Ethiopia should not yield to violence

By Seifeselassie Sibhatu

Sept 26, 2005 — In the third Ethiopian election EPRDF has got the mandate of the Ethiopian people to form the next legitimate government of the land. In a county where succession of power used to pass through blood and iron, the third election became yet another proof Ethiopia is on the path of a vibrant multi-party politics. But for some fanatic people who from the outset have not been prepared to accept any result that denies access to power, the verdict of the Ethiopian people becomes nothing more than identifying the major players in Ethiopian politics. For them the election is relevant only as a justification that they are now the key players in Ethiopian politics. Now and then they have described the final result of the third Ethiopian election as a mere indicator that can be applied to identify who is who in Ethiopians politics not as a judgment of the people for the formation of the next legitimate government. In this regard they are trying there level best to hinder the formation of the next legitimate government through mob and chaos.

In the past they had tried, though in vain, all possible means they could think of to create chaos and anarchy as means of coming to power. They are using Diaspora priests to bless chaos and they are moving from foreign country to country to convince the world leaders to suspend economic assistance to the Ethiopian people. They have been organizing demonstration up on demonstration both in Ethiopia and abroad. They are telling us they will continue to do so until the legitimate government of Ethiopia is removed from power and their mob government is installed instead. They are echoing the variant of the old Dergue slogan power now or never In addition, now from there speech and writing we understood that they are planning yet another demonstration, whose purpose is not to solve the problem of the Ethiopian people but to demand power.

Even if the official result of the election is certified by NEBE after thorough complaint investigation and endorsement by foreign observer groups, the result of the election became unacceptable to the extreme elements of the opposition members. There could be a number of factors that contribute to their refusal of the judgment of the Ethiopian people. Some of the main factors that I could think of are: (1) the fact that Ethiopia is being led by PM Meles Zenawi who is from Tigray which the opposition considers a minority ethnic group, (2) the extreme elements in the opposition consider the people of Tigray as a colonizers of Ethiopia who move the resources of the country to develop only Tigray while leaving the rest of the country undeveloped (3) unfounded assumption on the side of some of the opposition both at home and in Diaspora that the Ethiopian people doesn’t want anymore to be governed by EPRDF (4) based the above unfounded facts and hate based politics some of the oppositions have determined that EPRDF must go by any means possible (5) to this end since long time they have been working hard to raise millions of dollars from some rich tycoons in the US, Canada and Europe with an empty promise of toppling Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his government by any means possible. Unless they keep their promise, the opposition know that their financial sources will dry up for the future and (6) most of the leaders of the opposition including Hailu Shawel and Mesfine Woldemariam are in their late age which they know unless they come to power now could not make it in five years as they will be too old let alone to govern a country even to walk by themselves.

Even if the opposition have every democratic right to organize and demonstrate within the current democratic Ethiopia and abroad, taking into consideration their sinister ulterior motives the people and government of Ethiopia should be vigilant to protect the peace and stability of the country. We think one of the purposes of a demonstration should be to expose a system to the outside world that operates contrary to what it preaches. However, we do not think that is the case in present Ethiopia. What the current Ethiopian government is doing is known to each corner of the world. With regard to the May 15 election, the Ethiopian government had invited the international community to observe pre-, during and post-election activities. In addition the National Election Board of Ethiopia had taken unprecedented steps by inviting the international community to observe the compliant investigation process. Therefore, there is nothing that had been done that is not unknown to the international community in today’s Ethiopia and that needs demonstration in Addis and in the Western Capitals. But were there irregularities and problems in the election? Yes there were. Everybody acknowledges that. But, are the problems observed in the third Ethiopian election could be a basis for creating chaos and anarchy? We do not think so. For a genuine citizen, who is interested in the peace, stability and prosperity of Ethiopia the most important thing is the positive side of the election outweighs the negative side. If there is a positive sprit and will from all politicians they could address the problems arise during this election for the planned future ones.

In election we are talking about a human system which is not free of limitations and problems. The nature and type of the problem that we will face in each election could be different but can not create a prefect system. As human beings are imperfect the system that we design is also imperfect. We could not expect perfection from an imperfect man. It is only the system of God and His Kingdom that are perfect. What we have to do is to work in group with a good sprit and faith to minimize the limitation and problems. As God said, Let there be light: and there was light, we can not do the same Let there be democracy: and there was democracy. By its very definition democracy as a government of people by people is an imperfect system and should develop in a process but not to be created overnight as God did with light and other creation.

Each observer group and countries alone or in tandem gave their assessment of the election. The overall assessments of the observers indicate a positive development in Ethiopia’s stride towards a vibrant multi-party democracy. For example the election is endorsed by the Carter centre and by the Ambassadors’ Donor Group which includes the following countries: Austria Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Delegation of the European Commission, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Each organization and country that observed the election also mentioned the deficiencies that have to be corrected in the coming elections. Therefore, we can build our democratic system on the positive sides that have been achieved so far while properly addressing the limitations. That is how all democratic systems of the world are developing. No democratic system is created overnight.

So if the Ethiopian people and the international community are aware of the strength and weakness of the third Ethiopian election, then what is the need to organize demonstration upon demonstration if it is not to illegally to come to power by sacrificing the children of poor Ethiopians? What is more surprising and difficult to understand is most of the people who agitate the innocent Ethiopians for violence are living in the West. Even most of them have not seen the country for more than two decades. Some of them send their children to the finest of fine Western Universities. For example the curriculum vitae of one of the prominent architects of the demonstration of Ethiopians in Diaspora describe him as “…a loving and exemplary father …raised six children by emphasizing the value of education. Some of his children have graduated from Ivy League schools such as Harvard University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology and The University of California, Berkeley.” How pathetic is that to see such kind of an individual who believes in the value of education for only his children by sending them to Harvard and MIT while agitate the children of poor Ethiopians to sacrifice their lives for the like of him to come to power.

Now one of the leaders of the opposition Hailu Shawel has also joined them in Washington betraying the people who voted for him under the pretext of medical treatment. It is so funny and ridicules to see the man, who was supposed to lead his followers in Addis for the October 2 planned demonstration, prefer to lead the demonstration by remote control from a safe distance in Hilton and Sheraton hotels in the US. Then in his dream Ato Hailu will be flown from the United State by chartered plane to take the government that is prepared for him by the bloods of the children of poor Ethiopians. Well Ato Hailu your dream will be a nightmare to you.

As these few fanatic power monger individuals who do not believe in the judgment of the people are determined to come to power by sacrificing the blood of the innocent poor, it is proper for the government of Ethiopia to make aware its citizens. The people of Ethiopia should not permit their children to be the lambs who sacrifice their blood for the Washington, London and Brussels patriots. Therefore, as extreme elements in the opposition have determined to take the country to the era of red terror and civil war, we call on the people and government of Ethiopia to protect the peace and stability of the country. Above all, as the legitimate government of Ethiopia, EPRDF has also the obligation to balance the democratic right of its citizens with the peace and stability of the country. By no means should the people and government of Ethiopia compromise the balance of democratic right in favor of the peace and stability of the country or vice versa.

* Seifeselassie Sibhatu, PhD holder from Canada.