A PARLAMENTARIAN DENIES ANY DEVELOPMENT IN ETHIOPIA

By Mathza

May 08, 2007

Development has been and continues to be the top priority of the EPRDF government. From day one, it drastically reduced its defense expenditure and transferred the difference to development. It was this fact that emboldened President Isayas to invade Ethiopia in 1998. Thanks to Isayas the poor country was forced to waste its meager resources defending itself and rebuilding its defense system (Those who are now advocating for another war against Eritrea should realize that in war both sides lose.) Despite this the country has made commendable progress in development.

Ethiopian politics is characterized by ‘alu balta’—hearsay, baseless propaganda, denial, etc. Those who play such dirty games include oppositions and their members, supporters and sympathizers. They exaggerate, fabricate, promote and propagate lies and advocate inappropriate policies in order to score cheap political gains. They condemn the government for all ills that confronts the country. They deny anything has been done by the government. Some of them even claim that Ethiopia is worse off than during the rule of the Derg. Hate, animosity, jealousy, loss of power, hunger for power, loss of land property and introduction of ethnic-based federal system of government are among the causes and reasons for their chagrins and lamentations. These characterizations are rampant and clear in the many print media, websites and radio stations owned by and/or supportive of the oppositions. The latest example of baseless propaganda is the call of the so-called Kinijit (apparently the one with no legal existence) on the people of Ethiopia to intensify struggle during the millennium (Ethiomedia website,( http://www.ethiopianreview.com/files/kinijit/Kinijit_statement_on_eth_2000_may_3_2007.pdf).

According to biased writers and vocal voices every thing is bleak in regard to the EPRDF government. The people are worse off economically, ascertaining that poverty is increasing, while the contrary is the case. There is no development worthy of its name.

I found Ato Bulcha Demeksa’s, Member of Parliament and chairman of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM), interview with the Ethiopian Forum for Political Civility a good example of the above characterization of oppositions and their likes. His interview prompted me to contribute this writing. There are many points that can be questioned in his interview. I will limit myself to those related to development.

He categorically denied there has been any development in his constituent and adjacent woredas, totaling sixteen (not even in one of them, unbelievable). He emphasized that let alone development the people there are worse off at present. They have no food to eat. He could not observe development elsewhere, including in Tigray, Welo and Gonder which he said were agriculturally disadvantaged. He reiterated that there is no development anywhere. He has seen none. Amazing!

He seems to generalize that as there has been no development in his and adjacent weredas there is no development whatsoever in the whole country. Apparently he is telling us that the billions of Birr spent by the government, donors, NGO’s and civil societies have achieved nothing. This is a grotesque assertion coming from an economist-cum-legal person. His denial contradicts the recent detailed presentation of Ato Teklewold Atnafu, Governor of the National Bank of Ethiopia to the House of Peoples' Representative (HPR), and his long interview with the Ethiopian Forum for Political Civility. The same goes with Ato Girma Biru’s, the Minister of Trade and Industry, interview by the same website. In both cases, those who listened to the interviewees have, no doubt, learnt how much Ethiopia has achieved and is achieving in development.  

As an economist he should have known better than making such repetitive and grotesque assertions of no development. Apparently, he even seemed to ignore the 8% rate of growth, a figure, he claimed, was given by the Economic Commission for Africa.

Let us take Gonder as an example of disadvantaged areas he specifically referred to above. A lot of development is taking place there. Five development activities in different areas reported during the second half of April can be cited as illustrations. First, irrigation  in Fogera Woreda increased from none before EPRDF took over to 2,813 hectares of land and 59,000 quintals of production in 1995/96 E.C. It is expected to escalate to 15,653 hectares and 840,000 quintals in this current year. Secondly, in Quara Woreda over 63,000 (25,000 households) resettlers have not only become food self-sufficient but also have joined clubs of money savers. Some of them have diversified into non agricultural ventures: bars and restaurants, flour mills and electric power generation. Thirdly, a dairy plant has just become operational in Gonder City. Fourthly, more than 300 rural kebeles in South Gonder Zone are now beneficiaries of wireless telephone services. Fifthly, the trade and agricultural exhibition organized in Woreta town is a sign of development. In neighboring Western Zone of Tigray State individual farmers earned up to 250,000 Birr income and some of them built houses in towns. Ato Bulcha, if these are not indications of development, then what are they?

