PETER A. GREHAN,
Sir, - Kevin Myers recently described the troubles that plague the countries of Africa, particularly Zimbabwe (An Irishman's Diary, March 13th). The basic blame for the emergence of African tyrants lies with the colonisers from Europe, who had no regard for the indigenous inhabitants, whom they regarded as inferior beings.
Territories, delineated by diplomatic agreement, were made into "states", which bore no relation to existing tribal boundaries. The tribal system was demolished and replaced by European-style government, and the missionaries then ensured that ancient tribal customs were obliterated. Before this development there had, of course, been local skirmishes, but these were strictly limited, and did not affect the overall tenor of life.
In Europe, after less than one generation of state control, the East Germans were found at first to have almost lost the will to work. The African countries won their autonomy only after about 15 generations, and while without doubt the people still had the will to work, they had lost all traditions of government and control.
Under foreign rule, the native people had nearly all been impoverished and with little hope of improvement, so that when self-government was achieved, it was the strong personalities who came to power, and these simply used their new status to secure their position, and to change from poverty to opulence.
After the present resultant chaos, it will probably take another two or three generations for new, workable structures and traditions to be established. Until this happens, it will continue to be the bounden duty of longer established nations to continue to rescue the masses with charitable aid, and to discipline by diplomatic means those rulers who step too far out of line. - Yours, etc.,
PETER A. GREHAN,
Caherdaniel,
Killarney,
Co Kerry.