Opinion: Ethiopia's Leaderless Revolution

I remember three decades ago when the Ethiopian youth were bombarded with the theories of Marxism and Leninism, which did not merge well with the Ethiopian culture, history and religions. The communist movement was inspired by university students who expanded like a wild fire. However, during struggle the military junta slaughtered many Ethiopian youths.

After a few years, the TPLF controlled the country. However the Ethiopian youth made the ultimate price and make the central government weaker. The Ethiopian youths who loved his country so much sacrificed like a lamb.

But when the Ethiopian revolutionaries (the oppositions or the military government) were nowhere to be found, everyone, even Mengistu ran out of the country. And Ethiopia was handed to TPLF and EPLF in a golden plate.
It’s really bothering me right now. Still nothing has changed with the Ethiopian revolutionaries. Whether they are pro-democracy or pro-communist or the Ethiopian progressive elite, the same old revolutionaries bear the same way of thinking. These people are far from the country and live in the other part of the world and are trying to ignite another revolution. But with no proper leadership, what’s next? OLF or?

And some politicians nowadays want the youth to go out and want the youth to write BEKA in every corner of Addis Ababa. It’s exactly what the EPRP used to do. It looks like nothing’s changed.

But the Ethiopian diaspora’s politicians must understand that the Ethiopian youths are no longer a fool; if they want to change Ethiopia, first we need them inside the country. The Ethiopian youths need to demand these politicians to come back and organize and lead us. Ethiopian youth needs to demand from those intellectuals Ethiopians who wrote so much online. You should tell them, “Do not hide in Europe and in the USA and asking us to sacrifice ourselves again. No thanks!”

Those revolutionaries used to be Marxist Leninist. They used to advocate communism and preach about international Proletarianism and advocate atheism to a religiously adherent country.

Now, they became pro-democratic, demanding free society in Ethiopia. It looks like they support free democratic freedom and free speech. At the same time, if you question their motives, they ignore you, and you will be tagged with names and hear horrible things from their filthy mouths. They do not even allow you to comment on anything on their web site; these are the kind of people who want to change Ethiopia. The question is can these people be trusted?

As much as I have a problem with the EPRDF/TPLF government human right record, I have doubt on those people who would like to control the Ethiopian revolution by remote control and their demand on the children of the poor to pay the price with their blood. Above all, they hid themselves with their families in the States or Europeans countries asking the youth to pay the ultimate price. This injustice has to be confronted and stopped.
The most successful world class leaders remain by their people and fought back the injustice. Well known great leaders like Martin Luther King and Gandhi stayed with their people and made the ultimate sacrifice for something they believe in. But their dreams finally realized and the next generations see the light of freedom and justice they struggled, bleed, and died for.

Plus the Ethiopian opposition cannot even work together. The main reason is due to the serious lack of leadership. Plus you have to know that no nation on the face of the earth rose by simply talking or chatting via internet. Ethiopian revolutionaries were talking for over three decades but their dreams never materialized. As far as I know Ethiopia’s problem is so complex and whoever control the government it is not going have an easy ride, but there are certain demands that every country, no matter where they are located or who they are, deserve to demand for. Freedom and basic rights are no exception.

Millennium Hydroelectric Dam Project: A Historic Cause Worth Rallying Behind

By A Group of Ethiopian Diaspora Living in Ethiopia
diaspora.ethio@gmail.com

The Group that is writing this piece was formed two years ago by some members of the Ethiopian diaspora who used to live in North America, and have once again made Ethiopia their home. Members come from all walks of life including business, various professions, faith-based as well as the not-for-profit sector. The Group’s objective is to consult with one another; exchange ideas and work collaboratively so as to individually and collectively contribute to the socioeconomic development of the country and people.

There is a consensus that the Group should remain informal and non-political, thus members rarely get involved as a group in public forums or in the media. But there inevitably comes a time when one finds it difficult to remain silent or indifferent.

Thus, more than ever before, we feel a sense of duty and responsibility to speak up in support of the Millennium Hydroelectric Dam, which indeed is a historic and visionary project that is worth winning the support of all Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia. In our view, there are five main historical, psychological, political and socioeconomic reasons to rally behind this worthy cause.

