THE PREPONDERANCE OF RACISM OVER MULTICULTURALISM

We are now in one of the most truly prophetic moments in the history of Australia and around the world. The poor and very poor are sleeping with self-destruction. The working and middle classes are struggling against paralysing pessimism and the privileged are swinging between cynicism and hedonism. Yes, these are the circumstances that people of conscience must operate under during this moment of national and international truth or consequences.

There are huge racial inequality in a country promised to practice what it preaches─ Multiculturalism. For black people unless they are on TV, where chances are remote, sports personalities, which still has a lesser value than their Caucasian (sometimes called rather), counterparts, their chances of success and recognition are inconspicuous. That’s why even graduates are confined to driving taxis; work in all kinds of risky security guard jobs, doing mundane house cleaning routines, working day and night shifts in factories. Most country people don’t even see a black face from one week to the next. I see black faces cleaning the streets & trains, emptying bins and mopping up the spills in shopping centres.

I am saddened to see (not because of the jobs they are doing) the hopes and aspirations of these black people are hampered by discrimination. Racism, showing great weight, dominance and superiority, is becoming even greater now than the obvious (whites only service venues) of bygone eras.

A blunt research study of intelligences of racial differences conducted by (white race) researchers raised a question of its reliability and validity in the twenty first century.

These excerpts are taken from PDF p.39 (Education Review http://www.edrev.info) Theory of Racial Differences in Intelligence review book by Dr Girma Berhanu, Professor of Special Education, University of Gothenburg, Sweden:

(Likewise, Helen Meekosha (2006) wrote how race is used in Australia to refer to non-Anglo peoples from non-Caucasian genetic stock. For instance, the Chinese were banned from immigration to Australia because, it was argued, they were detrimental to the political economy (undercutting wages and employment standards), but also because of their biosocial impairments (they were incapable of understanding ideas of equality and democracy). As the anti-Chinese campaign grew during the late 19th century, race and disability became intertwined, as in the following editorial from The Bulletin, a radical nationalist weekly in Sydney:
We claim to be a civilized people; we claim that one of the reasons we should exclude the Chinese is that they belong to an ‗‗inferior‘‘race; we claim to be the inheritors of centuries of intellectual and moral culture. . . . Centuries of culture have superimposed the artificial and civilized man upon the bedrock of naturalism, and the civilized man is a stickler for justice; for consideration for the weak and the undefended, the oppressed, the imbecile and incompetent. (Anon 1888, in Meekosha, 2006, p. 167)

The increase in racism must be placed in the context of the crisis of the capitalist way which benefits from racism, using it to divide and confuse the people about the reasons for the economic and social crisis of the system. Because the system is in crisis, there is an increase in the intensity and complexity of the ongoing ideological war on social unity and the principles and practice of equality.

The racist use of the crime issue, rising racist and police violence, deepening discrimination, criminalization, attacks on immigrants, increasing poverty, homelessness and unemployment, an increase in stereotypes in the mass media and environmental racism all indicate the depth of the crisis. It’s even harder when the government and people’s representatives repudiate that racism exist

“I do not accept that there is underlying racism in this country”. John Howard, Prime Minister of Australia (1996-2007) in 2005. “I do not believe that racism is at work in Australia”. Kevin Rudd, Prime Minister of Australia (2007-2010) in 2010. More than 87% of Australians agree that there is racism in Australia and more than 86% said that racial prejudice is prevalent and something should be done to fight it.

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-appeal-for-help-in-river-body-case-20110718-1hlcj.html and http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/lost-for-answers-20110723-1huc0.html and http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/police-face-fury-after-death-of-african-man-20110716-1hjjc.html  What do you think?

Here is a different episode, equally heart wrenching, of 6 Australians volunteering to experiment their prejudiced ideas of refugees and asylum seekers by “living it up” (putting their feet in … shoes) like them for twenty five days.

http://www.sbs.com.au/shows/goback/episodes/detail/episode/4216/season/1

If you want to distinguish and believe you need not look further than, besides from discrimination in employment, the filtration, renunciation & parochialism in presenting the news, entertainments, and acknowledgements of successful black people ( from Obama to various artists and celebrities) on public media such as (remarkably) TV and Newspapers except for ridiculing and abusing their achievements.

The following is (pictures of ) one of the few reports by the Melbourne, Herald sun, newspaper likening President Obama to Osama during the president’s victory in killing the Al-Qaida leader at his hideaway in May 2011.

Double click on image to enlarge for viewing

Black people’s treatment seems maybe marginal in Australia not because blacks here have a better position (huge academic and economic disparity), but the black population is very low comparing to America and Britain. When you reach the hotels of these countries, your blood pressure will go up (at least mine) when you see blacks greeting by opening the door, making the beds, cleaning the lavatories, washing dishes in restaurants and wiping the tables, cleaning cars at carwash and serving you at unisex barber shops.

