The New
Topic is Ethiopianess (or "Ethiopiawinet”)
Girma Kassa
Muziky68@yahoo.com
(Chicago)
January 25 2008
Allow me to share with you a story from Seattle. It is
about two Ethiopians who do not know each other before but were connected by a
coincidence, at a great event in Seattle, a march of born again Christian
evangelicals, called "March for Jesus". The marchers were walking on
sidewalks of one of a major street in Seattle.
All of a sudden traffic was blocked. The light was green,
but a cab driver was not moving forward. He was standing outside of his cab and
staring at another person, an Ethiopian who was "marching for Jesus".
Drivers behind him made the place very noisy with the horns of their cars. But
the Ethiopian cab driver did not budge at all. After few minutes, he got back
in his taxi and continued his usual routine.
The cab driver did not walk out from his cab just to stare
at one "marcher for Jesus". He walked out from his cab because he saw
a big "green-yellow-red" flag of Ethiopia carried, with pride and
honor, by the Ethiopian marcher. The cab drive could not just stay in his car
and pass by, without saluting Ethiopia
which was symbolized by its flag.
“I do not care if
the others make noise outside; I do not care if I get a ticket; I do not care
if I had to reach at my destination very shortly….Ethiopia is coming first;
everything else has to wait” the cab
driver said with his actions.
At that moment, the flag of Ethiopia or Ethiopawinet
connected these two brothers of ours. Ethiopawinet
connects. Ethiopiawinet is something that is the only one that can bond us
together. Ethiopiawinet is something
that is precious and that we cannot hide from. Ethiopiawinet is not a
jacket that we can pull off at anytime. It is not something that we lose when
we become citizens of another country. It is deeply mixed with our flesh, with
our blood vessels, with our bones and also with our soul and with our
spirit.
We may think that we have changed. We may refuse to be
recognized as Ethiopians. Since we are living in the Diaspora we may assume we
had nothing to do with Ethiopia.
However, we cannot
change our Ethiopiawinet. “Can the Ethiopian change his skin or the
leopard his spots?” says the Bible in Jeremy 13:23. Ethiopiawinet is "us"; it is our identity. To lose our
"Ethiopiawinet" is equivalent to losing "ourselves". If
there is no Ethiopia, There is no “us”. PERIOD.
For so long, "Ethiopiawinet" has been considered
as unimportant and secondary; for so long the strong bond that connects all
Ethiopians, which is Ethiopiawinet, has been challenged by the
politics of division and ethnicity.
Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam shared to us an extraordinary act
of Ethiopiawinet in his letter from Kaliti prison. [1]During
the early years of the TPLF rule, only the flag of the TPLF was seen on the
streets and in public places of Tigray. However, in defiance to the
un-Ethiopian policies of the TPLF, small green-yellow-red flags of Ethiopia
were posted either on the doors and the walls of each household. These were
clear and unambiguous signals to the TPLF leaders. “Don’t waste your time. We
will not forget our flag. You may take it out from the streets, but you cannot
take it away from our heart” the people of Tigray defiantly declared to TPLF
leaders. This is Ethiopiawinet.
As has been reported on major Ethiopian media outlets, Ato
Siye Abraha has been touring major U.S. cities to address Ethiopians of his
vision and the need for national reconciliation. Some may have doubts because
of Ato Siye’s prior association with TPLF. (which is justified) However, I for
one, am very happy to see a man who has been one of the architect of ethnic
division, emerging with stature and confidence as a messenger of Ethiopiawinet
and advising every "Ethiopian to be weary of ethnic divisions as the
prevailing regime is ruling by dividing Ethiopians across ethnic lines, so that
it can prevent a united Ethiopian resistance, by replacing ethnicity with
Ethiopianess.".[2]
Fellow Ethiopians,
This is what we call the Spirit of Kinijit.
(i.e. I am not talking about the party but the movement). Kinijit the party may
have a new name and a new election symbols. However the movement of Kinijit is
very much alive and the same. The movement of Kinijit does not need approval or
consent from any authority. This movement has surely penetrated everywhere.
Genuine calls for democracy, accountability, rule of law, and Ethiopiawinet are
coming now from all corners. The politics of fear, intimidation and behind the
scene conspiracy are being shown the "bye-bye" signals.
“Kinijit is dead” [3]declared Ato
Zeru Hagos on his article posted on Aigaforum. Another fellow
Chicagoan Ato Mezgebe Christos wrote that “Kinijit is broken beyond repair”.
However, what we see these days, is not a “broken beyond repair”[4]
Kinijit. What we see is a Kinijit that is winning the battle of ideas and
issues. Ethiopiawinet, which is one of the core principles of Kinijit, is
winning. TPLF and its old and rejected policies of ethnic divisions and hate
are losing.
As we have witnessed with the Democratic EPRP
and now with people who used to be TPLF officials, Ethiopians are converging
from different directions and from across the section of our population to the
same noble cause:- the establishment of a prosperous, democratic and united
Ethiopia where all its citizens, regardless of age, ethnicity, religion, gender
and are equal. It is a clear indication that the journey of democracy and peace
has started for real. There will be no turning back.
With dictators drinking their whiskies in
Minilik palace, the prospect of success may seem remote. Some may be
discouraged. However, as Havelock Ellis wrote:” the Promised Land always lies
on the other side of a Wilderness”. If
we march forward with faith, confidence and solidarity; if we avoid looking
back and focus on the future; if we carry on our back those who are weak and
cannot walk; if we stop fighting among ourselves and pointing fingers at one
another; if we make Ethiopia first more than our self interest and our
political party affiliation; if we forgive and love one another.. . we can
easily and quickly cross the wilderness.
“We may go to the moon, but that’s not very
far. The greatest challenge we have to cover still lies within us” said the
great French leader, General Charles De Gaulle. If we bring out our potential
and start believing in ourselves; if we open our eyes for the truth, recognize
our God given right and decide to claim all that is ours, it means we have
traveled far away from the moon. It means we have already crossed 90% of the
wilderness.
My fellow Ethiopians, we are there. As Dr
Tewodros Kiros coined it on an article posted on Ethiomedia, “the new topic is
Ethiopiawinet”. We are in good shape. Let us come together and give no room for
hopelessness. With more determination and the help of the Good Lord we will
prevail.
May the Lord Bless Ethiopia!