By Teshome Debalke
After all, no united people and democratic nation was ever possible without institutionally vetting the elites and penalizing violators to submit for the will of the people, none. Therefore, Ethiopian political elites must cut to the chase of talking on both side of their mouth and unconditionally surrender for consent of the governed to liberate the people of Ethiopia from their dysfunctional behavior that unleashed the nuisance of tyranny. It is as simple as that.
The Ethiopian National Unity Convention recently held in Seattle, Washington part 1 2… unlike any is the beginning of institutional probe on violators of the public trust long overdue in contemporary Ethiopian politics.
Unity of contemporary elites for purpose of emancipating the people of Ethiopia from the dysfunctional elites that have been bargaining our people’s freedom and rights away for their own ambitions is unheard of in modern Ethiopian politics and as simple as it can get to end tyrannical rule for good.
To give the Convention the badly needed moral clarity in the old Ethiopian religious tradition long forgotten by most contemporary elites like everything Ethiopian, the presence of our religious leaders to render spiritual advice to soften the hardened hearts and to reaffirm their commitment to speak out for justice and morality to free our religious institutions taken hostage by the ethnic Mafia elites was the icing on the cake.
The legendry 20th century German born America abstract expressionist Hans Hofmann once said; “simplicity is the ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary, so that the necessary may speak.”
Indeed. Whether in religion, politics, social and economics; simplicity is the mother of all ‘to eliminate the unnecessary, so that the necessary may speak.”
Likewise, Politics is ‘the art of the possibilities’ because its ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary noise of self-appointed political elites, so that the people may speak freely on the substance of democratic governance. Unfortunately, the reverse is true when it comes to our political elites’ zero-sum disengagements for as long as we can remember as if the democratic struggle is about them instead of the people of Ethiopia.
Thus, the Convention began to end self-serving politics at the expenses of the people of Ethiopia as we know it and should be applauded for opening the door of accountability. It not only showed where the bottleneck that kept our people apart and the ethnic Apartheid Mafia regime alive to create more chaos than otherwise but, provided platform for political, civic, Media… ‘organizations’ leaders to submit for the will of the people and to answer the tough questions of the public interest than throw mud on each other hiding behind the rogue Mafia regime to avoid public scrutiny for their own transgressions.
The ground-breaking Convention must continue its effort of identify every political, civic, Media… organizations and their leaders involved in the Ethiopian affairs to come out for public scrutiny and accountability.
Quit honestly, my wish is; the Convention to be transformed in to a permanent Watch Dog organization that oversee the hazard of dysfunctional behaviors of the elites that causing pain and suffering of the people of Ethiopia in general and the transgression of every political, social, economic and Media organizations and their leaders on behalf of the people of Ethiopia. In other words, it should be named to the ‘Ethiopian Unity and Democracy Watch’ with a broad mission of independently investigating who-is-who selling the interest of the people of Ethiopia short in every sector and take the necessary actions to stop it.
At the meantime, the formation of the Ethiopian National Movement last year and its recent multi cities tours around the world is the end clandestine politics against our people’s interest as we know it and the beginning of accountability. The Movement’s members’ official submission for the consent of the governed is a testimony unheard of in the political history of Ethiopia and the end self-entitlement to rule without consent the people as we know it.
As I said before, ENM is the best thing that happened to the people of Ethiopia since the Ethiopian Satellite Television Network hit the airwaves. I said that; not because the people behind ENM are necessarily smarter or better than anybody else but, because their moral superiority to submit for the consent of the governed thus, the rule of law and democracy by their actions than words is unmatched by any political elites that flaunt their credentials but yet couldn’t figure out what it means for the people of Ethiopia other than their own ambition visible for the necked eye.
Therefore, any Ethiopian that is blind sighted by the self-appointed representatives’ empty talk and by Woyane instigated ethnic Apartheid institutionalized divide and extortion is missing the big picture of the Ethiopian National Unity Convention’s platform and the Ethiopian National Movement submission for the will of the people of Ethiopia. After all, what good is Unity without the end of self-appointment of the political elites as representative of our people or democracy without the unconditional surrender for the consent of the governed that doesn’t require a PhD to figure out.