Moreover, if you happen to be there for business meetings, you will see blacks as guards at the entrance, at receptions and restocking the vending machines. However, at business meetings you will, most probably, see almost all the delegates you sit with are whites (Caucasians) virtually everywhere and most of the time. No wonder blacks do all kinds of legally and ethically improper acts of misfits from changing their names and nationality to changing their course of personal history trying hard to fit in and accepted for any opportunities available in order to obtain skilled and professional employment probabilities.  Please, read more what one, among the many, African refugee has to go through in order to acquire employment with his profession: www.heraldsun.com.au/ipad/refugeeturns-to-tricks-after-100-failed-job-applications/story-fn6bfm6w-1226097109013

If there are professional jobs that are advertised, surprisingly, all the jobs are taken by whites and a rainbow of races can then chase after the left overs to no avail. Without  very good contact references, even with better than average qualifications and achievements, working class and professional graduate black people know, instinctively, that they’re no better off either in town or countryside to secure jobs or rent a simple flat and house for their families.

There are no sustainable employment networks^* and there are more whites in the country sides to fill the jobs because racism runs endemic right through our society.

Reducing and mass layoffs have wiped out many of the past gains against discrimination in the workplace. As the economic crisis deepens, new forms of economic racism are making themselves felt.

Massive unemployment, poverty and homelessness are its most direct and vivid result. Unemployment rates among Indigenous, African and Asian workers are twice those of whites, long-term unemployment is also particularly severe. Economic racism's repulsiveness is particularly seen in its impact on Indigenous and black children, close to half of whom live in poverty.

Australia’s past white only policy is embedded in and influences every aspect of social, economic and political life. This is what is meant by institutionalized racism.

Institutionalized racism is the combined economic, political, social, cultural, legal, ideological and other structures that exist to maintain the system of inequality.

As a set of institutions, racism is infused in the very foundations of our society and is inseparable from the economic foundations of Australian culture. The racist wage gap is the most fundamental feature; both in terms of the super profits produced by the super exploitation of racially oppressed workers, and the additional extra profits created by the fact that racism divides and weakens the working people and drags down wages for all workers.

Racism is affecting the live of the person that is different, but also all people. I don’t want to seem alarmist, but I am just reiterating what’s already out there and our society is in denial.

Institutionalized racism has economic, social, political, ideological and cultural forms, and denies equality, justice and dignity to all people of colour.

Poverty and racism has become a deadly couple. Thus, there can be no effective fight against racism without a struggle against poverty. And there can be no effective fight against poverty without taking on the struggle against economic racism and for equality.

We have witnessed the breakdown of the social systems that nurture our rootless children not just the two out of five black and brown children who live in poverty, but all children in Australia who live in lack of services. Young families terrified by the stress of separation destined to kill each other, families and their own children. We are talking about the state of young people culturally unprotected, with no safe berths; these children have no cultural armour to protect them while navigating the terrors and traumas of daily life. Young people need a community to sustain them, so that they can look death in the face and deal with disease, dismay, and despair.

Culture, in part, provides people with the tools and resources to toughen themselves against adversity and convinces them not to kill themselves or others. This is the reason why I am preoccupied with a sense of bittersweet. At the moment in which we must look defeat, disillusionment, and discouragement in the face and work through a sense of the bittersweet keeps alive some sense of possibility, hope, agency and resistance. We have not been too successful in persuading people not to commit suicides or kill others from street to corporate thugs, people of colour, women, youth, the working poor, the unemployed fellas, gays, lesbians and those who are being unfairly targeted.

This is what happens in moments of cultural decay. This is what happens in moments of cultural breakdown. Moreover, to talk about cultural resistance at this time means to ask: How do we analyse this present moment and discern some sources of vision and hope? I look at culture from the vantage point of freedom for all. None of us are going to be here that long. Culture moves us and helps create the structures of meaning, feeling and purpose that keep the deep traditional democratic human interaction alive.   

As bad as things are, we have faced worse conditions. We have always had courageous people willing to stand up and tell the truth, expose lies and bear witness to love and justice. We still have people who say they are willing to build on this tradition. “There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie”, Cornel West.

As our society faces deeper and deeper crisis, progressives are beginning to be heard again & again vehemently. People are looking to a variety of different voices, and visions for leadership and direction, about how we can overcome these situations locally and globally.

For too long, Australia looked to the far away Monarch for change. We have looked to Hawke, Keating, Howard, Rudd and Julia. Apart from making history for her and Australian politics, Julia still has to overcome the hurdle in becoming the first woman PM in a country where change is still elusive to come by.

We are still living in the shadow of the vicious realignment of the Australian electorate, provoked by the media's negative appeals to race and gender. We have pulled ourselves deeper into a dark, bottomless ditch. Yet, if people are interested in looking for bigger picture (change), tolerant endless possibilities are evident. First and foremost, change your own attitude. Mahatma Gandhi said, “Be the change you want to see in the world."

Our Culture is characterized by being a post dearth society meaning that its advanced technologies provide practically limitless material wealth and comforts for everyone for free, having all but abolished the concept of possessions, by having overcome almost all physical constraints on life including disease and death by being an almost totally egalitarian, stable society without the use of any form of force or compulsion, except where necessary to protect others.

