BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW
Ethiopia’s political culture has been short of the basic ingredients of democracy and remained largely unreformed. It failed to transform itself for years. One of the best indicators in this regard is the ways political differences are solved. Usually, differences are not settled and reconciled through applying conciliatory gesture based on a win-win approach, said Zadig Abreha, Minister in Charge of Democratization in his recent interview with the Ethiopian Press Agency.
Most of the time, parties with various political sentiments rather prefer to resolve differences through engaging in incendiary rhetoric and ceaseless conflicts. Even if the parties have a desire to negotiate, it won’t be the actual one. Ethiopians have had to pay a lot due to this incendiary political intricacy, added Zadig.
Over the past 80 and so years, Ethiopian people have long been longing for democracy and the golden opportunities that were created at various times had been squandered and aborted. Here, one may inquire; what really goes wrong and how could it be? Well! Lacks of democratic culture, absence of negotiation, change resistance mentality, greediness are some of the answers.
Prior to assuming power, the Prosperity Party (PP) has analyzed the issues that cost a lot the country and the people and come up with approaches to avoid repetition of the previous mistakes, according to the Minister.
Thus, in what could be said groundbreaking in the history of the country the party took courageous political measures. These include the release of political prisoners, closure of the notorious Detention Center (Maikelawi), the removal of banned political parties (labeled as terrorist groups) and their entry permit, the permission of foreign media outlets to operate freely, provision of licenses for media outlets which were previously prohibited to operate in the country. This helped us to rebrand ourselves in the face of the international community and have earned reputation consequently. By and large, it is a wonderful reform that turned the country from political turmoil to land of optimism.
The measures have brought fresh air of optimisms in the entire country glowing quickly including on the Tigray community. Having not believed in give and take principle, Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) Junta was the first party to oppose the formation of PP labeling the reform as a curse, he said adding that, the party, which was skeptical of reform and democracy, had not been readying itself for negotiation. It was a party that did not believe in reform and democracy. The typical example for this is, the founding members of the party had been leading it for over 50 years. In short, it is an anti-reform party.
“The Prosperity Party is well acquainted with the behavior of TPLF but its new political outlook has opened doors wide for all contending political parties operating in Ethiopia including TPLF junta. But the clique wasted its chance and failed to embrace new political opportunity.”
He said: “Other members of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democracy Front (EPRDF) were granted pardon and joined PP. But, TPLF was not regretted by its misdeeds and did not offer an apology and join the PP. It rather considered the reform as treasonous act and considers PP as a party colluding with foreigners to achieve its ambitions. But, TPLF took itself as a nationalist party which cared about Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
However, the Prosperity Party had been working to bring TPLF junta back on truck and correct its misdeeds through creating various platforms before and after formation PP. Prime Minister Abiy himself has exerted efforts in this regard. But, TPLF mistook it for fear and finally lost the golden opportunity to transform itself to the next stage. And, the case was culminated by law enforcement measure.
As a party, the fugitive TPLF junta could not grow day in day out. Though it was governing the country for years, it had never transformed itself rather stuck to obsolete ideologies. That is why; it never comes out of gorilla fighting perception and it preferred to resolve differences using guns. This clearly depicted that TPLF junta was not a reform party.
As mentioned earlier, TPLF junta was not a party that believed in equality. There was no equality within the party even; few individuals had the power to do whatever they wished. There was no equality among political parties and military officers too. TPLF tried to portray itself as if it ensured equality among peoples and between political parties etc. However, it was a party not willing to change its political ideology and programmes which it had used for the past 50 years. It had not been a democratic party but when you see its programme, it deceitfully seemed democratic.
TPLF junta was not a federalist party either which entertained diversity as it spoke time and time again rather it was a unitary party which did not look forward to transforming the Tigray State to the next chapter. It caused damage to the people of Tigrayans as it has been deliberately done on others according to the Minister. He noted that TPLF junta was a party that believed in political hassle but not accustomed to negotiate with others honestly. Instead of looking for things in a civilized manner and governing itself by the law of the land, the party preferred law of the jungle so as to maximize its benefits in the shortest possible way.
Within 50 years’ time, it had been in fight with many political parties operating in Ethiopia. The party had not been in good communication with political parties such as Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, Ethiopian Democratic Union, Derg and others. Even it had no peaceful coexistence with parties that formed a coalition with it too.
Asked about the rhetoric Tigray people and TPLF are one and the same. Zadig replied that as an observer, I can reflect some points in this regard. Theoretically, we need to ask ‘can a society and a party become one and the same’? Party is explained by its programmes. For instance, TPLF believed in revolutionary democracy but this does not mean that all Tigrians (almost six million people) believed in TPLF’s political programme. When the party was in armed struggle, many of its members belonged to EPRP.
The person who held the second or third positions in Derg was Tigray. And a number of army members came from Tigray State. People from Tigray were members of the All Ethiopian Socialist Movement (AESM), their number was few though.
Even during the armed struggle, all Tigrians were not members of TPLF. And now, many political parties are operating in Tigary State and each of them has their own supporters. This shows that Tigray people and TPLF are not one and the same.
