The pungent smell of racism
The word racism makes you perspire causing a mighty cyclone and leaving a trail of devastation. It will cause you to make unprecedented moves and often invites you to traverse through unchartered jurisdictions and territories. In many states, racism is state-orchestrated, potentially encouraging prejudice and bias where the minority have no equal opportunities creating a backward society.
In some countries, the government maintains a policy of positive discrimination that favours one ethnic group where preferential treatment is granted for education, employment, scholarships, businesses, discounted housing, financial assistance, special saving schemes and state-engineered policies all to uplift a specific race. This would certainly leave many gasping in disbelief how racism has become an integral part of governance.
Undoubtedly, racism has created constant controversies. Despite being unpopular, there are leaders and governments who sympathise with it and continue stirring communal passions regardless of the consequence and refuse to shy away.
There is now a need to make amends, openly admit mistakes laced with a sincere apology which will not make the state or government vulnerable but instead allow them to gain popular acceptance. It is therefore grossly unfair to maintain and harbour the old system of governance based on race. We require a credible action plan to solve the woes brought about by racism.
To embark on this road we require a new recipe. Before we could shape newer ideas that may be socially acceptable, those who presently propel governance must quit feeding on the racist ideas they breed. On halting this, we can then think about fundamental changes. Getting it right is important.
Social injustices fueled and driven by racism will provoke violence and aggression. Therefore we must engage in an uncompromising assault on it.
We therefore need to appeal to the community that there is a need to go beyond race-based politics. If we continue to support race-based politics, it will be nearly impossible to overcome divisions within the civil society. We therefore require a more concerted effort to overcome these barriers and selfish thinking all with a view to creating a common identity.
In this process, the state and a responsible and accountable leadership must not be capricious but must take concerted effort to eliminate:
1. All policies of positive discrimination that favour one ethnic group, policies which have failed to promote racial harmony and economic equality;
2. Preferential treatment in education, employment, scholarships business, special saving schemes and special discounts etc;
3. Any government policy and rulings based on ethnicity, cultivating racial polarisation, undermining racial and social unity, breeding extremism or based upon ethnic boundaries and must be announced as unconstitutional;
4. All race-based political parties. Any political party restricting membership on grounds of race and religion should be outlawed and the state constitution must reflect that.
Unless we are prepared to weather the storm, these dilemmas may remain irreversible for years to come. Those who enjoy the fruits of racism will relentlessly advocate for it's continued maintenance and preservation even it means crippling a decent system of democracy.
They are none other then traitors on the prowl ploughing over the harvest of others with indiscriminate and inhuman policies as they fear healthy competition. They are a liability to the state and leadership.
The writer is a former ISA detainee.
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