In a corporately controlled globalization, we faced an unprecedented economic redistribution of disparity from working people to the elite and the preying of the local to federal governments into public filth and private extravagance.

As all different colours of spectrum emerged from a prism, so are the human races (remember Dinknesh aka Lucy).

Imagine a world without war, poverty, misery or money. Imagine a world where all people work together in a spirit of cooperation and not competition. Imagine the safer saner world and you are closer to understanding what freedom & democracy is. A close look at our present social systems which are built upon fundamentals which produce war, poverty, murder, crime, violence, compromised healthcare, media monopoly, corporate corruption and indifference for the environment, greed, apathetic self-interest and desensitisation from others suffering, obsolete and archaic political systems based on subjective opinion (guesswork) and not on scientific and empirical certainty. Is this how we want our families (Lucy’s children) to live today?

It’s time for “liberty, fraternity and equality”. It’s time for political pluralism, tolerance of religious and cultural diversity. It’s time to end hate. It’s time to break free from the cycle of violence. It’s time to end rampant, semi-official, implicit racism and corruption. It’s time to believe even in the impossible for transparency and be part of the international mainstream.

In Australia, diversity generally means ensuring that organizations include men and women from a variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds. But diversity issues have sometimes sparked controversy.

Some would call it human nature for us to dislike or mistrust the unknown - be it a person, a thing or an idea.

More than a few people are guilty of enjoying the fruits of another culture while demeaning the other.

For those who haven't got a clue, diversity just doesn't extend itself to race, class or gender, it is all around us. It's in our homes, in our schools and at workplaces. It is part of our everyday life.

Despite those obstacles, in order to make Australia a better place to live and grow for generations, apology should be followed by action; diversity must be evident in our government, institutions and our own households.

Now, here, we are in 21century. Australia still finds itself looking to its descents time again to provide vision to a nation with a source of hope with no guarantee. Real hope is in its own backyard grounded in a particularly messy struggle and it can be betrayed by naive projections of a better future that ignore the necessity of doing the real work.

It’s abundantly clear that we need to adjust (change) our thinking & attitude because it will definitely be to our collective detriment if we do not. If we carry on so carelessly and wastefully into the future, our future generations will pay the price for our mistakes.

So, what I wish (I am talking about) is a real change & hope we all can cope.

^* The people who work for employment Job Networks or Centrelinks are not all to blame. There are some people who couldn't care less and others who feel the pain of others and think outside the system and generally try to be really helpful often do not last long. Because, the system does not allow them to be as helpful as they'd like to be.

Prejudice & Indifference to diverse people are at a high level when dealing with Job Networks or Centrelinks. Some public servants have neglected their APS Values & Ethics Code of Conduct for the public servant and jump lines having an attitude to judge and generalize that all clients are bludgers. When you phone for information, mostly, advices are bound to differ with each person you speak to. A total white wash!

Back in the days of CES (Commonwealth Employment Services) and early introduction of Centrelinks, they used to have forms on hand, to update client details based on a face-to-face services and interviews which would take less time than the pain of waiting through phone calls and having to browse so many confusing forms online (now).

Job capacity assessments aren't designed to evaluate anyone's capacity to work, they are a bureaucratic systems designed to block access to the assistance thereby saving a few bucks a week.

No point blaming the Job Capacity Assessor, Job Networks, nor Centrelinks, it’s all about how the system is intended to save the money and doing nothing to monitor that Job Network Services are doing nothing but money making organisations obviously hiring more people off the system (Centrelink benefit).

With my years of experiences dealing with these service providers, calling themselves non-profit organisations is a great urban myth that the profit money goes into employment services. It’s generally used (to perk their outlook up) for building improvements or new offices, cars for (job) services, building a new board room, kitchen, employing more do nothing employees from the Centrelinks’ queue and a computer training room that the clients could hardly access but used for staff meetings.

WE MUST CHANGE TO CREATE NEW ETHIOPIA

I write this broad opinions, facts and insights based on the circumstances that I encountered in my living experiences and observations of what most of our people who live in the diaspora and back home encounter daily and must do to change.

Ethiopia, the second most populous nation, with eighty ethnic groups, in Africa, better known as the land of “famine”, rather than depicting its oldest, world’s, 3000 years history such as religion, monolithic rock-hewn churches, home to the beginning of early human evolution- homo erectus aka Dinknesh (Lucy), place where coffee bean originated, the top leading coffee and honey producing country in Africa, home to the largest livestock population in Africa and, extraordinarily, second to famine, famous for producing first not only Ethiopian, but African and Olympic famous record breaking gold medal Athletes.
 
 http://www.unhcr.org/refworld/country,,,CHRON,ETH,,469f3887a,0.html 

Who would forget Bikila, Wolde, Yifter, Tulu, Roba, Gebrselassie, Bekele and many more from the new generations? Marathoner Abebe Bikila, 1932-73, won in Rome, 1960, by running barefoot and establishing himself as bigger than life being the first African, Ethiopian, World and Olympic record breaker. He continued his winning form in Tokyo, 1964 this time wearing shoes and only to be denied his third medal in Mexico four years later hampered by injury.

