Violence, insecurity, and people’s inequality in modern Ethiopia.

                                                                                               By Samuel Shonga 

          Ethiopia holds a rich and significant history, with its ancestors contributing to a remarkable legacy spanning from the 1st to the 21st centuries. Notably, Ethiopians take pride in being the only African nation untouched by colonial rule. However, amidst this historical truth, contemporary challenges persist, including frequent reports of human rights violations and abuse. Since the overthrow of the imperial rule in 1974 and the rise of the Communist Derg regime, Ethiopians have faced increasing hardships and persecution. The 17-year Derg rule saw the loss of young lives, academics, and competent politicians, along with the abduction of religious leaders due to their beliefs. The regime, marked by atheist ideologies, ended in 1991, but the echoes of its impact continue to shape Ethiopia's narrative.

          After the fall of the Dergue in 1991, Ethiopians anticipated democracy, peace, and equality with the new government. Unfortunately, the subsequent 27 years under the TPLF/EPRDF regime brought severe oppression and offenses on Ethiopians. Following the guerrilla fighters' victory, hardships, murders, and prosecutions intensified, turning the EPRDF era into a dark age for Ethiopians.

          Despite the ongoing power of TPLF/EPRDF, a transformative shift attempted to occur in Ethiopia. PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed, apparently a visionary leader, has garnered widespread support, with citizens echoing his call for love, unity, forgiveness, and reconciliation. Amidst this pivotal transition, the establishment of a multi-party governmental system is anticipated, though acknowledged as a challenging task.

            Thousands of people across different cities rallied in support of Dr. Ahmed, drawn to his eloquence and ability to connect with the crowd. In three months, he has not only been impressed with his words but has also taken swift actions, earning admiration from Ethiopians and foreigners alike. Dr. Ahmed's attempt to reopen the door to democracy, previously shut by the Woyane regime, was a notable aspect of his leadership.

However, the once vibrant enthusiasm surrounding Dr.Abiy and the widespread acceptance and admiration for him has regrettably waned. The people’s reverence for the Prime Minister is not as vigorous as it was in 2018 when he was coming to office following the previous Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn.  My critical perspective on the recent political movement compelled me to address concerns about security and justice in Ethiopia under Abiy's leadership. Here are my key points:

Widespread insecurity persists across the country.

             Despite the echoing slogans of love, reconciliation, inclusiveness (medemer), and forgiveness, the government has fallen short in preventing murder and human rights violations in various regions. Notable instances include the attempted assassination of PM Abiy at Meskel Square in Addis Ababa, and a mass killing/ethnic genocide in Awasa targeting the Wolayta ethnic group. Awasa, as the capital of the Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State (SNNPRS), should uphold the constitutional right of every individual to live freely. Ethiopia's diverse ethnolinguistic landscape classifies its population into Afro-Asiatic and Nilo Saharan groups. The former includes Semitic (Amhara, Tigre, Gurage, Harari, Silte), Cushitic (Oromo, Somali, Agaw, Kimanti, Saho, Afar, Sidama), and Omotic (Wolayita, Gamo, Dorze), while the latter comprises Nilo-Saharan (Agnuak, Nuer, Megengir, Berta, Gumuz). Despite historical intricacies, these groups coexist, shaping the nation.

         However, Ethiopia's southern region faces challenges due to the forced integration of over forty-five indigenous ethnic groups into a single rule. Wolaytians, retaining their distinct identity, culture, and expanding language, tragically experienced violence in Awasa. Numerous were killed, and properties destroyed, with no intervention from local authorities.

 

          Similar atrocities unfolded in Gedeo and Guji, while the East coast witnessed a conflict claiming countless lives, and threatening inhabitants. Oromiya and Somali provinces saw attacks, forcing many to flee, seeking refuge in Djibouti or Kenya amid precarious conditions.

The tragic passing of Engineer Smegnehu Bekele, a manager of the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, highlights the pervasive insecurity in the country. Discovered deceased in Addis Ababa's Meskel Square, where an attempt on Dr. Abiy's life occurred, his death has left Ethiopians both at home and abroad deeply saddened. It's challenging to quell ruthless troublemakers and murderers with declarations of love, as these individuals are inherently opposed to such sentiments. Addressing the political motivations behind these acts is crucial, urging the government to prioritize securing the safety of all citizens across Ethiopia.

 

             In Burayu, the suburb of Addis Ababa, members of the Gamo tribe fell victim to the brutal violence, with no governmental intervention to prevent the tragic bloodshed. The Gamo people are known for their diligent work ethic and cultural contributions, having introduced the famous Ethiopian traditional dress across the nation without harboring covetous intentions toward others’ belongings.   Despite their commitment to their work, a group of troublemakers, wielding knives and swords, unleashed unprecedented cruelty by mercilessly butchering the unsuspecting Gamo community.

 

              An innocent Ethiopian man was crucified upside down in Shahemene town, Oromiya region. The security forces showed little concern for the killing, failing to prevent such violence. This unprecedented atrocity stains Ethiopia's history, surpassing even the times of past governments like Dergue and the EPDRF dictatorship. The city youths, welcoming political activist Jawar Mohammed, inexplicably hung a young man's head down on wood. This senseless act reflects a disturbing trend where people, protesting without police approval, resort to violence, unchecked by authorities. Throughout the country, citizens are killed without legal process, defying the constitutional protection against arbitrary death sentences. Ethiopia, with its commendable constitution, faces the grim reality of a government violating its principles and mistreating its citizens.

               In Shashemene town, Oromia region, unprecedented devastation occurred as people targeted and destroyed crucial infrastructure. This level of destruction is unparalleled in the history of Ethiopia’s previous administrations. Numerous investors faced significant losses, including schools, hotels, and resorts, solely based on their non-Oromo identity.

            Despite the escalating situation demanding urgent attention and resolution, Abiy’s administration failed to take effective measures to ensure the safety of the citizens. The pervasive insecurity persisted and eventually spiraled out of control. The government’s lack of proactive intervention led to a tragic outcome in west Oromia’s Wolega zone, where a large-scale massacre of Amhara people unfolded.

           The Amhara Ethnic group, with a rich historical presence in Ethiopia, became victims of mass killings due to the government’s indifference. In response, the Amhara people aggrieved and seeking justice, mobilized against the perpetrators, engaging in conflicts with the national military force aligned with the Abiy administration. In my perception, this must have not been taken for granted because Amhara’s response cannot be equated with the relatively lighter attention given to issues concerning the Gamo, Gedeo, and Wolayta people. These minority ethnic groups of people went to their homes after they faced terrible atrocities facilitated by government-supported perpetrators because they were not large in number, lacked activists, and absence inland protesters or demonstrators in the advocacy efforts against the abuse, in front of the White House in the USA and at the building of the European Union in Europe on behalf of them.

         Surprisingly, Neither Ethiopian activists, Abiy’s government, nor human rights organizations, both domestic and international, condemned the killing in Awasa, where Wolaytian individuals were burned alive, in front of the Southern Regional Administration office. Shockingly, the horrific incident was captured on video and shared on social media, drawing widespread attention. These people and their children are still in fear in the country. However, Amhara’s is completely different from this. The Amahara’s voice sounds loudly shocks every governmental gate and captured attention including in the USA and Europe until the Amahars’s demonstrators jammed the traffic flow in the USA. This indicates that Dr Abiy and his inner circles are making uncorrectable mistakes for the Ethiopian people.  

