reactions to a massacre
My
last few blog posts have been discussing ‘what’s wrong with shooting a bunch of
protesting miners’… and the bigger picture considerations when assessing what
led to the massacre at a Lonmin
mine in Marikana, South Africa a few weeks ago.
Previous
posts in this mini series covered:
1.
Democratic principles;
2.
Human Rights;
3.
Cultural violence; and
4. Structural violence.
In
the final post in my short series, I will be exploring the reactions
of South Africans a bit further – at least the aspects that have amazed and
concerned me. I might be throwing the cat among the pigeons, but here goes...
5. ‘us’ and ‘them’- or ‘ubuntu’ vs
‘white guilt’
The
term ‘Nation-building’ is frequently bandied about in political and
intellectual circles in this country. I would prefer to speak of
community-building, since national identity and patriotism are problematic,
twentieth-century terms more likely to start wars than build a sunny shared
future for us all. Disputed terminology aside, however, what we have instead in
South Africa
Let
me have a little rant for just a paragraph about my pet hate, ‘white guilt’. No
matter what I do or say, I cannot change what my ancestors did, and yet it is
openly asserted that I must just hand over my money, my possessions, and any
claim to being an equal participant in this country’s future. I must pay, pay,
pay. Or leave. I am not wanted here. The ‘true’ South Africans are black. I am
not even entitled to any rage or angst of my own, as my skin is apparently too
white to even know what those emotions really are. Only in a black skin can you
rail against the injustices. In a white skin, all you should do is apologise
for ever having been born, and for now continuing to take up much-needed space,
jobs and resources… I disagree. Vehemently.
Having
said that, back to my point about the divisions, the lack of community or even
shared realities… It’s hard to imagine anyone could live in this country and
not know how many millions are struggling and desperate. But some of us live in
such privileged bubbles, still enjoying (dare I say it?) colonial lifestyles.
The disgusting disparity between rich and poor in this country is so
taken-for-granted that most don’t even seem to notice anymore. If only more
people would take off the blinkers as they drive from security estate to
private school to shopping mall or church (yes, ouch!) …they might notice
afresh the huddled masses of shacks and state housing blocks – dismal, depressing,
desperate places. Then again, for some in say, Rondebosch, home, work, school
and shops may all be in the one suburb, with never a reason to leave their
bubble of privilege – and they are perversely proud of this…
I
know, it’s hard to know where to begin, and it’s easy to be weighed down by the
desperation and seemingly insurmountable problems… I just want to be completely
honest here and say I am doing very little to help anyone these days either – I
am completely absorbed with caring for our 5 month old daughter, and it’s hard
to think of ways to be ‘useful’ to the outside world at this time. But everyone
has something in their hand that they can use to contribute in some way – big
or small – and I have just this, for now: writing. So here I am writing my
little heart out, hoping someone might be impacted by what I am saying, or at
least it might encourage some healthy debate about the issues.
6. Complacent Christians
Most
disturbing to me is that this country is a predominantly Christian country, yet
Christians are either conspicuous by their absence, or are actually supportive
of police shooting people (presumably under the assumption that the police
actually know who ‘deserves’ to be shot, and that it will never be one of their
own loved ones)! My fellow Christians, we of all people – as supposedly
spiritually minded (as opposed to materially/ economically driven) - should
have a different perspective on all of this. An eternal perspective, a heart
perspective.
Christians,
I am shocked at how many of you are completely ‘missing in action’ here. Sure,
the ‘religious leaders’ have issued statements in the aftermath of the massacre
asking for prayers and reconciliation, but for the most part, Christians appear
to live with their heads in the sand, like all the other privileged whities in
this country. We are supposed to the voices for the voiceless, working
tirelessly to ‘free the oppressed’ in every shape and form.
