BY STAFF REPORTER
Ustaz Jemal Bashir was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. He attended primary and secondary school education at Abadir Primary School and Addis Ketema Secondary School respectively. He then joined the Islamic University of Madinah where he did his first degree in Sharia Islamic Law- it is a field of study that intertwines the law of the world with that of the Sharia.
After he returned to Addis, he also studied Philology at Addis Ababa University. The Ethiopian press agency has spent an hour to discuss his initiatives to debate with media practitioners, activities of the Arab world on issues related to GERD and Nile waters. Have a nice read!
Some people consult others to love their country as you did. In any case, what is the cause for that? Is there anyone who influenced you to make it practical?
As for me, everyone loves his own country as it is a natural phenomenon. The way we adore our country requires the concern of others. Child rearing, education and other factors have their influence on every one of us to adore our country. I passed through religious education.
I was attending religious schools of both Christian and Islam. Religious education shaped your outlook. Of which one is supporting one another. The most significant point is thinking good for others. Stand for those who are marginalized. Loving a nation is a natural, human and religious sentiment. This is the fact that we learned from neighbours, family and the society at large.
Some people set criteria to love or hate a country he/she belongs to which is not good enough. Rather, whether you are happy or unhappy, the love you have for your country should be the same. A typical example of this is a mother and son’s affectionate bond. Whatever the behaviour she has, be it rectitude or dreadfulness, her son couldn’t deny that she is not his/ her biological mother. Likewise, we should not change the country we reside in to get something temporarily.
People explained you as a patriot who stands in the front line to make a debate on issues directly or indirectly on GERD issues appearing in the international media platforms. What inspires you to do so?
As we are human beings, our capacity is limited. All people may rise to do something interesting to their capacity and would later succeed. Unfortunately, the issue of Abbay touches a range of issues and one among many is poverty. It is a fundamental issue that forced many people to migrate overseas. Some people have influenced the country or the pro-poor people to be champions in life. Therefore, if we won poverty once and for all, we can end loopholes in every aspect. When I think of the river Abbay, many development options which change the image of the country come to my mind from political, economic, religious and other sects.
Some Ethiopians had a chance to study in the Middle East. However, we never saw them debate for their country as you are doing? What do you think is the reason for this?
To stand for your country, including me, various inputs are needed. In addition to knowledge, you have to gain various pieces of advice. Thus, this requires advice from the people found at different stages. Following the divide and rule strategy of the previous government, the unity of the Ethiopian people has been classified along with race, religion etc as a result, some segments of the society were highly exposed to various calamities. One is the Muslim community. The previous rulers of Ethiopia had used their might to marginalize Islam and oppress.
Accordingly, a member of the Muslim community has not been thinking that it has gained equal division. So, many of our brothers have no equal patriotic sentiment with others and boldly speak about the countries they live in. For instance, during TPLF’s rule, young Muslims including me tried to echo the voices of the oppressed Muslim community and many of us ended up behind bars. However, I believe that someone needs to work for his country unconditionally. No criteria should be set to serve the motherland. We may ask for compensation for the damage that occurred previously but not hesitate to stand for Ethiopia’s sovereignty.
If someone did what is expected from him, and if all people do the same, collectively the country can gain magnificent benefits which moves one step forward. As for me, the shortage of acuity and our experience in the past are a hindrance to contributing greatly to the development of the country. Now, such sorts of impediments seem painless and the present scenario may shape intricacies. Especially, today’s political leaders are trying to insert the spirit of patriotism in the mind of citizens by serving the people uniformly. They are serving justice and governance for citizens equally and this by itself encourages people to love their country the most.
Egyptian scholars are highly involved in every international platform organized on the issue of Abbay waters and GERD. Why do you think Ethiopian scholars failed to do so?
The perception of both Christian and Muslim communities of Ethiopia to Egyptians and/or Arabs is far from a sense of trepidation since the early childhood period. This may be one factor that distracted us for a long.
For example, my father coined the name Jamal as he was adored Egypt’s former president Jamal Abdel Nasser. However, king Jemal tried to overthrow the regime of Emperor Haileselase I together with Mengistu Neway following the king’s plan to build a dam over the Abbay waters. However, our ancestors and people, in general, did not know this reality. In our school curriculum, there were no subject that talked about Abbay River. No one told us the significance of studying water and water resources. What is more, the Ethiopian farmers knew rain-fed agriculture but no one told them about the availability of underground water or about irrigation agriculture.