 Justice undermined by governance persists.

            While PM Dr. Abiy endeavors to address the nation's challenges and foster unity among those divided by politics and religion, concerns about injustice endure. In Awasa, the Wolaytaians' plea for justice was unanswered, with no governmental accountability for the scattered victims, including young children and women who were seeking refuge in schools. Similarly, the Gedeo people awaited justice, despite historical ties with the Guji ethnic group. Asebe Regassa Dabelo noted their shared history but lamented the current conflict. The pressing questions arose: Can inclusiveness coexist with justice for Wolaytians, Gedeos, Gamos, and the families of innocent individuals who were killed by Abiy’s supporters? How can amputees in prison embrace "medemer" without justice? Is "medemer" meaningful to those whose homes were razed? Can peace and unity prevail without justice and security, and how does a victim of torture accept "redeemer" after enduring such atrocities? For no one was answering these and related questions, the ideology of Medemer (inclusiveness ) became senseless to the majority of Ethiopians.

             Dr. Abiy Ahmemed introduced his ideology, known as “Medemr” through a widely distributed book that generated substantial financial success. Both Ethiopians within the country and abroad eagerly sought to acquire this book and computed in buying it. However, the relevance of the ideology diminished as the actual situation within the country diverged significantly from the propagated ideals of Medemr.  Consequently, it has rapidly faded from the collective consciousness of the people.

             While our country boasts a rich tapestry of multicultural ethnicities and languages, all of which contribute to a vibrant mosaic of Ethiopian identity, it is essential to recognize that every individual holds an equal claim to Ethiopian heritage and the democratic right to live, relocate to any region within the country, generate wealth, and pursue education. Unfortunately, the current reality in contemporary Ethiopia is marred by the escalation and dominance of ethnic politics, which has overshadowed the nation’s unity. Admittedly, the ethnic politics and hostility among the Ethiopian nations and nationalities were introduced and lectured by the TPLF but it has been empowered in the Dr Abiy’s era.

              Dr. Abiy’s emphasis on love and reconciliation resonates well, aligning with biblical teachings such as "love covers a multitude of sin" (1 Peter 4:8). Echoing sentiments from leaders like Abraham Lincoln, he emphasizes the importance of love and mercy, acknowledging that "mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice."

             While love is crucial, justice and security, emphasized by figures like Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi, are equally vital. Frederick Douglass, a notable American social reformer, stressed the consequences of denying justice, enforcing poverty, and allowing ignorance to prevail. In this critical time, Ethiopia calls for both security and justice to ensure the safety of people and their property. The sad thing is Dr Abiy’s administration’s indifference to solving the problems to build a better Ethiopia for current and future generations.

         Undeniably, Dr Abiy has a strong personality. He preaches about love, forgiveness, inclusiveness, reconciliation and so and so forth. He is good at planting flowers constructing new modern real states, and shaping the infrastructure of the capital city of the country. However, that cannot make sense without security, justice, and democratic establishment. Ethiopian people do not expect Abiy to be their pastor or environmental worker.  They need an effective governmental leadership that leads the country in the way of democracy.      

 Ethnic inequality intensified

          Ethnic inequality is entrenched as the EPRDF, in power since 1991, pursues divisive ethnic politics, fostering supremacy of a single ethnic group. Over the past 27 years, Ethiopia has been marred by persistent ethnic conflicts. Presently, political dynamics lean towards dominance by one or two ethnic groups, urging caution against elevating a few over the diverse many. The Oromo and Amhara, sizable ethnic groups, blame Woyane's leadership for propagating toxic ethnic-based politics. Some opposition leaders, particularly from the Oromo, push an agenda focused solely on Oromo interests, contributing to tensions. The danger lies in continued assertions of ethnic superiority, potentially fueling revolt and violence across the nation.

          Addressing inequality, marginalized ethnic groups in the South face oppression from larger groups, with perpetrators often escaping consequences for their actions against the minority. The denial of political and economic equality stems from the dominance of densely populated nations and their biased governance.

                PM Dr. Abiy needs to earnestly tackle insecurity, injustice, anarchism, and ethnic disparities. After spreading his message of love and mercy across the nation, he must swiftly address issues of justice and security. Dr. Abiy should educate troublemakers and anti-peace forces on the value of humanity, ensuring unity and equality for all Ethiopians.

Surrounding politicians should align with the reality of the Ethiopian people's unity and equality, emphasizing that Dr. Abiy's "Medemer" theme encompasses justice for all victims. Neglecting this could expose the country to unnecessary crises, as justice and security are vital for everyone's safety. The theme "MEDEMER" loses meaning if the government does not prioritize justice and security.

           While there's a possibility that the PM may face challenges in fulfilling all promises, he likely upholds the belief in Ethiopia's unity and equality. If challenges arise from those within his circle who hold antagonistic views toward different nationalities needs to pass the power to those who can lead the country potentially. Continued!

 

THE QUEST OF JUSTICE AND SECURITY IN CONTEMPORARY ETHIOPIA

                                                                                                                          By Samuel Shonga

Ethiopia is an entity and very historical.Its ancestors had passed tremendous history that has been commemorated by all generations from 1st to 21st centuries. In addition to that, the citizens of this historical country have been proudly declaring that their nation is the only one in Africa to have never been subjected to colonial rule by any of foreign power. As this is an undeniable historical truth, on the other hand, violation of human right and abuse are reported at a high rate among other African countries. Ethiopians have been continuously encountering atrocity and abuse on the hands of different political leaders and through their governance system to date. Hardship and persecution are rapidly increasing since the kingdom of the emperor was deposed and Communist Durgue sized the power in 1974. Young Ethiopians, academicians, and competent politicians were butchered; and several religious leaders were kidnapped and unaccounted because of their belief during 17 years of the regime of an atheist Dergue until the day when it was overthrown in 1991.

After the downfall of Dergue in 1991, Ethiopians expected democracy, peace, and equality from the new government. However, they endured and carried the heaviest yoke of severe impression and offenses under a brutal government of TPLF/EPRDF/ in the past 27 consecutive years. After the guerrilla fighters/Woyanes/ defeated the Durgue and controlled over the country, hardship, murder and prosecution have been much more intensified. For torture and injustice have been aggravated and kept growing worse and worst even in daily base, the EPRDF era is considered as the dark age for Ethiopians.

Now, God is doing a tremendous miracle in Ethiopia by raising a visionary leader when TPLF /EPRDF/ is still on its power. Most of the citizens demonstrate an ultimate support to the new elected potential leader, PM minister Dr Abiy Ahmed and follow after him by repeating his slogan for love, unity, forgiveness, and reconciliation. For the greatest country seems to be on the decisive transitional avenue, a rapid establishment of multi-party governmental system / it would be tough actually/ is highly expected by potentially competent political parties. The people appear on the main streets of different cities in thousands and express their support to Dr Ahmed because he is so eloquent and knows how to put words together when he addresses the crowd. He incredibly enchants his audiences with his speech and successfully draws their attention since he has come to the power. Many of Ethiopians and foreigners admire him not only for his words but also they lift their voice up in looking at him with pleasure for the quick actions that he has taken in three months interval. He is also fighting to open the door for democracy that has been slammed by the Woyane regime.

