Unitary symbol scheme and citizenship right are instrumental to define federalist administrative sketches and to urgently address public grievances. Social Democracy Party Deputy Chairperson, Tilahun Endeshaw said that externalizing unfavorable circumstances and karmas upon the government and/or other ethnic, religious groups is becoming a dayto-day activity of citizens, hailing from diverse ethnic and religious backdrops.
He said that due to having a sort of border demarcation and borderline in account of ethnic background in the constitution preamble, citizens have been manipulated easily to confine themselves in the deadlock of prejudice and stereotype thinking, hostility, ethnocentrism and high violence. Adding, he said, such morally and illicit acts lead to materialistic and identity conflicts.
He noted that having twisted ideological make up enshrined in the constitution namely article number 39 and 47 that deal with rights to self-determination and regional borderline, the unreformed EPRDF was grappling with leading the public. The blame for the current political instability and exodus displacement goes to it.
He pointed out that the public grievance has emanated from economic downslide, erroneous assumption and interpretation on federalism concept, lack of federalism cost-benefit assessment, isolation and marginalization among the diversified people, among others. He stated that ethnic-based federalism, in the absence of national unification and solidarity, has undesirable influence for political firmness and tranquility of a given nation.
He remarked that it is paramount to put in place diversified people -based administrative hierarchical frameworks. Demarcating state borders via ethnic background does not prove plausible. Tigray Democratic Coalition Party Chief Dr. Aregawi Berhe on his part said that political dialogue and democratization are viable packages to redress nation-wide public grievances.
He further said that the government should strike out article 39 from the constitution, for the article which allows Nations, Nationalities and People rights to extent of self-determination or secession. It erodes cycle of societal togetherness and thwarts tolerable bondages. Therefore, instead of aggravating hostility and demanding self-determination, it is a farsighted measure to deal on the root causes of conflict, disagreement which leads towards political instability,” He added.
He pointed out that public grievances have been rampant in the country for want of democratic freedom and due to economic melt downs. He highlighted that EPRDF’s had intent to settle administrative demarcation solely for political consumption and gain. Sticking to the concrete idealistic concept of citizenship right simultaneously with nation, nationalities rights is of paramount significance to bring consistency peace tranquility in the nation.
The Ethiopian Herald, February 24/2019
BY MEHARI BEYENE
