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
