Government has the duty and responsibility to put an end to hate propaganda and violence

By Fesseha Akalu

What started as citizens’ opposition to a city expansion plan is clearly degenerating into something else. And this is because the usual suspects who see an opportunity in every public discontent to promote their own political and religious agenda are doing their utmost to hijack a genuine and legitimate public concern into a cause célèbre for violent revolution. This is not new, and shouldn’t of course come as a surprise as the country has been on that road before. Yet, what’s unusual and baffling is the fact that the government is showing extreme restraint (in politically correct term) or looking the other way when political adversaries are openly encouraging hysteria, feeding paranoia and promoting violence. Ethiopians are used to these types of propaganda coming from anti-peace forces overseas. What makes the new phenomenon alarming, however, is the fact that it’s happening from within the country, thus raising the “Where is the government?” question. On that note, to my knowledge, the one of the main emerging agents of hate propaganda and promoters of violence is a “journalist” by the name Anania Sorri who, among other things, is on record for:

a. Defaming public figures, and making death threats against them. He so far has named Ato
Abay Tsehaye, Ato Getachew Reda and Wro. Mimi Sebhatu as targets.
b. Inciting political unrest, lawlessness in the country by advising citizens to arm themselves up
or an inevitable showdown with the government.
c. Trying to create ethnic conflict with such inflammatory statements that one ethnic based regional political party has declared a “Holocaust/Genocide” against another.
d. Declaring war on one particular ethnic group.
e. Calling on the army to turn its guns on the government, etc.

So, when the issue is this serious and there happens to be damning evidence to bring people like
Anania Sorri to justice, why are government officials and security forces not taking action? Only they can answer that, but one can make an informed speculation.

1. Government officials and those in charge of the country’s security may look down on the likes of
Anania Sorri as immature political lightweights, and thereby underestimate their impact. However, this would be wrong not only because death threats and inciting hate/political unrest are serious offences, but also because there are innocent young minds that could easily be influenced by the propaganda, and ultimately rise to action at the expense of endangering their own lives as well as that of the public.
2. After attracting negative publicity on the national and international stage following the arrest of political activists, journalists and bloggers, the government could be shying away from making new arrests. If so, this would be wrong too. After all, it is one thing to show restraint when it comes to minor offences, but quite another when law and order, ethnic relations as well as citizens’ and public safety are openly threatened and clearly put in danger.
3. There could be a desire or an attempt to appease the opposition in the hope of bridging gaps and resolving conflict amicably. While this, in principle, is the right thing to do, history shows that hatred and violence can never be appeased. Rather, they need to be dealt with as quickly and fiercely as possible before they spread like wildfire paving the way for lawlessness and anarchy.

To sum up, as government has the duty and responsibility to protect its citizens by keeping law and order, a quick action needs to be taken against those who are making death threats, spreading hatred, promoting violence against people and preaching ethnic Armageddo