Ethiopian politicians must prioritize peace, especially after centuries of conflict marked by senseless wars aimed at changing governments through military means. It is essential to foster sustainable peace and contribute positively to society, particularly for the youth, rather than perpetuating toxic approaches.
The Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission (ENDC) is actively working to address the country’s long history of conflict to closing the chapter and build working system. To achieve this, key stakeholders must come together to tackle existing gaps in a constructive manner, moving away from sentiments of hate and revenge.
Currently, the ENDC is engaged in activities to facilitate an inclusive national dialogue. As part of this effort, agenda items have been gathered from the Ethiopian diaspora, reflecting diverse perspectives and issues that will inform the upcoming national dialogue process.
Recently, the Addis Ababa Diaspora Association presented these agenda items and a video clip to Prof. Mesfin Araya, the Chief Commissioner of the ENDC. Prof. Araya expressed gratitude for their contributions, emphasizing the importance of including the diaspora’s voices in national discussions. He encouraged Ethiopians abroad to bring their concerns to the dialogue, reinforcing the commission’s commitment to fostering inclusive participation.
The ENDC has already conducted over ten online consultations with Ethiopians from Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and beyond. These consultations aim to bridge national divides and facilitate engagement based on established guidelines. Drawing on successful examples from other nations, the commissioner noted that similar dialogues have led to peace and development.
In Oromia, the agenda-gathering process has recently concluded, bringing together over 7,000 representatives from 356 districts. This initiative underscores the government’s commitment to mapping its support networks nationwide, similar to efforts made during national elections.
The national dialogue presents a significant opportunity for consensus-building, allowing citizens to address organizational issues and break free from a history of conflict. Local elites, both in Ethiopia and abroad, should positively engage with these initiatives to foster a stable and dignified life for all citizens.
The diaspora community’s involvement is notable and many diaspora agreed that, the commission’s activities as a beacon of hope for peace and security, reaffirming their commitment to support the ENDC.
Ethiopia’s national dialogue has sparked hope among those who have vested interest in the country’s future. It is true that dialogue between opposing political factions is vital for addressing the complex issues facing Ethiopian society. However, challenges remain and some elements suggest that the dialogue should utilize inclusive measure to bring armed opposition groups to embark on track. So far the dialogue commission tried its level best to approach them but still not yet brought tangible results.
The ENDC must continue to address fundamental issues of division and conflict in Ethiopia. It should promote inclusivity, maintain its integrity and uphold human rights to preserve its credibility and achieve meaningful dialogue.
There are promising signs that the ENDC is genuinely committed to addressing the country’s challenges through dialogue, rather than merely serving as a strategic tool for the government. For these initiatives to be effective, they must prioritize inclusivity, accountability, and respect for diverse perspectives. Only then can trust be built and sustainable peace fostered in Ethiopia.
Ethiopia is an ancient country with thousands of year’s history of governance and civilization. However in its modern history in the late 19th century, the nation building project similar to other countries was implemented through military means. And the force full advent still has been a source of debate and some leveled the venture as source of grievance which let various ethnic groups for cultural and linguistic domination. Others on the contrary argue that the nation building project as it was aspired to establish a unitary political system had no option except subjugation. The military means implemented to realize the objective was the order of the day all over the world.
In the early 20 century, the first modern constitution was introduced. Though some of the articles in the constitution recognize some of the universally declared human and civil rights including the right to elect and be elected they were not fully implemented.
Though the constitution enshrined the existence of state structure such as the legislative, the judiciary and the executive organs of the government they had not been functioning properly. The nation had been in its formative years to stride nation building project. Side by side with the introduction of laws, there were not sufficient and strong institutions staffed with qualified personnel. The absence of well-educated and politically active members of the community also had brought its own impact on deterring the nation establishment of modern political system.
In fact, though new constitution was introduced, the level of the political conscious of the society was traditional. The society implicitly agreed that the king had the right to rule the nation emanated from divine power and selected by God to govern the people. The society believed that in case grievance occurred due to mal administration and governance, its duty was only to pray to God to get remedial action. The constitution did not put in to account the king for his maladministration or misdeed.
Land was the main economic stay of the society and it was absolutely feudal system even worse to this, slave owning system was not totally eliminated.
Obviously in the traditional society even though there were institutions that serve to resolve differences among the clan members such structures and mechanisms to date had not been evolved to the modern type. As any emerging political system, it had stride to create its political cadres through expanding educational institutions helpful for establishment of unitary political system. It constructed schools, colleges and universities. Some teachers and instructors recruited locally others had been brought from abroad.
From time to time the created elite groups face challenges in their day to day living. There were gaps between what they understand about the socio economic situation of the country and the governing system of the archaic and monarchial system. Particularly those elite groups who were educated abroad and experienced the governance system of the western society refused to tolerate the old monarchial governance system.
Later resentment began by university students spilled over to the society and at this stage the regime did not show interest in accepting the demand of the society to attain peace full change through dialogue and ultimately the movement paved the way for the ultimate demise of the imperial regime.
Since 1974 Ethiopia witnessed three regime changes at the same time the nation missed opportunities which enable to transform the nation from oppressive political system in to modern manifested by electoral system. Had there been a culture of dialogue and tolerance the opportunities would have brought a tremendous chance to establish peaceful and sustainable political system derived functioning and viable institutions.
The elite group paid sacrifice for attaining justice but there is huge gap between the exerted energy to attain justice and the outcome. Still the ambition to establish rule of law, democracy and stability has to see long journey.
The coming to power by violence means and overthrown again by military means had been a common phenomenon in the modern history of Ethiopia. There had no political continuity hence, governments tried to introduce their own governing system by starting from zero and abolishing the old political order.
Introducing new constitutions, regulations and institutions was common. The imperial government tried its level best to establish a unitary government by denying cultural, linguistics and religious diversity. Its economic aspiration was to establish capitalism by providing wide space for the flourishing of private sector. But unable to set stable political system and ultimately had been overthrown by unconstitutional means.
After it took power in 1974 The Derge introduced socialist system based on an imported Marxist ideology. It assumed that the new ideology and socialist oriented political system can serve as tool to eradicate poverty and addressing the political demand of citizens but the outcome did not bring the aspired solution rather aggravated conflicts among various political groups and dragged the nation to the devastating war. It did give little space to dialogue and ultimately, the regime fate was decided by the rebels groups.
The EPRDF regime which assumed power in 1991 by military means underlined the historic problems of the nation originated from nation building approach and to resolve the problems emphasizing ensuring group rights should be taken as a way out. It introduced a new constitution and enshrined the right to self- determination up to secession to each ethnic group and crafted the map of the country along ethnic lines.
Some argue that the crafting of the map along ethnic line posed horizontal contradiction and conflict among various ethnic groups and since then for the last three decades displacement and violence has been continued and put question the nation continuity.
In contrary others argue that the enshrining of article 39 which underlined the right to self- determination up to cessation is in alienable rights of nations and nationalities and will not be put for negotiation.
As mentioned above the nation social, political and economic problems had many layers and they were complicated by historical aspect of the nation and by the types of governments ruled the country.
The current government underlined that dialogue among various political and interest groups can have capacity to address the problems. It opened the platform by establishing the National Dialogue Commission. In the ongoing agenda gathering process citizens are forwarding their ideas which can be used as inputs for the dialogue. Therefore, citizens should exploit the created opportunities which had not been existed in the past and diligently participate.
Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
BY ABEBE WOLDEGIORGIS
The Ethiopian Herald December 25/2024
