They did what they meant! Where and how we move forward from here?

by T.Goshu

1. “Disloyalty to him never disturbed him, disloyalty to principle did.”  This is what author Louis Fischer (Gandhi and His Life and Message for the World, 1954, 1982) has to tell us about how Gandhi had to be disturbed not because someone is disloyal to him, but the disloyalty to the principles he legitimately and firmly stood for.

Yes, that was and is exactly what we have witnessed and are witnessing as far as the peaceful political action by the coalition of the Nine under the theme “freedom for free and fair election” is concerned. The heroic/heroine leaders and members of the coalition have unequivocally and firmly reassured their conviction that they could not and cannot afford to remain silent and watch the continuation of tragic dram of election any more. They unequivocally made themselves clear that they have been deeply devoted and remain to be so to pay any necessary price not because someone may be loyal or disloyal to them, but because they are painfully disturbed simply to watch the danger of being disloyal to the very principle of freedom, justice, human dignity. They strongly argued and continue to do so that the people of Ethiopia cannot and should not allow the political agenda and behavior of staying in power by employing senseless propaganda, keeping the judiciary system itself criminal, and by keeping the ongoing oppression machine not only unleashed but also making it much more brutal . Needless to say, for this kind of political madness of TPLF/EPRDF, it is quite true that a quarter of a century is too long to tolerate and it is time to say no more playing a deadly drama of election. And that is exactly what those wonderfully brave leaders and members of opposition political parties and movements are selflessly challenging the way TPLF/EPRDF is trying hard to continue the senselessly tragic game of election.

The question we have to honestly ask ourselves is: Are we as a people who have suffered too much and for too long showing the determination to march with those heroic/heroine sons and daughters of Ethiopia for the realization of our freedom, human dignity and socio-economic justice? To my impression, the answer to this inward – critical question is not positively close to the reality on the ground. I understand that it is naïve to expect all the people who suffer under a tyrannical regime to show up and take active and equal participation in the ongoing struggle for freedom, justice and human dignity. There is no such evidence in the history of politics. This is very true especially in our country in which the people have been and are forced to live under very miserable life experiences because of illegitimate, despotic, corrupt, deceptive, and brutal ruling elites throughout our history.

What is incredibly disturbing is to witness our political way of thinking and practice sliding back to the politics of tribalism in situation in this 21st century. And that is why it is essentially critical to remind ourselves that it would be a grave mistake for us not to listen to the voices of those truly patriotic citizens who have been ruthlessly beaten up to the extent of not only having broken arms and legs but being knocked down and suffered between life and death right in the streets of the capital of their own homeland. It would be deeply self-disgraceful for us not only not to listen to the voices of those heroic/heroine Ethiopians but most importantly not to stand with them and act in a much more determined manner and bring about the change we desperately aspire. That change is establishing a democratic society through fair and free election. And the people of Ethiopia cannot afford to deserve less than very fundamental way of doing politics.

2. The next logical and honest point of view I want bring forward is whether we as individuals, groups (civic, interest, professional) and most critically as a people in general have played our parts in supporting and protecting those who continue to challenge the tyrannical ruling elites. Yes, the very question of developing self-awareness and self-assertiveness that should serve our fundamental interest is instrumental in the process of the struggle for freedom and justice. In other words, simply being aware about others who do cause the terrible pain we suffer from and complaining about it could not make any difference and will never take us somewhere.

Yes, there is no doubt that because of the very absence of good governance throughout our political history, we do know more about suppression than freedom; more about dehumanization than human dignity; Moure about injustice than justice; more about abject poverty than prosperity; more about disease than wellness; more about ignorance than knowledge/awareness; more about war/conflict than peace /stability; more about fear than braveness; more about mutual mistrust than mutual trust; more about our past history (bad and good) made by our forefathers/mothers than how to make our own history; more about making wonderful rhetoric than meaningful deeds . The question is: how we courageously and honestly challenge the question of where is our own place and role in dealing with these very undesirable walks of life. The direction in which we want to move forward will remain highly jeopardized and subsequently disastrous unless we listen to each other, engage in a mutually respectful and meaningful conversation, come up with a coordinated plan of action that should advance our unity of purpose (for freedom , justice, equality , human dignity and shared prosperity).

