Let�s embrace other languages
Mmegi Editor | Friday October 2, 2015 12:16
Over the years, we developed our semi-arid country into a middle-income one, despite the challenges such as security threat from some neighbours, and lack of financial resources.
Over the years, we managed to establish institutions of democratic governance, learning institutions and information dissemination organisations such as Radio Botswana and Botswana Television. The latter is the most recent, established more than a decade ago.
Three months ago, however, Botswana Television introduced an hour-long news bulletin to provide full coverage of news and events for the whole country.
However, it is evident that the hour-long news bulletin is a huge task for the television station. Almost half of the bulletin is dedicated to foreign news, some of which is not relevant to us.
It is against this backdrop that we call for introduction of news bulletin in other Botswana languages such as Ikalanga, Sisubiya, Hambukushu, Shekgalagari, Sesarwa and others.
We have made this request before, and we make it again, knowing that a motion was defeated in the National Assembly making a similar call.
The motion was defeated on grounds that the move is likely to cause divisions in the nation. We beg to differ.
Batswana have practiced inter-tribal marriages since time immemorial; Batswana have interacted more than other nations because of a government policy on employment that discourages civil servants deployments to be based on one’s regional or tribal origins.
Even our security organs such as Botswana Defence Force, Botswana Police Service are multi-tribal entities with no tribe dominating.
Every week, our ministers, Members of Parliament, councillors, and local authorities officiate at different cultural activities irrespective of their tribal backgrounds.
It is our view that a multi-lingual news bulletin on Botswana Television will not only create employment for our youth, but will bring together Batswana through the use of their languages.
A young child growing up in the southern, eastern, or western part of the country will immediately learn a few words of the language spoken hundreds of kilometres from her home, in the same country. Our children will grow up with full appreciation of the diversity of our society and that we are all equal.
Of course the results of this initiative will not be realised in a few years, but it is a worthwhile endeavour that we urge our authorities to consider.
Today’s thought
“Because without our language, we have lost ourselves. Who are we without our words?”
-Melina Marchetta,
Finnikin of the Rock