A Truly Patriotic Call For Freedom Deserves a Timely And Decisive Response

by T.Goshu

1. “As a human being, you may see my instinct somehow worried about the state of suffering between life and death. But my soul is never afraid of death.” (p. 225).

This is from Abbe Gobegna who makes his main character of Alwoledim (I do not want to be born) speak against those who accused him of speaking the truth and standing against criminal abuse of power. This is a boy or a young man of Abbe Gobegna who refused to be born and join the world (Ethiopia) that unfortunately was and has been ruled by those few corrupt, despotic, abusive, and ruthless ruling elites. That is why we read Alwoledim of Abbe Gobegna stating the following in his preface.

He says, “Let me make the son of the poor speak about how the world is so bitter.” (p.33)

He made him (his character) speak and stand up against bitterness/injustice and face death before the verdict by those who have committed senseless political crime under the cover of national interest and security. I am just bringing in this unfortunate but irrefutable testimony by Abbe Gobegna not merely to re-tell the horrible situation he had to live but to underscore the very fact that the current situation we live in is multiple times bitter and dangerous than his time. Put simply, it is to highlight how the call from those patriotic leaders of opposition political parties of our time is echoing loud and clear not only within the horizon of Ethiopia but also beyond seas and oceans of the world. Let me proceed and express my points of view and the genuine concern I do feel.

2. “We will do it! It is not because we are unnecessarily adventurous or with no any sense of fear. It is not because we do not have our own personal lives to worry about, or children and elderly families to take care of. Neither we are unaware about the price required to be paid. It is because of our conviction that the biggest and the greatest issue is a national issue. It is because we truly believe that it should be done. EPRDF is determined to kill and imprison. We are well-determined to sacrifice our lives for the sake of the country we love and are proud of. Freedom is not free.”

It was engineer Yilkal Getnet, chairman of the Blue Party and the leader of the coordinating committee of the coalition of the nine opposition political parties who stated this inspiritingly assertive message at the press briefing of the coalition about the upcoming 24 -hour peaceful protest to take place 12 – 4/5 -2014.

“Yes, we will do it! May they (the ruling elites) go ahead with killings? Yes, they may do it. Can they stop the struggle? No, they cannot!” This is what Ato Girma Berkele, one of the leaders of the coordinating committee had to state assertively. He further explained, “We shall strive to get open what is closed. We got lives to be sacrificed for this country. We have nobody to kill. What really worries us is the very deep and serious discontent of the people which may manifest itself in unintended and uncontrollable way; not the question of whether they may kill or not.” His assertive and declarative conclusion, “We are ready/prepared to get the public coordinated/organized, “is genuinely legitimate and something that must be taken seriously. It is the very essence of these messages from those patriotic Ethiopians which came across my mind and made me put my view points in black and white.

3. Needless to say, if we as citizens, groupings of this or that sort and most critically as a people are not willing and able to take those heroic messages deep into our hearts and minds and act accordingly, claiming ourselves as proud Ethiopians will be in a very serious trouble. Yes, unless we are courageous enough to strongly relate those messages with the untold sufferings of our innocent and patriotic sisters and brothers in several “concentration camps” and chambers of torture (so-called correction services –prisons included) and try to act, not simply react; there is no reason not to see the continuation of the wave of arbitrary arrest/detention, harassment, persecution, politically motivated verdicts and sentences, torture and killings. I wish I could express it otherwise. But it is what it is until we come together and act together and reverse this deadly political madness of the inner circle of TPLF/EPRDF.

Do not get me wrong that what I am saying is that the struggle is painless. Absolutely not! There is no life that is free from pain let alone our lives that are literally under the control of ethnic –based and ruthless ruling elites. I fairly understand that the struggle to get out of all the political messes and miseries we came across for the last quarter of a century requires truly concerted effort and will take its own considerable length of time. But, on the other hand, it is difficult to comprehend how it make sense to continue bearing the unbearable pain not because those in power are strong but because we are victims of our own terrible weaknesses and failures. I do hate to say but I have to say that we are victims of the culture/tradition of talking, singing/dancing, preaching about the great victory of our forefathers and mothers over external invaders in order to preserve Ethiopia, a country we should of course be proud of. Another very challenging reality we need to face is when it comes to our miserable failure to use the great history made by generations as the great source of making our own history as far as our internal politics is concerned. I once again hate to say but I have to say that we still are not making a meaningful progress in this regard. I truly believe that unless we openly, critically and rationally address the serious lack of courage in this aspect of our struggle; our political works will continue to suffer from merely reacting to events, not figuring out the root causes and act accordingly.

