Iyasus’ 2000th Birthday – Ethiopia’s Present to the World

By Yuya Joseph, March 21, 2007

Respect and true love to all Ethiopians of every ethnicity and faith, Judaic, Christian, Muslim and Rasta, and secular folks too! Praise Jah for our very existence as humans with consciousness, enjoying life on this troubled ball of blue, green and brown fun rolling through the sky. In thirty-six the earth wobbled, as injustice penetrated Ityopia, and though the planet endured nine years of world-changing wars, the tremors weren’t fully halted until fifteen years later.

Along the way, Beloved Ethiopia was the first country reclaimed by the Allies in World War Two, making 1941 a decisive turning point in the battle against the Hitler-Mussolini fascists. Thirteen centuries earlier, when Muhammad’s family and closest followers were experiencing frightful persecution by pagan governments in Arabia, Ethiopia gave refuge to 140 members of the Prophet’s relatives and others in the Islamic inner circle, and Harar remains the fourth holiest city in the religion. The letters written between the Emperor and the Prophet exemplify the most respectful discourse on the commonalities of Christianity and Islam, and should be Year One curriculum for students of all Abrahamic faiths.

As the Israelites moved northeast across the Sinai to settle in Judea thirty centuries ago, the Lions of Judah began migrating south, first from Thebes to Napata, then Meroe and Axum, then Lalibela and Mekele before settling in the 20th century in Addis Ababa, the New Flower. When Haile Sellassie I spoke before the League of Nations in 1936, his revelations of various members conspiring with the fascists proved the limitations of that organization and helped spurred creation of the United Nations twelve years later. Ethiopia was a founding member and helped draft the UN constitution.

In the early 1960s, there were two very different political alliances among African nations, one that favoured capitalism and the western countries, and one that preferred socialism and aligned with Russia and the Soviet bloc. In Addis Ababa in 1963 Ethiopian Emperor Haile Sellassie I and a senior government official, Foreign Minister Ketema Yifru, proposed continental unification under a new umbrella, the Organization for African Unity, which survives today via the African Union, whose headquarters are permanently enshrined in Addis Ababa.

Like Canada and India, Ethiopia is an example of a multicultural, multi-faith nation, a truly pluralistic, peace-loving country. Democracy is only emerging, as limits on free press and electronic media remain severe. Wide-open elections were held in 2005, and the opposition was reported to have leaped from having 12 seats to securing over 160, almost a third of the parliament. It would seem a cause for great celebrations, yet many among the opposition parties, who had aligned into two main blocs and then also ran candidates against each other, felt they had won the election outright. Due to their strength in major cities, it is conceivable that the opposition in total won the popular vote, but it was split among so many parties that the government’s claim to having won the vast majority of rural seats is believed by many western observers to be probable. Certain leaders of the opposition refused to take their seats in parliament, instead desiring to hold massive public protests and strikes in an attempt to gain new elections. Dozens of these were arrested, and it boggles the mind to consider how vibrant and dynamic the Ethiopian Parliament could have been with a strongly supported Opposition Leader, but that remains a political joy for Ethiopians to know in the future.

I am neither a supporter nor an opponent of the government or opposition parliamentarians, but rather I am a believer in the Ethiopian people and their divine destiny. It is absolutely imperative that everybody look at what’s real and work together to create a more open and just nation.

Imprisoned along with the dissident politicians were journalists accused of writing ethnicist and/or violence-inducing propaganda. As resentment of the ethnic group in power is commonplace in Addis Ababa and other major centers, where Amhara and Oromo often feel that their traditional rule has been superceded, the quality of the reporting is definitely in question, but even if you are in the business of censorship, the answer is in suspensions of licenses and shutting down offensive publications, not jail time for writers and publishers. Ethiopia will not be considered a real democracy until the press is opened up, and electronic media outlets are privately owned. British Commonwealth nations do really well with a blend of public and private broadcasters, and benefit from the BBC in the UK, the CBC in Canada, the JBC in Jamaica etc., and Ethiopia would be wise to follow this model. An Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation in a mix of locally owned and foreign owned media outlets would spur Ethiopia to mature politically, and that means a multiplicity of ideas through a variety of traditional and digital publishers, including newspapers, magazines, radio, TV and the web. The recent move to register Internet café users is regressive and should be rescinded immediately, as the potential for abuse by authorities outweighs any possible perceived benefits. The law stigmatizes urban poor and the young, cutting off contact with friends and family and even real job opportunities, and creates a police state mentality that can only harm Ethiopia’s economy, spirit and culture.

Where has the Ethiopian government succeeded? In terms of stability and security, democracy was thriving and had been progressing really well until the aftermath of the spring 2005 elections. Since then the capital has been under a variety of curfews and the government has been accused of being heavy-handed and authoritarian. Regionally, the country is surrounded by failed and problem states, including the two Somalia’s, Eritrea, and Sudan. Kenya and Uganda are more stable neighbors, though each has its own difficulties. As long-term relations with Europe and North America are still solid, Ethiopia is considered a core partner for all of the free democratic world, and in religious terms, to both Christian faithful and Islamic believers. The Mengistu era was sad for everybody because the hope and inspiration for all of Africa and all of humanity is Ethiopia, and the criminal atrocities and barbaric cruelties were not only senseless acts of violence, but also cut off family and business ties and destroyed decades of cultural and trade partnerships. So it is true that there have been dramatic improvements over the past decade, but there is much progress and transparency to come, and governance is an area requiring constant vigilance to maintain social gains, in all countries.

