An open Letter to my “Friend”
__________________________________
Zeru Hagos
(08/12/06)
Not a long ago,one Saturday afternoon, I had a discussion with a friend of mine . Our discussion was on the then politics of the day: election 2005 and Kinijit! I was of the opinion that unless the forces that are leading this movement are checkmated and the “ism” they were trying to promote is dealt with once for all, Ethiopia will not be at peace. I told my friend these forces are a menace to peace and EPRDF should have dealt with them when they marched to Addis. Addis, as you recall was the destination for all kind of people running away from the flames of the revolution waged by EPRDF. These forces were, to my knowledge, left untouched for sake of peace and expediency. My friend did not see these forces as fundamental enemies for the people or democracy but he was worried more how the government was handling the Oromo issue and even in his own words the Amhara and Tigray issue.
Our discussion went further and we kind of agreed that there are bad apples in CUD and they must be dealt with but could not convince him, the best way to deal with any issue be it Amhara, Tigray or Oromo is to work on the economic front and work on the vast peasant population primarily and then address the intelligential issue. We had defined earlier the issue EPRDF was confronting in cites was basically an issue of the educated class. We both agreed the educated class is disenfranchised by EPRDF and CUD was exploiting the issue. While I was hopeful EPRDF will address this section of the Ethiopian class, my friend was of the opinion EPRDF is not ready to do that and see no inclination what so ever it will do so in the future.
Well, today I think things have changed so much so I thought it was time to convince my friend one more time. This time in an open forum. EPRDF is changing and is addressing its own shortcomings. The oppositions my friend was so afraid off that they were to take the country down the spiral in to the abyss are no more a treat they were. And here is why!
If I may start from the Diaspora opposition, unlike last year where all kind of characters from the opposition were passing as heroes and nationalists, today they are clean shaved, naked bunch of “kahadis”. They have allied themselves with Shaibia, Ogaden liberation movement and the Al-Ithad. They have acquiescence to the existence of Eritrea along with Assab and Massaw, which I might say my friend was also using the Eritrean issue to convince me that the then CUD was stronger on national and other issue better than EPRDF. Today the opposition and their hirelings are planting bombs under public transports to kill and mime the very same public that elected them to office. They are naked for all to see that they are neither nationalist nor pragmatist as my friend used to say!
EPRDF on the other hand has made strong inroads to work with loyal opposition so much so they have declared to work together to enhance good governance. EPRDF is approaching students and teachers and have appointed senior figures like Aite Abay Tsehaye and Aite Berket Simon to reach the public and media. So far there has been two round of public meeting with students and teachers. EPRDF has started internal reform where the next generation of leaders are given chance to develop.
EPRDF has committed itself as a governing party to address public complaints on time and is more than ever working hard to bring change in the infrastructure. This is evident by looking the number of projects that are in the implementation stage in the country.
EPRDF has also improved in its handling of national security issues. The minute the Islamic militias were successful in Mogadishu, Ethiopia raised its awareness to a new level. In the old days it would have been mate with a squint of the eye. Who can forget the many complaints by Tigrean farmers about an impending invasion by Shaibia that was left unheeded by TPLF high men?
So I ask you all readers who are like my friend do you see the opposition growing and making inroad as my friend was telling me or do you see EPRDF changing for the better?
Even the Diaspora that was deeply involved is getting the message EPRDF is by far the better organization to lead the country. Paltlak rooms that used to be filled with all kind of people swearing to kill every one associated with EPRDF and name calling a whole ethnic group are subdued these days. So much so instead of “gedelw” and “kuretew” they are inviting some questionable Tigrean characters to show their love for Tigreans. I just heard a certain person name Abraha (I hope he is not the one who used to be a Derge cadre and a journalist during the derge era BTW) in one of the room agonizing to tell the mostly educated people from our society that Meles is not Tigray and what have you story! Does this person know people who can open a computer and join pal talk are at the very least educated enough to identify a person from a group? Why all the labour? It must be things are not good in cyber land and the make believe stories are becoming intolerable.
Now “aybelnaye do!” (have not I told you!) my friend?
home |