However, my unfavorable view on an intensity of recent political movement lured me to pass this short notice with the respect to the quest for security and justice in a new Ethiopian in Abiy's era. Here are my points:

1.  A threat of Insecurity prevails over the country. Although people resound a slogan throughout the land with words like love, reconciliation, inclusiveness (medemer) and forgiveness, still the government failed in its duty to stop murder and human right violation in several parts of the country. Some instances among the dozens are reflected as follows. The killing attempt against PM Abiy himself at Meskel square in Addis Ababa months ago ( Sene 16 in Ethiopian Calendar) followed by a mass killing/ Ethnic genocide/ in Awasa areas that targeted on one ethnic people - Wolayta. Awasa is the capital of Southern Nations Nationalities and Peoples Regional State /SNNPRS/ where everyone has a constitutional right to live in.

         

These are Wolaytians who lived in Awasa with other people. They were killed because of their identity. People in the distance near to the house are who led the killing among Wolayta people in Awasa.

This picture shows that two persons became unconscious after they were severely beaten by city boys in Awassa and two people( one boy who bending down to them and a woman in the red ) are igniting the fire on the half-death Wolaytians.

As Lubo Teferi profoundly elaborated in  reference to the General Statistic agency:

"Ethiopia is composed of several ethnolinguistic communities with different histories,  languages, and cultures. Despite their diverse historical origins and with several points of contacts over the centuries, all of them have coexisted and continue to exist as nations among nations. The Ethiopian nation, nationalities, and peoples are categorized under two ethnolinguistic groups called Afro Asiatic and Nilo Saharan. Afro Asiatic is further divided into three group- Semitic, Cushitic and Omotic. The Semitic includes the Amhara, Tigre, Gurage, Harari, Silte etc. The Cushitc include the Oromo, Somali, Agaw, Kimanti, Saho, Afar, Sidama, etc. The Omotic includes Wolayita, Gamo, Dorze etc. The Nilo-Saharan includes Agnuak, Nuer, Megengir, Berta, Gumuz etc.

As Ethiopia is multi-cultural and languages, the southern region is known for its ethnolinguistic diversity and more than forty-five indigenous ethnic people were forcefully incorporated into one rule and they characterize the state.  Wolaytians are among these ethnic people even though they own their identity, culture and rapidly expanding language. The members of this tribe had been sadly slaughtered like an animal by the city boys from neighboring ethnic group in Awasa where the office of the president of SNNRPS is situating. The highest administrative bodies and security forces were there in Awasa ,at that time,  when thousands of Wolayata people were killed and rubbed. The city administration and security forces did not take any measure when all the houses and belongings of Wolaytians were devastated and burnt away.  Likewise, the peoples of Gedeo, and Guji  are murdered and displaced in hundreds and thousands.  As the news agencies announce, the conflict at the East coast of the country which causes the death of innumerable: and inhabitants of that area are in a serious threat. Thousands are being attacked in Oromiya and Somali provinces and the great number of people also have been driven away from the place where they had lived a long time. Some people escaped to Djibouti and the rests sheltered in Kenya in an uncertain situation.

The heartbreaking death of engineer Smegnehu Bekele, a manager of   Ethiopian renaissance dam, indicates that insecurity is highly prevailing in the country. This man was found dead in the middle of the capital city, Addis Ababa Meskel square in the same place where murderers attempted to kill his Excellency Dr Abiy. Ethiopians, in the country and abroad, deeply saddened and cried after they heard the news of the great lose - the death of Eneg Semegnew. Basically, it is unimaginable to subdue cruel, troublemakers and murderers by declaring love because these kind of people are anti-love minded and satisfying their political consumption in killing and terrorizing people throughout the country. The government is suggested not to take these incidents as easy and to prioritize assuring security to all inhabitants in every page of Ethiopian land.

An innocent Ethiopian man was crucified head down in Oromiya region, Shahemene town. The security force was not concerned about the killing and not ready to prevent such violence. Back to the history, this kind of atrocity had never been seen before even in the time of past governments like  Dergue and dictator EPDRF. This is extremely demonic and disgracing to great Ethiopia and polluting the history. The city boys who were welcoming a political activist whose name Jawar Mohammed simply caught a young man and hanged him on the wood head over down. They had no any reasons to do so. Recently, in several parts of the country, people appear on the streets for demonstration without police’s approval and kill persons when they do not want to see them. There is nobody to impend such inhumanity. It is completely wild state and anarchism to chop fellow citizens out of the law. According to the constitution of the country, no criminal person is sentenced to death without the court decision and the approval of the president. However, people die in different parts of the country without any criminal charge and the court order. Whoever that sees the picture below can simply imagine how anarchism is spreading out in that historical and religious land. Ethiopians have an excellent constitution but the government itself accustomed violating it and have been abusing citizens.    

These people are hanging an Ethiopian young man in one of Oromiya towns, Shahemene. Disgusting and so embarrassing to all Ethiopian.

2. Justice undermined by the governance. Admittedly,PM Dr Abiy is attempting to change a gloomy situation of our nation and working hard to unify those who are distanced because of their political positions and religious quarrel. His ability in reconciling even the disunited religious leaders was highly treasured by all. But the concern of injustice prevailed in the country. The victim Wolaytaians are still crying for justice in Awasa for nothing because no one from the governmental body is taking responsibility to rehabilitate those who were scattered on the field including children under the age of 4 to 10 and women in childbed , who sheltered in schools.  The Gedeo people are also expecting justice from the current Ethiopian government. As Asebe Regassa Dabelo states:    

“The historical relationship between the Guji and Gedeo ethnic groups has been examined in the context of economic interdependence, sharing some elements of cultural practices, political allegiances, belief in an ancestral curse in case of homicide and myth of common ancestor.”

Although these two people have built a long period of interrelationship in several aspects, now, unfortunately, one exterminate the other. So, the questions need to be answered. How is inclusiveness without justice possible to Wolaytians and Gedeos people?  How can those whose two legs were cut off in prison join the theme "medemer"/inclusive with/ without seeing justice? How can someone think that "medemer" would make sense to those whose houses were destroyed and all belongings were taken away? How possible is the reality of peace and unity in the absence of justice and security and how can the one whose manhood was castrated through the torture accept "medemer" with his full heart? .

Dr Abiy is working very hard to create a better Ethiopia for us and for the generation about to come. He loudly speaks about love and reconciliation which is highly appreciated by all. On top of all these, God’s Word stresses the importance of love, saying, “love covers a multitude of sin”( 1 Peter 4:8), “ love does no wrong to a neighbor”( Romans 13:10), and “love is patient and kind” ( 1 Corinthians 13:4). He( PM Abiy ) proclaims love and mercy like great leaders of great nations such as Abraham Lincoln as he said: “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice.”

However, justice and security have never been disregarded by both the Bible and the great leaders like Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi. An American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman, Frederick Douglass said :

“Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”,

As the nation, Ethiopia demands security and Justice at this particular time in order that people and their property would be safe.