The Zenawi government gets good grades for improvements to infrastructure. New roads and fibre-optic lines make transportation and communications among regions and with the wider world so much smoother than ever before. The next step is allowing both local and foreign (I would like to see CityTV Addis Ababa and MuchMusic Africa; are you listening, Moses?) ownership of electronic media, and abandoning or phasing out of the censorship ministry. It’s a waste of taxpayers money; a small office combined with some citizen review panels can issue any fines or suspensions once free speech is legalized and offenses are mostly decriminalized. More specifically, it will still be illegal to publish ethnicist hatemongering but the penalties could be something like individual suspensions for 30 to 90 day periods, with extreme cases of repeat offenders having their journalistic or publication licenses revoked. The idea of writers in jail is repulsive to humanity, and Ethiopia must move quickly as misguided over-protectiveness only inflames the wildest claims. It is time to free the political prisoners, for most have served far more time than even writing with a poison pen can justify. For the sake of Ethiopia’s reputation, all but the most extreme cases should be released, and soon. Addis Ababa must be encouraged to return to normal, and groups of people must again be free to walk peacefully together.

In an effort to prevent privatization of land and other national assets, the government has tried to avoid going too far to the right, but has yet to reach the prosperous middle ground. A progressive resource act must be established that allows for international joint ventures but also involves federal, state, and local governments in the proceeds, and these royalties can be earmarked for schools and hospitals. The country has the assets in its unmatchable land and brilliant people, but freedom and education are needed to allow citizens to be full contributors to society. Ethiopia must be willing to learn from but also be wary of outside influences, and be honest about how much corruption seeped in during the Soviet / Mengistu era. Some of these effects may still be felt in relations with China and Russia, so it is imperative that Ethiopians also build trade and travel with Europe, North America, Japan, Israel, Palestine, Turkey, South Africa, Saudi Arabia and Egypt. If all of the Falashmura can’t make it to Israel, then let Jew and Christian and Muslim work side-by-side-by side and we’ll build a synagogue and housing near Addis for the local People of the Book.

Another area of strength that many ex-pats are loath to admit to is leadership. PM Meles Zenawi is not only liked by the world, he is considered a senior statesmen among African politicians, even though he is younger than the majority of them. In all of the arguments that try to claim that some combination of CUD / UEDP won the election, nobody ever seems to be able to say how many seats they believe they won, and even more tellingly, I have not yet seen anyone anywhere write a piece claiming that Hailu Shawel would be a much better leader than Zenawi. There are certainly some who believe this, but they are busy tilting at windmills, blissfully silent on any perceived strength of their own leadership. It is imperative that everyone at home and abroad work diligently together to ensure the 2010 elections are the fairest and most transparent ever, for the light upon Ityopia will be 1,000 times brighter.

Land ownership is a crucial issue, and if Ethiopians want serious progress, this is probably step one. It is important for the government to own roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, parks and even manage wilderness areas, but it is also vital the Ethiopians themselves own the land, buildings and businesses where people live and work. The government functions best when it is operated on behalf of the people. When the government owns all the land, the people must work for the government. When the people own their own land, the government must work for them. To accelerate this crucial step towards fairness and efficiency, certain long-tenured lands should be initially transferred to state, regional and municipal governments, and others directly to homeowners, farmers and business. A move toward more modern, international accounting practices will also help permanize the gains, with the goal of an enduring and progressive economy driving a free and just society.

It may also be beneficial for Ethiopia to de-link local and regional elections from the national contest. If municipal politicians are elected for three year terms and the regional and state representatives every four years, then the five year cycle of national elections will usually fall in different years, and even when they are in the same year, the smaller elections could be in the autumn, with the nationals in the spring, or vice versa.

In the near term, Praise Jah for the rains and thank Iyaus for bringing His Birthday in such a time of need. Let us bring water to every Ethiopian village, and to all humans everywhere, and as we unite to rescue Darfur from the thieves and the madmen, let Us remember also that urgent action can save lives in Afar and Oromiya and in other parts of Africa.

For longer-term planners, it is important that a broad and open opposition coalition forms to replace the two existing outdated political groupings. As the CUDP seems like a spent political force, remnants of this coalition should join with UEDP leaders to form one broadly based opposition alliance. The government has staked out the political left, leaving the center and the right. The new opposition coalition should shoot straight for the center and be part of the international liberal democratic movement, disdaining relations with separatist and other regressive, excessively ethnic-based parties, as well as any proposed partners that are so far left or right that they could be considered extremists. A coalition head must emerge who is prepared to run in both the 2010 and 2015 elections, somebody who would make an excellent PM or Official Opposition Leader. On an international scale, the existing government is left and authoritarian, and all of the parties can benefit the nation if they move gracefully towards the center. The EPRDF will almost for sure move towards the political center, as that is the best way to have positive and peaceful relations with other progressive, successful nations. Both the government and the opposition can expect that the competition will be tougher and the standards higher in 2010, for Ethiopians are learning to love democracy, slowly but surely.

