Why and How? Critical Questions We Couldn’t Address Effectively Yet

by T.Goshu

I want to believe that we know what has gone terribly wrong with the discourse of our political lives, and consequently with our human dignity and national pride. Our decry the political tyranny, the socio- economic misery, and the total upside-down of the rule of law  for the last several years and particularly since the 2005 national election is a clear testimony of our awareness about the extent and intensity of what went wrong, and who is the very notorious root- cause . Needless to say, the notoriously ruthless ruling circle (TPLF/EPRDF) is the very cause of the untold sufferings we have experienced and we still continue to experience.  Simply put, we as a people who had no and still have no a political culture (system) that was aimed or is aiming at governing for the well-being of the general will, the question of what went wrong and who is at the forefront of responsibility is not controversial at all. Yes, it is the ruling elites of TPLF/EPRDF who have caused an incalculable damage not only to politics as we know; but to the very moral/cultural/ ethical values of the generation and to the very survival of the country.

Let’s on the other hand, honestly and courageously admit that we as individuals, as a community/ grouping, and as a people in general have contributed and still continue to contribute to the continuation of the horrible situation we found ourselves in. This has to do a lot with our politics of focusing on rhetoric after rhetoric about the magnitude of our dehumanization both at individual and national level. I strongly argue that given the very nature/ behavior and political agenda of the tyrannical ruling circle and our terrible failure to stand and act in unison, the current gravely inhuman treatment we are facing across the Red Sea (Saudi Arabia) is neither surprising nor unexpected. Unless we want to play avoidance of political challenge, there is no doubt that the current extremely disturbing situation is the climax symptom of the political illness that badly requires a truly curable solution by aiming at attacking the real cause, the breeding ground of the poisonous political game.

Do not get me wrong that I am trying to undermine or discredit expressing condemnation against any act of inhuman treatment to our compatriots whenever and wherever it occurs leave alone the one we have witnessed in Saudi Arabia. It goes without saying that the very extensive, intensive, and above all deeply- felt and loudly heard voices of Ethiopians abroad against the barbaric treatment to our sisters and brothers in Saudi Arabia have had a lot to do with at least saving the lives of thousands .There is no doubt that this kind of truly self-mobilized togetherness against any outrageous action by any state (government) and non-state (non-governmental) actor clearly shows that we are powerful enough to change the very ugly situation in which we are languishing ; and create a situation in which we can live in peace, with dignity and shared prosperity. What I am trying to say is that unless we wisely, persistently and decisively go to the very bottom of the general crisis we are being struck hard (an extremely ill-guided politics) and answer the question of why? honestly and adequately, our reactive responses to countless and horrible sufferings both within our country and wherever we may reside will not take us anywhere, but back to square one.   And we have to be honest and courageous enough to admit that this has been the very unfortunate side of our political history and culture.

Yes, the question of WHY do we repeatedly and terribly fail to take our legitimately powerful emotion against the ruthless ruling elites of TPLF/EPRDF to a more well-thought, well- organized, well-planned and well-coordinated action is not still genuinely and appropriately addressed. Are we now seriously ready to interpret our leading sloganENOUGH IS ENOUGH in to a material force that should bring down the tyrannical ruling party which has turned the country and its resources in to its own property by exposing innocent Ethiopians to the horrible situation we are witnessing both within and abroad?  The very slogan “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH – Baqa!” has been the powerfully inspirational reflection throughout our protests /demonstrations and political conversations for the last two decades and especially since the 2005 election that ended up with heartbreaking tragedy.

And we are chanting this powerfully declarative expression at this very critical moment. We march to the streets of foreign cities; we demand foreign governments to side with the people, not with tyrants; we condemn the bloody political game going on in our country right at the gates of “our” diplomatic missions;   and we protest inhuman treatment to our compatriots by foreign governments (Saudi Arabia) in all corners of the world. But, it is extremely hard to explain how and why the concerned Ethiopians are not only deprived of the right to make their voices heard on behalf of those who are victims of senseless violence but also being themselves victims of the inhuman treatment in their own homeland by their own military and police force. I remember the title of one of the very deeply powerful poets of Yohanes Admasu of that patriotic generation of the 1960s/70s which say “Egna eko yelenim (Non-existent we are)” to express the magnitude of the suffering of the people from a horribly wrong political system. Another author/poet, Abera Lemma has a very powerful of his own which is titled “Ewunetem Egan Liyu Nen (We really are Unique)” to express his deep feeling about our terrible weaknesses  as far as the need to work together towards achieving a common good is concerned.

Let me sum up by saying that we have at the moment a compelling reason to take our reactive efforts to a persistent and proactive political works. Let us organize inclusive, critical, analytical, and substantial and above all result –oriented discussion forms and/or conferences. Let those forms/conferences serve as real mechanisms and resources to figure out why and how can break the political culture of rhetorical tug of war among ourselves, particularly among political groupings. Let us come up with courageous and honest state of mind and figure out why and how we are interested to form our own circles (be it party, movement, coalition, congress, council, etc.) while we all claim that we stand for the same cause: living in country in which freedom, peace, equal citizenship and shared prosperity prevail.  Believe or not, without this kind of patriotic step, our reactive response to our untold political and socioeconomic dehumanization by themselves will never take somewhere.