Stand with Them and Help Them! The People Will Make It Happen!

Change happens and will continue to happen, and the real question is: Will we fear it or will we welcome it?

(The Leaderless Revolution: How Ordinary people will take Power and Change Politics in the 21^st Century, Carne Ross- 2011)

On the second half of May of this year, Semayawi (Blue) Party took lawful, peaceful and legitimate demands of  millions of victims of dehumanizing political agenda and practice for the last two decades straight to appropriate offices and let them be informed that they (the people) were ready to take their voices to the streets of Addis.  They unequivocally made clear that legitimate voices of millions for political freedom and human rights should not merely be heard but seriously listened to.  They also made clear that the powerfully echoing innocent voices desperately deserve a timely and appropriate response. Although the ruling party tried to play its very ugly political drama, the patriotic young Ethiopians kept the momentum going in a much more determined and wise manner thanks to the very courageous and firm leadership. Yes, it was the Blue (Semayawi) Party that has broken the silence of eight years ruthlessly imposed by the ruling party with the order of the late dictatorial Prime Minister, Ato Meles Zenawi. Yes, a greatly reinvigorated move for change was enthusiastically organized and launched on June 2, 2013. Needless to say, the move has been welcomed with a great deal courage by the people who cannot afford to continue being captives of the fear that has been used by the ruling party as the main instrument to perpetuate its dirty, if not deadly political game.

Now, Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ-Andinet) has come up with very legitimate, well-focused and well-targeted issues to be echoed throughout the country and beyond under the theme “MILLINS OF VOICES FOR FREEDOM!” It goes without saying that these kinds of moves for the prevalence of genuine freedom, justice, and respect for fundamental human dignity are profoundly serious. Yes, not only the moves but how  those genuinely concerned political opposition forces are trying to move in a relatively well-coordinated and mutual understanding sounds very good. Yes, the trends being developed and the directions being taken by those opposition parties (Semayawi and Andnet), and of course in collaboration with all other genuinely concerned parties/movements are encouraging as far as the question of how to deal with the issue of healing from a very painful political agenda and practice being carried on by the ruling party is concerned.    I strongly believe that the author I cited earlier (Crane Ross) is absolutely right when he argues, “When one hand is hurt, the entire body feels the pain. Our neighbor is part of us. When any human being suffers, it should be a source of pain to all of us .We should fell pain, not pity.” I want to believe that that is the sense of the move we are witnessing in our country. Well, I am well aware that there may be many fellow Ethiopians who may still genuinely be doubtful about the desirable trend I am talking about. Given the repeatedly failed attempts of getting  and walking together and registering meaningful difference in our political journey (past and current), it is not surprising to see and experience kind of pessimism lingering. On the other side of the story, it has to be admitted that the failures we suffered from is not only because of the weaknesses of the leadership or membership of opposition political parties. It has been and it is also the lack of active and persistent participation by the people themselves that has contributed to our failures. Yes, individuals and organizations have their own huge impact on any societal endeavor let alone in a political arena that deeply touches every aspect of life like ours.   But, there is no any historical evidence showing a political success story (I am talking about changes for good) without an intensive and extensive participation by the people themselves.  I have never come across any plausible evidence that justifies the successful political story that has been achieved by a society that has never been in a position to break the fear and terror imposed by tyrannical regimes. Harold S. Kushner (Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World, 2009) argues, “… hope and courage, not fear and timorous obedience, are the will of God. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the overcoming of fear. Courage is looking fear in the face and refusing to be intimidated. …. Courage is the young mother crippled in an accident or diagnosed with a degenerative disease who continues to raise her children and tend to her husband instead of dissolving into self-pity.”

I have a very strong sense of optimism about the efforts being made by the people of Ethiopia. The courageous move by our Muslim compatriots demanding the ruling party not to mess with their religious freedom which has already entered its second year is a very powerful case in point. Being very mindful about the fact that living with dignity and prosperity is not truly feasible without addressing the common values of democratic freedom and conducting a concerted effort towards making those values realities, the way all genuinely concerned political parties and human rights movements including those who are worried about the very ugly political intervention in their freedom of worship is getting much more encouraging.

