Ethiopia Must Foster Genuine Ethnic Federalism as the Imposition of Unitary System Risks Its Disintegration.
February 04, 2019
Various nations and peoples in Ethiopia must be free to be able to assert their collective rights under the framework of genuine Ethnic Federalism. In a country such as Ethiopia, where its over 80 nations have got their ways of life and distinct cultural attributes that uniquely characterise them; imposing obdurate feudal style system of the traditional rulers will not only be backward and costly, but also undoubtedly hampers the progress of the country towards the aspired democracy, equality and unity the new and progressive forces are advocating for.
This has been told and retold by various scholars including Walelgn Mekonen, Dr Haile Fiida and their likes although over a half century old advices of such nature repeatedly fell in deaf ears. Therefore, unless the aspired unity is tailored to the interest of all stakeholders in such manner that caters their needs, the old mantra of the unionist never takes us an inch forward.
Those who oppose to the fundamental rights of over 80 nations of Ethiopia to their ethnic based federalism must either join the progressive forces working to achieve this goal or otherwise understand what kind of futile game they are playing that potentially risks the unity and survival of Ethiopia at worst.
Notwithstanding the indicated, we saw nostalgic unionists repeatedly puffing and huffing using their propaganda outlet including the oldest VOA and DW Amharic services; and more importantly the recent and most anti-Ethnic federalism agent, heinously venomous Media, ESAT are working day and night to derail the hope and aspirations of various nations of Ethiopia for genuine self-governance.
The inability of the unionists to assert unequivocal facts on the ground that attests, there is no interest in Ethiopia for their dogmatic and obdurate mantra of ‘One Ethiopian and One people’ will potentially risk the future of the entire country. Furthermore, as long the Ethiopia’s imposed Unity or Oneness is based on subjugating the majority by imposing the culture and customs of the oppressor, its viability will be at stake.
Historical accounts of the past 130 years provide us with ample evidences that, nostalgic unionist elements have never brought meaningful changes for the country and its downtrodden peoples as hunger and deprivation synonymise Ethiopia for the last over five (5) decades in particular. Besides, to date they preach their subjects to further inculcate the indicated fake mantras in their psyches. It is apparent that, the country and its peoples were ruled by unionists since its creation in a modern form. During the entire reigns of these elements since 1890s, the country remains at the bottom of world’s least developed country in economic endeavour, socio-political and human progress.
Regardless, unrepentantly, the indicated unionists moan day and night about the unity of the country without giving slightest consideration for the rights of various nations making up the country they claim for uniting; although if not refrained they are working to disintegrate it.
It is an unequivocal fact that, Ethiopia has been and remains paradise for the privileged few and hell for the majority of the country’s peoples. To date unionists under the mask of ‘one Ethiopia and one People’ are plotting to bury the demands of various nations if they could. However, a burning demand of the subjugated nations of the country is their yearnings for a fundamental politico-economic reform that accommodates their wishes and interests.
To answer such quests of various nations, reforms were attempted on several occasions by various nationalist groups time and time again although it has been hijacked by the unionists. Today’s attempts of G7 and their likes aren’t different from their predecessor counterparts; as they both play the same lyrics with different tunes without slightest change with their themes.
However, to make a genuine reform a reality, the basis of reform needs to focus on addressing the century old grievances of over 80 conquered nations of the political south of Ethiopia. And these needs could be only achieved through genuine ethnic based federalism; so that the federated nations come together to have a united Ethiopia that equally caters the interest of all. Unless these are successfully achieved, it will be very unlikely to envisage positive outcome; the unequivocal fact unionists and the current reformists must understand.
Finally, nations and peoples in Ethiopia must be able to feel valued and respected in their own region and wider country. Marginalisation of all forms and shapes must be unconditionally stopped. The exploitation of their resources by the traditional rulers and their descendants must be equally stopped as this won’t be tolerated any longer. The cultures, languages, ways of life and economic rights of various nations should be respected and developed. No one should be standing on the ways of various nations to dictate them with their backward obdurate accounts. The imposition of explicit and implicit political will of the brutal traditional rulers and their sympathisers won’t bring the required progresses; but genuine ethnic federalism, the only viable antibiotic for the 21st century Ethiopia does. No rulers without the will of all nations in Ethiopia can prescribe his or her will with malicious intent on any nation. Indeed, all nations must be free to make their own choice in order for them to be equal partners whilst rebuilding Ethiopia that equally caters for the interest of all stakeholders.
