PART II
During the past two or three years, the country has been rocked by various incidents of horrible violence, almost always targeting innocent people everywhere, and for reasons that are difficult to comprehend or explain. We have observed that at the base of the assault, killings and destruction there have often been venomous issues of ‘identity and origin’ or belief orchestrated by extremist forces, may be some alien factors as well! This has been completely expanded to cover practically every community. And it could be explained why there is little appetite for any kind of election preparations under similar agonizing threats!
It is of course very sad to observe these cruelties but giving in to them and all hope could only satisfy the ‘plans’ of these extremist fragments or forces. Instead, strong condemnation and resistance and a firm resolve to go ahead with the positive attitude of hope and change and beginning with working hard, campaigning as hard as possible against narrow ethnic agendas should be the policy to adopt by anyone who has at heart the success of the country.
At a time when unity of purpose and objectives is most needed, at a time when the enemies of the country both traditional and newly emerged ones are trying to divide and weaken the country, Ethiopians should raise their voices loud and clear, showing them that there is no way that the country will submit to certain alien influences aiming to apparently colonize it, something that never happened in history and will never occur!
Ever since a reformist government was sworn in the country, changes have been experienced at various levels. Of course not everything that is changed is in any way perfect or ideal! Change may result in traumatic experience particularly for those who have the belief or conviction that their vested interests might be compromised. Change often involves some form of resistance because people do not embrace new ideas, new ways of doing things immediately. The proverb in our country runs “better the devil I know than the angel I do not!” Because they need to be convinced about how a better future may be in the pipeline and that is not always very easy.
But most of all, change is rejected and condemned by well established and well off communities in any social setting, the privileged. Any change for them presents a threat to their interests and they feel that the more just a society may be, the more endangered their privileges might be.
Hundreds if not thousands have been savagely killed by these not well identified forces. Many have resorted to accusing the incumbent for not being up to the task while the government declares it continues with the efforts of attending all those who do not want the reform to continue and that, willing or not, it will continue with the changes. Some even go to the extent of accusing the incumbent of ‘complicity’ in trying to consolidate its position in several areas, especially where it thinks it is not so popular and may be thrown out of favours!
There are many who believe that the alleged ‘reform’ has not materialized as it was hoped and either the situation has become worse than ever before (because the policies are accused of being even more ‘ethnic’ and ‘discriminatory’ and it is the actors only that have changed, or it has changed too little in substance) or it has continued any way in the same manner. They accuse the government of trying to run the affairs of the country in a permanent manner even without having the permanent legal mandate or forgetting that it was ‘an interim administration’. Some have accused it of gathering immense security apparatus as well as armed forces so that it can perpetuate its reign rather than prepare to eventually leave office if actually outvoted. There is a kind of skepticism that no one can eradicate totally from the minds of potential electors.
There have been made allegations that the rhetoric of the authorities of Prosperity Party shows that they will remain in power by hook or crook. These forces say the authorities will do everything they can to hold on to their present powers and privileges. Some supporters of the Prosperity Party are even accused of stating boldly that now that ‘they have come to seize the tiger’s tail, they are not willing to let it go!’ Indeed the fierce resistance to let go the power and privileges that certain cadres have come to enjoy seems palpable in certain circles. And they are in many ways the source of people’s suspicion that they could very well result to be a liability to the real good apples in the party.
In this regard, the role of ‘activists’, the splinter media outlets and social media could result decisive. In the end, an election cannot be determined by a few factors or individuals or groups only, and that the influence of many add up to create a thought or an impression, and a process. It is also a sign of maturity of the people in the process.
Impressions and perceptions do matter in politics even more than actual tangible reality and logic; and there could be dangerous implications if we do not manage to administer them smoothly and positively. The attitude of the public is key in any such exercise. That is why everybody needs to be mobilized to push the country one step ahead in the right direction.
If at all there is no fiery enthusiasm for the election, at least there must be some form of consensus to carry it out peacefully and credibly and then gauge the outcome so that it could at least serve as a first time impression, a first time national poll and use it as a launching pad for future better elections, better results. The process however must begin somewhere, just as the Chinese say ‘a journey of one thousand miles begins with one step!
BY FITSUM GETACHEW
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD MAY 27/ 2021
