Time for creating spirited cosmopolitan defense force

BY MENGESHA AMARE

 Like what they did during the two year northern Ethiopia conflict, the international media outlets have still pessimistically reporting about the issue of the restructuring of regional states’ Special Forces and merging them with the national defense force—the prime pillar of the nation. The scheme has been nationally crafted with a view to creating a cosmopolitan, communal as well as multinational force that would help the country confidently ensure its sovereignty and independence as well.

It is well recognized that countries which have one organized defense force in place of having military members be it special force or any other form in a scattered manner are respected and well safeguard. This optimistic move would undoubtedly instrumental in unwaveringly keep their national integrity, balance their political dynamics and ensure economic sovereignty.

The rationale behind restructuring regional Special Forces in Ethiopia was thought of two year ago and is started being exercised right now via merging all state Special Forces and coming up with an organized defense force. Such a remarkable step is of paramount importance in reinvigorating people-to-people ties, confidently up keeping dominion of the nation and fostering national commercial development in an organized manner.

Shouldering the intention of the extension of dismantling Ethiopia orchestrated two plus years ago, some international media outlets are moving in an organized manner and adding fuel to fire to instigate the general public clicking soft organs of certain nations and nationalities. Besides, those who would like to garner political benefit from within and abroad have been misinforming citizens to act against the national program of the government in due course of restructuring States’ special forces in a bid to make a strong national and well organized defense force and federal police, who would act nationality and willing to impartially render service to all nations and nationalities across the nation and treat them fairly and equally.

The move to reinforce and strengthen the nation’s defense forces does not in any way intend to deny and belittle the sacrifices paid by any or all of the regional special forces to stand by the National Defense Forces at bad times when the country had been seriously compromised and passed through a trying scenario following the unprecedentedly broke out severe nationwide security issues.

It is an undeniable fact and everyone all the time witnesses that the Special Forces have demonstrated their commitment for the sovereignty, security of the entire nation by turning out to the north when the nation was at stake. This has proved that their ultimate commitment goes beyond their respective regions and they always work hand in glove with the national defense forces despite the intents behind their formation.

 Most importantly, the restructuring of the National Defense Forces only intends to make the regional Special Forces part and parcel of the nationwide security forces through a dignified and rewarding process. This process would enable the regional security forces to be respectfully embraced by the nationwide defense structure for which they are already showing commitment directly or indirectly.

As far as I am concerned and even as history would have it, a given nation has to have one defense force—a crest of its sovereignty and national integrity, whose composition is made from all nations and nationalities if the country has a heterogeneous ethnic configuration, but highly cemented with a firm societal cohesion, national sense of belongingness and spirit of patriotism.

However, at some point in history in Ethiopia, informally set up security forces had been given to all regional states. Apart from having forces to contend with the national military arms, the presence of these forces has highly eroded citizens’ sentiment towards a greater nation throughout the country as each and every person has shielded in a confined plots of land setting the big picture—Ethiopia— aside.

The current task undertaken to assimilate Special Forces with defense forces and federal police would help all have national sentiment coming out of the box, restricted regional/state confined thinking. A viable means indeed!

However, the aforesaid international media well intertwined with anti-peace, anti-Ethiopia and anti-development elements have been disseminating futile attempts, misinformation and disinformation about the restructuring. They have known that their effort to dismantle Ethiopia was in vain. They are trying their best to do the same, but it has to be clear for them that their ill-breeding mission would never bear fruits.

No country in the world does have two defense forces, let alone forces distributed proportionally with the number of states or regions as what is practically happening in Ethiopia now, as the fundamental emblems of that country and accurate representatives of the people it houses. Contrary to have a number of security forces, be they are special ones or others, setting up a vigorous national defense force would help the country bring about lasting peace, viable democracy, sustainable development thereby creating a strong and great nation.

The fundamental issue here is these regional Special Forces have no constitutional basis for their establishment. The security of a nation is a collective issue that should not be treated on the objective situations of respective regions. A threat for the security of one region is a threat for all regions, and by implication for the entire nation. Therefore, fending off a security threat for any country should be a responsibility of a united, strong and dedicated defense force.

Since the regional Special Forces established in contravention of the Constitution and other principles of national security, they are informed that they should be dedicated solely for their respective regions. For instance, as Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armed Forces, General Abebaw Tadesse elaborated the issue recently, a special force set up in a given state doesn’t care about another state and vice versa because they are told to safeguard only the people of the state where they have come from, but both are Ethiopians.

Indeed, Ethiopia has to have a well-armed military force, defense force of which every citizen feels proud of. No doubt, members of the defense force do not have tribal/ethnic grouping, religion and place of origin as the whole Ethiopia is their home, and every part of the country does belong to them tantamount to a shepherded eloquent to all their sheep and goats.

Unequivocally, a nation resembles its defense forces though not limited to, and a cosmopolitan and vigorous defense force creates a nation. If this is so, Ethiopia must have a reliable, responsible and patriotic defense force full of gallantry, only one defense force in life, it means. This could be created and reinvigorated by merging the cunningly formed state special forces with them via liquefying the former.

Honestly speaking, no country in the world does have more than one defense force with a view to safeguarding it from external aggressors and infiltrators from within who would like to dismantle the nation shouldering reservations and/objections. Furthermore, all forces of Ethiopia have to resolve disparities and rivalries, if any, full of civility and close talks so long as they all are working for the same cause, getting Ethiopia prospered, unless some have run hidden agendum.

Cognizant of the fact that unity matters the most, the Ethiopian government is relentlessly working to provide Ethiopia with the international place it deserves. The restructuring process of Special Forces is one of the very thematic and invaluable areas by which an all rounded development and prosperity of the nation is well fostered.

Pretending as they are thinking of Ethiopians and they would love Ethiopia’s growth and change, some international media have always expounded minor and sensitive issues in Ethiopia to get nations and nationalities clashed. The good thing is all walks of life have drawn important lessons from the previous conspiracies and organized campaigns to get Ethiopia dismantled. No attention is grabbed as Ethiopians have well identified who works for them and who does against.

Most of the international media are working to well exacerbate the existence of grievances, some perception of social injustice and exclusion in some parts of the nation peculiarly in the northern part in a bid to hit their hidden target and ill-intended mission. Surprisingly, they have never had any positive intention about the time tested and unwavering stance of the Ethiopian defense force despite their knowledge of its inside out.

In a nut shell, the sacred deed that would eternally benefit the country needs to be well reinvigorated and the wrong doings unknowingly or calculatingly carried out have to be corrected soon, as what is being done regarding security forces here and there in the nation. Ethiopia has been having a well-founded, strong, disciplined, and full of gallantry and patriotic defense force. However, all bodies who would all the time wish the country remain weak and submissive have left no stone unturned, and report whatever they think harm the country in a much distorted and irresponsible manner.

No matter how trying all the activities and conspiracies orchestrated against Ethiopia, the country has been recording victory after victory and would make its vision of laying the foundation of the defense force on an unwavering basis a reality in no time.

 Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald

The Ethiopian Herald April 16/2023

Recommended For You