Thus, self-appointed political elites that made career out of using ethnicity or unity as a means of bargaining the people of Ethiopia’s’ rights and liberties away or as a meal ticket to illegitimate political power and corruption are nothing less than ‘the devil in disguise’ as we witnessed the rogue TPLF Mafia elites make a mockery of consent and democratic governance for 40 plus long years.
Before I dip in why the Ethiopian Unity Convention is the beginning and end of all dysfunctional behavior of contemporary elites, my appreciation for the distinguished Ethiopian public intellectual Professor Mesfin Woldemariam for simplifying the problem when he said; “ኢትዮጵያኖች መንቀል እንጂ መትከል አንችልም” and summed up the source of all the crises facing the people of Ethiopia and where to begin solving it.
In his remark, he made a telling story about modern education as a possible trigger of the elites’ dysfunctional behavior. Observing many highly educated contemporary Ethiopian elites’ propensity for cronyism and corruption and disregard for the rule of law and accountability on the expenses of their fellow Ethiopians, it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say; modern education is the principal contributor for contemporary elites’ dysfunctional behavior thus, the source of lawlessness and the pain-and-suffering of our people in general and the atrocities and corruption of the ruling ethnic Mafia elites. Listen to his full speech here.
Given his advice mightn’t sink-in the minds of highly polarized and narcissistic contemporary political elites’ that feel entitled to continue circling the same old Marxist’s class and ethnic divide wagon not to speak the universal language of the rule of law and democracy, the time has come for all Ethiopians to make each-and- every one of them accountable as the Ethiopian Unity Convention began to do. After all, how long Ethiopians can tolerate contemporary elites to experiment every political, social, and economic transgression known to man without taking any personal responsibility whatsoever or unwilling to tell the truth to remedy them?
Regardless, the past is for historians to document and justice to take its course in future time as many progressive participants of the Convention alluded. Looking forward; no individual Ethiopian elite simplify the gist of the solution missing in the vocabulary of contemporary political elites for so long than Dr Kunte Mussa. In recusing himself from claiming to represent our people, he said; ‘I am an individual and don’t represent the Afar people or anyone else. No one voted for me to represent them’; and hammered the nail on the coffin of self-appointed representative of our people — the primary cause of the problem on the struggle for freedom, justice and democracy that cost so many lives, rights, liberty and resources of the people of Ethiopia for so long.
But, no one — speaking on behalf of the Patriotic-Ginbot Seven Movement and member of the Ethiopian National Movement buried the coffin of self-appointment for good than Dr Berhanu Nega that earned him terrorism charge from none other than the self-appointed ethnic elite representatives of our people in Tigray masquerading as the Government of Ethiopia.
Therefore, the problem for struggle for freedom and democracy is nothing more than the self-appointed representative of our people’s refusal to surrender for consent of the governed as their notorious Woyane counterparts. Unfortunately, it continued to be the one-and-only bottleneck facing the people of Ethiopia from ending the Apartheid Mafia rule as it is the case for all people around the world under despotic regimes run by dysfunctional elites that vehemently refuse to surrender for the consent of the governed thus, for the rule of law and democratic governance.
For the record, the former Kinjit that won the 2005 Ethiopian National Election hands down followed by Patriotic-Ginbot Seven Movement for Freedom, Justice and Democracy are the only political organizations in the history of the Ethiopia that officially submitted for the consent of the people until the four progressive member parties of the Ethiopian National Movement unconditionally surrender for will of the people of Ethiopia last year to unite their effort.
The Ethiopian National Movement was born out of the necessity ‘to eliminate the unnecessary’ (the political elites’ entitlement to self-appoint themselves as the representative of our people) as acknowledged by the Chairman Dr Beyan Asoba. Quite frankly, Ethiopians can’t get it any better than that and should take ENM seriously to help end tyranny from body politics of Ethiopia as we know it.
If you really think about it, the entire political, social and economic crises brought on our people that resulted in the emergence of a self-professed Marxist Military junta known as Derg followed by a self-professed Marxist ethnic Mercenary/Mafia known as Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF) masquerading as the Ethiopian governments; it is because of the audacity contemporary political elites’ refusal to submit for the consent of the governed, the rule of law thus, democratic governance ever since Ethiopians embarked in the struggle for freedom and democracy from the traditional monarchy rule. Nothing less noting more to it.
