Wherever you maybe, back Home or scattered around the world, now the fiesta or party, whatever you want to call it, celebrating Christmas & the New Year is over, it’s time to regroup our thoughts, think of how we could’ve done it differently to help unite abandoned friends, torn apart families, divided communities, the war torn relocation of people around the world & more importantly transform the country.
It is said
that those who do not learn from past mistakes are doomed to repeat it. Many
mistakes and errors have been committed by successive HABITS in the past. These
mistakes need to be identified, studied and lessons drawn from them so that
they will not be repeated again. We need to build collective agenda to review
and correct these mistakes and undertake not to repeat them.
We must, always, remember that every difference of opinion & ideology is not a difference of principle and shouldn’t be construed as a personal vendetta and all opinions should be discussed or expressed with respect.
Playing the
ethnic card game is to fall victim to destructive identity politics that breeds
division, hatred, conflict, and cynicism.
The process
of unifying people is difficult and the road to unity is often littered with
the debris of historical grievances, animosity and resentment.
The realities
today are different than they were five, ten or twenty or fifty years ago.
Aligning one’s thinking and actions with the changing times (realities) and
circumstances is a sign of wisdom and humane maturity.
We’ve tried everything to transform our country and
nothing seemed to work. You know what, the ‘time is up’ and the only way is
U-N-I-T-Y without complaining pointlessly, competing recklessly, comparing
enviously, criticizing unreasonably by name calling and shaming hatefully for
mistakes of the past.
Failure can
be turned into an opportunity to learn and grow. I say it can, because it
requires a particular attitude to benefit from our failure. Without that
mentality, all our failures will go to waste. This is true in political affairs
as it is in personal life for a leader as well as a follower. So what is that
mentality?
It is a
mentality that is willing and able to reflect on past experiences, past actions
and their outcomes. It is only through such reflections that one learns one’s
strengths, weaknesses and the environment and conditions in which actions were
undertaken and what could have been done differently that could have resulted
in a positive outcome.
Like in our
past, denying (to one self and others) failures, personal accountability and
scapegoating or blaming on someone will never help the progression.
Leaders with
such mentality cannot educate themselves from past failures and therefore
deserve no second chance to continue doing the same thing over and over again
and again.
By
incorporating democratic values to political party platforms with genuine
intent, by employing tactics of political reconciliation through give and take,
chances that such political actors can play a role in reviving the democratic
fortunes of the state could be higher moving forward.
The transition
from authoritarian rule towards an inclusive, accountable, and democratic
governance requires not only commitment by all parties, but also carefully
calculated and crafted steps and measures to bring a smooth transition towards
a lasting and sustainable democracy. Democracy is more than the procedural
minimums of free and fair elections under conditions of universal suffrage. It
has more substantive dimensions, including effective citizenship, popular
empowerment, the rule of law, functioning spirit of unity and robust
institutions providing a range of public goods fairly and equitably to all
citizens without discrimination and tribalism.
If we eat together, we can work together.
Given our past
traditional track records, patterns of cultural behaviours and many aphorisms of the social characterization,
absolute power, hating and abandoning others just because our friends don’t
like them and this favouritism tend to corrupt society, the cultural politics and
both mind and spirit of those at the helm of their companions genuinely where
other’s absolute influence has a tendency to encourage it. No more favouritism and let’s not repeat these vicious cycles, again. If
we learn to eat together, we can learn to work together.
The distribution
of powers and resources within the federal system, hence the famous
nationalities question that lies at the heart of the current crisis and for
almost two centuries has undermined the capacity of Ethiopians to live
together. All the voices that count in the country and in the diaspora must
continue to call for calm, for patience, and agreeing that change is now
inevitable but needs to be given time.
All oppositions
must have a certain amount of time to build their electoral mechanisms to call
a free and fair election in 2020 to enable the country to step back from the
unending abyss. For this to happen, a supreme authority needs to be
established, emanating from all the main stakeholders, whether government,
opposition or civil society, within the country and in the diaspora
communities.
Irrespective of
ethnic or other involvement, Ethiopian people want free and fair elections and
democratically represented in policy and decision making.
The people want
a complete reform not state of emergency or replacement of any of its governing
officials that can only bring more rejection, insecurity and loss of lives.
That way we can
save all the wise people currently nominated to replace the Ex-PM from being
denigrated by the ruling elites, again and they can wait to be elected by the
people democratically.
A divisive
change has been tried so many times in the country’s successive past ruling
elites and never been successful. Therefore, a fundamental change without
creating divisions amongst its diverse people is the last resort that can bring
a lasting and unwavering peace and freedom not only to the people also in the
whole east African region.
Over the last 50
years of our political history, we have been let down by our politicians over
and over again. Now we are saying to the so-called politicians, “Stop it!
Enough is enough!” Fundamental changes are necessary to live together without
dividing the country and the people. We must speak the truth and proclaim that
these political groups do not possess even a basic understanding of our country
and that they do not reflect Ethiopia in their conduct or decisions. Enough is
enough, what’s happened in the past can’t be retrieved, let’s forgive and move
forward by building bridges not restrictive boundaries.
