Violence begets counter-violence

Michael Dingake | Tuesday September 23, 2014 15:51

Thus far BDP victories have been by denying opposition parties public funding which itself enjoys via:  the incumbency factor, business donations, state media monopoly and manipulation of the electoral system, including rigging!

In many parts of Africa, elections are won through harassment, intimidation and state terrorism on the opposition unleashed by the incumbent party, which factor was absent hitherto in Botswana. That’s why consensus was, ‘general elections in Botswana are free though unfair!’ In countries where intimidation and harassment occurs, it’s practiced preponderantly by the rulers as they have the wherewithal to inflict violence through the security apparatus they control: the army, police, informers and thugs, the opposition consistently refuse to be onlookers and invariably return the favour in due course. The reaction inevitably leads to unrest, chaos and ultimately to civil war. The opposition, ill-equipped underdog by nature, is the one usually dragged into the violence fomented by the power-corrupted rulers.  Under pressure the opposition, is willy-nilly compelled to adopt undesirable methods to resist rulers’ provocative methods. The best defence as often said, is to attack, to counter-attack with all one may have, including throwing sand in the eyes of the bullies, which is all we have aplenty in Botswana .

I think the stage has been set for the eventuality of counter-violence: For the first time we face a hotly contested elections match in which the opposition parties, seriously fancy their chances and the BDP has gone into a panic mode. Initially Domkrag announced it was going to win all 57 constituencies; we were informed that the leader, President Khama wasn’t going to be involved in the usual warm-up exercises, morale-boosting rituals of ‘launching’ parliamentary candidates, but would take the back seat and watch his party romp home. Suddenly Khama is everywhere, waving his magic wand in constituencies and wards his party is waging a fierce toe to toe battle with a determined opposition invigorated by his party deficiencies and corruption. His message to voters isn’t what his party usually pledges to the electorate but, ‘vote for my party, for if you don’t, the opposition will imprison me if they win;’ vote for my party, for if you don’t we (Batswana) will be refugees under the opposition rule!’ What has he done to fear imprisonment ? Is it feasible for government to make whole citizenry to take flight into exile?

In addition, newspapers write of break-ins experienced by opposition activists, where laptops, cell-phones seem to be treasure-hunt items; opposition activists are abducted, tortured and killed. And strangest of all strange happenings in TODAY’S Botswana, the police, DIS agents and Office of the President don’t seem to care a damn and have rightly become prime suspects on the tongues of Batswana and the pages of Facebook chats; except for the opposition parties, victims of this vicious cowardly cycle, the powers-that- be remain mum. Unconcerned.  Government sycophants and dancing puppets dismiss these events suffered by the opposition as ‘electioneering’ tactics by the opposition! Playing with fire?

The opposition sooner or later will be obliged to serve notice on the delinquent rulers: they cannot stand idly by, while the delinquent tormentors run amok , disregarding the democratic process, for no apparent reason except to rule in perpetuity. The opposition though unequal in combat readiness with the rulers, won’t be shy to adopt counter-intimidation and counter-violence strategy and tactics to stop the rogue rulers in their tracks. Unorthodox methods to fight for democratic rights are desperate methods at any time. But who can blame the opposition tomorrow, next week, next month , next year or in the next general elections adopting such methods when it is becoming clear and clearer  daily that the ruler resorts not only to unfair but violent methods to rule forever in a so-called  democratic dispensation?  In fact if the opposition doesn’t  adopt counter methods, not only I, but all Batswana who love their country, future generations and the peace that has prevailed here for more than a century will consider opposition leaders, cowards of the first order, undeserving of sympathy, let alone public support of any kind! Government unconcern and police paralysis to the Botswana-style state terrorism, may stem from a mistaken notion, either that the thugs terrorising the opposition are either unknown and unknowable or are somehow insulated and untouchable. It is a preposterous view. Botswana is a small community, a total population of a little over two million characters of garrulous, chatty individuals. If the gang of little thugs who terrorise, torture, maim and murder political opponents on behalf of BDP think they won’t  be discovered  and made to pay their debts with exorbitant interest, they are living in a never-never world  of myths! No community can tolerate to be bullied forever.  And any government that thinks it can orchestrate these misdeeds without being brought to account is living in a fool’s paradise. And may soon burn its fingers! Batswana may look tame and docile, but remember the Afrikaans saying: Stille water, diepe grond, onder draai die duiwel rond (Still waters run deep!). Blankets, one-band radios,  goats donations and soups ladled by President Khama, is not government insurance against mass insurrection when the time comes. Domkrag must repent and reform; one day will be one day and the history of Botswana will be re-written! Ministers fraternal, pray for our Botswana, before it is too late!