Let me reiterate the deeply powerful, bold enough and absolutely legitimate demands of the people of Ethiopia being pursued by Semayawi, Andinet and all other genuinely concerned political parties and human rights movements as follows:

1, Is it not mainly because of not only the severe lack of good governance but most terribly because of the dictatorial or tyrannical political set up that the innocent people of Ethiopia are experiencing a very dehumanizing way of life? I do not think we need to go far in search of evidence as the day-to-day lives of the people speak clearly and loudly.  Needless to say, all the three branches of government (legislative/parliament, judiciary/the court, and executive/administration ) have been created and nurtured to be instrumental in the implementation of the very parochial and ill-guided interest  of the  ruling party under the cover of the very fake game of check and balance.  The ruling party created and nurtured its own institutions (military, police, security, intelligence agencies, election board, civic, professional, educational, mass media, human right commission and ombudsman and etc.   ) and made them instruments of its dirty, if not deadly political game. Sadly enough, religious institutions (freedoms of worship) have become victims of an ugly political mess, and members of those institutions who had genuine concern and tried to make their voices heard about the dangerous direction things going are paying a great deal of sacrifice.   And it is because of all these and many other horrible situations that the very demand by those genuinely concerned opposition political parties such as Semayawi and Andinet  for reversing the political madness through serious dialogue and genuine reconciliation is extremely critical and legitimate. Yes, unless this ugly and dangerous political dead end is open with a real sense of mutual understanding and seriousness, there is no any credible short cut in tackling all other terrible crises. I strongly believe that Semayawi,Andint and all other seriously concerned political actors and human rights movements together with the people themselves will force ( with peaceful civil disobedience )the ruling party to open the political dead end  . It has to be crystal clear more than ever that the courage by the ruling party to do so will pave the way for change without causing any further damage.

2, Is it not heart-breaking to see a judiciary system being part of an ugly political arm and putting justice upside down and sentencing innocent citizens based on politically fabricated, orchestrated and dramatized witnesses and information?   Is it not outrageous or extremely disturbing to watch hundreds and thousands of innocent citizens suffering in the hands of the security and prison apparatuses for the simple reason trying to exercise their constitutional rights? Is it not extremely hard to comprehend to see innocent/peaceful members of opposition political parties, journalists and those who represent the voices of millions in the peaceful demand for religious freedom being accused of terrorism and languishing in jails?  And it is absolutely right to vehemently demand for abolishing this dangerous weapon made by the ruling party to perpetuate its evil-driven political agenda and practice. Yes. The innocent people of Ethiopia cannot afford to live under ruthless state-terror anymore!

3, It is hard to imagine the massive displacement of the innocent people of Ethiopia by the authorities of the ruling party and being refuges in their own homeland. I do not know what else should vehemently be condemned if it is not this politically motivated crime against innocent citizens! Yes, the call by Semayawi, Andinet and all other concerned individuals and groups to demand for the end of this terrible act of danger, and make those who either gave order or participated in action responsible and accountable is the right thing to do. There is no such thing being sovereign without the sovereign power of the people in their own country!!  That is why it is safe to say that the ruling party is endangering not only the territorial integrity of the country but also the very sovereignty of the people.

4, who are the actual beneficiaries of the policy of “developmental state”? Is it not the companies of the ruling party, its politically associated investors and all other cronies of the ruling party who control and enjoy the resources of the country at the very expenses of innocent and hardworking citizens? Who is the very root -cause for the unbelievable level of unemployment and all other socio-economic crises as well as very serious moral degradation? If it is not the tyrannical and extremely corrupt political game, what else should be?  Yes, the voices of millions being echoed throughout the country and from all walks of life have to be dealt with seriously and amicably if we have to save this generation and the generation to come from the culture of bloody politics and abject poverty. And there is no doubt that the heavy responsibility rests on the courage and willingness of the ruling party.  If not, history will take care of it sooner or later!!

Let me conclude by saying that while it is great to see those opposition political parties taking the peaceful struggle a step forward, I want to stress that it is only and only through a critical and constructive, and forward-looking participation of the people that the change we desperately aspire  will become a reality! And am optimistic that will be the case!!