More controversially, I believe it is also important for millions of young people of diverse backgrounds to join the governing coalition parties, for it is crucial that they be diversified whether they are in government or opposition after 2010. There will remain a Tigrean core in the current governing alliance, but the future strength of the nation will have to come from a talented, ethnically, culturally and geographically diverse cabinet and senior civil service, regardless of who wins three years hence. For the benefit of Ethiopia and the World, let’s have a completely wide-open election again in 2010, and this time have monitors from both sides and the international community at counting stations in addition to voting locations.

There’s no time for fucking around and I am encouraged by the maturation of the dialogue in recent months. Ethiopia has limitless talents, and to begin to realize the fruits of these blessings, let’s get civil. The racist hatemongers are about the most embarrassing problem the Ethiopian opposition has, and these a-holes prevent the more serious and sober messages from getting through.

Regarding the H.R. 5680 legislation about Ethiopian governance that is before the USA Congress, it is a highly flawed and misguided document put forth by well-intentioned but unrealistic opponents of the current government. It is bad for both Ethiopia and for the United States, and without substantial deletions and revisions, it would be a travesty for it to pass. It gets into areas that are truly for Ethiopians to decide (eg. the issue of extraditing Mengistu and his men; Ethiopia’s long tradition of forgiveness is something not every North American can easily comprehend), and provides a non-chronological, cherry-picked version of the events that leaves out many facts, such as the rejection of parliament by Shawel after his bid for a Unity Government fell through.

It doesn’t look like it was a close election in 2005 that could be swung over to victory with a little fast phone work by one side or the other, a la USA in 2000, when Florida disallowed enough ballots to change the totals. In Addis the electoral board credited the government and their allies with about three fifths of the seats, while the CUD had about one-fifth and UEDP and smaller parties represented most of the final fifth, with Somali province still to vote. The opposition had grown from twelve seats to one hundred and seventy, just shy of one-third of parliament, but even another thirty or forty seats would not have entitled them to try and form a government. Certainly the opposition scored a massive victory in Addis Ababa and other major cities, but to extrapolate this success into believing that the entire nation had voted for them seems to be a vain misreading of the situation. The opposition prematurely announced their own victory, but they were wildly and sadly divided, until after the election, when a fragile coalition emerged, and even this fell apart over the CUD leadership’s refusal to enter parliament..

I believe prison conditions and the justice system in Ethiopia both need to be significantly improved, and also that most of the politicians and journalists should be freed in coming weeks and months rather than years, but this proposed USA legislation requires significant meddling in Ethiopia’s internal affairs and appears to embrace a highly flawed approach. A more positive, enduring plan would be to rewrite the bill as a non-partisan effort to improve Ethiopian justice and penal systems with funding and exchange programs, and also as a profound commitment to help ensure that not only free voting but also supervised, multi-partisan observation of counting occurs during the 2010 elections. The bill could even provide help in decentralizing local and regional elections as a run-up to the national contest. Over half of the current proposal is sound and it could become the basis for new legislation promoting relations between the free world’s major power and Africa’s natural leader.

For this year and next, I am asking for Ethiopians to lay down the political sword and unify the nation, in honour of the 2000th Birthday of Iyasus. In terms of the western calendar, let Us unite for 2007 and 2008, then worry about the election in 2009 and 2010. A prisoner release is long overdue, and this could be accomplished by having many of the politicians and journalists plead to lesser charges in exchange for time served, and for those with little evidence against them, complete withdrawal of charges. Such a gesture would restore some of the government’s perceived credibility, both at home and abroad, and together with lifting of most curfew and public gathering restrictions, would be a positive step in the healing and restoration of the nation.

For now, let all who love Ethiopia spend 2007 and 2008 spreading harmony and goodwill. The year 2000 and 2001 in the Ethiopian calendar must be mind-opening and justice-bringing, exhibiting words and deeds worthy of Ityopia’s status as the Holiest nation on this planet.

While India has a Hindu majority and Canada is predominantly Christian, Ethiopia is in a unique position, for it seems that she is one of a small number of countries that is about half Christian and half Muslim. This duality shall become plurality, and I pray for and look for Jewish Synagogues and Hindu Temples to be opened within the decade. The Rastamen and Women are also faithful citizens of Zion, and when they are born in the country or have lived fifteen or so years in the nation, eligibility for full citizenship must be the norm. This is a historic opportunity for the nation to unite for peace, freedom, justice and democracy!

During this Holy year, Ethiopians abroad should make a point to try and return home and contribute in some way to the rebuilding of a great nation, even if it’s just a visit to show support for family, or sending or bringing tools to help a cousin launch a business.

In 2008 We will invite all of the planet to come celebrate with Us …

Tennayastilin