The flag waving “heroes”

By Ketsela

I remember when many of the Ethiopian students were either studying political science or engaged in political discussion in the early 70’s. The discussion not only revolved around Ethiopia but included Africa and Black America. Other African student used to be amazed with this obsession of the Ethiopians. Age and economic opportunities changes many as we grow old. I guess it is true what they said “If you were not liberal in your twenties you don’t have the heart and if you are not a conservative in your 40’s you don’t have the brain”.

In many ways, if one looked the history of Ethiopia in the recent years, one can conclude that the country is far matured in the peaceful co-existence of its people, who seem to be aware of the good, the bad and the ugly of politics. Let me paraphrase my intentions without having a wave of criticism from readers. We as people and as citizens of the country should have been on a high level of awareness as compared to other African countries. Addis Ababa is the head quarter of Africa for having the African Union and the Economic Commission of United Nations. Unlike the many African countries’ coup d’etat, the first military coup lead by the Neway brothers did not result in mass massacre or riot in the country. Strangely enough, when the Derge came to power, it resulted in the same peaceful changes. Sometimes I wonder why these situations remain different within Ethiopia from other African government rebellious activities resulted in being a blood bath. Historically, the first coup in the continent was led by officers and non-commission officers of Nigeria. The entire Western world admired the so called democratic nature of Nigerian government and glorified their people and leadership during the first weeks right after their independence. Articles were written about the democratic nature of the country and how other Africans must look up to Nigeria as a mentor state. Lo and Behold! It did not take a long time before the honeymoon was over; and Nigeria became a killing field for the leaders including the famed Abubakar Tafewa Balewa and the many of ethnicities within the country. The same trends continue to flood the continent by soldiers of fortunes who danced on the lives of many. My friends don’t forget Idi Amen, Bokassa and others. Then of course the so called great leaders during independence who exemplified democracy but ended up to be brutal leaders who could be in the Book of Records for their terrorist acts like Obote, Kaunda and others and our own Mengistu too.

Change in Ethiopia was never encouraged or advised nor were these changes brought flood of human blood needlessly flow over the rivers of the country. The governments in Ethiopia before and after Haile Selassie systematically shut the people up by denying them world awareness in order to make life better for them and their surroundings. Our exposure to what a government must look like came during the Neway brothers coup. Imagine how we lived and survived by praising Haile Selassie in the book of prayers, in the national Anthem for being given to us by God. I am going to skip the Red Terror or the Mengistu Hailemariam era and leave it to those who witnessed the history at the time; but would further like to discuss the subject at hand in other issues.

What makes a country’s politics healthy and uniting? This is the burning issue of our current political venues right now and here. If you look back of the many African countries and snake through their political history who succeeded  to fight colonialism, you definitely will come to only one conclusion, and that is the presence of true, matured and honest political organizations, the grassroots’ work of the activists, and the support of the people. These are needed to make or break governments in power and their continuous oppression of the people. Time here is a factor. Political organizations are like children. They need to grow with discipline, trust and most of all to have a common objective amassed through the process of time. The most importantly factor at this juncture is the awareness of the general public of the existing problems. Temporary oppositions never last and never bring about a true movement to get rid of oppressive governments.

Let me bring the History of the many African fighters under colonialism. Many of them started from scratch to build an opposition; uniting themselves under one banner “for the freedom of their beloved people and countries and under common enemy”. They were all like us, many ethnic groups, few educated, nobilities, landless and discrimination of one nationality over the other. Different languages and religions but one enemy. Why then is ours different from these African Countries with all the resemblances. Yet unlike the new African countries we were ruled under Feudalism for so many years. People were ridiculed for their nationalities, languages, even their own proper nouns. I guess we lived under George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” that seemed to describe us better than this writer create words or sentences to illustrate the saying, “All are equal but some are more equal than others”. Admit it, particularly we Ethiopians never like to expose our problems, fear of ይሉኝታ. Imagine for a second and do some role playing, if you will as one of those oppressed nationalities that were ridiculed, made jokes of and act that role to feel the pain of being the other person nationality who is an Ethiopian too. Having the ‘different’ name from that nationality, acting like them and smelling like them. Then you will understand what they went through and what they are fighting for and understand which Ethiopia you are talking about. The pain that had been inflicted and the many visible scars are reminders to the oppressed Ethiopians to this very day. I better be calm and be collected and stick within the title.

