Politics is the science and art of getting power and how to use it to stay in power. Thus, politics is essentially about conflict or struggle among groups or social categories which allow those who get power to hold on to it and benefit from it. In these circumstances, politics by and large serves to maintain the privileges usually of a minority against the majority. The minority group uses power to disarm opponents (M. Duverger, 1966).
The minority knows that numbers matter. It tries various ways to weaken the numerically superior group. Strategies include dividing the majority group, reducing numbers through conflict, forcing some to migrate out of the territory or marginalizing the group so much that it becomes politically powerless. In the extreme case, the minority tries to reduce the number of the majority group by launching targeted birth control programs.
At the global level birth control was launched after the Second World War because population in the Third World was growing faster than in the developed countries. By early 1970s the global population had ‘exploded’ from 2.5 billion to 3.7 billion over two decades. This growth took place mostly in developing countries. Developed countries expressed fear that if the population explosion is not controlled it would lead to mass starvation and societal catastrophe. Third world governments rejected that view, stressing that economic and social development would take care of population growth (Critical Trends. United Nations 1997).
In Africa birth control was introduced during colonial days mostly in countries with minority settler communities because the population of blacks was growing very fast. African suspicions were heightened by horror stories coming from apartheid Namibia and South Africa where birth control programs had been designed to reduce black population. For example, birth control injections were administered to women immediately after child birth often without their consent or knowledge (M. Turshen 1991).
In the great lakes region (southwest Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi) there has been a struggle for political power since the interaction (some 500 years ago) between Bantu (Bahutu and Bairu) on the one hand and Nilotic Bahima, Bahororo and Batutsi people on the other hand. Because of their military experience (nomadic people fight a lot over scarce pastures and water supplies for their livestock), the minority Nilotic peoples were able to defeat settled and relatively peaceful Bantu majority who resolved disputes largely through negotiations (R. W. July 1998). The minority control over majority was strengthened during colonial rule as colonial officials chose Batutsi, Bahima and Bahororo to be their administrative agents (salaried civil servants) under the indirect rule system in Rwanda, Burundi and Uganda.
The struggle for independence was based on democracy, majority rule and free and fair elections. Consequently the majority Bantu (Bahutu and Bairu) people won elections and governments in Uganda and Rwanda were formed by commoners, throwing out the minority that had controlled politics before independence. The minority groups in Rwanda and Uganda did not accept the loss of power. Knowing that they would never regain power through the democratic process because they do not have the numbers, they have resorted to the use of force with foreign backing. In Uganda Museveni, a Mututsi/Muhororo from the minority group came to power in 1986 through the barrel of the gun and has used democracy at gun point to stay in power. At the same time, he has developed a liberal immigration policy that some people believe (subject to confirmation) is intended to boost the numbers of his supporters by allowing into Uganda Batutsi and other foreigners. Suggestions from senior officers that Africans in Uganda must learn to live together in harmony are raising thorny ethnic issues that cannot be swept under the carpet as insignificant or irrelevant. Further, the sudden interest in birth control in Uganda has heightened suspicions about its ethnic long-term motive.
In Rwanda, the ethnic demographic imbalance against the ruling Batutsi who are ten percent and the ruled Bahutu who are 90 percent is raising serious questions regarding Batutsi ever retaining power in that country. Reducing the number of Bahutu seems to have emerged as a policy option for the ruling Batutsi. The reported massacre of Bahutu since 1990 in Rwanda and since 1994 in eastern DRC is being interpreted by many as an attempt to drastically reduce Bahutu population.
In the first quarter of 2010 I visited Burundi, DRC and Rwanda and population growth and control issue came up in the discussions. Those who believe in birth control argue that unless population growth is controlled, conflict over scarce resources will increase and undermine prospects for peace, security and development. On the other hand those who oppose birth control reason that the principal goal is to reduce drastically the population of Bahutu so that they are politically dominated forever. Ugandans at heart forum has reported stories (August 2010) about plans by Batutsi in Rwanda to even up the population of Rwanda to 50 percent Tutsi and 50 percent Hutu. Because of these differences, Rwanda parliament was unable to pass a law about birth control. Nonetheless, the use of contraception has increased dramatically. It would be instructive to know which ethnic group or social class has embarked on this massive use of contraception.
It is important to stress that a country like Rwanda that has suffered genocide should avoid any program of action whose outcomes in the short or long term may be interpreted as constituting genocide. For easy reference, Article II (a) and (d) of the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crimes of Genocide state that killing members of the group, and imposing measures intended to prevent births within the group respectively constitute genocide (Human Rights: A Compilation of International Instruments Volume I Second Part. United Nations 2002).
All those foreigners and nationals involved in birth control programs need to be aware of human rights and political aspects of these programs.