I understand that there may be fellow Ethiopians who may argue that the direction we are moving in and the courage we are showing is encouraging. I understand the efforts being made by patriotic citizens and leaders of opposition parties /coalitions such as the Nine, Andinet and Medrek are encouraging given the hostile political environment in the country. It is true there is a high level of public discontent and a strong sense of aspiration for change. I understand that it is so naïve to take the meaning of any social movement in absolute terms leave alone the very difficult socio-political interaction such as ours. What I am trying to say is that in comparison with the degree of the socio-political devastation we are facing, the efforts we as a people are making are worrisome. I want to believe that we regrettably could be in a much more position after going through deeply painful experiences for a quarter of a century. Yes, we could be in a position of making sure that we should be forcing the brutal ruling elites of TPLF/EPRDF to both come to the negotiating table and be part of the change we aspire, or else face the consequences of being defeated.

Sadly enough, we still keep witnessing/watching things in our country getting worse. Citizens of all ages, both genders, educational status, and socio –economic status are fleeing their country choosing all kinds of suffering including death than living in their homeland and trying to get organized and get rid of the root cause of their untold sufferings in their villages and towns of their country. What has happened and what is happing in crossing the Red Sea, the North West and North African deserts and beyond is an extremely painful reality how our identity as Ethiopians is gravely compromised in this 21st century. It goes without saying that except the inner circle of the evil-driven ruling elites and their cronies, we all agree that the very root cause of this kind of unprecedented identity crisis and horrible national disgrace is the political system which establishes itself on ethno-centric tyranny.

Needless to say, it is self-evidently true that this incredible level our fear and not decisively refuse to bear the unbearable is the greatest enemy of coming together and fight back the ethno-centric inner circle of TPLF. I wish I could express the deeply painful feeling of mine about the situation we are facing in words that could not be hard to fellow Ethiopians to swallow. But that is what it is unless we want to pretend otherwise.

It is in this kind situation that patriotic Ethiopians put themselves at the forefront of the struggle. Needless to say, any genuinely concerned opposition political party or movement has to go deep into this very unfortunate situation candidly and courageously if a difference for better has to be made in our country. And that process of making a difference has to start somewhere with a political struggle that requires to be led by courageous and well-determined citizens who are prepared to pay any necessary cost, including their lives. Yes, I sincerely believe that it is this characteristic of patriotism that can change the deadly ill-guided political and socio-economic history of our country. I genuinely believe that that is what we can see in the coalition of the Nine at this critical moment in time. Yes, those truly heroic/heroine sons and daughters of Ethiopia are not simply preaching us how to make ourselves free and respected but they most remarkably are showing us practically to the extent of paying great sacrifices in the streets of their own country and being victims of notorious detention centers of the ethno-centric tyranny.

Author Louis Fischer quotes Mahatma Gandhi when he says, “If necessary, I will die here (the people he happened to be with). But I will not acquiesce in failure. If the only effect of my presence in the flesh is to make people look up to me in hope and expectation which I can do nothing to vindicate, it would be far better that my eyes closed in death.” That is exactly what those patriotic leaders and members of the coalition of the Nine are trying to show us, not simply trying to tell or preach us. Yes, they incredibly kept their words and deeds intact in advancing the great cause they stand for and they are paying very high price, not to mention a huge price their families are paying.
When I watched those patriotic Ethiopians doing what they meant in the face of a deadly hostile political environment to the extent of paying priceless sacrifices, I did feel a real sense of pride and hope. On the other side of the story, when I observed that the people especially those who are in a better position of understanding of the situation and expected to be the motivating forces of the struggle are still highly vulnerable to unacceptable degree of fear, I did fell some sort of frustration. I understand that it would be so naïve for me to expect millions of Addis Ababans to show up in support of the organizers. But I strongly argue that to see those patriotic Ethiopians challenging the brutal force of the regime and being beaten up and arrested in the city of about four million people and the “capital of Africa” is not acceptable at all. If thousands of residents out about four million could not show up and show their solidarity to the great cause of which those heroic/heroine citizens stand for, we should be seriously concerned and deal with it accordingly.

By the way, I do not want to miss this opportunity to sincerely appreciate the efforts being made by courageous members of the DC (USA) and global task forces. I want to say that we in the diaspora must genuinely and effectively join these and other similar task forces and extend our timely and meaningful support to the struggle back home. We cannot afford to continue decrying the evil-driven political agenda and action of TPLF/EPRDF for another tragic political episode.

3. Professor George B. Ayittey highlights the following reasons why African leaders cling to power in his book, Africa Betrayed, 1992. Here they are:

First, “… they somehow get this absurd notion that the country belongs to them alone.”

Second, “…. insecure African heads of sates surround themselves with loyal supporters, often drawn from their own tribes …. Other supporters are simply bought.”

Third, “Many of them have their own hands so steeped in blood and their pockets so full of booty that they are afraid all their past gory misdeeds will be exposed. So they cling to power regardless of the cost and consequences.” This is exactly what the people of Ethiopia are facing and what those patriotic leaders of political opposition parties, movements and coalitions such as the coalition of the Nine have to deal with.

