Tribalism is when we publicly display our pride for the private and personal achievements of members of our tribe, yet fail to express our shame for the social misdeeds of our community members.
Tribalism is when tribal organisations consider even random acts of injustice against one of their member(s) as an act/insult against the whole community, but disappear from the scene and refuse to accept responsibility when members of other tribes happen to be a victim of injustice or crime committed by their members.
Tribalism is when we rush to felicitate the promotions and appointments of individuals from our respective tribes into the government sector. Individuals who are neither promoted for the community nor appointted for the community, but to serve each and every citizen of the state.
Tribalism is when tribal hohos, unions and associations decide to keep in abeyance their ultimatums to ‘the Government’ because the head of the concerned department or legislator Incharge of that defaulting/non-performing department at that point of time happens to be one of theirs.
Tribalism is when tribal institutions decide to give ultimatums to ‘the government’ or the ‘chief minister’ and not the defaulting department since the HOD or Legislator incharge of it happens to be from their tribe.
Tribalism is when we support underground factions simply because members of our tribe are in majority or hold various positions of authority and influence in the particular group.
Tribalism is when we refuse to talk of the glaring failings of our own tribe on social media but waste no time to highlight the shortcomings in the others.
Tribalism is when we insist the plural reference ‘naga’ is used when members of our tribe are signaled out for unpleasant incidences. Yet we bask with pride and decide not to object when our singular tribal identity is referred to for pleasant and positive events.
Tribalism is when traditional and community institutions congratulate politicians from their community for their electoral success but fail to confront them for their failures in governnance.
Peter Rutsa