First, all Ethiopians – young and old; from rural or urban area; within or outside the country – can relate to the sense of despair they felt since time memorial with regard to Abay, i.e. the Nile. From the age old adage “Yabay lej weha temaw” (A child of Nile suffering from thirst for water) to the Dergue era “Abay Abay yager adbar, yager sisai …” song of lamentation, Ethiopians were resigned to a sense of defeatism that there was some kind of “curse” that gets in the way of their inherent right to benefit from the most valuable God-given natural resource that originates in and passes through their land.

Fortunately, that “curse” is now being lifted like a dark cloud. And the launching of this project is a remarkable moment with a significant positive impact on the Ethiopian individual and collective psyche.

Second, triggered by economic incapacity and the lack of political will, Abay ultimately became a symbol of injustice. Adding insult to injury, the fact that the country lacked the ability to make the best use of Abay ended up being interpreted by others with vested interests as though Ethiopia has relinquished its inherent right to a fair and equitable share of the water. Thankfully, the current Ethiopian Government’s game-changing approach to Abay has led to the long overdue sense of justice felt not just by Ethiopians, but also justice loving people all over the world. After all, as Martin Luther King articulately stated in his letter from Birmingham Jail, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere”.

Third, it’s often said that the typical rallying force for Ethiopians is a war against any aggression threatening their national integrity or, in a time of peace, a victory on the athletic front. So, this grand development plan – with high potential to greatly benefit not only their own but also their neighbouring countries in the region – is a groundbreaking rallying factor for Ethiopians.

Fourth, the role electricity plays in a country’s economy is indeed well known. To that end, the hydroelectric dam is going to immensely contribute to our country’s resoluteness to end poverty through economic development – i.e. infrastructure building; agricultural improvement, industrialization and technological advancement, etc.

Last but certainly not least, the project will provide temporary and permanent job opportunities for experts, skilled and semi-skilled workers, labourers, service providers and suppliers of all kinds of materials.

Thus, for the five reasons mentioned above and perhaps more the Group may likely have overlooked, we strongly believe that Ethiopians of all backgrounds – regardless of their ethnicity, religion, social status or political leanings – should rally behind this great cause.

A word of caution to Ethiopians in general and our brothers and sisters in the diaspora in particular: While the overwhelming majority of Ethiopians, as expected, welcomed the hydroelectric dam news with excitement, and continue expressing their eagerness to give the project their 100% backing, there are some detractors – albeit very insignificant in number – who, out of deliberate distortion of truth or sheer ignorance, have begun to speak and write ill about this commendable project.

What’s worse, the most dishonest allegation these naysayers are making is to depict the Millennium Hydroelectric Dam Project as a kneejerk reaction aimed at shifting attention from the political unrest that is taking place in North Africa and the Middle East. And frankly this is an insult to Ethiopians’ intelligence for at least three main reasons:

First, the history in the making we are privileged to witness is evidently not a pork barrel community water well drilling that can be planned and announced in just a matter of weeks. Rather, it’s an enormous undertaking for a landmark development project. And one doesn’t have to be a high-ranking public official or a civil engineer to imagine the amount of time it took to discuss, plan and hammer things out prior to the announcement.

Second, one doesn’t have to be a political analyst either to have seen this coming, especially after the Cooperative Framework Agreement was signed by Nile basin countries way back in May 2010. Soon after, it’s to be recalled how the talk on Nile heated up on the international media; PM Meles Zenawi stood his ground, and went to great lengths to defend his country’s rights.

Third, who says Ethiopia is cursed to be an importer of copycat revolution? And who benefits from a political unrest, really? Hasn’t the country suffered enough due to years of political conflicts? Cynics can label us as “economic determinists” if they so wish, but we strongly believe that we represent the vast majority of Ethiopians when we boldly state that this is the era of economic revolution for Ethiopia.
So, it goes without saying that Ethiopians have to be vigilant of the propaganda fabricated by these adversaries who are choosing to be on the wrong side of history.

To conclude, when we congratulate the government and the people of Ethiopia for this historic and visionary project, it’s with recognition that it’s a huge responsibility that requires the involvement and support of all Ethiopians living within or outside their homeland, not to mention friends of Ethiopia in the African continent as well as all over the world. And together we can indeed realize this long overdue individual and collective dream of ours by rallying behind this once in a life time cause deserving of our support every step of the way.