He is, apparently, oblivious of successes at the federal level which include: level of poverty falling from 59% in early the 1990s to 38.7% in 2005 (World Bank); millions of people transited and transiting to food self-sufficiency; successful resettlement of hundreds of thousands of households; results of Agricultural Research Centers raising crop yields (productivities) two to four fold; prospering farmers a few of whom have even become millionaires; school coverage approaching 100% (12 million students in more than 10,000 elementary schools); dramatic increase in health coverage (one health center for 50,000 people); remarkable roads, telecommunication and electric power development, etc. It is because of achievements in such development activities that Ethiopia was selected to present its successes towards achieving the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) as a show case at the annual ministerial review of the UN Economic and Social Council in July, 2007 in Geneva.

Ato Bulcha knows but ignores the compliments, endorsements, testimonials, etc. showered at the government by its development partners and the international community for its appropriate plans and programs and their implementations. He also knows that, despite oppositions’ hard attempts at preventing Ethiopia from receiving aid, donors continue to increase their assistance because of the desired results of development that their contributions have made. The most recent appreciation in regard to agricultural development came from none other than the Executive Director of WFP, Josette Sheeran, who said “…the world is impressed on how Ethiopian yields have increased from year to year… already improving food security endeavors in the country.” Another one is that of Kemal Dervis, UNDP Administrator, “We are happy that Ethiopia is advancing on the Millennium Development Goals...” And another is the ILO Director General’s praising government efforts to create job opportunities as exemplary for Africa. For more government successes before the last election I would recommend Ato Bulcha to read Part II of my article written in 2004 (http://www.aigaforum.com/mathza0404.htm).

It should be noted here that such favorable comments are based on monitoring and information gathered and analyzed by the donors’ periodic field missions and their representatives and embassies in the country. I have no doubt Ato Bulcha is aware that the development partners are much better informed than him. They have access to and appropriate system and capability for collecting and analyzing data and information. In other words, there is no way that he can get away with the denials and general statements. As they say the devil is in the details.

It is high time that oppositions reinvent themselves to genuine parties. In this connection, kudos to the pioneer UEDP-Medhin. Henceforth it will play the role of a genuine opposition party, i.e. giving credit to and supporting the government when due and criticizing and opposing government policies and actions when inappropriate. In other words, it would be expected to follow constructive engagement and avoid the folly of the other oppositions who oppose for the sake of opposition and promote ideas and actions which are impractical. The logic of opposition parties follows that ‘this and that is done in democracies in the West’, therefore we should do the same in Ethiopia. The latest copy cut call is that the opposition in the USA demands the pull out of American military in Iraq therefore we should withdraw from Somalia. All such demands are made irrespective of prevailing diametrically opposed political, social and economic conditions. Rome was not built in a day and therefore it is incomprehensible to expect a nascent democracy to evolve to the level of the West overnight. A step by step approach taking account of the complexities of dealing with the socio-economic diversity of over 80 nations and nationalities will mitigate complications and misunderstandings; promote acceptance of measures and actions that the government takes; and ensure success at the end of the day.

I think anyone with some conscience, especially a Member of Parliament, who receives six monthly reports from the executive organs of the government and who witnesses first hand what is happening in Ethiopia cannot come up with Ato Bulcha’s absolute denials. Definitely, there is an on-going development. Every year more and more people in the rural area are coming out of poverty. An increasing number of farmers are joining the successful ones in earning incomes in the tens of thousands of Birr and in building assets, including improved farms, agricultural implements and machinery, better homes, educated children and savings in cash. Ato Bulcha seems to have forgotten the hundreds of farmers that were honored and awarded prizes for dramatic successes they achieved. While adopting market-oriented economy the Chinese have been reported to have said a few Chinese have to be rich before all Chinese become rich. This is exactly what is happening in Ethiopia, an increasing number of farmers improving their income and standard of living. Development is a process. It takes time to knock at every door. I do not see why an economist the caliber of Ato Bulcha vehemently denies there is no development in Ethiopia. By saying so he has insulted the intelligence of his listeners and earned their disrespect.