Delusional?

Thus far the process for that democratic Ethiopia has maintained a forward course and has traveled good distance. On opposition side, the process is now beginning to select-out ShuKshuTA politics to politics of more openness. ShuKshuTA does serve to spread fear, suspiciousness, and to give and keep extreme reverence to some undeserving persons. That is its core. Not democracy.

A few Kinijt insiders are now willing to be on the record saying something different. But think how advancing it would have been if this was done then when it counted the most. It wasn't a force on the outside that stopped them from speaking out, it was a force with-in. The same outlets had existed then. Ultimately, you deserve the leaders, or, the parties you have. As an example, in the last US election, a majority voted for George Bush, despite the information that was available at the time. A majority sometimes is guilty.

The so-called learned leaders to whom numerous advantages was given may have been infected with the idea of democracy, but for reasons yet to be determined they do not want to subject themselves to its many demands and acquire the necessary tolerance. If one stands up to speak to challenge their tacts, he/she becomes a traitor to the cause. Rewind the tape, you will find all the insults, made up stories, all the false claims and accusations enough to shake and leave you wondering whether these people have helped the process at all. You might argue they rather have been speed pumps on the road. There were many opportunities to advance things along a good distance, but every time they chose to do something else that were too popular with majority of the Diasporas at the time. Think what if...

One thing should be clear-- that which says power by whatever means, would in the long run percolate the dictatorial, the undemocratic, the megalomania to the top. We had been there and done that. So, we should wise up, and try our own minds to speak for us, not ShuKshuTA politics.

It is worth keeping in mind too where all this in-fighting takes place, the back and forth trip to the US and other parts of the world, it is occurring on the political plate (think porcelain for now) that is here by long historical push and turn. We ought not to be too careless to leave it all to the opportunist. Once ruined, it has to be started all over again from scratch, we should avoid that by all means. Whatever you say, some foreign power did not create this stage for us. In fact, it is here in spite of the constant foreign powers interventions all along the way. A little carefulness about claims, some self control on the name-calling should be a prudent thing to do. That is if we want the process to keep going forward and mature. At the back of everyone's mind there sits a moment for self-defense.

When one says “Wayanne this and Wayanne that” over and over too many times, I will presume he/she is practicing the same politics that some Republican here in the US practice. These Republicans do maintain an elected office every time through pleasing their white voters (majority) by mixing coded racist language in their campaign time and time again and it never fails they get the votes. I see no difference. Nor do I find reasons to hold-on against the notion that Ethiopia won't unravel like Rwanda had, or Zaire and Sudan are at the present. The ingredients that are present in these countries are also in place in Ethiopia too. We know about eighty plus ethnic peoples live with ledger full with long historical injustices, waiting to be settled against each other. If there are persistent push from the right directions, you will have all together different history to write about. I urge everyone to read these documented entries http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/oromo_liberation_front and then try to say no it can not happen in Ethiopia. I hope you count your actions seriously, and when necessary, you speak what is in your mind in time, not wait until the process has already started to unravel.

In thinking where to stand, insist on the process being transparent. Individuals come and go. Having Parties do not fix the problem either. The examples of the old Republicans and Democrats of the good old USA that we made to worship so much is instructional. It is a hijacked and corrupted system. These two parties—the center of power in our time-- do all kinds of trickery to prevent debates and dissenting voices from showing up at all. They keep out anyone not named Democrat or Republican from taking part, not to mention making war at will on other people (usually on people who look more like you). The vested big media (the one you love so much) help maintain this very existence, because they too gain by it. Now then, if the ruling class in the US over these many years and over these many successive elections have maintained power, is it then reasonable to expect that their extended hand to you is just to create a set of values that is clean, inclusive and democratic over your land? Do you really think so? WeYess, you were delusional about your own power when you were there to lobby US Congress pass laws (Conditions that they would not permit on themselves to begin with) one that extends their hegemonic power over you. What exactly do you think will happen when they are permitted to such an extent to take part on your affairs? Who do you think will call the shots? You know the master has not liked all this time that unacceptable socialist smell the Ethiopia's land reform announces around. They might want to move and place Ethiopia a little distance away from China. What then? How do you get back your independence once it is bought and sold.

Once upon a time not long ago, demands not quite but parallel to HR2003 were passed in US Congress on Iraq too. Similarly the Iraqi Diaspora were used. Of course, many participated willingly, recognizing this was fraud in the making and wanted to be in on the take with understanding they will be rewarded big if it succeeds. To be fair, some might genuinely thought it would be an improvement over Saddam Husein, we know how it never so. At the time however, most outside predicted a horrible outcome unfolding, now their predictions have come true, at the present count, about one million Iraqis are dead, about four million are on the run as the consequence.

What about that Venezuela, do you accept what the US Congress, The New York Times, and BBC dishing out?

If you just arrived from another planet, and if you have to give your considered opinion of what the US has been doing in all of its history around the world and in particular now in plain sight in Iraq, would you say the US is helping out Iraq become democratic? WeYess, you would say, it is everything to do with 25 trillion dollar worth of the sweat oil that sits just beneath the surface that is Iraq? As far back history can tell us, it has been -- be subservient to our interest, or else. That is the harsh choice. Yes, we know the result. And yes, if we have our feet in their shoes the deeds probably comes out the same.

Should there be something altogether different just for once?

LsKe07Dec2007