Sustainable Democratic Elections, Self-Determination and federal system of government are the only choices for Ethiopians

By Teum Mezgebo
Tigrai Online July 11, 2020

Ethiopian people have never had any luck of a good leader since Atse Menelik II. Amara and Oromo nationalists seem to blame the people of Tigrai and TPLF for what is happening now in Ethiopia. The Amharas extremists started the ethnic violence, killing and ethnic cleansing against Tigraieans and Kemants in Gondar. Kemant and Tigraiean-owned businesses have been attacked and burn in Amhara region. Innocent Tigraieans and Kemants have been seriously injured or murdered. Most Tigraieans have abandoned their livelihoods to flee to Tigrai. The Amharas nationalists now portray themselves as the victims. The Truth must be told!

The Oromo nationalists are killing and displacing non-ethnic Oromos (i.e. Gedeo, Gurage, Somalis, Tigraieans, etc.) in Oromia region. Abiy Ahmed and Amharas elites are resenting against TPLF and are in a marriage of convenience against the People of Tigrai and other ethnic groups. Abiy Ahmed Government and his Prosperity Party (PP) have been silent to condemn the atrocities of killings, displacements and ethnic cleansing. Abiy is not handling the political and social affairs of all ethnic groups properly and he is completely inept to lead the Ethiopian people. For example, the main highway to Tigrai has been blocked and still the road is blocked by Amhara extremists in Woldiya since Abiy took power in 2018. He has been impotently silent to open the road blockage. Does this show that Abiy is punishing the people of Tigrai to starvation as the Derg had done in the 1980s? Instead, Abiy is appeasing the Amharas extremists, the enemy of Ethiopia, particularly, Isaias Afeworki, Arab countries and mishandling of the Blue Nile Dam (GERD).

Meles Zenawi and EPRDF/TPLF started the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) by persuading the Ethiopian people and Ethiopians in diaspora to finance the construction of the GERD. Abiy has been begging form the world bank, IMF and Arab counties. Where is Abiy’s national pride? Simegnew Bekele was killed under Abiy’s Administration who dedicated his life to build the Ethiopian Dams and his killers have not still brought to justice. Now, Abiy is blaming TPLF for his diplomatic failure to fill/complete the GERD as schedule by spreading fake news and conspiracy theory against the people of Tigrai and TPLF to disguise his chaotic administration and baseless Medemer policy that is tearing the peaceful coexistence amongst ethnic groups in our country in order to stay in power. Kidnapping, ethnic violence and ethnic cleansing are becoming the norm under Abiy’s government. Abiy’s only game is to trigger civil war which can lead to the disintegration of Ethiopia. The threat of war against Tigrai is become his trademark to silence, supress and deny the people of Tigrai, Sidama and Woliata and other ethnic groups’ rights to self-determination.

Under Meles Zenawi government, the Ethiopian Economy had flourished and infrastructure had been built in a massive scale including many universities, hospitals, schools, banking, Airports, etc. It is true; since 1995, TPLF had abandoned its zero-tolerance policies on corruption, nepotism, crime and allowed justice, accountability and good governance to be fragmented. Elite EPRDF and TPLF senior leaders and politicians enrich themselves in the expense of the people of Tigrai and all Ethiopians. The people of Tigrai have not benefited from the rule of EPRDF and TPLF. TPLF promised Tigraieans prosperity, freedom, justice and peaceful coexistence and TPLF has not delivered the promises made to the People of Tigrai.

As a result, many Tigraieans have lost trust in EPRDF and TPLF good governance and accountably. The people of Tigrai have been experiencing gang violence, sport hooliganism, crime, nepotism, corruption, lack of accountability and good governance in their lives. Corruption, nepotism and maladministration by elite EPRDF, TPLF and PP officials, public and civic officials have become the norm in Tigrai and all over Ethiopia. The people of Tigrai have been silent by TPLF administration not to freely express their political views, raise their concerns and demand accountability and good governance; opposition parties has been harassed; Tigraieans have been frustrated and still are frustrated by TPLF and civic officials (police, judges, municipal officials, politicians, civil servants) who are engaged to prolong simple administrative processes into systematic, bureaucratic and endless nightmare processes (i.e. until bribes are paid to officials to speed up the processes in every stage). 

