The concept of peace is interrelated with physical harmony among the physical and mental composition of an individual and also the absence of organized violence or public unrest. I think there are also some exceptions in which total tranquility and silence does not mean the absolute prevalence of peace.
For instance, a traditional peaceful community might suddenly turn violence in the incidence of a situation that occures triggering public unrest when expected outcomes seem to never happen. For instance, unrest can flare up due to power outrage or water shortage and the skyrocketing of prices of goods or unexpected crime committed against children or disabled persons.
Why is the prevalence of peace highly critical for Ethiopia? In my opinion, three major factors account for the importance of peace for this country. The first is the domestic factor followed by geopolitical location of the country while the third one is interrelated with the international obligation of the country in continuing to contribute to international peace keeping missions.
Let us analyze these factors separately on their own merit. Domestic peace is a major prerequisite for the entire socio-economic and political wellbeing of the country primarily at three levels. As a human being every Ethiopian needs to be individually peaceful unless he\ she risks total ostracization by family and community members or gets into loggerheads with the law.
On the other hand, a peaceful familysets the basis for peace in communities and ultimately for peace at country level. The deliberate disruption of peace in Ethiopia tears down the social fabric that bonded the society together and leads to balkanization of no return. Peace is the basis for the socio-economic development, statehood and the very existence of the country.
At the geopolitical level, it is to be noted that Ethiopia is located at the cross roads of rivalry between various powers that compete to exert their influence on countries of the Horn of Africa to ensure their strategic interests. That is why Ethiopia puts a greater emphasis for sustained peace with the neighboring countries.
That is why Ethiopia lost no time over the previous year to make peace with Eretria, worked for peace in Somalia and South Sudan and recently pioneered in seeking urgent solution to the crisis in Sudan. Why. Because Ethiopia can never be at peace when civil war is raging in the neighboring countries.
Ethiopia was the only African country that deployed it’s for UN sponsored peace keeping in South Korea. During the period of the Scramble for Africa, Ethiopia’s first choice was to enter into negotiations with the Italian colonizers of those days. When the Treaty of Uchalle was not honored in good faith by the Italian forces the country was forced into a war of self-defense with the aggressors at the Battle of Adwa.
Ethiopia has always pursued the principles of peaceful coexistence as an important element of the country’s foreign policy in its relations with the neighboring countries.
Coming back to the current situation in the country, the government has already embarked on huge development programs in the energy, infrastructure development, agricultural modernization and the development of manufacturing industries, promotion of tourist industry which demand the prevalence of sustained peace.
One should not fall into error by thinking the only the government is the custodian of peace in this country. In fact, although the government has a huge stake in ascertaining peace and the rule of law in the country, citizens have even greater role in ensuring peace in their own communities.
Now, let me raise a question. What are the major factors that could potentially contribute to the disruption of peace in Ethiopia? Although there are many causes, I would restrict myself only to few ones.
In the first place the maladministration of justice and inability on the part of the government to enforce the rule of law and justice may be taken as one cause for the disruption of peace in any region or locality in the country. Besides unmet promises for development and service delivery can trigger public rage that can develop into open opposition and crisis that can spill over into the different parts of the country.
Over the last several years the country has witnessed various violence that has been caused by multiple reasons. Here, it is important to mention that the social media outlets have played a devastating role in intentionally disturbing the peace in the country though calls for civil war a rebellion. It is also very important to mention how the youth in this country were lured to civil disobedience.
Peace is of vital importance for the youth from various perspectives. In the first place university and secondary school students need to enjoy peaceful learning environment which the Ministry of Education claims to ensure over the next academic year.
The need for peace over the coming New Year has greater relevance for our industries by way of ensuring peace at the place of work with an emphasis on ascertaining industrial peace particularly in the manufacturing sector. This implies peace among the work force and also industrial safety and security at all industrial institutions.
Making peace among community members in the New Year by using traditional methods of arbitration is very important to ensure peace in residential communities.
I think religious organizations and civil society organizations can take active role particularly in quelling ethnic based conflicts and misunderstandings among groups of people living in different localities. Religious organizations can even do more at least by ensuring sustained peace among the faithful in their places of worship.
I also have the opinion that universities and research institutes can open educational streams that focus on conflict resolution and peace education at research and practical level. Presidents of public universities have recently vowed to ensure peace and security in university campuses across the country.
I think they can do a better job by linking up with local administrative bodies and law enforcement organizations in their respective areas. However, it is far more important to conduct awareness creation seminars on the importance of peace across the country and also in university campuses.
Law enforcement bodies can help to organize voluntary peace keeping committees drawn from among the public so that peace could be enforced right at the grass root level.
Ensuring a participatory rule of law and restoring justices for those who suffered from criminal offenses can help to maintain peace in a community. Besides peace prevails when violations of human rights of any kind is punishable at the courts of law.
As I noted earlier, all concerned are to practically take actions to ascertain peace and reconciliation at all levels. In the prevalence of peace no country and no person is harmed but everyone can benefit from a win-win situation from which all can gain peace while conflicts can either be eliminated or reduced to the minimum level.
The Ethiopian Herald September 7, 2019
BY SOLOMON DIBABA
