"Intersectionality" includes Palestinian Arabs but not minorities persecuted by Arabs

• Published date: 28 December 2020

The left claims that it's fighting for equality. What it's actually fighting for is a tribal society where the notion of equal rights for all is as alien as it is in Iraq, Rwanda and Afghanistan, where democracy means tribal bloc votes and where the despotism of majority rule invariably ends in terror and death.

Why does intersectionality include Palestinian Arabs but not minorities persecuted by Arabs like Yazidi in Iraq, the Copts in Egypt or the Bantus in Somalia? Why does it ignore Black-Black racism in Africa where dozens of different Black ethnic groups opress and persecute other minority Black ethnic groups? Discussed here are examples of discrimination and ethnic conflict in countries like Lybia, Sudan, Somalia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mauritania and Uganda.

Uganda

Joanna Quinn from the University of Western Ontario wrote "The divisions within the country of Uganda are enormous. But the greatest of these appears to be related to differences in ethnicity. It is on this basis that the extreme violence that has been carried out since pre-colonial times has been perpetrated..."

Chrispas Nyombi from Canterbury Christ Church University & Ronald Kaddu from Kyambogo University wrote "In most African countries, people equate political power to economic benefits that accrue to the ethnic group of the incumbent leader. Those ethnic groups not in power would feel marginalised in some way or harbour the feeling that they are being excluded. In Uganda, ethnicity has always been linked to political and economic conditions, thus leaving some ethnic groups feeling socially and economically excluded. Social-economic exclusion refers to a dynamic process of being left out of social, economic, political or cultural systems which lie at the centre of integration within society. In Uganda, social-economic exclusion along ethnic lines, whether real or perceived, has played a significant role in the political upheaval in the post-independence era..."

"Uganda is one of the most ethnically diverse countries in Africa, with over 40 ethnic groups. The people are mainly Bantu and predominantly live in the southern part of the mcountry. Bantu ethnic groups account for over 70 per cent of the country's population. Nilotic ethnic groups make up 25 percent of the population and these mainly comprise of the Acholi, Langi and Alur ethnic groups from northern Uganda (15 percent) and Iteso and Karamajong from north eastern Uganda (10 per cent). The 2002 Uganda Census report places ethnic groups as follows: Baganda (17 per cent), Iteso (6.6 per cent), Ankole (9.8 per cent), Basoga (8.6 per cent), Banyarwanda (6%), Acholi (4.8 per cent), Bagisu (4.7 per cent), Langi (6.2 per cent), Lugbara (4.3 per cent), and other smaller ethnic groups are put at 30.7 per cent..."

Ethnic diversity often accompanies conflict for scarce resources such as power and wealth, and discriminative competition. Conflict over scarce resources is exacerbated by rapid demographic shifts with Uganda's population growing at a rate of 3.5% a year.

In Uganda, ethnic diversity can be seen or perceived to motivate social economic discrimination, especially in the eyes of the Baganda. Although there is no defined policy based on ethnicity, it has been instrumentally used to meet political ends.

One way the ethnicity card has been used to entrench political power or access resources is through negative stereotyping. Stereotypes encourage the exclusion of a particular group based on conveniently constructed ideologies such as a perceived threat. For example, the Baganda are generally stereotyped as lacking in leadership qualities. The Banyoro are stereotyped as jealous and lazy, and the Banyoro in turn stereotype the Bakiga as unclean,arrogant and uncultured.

Ethiopia

On November 24, 2020 Safia Farole reported in the Washington Post "In early November, Ethiopia's federal government launched a military offensive in the country's Tigray region...The Ethiopian state is structured according to the principle of ethnic federalism, with nine regional ethnic states and two federally administered city-states..."

"Did Ethiopia's governing system contribute to the conflict? Ethiopia's centuries-old monarchy fell in a 1974 military junta takeover, further contributing to ethnic tensions. Two movements in particular, the TPLF and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), pushed back against what they perceived as the domination of the Amhara ethnic group and the Amharic language. In 1991, the military regime collapsed and a resulting EPRDF coalition took power. Despite comprising only 6 percent of Ethiopia's population, the Tigray enjoyed disproportionate power and influence in government after 1991."

Nigeria

Minorityrights.org reported "Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with an estimated 184 million people. It is also a country of stunning diversity, with some 250 different ethno-linguistic groups...Four groups – Fulani...