Unity The Path To Change In Ethiopia: The King Is Dead, Long Live The King
By: <
http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/graham-peebles/> Graham Peebles
November 16, 2012
It is a new-year in Ethiopia, (belated) happy 2005 one and all. With it
comes a new prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, deputy PM under Meles
Zenawi who died some time in August or was it July. A fog of misinformation
and uncertainty surrounds the final months of Meles life, ingrained secrecy
being both a political and national characteristic that works against social
and ethnic cohesion, strengthening mistrust and division.
It is unclear what route the deputy PM, a Protestant from humble beginnings
in the small, desperately poor Wolayta community, took to step into the
prime ministerial shoes. Some believe the US administration through its
powerful military machine Africom, engineered the sympathetic replacement.
The US is Ethiopia's main donor, giving around $3 billion a year, Ethiopia
for it's part and in exchange for such generosity perhaps, allows the US
military to station and launch drones from it's sacred soil into Somalia, or
indeed anywhere the Pentagon hacks choose and the deadly drones can reach.
New Prime Minister same old regime story
The new Prime Minister has worryingly vowed, the BBC 21/09/12i report, to
continue Mr. Meles "legacy without any change," a legacy littered with human
rights violations and injustices, which has little to recommend it. Meles
ruled over a single party State in all but name, for, as the International
Crisis Group (ICG)ii make clear, "the Tigray People's Liberation Front
(TPLF) and his Tigrayan inner circle, with the complicity of other ethnic
elites that were co-opted into the ruling alliance, the Ethiopian People's
Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)." A dictatorship in fact and form and
as is consistent with such regimes, brutal, controlling and intolerant. No
matter the accolades expressed on Meles death by senior politicians and
diplomats around the world, who like nothing more it seems than a friendly
tyrant.
Hailemariam was chosen, it is alleged, simply to give the appearance of an
ethnically balanced leadership, that he will have little independence, and
dutifully tow the ideologically driven line of Revolutionary Democracy.
Whatever the method and no doubt it was constitutionally correct,
Hailemariam and deputy Demeke Mekonnen, are now enthroned, let us wish them
well for there is much work to be done within Ethiopia.
Old injustices urgent issues
Human rights issues cry out to be dealt with, starting with the immediate
unconditional release of all so called 'political prisoners', tried and
Imprisoned under the internationally condemned, unjust Anti Terrorist
Proclamation, for the heinous crime of publicly disagreeing with the TPLF
dominated government. The Ethiopian government should, HRWiii demand, "amend
the law's most pernicious provisions, which are being used to criminalize
free expression and peaceful dissent." Journalists, mainly working outside
of Ethiopia and supporters of opposition political parties are the common
targets, tried in absentia in Ethiopian courts by a judiciary that functions
as little more than a sentencing body for the government and thinks nothing
of handing down life sentences to dissenting voices, based on fabricated
charges. Human Rights Watch (HRW)iv make this illegal pattern clear, stating
"the use of draconian laws and trumped-up charges to crack down on free
speech and peaceful dissent makes a mockery of the rule of law," both
Federal and International.
The government, immersed in paranoia and determined to control all forms of
debate and platforms of expression, fire off accusations of terrorist
activity to anyone seen to disagree with their disagreeable policies. The
ambiguous provision of 'conspiracy to commit terrorist acts' is usually
cited as criminal activity, or the even more foggy crime of offering 'moral
support', which has little or no specific meaning and as HRW assert, "is
contrary to the principle of legality." Such ill-defined terms are employed
to criminalize dissent and justify the unjust.
Each urgently required reform flows into and out of the other, connected, as
they are by the fundamental need to observe basic human rights, at the heart
of which sits freedom and justice. Constitutional law provides for the
statutory observation of all freedoms of expression that are nevertheless
denied in practice or at best grossly restricted. The press, TV and radio is
almost exclusively State owned, television is firmly under government
control and with literacy resting at around 48% of the adult population is
the arm with the greatest reach and influence. Control of the World wide-web
is also in the hands of the EPRDF, the sole telecommunications company being
listed in the extensive business portfolio of the government, who control
and restrict both Internet expansion and use. Over 80% live in rural areas
and currently a mere 0.5% (400,000) of the population have Internet access,
the second lowest in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Unity in diversity
With between 70 and 80 tribal sets within the seven major ethnic groups and
a 45/35% Christian, Muslim split, cooperation tolerance and unity are
essential factors in the countries wellbeing and strength, as well as its
internal security. As imperial nations have long known a united civilian
population is a threat; divide the factions, separate the ethnic groups,
fragment the people make them compete, even fight among themselves and
maintain dominion. This, contrary to the EPRDF's policy of Ethnic Federalism
devised in 1991 when they took power, has consistently been the regimes
approach. All political authority rests firmly within the party controlled
by the TPLF, as the ICG report makes clear, "Meles engineered one-party
rule in effect for the Tigray People's Liberation Front (TPLF) and his
Tigrayan inner circle, with the complicity of other ethnic elites that were
co-opted into the ruling alliance, the Ethiopian People's Revolutionary
Democratic Front (EPRDF)."
