The chickens have come home to roost

Ethiopia: The chickens have come home to roostEthiopia: The chickens have come home to roost

By Eyassu Lebenu
Americans have a saying, ‘chickens have come home to roost’ to suggest that everyone would face the consequences of their mistakes or bad deeds, no matter how long it might take and the actions and decisions seems expedient in the short run. That is indeed what is going on in Ethiopia today. The current Tigray Liberation led regime is in the state of panic as a result of the social revolution sweeping the nation in every corners. From the peaceful unarmed Oromo students protest to the armed opposition of the peasants in Gondar is unprecedented since the control of state power by the Tigray Liberation army in 1991.

The ongoing social quest for change, no matter what the immediate causes might be, is embedded in a larger social demand for a better governance and economic opportunities and political rights the people has been denied for more than two decades. The Tigray liberation led regime installed ethnic political and federal arrangement that is meant to safeguard the minority’s economic dominance and political hegemony than being a genuine means of responding to the ‘national question’ as their rhetoric suggests. This same ethnic based political system meant to benefit the minority elite’s interest has and will continue to back fire, as many said all along, and different ethnic groups in every corner of the country are waking up demanding real representation and participation than being subservient to and servants of the Tigray Liberators economic and political monopoly.

The Tigray liberation led regime insistence to adopt ethicized politics and failure to embrace liberal democracy that ensures individual and group human and democratic rights should have been known to cause more harm than good for the peace and stability of the nation. Nominal regional autonomy that function as henchmen to control the people of other ethnic groups should have been known to serve in the short term than making a lasting social stability and economic wellbeing. Until and unless there is a real federal system that is established by the people and for the people without manipulation and intervention from the Tigray Liberation led forces Ethiopia will always remain to be at the verge of social unrest and instability as the ongoing social protest shows. Besides, the more the current regime used force to suppress peaceful social protest than responding to their demands and aspirations it will create a favorable environment for the creation and expansion of armed opposition parties that would sooner or later would bring the regime down.

Not long ago I wrote the article entitled ‘Isaias Afeworki, TPLF and Ethiopians’ and among other things I stated,
”…. TPLF has an opportunity to reform and redesign its policies and strategies to own the future and to avoid the imminent social quest for change that potentially could cause a collateral damage on the nation beyond itself. It is a lesson TPLF understands too well that oppressed and marginalized people by politics and from economics will definitely shall rise when the situation is ripe. The silence that seems peaceful will give birth to a movement unstoppable. However, before that movement grows legs and starts to kick allowing democratic and civil liberties in the nation would be a wise and ingenious decision that would redeem it from being a prisoner of its future...”

I did not called upon the regime to change and reform its policies because it will. Let alone my lone voice through the windows of the internet but rather the demand of thousands on the streets has been met with deadly force, torture and imprisonment. However, to avoid the worst scenario possible to our homeland I will always insist on the idea that the current regime has be able to make radical change and transformation of policies and strategies as well as political orientations by adopting inclusive and accommodative democratic systems and principles. Failure to do so should not be an option. Because, if this social rage and movement fails to bring the necessary long awaited changes in the nation today, there would come a well-organized and armed forces of the Ethiopian people who would demand their rights.

Mathew 3;11 said ‘’indeed I baptize you in water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I,….he shall baptize you in fire” Ethiopians today are demanding their freedom and rights without resorting to bloodshed and killings. They are demanding their rights by lifting and crossing their hands to show that they are in chains and they need freedom. The regime that we don’t expect to act rationally have and continue to respond using guns and bullets. However, this does not continue to be the case. We shall not continue to fall victims to the Tigray Liberators violence and atrocities every time we asked for our rights and freedom. We should begin to defend ourselves and we should defend our rights by all means possible as human beings. As Malcolm X said ‘no one gives you freedom, if you are a man you should take it.’’ The days the regime kill and torture us for demanding our rights will come to an end when we stand to demand our rights using fire as they oppress and suppress us using one.

The cooperation and commitment of different political and social groups as well as media outlets is a big step forward to form the necessary organization to mobilize the oppressed people. This is indeed unprecedented. The ongoing call by different political parties to stand together to the common enemy, Tigray Liberation army, is indeed an exciting development that would enable a better outcome to remove the incumbent tyrants and establish a new political order based on consensus and compromise. Not long ago I wrote two articles that called for opposition free Medias to work together in Unisom so as to give the struggle for liberty and equality a better chance of success. What I have observed these medias, namely ESAT, Ethiomedia and Ecadforum doing recently have answered my critic, and prayers, to the fullest. The long awaited cooperation between different ethnic and religious groups that seem to have begun crystalizing should be more strengthened in the days and weeks ahead until we are all free.

I assure you that Tigray Liberators know too well the narrow social base they have supporting their politics and policies. If we the opposition make a little effort to push back the TPLF fire and free Gondar or any other part of Ethiopia TPLF will send a negotiating team to make a deal or the civil, military and security personnel would start to unravel. Because, we all know that the TPLF system is not benefiting anyone but its own cadres and those affiliated in multiplicity levels in multiplicity ways from ethnic, family, business and political affiliations. That is why the majority of Ethiopians oppose and undermine the regime and demand reform and change. If the people can fight the regime to this level while there is no organized force behind them, it is understandable that when there is one it would make triple the effort it is making now to annihilate the system and speed up the establishment of a democratic and prosperous Ethiopia where Ethiopians live and prosper than being prisoners and subjects to a minority elite.

Source: Nazret