The idea of a single African identity has been called into question by the difficulties Africa has faced for 1,400 years as a result of Arab Muslim imperialism. Many North African Arabs do not consider themselves or their countries to be African.

Some North Africans perceive the term “Africa” negatively because it refers to people who live south of the Sahara. This viewpoint is linked to ongoing racial discrimination, in which people with darker skin face significant obstacles and harassment in Egypt, Morocco, Libya, Algeria, Mauritania, and Tunisia. In these countries, black people are frequently depicted in inferior roles in the media and face segregation in various aspects of life.

Even black people’s historical contributions to the area are frequently overlooked or dismissed. Some of the factors that contribute to this issue include an obsession with whiteness and the belief that lighter skin is better. Some argue that the mistreatment of people with darker skin in North Africa is due to the influence of Arabism and Islam.

However, Arab and Islamic influences are not limited to North Africa, but extend throughout the continent.  An example of this phenomenon can be observed in Mauritius and Sudan, where the influence of Arabs or their Arabization has resulted in the discrimination and violent expulsion of numerous black Africans.

The Prejudice against Black people in Mauritania

Mauritania’s government, predominantly Arab Berber, has been criticized for discriminating against its black citizens since gaining independence in 1960. The Arab Berber population (25%) holds significant power and privileges, while black citizens (50%) face severe discrimination, and other black ethnic groups (25%) experience widespread abuse.

According to reports, these communities face systemic issues that include detention and confiscation of identification documents. The country’s history of closed international observation has contributed to these issues, with the 1989 border dispute with Senegal serving as an excuse to target black citizens.

The actions of Mauritania’s Arab Berber-led government resulted in severe violations that forced many black citizens to flee to Senegal and Mali. Mauritanian Fulanis were forcibly expelled, losing their livelihoods, lands, and homes. Village names were changed to Arabic as part of an effort to Arabize the country. Making Arabic the official language further marginalized black people, limiting their access to education and job opportunities.

Following Mauritania’s independence, the Arab Berber community gained control, which resulted in serious human rights problems that impacted the black population’s ability to acquire equal opportunities. Unlawful arrests are said to have resulted from black Mauritanians’ difficulties obtaining passports and identification documents.

There were also reports of land and business seizures, wage discrimination, and black protesters being arrested or deported. During this period, 100,000 to 200,000 black Mauritanians were displaced, losing their homes, properties, and national identities.

With the 1960 declaration of Mauritanian independence, the nation began to align itself with Arab Islamic identity, which benefited the Arab Berber population in particular. This has contributed to the region’s ongoing issues. These dynamics are part of a larger racial hierarchy shaped by factors such as Islam and Arabism.

Sudan also has a similar situation

In the 14th century, Arabs invaded Northeastern Sudan and overthrew its black Christian kingdoms. While the southern part of Sudan was predominantly black and Christian, the western part was already overwhelmingly Muslim.

During British colonial rule, the separate regions in the south and north were merged into a single nation, later known as Sudan. Following British colonization of Sudan, the Arab majority government implemented the Arabic language, Islam, and Sharia law throughout the country to govern the oil-rich south. This is similar to the current practices in countries such as Nigeria.

As a result, prolonged civil wars erupted in Sudan’s northern and southern regions, killing three million people and causing a widespread humanitarian crisis in the southern region.  In 2011, South Sudan gained independence, a significant turning point that symbolized the South Sudanese’s reclamation of land and autonomy.

The exclusion of black people from power, as well as Arab groups’ encroachment on their resources, have created significant challenges for black people in Sudan. This heightened tension was most noticeable in Darfur’s western region. 

The Darfur conflict, which began in 2003, is a tragic example of how ethnicity, religion, and identity can be used to justify violence and oppressive behaviour. The Arab-dominated government’s response to protests and unrest triggered a devastating conflict that resulted in an estimated 300,000 deaths, commonly referred to as genocide.

Sudan’s name is derived from the Arabic word for “black,” which refers to the region’s historically black population. However, Arab groups have dominated the government, resulting in tensions and violence, particularly in Darfur. The dispute brings to light Sudan’s complicated past, in which social and political goals are frequently supported by claims to identity, religion, and ethnicity.

How the introduction of Islam to North Africa led to prejudices against Black people

The arrival of the Arabs on the continent resulted in a more tangled geopolitical situation involving issues of regional control, cultural identity, and violations of fundamental liberties.  Although many Eurocentric and their Arab stooges deny its existence, northwest Africa was originally inhabited by black people.

When the Romans first arrived in North Africa in 146 BCE, they referred to the inhabitants as Moors, a term used to describe someone with dark skin. The Moorish influence they witnessed led them to refer to the area as Mauritania, which in its literal translation means the land of the black, a term that influenced the current name of the region.    

In the sixth century, Arab forces, mostly descendants of Ottoman Turks, entered the continent and established their control over North Africa, including modern-day Egypt.  Modern Egypt was heavily influenced by the Ottoman Turks in almost all major areas of culture, including government structure, education, courts, medicine, law, and infrastructure. This is the reason so many words used in Egyptian Arabic today have Turkish roots. Even though they were a minority, the Ottoman Turks helped spread Islam throughout the region and allowed the Islamized moors to rule the Maghreb.

