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Obstacles to progress

Challenges

softened by making use of traditional leaders as extended arms of state control over the tribes

or the local communities, giving this externally imposed system a semblance of legitimacy for
the masses.

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Today, virtually every African conflict has some ethno-regional dimension to it. Even those

conflicts that may appear to be free of ethnic concerns involve factions and alliances built
around ethnic loyalties.

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Throughout Africa, the goal of safeguarding unity within the colonial state has preserved the

stability of colonial borders while generating ethnic tensions and violence within those borders.
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In most African countries, the determination to preserve national unity following independence
provided the motivation behind one-party rule, excessive centralization of power, oppressive

authoritarian regimes, and systematic violation of human rights and fundamental liberties.
These in turn have generated a reaction, manifested in heightened tension and the demand for

a second liberation.
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Ethiopia, after Eritrea's breakaway, can claim credit for being the only African country trying to
confront head-on the challenge of tribalism or ethnicity by recognizing territorially based ethnic

groups, granting them not only a large measure of autonomy, but also the constitutional right
of self-determination, even to the extent of secession. Managing ethnic diversity within the
unity of the colonial borders is a challenge that African states are reluctant to face, but cannot

wish away. “
"Ethnicity: An African Predicament." 181
Deng, Francis M.
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Linguistic Diversity
“ Africa is a continent with a very high linguistic diversity, there are an estimated 1500-2000
African languages. Of these languages four main groupings can be distinguished:

Afro-Asiatic
(approximately 200 languages) covering nearly Northern Africa (including the
horn of Africa, Central Sahara et the top Nile)

Nilo-Saharian
gathering appoximately 140 languages with some eleven millions speakers

scattered in Central and Eastern Africa.