Being an Ethiopian is not a matter of choice. It is embedded in our identity. It circulates in our blood. It is the oxygen that we breathe, says Human right activist Obang Metho, an Executive Director for Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia.
For Obang Ethiopia always comes before his ethnicity. Times beyond number his strong sentiment for the land is reflected in his fight for humanity. Lately, The Ethiopian Herald had a chance of intercepting this human right activist and discuss Ethiopian politics and the change afoot in the country.
Ethiopian political system, which is structured based on ethnic lines and getting even is totally off the track. Obanf believes that this flaw is the formidable culprit of antipathy and social fractures.
“A guy who who grabbed the rein of political power try to exercise his greatness by avenging his predecessors or by eliminating them. When Derg ascended to power it discredited wholesome and destroyed what Haleselasse did the hardest way. Likewise, when the late Meles took power he repeated what Mengestu did. Our political structure lacks sustainability and continuity . This is totally wrong.”
Obang has reservation on the currentFederal system of the country. According to him, there are signs that show it is designed to benefit one group at the expense of others. He claims that the constitutions of the country is also tailored not to unify Ethiopians but to divide them.
Obang says that the concept of “Nation, Nationalities and Peoples” is also misconstrued to create differences instead of unity. This system has eclipsed justice and across-the-board treatments. Unless this trend is extirpated from the , it will have devastating effect on the nation.
According to Obang, for the last 27 years the political structure of the country was systematically set up to erode human dignity. He said, let alone for human beings, the system was not even conducive to animals.
He also said, ethnic federalism is a cancer to this country. It is eating us from within. The tumor of ethnic politics is killing the country. True to Dr. Abiy Ahmed’s words “ We have to chop it off!”
“By introducing ethnic-based administrations, cages are built to separate Ethiopian sense of unity and equality. People are not animals. You can not put them in cages. If you say this land belongs to X ethnic group, you are saying that if you do not belong to X ethnic group you should stay away from that X’s state. If you say `This land belongs to Y ethnic group`, you are saying that if you are not a member of Y ethnic group ,you should not go the domicile of Y.”
He noted the solidarity movement for a New Ethiopia must be built with the vision of imbuing Ethiopias with humanity before ethnicity. He also have a firm belief that no one will be free until all are free. This is how citizens should build the new Ethiopia.
He went on to say, when one sees oneself, one sees other Ethiopians. When one sees other Ethiopians one sees oneself. This is the new Ethiopia. There is a concept in West Africa, which is called “Ubuntu” which means “I exist because you exist and you exist because I exist”.
Unlike animals human beings are dependent on each other. The moment a baby is born he needs someone to care about him/her.
When asked what should be the role of politicians and human right activist Obong said, they have to teach the new generation true concept of Ethiopianism and humanity instead of ethnicity. Almost 70 percent of the population is young. This generation has to be nurtured with a concept of unity and one Ethiopia,true to the catch phrase of the reformed government. They have to nurture the value one life.
The life of an Ethiopian means a lot to many. Ethiopians are found almost allover the world. They have fled from their country because their life did not matter to the government. The life of a single Ethiopia has value for this country. Every Ethiopian matters.
“As a human right activist, I care about every Ethiopian. I do not attach to much attention to what ethnic group one represents. What matters most to me is his/her being a human being. Me and my team are concerned about the right of human beings. Ethiopia is our common home.”
The already started reform is encouraging. In this respect, citizens have to join hands to build new Ethiopia with a consensus.
What is more, he stressed that Ethiopia deserves a national party in lieu of a tribal one. The country deserves political leaders with a broader scope. A family that is not united will easily disintegrate. Ethiopians have to work hard and teach the young generation to re-humanize themselves.
Everyone is a messenger of change. Citizens shall not be Trojan horses of hate. “We should not repeat the same mistake like our predecessors. We should not promote ethnic dominance. We have to preach morality and above all “Ethiopiawinet,”he wrapped up.
Herald December 9/2018
BY LEULSEGED WORKU