It seems to me that the world is so embarrassed to recognise and mediate Ethiopian Coffee and the rest of history. Everywhere I go, I see Brazilian, Colombian, Jamaica Blue Coffee, and very little Media attention is given to its original producer. According to reports made currently, Ethiopia stands behind India, as the world’s seventh largest producer of coffee, led by Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico and India. That’s all politics which needs another commentary and I don’t intend to detail it here.

Although my country is, regrettably remembered, entered into Guinness World Records, for its periodic droughts, famines and poorest country, heroically, never been colonised and Africa’s oldest independent country, apart from five years occupation, 1936-41, by Italian fascist leader, Benito Mussolini, where our gallant patriot forefathers ferociously spear-fought against the Fiat machine and defended our country from the scramble for Africa expedition by member of the “Axis of Evil” leader.

I recently attended one of the first wonderful Ethiopian conferences, which brought old friends and new fellow Ethiopians together, in Melbourne organised by peace loving democracy for Ethiopia support groups by inviting the solidarity movement’s leader and human right’s advocate, Mr Obang Metho, currently residing in Canada, who travels around the world and addresses Ethiopians for change and unity.

I would like to express my deep sincere thanks to Obang Metho, the leader of solidarity movement for new Ethiopia, for his recent visit to his first and foremost meeting in Melbourne, establishing solidarity movement, and all the solidarity team members for going above the call of duty to take care of humanity. 

My sincere appreciation also goes to the organisers for their share of contribution, to invite Obang to a historic and wonderful gathering in Melbourne, to achieve a change necessary in order to create a new Ethiopia.                

I believe the core principle of Solidarity, “humanity before ethnicity” and “no one is free until all are free”,  is the most fundamental motivating force and worthy of cause to change for the better.

The meeting which took place on Sunday 17, July 2011, one hour later than scheduled time of two o’clock in the afternoon probably to wait for more people who are late to fulfil their personal commitments and to avoid late comers from distracting the discourse. 

It was a very interesting meeting with Obang introducing the purpose of solidarity movement and his visions for new Ethiopia. The energy he exuded at the meeting was enticing and amiable. He continued his strong encouraging dialogue for the individuals to change one-self before everything else and to make connections with each other without having to wait for another meeting or celebrations to take place.

He said, “when this meeting is over everyone should go home and make that phone call to friends or someone you’ve not but should have called for so long”. He used both Amharic and English intermittently to get his messages across diverse Ethiopian participants well and truly understood. I was so surprised that after living overseas for a very long time he still managed to speak Amharic.

I have spent more than half of my life abroad and I, understandably, struggle to continuously speak in Amharic without using English in between or rather, unfortunately, speak in a language I feel comfortable and comprehensible to all without chopping up the intended messages between two languages. That’s where “use it or lose it” healthy warning comes in for those of us who have lived away from “Home” or don’t use our ethnic languages at home and should not expect to articulate at public meetings and communicate with friends we barely or frequently meet. Frankly, I confess that’s how I lost my mother tongue not using for so long.

Putting that aside, language was not a barrier to the meeting which was civilly attended, more or less, everyone took their liberty and choice to speak in English language deemed easy for them. It was understood and everyone was forgiven which is very hard to give speeches for those who have lived abroad for very long time and for those born, raised and grownup in a foreign country.

Soon after a little over an hour, the meeting was adjourned for a short break for individuals to get to meet Obang and a chance to say hello to their long-time friends whom they’ve not seen for a long time. I certainly, did plenty of that thanks to the organisers, again. It was reassuring to see the old and the new (friends) where, even though it’s been a long time since we last met, all was not lost; lots of excuses, apologies and forgiveness’ were bestowed.

Although, I personally wrote to Obang to commend about his strong determination for new Ethiopia and wished him nothing but triumph in his persistent endeavour, I was so delighted to have an opportunity meeting him in person, reminding him that it was me who wrote to him, and thanking him about his mainstream efforts and his continuing emails until this day. He was so gracious and his encouragement was to never give up in the face of adversity and to continue no matter what.

Then after a lot of mingling, getting to meet old friends and new ones, we got back to discussions and question times. The discussion was very interesting and exposing. It was an honest united effort with extremely good different questions and comments shared from Oromia, Tigray, Anuaki, Ogadeni and Amhara Ethiopian patrons all carrying an olive branch in one hand and hoping a sunny day in a divided Diaspora Ethiopian community and in our country. The questions and comments were so constructive, heart-warming and unifying; they received applauds from the audience.

Some of the questions reflected from Oromo, Ogadeni and Tigray participants were, alike, how we are going to come together as one when the past grievances are buried and still people are denied their democratic rights; tortured and murdered and no one has taken responsibility and apologetic about the atrocities?