Self-determination and self-rule for the major regional groups was, on
paper, a central component of Ethnic Federalism, however, as The
international human rights group Advocates for Human Rights v(AHR) in its
report on ethnic groups in Ethiopia found, the government, "actively impedes
the rights of disadvantaged ethnic groups to self determination." Far from
building partnerships and cultivating cooperation and tolerance, policies
flowing from the TPLF/EPRDF's desire to maximize control in all areas of
society, including the powerful religious groups work to encourage
fragmentation, create religious dissonance, strengthen ethnic divisions and
deny much needed social unity.
Ethiopia has the third largest population of Muslims in Africa and is
thought to be the birthplace of Islam in the continent as well as the cradle
of African Christianity. The government has for long controlled Muslim
affairs via The Ethiopian Islamic Affairs Supreme Council, which is simply a
mouthpiece for the ruling party. There has, as Crescent Internationalvi
reports, "been no election in the council for the last 13 years. The council
has remained against the rights of Muslims including wearing hijab and
congregational prayer in universities." Muslims have been calling with
increasing intensity for the removal of the unelected council and the State
sponsored imposition of Al-Ahbash (The Abyssinian) Islam, a movement that
blends elements of Sunni Islam with Sufism. Protests against government
meddling are now a regular extension to Friday prayers in Addis Ababa. The
Washington Post 2nd November reports the new PM speaking to parliament on
16th October, stating, surprisingly given the EPRDF's involvement in all
things religious, that "the government fully respects freedom of religion
and "would not interfere in the affairs of religion just as religion would
not interfere in matters of politics." It does indeed seem he is determined
to follow in word and deed in the dictatorial duplicitous footsteps of his
predecessor.
The Government with predictable consistency has labeled these legitimate
demands the actions of 'religious extremists' and In July this year resorted
to violent means in an attempt to settle the issue, killing four Muslims at
prayer and arresting scores more. HRWvii reported "Ethiopian police and
security services have harassed, assaulted, and arbitrarily arrested
hundreds of Muslims at Addis Ababa's Awalia and Anwar mosques who were
protesting government interference in religious affairs." Religious
extremists as we all know means terrorists, the US Army definition of
terrorism is worth relating at this point. It is, they say "the calculated
use of violence or threat of violence to attain goals that are political,
religious, or ideological in nature.through intimidation, coercion, or
instilling fear."viii Accordingly if name-calling is the name of the game,
the EPRDF's policies qualify them unconditionally for the terrorist label,
prefixed with the title, 'State'
It's worth noting that Orthodox Christian leaders have spoken out in support
of their Muslim brothers and aired their own concerns at government
interference in all things religious. The head Christian is also a regime
appointee. The richness of the countries culture lies in its ancient ethnic
diversity and a deeply religious nature that infuses all areas of cultural
life, expressed by both orthodox Christians and Muslims who, despite the
governments best effort have lived peacefully side-by-side as it were for
generations.
Ethnic division centralized discriminatory rule
Regional divisions are being strengthened as ethnic groups are forced to
compete for life saving handouts administered by the EPRDF through their
network of regional councils. The Kebeles and Woreda's reach into every
village and household, stomach and mind in the country, distributing a range
of development support from international donors, including emergency food
relief determined by allegiance to the ruling party. Along with this illegal
immoral act that needs the urgent attention of donors, whose silence and
apathy makes them complicit in the regimes criminality, AHR found the EPRDF
use discriminatory tactics to "interfere with the rights of disadvantaged
ethnic groups" in all areas of civil society.
Employment is all too often conditional on party affiliation, teachers
thought to be supporters of opposition parties are harassed, trade unions,
supported within the liberal constitution, if not affiliated with the regime
party face dismantling, the members and leaders intimidated and threatened.
And Oromo business people, AHR discovered, "are denied business licenses
without explanation and face police harassment targeted at customers,
suppliers, and employees."
In schools and colleges both teachers and students are exposed to political
indoctrination and 'encouraged' to join the ruling party; continued
employment and studies being a carrot, unemployment and expulsion the regime
stick, membership of the Oromo Liberation Front a guarantee of both. In
areas relating to culture, AHR found "Oromo's e.g. do not feel free to speak
Oromiffa in public or to use distinctively Oromo names," leading Oromo
cultural figures have been persecuted and the Charities and Societies
Proclamation - another poisonous piece of legislation that needs revising or
scrapping, restricts the development of cultural relationships with members
of the diaspora.
