Editor,

The writer has a valid point. Trade between Uganda and Congo is minuscule compared to the trade with Europe.

However, to my understanding this is not due to the language barrier as the trade between Kenya and Tanzania cannot be compared to the trade they both have with Europe in spite of having common English and Kiswahili languages. The same goes for trade between Rwanda and Burundi, even though Kinyarwanda and Kirundi are mutually intelligible.

It is true that many of the African wars tend to take an ethnic angle. But consider these counter examples: the Somali conflict has lasted more than 20 years even though all the people there speak Somali. Japan had a civil war known as "Sengoku” that lasted 100 years (1467 - 1573). Nobody would argue that language was an issue in that war.

There have been several initiatives to develop national languages. In Congo for example, they have four national languages: Kikongo, Tshiluba, Kiswahili and Lingala. These four languages are used in schools and on public media. Kenya and Tanzania use Kiswahili as a national language.

Rashid Swaleh

Reaction to the letter, "No, languages have never been a problem for Africa” (The New Times, March 25)