Peace talks organized by Council of Oromo Abbaa Gadaas and Haadha Siqqees (both are traditional Oromo leaders representing the male and female respectively) took place at Oromo Cultural Center in the heart of Finfine (Addis Ababa) on Tuesday. The talks were aiming at resolving conflicts that had erupted between the government and the Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), led by Dawud Ibsa. Some prefer to say that OLF’s conflict was rather with the ruling regional party, the Oromo Democratic Party (ODP). It does not matter who was fighting with whom.
The most important thing is that the peace conference was successful. On both sides were Ethiopians and the pain is for all Ethiopians, though the conflicts were restricted to a very confined areas. At the end of the day, the Abbaa Gadaas Council’s peace conference was concluded by the establishment of a 71-member committee. Out of that, 54 were nominated from the Abbaa Gadaas Council.
The other three committee members are from each of the two conflicting parties while the rest 11 are other representatives of the Oromo community, including women. That was made possible after Dawud Ibsa, chairman of OLF agreed to let the Abbaa Gadaa council take over and deal with OLF armed members and issues related to their possible disarmament, demobilization and reintegration.
So the remaining task of the committee would be hammering out details and implementing the agreements through the coming days. While the peace deal is generally viewed as a commendable one, some question as to why OLF led by Dawud Ibsa has to surrender arms to the the Abbaa Gadaa led-committee, instead of to the government. These people argue that Dr. Abiy’s government should not have gone to such degree of leniency. But these people apparently lack understanding of the new era of Dr. Abiy.
The thing is that the incumbent is not ready to repeat the mistakes committed by his predecessors. Dr. Abiy has publicly and more frequently declared that he will never lock or force rival politicians and critical journalists in jails or force them to leave the country. Otherwise, the easiest way for Dr. Abiy might have been restoring states of emergencies and cracking down oppositions. Some of the measures he took as soon as he was sworn in testify more clearly than anything else.
He was quick enough to shut down the infamous Maekelawi prison, free journalists and invited all political exiles to return and play a peaceful political struggle. In view of this, the means the government used to settle the challenges are rather laudable. Whatever, I hope the new effort started by the Oromo elders’ council would produce a lasting solution so that the country, more importantly Prime Minister Dr. Abiy would concentrate on his new project of building and transforming the nation.
The way the Abbaa Gadaa settled the matter has once again demonstrated Ethiopia’s unique and long inherent traditional mechanism of conflict resolution to the world. This is the kind of achievement made by what some refer as the power of non-political-majority. More importantly, the rest of the world needs to know about not only the rich traditions but also the human sides of the process. Just to highlight one or two things: members of the Abbaa Gadaa Council, who organized the peace conference announced right from the very beginning that they would not take their seats unless the conflicting teams come to an agreement.
They did it that way. That is typical tradition of the Oromo or the Ethiopian people across the board. The exchange of words in there also needs special attention. The idea expressed by one of them, for example runs like this. Though apparently not as sweet as in the Oromiffa language,: “There is no need to fight among us.
We the elders have to effectuate the reconciliation process and sealed it off once and for all by slaughtering cattle, as our (Oromo) established tradition dictates. But if you, the two sides, insist on blood spilling, then let it be mine and then you be reconciled.” What a golden speech! At this juncture, I would like to remind you what a prominent Ethiopian intellectual and political activist, of course very familiar in major international media such as the BBC and Al Jazeera once wrote when he was preparing to return to sweet homeland Ethiopia after 16 years in exile.
I was actually impressed by the reason why stayed in exile for such long time. “It was not because I had committed any crime, but because of what the US had given me: Freedom – the freedom to speak, write, organise, and help amplify the voices of those I left behind in Ethiopia. Over the past decade and a half, I have worked as a youth leader, political activist and journalist striving to make Ethiopia a freer, fairer, and more equal nation – for all of its citizens.”
Those were the words of Mohammed Ademo, founder and editor of OPride.com, an independent news website about Ethiopia. He says he was in his early 20s when he left in 2002. He did not know when and if he would return. He said that he had the good fortune of a world-class education and the privilege to play a small part in the struggle for justice – even if remotely. “I leave behind family, friends and the luxuries of a first-world life. But I am happy to be going home at this hopeful moment for my country and people,” wrote Mohammed. He said that he was buoyed by the irresistible sense of hope and the positive change sweeping through Ethiopia.
“I look forward to bearing witness to these changes that are being ushered in by Abiy’s administration.” He was even optimistic that his return will mark the start of a reverse brain drain and pave the way for other young Ethiopians in the Diaspora who are eager to go back to their country of birth and contribute to its development. Mohammed was not the only one to have such a feeling.
A lot of Ethiopians have expressed similar outlooks and optimism. I do not know what Mohammed was feeling later when recurrent skirmishes were happening in some areas of the country. I guess people like Mohammed understand that the road to democracy is bumpy. And the majority believes that whatever seems impossible is possible in a democratic order.
That is why, the great majority of the Ethiopian people are still optimistic with the reforms underway, with Prime Minister Dr. Abiy Ahmed on the drive seat. Not only Ethiopians, the international community is also expressing great hope towards the rest of Africa. So, people gathered from the globe not to fight. They are rather here to build a better future. Settling political differences through peaceful means is the only option we have. That is how we can prove that we are all out of the woods.
Herald January 24/2019
BY FERHAN ZULKIFL