3. Ethnic inequality gets empowered

EPRDF has been nagging people by running ethnic politics that empowers advantages and supremacy of only one ethnic group since it has grasped the power in 1991. There was no single year when Ethiopia had free from ethnic conflict in the past 27 years. The current Ethiopian political enthusiasm also slants to one or two ethnic group dominion over the others. This fact suggests the need for considerable caution in striving superiority of few ethnic groups among the many. Very truly, all ethnic groups in the country incline to their own, and few are regarded as highly susceptible to conflict concerning their own culture and language. Oromo and Amarah, the large nations, blame  Woyane’s leadership for it inculcated a poisonous ethnic-based politics in the country. However, several opposition political leaders, especially, from Oromo people consist of Oromonization. They pursue with their political agenda to grasp authority only for the benefit of Oromo and Oromiya. Some of them have already drowned the map of Oromiya in a different way claiming as if Oromiya is an independent nation and have already displayed it to their supporters. In the current Ethiopian political context, everybody must cautiously underline that ethical domination is a major source of eruption and conflict in the country. If the ethnic groups continue proclaiming the superiority of their own group and waving the flag of that specific zone in announcing as if they are the top, unstoppable revolt and massacre might occur in the country.

Concerning inequality, unpopulated ethnic groups in the South are being impressed by the large group. The murderers and robbers of that large group are never charged for any offense against the minority. Political and economic equality has been denied for the reason that the high populated nations and their authority governs and favorites much to their people.                         

Therefore, PM Dr Abiy should sit down and take the time to get rid of insecurity, injustice, anarchism, and an ethnic inequality. In his next step as soon as he finished his journey from one horizon to the other in proclaiming love and mercy, Dr Abiy must not let the grass grow under his feet without cracking down the reality of justice and security in his country. He must teach the troublemakers and anti-peace forces about the value of humanity and human dignity. All politician around Dr Aby must be convinced by the reality of Ethiopian people’s unity and equality. Dr Abiy's theme "Medemer" should not exclude all victims over the country and justice must be implemented for them. Otherwise, the current anti-peace force’s intrigue threats to drive the country into unnecessary crisis. No one will be safe without Justice and security. The Theme “MEDEMER” would be meaningless if justice and security have no room in the mind of the government.

Admittedly, there are some considerable suspensions that PM may not implement all the things that he promises. He likely believes in the oneness of Ethiopia and equality of Ethiopians. However, he is surrounded by some people who were antagonized toward peoples’ nationality as the whole. As Dr Merera said, “the great challenge in the leadership to PM Abiy is not to lead Ethiopians but it is the greatest challenge to him to lead EPRDF” and people from his own tribe until the next national election comes after two years. EPRDF is still on its power which means Dr Abiy might be trapped by a hidden agenda of the governing bodies- TPLF and EPRDF.So we all are supposed to lift him our nation to the Lord in our prayer.       

May God bless Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

References

1. Libo Tefferi, The post of 1991 “Inter-Ethnic” conflict in Ethiopia: “An Intervention International Journal of Law and conflict resolution.” Ethiopia, Oromiya State, Adama University, 2003 p 12

2.Abbink G Jon. Northeast African Studies New Series, Vo 5 No 2(1998) ( New Configuration of Ethiopia Ethnicity: the challenge of the south)

3.file:///C:/CurrentEthiopianpolitics/photos/a.463320040792004.1073741828.399289470528395/496314324159242/?type=3

4. Asebe R Debelo,  Ethnicity and Inter-ethnic Relations: the ‘Ethiopian Experiment’ and the case of the Guji and Gedeo, Master thesis.  Nerway 2007

ሰይጣን እንደ ስንዴ ሊያበጥረን፣ በቁጣውም እንደ መብረቅ ሊመታን፡፡
( ለወላይታና ለሲዳማ ክርስቲያን ወንድሞችና እህቶች)

ላለፉት ጥቂት ወራት ውስጥ በአገራችን የሚታየው የፖለቲካ ግለት የአንዳንዶቻችንን ልብ ደስ ሲያሰኘው የአንዳንዶቻችንን ደግሞ በሀዘንና በትካዜ መምታቱ አልቀረም፡፡ ብዙዎች የፖለቲካ ነጻነት ሲያገኙ ፣ ከእሥራትም ሲፈቱ ፣ የሞት ቅጣት ፍርድ ሲሻርላቸው አንዳንዶች ደግሞ መራር ሀዝን ወደ ቤታቸው መግባት ግድ ሆኖ ሰንብቷል፡፡ እሥረኞቹ ከግዞት ቤት በሚለቀቁበት ወቅት ቤተሰቦቻቸውና ወዳጆቻቸው በታላቅ ደስታ ሲቧርቁ በተቃራኒው ደግሞ  ከቀለሱት ቀዬ ፣ ከኖሩበትም እልፍኝ ተፈንቅለው ሜዳ ላይ የተጣሉ መኖራቸው ልብን የሚሰብር ፣ አጥንትን የሚያደቅቅ ሆኖ አግኝተነዋል፡፡ ሰላማውያን ሰዎችም መዘረፋቸውና አንዳንዶችም እንደ ከብት ተጋድመው መታረዳቸው ያላስለቀሰው መኖሩ ያጠራጠራል፡፡  በብዙ የአገራችን ክፍሎች ግዲያና ልቅሶ የመበራከቱ ምክንያት ምንድነው? ቢባል ሁላችንም የየራሳችንን መልስ እንሰጥበት ይሆናል፡፡
አገራችን  ኢትዮጵያ  የምትገኝበት ቀጣና የአፍሪካ ቀንድ ሲሆን ይህ አካባቢ ግጭት ከሚያይልባቸው የዓለማችን  ክፍሎች አንዱ ነው፡፡ በአፍሪካ ቀንድ የሚገኙ አገሮች በብዙ አሥርት ዓመታትና ከዚያም በላይ ጊዜያቶች የግፍ ግዲያ፣ የከባድ መሣሪያ ሩምታ ፣ የስደትና የከፍተኛ መዋዕለ ንዋይ ውድመት የሚስተዋልበት ቀጣና ሲሆን የቀጣናው ነዋሪዎችም ተረጋግተው የተቀመጡበት ፣ በሰላም የኖሩበት ዓመት አለ ለማለት ድፍረት አልተገኘም፡፡የዚህ ሁሉ ችግር ምክንያቱ ከውጭ የሚመጣ ጠላት ሳይሆን ወንደም በወንድሙ ላይ እንዲነሳ በሚያደርግ የዘረኝነት ፖለቲካ መርዝ ነው፡፡ በዚህ ምክንያት ህዝባችን አርፎ በሰላም መኖር እየፈለገ እንዳያርፍ ሆኗል፡፡
ባለፉት ወራት በወንድማማች

THE QUEST OF JUSTICE AND SECURITY IN THE CURRENT ETHIOPIA.

