Ethiopian president calls to renew efforts for peace, development
Dec 8, 2005 (ADDIS ABABA) — Ethiopian President Girma Woldegiorgis said indulging the public to groundless gossip is a big mistake rather than finding ways in reducing poverty and bringing about rapid economic development.
In an interview he gave to Ethiopia, a magazine of audio visual department of the Ministry of Information, Girma said the public in collaboration with the government should continue to strive day and night toward ensuring sustainable peace and development.
Development activities in some parts of the country seem to be slowed down following the May national elections, Girma said, adding the public should be duty bound to ensure sustainable peace and development while disregarding cheap and chauvinistic propaganda.
Girma stressed on the occasion that everybody should work harder toward bringing about rapid economic growth and social progress.
Expressing grievances is not bad by itself, the president said, however disagreements should be solved through peaceful means.
The government has the responsibility of addressing grievances whenever they occur so long as the disagreements are presented through legal and peaceful means without endangering the peace and stability of the country.
Encouraging results have been registered in the floriculture development sector, Girma said, adding trade and investment activities should be strengthened in other economic sectors in a bid to bring about rapid economic growth.
Asked about the new parliament, the president said opposition political parties should complement efforts in maintaining peace and stability in the country through joining the parliament since the main objective of the parliament is ensuring peace, development, democracy, and good-governance in the nation.
The opposition parties vow to eliminate Article 39 of the constitution, Girma said, but Article 39 is in fact key to the unity of the country since it guarantees the equality of the peoples of Ethiopia.
The absence of Article 39 had caused a bloody civil war between Ethiopia and Eritrea for 30 years, according to the president.
(ENA)