It is true that leaders are born and made. By birth, they have their own gifts and talents. By learning and going through life experiences in a society they live in , they are made, shaped and reshaped by a history of which is made by the society they belong to. Cannot we see this in our country? Think for a moment about who is Andargachew Tsigie, Andualem Arage, Natnael, Bekele Gerba, Olbana Lelisa, Habtamu Ayalew, Abraha Desta, Yeshwas, Eskidir Nega, Ryot Alemu, Wubshet Taye, Temesgen Desalegn, and Muslim Ethiopians who are languishing in the notorious prison for they did nothing wrong except demanding for religious freedom; and thousands of patriotic Ethiopians who are paying ultimate sacrifices in every corner of the country.

Listen seriously and carefully to those leaders of opposition political parties, movements and coalitions who are calling for the peaceful fight for freedom and determined to pay necessary price including their precious lives. Are we as citizens, as intellectuals/professionals, as groupings with various genuine causes, and most importantly as a people doing what we can or should be doing in order to protect those emerging leaders (patriotic Ethiopians) from a deadly political machine of the inner circle of the ruling party? I do not think our answers will truly be positive unless we deceive ourselves and pretend to be.

“Freedom for Legitimate and Just Election” is the theme of the ongoing campaign by a newly formed political body of cooperation and collaboration. It has made its call to all religious institutions (Churches and Mosques) as well as all believers (as citizens) to join their efforts for freedom and justice with their prayers. Needless to say, it was the right way for the coalition to start its lawful, peaceful and legitimate campaign for freedom and human dignity with prayer which basically is seeking for the help of God Almighty or Allah or whatever other religions may call Him. I truly admire the way this coordinated political body started its “ let’s move forward political action” with asking all genuinely concerned religious citizens both at institutional and individual level to pray for the prevalence of freedom, justice, human dignity and socio-economic wellbeing in Ethiopia.

4. As I do try to closely follow all the challenges we face and the efforts we try to make with regard to our secular and religious lives as a people, I do also try to get some sense of impression concerning who is responding sensibly to the call for freedom and justice at this critical moment in time.

I have to mention that it is neither fair nor appropriate for me to comment about how Muslim Ethiopians abroad are responding to the call as I do not belong to their doctrine of worship and I do not have any close observation. It is from this perspective that I want to reflect my own impression.

a) As a follower of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, I am one of those who go to church on most Sundays. I do believe, with all its undesirable problems that emanates from both its clergies and even followers, the church still is one of the most important institutions that provides us with spiritual services as well as advices about our secular lives.

How about responding to the call from those who are trying to do their best in the process of the struggle for the realization of genuine freedom, justice, and human dignity? Although I have to admit that I do not have full knowledge and information about whether the call for “Freedom for Legitimate/Fair and Just Election” is being taken as something that deserves offering special prayer, I do not have a good sense of impression or observation that it was taken as genuinely as we might have expected. I am well-aware that this kind of straightforward and kind of critical way of expressing opinion may make some clergymen and followers of the church uncomfortable. But I do believe that this kind of unnecessarily being over sensitive and the sentiment of taking any critical opinion as a “sinful taboo” is not helpful at all . I want to believe that the very essence of the value of Christianity is the courage to look at realities beyond the rhetoric we want to describe them or to preach about them.

I understand the situation back home. It is very unfortunate and deeply regrettable not to have a unified church offering its religious mission that is inseparable from offering services for the prevalence of freedom, justice, human dignity and wellbeing of the people. We feel our hearts broken when we witness the head of the church ( “the Holy Synod”) going wrongly too far to the extent of siding with those in power , not with the innocent people of Ethiopia who are victims of politically motivated dehumanization . I understand why those churches abroad which are under the “Holy Synod “in Addis should follow the same unfortunate doing of things as they are the extension arms of the same “leadership.”

And I also understand that those who are at the very top of Islamic religion in Ethiopia are victims of the dysfunctional leadership. It is disturbingly shameful to witness those religious Muslim “leaders” at the top not only remain silent about those who are languishing in notorious jail for the simple reason asking for religious freedom but also asking the government to ruthlessly punish them( the solution-finding committee members).

But I do not understand why those churches which claim either they are “neutral “or under the Holy Synod in exile are not showing their open and courageous sympathy to the just cause of the people ( freedom, justice, human dignity, socio –economic wellbeing). When I say this, I am not saying there are no religious leaders and with other status who are trying to do their best. I am rather talking about doing something meaningfully effective effort at institutional level. What is the problem to openly pray with their followers /church goers so that God would help those opposition political parties that are doing something for good? What is the problem to openly conduct special prayer with the people and ask the Creator to give courage and big hearts to those who want to keep going against His will, against the wellbeing of the people? What is really the problem to declare and offer our prayer services openly and conduct it at intuitional level (the church) and ask God for His blessing those who are doing what He wants to see in this planet earth?

