By Yibeltal Gashu
October 20/10/2014
As we know, Ethiopia is a home to golden diversty of
peoples, cultures, religions and langudges. Ethiopia is as the origin of
humanity that has a unique cultural heritage, own alpthabet, calander and where
it has preserved its long independence through the patriotic struggle of its
citizens. We shall remember that Ethiopia served as a symbol of African
independence throughout the colonial period, and was a founder member of the
United Nations and the African base for many international organizations and country
that possesses a long history ranking among the great civilizations of the
world.
But currently, it has not been possible to have human and
democratic rights guaranteed by the Constitution fully respected. The question
of nations and nationalities is not properly addressed and resolved. In fact,
the issue is presently being used as a tool for dividing and ruling the people.
Citizens are being deprived of the opportunity to live, work and to do any kind
of activities in the country whether socially, economically and politically.
The integration process among the nation, nationalities and peoples are being
disrupted. Now a day’s, Ethiopia is among the most backward countries in the
world in three aspects which is political, economical and social growth because
of the TPLF dictatorship.
It’s known that TPLF is a dictatorship ruling party and has
never showed let down peacefully, and Woyane is doing shameful activities
throughout the country since they took power through armed struggle. Such as,
many journalists, politicians, activists, bloggers, religious have been
imprison, thousands of peoples are dying and many people’s migrating every day,
no single human right respected by TPLF.
As the nature of TPLF I have doubt that nonviolent struggle
would be successful in Ethiopia. I never shared the illusion that the TPLF will
accept the verdict of the ballot-box and step down from power peacefully rather
the TPLF play the democratic game under the name of democracy. Murdering,
genocide, criminal, dictatorship, corrupting, selfishness, futureless, narrow
thinking and no need solid unitary as a country (means follow dividing ruling
system) are the main Characteristics of TPLF.
Due to the nature of TPLF,
I just to reflect a few points of
view on the question of peaceful or armed struggle as methods of achieving
a political goal like to bring freedom, justice and democracy in
Ethiopia. In other words, the very challenging question is whether to
apply peaceful or armed; or the combination of the two based on a given
internal political reality, and external circumstance to bring sustainable
democracy. Needless to say, this had been and continues to be an unavoidable
challenge in a country like ours which has never experienced a political
transformation characterized by a well- thought, well-planned, well-organized
and persistent popular uprising and disobedience in line with the fulfillment
of the interests of the general public.
I sincerely believe that we should be seriously concerned
about our tendency of approaching the question of which method of political
struggle should we apply in a very categorically defined fashion. Although
raising the question of how to approach a given political struggle that aims at
the realization of a democratic political system has never been uncommon, its
intensity and urgency varies from time to time, and from situation to
situation. Because of our political culture which is characterized by
mere inheritance, conspiracy within royal families and a bloody fight between
or among groups (civil war), we are not yet fortunate enough to listen to each
other’s arguments and counter- arguments in such a way that our differences on
using not the same tactics or methods should not hamper our journey toward the
same goal.
I strongly believe that it is absolutely necessary to
seriously consider the advantages and disadvantages of a given method of
getting the goals and strategies we set accomplished in a real sense of
constructive way of doing things accordingly the Ethiopian political situation.
In other words, it is imperative to make sure that the methods being used
by various political groupings (surprisingly there are more than 90 national
and regional political parties) which are engaged in the struggle for the
realization of a truly democratic society complement each other in pursuing for
mutually respectful and shared prosperity. Is this line of thinking as
easy as anything?
Absolutely not! And this is mainly because of our political
history and which has been and still is characterized either by very deceptive
monarchial rulers or get it at a bloody gunpoint like TPLF. And this very
unfortunate political culture of ours has a lot of to do with the argument that
it is nonviolent/peaceful resistance not armed struggle that is ideal to bring
about sustainable democratic change. Yes, there is no doubt peaceful public
struggle is so desirable. The very challenging issue is when it comes to the
question of what kind of ruling power we face – with a sense of civility and
responsibility or otherwise?
How the people are
ready and determined to pay the sacrifices required forcing the brutal
responses by the ruling elite even in the process of peaceful struggle; how
various opposition political forces are willing and able to pull their efforts
together and shake the balance of the existing political power?
Are the foreign powers (governments) interested and
courageous enough to abandon “their bad guys “and choosing people’s interests
over dictatorial regimes? To my understanding, the responses to these and all
other critical questions are not encouraging at all.
