IN ANY multiethnic society, a democratic ruling party must attend to the needs and interests of all ethnic groups, with due process, equity, and justice. This modus operandi, indeed, is fundamental to good governance, and not a measly response to race-ethnic insecurity problems. In fact, all governments administering with good governance must speak to this, that is, administrations must conspicuously take care of all groups equitably. If we do not find favour with this governmental role, then we are unsupportive of good governance. In the spirit of good governance, the PPP/C must continue to demonstrate that its outcomes are for the advantage of all; and this willingness to illustrate impartiality is fundamentally linked to good governance, and unrelated to formulating a patronizing response to camouflage ethnic insecurity and conflict.

Clearly, in this country, some politicians, private media, and hate literati promote and power race-ethnic conflict and ethnic polarization. It seems to me that the masses are not willing players in the social construction and reconstruction of race-ethnic conflict. This group of politicians, private media, and hate literati, pilots the major ethnic groups to accept as true that ethnic difference is a threat to their survival. And with regard to speaking to ethnic conflicts, Bowen argued that we generally use three mistaken assumptions: ethnic identities are static; ethnic identities drive people to hate and create instability; and ethnic diversity produces ethnic violence. On the contrary, the group of politicians, private media, and hate literati utilizes these flawed assumptions to construct race-ethnic conflict through use of the race card.

Rodney attested to the history of human rights experiences and the intermittent solidarity between Indians and Africans; a history that demonstrates a fundamental unity of their interests. This underlying unity exposes the importance Africans and Indians attached to their responsibility of dismantling the White planters’ legacy of race and human rights infractions under colonialism; as well as new responsibilities that they need to infuse vis-à-vis rebuking racial incitement. This historical underlying unity between Africans and Indians shows intent to construct a national unity where all cultures coexist and are accepted; and where no culture is left behind. But inequality creates a huge problem for sustainable national unity, and is a critical ingredient for discriminatory practices. For this reason, it is incumbent on all governments in multiethnic societies to work toward reducing inequality.