The very reason for me to come up with this piece of writing is the recent truly encouraging political step taken by the two major opposition political parties in Ethiopia, Unity for Democracy and Justice (Andinet), and All Ethiopian Unity Party (AEUP). I was one of many Ethiopians who were genuinely concerned about the question of whether the process for unification could be successful or not. This serious concern was not without legitimate reason. The concern was because of certain obstacles between the parties themselves, and most outrageously because of the tyrannical ruling elites who have stupidly attempted to disrupt the process for genuine democratic change not only by using their usual dirty political game but also by deploying their deadly parasitic political cadres to infiltrate the process of which they considered as a threat to the continuation of their notoriously dirty political game. An Ethiopian judgment and viewpoint
It was with a very mixed feeling that I heard and read the news about the signing of the pre-unification agreement between the two parties on June 8, 2014. Needless to say that this kind of feeling of mine about the “breaking news” is not something different from the feelings of most of my fellow Ethiopians. It goes without saying that the very reasons for this mixed feeling do emanate from: a) a very strong aspiration to see this kind of critically desirable political move in our political history in general and at this critical moment in time in particular b) and the second reason has a lot to do with something that challenges the first one when it comes to multiple of terribly failed past experiences of which various opposition political parties and movements have come across.
Yes, we have come across failure after failure for the last two decades as far as the issue of real sense of dialogue, reasonable level of selflessness for the sake of national interest, resolving issues of differences through negotiation and principle compromise, and marching together for the realization of a democratic society is concerned. I do not think I need to enumerate all the names of councils, forces of unity, coalitions and the like which terribly had failed and had caused very deep discontent to the people of Ethiopia. Because I do think that these terrible stories of failures were parts of our day-to-day political lives. I am equally well aware that it is true the ruling front led by the ethnic-based minority (TPLF) had and still has its own poisonous contribution to those terrible failures of political opposition forces. However, it would be stupidly wrong not to admit what went terribly wrong within and among opposition forces and not to do something about it here after. I reasonably hope that the great news about the political step taken by UDJ and AEUP will turn our ugly political discourse of the past quarter of a century into a wonderfully desirable political reality. It is from this optimistic view of mine that I want to believe that the current mixed feelings we are experiencing will slowly but surely become positively clear and refined.
I tried hard to make some sort of reasonable and rational meaning out of this kind of mixed feeling (skeptical and optimistic state of mind) of mine. The first thing I had to do was to get more information (opinions and clarification) from those who made their own contribution to the success of the process as well from the members of the leadership of the two would- be -united parties. I listed to the very brief interview by journalist Eskindir Frew (the reporter of VOA Amharic Service) with Dr. Yaqob Hailemariam on 06/12/14. I have to say here that my mixed feeling has relatively turned into a more of clear optimism when I heard Dr. Yaqob saying that four genuinely concerned and well –known Ethiopians (Himself, Dr Dagnachew Asefa, Dr. Almayehu Areda and Ato Yilam Yifru) have made a great effort in keeping the process in the right track and finally witnessing its signing ceremony. Dr. Yaqob’s comment on the political significance of the agreement between the two parties, and his advice based on the current political and socio-economic reality in the country is so powerful if we look at it with our open and sincere minds and hearts. The point he made about the direct and strong relationship between the makings of political unity, if not genuine cooperation and coordination among all genuinely concerned political parties and the coming election is a very convincing case in point. Yes, as there is no a system of proportional representation in the current political system, there is no doubt that TPLF/EPRDF will continue its evil-driven political agenda even by securing twenty percent of the vote if the opposition parties do not do something serious about walking and working together towards the upcoming election. We have to be so grateful to those four senior citizens of Ethiopia who have made great efforts and helped the two political parties to come to a remarkable agreement and to be examples for others to do the same, if not to create some sort of healthy and cooperative working political environment.
Needless to say, those citizens have shown us how the role of cultural or traditional settling of disagreements and conflicts in the history of societal interaction of our country could be effective if we really use it genuinely and properly. Families, friends, neighbors, elders, religious leaders, respected personalities in communities, honestly prominent intellectuals have played their own roles in resolving disputes and conflicts between or among individuals, groups and communities. Unfortunately enough, our political elites have seriously damaged this wonderful cultural mechanism of settling disagreement or conflicts. How? Either by making it part of their corrupt, immoral, cynical, and even deadly political games, or by attacking it whenever they believe it could not serve their dirty purposes.