Nonetheless, TPLF has never compromised and will not compromise the security of Ethiopia. The People of Tigrai and TPLF have never sold and will not sell their country to Egypt or any other foreign country when it comes to the GERD, security and unity of Ethiopia. Abiy Ahmed is selling the country to please his comrade Isaias Afewerki and Arab states, notably, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and united Arab emirate. Sudan has been firmly supported Ethiopia when it comes to GERD and recently Sudan has withdrawn its support and sided with Egypt. This is a prime example of diplomatic blander committed by utter incompetent Abiy’s government. Ethiopia now stands by its own with no support whilst Meles Zenawi managed to persuade all Nile basin counties to rally around Ethiopia.

The People of Tigrai and the majority other ethnic groups including Oromo opposition parties want autonomous self-determination. Conversely, Abiy’s government and Amhara nationalists are opposing to self-rule within the Federal System of government. Why are Abiy Ahmed and Amhara nationalists opposing to autonomous self-rule within the Federal System of government? Democracy is all about self-determination and freedom to decide own affairs where the power is shared between the central government and regional state governments. It seems that Abiy Ahmed and Amhara nationalists do not want to share the power with regional states so that they do not want ethnic groups to peacefully coexistence within united Ethiopia, but they thoughtlessly want to centralise the power as it was during Haile Selassie and the Derg by abolishing self-determination.

Many countries in the world use a federal system of government. USA, UK, Germany, Canada, Mexico, Nigeria, Brazil, and Australia are prime example of federal system of government, which power is shared between central government and regional states. If these countries can devolve power to reginal self-rule and make federalism work for good and peaceful coexistence and power sharing between central and reginal governments. Why is that federalism is despised as evil system by Abiy’s government and the Amhara nationalists?  Abiy’s and Amhara nationalists’ vision and ways of thinking is not going to benefit ethnic groups in Ethiopia to peacefully coexist but Abiy strategy is trying to trigger civil war which may lead to the disintegration of Ethiopia as one country. 

All Ethiopians should also know one fact, TPLF relinquished power since Meles Zenawi’s death in 2012. How can the people of Tigrai and TPLF take the blames for the atrocities committed since 2012 and bad governance of Hailemariam Desalegn (EPRDF) and Abiy Ahmed (PP)?

Abiy Ahmed’s Medemer political agenda is not compatible with what he has promised to the Ethiopian people but he is leading a chaotic government that turn a blind eye to the most heinous crimes (i.e. ethnic violence, kidnapping, killing and filling prisons with his opponents) whilst he is allowing murders and killers to live freely in villages, towns and cities. Abiy has been deceiving the Ethiopian people that he would be pursuing peace, love, reconciliation and prosperity to all Ethiopians. Since he became Prime Minister, he has dismantled the Ethiopian constitution instead of improving it. He is not living up to his promise and responsibilities to uphold the rule of law and defend citizens’ freedom and rights. Anarchists are blocking roads a prime example the Road to Tigrai is still blocked by Amhara anarchists since 2018. Kidnappings, killings and robberies are becoming widespread in villages, towns and cities. He has allowed individuals, who tortured and killed many Ethiopians during the Derg, to participate in the Ethiopian political process. Instead, he is despising political parties who dismantled the brutal Derg regime and brought about relative peaceful coexistence in last three decades and advocate self-determination under federal system of government.

Where is Abiy’s Medeme? Where are Abiy’s love, peace, unity and reconciliation? He has completely abandoned his Medemer philosophy. Evidently, he is blaming TPLE and the People of Tigrai from day one whilst he was part of the EPDF and Hailemariam Desalegn administration participating in human rights violation and imprisoning political opponents. He has innocent blood on his hand, and he is no different to those who committed gross human rights violations i.e. the Derg regime of Mengistu Hailemariam. He is not learning from history nor capable of upholding the rule of law and defending the security of Ethiopia.

Ethiopians must reject those who advocate violence and hatred, oppose self-determination and undermine peaceful coexistence. Abiy Ahmed is leading Ethiopia into the Abyss that benefits the enemy of Ethiopia. All Ethiopians should rise demanding to elect a leader who can build a peaceful coexistence amongst all ethnic groups and can uphold the constitution and the rule of the law with deeds not words or blame game. The only choices for Ethiopians to coexist in peace as one nation are sustainable democratic elections through the ballot box, self-Determination and federal system of government.