Ethiopia is known for its full-fledged preference for peaceful settlement of disputes through dialogue. Culturally, local disputes are settled by elders within the community before disputants reach a dead end. Once these disputants succumb to the decisions of the elders, they totally become forgetful of the hard feelings towards each other.
The peacemaking role of the elders is not limited to individual disputants, but it covers conflicts at social, regional and country levels too. Conflict resolution is preceded by free, open and fair discussions among disputants. These groups of people that are at loggerheads may have been engaged in disputes over ownership of material resources. These resources may be related to factors of production such as land, labor, capital and other productive entities.
The disputes may also involve politicians representing different interest groups. Whatever the causes of disputes may be, Ethiopia has various types of dispute settlement strategies that end in peace. The objective of dispute resolution through dialogue is not just satisfying one and neglecting the other.
Experts of peace and development are of the opinion that in the developing countries such as Ethiopia peace is “not granted” but constitutionally guaranteed. It is, therefore, protected by the governments in power as a right of the people. The constitution itself is designed and approved by the representatives of the people.
Experts also noted that the people of Ethiopia have been fighting against external intruders, invaders and occupation forces. They fought against several invaders and they engaged in internal conflicts and wars instigated by invaders. The Ethiopians have endured painful and unforgettable local conflicts and external invasions. These domestic and alien invasions had ravaged the country for millennia. In these wars of attrition, the country suffered from destruction of religious entities including churches and mosques. These entities had preserved traditional materials, books and various religious entities that attract the attention of citizens including tourists. It is on record that these institutions have spiritual values that attract people from all over the globe. These entities have also initiated peaceful dialogue in the country.
The history of the country reveals that it has never claimed or invaded any country at all. However, it has been invaded by colonial forces which had been repulsed repeatedly. Also, those forces attempting to disrupt the territorial integrity of Ethiopia had been repeatedly defeated. The people and governments of the country have defended their country in the most conspicuous manner.
Consequently, the country has never been colonized by any alien forces. Its people had never been subjected to the shameful acts of colonial slavery and subjugation within their own land. However, the colonial forces tried to recruit local saboteurs that serve as agents of their mission. These agents have shamelessly attempted to divide the people by region and ethnic, tribal and clan allegiance. This attempt has been a total failure during the imperial regime that ruled for decades. Following the imperial era, the alien agents tried to disrupt the country by antagonizing the “communist military” regime, known as Derg. But, again they failed to divide the country using ethnic allegiance.
The military regime has been over thrown by the TPLF/EPRDF that has continued to rule the country using a divide and rule strategy using ethnic divisions. This strategy of ruling the Ethiopian people has been approved and adopted by the Constitution. It has been translated into practice through rules and regulations that emanated from it. It has not, however, provided for any practical “peaceful dialogue” to be applied when settling political disputes.
In recent years, however, attempts are being made to settle both domestic and external disputes, conflicts or wars through peaceful dialogue. Externally, Ethiopia implements its strategy of peaceful settlement of disputes with neighboring countries. Over the past years, the country has faced challenges of foreign terrorist and ethnocentric conflicts. These social disturbances have plagued the country in a manner that is unprecedented.
Those who are busy seeking to create troubles have seriously labored to deny Ethiopia its rights to economic development, utilization of its natural resources for improving the living standards of the people. Those engaged in party politics have just copied strategies of their predecessor that are devoid of peaceful dialogue.
Ethiopia’s quest for peaceful dialogue emanates from the fact that social conflict emerges from divergence, disagreement and inconsistency on minor issues. If not settled in time through peaceful dialogue, these issues grow into uncontrollable disputes between neighboring countries. Peaceful dialogue, therefore, serves as the major prerequisite for the economic development and progress of countries, including Ethiopia.
Developing countries, therefore, demand for the full implementation of the rights of people to access basic necessities. Since the inception of the national reform program, the Ethiopian government has attempted to promote peace and reconciliation for sustainable development. To achieve this, it has simultaneously focused on good governance and sustainable development programs. These programs are implemented by institutions responsible for fulfilling the aspirations of people to enhance political, economic and social developments in the country.