Around the 16th century, the Ottoman Turks extended their empire from Egypt to Morocco. Beginning in the 8th century, Muslim rulers, especially the Turks, began to enslave black populations south of the Sahara and some Moors as well as white European Christians. During this brief period of enslavement, many of them were forced to convert to Islam. 

This changed the demographic makeup of the Maghreb, with the region becoming mostly mixed and white and blacks becoming a smaller minority. Eventually, it became possible to distinguish between black and white Berber, reflecting the diverse racial and cultural heritage of the area.  

It’s important to know that over time, the meaning of ‘Moor’ has changed and lost its true meaning. It was once used to describe the black population in the region of northwest Africa. Nonetheless, in recent times, certain Arab Berber groups, predominantly white, have begun to redefine the term to exclusively refer to themselves.  This situation highlights the ongoing struggle between Africans and Arab Muslims in the region, which is often overlooked.   

Some Arab and white Berber societies hold the view that black people are divine natural slaves, so much so that the names Abid or Abeed are regularly used to refer to black folks. This mindset was further reinforced during the period of European colonization, particularly by the French and British, who propagated notions of white supremacy and black inferiority in North Africa. 

There has been a deliberate effort to erase the contributions made by Africans in the majority of the world’s greatest civilizations for the past 500 years.  For example, modern Tunisians rarely consider the Carthaginians as black Africans. It is also uncommon for Moroccans to acknowledge the black African heritage of their former Imperial dynasties, despite numerous evidence indicating that Black Africans were the original inhabitants and contributors to North and Sub-Saharan African civilization.

This situation shows how the agenda to rewrite African historical stories can influence social dynamics. This same agenda has led to a racial gap, where the North African Arabs believe that they are better than the rest of Africa in every way. As we all know, this complex part of history and social situation has caused racial tensions and unfairness towards those from sub-Saharan Africa.

Conclusion

North Africa has repeatedly demonstrated that their cultural and spiritual beliefs differ from those of Sub-Saharan Africa. For example, North African countries have repeatedly threatened to withdraw from the African Union or from the African Football Governing Body (CAF).  

Even during sporting events, North African nations are known to engage in a ferocious display of superiority to demonstrate their superiority over other African nations.  This is something they won’t do when competing in international events or competitions.

During the 2021 Fifa Arab Cup, eleven African Arab nations located in Africa participated in the tournament. Ironically, these same countries participate in the African Cup of Nations. Even in critical matters that concern sub-Saharan African nations, North Africans rarely get involved. Where exactly does their loyalty lie?

Given this in mind, it is clear that Black sub-Saharan Africa cannot co-exist with North African Arabs.  Key sacrifices are required in the following steps in the proposed solutions to the fractured relationship between sub-Saharan African and North African countries. 

Step 1

We need to understand that black and Arab Muslims have their ways of life and can’t live together. After the Western world, the Arab world is the second force that aspires to dominate the sub-Saharan Africans.

Their superiority attitude will continue to linger as long as Arabs in North Africa feel closer to their religious brothers in the Middle East than to the rest of sub-Saharan Africa. This will continue to undermine the chances for a united Africa.  The most efficient resolution would be for them to withdraw from the African Union and fully align with their Middle Eastern Arab Community state in the Arab League.

A union exclusively for sub-Saharan African States should be created to replace the current members of the African Union. In terms of military effectiveness, a union of sub-Saharan African states would be more effective in addressing conflicts and obstacles specific to these nations, as well as cultural and religious considerations. 

Step 2

The spread of Islam in black African countries should be properly evaluated to promote African vitalism, a concept that emphasizes the celebration and glorification of black identity. 

This will enhance people’s sense of belonging to their culture and diminish the influence of other languages, such as Arabic, particularly in nations such as Chad, where Arabic is the official language.   

Step 3

We must teach Africa’s true history in every primary, secondary, and higher education system in Africa. Many Africans are skeptical about the significance of their ancestors’ contributions to the progress of human civilization, particularly in the region now known as the continent of North Africa.   

As a form of Pan-Africanism learning, this approach will provide us with an understanding of our authentic history, excluding slavery and colonization. The historical truth about the main role black Africans played in civilizing the continent will be greatly increased by this.  This approach would have a significant impact on challenging narratives that minimize black African contributions and presence in North Africa. 

Step 4

African governments must come together to come up with specific measures to end Arab discrimination and abuse against black Africans, especially in countries like Mauritania, Egypt, Morocco, and the rest. This action is considered an essential step in safeguarding the rights and dignity of all Africans. These solutions will underscore the necessity for a more autonomous approach among black African nations in addressing their distinct historical, cultural, and geopolitical challenges.   

Credit

Refworld – UNHCR’s Global Law and Policy Database. (2024, February 11). Human Rights Watch World Report 1990 – Mauritania. Refworld. https://www.refworld.org/reference/annualreport/hrw/1991/en/41237

Historia Africana. (2024, January 13). Why do North Africans Look Down on Black Africans? [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xilV2GHEj84

Ezzat, D. A. (2020). Pharaonic or Ottoman in modern Egyptian culture: Consequences of immigration. Journal of Social Sciences, 16(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.3844/jssp.2020.1.16

Nations nègres et culture, Paris: Éditions Africaines. Second edition (1955) : By Cheikh Anta Diop