                                                                                                      By Samuel Shonga

Ethiopia is an entity and very historical. The ancestors of this country had passed tremendous history that has been commemorated by all generations from 1st to 21st centuries. In addition to that, Ethiopians have been proudly declaring that their country is the only one in Africa to have never been subjected to colonial rule by any of foreign power. As this  is undeniable historical truth, on the other hand, violation of human right and abuse are reported in high rate among other African countries. Ethiopians have been continuously encountering atrocity and abuse on the hands of different political leaders and their governance system to date. Hardship and persecution are rapidly increasing since the kingdom of emperor was deposed and Communist Durgue sized the power in 1974. Young Ethiopians, academicians, and competent politicians were butchered; and several religious leaders were kidnapped and unaccounted because of their belief during 17 years of regime of an atheist Dergue until the day when it was overthrown in 1991. 

After the down-fall of Dergue in 1991, Ethiopians expected democracy, peace and equality from the new government. However, in the past 27 consecutive years, Ethiopians endured and carried the heaviest yoke of severe impression and offenses under a brutal government of TPLF/EPRDF/. After the guerrilla fighters defeated the Durgue and controlled over the country, hardship, murder and prosecution got worse and worst. All we consider that that time as the dark age for Ethiopians.

Now, God is doing a tremendous miracle in Ethiopia by raising a visionary leader when  TPLF /EPRDF/ is still on its power. Most of the citizens offer an ultimate support to the new elected potential leader, PM minister Dr Abiy Ahmed and follow after him by repeating his slogan for love, unity, forgiveness and reconciliation. For the greatest Ethiopia seems to be on the decisive transitional avenue, a rapid establishment of multi-party governmental system / it would be tough actually/ is highly expected by potentially competent political parties. The people appear on the main streets of different cities in thousands and express their support to Dr Ahmed because he is so eloquent and knows how to put words together when he addresses the crowd. He incredibly enchants his audiences with his speech and successfully draws their attentions since he has came to the power. Many of Ethiopians and foreigners admire him not only for his words but also they lift their voice up in looking at him with  pleasure for the quick actions that he has taken in the  three months interval. He is also fighting to open the door for democracy that has been slammed by the Woyane regime.

However, my unfavorable view on the heat of recent political movement lured me to pass this short notice with the respect to  the quest of security and justice in  a new Ethiopian in Abiy's era. Here are my points: 

1.  A prevalence of Insecurity over the country. Although people declare a slogan with words like love, reconciliation, inclusiveness (medemer) and forgiveness, still the government failed in its duty to stop murder and human right violation in several parts of the country. Some instances among the dozens are reflected as follows.The killing attempt against PM Abiy himself at Meskel square in Addis Ababa  months ago ( Sene 16 in Ethiopian Calendar) followed by a mass killing/ Ethnic genocide/  in Awasa areas that targeted on one ethnic people, Wolayta. Awasa is the capital of Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peopples Regional State /SNNPRS/ where any one has constitutional right to live in. As Ethiopian is munlti-cultual and languages, the southern region is known for its ethno-linguistic diversity and  more than forty five indigenous ethnic people were forcefully incorporated in to one rule  and they characterize the state. foot note 1 Wolayta is among these ethnic people even though it has  own identity, culture and rapidly expanding language. The members of this tribe had been sadly slaughtered like animal by the city boys from neighboring ethnic group in Awasa where the office of the president of SNNRPS is situating.foot note 2 The highest administrative bodies and security forces where there in Awasa at that time  when hundreds of Wolayata people were killed and rubbed.The city administration and security forces did not take any measure when all the houses and belongings of Wolaytians were devastated and burned away.    
Likewise, the peoples of Gedeo, and Guji  are murdered and displaced in hundreds and thousands.  As the information spread out and the PM believes, there is a huge conflict at the East cost of the country which causes death of numerable: and inhabitants of that area are in a serious threat. Thousands are being attacked in Romiya and Somali  provinces and the great number of people also have been driven away from the place where they had lived long time. Some people escaped to Djibouti and the rests  sheltered in Kenya  in uncertain situation. Many are still impressed and abused in Amara region and thousands of Amharas dismissed from their locations. 
The heart breaking death of engineer Smegnehu Bekele,  manager of   Ethiopian renaissance dam,  indicates that insecurity is prevailing. This man was found dead in middle of the capital city, Addis Ababa Meskel square in the same place where murderers attempted to kill his excellency Dr Abiy. Ethiopians in the country and abroad deeply saddened and cried after they heard the news of the great lose, that is the death of Eneg Semegnew. Basically It is unimaginable to subdue cruel, trouble- makers and murderers by declaring love because these kind of people are anti-love minded and satisfying their political consumption in killing and terrorizing innocent citizens.

2. Justice undermined by the governance.   Of course, PM Dr Abiy is attempting to change a gloomy situation of our nation and working hard to unify those who are distanced because of their political positions and religious quarrel. His ability in reconciling even the disunited religious leaders was highly treasured by all. But the concern of injustice  prevailed in the country. The victim Wolaytaians are still crying for justice in Awasa for nothing because no one from the governmental body is  taking responsible to rehabilitate those were scattered on the field including children under the age of 4 to 10 and women in child bed , who are sheltered in schools.  The Gedeo people are also expecting justice from the current Ethiopian government.  So, the questions need to be answered.  How can those whose two legs were cut off in prison join the theme "medemer"/inclusive with/ with out seeing justice? How can some one think that "medemer" would make sense to those whose houses were destroyed and all belongings were taken away? How possible is the reality of peace and unity in the absence of justice and security and how can the one whose manhood was castrated through the torture accept "medemer" with his full heart? .

Dr Abiy is working very hard to create a better Ethiopia for us and for the generation about to come. He loudly speaks about love and reconciliation which is highly appreciated by all. On top of all these, God’s Word stresses the importance of love, saying, “love covers a multitude of sin”( 1 Peter 4:8), “ love does no wrong to a neighbor”( Romans 13:10), and “love is patient and kind” ( 1 Corinthians 13:4). He( PM Abiy ) proclaims love and mercy like a great leaders of great nations such as Abraham Lincoln as he said “I have always found that mercy bears richer fruit than strict justice.”

However, justice and security have never been disregarded by both the Bible and the great leaders like Abraham Lincoln and Mahatma Gandhi. An American social reformer, abolitionist, orator, writer, and statesman , Frederick Douglass said :

            “Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and                    where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to                         oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.”,

 As the nation, Ethiopia demands security and Justice at this particular time in order that people and their property would be safe.

3. Ethnic inequality gets empowered 

The current Ethiopian political enthusiasm       

Therefore, PM Dr Abiy should sit down and take time to get rid of insecurity and injustice. In his next step as soon as he finished his journey from one horizon to the other in proclaiming love and mercy , Dr Abiy must not let the grass grow under his feet with out cracking down the reality of justice and security in his country. He must teach the trouble- makers and anti-peace forces about the value of humanity and human dignity. Dr Abiy's theme "Medemer" should not exclude all victims over the country and justice must be implemented for them. Otherwise, the current anti- peace force’s intrigue threats to drive the country in to unnecessary crisis. No one will be safe with out Justice and security.

