Readers Have Their Say

Regarding the last readers’ comments I would like to point out that I do not condone racism but as Mr Lestor says as a coloured he experienced racism, I think coloureds or people of mixed race in Zambia are some of the most racial people I have come across. Mr Lestor, you know what I mean, about cuns, pops, holties ?? etc. This attitude is displayed mostly by older generation or well to do coloureds.

I think the black population understands that half-castes are indeed half black Zambians but are dismayed at their willingness to embrace white values wholeheartedly while completely discarding their black heritage. I know some guys who were born and raised in Zambia but cannot speak not even one local language and then complain about being driven out. Look at the Asians for example, some of them speak local languages as good as any local. Even if they do not intermarry as much as half-castes they understand the logic of communication across barriers.

Well some émigrés to Europe find they are completely shunned and looked at as 100% emigrants while at least back home in Zambia I can feel patriotic. On being less developed than western countries, yes Zambia is well behind and will probably never catch-up but it is an African country and not western Europe, it is developing in an African way, the way Africans want it.

Patrick, Email.

As a black Zambian that is looking into the situation from the outside and having had the opportunity to be inside the situation in Zambia, I do not totally agree with lesterdavadoss@tiscali.co.uk. I understand his stance though, and the trail of events leading up to his conclusions and his disgust about the situation. Tell me though, is the spite towards black Zambians people warranted?

Racism in Zambia, I believe is largely as a result of a lack of education. Some of it is as a result of not being familiar or comfortable with people of other races. In other words non-exposure. Comparatively, the average black Zambian who in general is uneducated, unemployed, living in a rural setting cannot empathise with white people because they are the least of his struggles. And in such a situation he has no obligation to try and understand those of other races. One thing I realised, and that was just a few days ago, is that we are a young nation and there are a lot of things that we expect to be perfect but we're still growing.

Personally I have seen a lot of racism by black Zambians and truthfully speaking it has hurt me. I have also seen a lot of racism by coloured people against black people. That will not make me judgmental of coloured people when that happens. I try to understand the societal dynamics that they are facing and understand why it might happen that way.

Sometimes it is not even about race it's about resources. Some black Zambians may associate wealth and better opportunity with other races because of the history of wealth distribution among races in Zambia which is disproportionate. The only come back for some may be to insult, undermine or stifle those of the other race.

In light of all, however, I will not fly out of the country and start waving my fist and cursing the country that I have said I am patriotic to. I cannot in any way say that either race is without blame, whether white, black, or even coloured. In the West is no escape of racism either. Sometimes I feel it is easier to swallow when people outrightly make it known that in their eyes you are inferior, rather than have people hate because of your race and you are left to speculate about it.

Racism is wrong and there is no two ways about it, but when people put up such a statement about a whole nation that they say they loved, it erodes the strong case we've had against this vice. Coloured people are as much Zambian as the soil itself but then the individual in the column tries hard to distance himself from Zambia and seems to insinuate that everything that has gone wrong is the fault of black people and that is as uneducated a stance as that expressed by those that may think, say or act like coloured and white or non-black Zambians are not Zambians.

In trying to denounce it, I see him supporting it.

Malwa, Email