All, In discussions on the question of Pan-Africanism or regional integration, the question of a common language is normally used as being an essential prerequisite for such integration or political unity. However, i view it as being the opposite in that the formation or utilization of a common language or set of languages will be a consequence of political unity already achieved. On the level of Pan-Africanism this one language would be based on a overall plan of development and most importantly organization. This development would occur logically over time, even if a distant time, as a result of true political unity of the people through mass Pan-African organization. Unfortunately this doesn't exist in the current formations of the East African Community, or the African Union or ECOWAS, etc.
With that stated, we do believe that there is much value in the spreading and dissemination of our own languages. Considering the spread of English being the result of divide and rule and human enslavement and exploitation over centuries, it should not be out of the realm of possibility that the development of a common continental language or languages based on a common plan of genuine development for the African masses. While everyone in the region may not speak Swahili the same can be said of English. In fact in any country in Africa the official European language the majority cannot speak the language. We should in terms of future development look to our own culture first. But the success of this effort will be unsuccessful and even useless without the true political unity of the people at the grass roots level. Bandele Djassi --- ssenya nyange <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > Mr. J. Oracha, > > The relationship you've described among > East African nationals is > not as good as you think. What you described is the > artificial diplomatic > relations practiced at public meetings etc whenever > diplomats meet. I lived > in several parts of Kenya between 1982 and 1990. I > have lots of evidence to > count on. The discriminations Ugandans faced during > that time is not even > compared to the racial discriminations by the > Chinese and Whites in north > America. So, your argument does not fit into the > pros of Swahili. > > Ssenyange > ------------------------------------ > >----Original Message Follows---- > >From: "J Oracha" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > >To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > >Subject: Re: ugnet_: Extend use of Swahili > >Date: Wed, 16 Oct 2002 08:52:14 -0600 > > > > > More importantly, now that we have resurrected > the East African > >Community > >we > > > need a common medium of communication with the > citizens of Tanzania and > >Kenya. > > > >I don't think you understand the people of Kenya > Uganda and Tanzania. > >There > >is no way you can break them apart. Since these > people have been united > >without the force of government, no government can > put them asunder. The > >peoples relationship has transcended the so called > national boundaries. > >The > >East African Community was based on what already > existed, that is the > >community of the people of Kenya Uganda and > Tanzania. In other words, > >whenever people communicate among themselves, there > is an understanding > >that > >no government can mess with. In fact the very lack > of one unitary > >government between the three states made it better > for the people to > >fashion their own undesratanding and method of > living symbiotically. > >That is what is enduring. > > > >Oracha > > > > > >_________________________________________________________________ > >Protect your PC - get McAfee.com VirusScan Online > >http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Surf the Web without missing calls!�Get MSN > Broadband. > http://resourcecenter.msn.com/access/plans/freeactivation.asp > __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Y! Web Hosting - Let the expert host your web site http://webhosting.yahoo.com/