It is on record that the government has released thousands of inmates and political prisoners who have been suffering in secret prisons. This has been a gesture for the promotion of peace in the country. Political parties that have been operating abroad have been able to return to Ethiopia and engage in peaceful activities. The government has also made efforts to ensure peaceful dialogue and compromise with the liberation fronts that unfortunately responded with devastating wars. The conflict has been covering the major regions of the country.
It has been noted that the right of Ethiopia to enforce law and order had been responded with challenges by some external intruders that encouraged internecine wars among Ethiopians. The war could have been avoided, but it has resulted in the fatalities and casualties of thousands of innocent people. It has also caused massive dislocation of people and devastation of infrastructural facilities, including electric power, roads and bridges, residential houses, villages and towns, etc. It has also resulted in damages of public and private enterprises and properties.
These wars have only created favorable opportunities for alien forces to intensify their false campaign of disinformation by their global media. The goal of these alien powers is nothing but destruction of the unity of Ethiopians that survived for centuries. The war in northern Ethiopia that had been undertaken for a long time has now been resolved through peace agreement. After the conflict ended in northern parts of the country the government has continued with its relief and rehabilitation support to war affected regions.
As the government has been making efforts to provide humanitarian assistance, the international agencies and countries have not yet given full support. Their support is crucial in restoring and providing basic services to those areas affected by the wars. Also, the building and restoring of destroyed infrastructure facilities in conflict affected areas is absolutely necessary for the socioeconomic development of the country as a whole. All the promises of assistance by donors which had been expressed on global media have not fully materialized even after peaceful dialogue had been conducted between the government and the opposition forces.
Global aid should be distributed to children who have been out of school due to war, hunger, poverty and severe depression and trauma. These children have suffered from separation and disruption of their families during wars. The separation of children from their families has resulted in social crises. These children need support from international organizations in addition to the efforts of the government to provide basic food and non-food supplies. These children have to join schools and continue with their education. They also need basic health services that enable them to continue with their education.
The prerequisite for providing education and health services to families and their children is the maintenance and consolidation of peace through dialogue. In particular, the post-war situations reflect disruptions of social services which should be reinstated to provide basic services based on peaceful consultation and dialogue with the affected people of Ethiopia.
People aspire for peaceful dialogue that keeps social conflict and war at bay. This aspiration may take time to translate social ambitions into a reality. These aspirations are to be expected after the end of conflicts that led to the shedding of blood.
Also, the Ethiopians have sacrificed themselves to defend peace and territorial integrity of their country from external forces. These forces wanted to engage the country in an endless conflict and war using antagonistic factions and ethnic, tribal and clan groups. Using these groups, the alien powers have the goal of permanently destabilizing the country. Creating mistrust among these groups, the alien forces intend to keep Ethiopia in a vicious circle of poverty. To stop these foreign powers from interfering in the domestic affairs of the country, its people have to engage themselves in peaceful dialogue. The best instruments of dialogue, as mentioned earlier, are the elders that could create the platform for dialogue, discussion and agreement among disputants and politicians, etc.
The political elites and the state must respect the role of the elders in settling disputes through peaceful dialogue. In so doing, it is possible to address the aspirations of the general public. Of course, peace requires unadulterated and authentic dialogue and discussions. The Ethiopians should be consulted and engaged in building peace among various communities in the country. In this regard, the National Dialogue Commission would resolve fundamental issues of the country through peaceful dialogue.
It is an important forum for all peace loving entities in Ethiopia that would like to promote peaceful dialogue in the country. Experts assert that peace would never be achieved through weapons or violence. This is true as reflected in the history of the country in the past several centuries. Currently, Ethiopians must draw lessons from what their country has experienced in the past. If “all political entities” effectively utilize it, the Commission is a necessary forum that will pave the road to a bright future for all. It should be utilized to openly explain similarities and differences for “building on common interests” among Ethiopians through peaceful dialogue.
BY GETACHEW MINAS
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 8 OCTOBER 2024
