BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
A one-party dominated administration in Tigray state is substituted by an inclusive interim administration that invites all concerned. It is prettily regarded as the transition of the state from authoritarian to participatory scenario.
Following the undemocratic and betrayal nature of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), who refused to obey the leadership of Prime Minister Dr. Abiy and the legitimacy of federal constitution, the House of Federation recently decided to establish an interim administration in Tigray Region.
The House of Federation, in accordance with the powers vested in it by the Constitution and Proclamation No. 359/1995, did it with a view to making conditions suitable for administering the state till the regular election is going to be conducted.
It has also called on the people of the state to stand by the side of the Federal government and the interim administration, including the heroic Defence Forces, who are sacrificing their lives for the sake of the people and the country in order to protect the country’s sovereignty and ensure rule of law.
Again, the Premier paid a surprise visit to Tigray state and met high level military officers and interim government officials in different platforms and talked about the current situation and what should be done to return everything to the normal track.
During the consultation, the premier conveyed a message to contending political parties to work with the interim government.
Accordingly, the interim government is opening its doors to accommodate political parties who wholeheartedly accepted the reform and are committed to manage the transition as well as capable of responding to the people’s demands.
Tigray State interim administration Chief Executive, Mulu Nega (PhD) noted that the contending political parties are now participating in the newly established administration and they would also actively partake in the new state government.
Parties such as Arena Tigray, Tigray Democratic Party (TDP), Assimba Democratic Party (ADP), among others, are welcomed to join the new administration. Under the leadership of TPLF Junta these parties members had been subjected to killing and torture as well as forced to flee home town due to their political ideology.
“We want the political landscape to be widened more and real freedom of speech has to be practiced here soon,” Dr. Mulu said.
According to him, although the previous propaganda and other ill-information have created a trauma, the interim administration political leaders are working in collaboration with contending political parties to manage it properly devising various strategies, Atakilti Hailesilassie, the Mayor of the Mekele city under the interim leadership told to Ethiopia press agency reporters.
Leaders of contending political parties operating in Tigray State on their part expressed their keenness to toil together with the interim government.
Gidena Medhin,Tigray Democratic Party(TDP) Secretary said that his party has a desire to work with contending political parties operating legitimately and under the umbrella of rule of law in Tigray State either collaborate with them or form a coalition to foster activities.
Citing the direction given to Tigray Prosperity Party by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed recently, he said the party expressed its enthusiasm to work with the interim government in the State. Recalling that his party began discussion with some political parties operating in Tigray state, he said adding that the party has now excellent relations with Arena, Asimba and Prosperity parties at Federal and State level.
As to him, the very priority of the party is serving the people but not receiving service from the people as Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF Juna) did through terrorizing the people and giving them hard time at any cost for over for the past 30 years.
“As a party, we pursue social democracy ideology which distributes justice and brings the public to development and extends the political space which was locked for contending political parties before.”
“So as to empower the public, we will take part in making the upcoming election democratic, free and fair as well as getting its acceptance on the side of all parties. The party will strive to respect individual rights that are stipulated in the constitution and it will play a significant role so as to enable the public to exercise democratic and human rights.”
Since the TPLF Junta assumed power, no one has had the right to express their idea and hold own opinion as well as scamper sundry ideology, let alone conducting demonstrations so as to protest the state government.
Being part of the interim government, the party has a plan to ensure peace, stability in the state and facilitate conditions to repatriate the displaced people due to the law enforcement operation run against the junta.
Indeed, Ethiopia is a country of a number of youth who are capable of discharging responsibilities as properly as possible and the step taken is a good opportunity to bring about sustainable development. But, we have to know how to use the power of the youth properly.
Because of the treacherous situation in Tigray State, the youth had been forced to leave the state so as to gain jobs. However, members of TPLF junta sent their children abroad for a better education. They instead offered low qualified education to the rest of citizens in order to quit their education and join a special force.
So, the party will assist the youth, to be rational thinkers through reading books, to raise queries considering themselves as Ethiopian citizens, to be ethical and develop a belief as one can be wealthy through working hard and to know democratic and human rights so as to struggle for human and democratic rights.
“Using the youth, we will reform the Tigray state and contribute greatly to the process of building the future prosperous of Ethiopia.”
The youth should know and understand the behaviour of TPLF junta as it should be taken the lion’s share of responsibility for the chaos created earlier in Tigray. The youth have to welcome the reform as a window of opportunity to build democracy, socioeconomic change, and fair wealth distribution.
Dori Asgedom, Asimba Political Party Chairperson on his part said that his party has already accepted the directives forwarded to contending political parties based in Tigray and willing to discharge its responsibility for the overall benefit of the state.
Primarily, the party, together with other parties based in Tigray, works to stabilize the people in Tigray considering the tremendous socioeconomic hurdles observed there, he said noting that
except Mekele town, and there hasn’t been electricity, tap water, telecom service in other parts of the State.
Indicating that the Ethiopian military forces are controlling big cities of Tigray state, he said calling the militiamen to disarm themselves and move peacefully it a timely message.
As it was a war front, the state had lofty social tribulations which exposed the people to extreme poverty, disease, and displacement. That is why the people of Tigray need due emergency assistance apart from rehabilitation tasks.
In general, the overall situation in the state is very complicated. In order to return the state to its previous situation, we will contribute our share more than ever before to the overall effort to reform it.
The youth should think twice before taking any measure once and play an irreplaceable role in reversing the devastating situation following junta administration and coming up with lasting solutions to many problems.
The people of Tigray should receive the interim government as it is the lonely option of the state until the upcoming election by which public representatives come to power. Apart from respecting law and order, the general public should tip information and stand by the side of them until the situation in Tigray is getting better.
“When the situation in Tigray is becoming stable, the party will have a plan to participate in the upcoming election as the interim government will serve the State for the time being. In so doing, we will contribute our share to the effort geared towards ensuring peace and tranquillity in Tigray State,” Dori underscored.
The Ethiopia Herald December 20/2020