I assume the most important thing for people to rise up and voice their grievances is the existence of a party and leadership. But leadership without the true and honest followers will never have a long lasting life to struggle along the people. Our problem is one and only one, we tend to hate leaders for a short span of time and then live with the same problems we temporarily opposed to dethrone them. Acceptance and assimilation penetrate us by the process of osmosis and we accept what “God has given us”.

Ah! The other major problem is our fear to either oppose or support the existing government. Radios, television and public forum are filled with loud mouthed so called spokesmen/women of our communities. These individuals live in denial of the democratic rights of others. “My way or the highway” is their motto. I remember in a campaign held for the USUAA (University Students Union of Addis Ababa) between Tilahun Gizaw and Mekonnen Bishaw, Tilahun told the audience about Mekonnen “He is politically my enemy but socially my brother”. There you are for a true and honest political argument for a healthy leadership. However, we Ethiopians tend to live with assimilation. There are many who speak out for and/or against the government who is ruling the country and yet we never question as to who these people were or are. Do we really know their motives? My suspicious nature always tells me that those who engage in public propagandas could be guilty in the same manner of the people they accusing. Readers, accept one thing and that is there are many amongst us who tortured and killed during the Derge era. Guilt has entrapped them so much they have to come by these means to act to be with us.

I am trying to bring to readers the healthiest of any political situation to groups and the need to have seeds sown for a better nutrition to our political life of a true democratic nature. The factors mentioned above need to be considered like farmer’s patience to wait until the fruits ripen. Of course without the tree rooted under the ground to hold firm there could not be any opposition that could last for a long and protracted fight.

What do nations want to bring peace and serenity to their nation and a country?

Trust:

People never succeeded without the existence of a clean and true trust of one another. No political party or opposition ever succeeded in the absence of trust. When engaged in a fight with an establish oppressor, the opposing group has to have this factor as the only means of surviving the coming ordeals.

Equality:

Face it reader, we have a long way to come to terms with this subject and I am not talking of the written laws. None had made it in the past nor will they do in the future. Once in a while I tend to note on many Ethiopian sights የደሀ ልጅ የገረድ ልጅ ወይም የሸርሙጣ ልጅ I probably do not consider to be an insult as the reference was made to the many Ethiopians who live with us and made life better for themselves through what they have gone. Then the lack of psychological equality is the basis of our current problem. It took black America over 400 years to reach to this level and still need more

Common enemy:

Let me be perfectly clear, I am not talking the conventional enemy spear headed by some groups. A common enemy is supposed to be” common” without the fortune of alliance for one’s enrichment, recognition and power hungry individuals.

A Uniting Party of all Ethiopians

No! Readers, I am not talking about parties that emerge without the existence of a long period of time through thick and thin. Members have to go through a long up and down problems to be considered one and only one. No cause must be considered a uniting factor without the full understanding of the party, unquestionable dedication and concern to Ethiopia, and without the personal goals of members. A party is like a tree; it has got to start from the seed and roots to keep it up-right then the fruit of it will shine all over the tree.

Patience:

Oh! This is the only problem in the political life of Ethiopians that handicapped our political success. Successful political parties never consider time to be as friendly as many of us expect it to be. You win some and you lose some. And very importantly, one must not forget the many lives lost, although it may not be related directly to us but will still be a great loss to the loved ones. There has never been in the history of political struggle, a party which was created yesterday and succeeded today Many died for their conviction so that their children can live a better life. But I doubt such persons exist in this world at this time.

History is a record keeping experience, all it says is “history will always repeat itself”. And it does. The long historic struggles in the history of the world such as the Chinese Revolution, Lenin’s, Castro’s and many countries against colonialism fought and many lives were lost, a long journey was taken, and its fruits are now being witnessed for the future children of the country. In short, a political party needs a stage where every fighter is tested for his/her honesty, a time for patience and if necessary, the ability to work within the oppressive government to understand their weakness and strength and simultaneously build the organization of change.