Where and how to move forward from here? This is a very central question of which we have asked repeatedly in the past, particularly since the 1970s and more specifically for the last two decades. I do not think it is a matter of neither exaggeration nor pessimism to say that it is very difficult to comprehend let alone to be convinced why and how the people who claim to be proud of themselves allow themselves to be simple subjects of brutal regimes for too long. I hear and read arguments and analyses about the way some North and recently West African people forced the notorious dictators in their country has its own lesson to learn. I strongly agree. But those people of Africa did do that not because they had a well-organized and well – structured opposition forces, but it is mainly because the people were willing and able to help those forces by doing their resistance with a strong self-organized and no-retreat way of getting things done. I am not saying we have to do exactly the same as circumstances of each country are not the same. However, given the magnitude of political oppression and socio-economic devastation in our country and given the fact that we claim ourselves the people of great history and culture (with all the undeniable ugly elements), enumerating all kinds of excuses and clumsy justifications for not doing what those other African people have done does not make sense in the real sense of the term. It rather sounds self-confidence crisis which of course makes us much more vulnerable to the continuation of the deadly iron fisted rule of TPLF/EPRDF.

Yes, we have to seriously be concerned when the people who are suffering from all aspects of miserable life styles for too long are not meaningfully showing a real sense of fighting back against the deadly network of the tyrannical ruling elites through a self-organized way doing things. Yes, if there must be a desirable change in our country, we need to tell the people straightforwardly and respectfully that there is no any miraculous force that would fight for their freedom. Let’s respectfully and clearly challenge the people that we are at a critical moment to seriously understand that there could not be any change for good without painful engagement as far as the brutal ruling party we are facing is concerned. Let the people know that complaining about lack of courageous opposition leadership is a legitimate complain; but not to be on the side of those patriotic opposition leaders and members who decry the injustice being committed by the brutal regime in the streets of Addis and are paying huge price is not acceptable at all. I understand dealing with the public in a straightforward and critical approach is a very delicate task especially in our country where the people are extremely lagging behind a civilized political culture. But I want to believe that there must be a very systematic, respectful, constructive and rationally critical way of making public awareness.

Imagine how it is very difficult to engage in a peaceful political struggle in our country where educators/lecturers are struggling hard in search of foreign examples/illustrations whenever they have to discuss the challenges of African politics. Imagine how it is incredibly disturbing when an economics lecturer/instructor is struggling how to explain the socio-economic status of his own country (his own struggle for survival) because of the fear he or she suffers from. Imagine how it is extremely difficult to advance the struggle for political freedom in a country where those intellectuals of our country do self-censorship even for their words of moths wherever they may conduct their academic classes, not to mention showing fairly active participation in the process of the peaceful struggle. Imagine how it is so though, if not deadly risky to engage the people who still are intended choosing to remain silent and even go hungry than challenging those ruling elites who are the root causes of their suppression, starvation and dehumanization. Do not get me wrong that I am naively or pessimistically undermining the efforts being made.

That is not the context I am talking about. What I am trying to say is that compared with the general crisis the people are facing, their involvement /participation we are witnessing is something we should be looking at seriously. Put simply, the struggle cannot afford not to have a popular movement /including civil disobedience that should challenge the ruthless ruling party whenever it attempts to disrupt the fight for freedom by using its brutal forces against leaders of opposition forces, members and supporters of peaceful political struggle, and journalists and those who decry the gross violation of religious freedom.

Now, it is good news that the detained leaders and members the coalition of the Nine are released from the notorious detention centers /stations run by those individuals who are nothing but an extension of the brutal arms of the inner circle of TPLF/EPRDF. What remains the same if not the worst is the system that will never hesitate to unleash and sharpen its killing machine whenever it feels its power is challenged. Fellow Ethiopians, the generation of the 1970s and 1980s had to pay huge prices because it refused to be not only prisoner of prisons as such but prisoner of its own country. Here we are once again facing the same if not the worst reality for a quarter of a century. I am try to underline the serious concern I have about our culture of doing politics which has mainly been characterized by starting, not finishing; reacting, not pro-acting ; decrying the political illness , not attacking the very root cause of the illness and so forth and so on. We have heard from the patriotic sons and daughters of Ethiopia once again reaffirming their commitment to continuing their struggle whatever it may cost until the ruling party either changes its dangerous path or get out of peoples’ way. I hope as the people who deserve respect for fundamental political rights, human dignity, and equality and shared prosperity; we will stand with those truly patriotic Ethiopians and shorten the untold sufferings and the national disgrace we are experiencing.