Coming of a Race War

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavour to prolong its reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.” [Abraham Lincoln 1809 – 1865, 16th President of the United States of America].

Trinidad and Tobago is on the verge of a race war, and politicians are doing everything in their power to exacerbate the situation with the hopes of using this uncertainty and ill will to maintain the support of their bases. First off, I am not accusing either Patrick Manning or Basdeo Panday of being a racist. However, there are elements within both political factions that will exploit the differences between the races to achieve or maintain political power. We, as a people follow them blindly, without question, without giving the situation a second thought. Voltaire 1694 – 1778, a French Writer, Philosopher, and one of the greatest French authors said that “Prejudices are what fools use for reason.” We seem to have lots of fools in this country.

We already know that this country is divided along racial lines and even in the face of incitement, we have managed to live in relative harmony, respecting the traditions and cultures of the various ethnic and racial groupings. In recent times however, there has been an undercurrent coarsing through society’s veins ebbing away at all the progress we have made as a people. As a matter of fact, in some cases subtle, and in others, not so subtle, overtures of racial hatred have come to the fore.

In an interview with a recent kidnap victim, I was told that a “serious race war is coming.” It was something that I had given consideration to in recent times, because I myself was coming to the same conclusion. The victim, in his forties and of East Indian decent said that the major reason he was kidnapped [besides money] was because of his ethnicity. He alluded to the fact that there is a concerted effort to frighten East Indians, especially those from the business class into leaving Trinidad and Tobago, which would therefore make way for the Africans the “run” things. The facts speak for themselves. Since 2003, 74% of kidnap victims were of East Indian decent. Crime, in many ways has become a method of ethnic cleansing.

Our country is made up of many races with Africans and East Indians accounting for 40% each of the population with the remainder being made up of Syrians, Lebanese, Portuguese, Chinese and the “Mixed Breed.” There have always been tensions, but in recent times, there has been an upsurge in remarks like “Coolie people only like money,” or “Dem Niggers too nasty and lazy,” to public confrontations in groceries and some people choosing to ride in Maxi Taxis that are driven by someone of their own race. One may often hear things being said like “Is we time now” or “We go kill all ah dem.”

Politicians and public officials are doing nothing to create true and meaningful unity. There is a feeling in Port of Spain that members of the Syrian community burnt the Peoples’ Mall to the ground so they can have access to that very crucial piece of real estate. Some even implied that the bombings last year was an attempt to chase the Syrians out of down town, especially in light of Jennifer Baptiste’s call on Labour Day for “de people to take back town.”

Radio talk shows have been exacerbating racial tensions among the various communities, adding fuel to the fire of hatred and bigotry. All of this in the name of profit- quite a shameful exercise. Over the years, we have had public personalities commenting on racial discrimination, with Sat Maharaj of the Sanatan Dharma Maha Sabha complaining about racial discrimination, Basdeo Panday struggling against alienation and victimization, Hulsie Bhagan complaining that African men were raping young East Indian girls in Central Trinidad and Selwyn Cudjoe accusing Indian teachers of not teaching African students.

With the coming of the UNC administration 1995, the 1996 Carnival season saw the coming together of soca and chutney. It was a time when East Indians believed that they now belonged to a society that accepted them. Africans on the other hand were pessimistic, disillusioned by the fact that the only thing Africans controlled [political power] was lost. With the return to power of the PNM, the African tribe became emboldened once again, with even some of their extremists remaining dissatisfied with the progress made. In the July/August 2005 edition of
“ The African Option,” it was stated in an article that, “The corporate Negro sincerely believes that anything that is symbolic to Afrika is either demonic, or it is the source of extreme embarrassment to his or her newly acquired professional and social status.” Clearly, the intent was the Africanize our way of dress and values.

It is statements like these that have lead to the genesis of our current problem. Extremists of all races are looking to dominate. Instead of assimilating, or appreciating the richness and diversity of our society, there is a concerted effort to destroy what we have built up over the years in an effort to achieve power. In other words, burn down the house, build again, and then control things.

The difference now is that action has been taken to “chase” one race from these shores. It is clear that some within the African community would prefer homogeny in which they can easily dominate. This was tried in the 1960’s with islanders being allowed to settle on the hills of Laventille, thus boosting political stock for upcoming elections. The difference this time is that the East Indians, after having tasted power, are prepared to fight back, and fight back they will.

Even if their concerns are legitimate, we must try to avoid such a confrontation because at the end of the day, we will all be losers. I was privileged to have grown up in an environment and still today live in one in which racial tolerance is the norm. In fact, some of my friends would tell you that I am an Indian trapped in an African body. That may be their interpretation. I simply love to enjoy the richness of all cultures, and since I am of mixed breed, if I choose one over the other, in essence, I will be denying at least one of my heritages - something I am not prepared to do. If a war does break out, or tensions escalate to the point of outright violence, where would this leave me? For now, I just hope that it can be avoided, but it will require a certain degree of political maturity and a willingness to embrace rather than confront.

According to Nelson Mandela [b. 1918], a South African Statesman and Nobel Peace Prize Winner 1993, “I hate racial discrimination most intensely and all its manifestations. I have fought all my life; I fight now, and will do so until the end of my days.”

Some may think that I might be exaggerating the entire situation. I think not. Conflicts between groups of differing racial, ethnic, or national origins based upon social definitions of good and bad have occurred around the globe and in violent fashion. In the early 1990s, genocide was the order of the day in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia- this among a people who were content to live among each other just ten years earlier. The same thing existed with millions dying in Rwanda where “differences” resulted in acts of terror such as genocide, rape, murder, and torture. Similar conflicts exist in India, Sri Lanka, Central America and in the United States. Trinidad and Tobago is not so remote from these conflicts and the situation can get out of control very easily.

Discrimination, in and of itself is a fine word. Without our ability to discriminate, we would all be dead or in serious trouble. Now, before you go flying off in a rage, consider what the word really means: to make fine distinctions, to differentiate. Without that ability, we would be unable to tell safe situations from unsafe ones.

The insidious nature of discrimination arises when we make the distinctions on the basis of prejudice. A prejudice is a belief about something that is not based in reality, often on very strong feelings. When we act on feelings and prejudice, we deny groups and individuals their unique qualities and their place in the community.
Discrimination is an act, an act that differentiates or makes distinctions. Discrimination is a bad act when I make these distinctions about a person based upon the color of their skin, their national origin, or their sex or sexual orientation. If I then treat them differently solely based upon these criteria and not upon the reality of their being, of their abilities and skills, then I am treating them unfairly. It is this unfair treatment or denial of access to the classroom, to a place to live, to a job or to advancement on the job that constitutes the discriminatory behavior.
We must resist any primal urges that may surface in times of conflict. It is not worth it. Take a good look at yourself and wonder where you fit in the scheme of things. I leave you with some final words from Victor Hugo [1802 – 1885], a French romantic Poet, Novelist and Dramatist who said: “Have no fear of robbers or murderers. They are external dangers. We should fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices the real murders. The great dangers are within us. Why worry about what threatens our heads or purses? Let us think instead of what threatens our souls.”