Unless we want to remain wishfully optimistic, it is very
unwise to waste our energy and time by continuing arguments and counter
arguments to the extent of condemning each other’s tactics applied to get the
same goal done. I am not saying debating or arguing on the prospective and
consecutive of peaceful resistance and armed struggle or on how to effectively
use both of them is a bad idea. What I am trying to say is that it is
critically desirable to focus on how to make those methods of struggle vibrant
forces toward achieving the same goal – the realization of genuine democratic
society and fundamental human dignity. I understand that opposition political
parties which are operating legally and pursuing peaceful resistance cannot
openly recognize the use of armed struggle.
I know very well that doing so is
suicidal as far as the very behavior and practice of the illegitimate ruling
circle is concerned. Yes, in a truly democratic system expressing one’s idea
freely is a not only a political freedom but it is also fundamental human
freedom. Sadly enough, it is a crime (terrorism) in our country, and we are
witnessing the untold sufferings of innocent journalists and members
/supporters of political opposition parties. But, I strongly believe that
although it is suicidal for those political parties to openly
recognize those political forces which believe in the use of both methods
of struggle ,they should not undermine ,if not condemn each other .
Indeed, I have fully agreed with the nonviolent struggle
because of the merits of it. Whatever it is your argument, Ethiopia is required
a systematic and friutfull struggle to bring freedom, justice, democracy and
all human rights respected. What is needed is political work to influence the
army and bureaucracy to make them less obedient instruments of repression, or
to become sympathizers of civil disobedience
.
The peaceful struggle may be painfully slow for the
impatient. Yet, it is may or may not the only choice which truly induces
the utilization of untapped artistic, cultural and intellectual wealth of the
nation for the material and political maturity of citizens, essential elements
for a successful establishment of a dynamic and democratic social order.
Nonviolent action used to:
Dismantle dictatorships
• Defend against foreign invasions
• Expel foreign occupation
• Provide an alternative to violence in extreme ethnic conflicts
• Challenge unjust social and economic systems
• Develop, preserve and extend democratic practices, human rights, civil liberties and freedom of religion
• Resist genocide since carefully applied the methods of nonviolent action or “nonviolent weapons.” The Albert Instinet institution has recommended almost nearly two hundred methods of nonviolent struggle. (See on aeinstein.org, list of 198 methods of nonviolent action and also The Politics of Nonviolent Action, Vol. 2)
• Defend against foreign invasions
• Expel foreign occupation
• Provide an alternative to violence in extreme ethnic conflicts
• Challenge unjust social and economic systems
• Develop, preserve and extend democratic practices, human rights, civil liberties and freedom of religion
• Resist genocide since carefully applied the methods of nonviolent action or “nonviolent weapons.” The Albert Instinet institution has recommended almost nearly two hundred methods of nonviolent struggle. (See on aeinstein.org, list of 198 methods of nonviolent action and also The Politics of Nonviolent Action, Vol. 2)
Three broad classes of nonviolent methods are:
Nonviolent protest and persuasion, (like formal statements,
wider audience, symbolic public acts)
2. Noncooperation and, (social, economic boycotts & strike, political noncoorperation)
3. Nonviolent intervention, (physiological, physical, social, economic and political intervention)
2. Noncooperation and, (social, economic boycotts & strike, political noncoorperation)
3. Nonviolent intervention, (physiological, physical, social, economic and political intervention)
Like others, Ethiopia has tried to bring freedom, justice,
democracy and human rights respected by nonviolent struggle in different time
but could not successful due to our politics nature as I mentioned above . For
example, different kinds of revolution, during 2005 election, the movement of
Muslims, many opposition parties doing that still now.
Finally, I recommend that calling and wake upping the
peoples, farmers, workers, business men, students, teachers, polices and
defense force to struggle for themselves that freedom and justice, education
and health, academic and political freedom, pursuit of prosperity and other
rights are our rights that we are entitled to as citizens. They are by no means
any acts of generosity given to us by the rulers who have imposed their will on
us. These are rights that we should never relinquish to anyone. And I encourage
values such as civil dialogue, tolerance, understanding and respect for competing
views not only to narrow differences but also to nurture and sustain the unity
of shared purpose to bring freedom and democracy in Ethiopia by choosing the
most convenient struggle methods.