Forced from village to Villagization
Ethnic groups forced into villagization programs by the government as they
sell off large tracts of land to foreign corporations, make easy targets for
a regime pursuing the fragmentation of society and the exploitation of the
people. Large numbers have been forcibly re-located, in Gambella alone HRW
report,ix "approximately 70,000 people were slated to be moved by the end of
2011," into settlements that provide no health services or clean water and
often lack schools. Quick to capitalize on the child's plight Government
officials, AHR report "force schoolchildren in these villages to abandon
their studies to provide labor for constructing shelters." An illegal action
adding further, to the catalogue of State criminality or to give it its US
army title, State terrorism.
It is projected that if the herding of indigenous people continues at the
present rate, all rural dwellers, that's 80% of the population, will be
living in one or other of these government created villagization centers by
the next decade, without any consultation with those affected, no matter the
party line on participation and voluntary movement. It's hard to discuss
social engineering and ancestral land rights with armed solders whilst your
home is demolished. Violent coercion is widespread, HRW again 'security
forces enforcing the population transfers have been implicated in at least
20 rapes in the past year. Fear and intimidation are widespread among
affected populations."
Divide and rule extends into the very heart of ethnic communities, families
are routinely broken up when driven into the villagization settlements,
making women and children particularly vulnerable, as AHR found "in rural
areas typically populated by disadvantaged ethnic groups are often victims
of human trafficking. The Government has taken no meaningful measures to
prevent such trafficking or to provide assistance or support to victims."
Trafficking of women within Ethiopia and overseas, often to the Gulf States
almost always equates to prostitution or forced domestic labor, where sexual
abuse, violence and degrading treatment is the common experience.
United in purpose
The EPRDF has divided, inhibited and controlled the people of Ethiopia. Fear
and intimidation their weapons of choice, wielded without recrimination,
compassion or regret, the 'international community', who supply a third of
the national budget uninterested in their brutality act not in support of
the people. The opportunity presented to and by the change of Prime Minister
has (to date) proven to be nothing more than a hollow hope. The cry of the
people ignored once more, their voices cast into the darkness and dismissed.
The political opposition, fragmented and dysfunctional, offers no vision of
change, however there is a powerful alternative responsible group; It is the
worlds 'second superpower', it is the rich diversity of the people and the
strength inherent in their potential unity, standing together in peaceful
defense of social justice, freedom and human dignity. The people of Oromo
and Amahra, Tigray and Somali, Sidama, Gurage, Wolaita and Afar, look to
each other and fear not, look to your neighbors and friends, share your
concerns, your hopes, and fear not; for fear is the weapon of the bully the
enemy of the good. Look to the next village, communicate and organize, fear
not, for fear inhibits and controls. Look to the adjoining street and
neighborhood where live others, who too shiver in fear of the police and
armed forces, the Kebeles and Woredas who in the full light of day
distribute food, jobs, education opportunities and health care based on
illegal partisan discrimination.
Unity of the people, rich in diversity united in purpose, is the need and
song of the time, for Ethiopia and indeed for the world. Together there is
safety and strength beyond measure, "when there is no enemy within, the
enemies outside cannot hurt you," proclaims an African proverb. This truth
applies to the individual, the family the people of a nation. Brothers and
sisters of one humanity we are, our pains are shared, so too our joys and
hopes. No government can withstand the unified strength of a people held
together by a common and just cause, acting peacefully in honor of freedom
and justice. Such is the need within the wonderful land of Ethiopia, the
people of which have suffered much and for far, far too long.
i. [1] [1]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19672302
ii.
http://www.crisisgroup.org/en/regions/africa/horn-of-africa/ethiopia-eritrea
/b089-ethiopia-after-meles.aspx
iii.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/27/ethiopia-terrorism-law-used-crush-free-sp
eech
iv.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/06/27/ethiopia-terrorism-law-used-crush-free-sp
eech
v. [1] www2.ohchr.org/english/bodies/cescr/./AHR_Ethiopia_CESCR48.pdf
vi. [1]
http://www.crescent-online.net/2012/05/muslims-in-ethiopia-suffer-discrimina
tion-and-alienation-3118-articles.html
vii. [1]
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/08/15/ethiopia-prominent-muslims-detained-crack
down
viii.
http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200205
<
http://www.chomsky.info/articles/200205-02.htm> -02.htm
ix.
http://www.culturalsurvival.org/ourpublications/csq/article/resettlement-and
-villagization-tools-militarization-sw-ethiopia
About the author:
Graham Peebles <
http://www.eurasiareview.com/author/graham-peebles/>
Graham Peebles
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Received on Fri Nov 16 2012 - 10:10:04 EST
