The long-awaited national dialogue and reconciliation under the authority of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission is about to be implemented throughout the nation. The commission and every responsible actor or entity, including the government, has to play a role in pushing the process to the finish line. This time, losing the best chance of bringing peace and common ground to the nation will definitely cost the country its arm and leg. All responsible stakeholders, along with the people at large, must support the process.
The country has been between two fences for many segments of time as the nation has been dealing with some major challenges from every corner of the nation. The people have been the first to face those problems that have been ruining the nation for decades. Disputes, false narrations, and conflicts, among other things, have caused the nation unprecedented inconvenience in the past.
Those divisions among the people due to the false narrations spread in the past many years made the possibilities of finding a common ground hard to find. During past regimes, the people of Ethiopia had been suffering from many national hurdles that needed a bold national move. One of those moves that the people cried for could be the way to national dialogue and reconciliation.
Since the moment of its inception, the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission has taken on the responsibility of making the necessary moves towards the realization of its goals. With the help of different actors as well as the current incumbent, the commission has taken bold steps in gathering agendas coupled with crucial inputs for the realization of national dialogue and consensus.
On top of that, it is important to understand that the essence of performing a national dialogue was, in the past, the dream for most Ethiopians, as those past regimes failed to achieve the goal of bringing the idea of national dialogue to life.
For this generation, it is a mighty idea and plan, and it is also a blessing to see a commission facilitate a national dialogue, the biggest action ever made in the nation. It is also a good omen to witness a commission working on performing activities to organize a platform and bring every sect of the nation together. It is trying to include elites, politicians, and the government, and above all, anyone who wants to be part of the process for a bigger picture of the country. Besides, the commission has also called on armed groups to join the path to national consensus, as it is vital not to leave anyone behind in the process.
Accordingly, for an action that has been waited for so many years, every Ethiopian has to contribute to its realization as the generation is about to witness what our fathers craved for. We also need to understand that we cannot lose this opportunity that leads the nation to be unified and incorporate people who can stand on common grounds and values.
During a stay with the local media, Rahel Bafe, a member of the Advisor Group of the National Dialogue Commission, discussed the benefits that the national dialogue brings to the nation at large. She said that the upcoming inclusive dialogue in Ethiopia is a critical opportunity that will play a significant role in shaping the destiny of the nation.
Ethiopia is finalizing its preparation to conduct the first ever inclusive national dialogue with the main objective of creating national consensus on critical matters by recognizing and resolving long-standing disputes and disagreements.
Rahel said the dialogue is a golden opportunity for all Ethiopians to bring critical national agendas to the table for discussions for the betterment of the country. “This opportunity might happen once in life; once it is passed, we might not get it again like the 5-year term election,” she underscored.
According to her, the dialogue encompasses a wide range of national issues, both past and present, as well as the future. It should also be taken as one of the processes essential to effective nation-building initiatives and phenomena that go beyond political boundaries. Even though there is a political component to this nationwide consultation, it is still important for all Ethiopians to bring up national issues for consideration, Rahel stated.
The people of Ethiopia, including political parties and other pertinent actors in the country, should not miss this opportunity and engage actively by playing their constructive role to successfully accomplish the dialogue, as it is a phenomenon that might happen once in history, she underscored.
“Political parties might be gone in 20 years, but the country will remain forever. Therefore, this national dialogue is beyond political interests,” Rahel further stressed the need for all political parties to work in cohesion with the commission’s guidelines and schedule to contribute their part to the successful conduct of the process.
In addition, coupled with the steps taken by the commission to realize the dialogue, all the actors in the country and abroad must take the initiative to support it. Everyone is responsible for handing over some stones to build a castle that can incorporate all the people and groups of the nation and a platform that can serve all ideas raised from different directions.
By the same token, there are many organizations that have shown their interest in supporting the process, the Council of Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations is one of them. The council, as it is reported, has affirmed its commitment to providing ongoing assistance and cooperation for the successful implementation of the national dialogue process.
The Council acknowledged the ongoing efforts underway for the national dialogue process since the inception of the National Dialogue Commission.
Hana Woldegabriel, Representative of the Director General of the Council, emphasized the Council’s dedication to addressing crucial national matters. She specifically highlighted their contributions to peace building, humanitarian aid, and the national dialogue process.
In a show of unwavering commitment, the Council confirmed that its support and participation will remain steadfast in ensuring the successful conduct of the national consultation.
Furthermore, Hana stated that the agendas compiled by various civil society organizations, representing their collective interests, will be presented to the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission today. The discussion forum witnessed the attendance of commissioners from the National Dialogue Commission, representatives from civil society organizations, and other distinguished guests.
BY DANIEL ALEMAYEHU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD TUESDAY 21 MAY 2024