The reverse has happened when we turned our face to Egypt. Starting from a cotton plant which takes much of its water to vegetables, they used every drop of water properly to feed themselves and forced the region to be economically dependent on them. They also built water institutes that produced water specialists.
As of today, we (Ethiopians) should plan and execute various tasks focused on water-related issues. The government should place the issue of water into the school curriculum to increase the level of understanding of the people at large.
Egyptians have full support of the Arab League and they also gained support of western powers. Where do you think the weakness of Ethiopia is in this regard?
As I said earlier, this has happened due to lack of consciousness. There was an intrigue to distract us from water and related issues or to impede us if at all we attempt to. Apart from the point you mentioned earlier, the Arab league convinced and embraced both Somalia and Djibouti which is not acceptable in principle. They are making due support to any opposition party if it works to accomplish their agenda.
Ethiopia has its own space in the world and supplies its products to the world market. To the best of its capacity, Ethiopia should produce various vegetables and export them to the world market as Egypt does. Leaving what we already lost earlier, we need to stretch for the better. On the other hand, there is a false narrative that Egyptians raised: as the source of Abbay is Lake Victoria which is a mistake. We should work to face up to widening our differences, we stand together to win poverty irrespective of religion, racial and other differences.
The UN Security Council has been making summits repeatedly in connection with the war on the northern front. How do you see its stance about GERD?
Like that of world politics, Ethiopia’s political scenario is variable and has reached the present situation where countries are working to ensure mutual benefits. Some countries tie-up with Ethiopia to gain some benefits and the same is true for Egypt. There is a concept of balance. If the UN was drawn only from one part of the world we would be a victim. If you take the Western, they are highly attached with Egypt to gain some sort of benefit. Egypt is the main servant in the political drama the western has played in the Arab world. As a result, they did not want to lose Egypt at any cost. However, Russia, India and China stand along with Ethiopia. Thus, they cannot pass the decision which makes Egypt better-off. Thus, it is possible to say Ethiopia won the harder struggle as it has the firm stance that African problems should be resolved by Africans.
So, the GERD issue should be resolved by the African Union and the deal should not be time-bound. The UN gave an exit via respecting Ethiopia’s stance. We have to take care of signing agreements as Sudan did in 1959. However, the Declaration of Principles on the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam signed on March 23, 2015, by Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan in Khartoum are imperative. If we are successful in the upcoming agreement, things will be good.
Some western media outlets mislead their audience by providing fake or biased information. Apart from releasing accurate information what Ethiopia should do in this regard?
It is a matter of being proactive and reactive. They buy lobbyists who promote their ideas using BBC, Aljazeera, CNN and Allura and other media outlets which are worried that disseminating biased information makes western champions. However, Ethiopia has not gone through releasing accurate information to the rest of the world. Aljazeera is a media outlet highly invaded by experienced Egyptian media practitioners. They vividly allocate a budget for their lobbyists to promote the idea they need to. These are the very factors that help them to buy the world’s attention.
How do you see the reform? What is left?
The reform is good in all aspects. Prisoners who were arrested during the regime of EPRDF were released. Other peoples who were forced to leave the country due to their political or religious stance are now back to their country and moving freely. This implies that we are on the right track. If we work hard on it, it will grow more than ever before.
The election was free, fair and democratic. The political parties all witnessed it. However, some people hold political perceptions of EPRDF and operate in government offices and religious institutions. We have to consider that there may be some people who do something to reverse the reform.
Thus, apart from taking measures on those who operate to reverse the reform, the government should assist religious institutions to be standing on the right track. As some members of Muslim still said the reform is has not yet reached to us. So, the government has to work with genuine reform seekers rather than collecting people who conspire against the reform.
You have coordinated Ethiopians residing in the US to support the grand renaissance dam. In connection to the Ethiopian New Year, several Ethiopian Diasporas came home. What do you advise for the Diaspora community?
If the government builds a workable political system and builds a sense of belongingness among the Diaspora community, they will have the interest to invest and contribute to the development of Ethiopia. We can attract not only our citizens but also potential investors operating at the national level. We (Ethiopians) instead of falling in the ploy of our enemies and splitting one another, we have to widen our outlook to change not only Ethiopia but also the African continent. Thus, we have to wake up, stand in unison to crush the trap of our enemies and work to end hostilities in Ethiopia.
Thank you.
It’s my pleasure.
The Ethiopian Herald October 30/2021
