Imru Zelleke (Ambassador)
Thanks
to the Semayawi (Blue) Party at last a light has appeared at the end of
tunnel that leads to freedom. Those that have to be congratulated the
most are the Ethiopian People at large who responded to the appeal in
massive numbers with enthusiasm and dignity. They expressed clearly and without ambiguity their demands and aspirations.
A new phenomenon that gave
impetus and dynamism to the movement is the overwhelming participation
of the youth including the leadership. The highest accolades and
compliments should be given to Engineer Yelikal Getinet and his
colleagues for their courageous and exemplary leadership. They have
overcome the negative paradigm of divisions and contentions that has so
far infected the opposition factions, and appealed directly to the
people. In fact it is time for the younger generation to take over the
helm of the opposition; it is their future that is at stake.
The elderly
generation can give advice and share their experience, because the past
is an essential element to understand the pre-existing conditions and
to build the future on solid foundations.
This new advent on the
political scene opens new challenges and pitfalls presaging critical
events and conditions that must be met with clarity and absolute
determination. I humbly suggest the following:
a. We should give up the notion of a “united” action. For the past forty years we have heard the word
“unity, union, united etc.” that it has lost its meaning, and has
become to mean to do nothing in unison, as the popular dictum “a
committee is a gathering of people who cannot do anything by themselves,
who together decide to do nothing”. A plethora of parties with hardly
constituencies worth mentioning are more of a hindrance than a positive
element. What is needed is a determined and genuinely patriotic group to
leads the struggle for freedom. Semayawi Party has taken the lead with
undeniable action let’s support them.
b.
If the regime had a modicum desire to reform its governance, the
current development would have been a good opportunity, unfortunately
its reaction are negative and as usual consisting of intimidations and
false accusations. As mass arrests and killings are likely to ferment
further public anger, we have to look at what they could create to
divert popular opinion and secure their survival. One way would be to
use sacrificial lamb some the old honchos like Sebhat Nega, Azeb Mesfin
and a few others for corruption, open
some business space for loyal fellow travelers, and release some
prisoners; a second way is to ignite some conflict with Eritrea or
another neighbor in order to inflame the patriotism of the masses; a
third way is to cause internecine conflicts and implement more coercive
measures to impose their rule by share force.
c.
Don’t expect any help from foreign sources; they have what they
perceive as their national interest to maintain as long as things remain
stable as they are momentarily. It is up to us to change conditions in
our own country, and not by foreign forces.
d.
The Semayawi Party and the parties who join them must be prepared to
face these challenges with appropriately designed strategies and
tactics, giving serious consideration to the strength and weakness of
the regime, the foreign support and effective political and economic
role, the present social and economic conditions, the dysfunctional
federal structure imposed on the country, human rights, the rule of law
and many other important matters.
e. The Diaspora could play an important role in providing professional and financial support to the movement inside the country.
I
recommend that such support group be formed by all concerned, according
to our capabilities and means at our disposal, without delving into
partisanship and the like. Let’s do it !!!
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