Although not to the extent of sacrifice that was paid by the people to establish the Ethiopian Federal Democratic order, but many up and downs have to be endured after the establishment of the order. But, when weighed against the life sacrifice paid to realize the federal democratic system, the current problems are not unsolvable. The system not only has the experience to solve the challenges, but it also has the capacity to do so.
When we look at our past history, we see that the past regimes not only benefited feudal and dictatorial regimes, they have also hurt our country in every manner. They have devastated the country’s economy; and forced the people into misery and exodus. I don’t think this aspect of our history would be denied. Especially the military dictatorial regime Derg has left an additional misery on the country by hijacking the struggle of the people and using the opportunity to take away the gains that were made by the peoples’ struggle.
And after the demise of the Derg regime, we are able to be owners of a country that is stable; where its’ citizen built a common political and economic system with their consent and respect and where they benefit from the rapid and sustainable development through the federal system they setup. And in order to realize all these gains, it took a very bitter struggle and sacrifice. This is part of history.
As it is known, in the aftermath of the demise of Derg, very challenging problems were created in the country. At the time, there were some progressives that believed federalism is the only solution that’s capable of stopping the blood-shading and chaotic Ethiopian political, economical and social issues on one side, and those who inclined themselves to two opposite extreme ideologies on the other end.
From these sides, there were those that saw (from an antique and obsolete vista no less) the new federal system as a disintegration threat to the country in which in the name of ‘unity’ tried to draw out the nation, nationalities and peoples’ demand for equality and democratic rights with ‘we know for you’ political mantra, which could have dragged the country into unending chaos.
At the time, a heavy struggle had to be waged against anti-Ethiopia forces in order to solve these hurdles in a serene manner and establish a democratic federal country. Fortunately, the progressive forces won that struggle. Things weren’t rosy even after this. The country again faced very difficult tests in front of it. One of those tests and the biggest of them all was the fight against poverty, the country’s main enemy. It was then understood that this mutual enemy can only be destroyed through the collective hand of the government and all citizens of the country.
Thus, accordingly, the government took the leading role in taking the responsibility of inserting a winning mentality on the public over poverty. At the time important questions like ‘which approach is best to fight poverty?’ And ‘what are the basic key issues that can help win against this mutual enemy?’, had to be asked. In order to answer these questions a constitution which will serve as the supreme law of the land needed to be ratified.
Although the government opened the door for everyone to be involved when the constitution was being ratified, some of the previous regime nostalgias and power-monger anti-peace forces did not choose to accept the opportunity. However the transitional government (at the time) did not stop from teaching these people that real power emanates from the people.
So, it did an edification work in educating the people that real power is vested in the hands of Ethiopia’s nation, nationalities and peoples. During these times, opposite outlooks such as ‘the country should not have a constitution; a country that’s built on an ethnic – based federalism cannot be successful in any way’ were brought up as main challenges – but they were taken care of. By giving the necessary and appropriate replay (to these tests), the Ethiopian nation, nationalities and people with their own consent and agreement ratified the FDRE constitution on November 29, 1987. This constitution serving as a document of their covenant has answered Ethiopian peoples’ years of demands and questions.
After this, war was waged on an enemy that has been living in the country for years; an enemy that have made its people to bow their heads in shame - our number one enemy poverty. The whole Ethiopian people became aware of the fact that there isn’t any enemy out there bigger than poverty. And to fight and win against this enemy, they hold hands in hands. Being led by our government’s successful policies and strategies, our country’s nation, nationalities and peoples started to achieve an unprecedented economic development, the lights that have never been seen before in our history. They leapt from abject poverty to a rapid and robust development. And they started to enjoy the benefits. After the federal system came into effect and the constitution ratified, basic demands with regards to peace, development and democratic issues started to get answered.
The constitution has guaranteed peoples’ right to self administer, to adhere to their respective religion peacefully, to speak and write in their own language, and to express their tradition and heritage freely. It should be noted here that the cause of the Ethiopian peoples’ struggle that spanned generations is to answer these demands – and that was what exactly happened.
Despite these facts, the challenges were still there. Pessimists stated that the federal system will take the country towards unending war; the country will disintegrate; and its people will wipe themselves out by grouping against each other. At the time, local and foreign-based Medias propagated, political ‘analyst’ blabbered and extremists spewed that the federal system does not benefit to the country.
These detractors did this not because they are impervious to the fact that the federal system is beneficiary to our people - but because they choose to align and propagate with the extremist forces that are nostalgic to the previous regimes. Despite the fact that these extremists and pessimists said whatever they wanted to say, both the government and the people being impervious to these peoples smear and discrediting campaign, instead choose to strengthen their unity by understanding their diversity is their beauty and to work for mutual development.
With this, they have shown that federalism is the appropriate political tool to tolerate differences that arises from social identity or to subdue conflicts that may arise from differences of social or other identity differences has been attested by experts of the field. It is also believed that the system also plays a huge role in growing a collective economy.
So, the system has brought peace by going through all these challenges; brought development and with fair wealth benefit for the people, while building a democratic order that’s in line with the reality of our country. Although the system has enabled our country and people to reach their current strong position by going through all these challenges, it is still facing other challenges. Although some of these problems that has erupted in some areas of our country currently are related to good governance issues, but it is also true that it has been hijacked by some internal and foreign extremists and anti-peace forces that doesn’t like the successes that are gained through the federal and democratic system our country is adhering to. And this has resulted for unrest and disturbance to get erupted in some parts of our country. And as a result to it, lives are being lost; and materials destroyed. And I think these are the problems that are facing the system.
So, in my belief, we will able to solve the problems through the system itself. As the federal system has gone through such problems and difficulties as I have mentioned above, I believe it will also be able to solve the current problems. Although the problems are challenging the system, I can surely say that our country's nation, nationalities and people (who solved their centuries old problems through the constitution) will be able to solve the challenges through the system itself. As the federal democratic system is their guarantee, they will get through this. Read more here
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