Dear Members of Congress,
Ethiopia is set to hold a national election in June 2021. This long-awaited election is edging to become a watershed moment in Africa’s second most populous country. For the first time, Ethiopians will participate in an election overseen by an autonomous body, the national elections board of Ethiopia, now chaired by former opposition figure Birtukan Mideksa, who was jailed and exiled for her political involvement in the aftermath of the 2005 elections. The board has demonstrated its commitment to remain independent, even by publicly pressuring the current ruling party to adhere to the rules and regulations set by the board. This is unprecedented in the history of Ethiopia’s elections.
Democracy is a process as much as it is an outcome, hence the nascent democracy that is growing roots will take time to fully develop, but it must commence as planned. Nothing else can be more destabilizing that the calling for cancellations and/or premature invalidation of the process. As things stand, out of 66 million eligible voters, 36 million have registered to vote, and the number of registered voters is expected to grow as we approach the registration deadline. The number speaks for itself and shows Ethiopian’s strong aspiration and commitment for a stable, peaceful and democratic future.
Alluding to political instability as a reason to postpone elections and move towards an all-inclusive national dialogue presents more uncertainty, not less. Although national dialogue can sustain short term peace, it is unsuited for the current political environment in Ethiopia. In fact, given the current situation, it will more than likely be the start of a protracted conflict, which will inevitably lead towards a failed state status, providing a breeding ground for international terrorist actors, such as Al Qaeda in Africa.
Parties calling for national dialogue hold diametrically opposing and irreconcilable views about the country’s future, hence why it is necessary to hold the elections on the scheduled timeline, and the peoples voices heard. Given the current political landscape, a national dialogue will only bring forth fringe factions with incompatible narratives and set the stage for a much bigger crisis. Polarizing political figures with a zero-sum mentality cannot be expected to agree to a negotiated settlement in any national dialogue process. The past two years have demonstrated this.
Furthermore, holding elections during times of political crisis is not unprecedented, not just by world standards but also in Ethiopia. For examples during the last election cycle, elections in the Somali region of the country were held among an active insurgency.
To cite an example closer to home for Americans, the presidential elections of 1864 was held during the ongoing American Civil war. President Abraham Lincoln carried his national Union Party to victory despite concerns of exasperating the crisis and talks to delay the presidential election. Ethiopians find themselves in a similar situation, between those who see the critical importance of the democratic process and those who seek to oppose it and further destabilize the nation and the entire region.
Ethiopia is at a cross roads and will emerge as a strong and stable country in the horn of Africa and a strong ally of the United States. With this in mind we urge the US congress to reconsider statements made by its members and stand behind the majority of Ethiopians who are aspiring to build a democratic and inclusive system. In our view supporting the election and the reform process started by Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed’s administration is in the interest of both Ethiopia and the United States.
Presently, there are 51 political parties registered and actively campaigning to win over constituencies. These parties include ethnic and non-ethnic based parties, some of who have had a not so amenable relationship with the current ruling party. Even formerly armed groups, such as the Ogaden Liberation Front, have agreed to put down their arms and join the democratic process after more than 45 years of armed struggle. This is a tremendous development for advancing democracy.
There are, of course, those who have sought to delegitimize the elections by citing repression. One of those prominent groups is the Oromo Federalist Congress whose leadership withdrew from the electoral process due to arrests of their members including leading figures, Jawar Muhammad and Bekele Gerba. However, it is well known that the imprisonment of these individuals is wholly apolitical, having to do with their involvement in the pre-meditated insurrections staged in late June and early July 2020, resulting in ethnic riots and the loss of 166 lives as reported by major international media outlets including BBC and CNN.
Lastly, in the aftermath of the newly emerged Tigray conflict, we believe the coordinated and deceitful disinformation campaign of the now terrorist designated TPLF party is obscuring sober resolutions and policy among some members of congress. The overly exaggerated, sensationalized, and in some cases, fabricated claims made by belligerent parties in Ethiopia should not be allowed to influence public opinion and muddy U.S. Congress and Ethiopian American relations. The diaspora community is fully committed and eager to see their representatives support a peaceful and orderly election in the upcoming national parliamentary elections in Ethiopia.
Sincerely,
Solomon Jemaneh
The Ethiopian Herald May 20/2021
