanda targeted and killed an estimated 800 000 Tutsi people and moderate Hutus in a brutal ethnic conflict that lasted for over 100 days. The violence was sparked by longstanding tensions between the two groups, fueled by colonial-era divisions and political polarisation.

The Bosnian War (1992 to 1995) resulted in the death of around 100 000 people, and the displacement of over two million men, women and children. A campaign of war crimes, ‘ethnic cleansing’ and genocide was perpetrated by Bosnian Serb troops under the orders of Slobodan Milošević.

Approximately 200 000 Fur, Zaghawa and Masalit people were murdered in Darfur, a region in the north of Sudan, by the Sudanese government and their militia, beginning in 2003. 

One of the dangers of tribalism is the narrow-minded view of the world it espouses, where one’s own group is seen as superior and other groups are viewed with suspicion or hostility. 

This can lead to a lack of empathy and understanding towards people who are different from oneself, which can further exacerbate conflicts and fuel tensions. It also creates an us vs them mentality, where those outside of the tribe are seen as a threat to the tribe’s well-being.  Tribalism can also lead to the suppression of dissenting voices within the tribe, which can stifle intellectual diversity and critical thinking.It poses a significant threat to social cohesion. 

Tribalism is a remnant of colonial-era borders borne from trapping long feuding ethnic groups in a country and doing little to foster unity and even less to dissuade ethnolinguistic or tribalist notions. Tribalism is not just a disturbance to social cohesion but is a distinct lack thereof. Identifying first as one’s tribe before one’s nationality may on a surface level appear benign but it speaks to a lack of national identity.

It is essential to recognise and address the dangers of tribalism by promoting empathy, tolerance, and respect for diversity. Only by transcending our tribal instincts can we create a more inclusive and peaceful world.  We have come a long way in creating a society where we all acknowledge and celebrate our backgrounds but realise that one group isn›t better or superior to another. 

Apart from the random few attention seeking individuals who supported the vile comments by Nangolo, Namibians from all hue generally rejected her assertions. This is encouraging. The decision by the justice ministry to withdraw her legal aid certificate should serve as a reminder to those harbouring such ideologies that it has no place in an independent Namibia. 

As Namibians we have much more in common than what divides us.