Had the people were with the party, the law enforcement operation against the junta would have not been concluded easily in Tigray State. If the Tigray people and TPLF were one and the same, the people would have not expressed happiness in areas where Ethiopian defense force controlled. Most of the people laid down their arms themselves and gave to ENDF. Therefore, such a sort of argument is not acceptable and gibberish.
Asked if some people still talk about the war in Tigray is not concluded. He replied that as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed indicated that there is no war in Tigray now. Efforts have been exerted to haunt and arrest higher officials of TPLF junta and a number of them have been captured as a result. There is no war but there may be some individuals who need hostilities.
Wish or dream and the reality on the ground is totally different. The reality is, the law enforcement job is concluded and the fugitive TPLF has no power to do so. Now, the government has been highly engaged in rehabilitating the community and the state through provision of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction of infrastructures which were destroyed by the fugitive TPLF. As the rehabilitation tasks should not be left to the government alone, I called upon the people to take their own stake in the restoration process of the highly destroyed areas, Zadig wrapped up.
“The Prosperity Party is well acquainted with the behavior of TPLF but its new political outlook has opened doors wide for all contending political parties operating in Ethiopia including TPLF junta. But the clique wasted its chance and failed to embrace new political opportunity.”
He said: “Other members of Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democracy Front (EPRDF) were granted pardon and joined PP. But, TPLF was not regretted by its misdeeds and did not offer an apology and join the PP. It rather considered the reform as treasonous act and considers PP as a party colluding with foreigners to achieve its ambitions. But, TPLF took itself as a nationalist party which cared about Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
However, the Prosperity Party had been working to bring TPLF junta back on truck and correct its misdeeds through creating various platforms before and after formation PP. Prime Minister Abiy himself has exerted efforts in this regard. But, TPLF mistook it for fear and finally lost the golden opportunity to transform itself to the next stage. And, the case was culminated by law enforcement measure.
As a party, the fugitive TPLF junta could not grow day in day out. Though it was governing the country for years, it had never transformed itself rather stuck to obsolete ideologies. That is why; it never comes out of gorilla fighting perception and it preferred to resolve differences using guns. This clearly depicted that TPLF junta was not a reform party.
As mentioned earlier, TPLF junta was not a party that believed in equality. There was no equality within the party even; few individuals had the power to do whatever they wished. There was no equality among political parties and military officers too. TPLF tried to portray itself as if it ensured equality among peoples and between political parties etc. However, it was a party not willing to change its political ideology and programmes which it had used for the past 50 years. It had not been a democratic party but when you see its programme, it deceitfully seemed democratic.
TPLF junta was not a federalist party either which entertained diversity as it spoke time and time again rather it was a unitary party which did not look forward to transforming the Tigray State to the next chapter. It caused damage to the people of Tigrayans as it has been deliberately done on others according to the Minister. He noted that TPLF junta was a party that believed in political hassle but not accustomed to negotiate with others honestly. Instead of looking for things in a civilized manner and governing itself by the law of the land, the party preferred law of the jungle so as to maximize its benefits in the shortest possible way.
Within 50 years’ time, it had been in fight with many political parties operating in Ethiopia. The party had not been in good communication with political parties such as Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party, Ethiopian Democratic Union, Derg and others. Even it had no peaceful coexistence with parties that formed a coalition with it too.
Asked about the rhetoric Tigray people and TPLF are one and the same. Zadig replied that as an observer, I can reflect some points in this regard. Theoretically, we need to ask ‘can a society and a party become one and the same’? Party is explained by its programmes. For instance, TPLF believed in revolutionary democracy but this does not mean that all Tigrians (almost six million people) believed in TPLF’s political programme. When the party was in armed struggle, many of its members belonged to EPRP.
The person who held the second or third positions in Derg was Tigray. And a number of army members came from Tigray State. People from Tigray were members of the All Ethiopian Socialist Movement (AESM), their number was few though.
Even during the armed struggle, all Tigrians were not members of TPLF. And now, many political parties are operating in Tigary State and each of them has their own supporters. This shows that Tigray people and TPLF are not one and the same.
Had the people were with the party, the law enforcement operation against the junta would have not been concluded easily in Tigray State. If the Tigray people and TPLF were one and the same, the people would have not expressed happiness in areas where Ethiopian defense force controlled. Most of the people laid down their arms themselves and gave to ENDF. Therefore, such a sort of argument is not acceptable and gibberish.
Asked if some people still talk about the war in Tigray is not concluded. He replied that as Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed indicated that there is no war in Tigray now. Efforts have been exerted to haunt and arrest higher officials of TPLF junta and a number of them have been captured as a result. There is no war but there may be some individuals who need hostilities.
Wish or dream and the reality on the ground is totally different. The reality is, the law enforcement job is concluded and the fugitive TPLF has no power to do so. Now, the government has been highly engaged in rehabilitating the community and the state through provision of humanitarian assistance and reconstruction of infrastructures which were destroyed by the fugitive TPLF. As the rehabilitation tasks should not be left to the government alone, I called upon the people to take their own stake in the restoration process of the highly destroyed areas, Zadig wrapped up.
The Ethiopian Herald January 9 /2021