The terrible assault on the valuable of traditional mechanism of resolving disputes or conflicts coupled with the total absence solving political problems with a democratic mechanism has led the people of Ethiopia to a situation where survival is extremely difficult let alone aspiring for the better. I am not arguing in reference to a well-developed way of dealing with political problems. What I am trying to emphasize here is that our political history is almost devoid of civility as far as the issue of resolving differences of political views and interests, and thinking of the better generation of tomorrow is concerned. Needless to say, the consequences of the absence of resolving our political differences and conflicts through dialogue and principled compromise are seriously troubling and disturbing unless we learn from our miserable failures and do something about them. And this has to start today, not tomorrow.
I also carefully listened to Abebe Belew of Addis Dimts radio conducting fairly brief interview with Engneer Gizachew Sheferaw , chairman of Andinet ; and Ato Abebaw Mehari , chairman of AEUP on 06/14/14. My impression about the responses of the two politicians is that things look very encouraging. Their strong reaffirmation to move forward in a united force is truly commendable. The way they expressed the very inspiring and strong initiation from members of both parties to see this very desirable political step being realized is the most interesting and encouraging factor for moving forward in an irreversible manner. By the way, this is or was the powerful expression expressed by Dr. Yaqob too.
It goes without saying that mere theorization and preaching about democratic society without the culture of engaging in a real sense of dialogue, negotiation and reaching a resolution based on principled compromise does not make sense at all. And this kind of senseless political discourse has brought about disastrous consequences to subsequent generations of the country. Yes, our politicians in general and the royal families (monarchies) and subsequent ruling groups, including the current ethno-centric ruling elites in particular had no and have no any interest in engaging the generation of their own time let alone the generation of tomorrow. They had been and are blinded by getting their own wildly voracious short-term interests satisfied. And that is why our political lives especially for the last half a century (1960s – present) is mainly characterized by unprecedented level of degradation and crises after cries. It goes without saying that unless we want to continue with our pretending mentality and the foolish sentiment of avoidance of the political reality we are experiencing, we should be courageous enough to face a very critical challenge that requires a deeply thoughtful and feasible way of doing things beyond this generation of ours; that is to say for the sake of the generation of tomorrow. May we have a sincere look at the following realistically touching equation?
“The children of tomorrow must be good negotiators. They must be prepared to resolve differences in a civilized way: to listen, to be responsible, and to be unafraid to adjust conflicting values. The alternative in an age of rising expectations is violence.”
This timeless truth is stated by Chester L. Karrass in his book, The Negotiating Game (1970). Although the book is mainly about the role of negotiating game in dealing with our day –to – day lives in general and our socio –economic interactions in particular, there is no doubt that it powerfully tells us about the very deeply unfortunate side of our own political history . Needless to say, this very unfortunate situation is mainly because of the ruling elites who have been using and continue to use not only any dirty but also deadly political game to maintain and advance their own monstrously voracious self-interests. They never have shown any common sense about the future of their own children and families let alone about the very fate of this generation and the generations to come. The very challenge we continue to face is that the current ruling elites have unequivocally told us through their late mentor, Ato Meles Zenawi that a change of their political power will be on their graves only. And the current prime minister, Ato Desalegn Hailemariam has told us that he is instructed by the bosses of the front in which he belongs (TPLF) to carry on the legacy of the late “great leader” and he is committed to do so. That is why there is a compelling reason to be convinced that the struggle for a democratic change is extremely challenging and the victory will be remote without taking a unified and coordinated, and timely political action. And this strongly requires the interpretation of words into deeds.
Let me sum up my opinion by a quotation from a small but very thoughtful book of Louis Fischer (Gandhi: His life and Message for the World, 1954, 1982). He states, “He (Gandhi) took words and ideas seriously and felt that having accepted a moral precept he had to live it. Then he could preach it. He preached what he practiced.”
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