Therefore, self-appointed representative of our people at home and abroad that are supposedly educated enough to know better than their traditional counterparts brought chaos— division, confusion, rights violations, corruption, poverty, death, distraction, displacement… and can no longer be allowed to continue the politics of chaos as the usual for their enablers’ benefits.
Unfortunately, old habits die hard and many continued to do the same. Crimes after crimes of Woyane dysfunctional elites and blunders after blunders of the rest; the self-appointed representative of our people couldn’t budge but, double down to justify their existence on the expenses of our people for far too long. Where is the justice for our people in that?
When I wrote several critical articles about contemporary elites playing hide-and-seek starting on January 21 titled the politics of against vs. for the people of Ethiopia followed by another article on February of 2017 titled; “The ‘Ethiopian Crisis’: Isn’t the intellectual elites’ willful ignorance that caused the crises?” it was out frustration not finding much info about the same old Summit call on Ethiopian Crises sponsored by the Ethiopian American Council and ‘Consultative Conference’ sponsored by Shengo, the Ethiopian National Transition Congress and Ethiopian Youth National Movement. I couldn’t help but ask;
“Could the Crises of Ethiopia the lack of transparency of those that claim to address the Crises?”
After the summit and the Consultative Conference’ to nowhere ended, on March 2017 I wrote another article titled “Two wrongs don’t make right nor help institute the rule of law over the jungle law” to reinforce; self-appointed representative of our people are mixing apples and oranges in the name of ethnicity, unity, peace, democracy… by coming up with their own jungle law. I said;
“Unfortunately, there are enough dysfunctional elites that embrace the jungle law of their own liking that benefited TPLF/Woyane warlords to empower them to ram the jungle law further — mixing and matching ‘alternative’ facts for far too long. More disheartening is; Diaspora dysfunctional elites’ persistence to sustain and mainstream the jungle law halfway across the world — reinforcing; you can get the boys out of the jungle but, not the jungle out of them.”
Think about it, where in this world people get away with self-appointing themselves as representative of the people of a nation without the consent of the governed but, contemporary dysfunctional political elites from their hiding?
Quite frankly, I don’t know how any organization leader in the business of solving the political problem of Ethiopia feels entitled to speak on behalf our people beyond the universal suffrage of the people of Ethiopia and democratic rule regardless of the outcomes. To do so is not only an insult to the intelligence and the integrity of the civilized people of Ethiopia but, a conspiracy to undermine the unity and the democratic struggle of our people.
But again, what do I know about contemporary politics when the most educated elites couldn’t figure out the difference between their petty interest and the public interest?
Albert Einstein once said, “We cannot solve our problems with the same level of thinking that create them”
It is true anytime a political party, civic organization or Media leaders deviate from the consent of the governed, the rule of law and democratic governance as the principle driving force for freedom and liberty of our PEOPLE; crises like what the people of Ethiopia faced all these years at enormous cost to lives, rights and livelihoods and the integrity of the nation is inevitable. Then, why do contemporary political elites do it over-and-over again and why the rest of their peers allow them?
If the past is any indication; ideological differences wasn’t the issue between contemporary political elites. After all, they all embraced Marxism then as they claim to embrace democracy now but, never walk-the-talk or agreed to work together on the basic principle of Marxism then or democracy they publicly proclaim now. Nor, the absences of the rule of law and personal accountability is their concern then as it is not now by their own actions-and-inactions. Therefore, by embracing despotism (the rule of the jungle) and secrecy (lack of accountability) over the consent of the governed, the rule of law and accountability (democracy); their dysfunctional behavior become the norm not the exception as it was summed up by our wise people’s saying “እኔው ብቻ ልግዛው ሆነና ነገሩ ደግሞ በሰማይ ቤት እንዳያስቸግሩ”.
Can Ethiopians afford self-appointed representative of our people to negotiate with each other our rights and fate any longer remained the million dollars question.
Therefore, when the Ethiopian National Unity Convention began the process of the long-awaited accountability of the self-appointed representatives our people to consent for the governed in the shadow the ruling ethnic Mafia elites hellbent to sustain ethnic Apartheid regime backed by the international community; it was fresh air to make us all sing halleluiah.
But, the usual loud noises not only came fast from the stooges of the rogue Mafia regime as expected but, from every self-appointed elite that claim to represent our people. It seems anything that brings Ethiopians together to discuss the right course of actions to take to make all political elites surrender for the consent of the people of Ethiopia is the end of the world or death sentence for their entitlement. Where is the justice for our people in that?’