I heard from a member of the Holy Synod in exile saying that the Synod has communicated its message to its followers to pray for their country and people during the fasting season when he was asked how the message has been received (East radio). I was expecting to hear much more specific response as far as a specific appeal from the coalition of the opposition political parties is concerned. And I did not hear any mentioned of offering special prayer for the success of the effort being made for the prevalence of freedom, justice and human dignity in our country either from the church I use to go or from any other church through various media avenues. I hope they will do what Jesus Christ has ordained them to do so.

b) What about our intellectuals and those with various professions, expertise and experiences in different corners of the world? Where they stand and what are they doing? Have they got the call for showing their tangible contribution, not making noisy rhetoric as usual? I am saying this because we are witnessing the appearances and voices of the same individuals. Is it not deeply worrisome for us inviting intellectuals and professionals and officials of other countries and asking them to tell us about the miserable situation back home while there are so many Ethiopians ( by citizenship or by birth)? I think this kind of self- confidence or self-identity crisis deserve serious attention at this critical moment in time.

c) Needless to say, educational institutions (students and teachers) have been centers of movements for freedom, justice, human rights and socio-economic wellbeing. As a teenage student member of student’s movements of the 1970s and early 80s, it still sounds to me as kind of fresh memory the way how it was phenomenal to see incredibly brilliant student leaders could bring the students together and move forward together. I understand the circumstances of then and now have their own peculiarities. But I do believe that they share one fundamental belief; the very essence and objective of education (being educated). And that is using education as a weapon to deal with catastrophes (man-made or natural) with a real sense of togetherness and regardless of our own small circles of identities. And that kind of bigger picture of togetherness is characterized by being all we are human beings and we live a country called Ethiopia as Ethiopians.

What we are hearing and witnessing these days is complaining about the ruling elites who of course use ethnicity and even religion as their political weapons. Yes, true. What do we expect from ruling elites who purposely use this dirty if not dangerous game as their main pillar of perpetuating their power? The very challenging question that has to be posed to the communities of educational institutions is: what is the real meaning of being educated if we do not use our power of education to deal with this deadly divisive political machine instead of using it as our very clumsy excuse for our terrible weaknesses and failures? I hope this kind of absurdity in our academic institutions will change for the better at this critical moment we found ourselves.

d) The so-called election is approaching. Is there any sense of reason to hope leave alone believe that this is the political environment to be part (s) of the game? Is it not an open secret that the people are under a very horrible situation to the extent of being prisoners not only in their country as such but also in their homes and back yards? What and how do we comprehend the senseless but deadly action being taken by those ruling elites depriving opposition political parties of expressing their dissent political views and agenda in the streets, squares and town halls of their own country? How do we understand the politically motivated abductions, forced disappearances and killings of innocent citizens by highly parasitic political cadres of the ruling party on the one hand, and talking about taking part in the election which is away about five months only on the other hand? Needless to say, being victim of physical imprisonment and pain contributes to the continuation of suffering from all kinds of crises: political, human rights, rule of law, moral, socio-economic, not to mention the notorious challenge in our religious institutions. It must also be underscored here that being victims of soul and mind enslavement by the ethno-centric tyrannical ruling elites is much more serious and deeper than physical imprisonment and pain.

I do believe that the very decision whether to participate in the so-called election is up to those opposition political parties which are operating under the principle and strategy of peaceful struggle. The case point is Andinet (UDJ) which recently announced its decision in this regard. We hear and read some kind of criticism from, I believe genuinely concerned Ethiopians on the move by UDJ. To my understanding, this first move by UDJ does not mean that the party is going to take part in the upcoming so-called election regardless of any dirty if not deadly game by the TPLF/EPRDF. If this impression of mine is naively wrong, I would have a very serious problem with the credibility of the party.

Let me make my view point more clear. As I tried to describe earlier about the upcoming so-called election and the very reality on the ground, I do not think our arguments about the possibility of witnessing opposition forces making a meaningful difference is convincing enough. Given the political reality in our country and the very nature and behavior of TPLF/EPRDF, it is not a matter of being pessimistic to argue that it is not politically sound to promote our optimistic plan of actions based on hypothetical arguments that are so parallel to the reality on the ground. Well, we may argue that there is no reason for not to participate and make a difference if we work hard, if we effectively out reach the people, if we get the public organized and engage in active participation, if we use the deeply public discontent appropriately , and all kinds of IFs . The very serious challenge to all these highly hypothetical assumptions remain just assumptions without a rational, systematic, courageous, well-collaborated, and most importantly well-determined public pressure on the ruling elites to change their behavior and open the political space by taking meaningful steps. And this kind of public pressure should include civil disobedience or saying NO to tyrannical laws and regulations or decrees used by the ruling party to register its deadly “land slide victory.” And that is, I believe the very gist of the call from the coalition of the nine. Does it deserve urgent and courageous response? Absolutely it does!