After 27 years of brutal TPLF/EPRDF suppression, Ethiopians started in the last 5 months a new promising beginning with some smell of freedom and optimistic shining democratic lights from near future distance. This is as result of peaceful struggle of Ethiopians of all walk of life in the last 27 years and more recently, the new generation , the youth in the last four years. The people struggle penetrated the core of EPRDF and resulted in the new generation of leaders delivering the reform/the change in the Ethiopian politics.
Prime Minster Dr. Abiy Ahmed and the new leadership team’s early bold speech and action have given the Ethiopian people great optimism and new hope. The people who suffered from the brutal regime for several generations seeking for peace, stability, fairness, justice, equal opportunity and democratic rights. This can be achieved only if we all think, plan and work as Ethiopian people deserving such, not as certain specific ethnic group which promote superiority or “victim” politics. TPLF has used such ethnic politics which resulted in suffering and death.
Ethiopians of all walk of life from any ethnic group or religion or educational, economic or social status should seek for justice system that treat everyone fairly with equal opportunity. We need to build a political infrastructure that maintain peace, stability, justice, fairness, equal opportunity and guarantee individual human rights and responsibilities.
The priority of our time have to be building these fundamental infrastructures. The Justice system, Police, Army should be reformed to be independent from any influence of politics, power or money. The media have to be organised to serve the people instead of the powerful. An independent Election Commission should be formed to guarantee fair and sound election. Fundamental individual rights should get priority and get guarantee in the Constitution which needs revision.
Ethnic politics in our country resulted in dangerous outcomes. It has promoted ethnic superiority/inferiority or/and victim politics. It is divisive and anti-democratic. Its roots are based on discrimination, victimization and polarization; its trunks and fruits are new reciprocal entitlement and power to suppress others. The future of Ethiopia’s politics should aim for no ethnic politics of such. We should aim for abolishing political parties formed by ethnicity which result in division, hate, superiority/inferiority, victimization and anti democratic measures. People should be able to form political party based on ideas.
Individual rights respected in democratic society would solve most of the ills in the society including certain groups claim for. Group right should be respected in a society but it shouldn’t overtake individual rights.
In our country, we need to recognise that we have several ethnic identity with its own distinct language, norms and traditions. This shouldn’t be used to make boundary on earth and political organization to form power base to be superior or suppress others who don’t share such. As example people of different faith have been living peacefully in different region of the country and worship together without forming political power base to discriminate others. The same can be applied for different ethnic group can live and work in any part of the country while its language, culture, tradition are respected and celebrated. We can form a Ministry in the government to ensure these languages, tradition, norms to be celebrated and promoted. It shouldn’t be used as tool for political power and fences of boundaries on the ground.
No one chose to be born of this and that ethnicities in our country Ethiopia. The country belongs to all and its resources belong to all. All should be treated fairly with equal opportunity for work, education, business and economic advantage. Unless this is guaranteed, it will be constant source of conflict among ourselves. We shouldn’t define our life by the history of yesterday but the current reality and the future we will have. If an ethnic group élites claim “this land belongs to me 130 years ago”, other would claim “you have taken it from my ethnic group 400 years ago”. This will make us to live in the past instead of the present and our future.
Ethiopia as country needs decentralised power in form of federalism to ensure power nearer to the people. This facilitate growth and create better civil society with respected individual, group rights and responsibilities. Boundaries for each region should be made not based on ethnicity, language or tradition but rather based on promoting people to people interaction, prosperity, ease of administration and growth. The current arrangement of regional federal boundary has not been intended for such rather it has been divisive, discriminatory and created delusions of ownership by certain groups ignoring other Ethiopians. It has resulted in conflict and bloodshed. The Constitution of the land should rectify such ill.
Dr.Abiy Ahmed and the new leadership team should look for lasting peaceful and fair society for Ethiopian people that would promote peace, fairness, justice and equal opportunity. The recent hiccup and obstacles created by ethnic tribal’s, power mongers fuelled and financed by hidden forces ( those who lost the power and influence plus foreign adversaries) are hindrances in democratic process.
The young, seasoned new leaders shouldn’t be destructed by such to lose the focus of forming Democratic Ethiopia. Although you have been patient to make peaceful reform or change, the destructive forces are working hard to derail you by inciting violence against different ethnic group. Such violence do creates an emotional feeling from the victim and most Ethiopians to have illusion about your ability to manage the basic rule of a government which is maintaining law and order. Your wisdom, patience and judgement is being tested. You would pass this obstacles if you regroup, focus on the bigger picture while handling the detractors in legal way without delay and justice should be served in fair way.
The new leadership shouldn’t be blurred by the artificial ethnic political mushroom with passing wind music. The ethnic activists, their media, their false propaganda and anti people agitation should be counter backed by unity, fairness, justice, truth, development, democratic rights and building of fundamental democratic infrastructure.
We need desperately to organise national reconciliation and rehabilitation process so that we will never be trapped by victim and perpetrator tormenting politics. We need to live in country where the victims forgive the perpetrator with justice prevailed and free from animosity and mistrust. We need forgiveness and justice to close the past chapter of last 40 years to define our future.
Opposition political parties of any colour should use this peaceful opportunity to be good cause and transform the country for lasting peace and stability with fairness. Those of you who believe as “this is the time to achieve my final goal of ethnic politics or short cut to power” should think twice before you bring mayhem that will burn you and the poor people.
The new leadership should stick with your bold statement and promises you made at the start which gathered and mobilised support from millions of Ethiopians. Ethiopians deserve political system that treats them fairly with equal opportunity and justice.
Once again, we need to support the new leadership in the direction of democratization of our country where we all and our children deserve to live peacefully and happily.
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