The challenge Ethiopia is facing and its alternative means of handling

By Debe Kulu
Ethiopian News, Tigrai Online, March 1, 2016

The challenge Ethiopia is facing and its alternative means of handling and managing are still begging a question? The challenges Ethiopia is facing might present themselves in various guises and fashions in different circumstances, at different time from within and without.

• Challenges of good governance and mishandling of the delegation of power at different hierarchies of the federal government.
• Embezzlement of public funds without operational controlling set up for any accountability and stability.
• Corruption manifested in bribery, favoritism, nepotism. Miscarriage of justice are some of the by-products of mal administration.
• Challenge of adopting coherent national policy that does not contravene with the Federal Government constitution with full transparency and accountability.

The other adversary and formidable challenge is the international interference that pose itself in the disseminating negative information through its mass medial agencies and other communication network. It is very strong weapon to wage a war against stable and peaceful country. Some examples could be cited like Libya, Syria, Iraq, Tunisia, Afghanistan and Egypt were partially affected and hampered by mass media propaganda In the case of Ethiopia the following mass medial agencies like: 

• The Oromo language VOA
• The Amharic VOA
• The Tigrigna VOA
• USA based ISAT
• The Deuctsche Walle Amharic Service
• The BBC and VOA broad casting services are significantly posing threats to the prevailing peace and stability enjoyed by the Ethiopian people.

Some hints of meddling and projected intent of conspiracy are already surfacing. Mr. Isais Afewerki the president of Eritrea could evidence it.

Mr Isais Afewerki on his interview with his Eri-TV presenter commented on the Ethiopian GERD-Mega Dam and labeled it as a political tool in spite of the crucial role it would play in alleviating the poverty that exist in the country. The president further expressed his contempt even after the completion of the Mega Dam (Fait accompli) he wished bad omen to see the Mega Dam doomed ending to the disadvantage of Ethiopian people. The question now is not about his bad contempt on the Mega Dam but the focus should be what the intent of the president is and with whom is he collaborating to sabotage after the completion of the Mega Dam so that he could see the fulfillment of the expression of his bad omen.

The other crucial role being exploited by the International Media either to dismantle or destabilize a sovereign country is phenomenal. The Oromo language VOA agency has overplayed significantly in stirring and rallying the violent uprising in connection with the Addis Ababa Master Plan spreading shocking information among the Oromo National Community. Thanks to the modern satellite mobile one sitting at far distant places can arrange any correspondent in any remote location either in West Wellega, Nopa or East Shewa Dera, Horo, Guduru or Gobe Robe etc For their prearranged dramatization any cultural, ceremonial, marriage or burial procession could be exploited as an inception of a public uprising and could portrayed as popular up social upheaval in any parts of the country. The source of misinformation could be the Oromigna language VOA agency but the information is replicated in Amharic and Tigrigna VOA with out any question. I realized the bad intent of the Mass media when I listened to the Amharic VOA when they interviewed immature a nineteen years old boy from Shashamene to share his experience with regard the master plan of Addis Ababa and the recent local crisis. What is the motive to interview such individual who really could not understand the crisis and what the master plan of Addis Ababa is meant for him unless the mass media agent wanted to use him as a source of distorted information? In some other instances similarly the mass media out lets use colleges and schools as public forums to recruit misnomers for their ill intent and connivance.

Ethiopia in its formative period of its growth and in the process of accomplishing its mega projects multiple constraints and challenges are awaiting a head of time. However if the people remain united against any forth-coming obstacles and oddities, they can surmount any challenge including threats of foreign aggression.

Some internal challenges like mal administration, corruption, inefficient governance could be over emphasized but they are one aspect of problem but they cannot be absolute for a downfall of a country. Such problems had over spawned for a century starting from Emperor Haile Selassie up to the present regime and cannot be completely abolished by overnight. Corruption should not be equated to shortage professionalism. Public offices should be held and managed by competent and qualified professionals regardless of their political affiliation.

Scientific approach should be applied for all multifaceted problems to be dealt in very systemized and procedural way. You cannot make substantial change by harsh punishment or imprisonment. There must be some sort controlling set up on the on bureaucratic state machinery. Excessive self implicating  or Dale Carnegie type of stipulation  “ do this or don’t do that” would not help in resolving basic problems and bureaucratic complexities.

Digressing from my main topic I would like to mention a piece of anecdote that highlights the present situation. An individual sitting on the top of the trunk of tree should not chop the tree itself to remove the shrubs of the tree that might end in his endangerment. Parallel to this if we draw a lesson from the past Derg regime in its final hour eighty very competent and qualified generals allegedly being accused of plotting to topple the regime punitively were summarily executed. The military government was itself propped up by the very dependable intelligence and talents of the generals and high ranked officials. The military government for its hasty and blunt action in very short period of time reaped un recoverable downfall.

Thus Ethiopia with its challenges and diverse complexities awaiting a head of time, its focus should not be a single phenomenal aspect but should adopt multidimensional approach and inclusiveness to resolve and come out victorious in all its challenges.

Traditional and conventional ways of waging a war or rebellion are now days changed in to subtle and tactful resistance, sabotage, civil defiance or disobedience. Creating terror and coercing individuals to rally behind rebelling groups is a means of waging a war. Inciting public unrest is the very easy way to topple the government and grab power besides creating divisions or factions might help the adversary group to attain their motive power or for any destructive intent. At present one individual like extreme Islamic Oromia Party leader like Jawar Mohammed sitting in Washington can control and direct all demonstrations that took place in the remote places of Oromia region. Moreover as it has been evidenced in the recent crisis associated with the Master Plan of Addis Ababa in Oromia region the Oromo congress party leadership had full control and communication with those who led the demonstration. In fact one can assume the de facto power in this region is the Oromo Congress Party.

At present it should be clear and open to us the present crisis is no more an issue associated with the Master Plan of Addis Ababa it is a question of power grabbing by all means removing the government and its constitution? The OLF leadership in its interview with the VOA Amharic journalist has openly declared that it supports the resistance of the people that is taking place locally in the Oromiya region until they take power for themselves without consenting to obey the rules and regulation of the incumbent government. In line to his directives and instructions in Eastern Hararghie and Wollega they had taken the law in to their hands and robbed public properties and developmental infrastructures from government stores. Even the Oromo congress explicitly called for the expulsion OPDO as government from Oromiya Region. The implication is that it does not accept the incumbent government and its constitution.

Therefore one can conclude that the challenge is not only one aspect of good governance but it is multidimensional and requires multidimensional interdisciplinary approach to defeat defeatism and come out victorious in all its challenges.

Thank you