BY MENGESHA AMARE
Ethiopia is home to over 110 populations and is now in a journey of bringing about social, economic and political changes in all aspects. Two factors are central to contribute to the ongoing change in terms of human and financial resources: developing spirit of coordination and fortifying peaceful co-existence.
Particular attention has to be given to capacity building programs and prioritization of key people, opinion leaders, and the elderly and respected individuals who have well cultivated the culture of harmonious way of living, fraternity and amicable panache.
Having a short stay with The Ethiopian Herald, Deribie Seboka, a Sociology and Social Anthropology graduate from Addis Ababa University said that our forefathers and foremothers as well as religious fathers have sown a good seed among posterity and better equipped as agents of change through their teachings and leadership in various spheres.
He said Ethiopians indeed have a moral obligation to accept and execute peace-promoting programs based on their social values, norms and cultural inheritances. Religious institutions in this regard have a unique role in influencing and disseminating relevant and timely information to their respective communities, and lifting up the needs and concerns of their followers and relevant stakeholders.
This indicates that everyone can play a decisive role in buttressing the spirit of living together, fostering coexistence and helping one another with a view to bridging the communal gap created for the last close to three decades.
“Based on the various aspects to fortify unity, the youth should be given primary attention so that their youthful energy and potential can be used for constructive aims in a bid to help the country to make a difference,” he opined.
He said, “For all Ethiopian youth to become instruments of change, they have to be properly mobilized and organized so that they can resist negative external and internal influences and preserve, and even further invigorate Ethiopians unity, peace and tolerance. Maintaining our togetherness is a critical element in the positive image-building of this great nation. With the ongoing socio-political change, each development actor has to play their role in a way that speeds up the change that we would like to see and promote tolerance and peaceful co-existence.”
He further said that the pessimistic ethnocentric beliefs rooted for close to three decades have not only add fuel to fire on attitudes of prejudice, but they also often lead to behaviors of exploitation, discrimination, and mass killings and even to ethnic cleansing and genocide as what is witnessed here and there in the country This means the culture of coexistence has been buried so far though started reviving today.
As to Deribie, the very grounded socio-psychological rivalry among society members has been supported by political, economic and political agendum incorporating even international institutions. After the severe steps to reinvigorate amicable relations among citizens, there is now a promising move towards buttressing coexistence, fraternity and a harmonious way of life.
The very good thing right now is a range of segments of the society, different groups, organizations, and institutions see the achievement of coexistence as an important societal objective to bring about change in all aspects.
“The recent reform has helped citizens enjoy having equality and unity in various aspects. There are I think Five Principles of peaceful coexistence namely: mutual respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity, mutual non-aggression, non-interference in each other’s internal affairs, equality and mutual benefit, and pacific cohabitation,” he cited.
At this critical moment, we all Ethiopians have to march against the betrayals, which have done a lot to destabilize Ethiopia working in collaboration with its enemies.
Yes, Ethiopians have always prioritized peace as it is the precious and decisive factor for a harmonious life. Having been tested by multifarious ups and down for the last three decades, Ethiopians have right now embodied the values of sovereignty, justice, democracy and rule of law, and widely march to safeguard their beloved nation—Ethiopia.
The above principles hold an integrated, interconnected and indivisible concept, capture the essence of today’s international relations, and can apply to relations among all citizens regardless of their social status, age, sex, religion and academic level.
Hence, a number of people in various parts of the nation are still suffering from hunger and calamites emanate from displacement caused by the terrorist group—TPLF. However, it will purely bend down by consolidating unity and flourishing coexistence.
Deribie further stated that no infringement upon the sovereignty and territorial integrity of a country is allowed. Ethiopians should respect each other’s core interests and key concerns. These are fundamental rules which should not be cast aside or undermined at any time.
As to Deribie, disputes and differences among citizens should be resolved through dialogue, consultation and peaceful means. We should increase mutual trust, and settle disputes and promote security through dialogue. Willful threat or use of force should be rejected. Security can be solid and enduring only if it is based on moral high ground and vision.
Yes, he said, Ethiopia should jointly uphold and develop an open national economy, promote strong, sustainable and balanced global growth as well as trade and investment liberalization and facilitation and uphold open regional cooperation. It should also oppose protectionism of all forms and any attempt or practice to hurt others’ interests.
“We Ethiopian should help each other out in times of difficulty and assume both rights and responsibilities. We should work together to address growing global issues such as climate change, energy and resources security, cybersecurity and major natural disasters, in a common endeavor to protect our planet which is so crucial to our survival,” he added.
We should jointly promote greater democracy in international relations. The destiny of the world must be determined by people of all countries, and world affairs should be managed through consultation by governments and peoples of all countries. The notion of dominating international affairs belongs to a different age, and such an attempt is doomed to failure.
All Ethiopians should jointly promote the rule of law in international relations. We should urge all parties to abide by international law and well-recognized basic principles governing international relations and use widely applicable rules to tell right from wrong and pursue peace and development.
Relations with other developing and developed countries underpin Ethiopia’s foreign policy and it pursues a balanced approach to upholding principles and pursuing interests.
All Ethiopians are expected to actively work towards building a new model of major country relationship with many foreign countries forging a comprehensive strategic partnership of coordination.
So the old sayings go, “A journey of one thousand miles begins with the first step” and “Drops of water join to make a stream,” Ethiopians have made synergy to make their country a shining one starting from a span—Today’s unity.
He also said that instruction for coexistence needs to be intentional, planned, controlled, mandatory, and inclusive. The objectives of education for coexistence are to form values, motivations, beliefs, attitudes, emotions, and behavior patterns among children and adolescents that are conducive to coexistence. Thus, Ethiopia has been known since ancient times as a land of peace and peaceful coexistence and tolerance.
In a nutshell, it is a deep appreciation of the rich diversity of our cultures, our forms of expressions and ways of being human. Therefore, tolerance is harmony in difference. As long as incompatibilities exist, we have to enter into an agreement to solve our problems by peaceful means. As a diverse society, we have to continue the process of going towards a shared future. Therefore, it is in the spirit of compassion, mutual understanding and commitment to peace, as inspired by our respective understanding of truth and by our common existence in all its diversities.
May Peace Prevail on Ethiopia!
The Ethiopian Herald August 17/2021
