Skip the Face Saving Gymnastics :
RE: LET THE "WEYANE" BASHING END

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Skip the Face Saving Gymnastics :
RE: LET THE "WEYANE" BASHING END

Some times hard choices have to be taken if one is not to leave with self made illusion that does not comport with reality. One of the realities the opposition has to come to terms is the status of EPRDF. In the eyes of the Opposition EPRDF is a mishap that has no lasting. EPRDF is an enemy of Ethiopia that should be removed so all will return back to "normalcy". They don’t accept that EPRDF is a front formed by 4 parties. They rather call it “Weyane”. They believe this “Minority” party can be removed and at the same time wonder as to why they have not done so . They rationalize that EPRDF must be in power through sheer of force. So first comes out-right war, then comes boycott and the last one was dismantling the system by using the process itself through election.

It has been 17 years since the fall of the Dergu and the coming to power of EPRDF. Ethiopia had a Constitution and three elections since. The last election has shown that one can’t use the very system itself to dismantle it. The realization is setting in - that EPRDF is here to stay. The choices are to accept the process and move on or go the usual strategy of denial.

Clearly there is no reason for Girma Kassa’s ultimatum/precondition. You either accept the Constitution and the rules of the game and be a legitimate opposition or you don’t. Girma Kassa’ party of choice, the UDJ, has decided to accept the rules and is indeed in the process of being a legal opposition. One can not relapse and put precondition to be part of the process. The Opposition is in no position to demand EPRDF dismantle the system that it has put in place. EPRDF believes it is moving towards democratization, it is upto the opposition to accept reality. Indeed they have moved half way and accepted the reality and have gone to play the game of politics according to the rules that are set. What comes then is the question “are we going to accept EPRDF as legitimate organization?” what comes is the vacillation and ultimatums. What comes is the contradiction of stating “EPRDF is going to dismantle the country” and then turn around and try to treat it as a political opponent. Then followed by going through the demands of raising signatures and at the same time raise the rhetoric that you will fight EPRDF with any thing save arms and promise to implement Gene Sharp strategy of overthrowing a government.

Girma Kassa’s article really should have been directed toward the opposition and should have included more reasons as to why the “Weyane Bashing should end” The question that should have been directed is "Should EPRDF and the process set in play be accepted as legitimate? It is like the Arab states having to come to terms with the reality that there will be a country called Israel and the pain they go through to accept an entity that they have fought to expunge form the earth.

Whether Kassa is able to convince the extreme opposition to accept the reality is one thing. On the other hand, Kassa’s request reminds me of Hilary’s request to Obama after it is clear she may loose the nomination for the Democratic Party. She asked Obama to be to be her second. Obama reply was “how in the hell is the one who is second asking the one who is first to be the second?.” Would EPRDF change or would OLF and ONLF give up their dream of getting what they want?

Having accepted the rules of the game, Kassa’s demands on the issue of Somalia, Eritrea and the Case of OLF and ONLF. They are not even demands that EPRDF has to take on. EPRDF has set its policy that it thinks is right. If UDJ has other ideas to deal with these forces what it can is to educate it’s members and the people on the issue and ask them to vote it in so that it can implement its policies. Would it make sense for the democratic party to boycott elections or demand that the McCain abandon Bushes policy for them to join the election process? Or for Obama to not distance himself to bomb-throwing anarchist, William Ayers, or blame the government for the extreme position help by Lius Farakan?

Having said that, Girma Kassas issue on democratic institutions can be a point of on going discussion compromise. The issues of the election board, the media are point of discussions and not contentions. The issue of the election board, for example have been discussed by parliament and the changes made so far has been accepted by the legal opposition so much so they have been involved in the selection of the people in place. Whether it lives up to the promise, what it has done so far points in the right direction. The problem is the opposition does not even admit to issues that it accepted let alone honor them. They do that because they are not serous about democratization and wants every issue to be a point of contention.

But the part of Girma Kassa (or UDJ) that is in “Weyane bashing mode” demands that our institution be perfect and functioning now! The part of Girma Kassa that accept reality on the ground knows that institutions can not be perfected on demand but as a process where all parties have to be engaged in good faith. Constant engagement, discussion between the opposition and the ruling party and the society at large is the only way to bring about change for the better. For that to happen Girma Kassa’s and his likes should finish the argument whether if they should stop bashing Woyane. Then they should positively engage EPRDF as any two political party do in any normally functioning party system.