Opinion intended as a contribution to move the democracy and peace in Ethiopia

The practice of democracy requires politicians understand what democracy is all about and how to behave as democrats, how to agree to disagree respectfully on controversial matters. Democracy is nothing more than a tool of how to resolve political conflicts peacefully.

There is also a civilized procedure to settle such differences in all working democracies around the world. I am frustrated that such a political culture of resolving conflicts peacefully and democratically is missing among both the ruling and opposition politicians in Ethiopia. Our great forefathers have done much better than in this process. There is a zero-sum and dysfunctional political culture of Ethiopian elites and politicians. Enlightened and visionary leadership is also missing among the contending parties. There are of course very clever and articulate politicians, but unfortunately this is not enough. The political violence and a possible reversal of the democratic process is primarily driven by the ruling Regime by the very nature of its over reaction to the post national 2005 election, with a little contribution from few hardliners in the opposition, as Prof. Clapham put it so well in his recent piece. Why was it necessary to mow down young demonstrators and supporters using lethal weapons? Why did the current regime use live bullets instead of rubber bullets or less lethal means of crowd control used in all civilized countries? Why did the state of France which suffered far more destruction in billion than Ethiopia from demonstrators did not kill even one person? I am not going to bore you with my answers to these questions. But, they are among the questions should be seriously addressed and reflected on?

As to my views on the political opposition my position is clear. Ethiopia needs a credible loyal opposition to provide choice for its people. This does not mean political parties should engage in the business of eliminating each other. It is undemocratic and unethical for some in the ruling party to try some parties of the opposition and vice versa. For example, I have seen no where in their official statements that they are motivated to overthrow the current government. It is a complete false and unfair charge in my view. CUD should have joined the parliament and struggled from within through dialogue and try to win the hearts and minds of the electorate and the international community, and the rest of the MPs, provided the rule that was changed to discuss an agenda item from 20 persons to 51% of the parliament was removed. Other normal and benign democratic conditions such as the 8 conditions should have been discussed and changed in the parliament for the good of all. If this agreement was reached, CUD could have agreed to administer Addis Ababa, an important African city of 4.5 million with the most informed citizens, which it has won in a landslide. Unfortunately, that opportunity may be now lost.  

Now, the challenges for all political parties, including the ruling party to come to their senses and put back on track the peaceful struggle for political freedom and choice that Ethiopians have expressed with some 90% voter turn out in May 15, 2005. To begin this healing process, PM Meles needs to drop immediately charges of “treason” and “genocide” and release the political prisoners and journalists, which in my view, are draconian and a cruel charges. Not a single honest Ethiopian with a fair mind will believe these charges. No fair mined person with a sense of justice will find any merit in these charges. Concentrated political power can be used for both the good and the bad. I am perhaps one of the few that believe that the PM can rise to challenge of reversing the current trends to a potential disaster. He can do this by simply appearing on Ethiopian TV and Radio, and simply announcing that, mistakes have been made due to unnecessary confrontation. We are all in this together. He can begin this process with his own current parliament, by pointing out that if we continue this trend we may all perish together, and our people and economy will suffer. The progress we have begun will be reversed. So, we want to release all the prisoners and give them the opportunity to join the parliament and struggle to move the democratic process forward, etc... This, of course, requires a great courage and vision from a leader, if the PM can do this he may go down in history of Ethiopia as the first leader that started opening of democracy and moving it forward to its logical conclusion or to move it forward until the Ethiopian people get a government that they can freely choose at the next and open election.

If Ethiopia can do this and all stake holders and political groups can rise to this challenge, Ethiopia will rapidly progress and lead the Horn of Africa like Japan has done historically for the economic renaissance of East Asia. If Ethiopia fails to rise to this challenge due to vicious conflict among a few political elites of both the ruling and the opposition with significant burden on the ruling party since it is in power, the 77 million strong people of this great country will suffer.

The battle of democracy, unfortunately, is among a few (perhaps less than 2% of Ethiopians). The rest or 98% of the people are peaceful and would like to live in harmony, as they have done for generations. They will do regardless of what the outcome of the current political impasse and confrontation will be. So, I conclude these personal remarks with a call to the PM and his government to rise to the challenge as suggested, and the opposition politicians to do their part.

Sincerely,

Sisay Asefa, Ph.D.

March 1, 2006

E-mail: sisay.asefa@wmich.edu