May God bless Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

References

1. Abbink G Jon. Northeast African Studies New Series, Vo 5 No 2(1998) ( New Configuration of Ethiopia Ethnicity : the challenge of the south) 

2.file:///C:/CurrentEthiopianpolitics/photos/a.463320040792004.1073741828.399289470528395/496314324159242/?type=3

እኛ ስንደመር ፍትሕ ይጨምር

ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችን ክቡር ዶር አቢይ አህመድ ሥልጣን ከያዙ ወዲህ በአገራችን እየታየ ያለው  ፈጣን ለውጥ የሚያስገርም፣ የሚያስደምምና ለማመን ሁሉ የሚያስቸግር ሆኗል፡፡ ፍቅርን፣ ሰላምን፣ ዲሞክራሲን ፣ ይቅርታንና መደመርን በመስበክ ከአገር አልፎ የጎረቤት አገሮችንም ትኩረት የሳበው መሪያችን በዚህ ፕላኔት ላይ የዚህ ትውልድ የመጀመሪያው ሰው ናቸው ብል እንደሚበዛባቸው አላስብም፡፡ በአሳቤ ከዚህም ያለፈ አድናቆት  ልቸራቸው ብከጅልም አድናቆትም ከልኩ ካለፈ አምልኮት ይሆናል ብሎ ልቤ ስለነገረኝ ገታ አደረግኩት እንጂ የምለው ብዙ ነገር ነበረኝ፡፡ ሰውን ማክበር፣ የሚገባውን አድናቆት መስጠትና በጸሎትም መደገፍ  በጎ ነው፣ ያማረም የተወደደም ነው፡፡
ወጣቱ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችን 27 ዓመት ሙሉ ሲፈርስና ሲፈራርስ የኖረውን አገር በ3 ወራት ውስጥ መልሶ ለማቆም በሄዱባቸውም መንገዶች ሁሉ ስኬትን በማግኘታቸው ከሠፈር እስከ አገር፣ ከልጅ እስከ አዋቂ፣ሁሉ ከአፉ የማያወርዳቸው፣ በለበሰው ጨርቅም የሳላቸው ሰው መሆናቸውን ሳይ በአንድ በኩል በደስታ እየቧረቅኩ በሌላ በኩል ደግሞ ከሰው የተወለዱ ሥጋ ለባሽ ሰው እንጂ መልአክ አለመሆናቸውን እንዳልረሳ ልቤ ስለወተወተኝ በሁለቱ መካከል ታመምኩ እላችኋለሁ፡፡
እኛ የምናውቀው እስከአሁን ድረስ የነበሩ የቀደሞዎቹ የአገራችን መሪዎች የስላም ኃይል ፖሊስና የጠብ መንጃ አፈሙዝ  መሆኑን ያምኑ እንደነበር ነው እንጂ ፍቅር የሚለው ቃል ከመሪ አፍ ወጥቶ ሲሰበክ የሰማነው በዘመነ አቢይ ነው፡፡ እነዚያዎቹ ስለአገሩ እንኳን ሲናገሩ " ለአገሬ እሞታለሁ፣ እንሙትላት" እንጂ እንውደዳት፣ እርስ በርሳችንም እንዋደድ የሚል አሳብ እንደ ኃጢአት ወይም እንደ ሽንፈት ወስደውት ሲመሩን እዚህ ላይ ደርሰናል፡፡ እንዲያው የጠብመንጃ አፈሙዝ እንጂ ፍቅር የሚባል አያውቁም ነበር፡፡ ለአፈሙዛቸውም የሰጡት የቁልምጫ ስም " ፍቱን መድኃኒት" የሚለው ነው፡፡ መቼም ሰው እግዚአብሔር የወሰነለትን ዘመን ሲጨርስ ወደ ዘላለሙ ቤት ይሄዳል፡፡ የአንዳንዶቹ መሄድ ለአገር ጉዳት ሲሆን የአንዳንዶቹ መሄድ ደግሞ ለህዝብ እፎይታና ግልግል የመሆኑ ነገር ልባችን የሚያውቀው ሆኖ የቀድሞው የሕወሓት ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር አቶ መለስ ዜናዊ ተቃዋሚ የፖለቲካ ፓርቲዎችን ሲያስፈራሩ " ፍቱን መድሓኒት ተዘጋጅቷል" ይሉ እንደነበር የቅርብ ጊዜ ትውስታ ነው፡፡ ፍቱኑ መድኃኒት ለእርሳቸውም የማይሆንበት ዘመን መጥቶ አየነው፡፡ ቅዱስ ቃሉ " ንጉሥ በሠራዊቱ ብዛት አይድንምና" እንዳለው ሆነ ነገሩ፡፡ እግዚአብሔር እድሜአቸውን ያርዝመውና ወጣቱ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችን ዶር አቢይ አህመድ ሕዝብን የሚያቃልሉበትና የሚንቁበት እንደዚያ ያለ ንግግር በአፋቸው የለም፡፡  ንግግራቸውም ሕልማቸውም  ከነዚያዎቹ ይለያል፡፡ ይቅርታና ፍቅር ነው ዜማቸው፡፡  ሰውዬ ካህን እንጂ የፖለቲካ መሪም አይመስሉም፡፡ በእውነት!