My question to everyone’s conscience is, also, What(differences) really have we achieved since the successive fallouts of Imperial rulers and last government in terms of our administration structure, loyalty and distinction among the law makers, judges and administrators, economic policies, transparency, nepotism, corruption, enforcement to be party member and respect for rule of law with the exception of tapering the gap of unity creating more divisions among the already stigmatised and marginalised ethnic groups ?

An Anuaki, brother, shared his deep and thoughtful opinions and strong assessments of the past and present despotic and acrimonious governance in Ethiopia and encouraged everyone to stand with the principle of the solidarity movement.

Eventually, all good things must come to an end; I must say, the meeting was a success to start a journey of thousand miles and finished after exhausting everyone at past seven pm and I headed home exhausted but refreshed.

Please, read more of Mr Obang’s Address to Ethiopians in Melbourne: http://www.solidaritymovement.org/110726Mr%20ObangAddressInMelbourneAustralia.php

If there was something (I felt) missing from the meeting, I don’t know if they have been approached or invited to attend to this meeting of all Ethiopians, our Oromo, Harari, Tigray and other communities of Ethiopian (origin) nationalities participation except for few individuals.

Oromos constitute more than half of the country’s population and the rest of ethnics that live in it, why have these communities not been invited or involved in the discussions?

http://www.gadaa.com/aboutOromo.html  and more of the Oromo chronology and the emergence of Ethiopian regimes: http://www.gadaa.com/regimes.html

Please, forgive me and don’t get me wrong for that, if any attempts have been made and, even, if not this should be corrected for future important meetings of this magnitude. I am not pointing finger at anyone, but nothing of this nature was mentioned in the welcoming introduction either who was invited or apologies from such and such for not attending.

My point is we need to form alliances with each other and work together in good faith for the common benefits of many ethnicities but one Ethiopia. If you want to create peace with a friend you fought with, you also have to make sure that his partner is included in the peace process. This might sound strange traditionally and written in English, I am sure we have our own sayings with equal value. We need to move out of our old one sided purely self-serving negative habits and embrace all in a new way for new ideas and new solutions to create new Ethiopia.

We, the Diaspora Ethiopians pitifully had to cope with the problem of human rights violation of implicit racism in our adopted countries and this in turn resonating among Ethiopians, (including back home) as a result of Meles’s ethnic federalism, creating ethnic based discrimination, mistrust, sectarianism and alienation leaving the people with feelings of hopelessness and rejection.

No one likes to be discriminted or ostracised and blamed for not doing their share. Being excluded or ostracized is an invisible form of bullying that doesn't leave bruises, and therefore we often underestimate its impact. Ostracising or marginalising may not leave external scars, but it can cause emotional pain that often is deeper and lasts longer than physical injury.

Being excluded is painful because it threatens fundamental human needs, such as belonging and self-esteem. When a person is ostracized, becomes less helpful and more aggressive to others in general, he feels this social injury and resort to coping- trying harder and resignation- total alienation if not succeeded. I know how many racially assimilated Ethiopians feel about this lifelong discomfort lost in between two worlds. Let’s correct it now and leave that as our past dilemma.

My message is loud and honest, as starter, remember, we should never, ever discriminate or subjugate or put a barricade against a person because of his race, age, religion, status, dossier, political stance, language, and whatsoever.

Above all, I am very thankful to Obang for being able to point out clearly and boldly the truth concerning the past and current political situations as well as elaborating the rather healthy way forward without forgetting both, but learning from them.

Personally, I am grateful especially to compliment brother, Obang, for his truly selfless act in demonstrating the highest degree of professionalism, respect, politeness, empathy and excellent service in helping others particularly all the time and energy he put-in to, attend meetings, write open letters to lobby concerned individuals and organizations about the land grab, human right violations, the continuing devastation of famine in our country and help rescue Ethiopian refugees around the world such as in Mexico, Japan and Switzerland.

I fully support and pledge solidarity’s principles for being a beacon of not only dawn for New Ethiopia, but also an emissary for democracy, human rights and reconciliation.    

Thank you for your dedicated service to our community and for your tireless advocacy to bring justice, peace and freedom in our country and around the world, especially for your calm and professional response to the massacred fellow Ethiopian, Anuaks, Ogadenis and others elsewhere, and those who have escaped the torture. We pay our condolences due to our fellow Ethiopians and families who have lost their loved ones and tribute to those who have lost their lives that their sacrifices wouldn’t be forgotten.

His compassion, professionalism and expertise in dealing with these conditions were immensely treasured. The stress of going through situations like that away from home is certainly unbearable. But it is comforting to know that the solidarity movement stands for all of us and a good reason to hope for a virtuous outcome and the level of communication he provides utterly priceless.

It is my hope that Obang recognizes how much his work is appreciated and what it means to us all. I was so delighted, to have an opportunity, meeting and thanking him in person.

I also want to express my sincere thanks to all Ethiopians who took part by sacrificing their family time to come to that great experience to meet and listen to a humanely accomplished fellow Ethiopian I greatly admire.

