What's all this fuss about tribalism?

The recent Bafuuruki debate in Kibaale district between Bakiga and Banyoro tribes caused quite a big stirr, but at the end of the day many people found themselves Bafuuruki in their own country hence the slogan '31 million Bafuuruuki' meaning that all the 31 million people in Uganda are not living in their tribal areas.

Tribal/ethinic differences have claimed the lives of millions across the world from Rwanda – 1994 Genocide - to the middle east as a result of the Israel - Arab conflict.

They have also helped develop soceties through Cultural toursim, people from the western world have paid clossal sums of money to see how the Baganda people in Uganda dance, eat and marry. The money has been used to build roads, schools and hospitals.

I was brought up to believe that Bakonzo's are our traditional enemies, because they started a war in the 1960's demanding for independence from Toro kingdom. The war claimed the lives of many of our ancestors.

Surprisingly, a Mukonzo has been one of my best friends since my secondry school days, we have assisted each other during trying times and enjoyed together during happy moments. Now, why hate them when one of them does for me great things, after all who started the war? wasnt it the unfair policies imposed by Batoro on them, making the resistance inevitable for instance, adopting the names of their masters to be allowed join school.

Conflicts based on tribal/ethinic differences always come when unfair policies are imposed by dominant cultures on others leading to loss of lives, destruction of property, displacements and general suffering irrespective of the tribe/ethinicity.

Both Bakonzo and Batoro suffered during their tribal conflict in 1960's, Hutu and Tutsi's suffered during the 1994 genocide and Israel's and Palestine's are suffering as a result of their long ethinic conflict.

Polticians have gained a lot of selfish political capital for dividing people on tribal lines, but as modernisation takes precedence, so many tribes/ethinicities are increasingly becaming inteconnected more than ever through technology like mobile phones and other communication networks like roads making them more tolerant and dependant on each other.

But, who loses when such mayhem starts? Have the peaceful avenues of achieving tribal justice been exhausted before starting a tribal war?