A horse is a domesticated animal used for racing, transportation and as a beast of burden. In some places around the world they use it for farming. Presumably, this animal, like humans, was in the state of nature exercising its natural rights until man interfered in its life by domesticating to use it as a means of mainly transportation those days when there were no other better means. Even today, in many urban and rural areas of the world, the service of the horse including transportation is of high importance.
The domestication was not done in the mutual interest of both man and the animal or the horse. Since it was done by force, the consent of the animal was not taken into consideration; only the advantage of man prevailed. A horse, by nature, has many unique characteristics, but the main traits are typically categorized as social, aloof, challenging, and fearful. Horse’s behavior is usually friendly and generous, so it is able to make a lot of human friends if handled friendly. If not, it distances itself and fights terribly. Nobody can control easily for that matter.
With the same impetus, a country can be friendly to other countries if given the due political respect and recognition. A peaceful coexistence is aspired for independent political and physical geography for both countries that happen to share similar national interests in a given historical era.
In this twenty-first century, Ethiopia is faced with a perplexing and staggering situation while she is trying to steadily and strongly walk socially, economically and politically with head up. At this time, the security of the country is at stake because of some anti-national elements in the northern part of the country. This group, in the name of the liberation of the Tigray people, had previously ruled Ethiopia with iron fist for nearly three decades. Ethiopians, when they no more could bear the tyrannical system, they toppled TPLF from its suppressive power of which it had planned to remain in control for as long as it wanted. But soon after, this group known as the Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) fled to Mekele, the capital city of Tigray region.
The West and the United States are not in favor of the new democratically elected federal government of Ethiopia, as it is not the type of government that they can easily ride on like a horse that could take them to their political destination of controlling the horn of Africa at large. Such a wish can be attained only if the leader hands over its democratic leadership rights to their financial allurement and other benefits forsaking the interest of his freedom-seeking citizens. However, the case in Ethiopia is diametrically opposite to the malicious schemes of the international community that always strives to economically and politically subjugate the third world countries mainly the ones in sub- Sahara.
They believe that if Europe and the United States have to continue with their high living standard, developing countries especially Africans have to be put under control by every means possible. To this effect, they desire to establish a ‘Yes, Sir!’ or stooge government which they can manipulate to accomplish anything which is in line with their national interest. Ethiopia’s leaders, except during the twenty-seven years of TPLF’s rule, had never been like that. Things keep changing and now it is unlikely that they can ride on the same old horse that can carry them to any distance.
Ethiopia, unless she is given the due respect as a sovereign nation to handle her own affairs without the interference of any external power, she is ready to break away the shackles more than ever. After all Ethiopia is among the countries in the horn of Africa which is located on the main shipping route for the transport of oil from the Persian Gulf to Europe and the United States. This is considered one of the most strategically important regions in the world. Tampering with interest of Ethiopia will be playing with fire.
How can the U.S. development assistance focuses on reducing poverty and supporting economic development while cutting financial aid and even cancelling Ethiopia from the list of countries benefitting from AGOA just to assist the TPLF despite what it has done to the people in Northern Ethiopia?
In the face of such unfairness the Human Rights Watch, which often blames Ethiopia for human rights violation illogically, says the aid given by the United States is being abused to erode democracy in Ethiopia. Does this statement refer to the present democratically elected government or the deposed government of the TPLF? The statement can truly hold water if it refers to the latter. During the previous rule, International aids and loans hardly trickled down to the people supposed to benefit from it.
The United States working with its allies and partners is committed to forcing Ethiopia to negotiate with TPLF for what it calls sustainable ceasefire and a peaceful resolution of the conflict shoving under the rug all the atrocities that the junta has inflicted on the people of Amhara and Afar regions.
The Horn of Africa is a region continuously in crisis. Who saws the seeds of trouble in the area and why? Ethiopia, as a matter of fact, occupies a predominant position in the Horn because of its demographic importance: about 85% of the area’s population lives in this country. The demographics of Ethiopia encompass the demographic features of the inhabitants in Ethiopia, including ethnicity, languages, population density, education level, health, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population. The possibility of all these aspects, especially the co-existence of the different ethnic groups, uniquely exhibits the greatness of Ethiopia as a nation. Could this be the reason why the West and the United States focus on the political, social and economic issues of the country?
United States vociferously affirms that as the second most populous country in Africa, Ethiopia is one of United States’ largest and most complex assistance programs. Ethiopia is among the most effective U.S. development partners on the continent, particularly in the areas of health care, education, and food security.
Unfortunately, little to no improvements have been made in terms of socio-economic or political development in the areas of rule of law and democratic governance as Africa remains the poorest continent in the world according to Gross National Income (GNI) and the Human Development Index (HDI). Why?
By means of serious studies, Botswana and Somalia were used as case studies to find clarity on why intended results have or have not been achieved considering the vast amounts of money received in foreign aid for development.
Research shows that the positive impact of foreign aid is often marred by bad governance, weak rule of law, high levels of corruption, absence of strong democratic institutions and lack of accountability and information control by government officials. When all these counter development crimes took place, why did the donors and financial institutions stand aside and quietly watched? Was it because the horses might refuse to obey what they command them to do? Those years, theoretically the Ethiopian GDP rose to 11% which was confirmed by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank. They deliberately turned blind eye unable to face reality of the people’s dire economic condition.
Ethiopia’s economy experienced strong, broad-based growth averaging 9.4% a year from 2010/11 to 2019/20, Ethiopia’s real gross domestic product (GDP) growth slowed down to 6.1% in 2019/20 due to COVID-19 (coronavirus pandemic). Industry, mainly construction, and services accounted for most of the growth. During the years from 2010/11 to 2019/20 when the growth average was 9.4% why were the people still in dire poverty? But the beneficiaries were those in power or the obedient horses at that time.
Ethiopia, at this intensive moment of crisis, does not yield to the desire of the conceptual West serving as a horse that does not have any choice.
By Joseph Soboka
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD WEDNESDAY 16 MARCH 2022
