Berhanu Nega calls for a paradigm shift from ethnic-based politics
ADDIS ABABA- Chairperson of Patriotic Ginbot 7 Movement for Unity and Democracy, Prof. Brhanu Nega, urged all political entities to present their policy options in a peaceful and rational manner so that the public could make informed choice at the end of the day.
In an exclusive interview with The Ethiopian Herald, Prof. Brhanu said the politics of intimidation is now over and the public has the right to get informed options of any sort. “The change in the country opened window of opportunity to employ only peaceful and democratic means.” Mentioning that there should not be any armed group in the country other than government army and its security apparatus, he noted that particularly those groups who may opt for democratic process must accept the rule of the game.
In such tumultuous period, there might be elites that aspire to benefit out of it, but every entity should sit and seriously examine its stance to articulate same in a way short and long-term benefit of the country could be ensured, he said. “At the end of the day, we are people of the same political arrangement.”
The chairperson also suggested parties to come together leaving the fragmentation behind so as to create firm ground for democratization process. Most problems originate from ethnicity-based politics that have been exercised over the last twenty-seven years, and this is time to take off to a new paradigm of citizenship politics, he added.
The Ethiopian Herald, December 28/2018
BY WORKU BELACHEW