Before we question social issues, economical flaws, and lack of law, disengagement, we must question our understanding of democracy and freedom. Without law, there could be no freedom, and without freedom, there is no democracy. In a true democracy, it is our choice to take part, elect and remove whomever we choose at any given time that is the foundation and the effect of a basic rule of law.

Rather than badmouthing, denigrating, naming, shaming and blaming each other about what happened in the past, every political groups should bring to the table all the positive political ideology, spiritual and sociocultural diverse nation building concepts be it from the Oromo, Tigray, Ogaden, Afar, South, North, East and West regions and enrich and embrace the designated positive efforts to bring good governance and sustainable development that will create the new Ethiopia for all Ethiopians whose fate and well-being are tied to each other.

No more one ethnic’s absolute power, absolute dictatorship, absolute corruption, absolute wealth for them and absolute poverty and misery for the nation. That is why the rest of Ethiopian ethnic groups feel insulted, exploited and underprivileged and are seeking genuine pluralistic contextual democratic solidarity that would give freedom and equality.

All ruling elites, former and present should stop crying and worrying directly and indirectly about their lost power, money and high life based on exploiting others and material resources.

The truth might hurt and expose you to all kinds of prejudices against you, but it can’t be buried for so long. “There is a price to pay for speaking the truth. There is a bigger price for living a lie”, Cornel West.

I have, like many Ethiopians, a deep rooted family generations of multiple ethnicities. If you think this is on the contrary, I wish to be convinced and proven wrong but not before the differing evidences are put on the table.

If we aspire to have a new Ethiopia, our plan must not be to create a utopian society, but rather a country where the people, first and foremost, are free to attend, free to express their individual identity, free to speak, free to respect, free to disagree, free to debate, free to share, free to change, free to exchange, free to remain, free as they are, free to argue and free to free their minds.

We cannot invite the people to be part of the meeting, development and growth of the nation, if they were never included in the constructing plans. Respect and appreciation of the individual must also become part of communal social interaction. Simply, we must view every individual and tribe as part of the “we” of tomorrow. We must begin to respect one another, listen to one other, and help each other.

It’s an Ethiopian Saying, “poured water couldn't be picked-up” (የፈሰሰ ውሃ አይታፈስም). Our reformation must not be about erasing the past, rewriting what has been done but rather by learning from the past to build a prosperous future. Let’s not dwell on the past mistakes and certainly not wish to do things the same way. Time has changed so do some of us. It’s time to forgive, reconcile and live in harmony.

Let us not forget, it took the current administration fifteen years to put an end to what previous governments had put in place and five years to destroy what little normality was left in their method of governance.
We must first revolutionize our thinking and reform our attitudes towards one another as Ethiopians.

I see the anger and urgency for change in most of the Diaspora community. Do not get me wrong; I am as angry, as furious, and as ready for change as any one of you my brothers and sisters. But we must not speak carelessly and instigate rebellion without proactively evaluating the sacrifices and outcomes for each individual and our country. Asking for unity is simply a question; actually uniting is progress towards a solution. Let us begin to lookout for one another so that the new generation is not wasted in the name of hatred and divisiveness.

One of the key reasons why dictators remain in power is the fragmentation of the opposition parties, society across ethnic, religious, ideological, and professional lines. The current regime practices open discrimination and publicly promotes communal hostility. Dictators are most dangerous at the end of their rule. They will do whatever it takes without any concern for consequences and such actions will have serious long-term costs particularly in fragile multinational states like Ethiopia.

A prolonged conflict could lead to a stalemate and power vacuum where neither side controls large part of the country making it vulnerable to opportunistic infiltrators. Nonviolent discipline is the key to the alliance’s ability to manage conflicts and create a feasible government for all people. It is possible to overcome these provisional challenges by expanding knowledge about nonviolent tactics and through careful planning. Our approach must be carefully designed not to repeat the errors of our past.

There are more political parties disagreeing on a lot of topics, ongoing power struggle within parties, e.g. the fall of Kinijit (CUD) and the like, but as opposition parties try to recover from what was a crushing loss individually and collectively, many are coming together on one subject, of the election results. With divide and destroy regime’s methods, all opposition parties are not countered with unifying strategies and tactics.

It's an old Ethiopian proverb; "When spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion" (ድር ቢያብር አንበሳ ያስር).

We need to take action toward strengthening multi-party systems and all the ethnic opposition parties must co-operate on policies they create while trying to oppose legitimacy of the governing system.

Our political history tells us that all Ethiopian collective activities past and present, from King Solomon descendants to Imperial rulers to Derg to the current reigning regime to ethnic political parties to, even, Diaspora communities, use the same but sterilized despotic system of governance and leadership they have learned and grownup with. That’s why a comprehensive social change is essential before everything else. 

We may belong to different ethnic groups, born, raised, learned our family’s traditional values and spoken languages, but, we must remember, we all speak one universal language of freedom, justice and democracy.