If
you think I am being a bit extreme or idealistic here, then what bible are you
reading? Jesus spoke about poverty and helping others much more than about sex
outside of marriage, for example - the top issue on most Christian’s agendas. I
could list a few key passages here, but there are too many to choose from –
just go and read the New Testament. Yes, the WHOLE THING. The Old Testament
shows a similar concern for the oppressed – try Isaiah 58:6-7 for starters:
“Is not
this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and
untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is
it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with
shelter…?”
Yes,
prayer is important – we always say we should/will pray (but do we?)… but don’t
stop there! This is one of many examples where God is telling us to get off our
‘blessed assurances’ and DO SOMETHING.
7. The role of witchcraft in Africa
I
am probably more surprised than you are to see this as a heading here. It was
not a part of my intended discussion at the start. I saw mention of
‘witchcraft’ being used by the men before they charged unflinchingly at the
police, but I dismissed this as unimportant at first, or at least not unusual
in an African context. I am also reluctant to jump on the bandwagon of the
usual (white) Christian hysteria surrounding African customs and traditions.
However, my eyes have unfortunately been opened to the pervasive and
influential nature of witchcraft in African politics in researching these
claims a bit further.
Political
Anthropologists like Adam Ashford argue that the occult and politics have been
ineluctably linked in the context of post-apartheid South Africa
"No one
can understand life in Africa without
understanding witchcraft and the related aspects of spiritual insecurity… the
ways in which the insecurity aroused by fears of witchcraft and the general
condition of spiritual insecurity are handled by political authorities over the
long run will have profound significance for the long-term legitimacy of the
democratic state"
- Ashford, Adam, 2005: ‘Witchcraft, Violence, and
Democracy in South Africa ’, Chicago and London , The University of Chicago
Christians,
forgive me for picking on you, but we are family (spiritually speaking) and
family are supposed to be able to ‘call each other out’ on areas that need
improvement. What annoys me about the references to ‘witchcraft’ in Christian
reactions to the massacre, is not that it is untrue or exaggerated (which it
often is), but that the analysis stops there. I would have thought that the use
of ‘witchcraft’ by people who are obviously not Christians, nor ‘Westerners’, is
not that surprising.
Useful
discussions about preventing a massacre like this from taking place again
should rather center around what pushes people to turn to ‘witchcraft’ and
other desperate measures in the first place…. Obviously people who feel
powerless and in need of some form of ‘protection’ or ‘power’ other than the
official powers of government, police or the legal system. People who are
constantly being let down by these systems, and left to fend for themselves, to
protect themselves in the often lawless ‘townships’ and informal
settlements.
Just
as Christians turn to God in prayer – for protections, for guidance, and so on…
those whose worldview is based on a world of ‘spirits’ to be courted or
placated, will turn to these ‘spirits’ for help in times of need. Instead, why
aren’t we Christians trying to reach out to people before they reach that point
- why aren’t we trying to LOVE them into ‘the Kingdom’ (instead of demonising
them) – i.e. into God’s way of doing things? Perhaps we haven’t given a
compelling enough picture of what that looks like, or they would have turned to
prayer and peaceful means of protest and conflict resolution instead… There are
many historic examples of Christians who led the way in fighting (through
nonviolent means) to end slavery, or in the civil rights movement in the US
For
non-Christians, it is also easy to see the reliance on ‘witchcraft’ as
indicative of the need for a functioning, well-trained police force, a healthy
democracy with respect for human rights, and so on... (refer to my previous
posts in this mini series).
In conclusion…
It
is clear that peaceful protest and conflict resolution - or ‘conflict
transformation’ as peace scholars would call it - are the only sustainable way
forward - especially in a country with as much historic pain, fear and injustice as South
Africa. Otherwise the cycle of violence and counter-violence will be
never-ending.
But
sadly, Christian or non-Christian, it seems everyone today embraces violence as
the only way to bring about ‘justice’, order’ and ‘security’. That’s why few
people bat an eyelash when the police mow down 34 striking miners. ‘They needed
to re-establish order, didn’t they?’ and ‘the strike was illegal, anyway’…
As I wrote in a previous
blog post, I am looking for a society and community I can be proud to introduce
my daughter into. This is not it.
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