ሰላም ፣ ፍቅር ፣ ይቅርታ መደመር ፣ አንድነት የሚሉ  የዶር አቢይ መርሆዎችና ንግግሮች አንጀቴን ሲያርሱት በመሳጭና ጥዑም አንደበታቸው ብሎም በሚወስዷቸው ፈጣን እርምጃዎች ሁሉ ውስጥ  "ፍትሕ" የምትለዋን ቃል ፈልጌ ፣ ፈልጌ እንደምፈልጋት ያህል  አለማግኘቴ አየር ላይ የተንሳፈፈው ሞራሌ በመጠኑም ቢሆን ዝቅ ሊል ታገለኝ፡፡ ይህ ስሜት የሚፈጠርባቸው ሌሎችም ይኖሩ እንደሆነ ገና አላወቅሁም፡፡ ዶር አብይ ለኢትዮጵያና ለሕዝቦቿ ባሰናዱት የቡፌ ግብዣ ፍቅር ፣ ሰላም፣ ይቅርታ፣ መደመር፣ወዘተ የሚሉ በየዓይነቱ በርክተው ቢቀርቡም "ፍትሕ " የምትባለዋ ቃል ከተግባር ጋር ባለመታየቷ በተሟላ ድግስ ውስጥ አንድ ወሳኝ ነገር እንደተረሳ ያህል ተሰምቶኛል፡፡ በአሁኑ ወቅት እጅ ለእጅ፣ እግርም ለእግር፣ ወይም ዓይን ለዐይን፣ ጥርስም ለጥርስ እንዲከፈል፣ የእሥረኛውን ሁለት እግር የቆረጠ እንደዚያው ይደረግበት፣ ባይሆን አንደኛውም ቢሆን ብቻ ይቆረጥበት ካልሆነም ዕድሜ ልክ እሥራት ይወሰንበት፣ ብልት ያኮላሸም ብልቱ ይኮላሽ፣ የእጅና የእግር ጣቶችን ጥፍር የነቀለም ጥፍሩ ይነቀል ወዘተ የሚል ኢትዮጵያዊ ይኖራል ብዬ አላስብም፡፡ እንዲህ ዓይነቱ ብቀላ Talionic Justice ተብሎ የሚጠራ ሲሆን በአማሪኛ አቻ ቃሉ ምን እንደሆነ ገና አልደረስኩበትምና ይቅርታ ይደረግልኝ፡፡
ይሁንና በዜጎች ላይ ያንን የመሰለ ዘግናኝ ወንጀል የፈጸሙ ወይም ያስፈጸሙ አካላት ታውቀው የኢትዮጵያን ሕዝብ ግልጽ ይቅርታ እንዲጠይቁ ማድረግ ይገባል ባይ ነኝ፡፡ ያለዚያ የተያዘው መደመር ፍትሕ የጎደለበትን በደልም የደረሰበትን  ዜጋ የሚያገልል ይሆናልና፡፡ የአገርንም ሀብት የዘረፈ፣ቢያንስ መስረቁንና አገሪቱ አጥንት እስክቀራት ድረስ  የጋጠው  የምድሩን ሕዝብ ይቅርታንና ምሕረት መጠየቅ ይኖርበታል፡፡
በቅርቡ በደቡብ ክልል በወላይታ ተወላጆች ላይ የተሰነዘረ ዘርንና ብሔርን ኢላማ ያደረገውን ግዲያና ጭፍጨፋ ያየው ሰብዓዊ  ማንነትና  የሰው ሕሊና ያለው ሁሉ ተጸይፎታል፡፡ በአሁኑ ሰዓት ከ80 ሺህ በላይ የሚሆኑ የወላይታ ብሔር ተወላጆች በሜዳ ላይ ተበትነው ይገኛሉ፡፡ ዕድሜአቸው ከ10 ዓመት በታች የሆኑ ሕጻናት ፣የሚያጠቡ እናቶች ፣ነፍሰ ጡራን፣ አዛውንቶችና አረጋውያን ከመኖሪያ ሥፍራቸው ተፈናቅለው መግቢያ ስላጡ በሜዳ ላይ ናቸው፡፡ ለእነዚህ ሰዎች የመብት ጥያቄ የሚመልስ አካል እስከአሁን አለመገኘቱ አሳዛኝ ነገር ነው፡፡ ወደ ቀድሞው ኑሮአቸው እንደሚመለሱም የተሰጠ ምንም ተስፋ የለም፡፡
መንግሥት ፍቅርን ሲሰብክ ሳለ የወንጌል ሰባኪነት አደራ ከተሰጣቸው የአዳዲስ እምነት እንቅስቃሴ ቤተ እምነቶች አንዳንዶቹ በጭፍጨፋው ጊዜ ነፍሳቸውን ለማዳን ወደ እነርሱ ለሄዱ ወገኖች በራቸው በመጠርቀም ለገዳዮች ጦርና ለአራጆች ካራ አሳልፈው የመስጠታቸውን ዜና መስማት ይበልጡኑ ልብን የጎዳ ክስተት ነው፡፡ በዚህ አጋጣሚ መመስገን የሚገባቸውን አመስግነን ብናልፍ የነገራችን ሚዛን ይጠበቃል ብዬ አምናለሁ፡፡ ጭፍጨፋው ሲበረታ ነፍስ የያዛውን ተጠቂዎች እህልና ውሃ ይዘው በማስጠጋት ነፍሳቸውን ያዳኑትን የሐዋሳ አካባቢ ኦርቶዶክስ ቤተ ክርስቲያንን እግዚአብሔር ይባርክ ካላልን በጎ ሥራን አለማሰብ ይሆናል፡፡  በአካባቢ አቸው ያሉ የሲዳማ ተወላጆችን ሰዎች እንዳያጠቁ በጥብቅ የገሰጹ የወላይታ አገር ሽማግሌዎች በእርጅናቸው ይለምልሙ፡፡ ቤታቸውንም ከፍተው በመስጠት የቻሉትን ያህል ደብቀው ያቆዩልን በሐዋሳ ከተማ ያሉ ጥቂት ሰዎች እግዚአብሔር ብድራታቸውን በመልካም ይመልስላቸው ፡፡
በአሁኑ ሰዓት በሐዋሳ ዙሪያ ከ80 ሺህ በላይ ተፈናቃዮች በሜዳ ላይ ናቸው፡፡ ለዘመናት ጥረው ግረው ያገኙት ንብረትና አለን የሚሏቸው ሁሉ በብሔር ተኮር ጥቃት አራማጆች የተባበረ ክንድ  ወድሞባቸው ባዶ እጃቸውን ቀርተዋል፡፡ ተጠቂዎች እምባ እየረጩ አቶ ሽፈራው ሽጉጤን ጨምሮ ሌሎች የዘር ማጥፋቱን ዘመቻ የቀሰቀሱትን የመንግሥት ባለሥልጣናትን ባለመሸማቀቅ አጋልጠዋል፡፡ እነዚህ ባለሥልጣናት ተጠያቂነትን እንዲወስዱ በመንግሥት ተወካዮች ፊት አቤቱታ ካሰሙ በኋል ያፈሰሱት እምባ እንደ ከንቱ ተቆጥሮ አቶ ሽፈራው ሽጉጤ በሹመት ላይ ሹመት ማግኘታቸው የተጥቂዎችን እና የቤተስቦቻቸውን ልብ ክፉኛ ጎድቶታል፡፡  ሥልጣንን ያለአግባብ በመጠቀም ሕዝብን ያሳረደ  ወንጀለኛ ና ፀረ፟ ሕዝብ አጀንዳ አቀንቃኝ ሹመትና ሽልማት ከተሰጠው የፍትሕ ጥማት የሚያቃጥለው ሕዝባችን እስከ አሁን ከተጎዳው በላይ ጉዳት በጉዳት ይጨመርበታል፡፡ ይህንን ያዩ ተጎጂዎቹና ፍትሕ ናፋቂዎች ሁሉ "መደመር" የሚለው አሳብ ቢተናነቃቸው አንፍረድባቸው፡፡ በሐዋሳና በዙሪያዋ ተበታትነው የመከራን እንጀራ እየበሉና የመከራን ውሃ እየጠጡ ያሉ ሚስኪን ኢትዮጵያውያን የዶር አቢይን የመደመር መርህ እንዴት ይቀበሉታል፣ ከማንስ ጋር ይደመራሉ የሚለው ጥያቄ ከእሳት የጋለ ነው፡፡