ተነሳ ተራመድ ክንድህን አበርታ፣ ላገር ብልፅግና ለወገን አለኝታ
The song about Ethiopian prosperity & hope for its
people, but never realized.
We are not going
to change the country by doing things the same way again and again and again.
There are those
who incessantly abuse, name and shame different ethnic group leaders just
because they’re elected from our diverse ethnic groups. Even if anyone is at
fault, our mindless hatemongering and untenable recommendations methods won’t
help us. As Prof. Lumumba says, “Africa needs to practice a good political
hygiene”. Our country should just do that, thank you.
We’ve done that
in the past and it’s time to take a different route that will take us to climb
the insurmountable tasks ahead in unison without seeking retribution for any
crimes committed. We post all forms of holistic and inspirational messages for
others and doing the opposite to inflame hate and hostility among our people.
This fight will
not be victorious through the ways of the elite but in the ways of the
Ethiopian people for the sake of true democracy and the future stability of our
country. Ethiopia is more than enough for her own people. It can provide joy,
prosperity and the resources and means to achieve a better quality of life. If
we all choose to focus on cooperation, rational decision making and wise
choices, we will begin to experience a renewed Ethiopia.
The unity and
connections we are going to create and the strong, transparent relationships
and communication that we will establish with all people, groups and
individuals are what we need to build a stronger and more secure Ethiopia. In
true unity we can achieve all our hopes and dreams.
Structural
changes are needed to restore confidence and respect for the coming political
order, constitution and government institutions, including the politicians,
judges, army officers, and so on who will be entrusted with the stable, fair
and honest governance of Ethiopia.
We must keep in
mind that in this modern era, people have full right to exercise their cultural
heritages including their languages but it should not be to the extent that
shake their own and others survival. We should not run for dominance/ knockout
game rather we should appreciate our uniqueness for the benefits of everyone in
the game.
The unity and
connections we are going to create and the strong, transparent relationships
and communication that we will establish with all people, groups and
individuals are what we need to build a stronger and more secure Ethiopia. In
true unity we can achieve all our hopes and dreams.
Structural
changes are needed to restore confidence and respect for the coming political
order, constitution and government institutions, including the politicians,
judges, army officers, and so on who will be entrusted with the stable, fair
and honest governance of Ethiopia.
We must keep in
mind that in this modern era, people have full right to exercise their cultural
heritages including their languages but it should not be to the extent that
shake their own and others survival. We should not run for dominance/ knockout
game rather we should appreciate our uniqueness for the benefits of everyone in
the game.
Draconian rules, which undermined the rights of free
expression and peaceful assembly, and prohibited any association with groups
labeled terrorist organizations, such as independent media stations, ESAT TV
and Radio and the Oromia Media Network. Break the rules and face up to five
years in jail where torture is commonplace.
The notion of
one race being superior to another is dead and buried for so long. The time of
warmongering to kill each other with spears and shields is thing of the past
and ...not to be repeated again.
We need to drive
our actions and ideals side by side and hopefully stop the fate of repeating
sins of the past –greed and power.
Our country
desperately needs a renaissance, strong-willed leader, true development built
on a firm foundation of human rights, inclusions and political pluralisms.
Human development that caters to the needs of all our people, not only the
economic growth based on a prescribed on the outdated, unjust economic model,
which inevitably benefits a few, strengthens inequality, fosters corruptions
and tribalism.
With the
election time approaching that democracy, in its entirety, must be based on
Ethiopian principles and morals not based on the Western style definition that
serves only their purpose. It’s time Ethiopia can come up with a different
style of democracy that serves our multiethnic population.
Abiy started his
new deal of transformation, must be congratulated, with love and compassion
without imprisonment and absence of freedom. Sadly, the habit of fixing
everything with violence still unabated in our culture and understandably
people demanded law and order to be imposed by the modern day pacifist Prime
Minister. Then, when he acted to restore law and order punishing those who took
advantage of his soft side, again, some people took offense and grilled his
ethnicity as a reason to slander him.
The root cause
of the problem must be unraveled and resolved first: a leader elected for the
people, by the people and from any people–ethnic background. That’s the root of
the problem and that’s what we fail to accept as one people and one country.
Don’t hold your breath, don’t hold back election. Everyone must vote!
We also need to
support whoever is making untenable mistakes as a human fallibility and should
be corrected respectfully as part of the crusading operation for change.
It is absolutely
imperative that we must not get emotional impulsively and should embrace our
impatience and opinions until we participate, to identify the truth, in dynamic
dialogues that transforms into actions.
“When you
forgive, you in no way change the past, but you sure do change the future.”
This time, the
election must be prepared wisely and performed democratically and all the
Ethiopian people must be allowed to vote for their future leader
unanimously.
Let the
discussions/dialogues, policies/plans, fresh/different concepts, peaceful
critics…begin.
Good luck to all
candidates/challengers and most of all voters.
Let’s talk the
talk, if we want to pave the way for a good walk.
ONE ETHIOPIA
FOR ALL, ALL FOR ONE ETHIOPIA!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment