Today’s guest is Getachew Kassa. (PHD). Getachew was born in Guji Zone, Oromia State Ethiopia. He started his education in one of the schools in his hometown. He earned his BA from Addis Ababa University in history.
Then, he went to West Germany and learned African history, anthropology, sociology and Islam at Bayreuth University. He earned his MA in social anthropology from University of Bayreuth.
He conducted numerous researches on socio-economic and political issues of Eastern Africa. One of his research papers is the on the Garri and Borana communities. Then, he went to London and earned his Ph.D in social anthropology from the University of London. For his Ph.D, he did a research on the Afar people at the School of Oriental Studies, London.
Completing his Ph.D, studies he is conducting researches on the pastoralists of Eastern Africa. Currently, he is an instructor at Addis Ababa University at the Institute of African Studies.
He is the director of Ethiopian studies on the masters program in indigenous systems like conflict management and knowledge coordinator of Ph.D program and instructor at the Institute of African Studies. The Ethiopian Herald had a moment with Dr. Getachew Kassa.
Herald: How do you assess the politics of the Horn?
Getachew: The current integration among countries of the horn is in good shape than ever before. The region is a much-needed place. It is the most strategic place for developed countries.
All are vying to control the trade routes and resources in the vicinity. Countries in the vicinity need more unity and integration because the place entails many complicated and diplomatic issue.
Herald: What is your say on the diplomatic relation on the horn? What should be done?
Getachew: Countries in the Horn should be united to preempt any possible conflicts in the vicinity. They should be more integrated in maintaining peace. The main problem of the region resides in politics. The countries have their own internal problems. In the region, there are groups who call themselves freedom fighters and liberation fronts but who act as terrorists.
These are the main things that leave doors ajar to foreigners to intervene in the internal affairs of the countries. But if they stay united, there would be no place for these groups to hide. It helps them to build bilateral benefits. Especially, IGAD should be strong enough in effecting a responsible and good leadership for countries.
The people in the Horn share culture, religion, ethics, norms and values. There should not be divisive feelings among such countries. So, unity is the only way they could make use of to stay strong and have a sovereign country.
Herald: How do you see the Ethio-Eritrean relations?
Getachew: Actually I do not like politics. It was not my area of study. But if you are asking about the people- to-people relations, Eritreans are people who share the same culture, language, religion, ethics and norms with Ethiopians. For example, I have done many researches around Afar and I know the commonalities both peoples share.
They do share the same leadership style, culture, religion among others. Especially, they are more united in religion. But what divided the two were only political decisions made by the leaders. Due to this, there were brow beatings and lootings among the two peoples. This discouraged the smokeless industry in the two countries.
Needless to mention this as well discourages the influx of tourists to the two countries. Now, the two can easily and together promote their culture and tourism to the outside world. In addition, the market interaction in the area could breathe life into the economy of the people.
People on the border could benefit a lot. If they unite themselves in such a way, there would be no foreign intervention. It should be done on the same way to other countries like Sudan, Kenya and Somalia.
Herald: What was the main point and objective of the paper you presented recently?
Getachew: In the past, strangers were cordially welcomed by the residents in a good and African way. There were high movements and interactions in our past style of life. There are no unbeaten roads and boundaries. Everyone had a right to move wherever s/he wants.
Though some groups controlled the place through bloody war, the culture of holding the losers or captives and treating them equally with others was there. But in the recent days, we are witnessing the displacement of the same people who share the same religion, culture, norms and ethics.
This is the importation of external powers. Humanity, brotherhood and sharing were the common features in Africa’s culture. However, we are bartering the human-based culture to the marketbased system which commonly leans towards capitalism. Previously, land belonged to our ancestors. Their living and their future was suspended on it.
But if things are changed to market transaction things will go wrong. Because we Africans may lose our social fabric due to the culture of intolerance imported from the west. In the past, Africans had traditional leaders who were committed to serve the people.
We had our system to educate and punish the one found guilty. Lessons begin at the family. For example, if one belongs to a peasant family, one will learn how to till the land, when to till it, what kinds of crops to sow, among others.
This way of education proves decisive. But the current copied education policies from foreign countries are posing additional problems on the continent. Whenever we talk about our past, we start with backwardness. This is the dangerous thing that is poisoning the mindset of this generation. We downplayed all what we had and accepted others’ culture which is inappropriate to our indigenous culture.
Even the education system is one of the causes that brought destruction to the continent. For example, if one got a Ph.D in agriculture, his aim runs counter to that of his fathers.
He makes haste to apply the new system he learned rather than investigating how his forefathers lived. We never brought something that strengthened the previous knowledge. First, the western education makes one deny oneself and accept theirs as an absolute one.
The current troubleshooting training and education are fomenting problems. Our mind is being white’s captive. We have to seek ways on how to moderate the indigenous cultural knowledge which is easy and significant to propel the continent forward.
For example, if one looks at the Asian countries, they accepted science without eroding their respective indigenous cultures and ancestors’ worship. Still there is ancestors worship, culture and traditions.
This is what helped them to grow fast. For example there are countries with different languages, cultures and more than hundred ethnic groups. But they never fought each other like what we are experiencing in Africa.
In South East Asia, the peoples who went out for better education to other countries wouldn’t defect and remain there. Leaders do not contemplate running to hide themselves in other country, if they had done a mistake while leading the country, they would stay at home to receive punitive measures for their wrong deeds.
This is the result of using the modern science and indigenous traditions simultaneously in the right mix. In Africa’s case, leaders siphon country’s wealth to stash it away in western countries, where they hide with their family members.
This is the result of eroding all what we had and accepting what does not belong to us. That is why we are in conflict and ignorance still. So, the general objective of the paper was mainly focused on how to promote the system we had than looking after others. Let’s pick up what we have thrown.
Herald: What is the impact of the ongoing reform of Ethiopia on other African countries?
Getachew: Horn of Africa is known for ethnic conflicts and war in the region. Tribe and religious conflicts were there. Most of the conflicts were created as a result of what colonial powers did to the region.
“As the premier said “the existing borders are demarcated by colonial powers”. This is the main source of conflicts in Africa till now. In addition, there is a place people divided among themselves.
PM Abiy Ahmed’s move may change these problems. We need African citizenship not the citizenship of many small countries. This is what Nkrumah and Nyerere had been saying starting from the colonial period.
If we go to the horn, PM Abiy’s plan is very significant. He is trying to integrate the region. But my fear is the competition among Western, Middle East and Asian countries in the region. They are intervening too much and supporting the region as much.
I fear as if they are going to divide us not to integrate to freely loot the natural resources the region boasts. This area is not only a strategic area; it is also full of natural resources like oil, among others. They are investing much in the continent.
For example, China, Britain, USA and others are investing on mega projects like oil and electric power. In the near future, if the continent continues in a routine way of life, we would lose all what we have. Here the point is that African leaders should work on how to unite the continent.
Herald: What makes African youths pine for western countries, what do you think as the main factor?
Getachew: I think it is due to intellectual betrayal. The intellectuals are not teaching the socio-politics of the continent. Instead of capitalizing on what we have, they are working hard on erasing the culture and making youngsters feel inferior. They had never written the positive aspect of the continent.
They had been busy eroding the values rather than building the bridge to connect the socio-culture of the people in the continent. The second one is the political turmoil in the continent. Our leaders are the results of colonial education, which is another thing from the outside world. They downplayed their values as inferior and they overplayed imported ones as superior. This bent has been a disease starting from many years back. We are taking from the outside world but we had never appreciated our cultures. The leaders adopted the political system of other countries without knowing the advantages and disadvantages of the system of the society.
The same is true with the economic policies since the colonial times. In addition, there is a problem of bringing the institution which could not solve the problems in the society rather than influencing the society in a negative way. These are the main problems our leaders imported.
They are being the main factors to the problems in the continent. Currently, thanks to the flag we are free but economically we are dependent. The current leaders could not make any decision in the continent without the permission of westerns. Many leaders who oppose the idea had got killed and deposed from power by different ways.
In the continent, there are leaders who support the continental unity and also there are leaders who are strongly influenced by westerners’ preaching and never agree to unite due to the fake boundaries lined by colonial powers. People do not trust the government and government is not trusting people. That is why many leaders chose to be dictators. Until we create trust among leaders and people the continent will never change.
Herald: What is expected from youths in Africa to bring a change in the continent?
Getachew: First of all we need the empowerment of citizens, especially youths. In Africa, youths had never been promoted. First, the education system copied from other countries was imposed on them .They are never proud of their history. Second, there is an authoritarian system that does not involve youths. This is forcing youths to leave the continent in different ways.
If things continue in such a way, the continent would be under the control of colonizers in the form of modernity and modern slavery. The youth should look at what they have and work to change the continent. The government should teach them about their history and who they are. If not, we would continue losing human and natural resources which could transform the continent. In addition, there should be an education system which could be suitable to the environment they are living in. They should learn patriotism.
Herald March 24/2019
BY AMBO MEKASA