Our diversity, Ethnic identity or language must never be used to divide and weaken our voices by anybody, political organizations, party, government representatives and civic community. No one should be limited because of his or her ethnic identity from participation in the political, economic, cultural, and social life of his people and country.

Remember an old saying; if you cook ‘Doro watt’ stew in the same pot again and again without washing the dish, not only tastes the same, dreadful, unpalatable and waste of all the collected ingredients being created, it could make you sick and even kill you. The same principle applies; no matter how good your created policies are, if you try to put it in the same mind without having clear conscience, it will disintegrate, become corrupt and eventually an oppressive rule.

Excuse me, my fellow Ethiopians; don’t blame yourself and Meles for we all came from the same tree (line of tyranny) that grew bad apple.

Change must ignite within each and every one of us before we can have social change. The political state of our nation is not the focus of the next chapter in Ethiopia, but rather the social change result of the individual change we must ask of all Ethiopians now. Yes, this will take time and effort, but we do not lack the resources or the minds to create an adoptable social and political structure designed for Ethiopia.

All forms of western-intended governance have led Ethiopia into a structure of power where a few people control everything. Western political ideals will never work in Ethiopia, unless altered to work for Ethiopia by Ethiopians.  All political and social structures must be constructed according to the present-day social conditions of the nation. The morals must also allow for adaptability, for progress and change, which will certainly come with future generations.

I am talking about the state of young people, culturally unprotected children, with no safe berths, no cultural armour to protect themselves while navigating the terrors and traumas of daily life. Young people need a cohesive community to mentor them so they can look death in the face and deal with disease, anxiety, and hopelessness. Our youths of the nation need skill and education to build-up ideological and social reformation to discern and learn how their ancestors coexisted in harmony in the past, why we live a better or fragmented communal life at present and sustain a safe frame of mind to improve social equality among diverse Ethiopians in the future.

It is not inventors or thinkers that Ethiopia lacks. It is lack of opportunity and freedom of expression, crippling us generation after generation. One compulsory condition for creating a competent government and improving the society in terms of skills, knowledge, and expertise is, of course, education that ensembles Ethiopians and give people the freedom to ask questions and be heard by the system. It is easier to convince the uneducated and the poor to resort to violence and extremism because they are unable to ask questions and convene intellectually. An educated society will use democratic means to take back their freedom. We must endorse an action-backed, result-oriented system. We must begin the conversation with the word WE to include the people of the entire nation and not just a few who belong to a certain tribe, group, or background or rank and file.

Generally ethnic sentiment or identity politics is extremely stubborn as it is driven by emotional rather than rational considerations. Ethnic nationalism is especially sensitive to feelings of subjugation or grievances. It is very easy to fan the flames of ethnic nationalism even based on sheer rumor or propaganda. Such developments, when coupled with conflicts of interest among the elite groups, will make recourse to nationalistic appeal even more attractive. This is clearly evident among the members that constitute the EPRDF coalition who usually engage in fierce confrontation over federal to regional budget subsidy allocation sessions disputing is so common when parliament convenes every year to ratify annual budget proposals. But the problem is more severe than that.

If one can recall even in the past and current government structured decision making along ethnic lines, if there is a dominant ethnic group in it, there will always be the perception that the dominant group is right favoring its own ethnic territory, regardless of the factual foundation of such decisions to benefit all or not. Even when the alleged relatively better economic activities are not based on explicit favoritism, others will use it as evidence of exploitation to agitate and mobilize their own resentful ethnic groups. In the case of Ethiopia, the all-around accusations directed at Tigray illustrate the severity of this problem. Regardless of whether or not such accusations are true, the mere existence of such perception kills any sense of solidarity among its citizens, who instead become preoccupied with bitter feelings of envy and rivalry.

Certainly Meles Zenawi alone is not the root of all evils in Ethiopia, Far from it. We have plenty of them among other ethnic groups including the Amhara, the Oromo, the Somali, the Tigray, etc. An OLF activist who vows to stamp out the “children of invaders” from the Oromo region or an Amhara loyalist who dreams to impose his language on every other ethnic group are both as destructive as Meles Zenawi himself. It takes a simple principle to bring harmony in our nation. Can anyone remember the ethical and moral sermon of all religious conviction; do not do unto others what you do not want others to do unto you.

Subsequently, it must be understood that all-encompassing social transformation is brought about by people we look well beyond ethnic loyalty or even racial barriers (think of Mandela) or our own new generation messiah Obang and who have profound commitment to the promotion and protection of human dignity regardless of their provincial, religious or linguistic background. Genuine transformers are those who lead their subjects by example. The elite can be the light or the darkness of their society depending on how they behave or act in accomplishing certain stated objectives and goals.

When our leaders and politicians shake hands with respect and genuine smile, we will return to the true Ethiopian tradition where tolerance, love and mutual respect are the norm. You do not create a healthy society simply because you have an excellent constitution or simply because ethics is taught as a subject at schools and universities. In stressing the decisive influence of his predecessors on his great scientific achievements, Isaac Newton once said, “If I have seen further than others, it is by standing upon the shoulders of giants.” Where are our academic, political and religious giants on whose shoulders the current and future generations could stand with pride?

