If there is one term that appears to be a commonplace language of Ethiopians over the course of last ten months since the beginning of Oromo Protest , that is Solidarity, a quest for unity among different ethnic and political groups in and outside the country . People call, from dawn to dusk, for genuine and a sapient solidarity in the opposition camp as this is the heyday for coalesce to defeat the common enemy of ETHIOPIA and ETHIOPIANS –TPLF (i.e Tigray Peoples Liberation Front) led Ethiopian government. It is the public fact that all Ethiopians as a people are victims of the Mafia group in Addis Ababa despite the fact that, the ongoing Oromo and the Amhara protests have set the fertile ground for cooperation than any time in the last 25 years.
By solidarity, it shall not be construed as a short-sighted strategic alliance nor shall it imply to emotionally driven cozy-bed cooperation among the megalomaniac political elites in the Diaspora or inside Ethiopia. Such kinds of alliances are futile because they would never serve the interest of the people nor represent the voice of the oppressed.That is what we learned from the previously failed experiences. We have witnessed repeatedly that emotionally driven collaborations and cooperations are thwarted emotionally after,sadly,precious lives had been paid to defend that bogus cooperation.
So far as I can recall,there are ongoing efforts for solidarity among the opposition groups in Diaspora more particularly between the Oromo and the Amhara political elites .To this end, I have observed few solidarity movements/rallies between the Oromo’s and of the Amhara’s in US and other parts of Europe. I would say with some level of confidence that this is a major leap forward to interpret the rhetoric commitments into practice though still, a big mountain is ahead of Us.Alas, I would hardly say the same in Germany.Accordingly,I want to give some humble tips regarding the opposition and demonstrations in Germany
I have had a privilege and opportunities to attend various demonstrations and public meetings organized by opposition members in Germany.Including the recent demonstration in Berlin on Septemeber 9/2016, I have been actively involved in many Demos in Frankfurt, Berlin, and other cities.Despite the prototypical efforts and exraordinary comittemnts to expose the heinous crimes committed in Ethiopia,there are also conerning issues.In my honest confession,the political struggle in Germany represents more off competitive than cooperative between the opposition ,literally between the Oromo organizations and the other opposition groups.They conduct parallel demarches and parallel public meetings for over a year and on occasions reproach each other.
It is apt to ask Why are people crying and mourning separately for the same cause?Why Politicians blame on each other while their people are dying by one enemy?
An epitome of this fact,on 2nd September 2016,the Oromo community has organized a rally in Berling calling the Ethiopian government to stop the killing of Ormos and Amharas.After a week,on 9th September,there was another demonstration by the other group with a similar tone of denouncing the murder of innocent Oromos and Amharas in Ethiopia by TPLF soldiers.I daresay that the huge absence of the Oromo community buckled its success and vice versa.Fortunately,the German Chancellor ,Angela Merkel, appeared for a brief moment in both Demos. Nevertheless,these events portray an image of disintegration and weak solidarity among the opposition in diaspora.Needless to say, that,as we seek the support of the international community for our struggle ,so do they want to know whether we are unified to lead the transition.The leadership of the opposition should never hesitate to take the blame.To my understanding,the masses are not empowered to do so at this stage.
To recap, I want to address my concern to the leaders of all civic and political organizations in Germany.They should give the chance to the people to march together ,to wail together,to shout together so that we will be heard in a better fashion!!! As Horace once ramarked, “Whenever justice sufferes our common humanity sufferes,too.”
Yonas Mebrahtu
Germany
reachyonas@gmail.com