COMMENT | Fighting our own worst enemy

COMMENT | American forces fought alongside the Russians to vanquish the Nazis in the Second World War. Today, the Western world is united against Russia. And, Ukrainians have rallied behind a former TV comedian to repel the Russians.

Modern history has ample accounts of shifting alliances that fought a common enemy. Similar dynamics were at play on our homefront during the past week. The question is: who is our common enemy?

A ‘unity government’ is indeed historic. Perhaps oxymoronic, given our history of populist politicians manipulating race and religion to stay in power.

Celebrate, we will. Change has been a long time coming. But there are niggling questions. How governable is a coalition of former foes? Can a team of rivals willingly put aside their ideological and personality differences to govern for the greater good?

The knives will be drawn, eventually. We will see more of the same backstabbing… unless? Yes, unless we can defeat the enemy that lurks within our racialised mindset of resisting change.

Unless a ‘unity government’ raises true visionary leadership, somewhat akin to Abdurrahman Wahid - aka Gus Dur’s - reformasi aspirations, or Nelson Mandela’s...