Difference is the essence of democracy

Mmegi Editor | Monday May 9, 2022 06:00

In the absence of all these, including the enjoyment of one’s human rights, then that cannot be described as a democratic environment. For a long time, Botswana has been a beacon of good democratic society. Tolerance of differences and opposing ideas was the order of life.

However, that seems to have changed lately. There is a growing tendency by government to rebut every newspaper article on government or President Mokgweetsi Masisi. Through the new arrangement, the Acting Permanent Secretary Government Communications, John-Thomas Dipowe’s duty has been reduced to just penning rebuttals.

It is surprising that in most instances, the so-called rebuttals do not even provide insight or correction to what is being contested. Sometimes the government even contradicts itself in an attempt to refute what is true and make things even worse.

This is a clear indication of intolerance of differences on the part of the government of the day. Dipowe has indeed turned comical in his rebuttals and so is the government!

Our Botswana is completely turning into something else than a democratic state. For example, the Masisi-led government has made it a habit to rebut everything said by the former president, Ian Khama. The question is if Khama does not agree to how things are in the country, is he not allowed to air his views?

It is high time government realised that not all should be rebutted. Intolerance in all its forms is one of the most common violations of human rights and abuse.

Progress is difficult, if not impossible to attain in an intolerant society. Intolerance breeds hatred, animosity and hostility. It is even worse if it is done by a whole government. What the government is doing is at most tantamount to human rights abuse. They are denying people the enjoyment of their rights of expression and choice.

Government should desist from this tendency. It is just too low for a whole State to be trying to appear all holy and do not accept when the citizens have differing views on how they run things. The State should be the one in defence of a tolerant society not the other way round.

‘Anger and intolerance are the enemies of correct understanding’

– Mohandas Gandhi