Therefore, the attacks on anybody that striped their entitlement intensified before the Convention’s proceedings’ ‘ink dried’. For instance, those attempting to pock hole on the Ethiopian Unity Conference came on Media platforms run by clandestine individuals hiding in their bunkers. The open season of attacks, diversion, character assassination, incrimination… against the Unity Convention itself, the organizers and participants as well as leaders of the Ethiopian National Movement, particularly Patriotic-Ginbot Seven Movement’s leaders shouldn’t alarm Ethiopians and remind us what Professor Mesfin said– “ኢትዮጵያኖች መንቀል እንጂ መትከል አንችልም”.
The challenge for Ethiopians in general as well as organizers of the Ethiopian Unity Conference and member of the Ethiopian National Movement is simple. That is; to sort out the political elites that talk for the sake of talking/opposing and others that claim to represent a party or organization on behalf of our people but refuse to walk-the-talk and make them personally responsible. After all, isn’t that why Ethiopians are disgusted by the crimes of the dysfunctional Mafia elites of Woyane?
Unfortunately, to see only members of the Ethiopian National Movement submit for consent of the people of Ethiopia means there is more work to be done to bring about individual and institutional accountability from all. The question is; who and how?
The role of the Media and civic organizations
As they say, Media Matters. Unfortunately, most contemporary elites’ run ‘Medias’ are political hacks with obvious agenda not to matter for the interest of the people of Ethiopia just like their self-appointed political counterparts.
The handful Media operators that officially submit for the interest of the people of Ethiopia led by the Ethiopian Satellite Television Network Verses the many others that submit for self-appointed political elites of one kind or another including Woyane Mafia elites is where the problem began and must end. Again, the solution is simple. Medias that submit for the interest of the people of Ethiopia have the responsibility and the duty to identify and sort out those that don’t. Likewise, civic organization can also play a role to sort out the real from the fake Medias.
Likewise, the Ethiopian Unity Convention organizers (the future Ethiopian National Unity and Democracy Watch) must also hold convention on the State of the Ethiopian Media to identify and sort out those that submit for the people will verses their own or their enablers’ will. After all, whether political party, civic and economic organizations or Medias, if they don’t submit for the interest of the people; what good can they be but, trumpets of interest groups of their choice that take advantage of the chaos the Mafia regime created at the expenses of the people of Ethiopia.
As the mudslinging and flame throwing on Ethiopians intensify from the usual suspects mostly from faceless and nameless characters, organizers of the Ethiopian Unity Convention as well as all Ethiopians must be vigilant to identify and expose them to the people of Ethiopia. What they shouldn’t do is be sidetracked by those that attempt to derail the democratic struggle and focus on the bigger issue of individual accountability from one-and-all away from guilt by associations. After all, isn’t guilt by associations the criminal way of denying of our people justice the dysfunctional Woyane Mafia elites strive on?
Finally, the door is wide open for one and all political parties, civic organization and Medias to submit for the consent of the people of Ethiopia and explain how they plan to bring about unity, freedom, the rule of law and democratic governance to sort out who is responsible for causing havoc on the people of Ethiopia beside the expected Mafia regime’s elites hiding behind the ethnic Apartheid Revolutionary Democracy and everything in between.
I don’t know about you my people. But, for me as Ethiopian; no one represent my people until they say so in their free will. And, any organization, political or otherwise that officially submit for the will of my people worth every support, respect and more.
After all, no united people and democratic nation was ever possible without institutionally vetting the elites and penalizing violators to submit for the will of the people, none. Therefore, Ethiopian political elites must cut to the chase of talking on both side of their mouth and unconditionally surrender for consent of the governed to liberate the people of Ethiopia from their dysfunctional behavior that unleashed the nuisance of tyranny. It is as simple as that.
The article is dedicated for the organizers of the Ethiopian National Unity Convention in Seattle Washington for opening the door of accountability and members of the Ethiopian National Movement that set the standard of democratic rule by officially submitting for the consent of the people of Ethiopia. Whether we love them or hate them for whatever petty reason, they proved to be morally superior than any to love their people more than they love themselves. As they say, ‘if you love them; set them free’.
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