 

Ethiopia’s famine today is a famine allowed of food shortage as much as it is a famine endured of a lack of democracy and good governance. Ethiopians are famished for democracy, hungry of human rights, thirsty for the rule of law, achy for accountability of those in power and yearn to breathe free from the yoke grip of dictatorship. But after two decades of one man, one party rule, we do not even see the ghost of democracy on Ethiopia’s dry landscape. 

What we really need today is not vengeance or vendetta for our past lack of knowledge (evil deeds), but personal transformation, reconciliation, forgiveness and unity to create and cultivate new Ethiopia to grow good apple for everyone. “Be the change you want to see in the world", Mahatma Gandhi.

Our differences in subculture and religion must be the foundation for change that will bring us together and strengthen us to become a united Ethiopia. That’s why when the masses rise up united and ask questions, the leaders flee their country.

LET’S CHANGE TOGETHER!!!

SAINT MANDELA

I was flabbergasted when I heard the news that the world’s most loved person became ill and admitted to hospital. I also heard that people everywhere around the world were praying intensely that Mandela, 92 years old, quickly recovers from his latest illnesses. I saw the scenes outside his Johannesburg hospital room which offered a hint of the grief the world will share with South Africans when a man I would like to call Saint is no longer with us.

He has been receiving round-the-clock medical care at home following his release from hospital in January where he was treated for an acute respiratory infection

His foundation has urged people to do 67 minutes of voluntary work on his ninety-third birthday - to represent the 67 years he devoted to South Africa's political struggle.

South African companies, charities and celebrities have all announced plans for voluntary work they will do on Mandela Day, began in 2009, and the South African government and United Nations have been pushing to make it an international event, encouraging people in every country to give 67 minutes to a humanitarian cause or to do just a virtuous effort.

Saint Mandela, celebrating his ninety-third birthday, is not just the face of South Africa but a symbol of humanity in a world always traumatized by conflict, greed, power, nepotism, intolerance,  disparity & the list goes on. Mandela’s struggle against injustice in his own country by rulers of the colonial era settlers, it could be said, place him as a saint above Mother Teresa, Mahatma Gandhi as the most inspiring immortal of the twentieth century.

He was born Rolihlahla (troublemaker) Mandela, on July 18, 1918, a name given by his father. Nelson was given to him on his first day at school by his teacher, Miss Mdingane. Giving African children English names was a custom among Africans in those days and was influenced by British colonials who could not easily, and often would not, pronounce African names. It is unclear why Miss Mdingane chose the name “Nelson” for Mr Mandela. This shouldn’t be a surprise to Africans or anybody whose name is not Anglo-Saxon who have encountered tremendous social incarceration & pressure to relinquish their birth right names for “John” and “David” to fit in. Likewise, as you might have read, my “SELF REVELATION” story in my blog, I was formerly called “Simon”.

Mandela believed in the cause of freedom; an ideal for which he was willing to die when the forty-six year old told a trial judge in 1964. He lived for his ideal for a free society with equal opportunities with colonial settlers and would die for that ideal, if need be. Rather than face execution, Mandela wasted away in Robben Island prison for twenty-seven years refusing conditional offers of release because he placed the cause of freedom for his people and his country above his personal liberty in the hope of the unlikely fulfilment of his ideal.

He went to the island prison young and proud and released wailing and proud. After he was released from prison in 1990, he said he had climbed a great wall only to glimpse more hills.

Later in 1994, Mandela was elected president and proved that he was a better saint than he was a politician. Mandela was South Africa’s first black president and nursed a nation long torn by apartheid cruelties towards a vision of equality that all races living in harmony.

One might think the tragic condition has been averted by his full recovery which could have disrupted South Africa’s sometimes painful re-emergence as a powerhouse democracy on the African continent.

I remember the local South African, Melbourne resident, band called Jabulani who have played a song Free Nelson Mandela which reverberated messages of anti-apartheid movements around the world campaigning for the release of Nelson Mandela and against racial inequality. I would follow the band wherever they went and request them to play the song and dance until the early hours chanting for his release and leave the venue exhausted; however, feeling good, I believed, at least, that was my share of contribution to the worldwide support for his immediate release unconditionally. Sorry, the following is not Jabulani band but the music is the same.

Soon after his release, Mandela, as Deputy President of the African National Congress (ANC), made an official visit to Melbourne, Australia in 1990 and I immensely thrilled to seeing him and welcoming him, with lots of supporters, on his arrival at the Grand Hyatt on Collins St where he stayed.

Perhaps his greatest legacy will be grace in the facing adversity when he could have sought revenge against his oppressors rather pursued forgiveness. He never expressed acrimony for the hardships he endured in his fight against the worst of humanity and his name will embark on as a timeless exemplary of the best in humanity. That’s the legacy which should stay imbedded in all of us. 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MANDIBA!!!