| A Counter opinion
on the Impending Clemency of the CUD Leaders I have read numerous opinions on the clemency of the CUD leaders and the letter of request they have submitted o the government for clemency. Some even claimed that the letter is a hoax, some claim it’s forged and on and on. Here is my take on this sensitive issue. The CUD leaders have taken a courageous move in admitting their share of responsibility and pleaded for clemency. I have no reason to believe they did so under duress. They might have reflected deeply on the path they had taken prior and post 2005 election and examined critically if there indeed were actions and inactions they have taken and they should have taken that resulted in the ensuing violence. Rule of law and institutions supporting rule of law can only be strengthened when one takes a stand for rule despite pressures from within and without. In all honesty we ought to start some where. Despite repeated cry of foul by many in the Diaspora, the judicial proceedings have continued and culminated in a verdict. Setting aside our differing opinions on the proceedings and the verdict, a clemency avenue has been initiated by the accused and it is now under review as per the law governing such matters that incidentally have been in existence since 1996. This law I assume has mechanisms for disposing such clemency requests. Among which are conviction, good moral character, remorse and the like. The agency would evaluate all these factors and submit its recommendation. I refrain from conjecturing what this recommendation would be. These being the current state of affairs, it is sad to read many a supporter trivialize the process and concocting their own version of events. The letter is hoax and the leaders have not signed such letters are but samples of this new media campaign by the Diaspora amateur politicians. Regardless of what the Diaspora amateur politicians say or don’t
say, life is going on Ethiopia so does the step-by-step improvement of
the institutions. |