መንግሥት በደለኛውን ይጠይቅልን እያሉ በእምባ ለጠየቁበት ምላሹ ለገዳያቸው የላቀ ሹመት ሰጥቶ ማሳየት ቁስላቸው ላይ እንጨት መክተት ሆኖባቸዋል፡፡ ለወደፊቱም በዚያ አካባቢ የመኖር ተስፋቸውን  ጭምር አጨልሞባቸዋል፡፡ ፍቅርና መደምር የሚለው ቃል የአዋሳ ዙሪያውን ጨምሮ፣ በጌዴኦ፣ በኦሮሚያ፣ በሶማሌ ፣ በአማራና በትግራይ አካባቢ ወዘተ በሕዝብ ደም የሚረኩ ወገኖች በሚቀሰቅሱት የርስ በርስ ግጭት ጉዳት የደረሰባቸው ሰዎች ያለ ፍትሕ ሊገባቸው አይችልም፡፡ ያለ ፍትሕ የፍቅር፣የይቅርታና የመደመር ውበት ለማንም የሚታይበት አግባብ የለም፡፡
ከቡድን አሳልጣኞቹ የተማረውን ዘረኝነትና የጅምላ ጭፍጨፋ ሠርቶና ለፍቶ በሚኖረው ሕዝብ ላይ በመለማመድ ጎዳናውን በዜጎች ደም ያጨቀየ፣ የወገኖቻችንን ሬሳ በእሳት የሚያቃጥሉ አሬመኔያዊ አስተሳሰብ ያላቸውን መልምሎ ያሰማራና ከሰይፉ የተርፉትንም ንብረታቸው እንዲዘረፍና ከቄያቸው እንዲፈናቀሉ ያደረጋቸው አቶ ሽፈራው ሽጉጤ አገርን ወክሎ አምባሳደር እንዲሆን መሾሙን አጥብቀን እንቃወማለን፡፡ ይህ ሰው የቡድን ካቦ ለመሆን የሚያበቃ የሞራል ብቃት እንኳ  የለውም፡፡ የመንግሥትን አሰላለፍ ማበላሸቱ እየታየ በሌሎች እናካክሳለን ካልተባለ በቀር የዜጎችን መብትና ሰብአዊ ማንነታቸውን  በማርከሱ ሂስ ሊወስድ እየተገባው ለኢትዮጵያ እንደራሴ እንዲሆን መሾሙ የኢትዮጵያን ክብር ዝቅ ያደርገዋል፡፡ ጎማው የሚደመረው መኪናው በወጉ እንዲሽከረከር ስለሆነ የተበላሸው ጎማ በመኪናው ከመደመሩ በፊት ተገቢው ፍተሻና ጥገና ያልተደረገ እንደሆነ በመኪናው መላ ተሳፋሪዎች ላይ ከባድ አደጋ ሊያስከትል ይችላል፡፡ የመኪናውን ጤና ከሚነሳ ፣ አንዴ ተበላሽቷልና የሚመጥነው ሥራ ሊሰጠው ይገባዋል እንጂ ክብ ቅርጽ ስላለው ብቻ ጎማ ነው ተብሎ በመኪና እንደማይደመር የእኔ ምክር የሚያስፈልገው አይመስለኝም፡፡  እውነት ለመናገር  ይህንን አስጽያፊ ድርጊት የፈጸመው የአቶ ሽፈራው ሽጉጤ አምባሳደርነት ይቅርብና እርሱ በደም የተበከለው እጁን ቢታጠብ፣ በዘረኝነት ሰክሮ በሕዝብ ላይ የሚያፈጥበትን  ዓይኑን ቢሰበስብ፣ የጎረሰውን ሕወሃታዊ መርዝ ቢተፋና ቢጸዳ  ትልቅ ሥራ እንደሠራ ልንቆጥር እንችላለን፡፡ እንደ ሽፈራው ሽጉጤ ያሉት  ዶር አቢይ የሚያራምዱትን በሳል ዴሞክራሲያዊና ሕዝብን ያሳታፈ ፖለቲካ ስለማይመጥኑ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችን ራሳቸው ሰውዬን ከላይ አማስለውም ይሁን ከሥር አንድደው ወደ ብስለት ያምጡት እንጂ ሹመት አይስጧቸው፡፡ ያለዚያ እንደ አቶ ሽፈራው ያሉ ሰዎች ጠቅላይ ሚንስትራችንንም ሆነ እኛን ኢትዮጵያውያንን ሁሉ አንገት ያስደፉናል፡፡ 
የእነሽፈራው ሽጉጤ ድርጊት የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችንን ሕዝባዊና ኢትዮጵያ፟ መር አመራርን እንዲያጠላሸው አንሻም፡፡ ሌቦችና ዘራፊዎች ፣ ነፍሰ ገዳዮችና ጨፍጫፊዎች በሕግ የሚጠየቁበት አግባብ ችላ ከተባለ ህገ፟ወጥነትና ፍትሕ አልባነት ማንሰራራቱ አይቀርም፡፡ መደመር ፣ ፍቅር፣ ሰላም ፣አንድነትና ይቅርታ በሚለው መርህ ውስጥ " ፍትሕ በተግባር" የሚለው እንዲካተትበትና እንዲያነቡትም አቶ ሽፈራውና ግብረ አባሮቹ ተጽፎእ  ቢሰጣቸው እኛ ፍትሕ የተጠማን ሁላችንም አቢይ ለኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ እየዋለ ካለው ውለታ ጋር እንደምረዋለን፡፡ እኛ ስንደመር ፍትሕ ይጨምር እንጂ አይረሳ፡፡
በመጨረሻም ፍትሕን የተጠማና ሰባዊነት ያለው ሁሉ ሰለተጎዱ ወኞቻችን ደምፁን እንዲያሰማ አቤት እንላለን፡፡ በአሁኑ ሰዓት በሐዋሳ ከተማ ዘጠኝ እናቶች በአንድ ትምህርት ቤት ውስጥ ልጅ ወልደው ከነሕጻናቶቻቸው ጋር እዚያው ይገኛሉ፡፡ እንዲሁም ከመቶ የሚበልጡ እናቶችና ሕጻናት  በአንድ ክፍል በጅምላ ታፍነው ይኖራሉ፡፡ ዘመድና ቤተሰብ የሞተባቸው ሰዎች ከወላይታ መጥተው የወገኖቻቸው ሬሳ እንዲሰጣቸው ሲጠይቁ በጅብ ተበልቷል የሚል ምላሽ ተሰጥቶአቸው መመለሳቸው የአደባባይ ሚስጥር ነው፡፡ አሁን ደግሞ ተፈናቃዮቹ በአስቸኳይ አካባቢውን ለቅቀው እንዲሄዱ ማስፈራሪያና ዛቻ እየደረሰባቸው መሆኑ ያንን አካባቢ የጥፋት መንደር አድርጎታል፡፡ ክቡር ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር ዶር አቢይና የእኤርትራው ፕሬዝዳንት ክቡር አቶ ኢሳይያስ አፈወርቂ ሐዋሳን ሲጎበኙና ሕዝቡም በደስታ ሲሰክር እነዚህ ተፈናቃዮች ፍትሕ ርቆአቸው በሰቆቃ ውስጥ ነበሩ፡፡  ይህ ሁሉ ሲሆን እውነታው እንዳይታወቅ ምንም ዓይነት የመገናኛ ብዙኃን ግብቶ ሁኔታውን እንዳይዘግብ መንገዶች የተዘጉ መሆናቸውን ለማወቅ ተችሏል፡፡  ጉዳዩ የብዙዎችን ልብ የሰበረና የብዙዎችን ድምፅ የሚፈልግ ስለሆነ ኢትዮጵያዊ ሁሉ ለእነዚህ ድምፅ አልባ ሰዎች ድምፅ እንዲሆኑላቸው ና ከዚህ የመከራ ሕይወት የሚወጡበት መንገድ እንዲገኝ በያላችሁበት ችጩኼታችሁን እንዲታሰሙ እንማጸናለን፡፡
እግዚአብሔር አምላክ ኢትዮጵያን ይባርክ ጠቅላይ ሚኒስትራችንንም ከቀን ጅቦቹ ቀስት ይጠብቅልን፡፡ አሜን
ሳሙኤል ሾንጋ ነኝ