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With the end of the political, economic and military dominance of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) in Ethiopia, there are incalculable challenges and opportunities to promote sustainable democracy, the rule of law and equitable economic development in the country. The TPLF, which was at the front and center of many of the problems facing the
The Ethiopian people for the past three decades, unsurprisingly, have vanished into the dustbin of history. While the causes of their disappearance are multifactorial, ranging from tyrannical rule and rampant corruption, to the recent treacherous attacks against the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF) Northern Command, the most prominent of all is the which has its roots in pathology. constitution that he imposed on the people of Ethiopia when he assumed power. Indeed, the fact that this aberrant organization was born with the seed of its own destruction was evident in its obsession with ethnic hatred that dates back to its founding manifesto. It can serve as a lesson for similar groups to realize that the catastrophic collapse of the TPLF is nothing more than an affirmation of the time-honored truism that the ultimate destiny of a party that pivots its power on ethnically based philosophy is assured self-annihilation. . .
Although the TPLF has been removed from power, many concerned citizens and observers of developments in the country argue that there are still numerous outstanding issues that still require compelling dialogues and bold discussions. Even as we speak, the country is governed by the ethnically based constitution whose main objective is the promotion of dissolution rather than the preservation of the integrity of the nation. Ethnic violence is claiming the lives of countless innocent civilians across the country, and a dark cloud hangs over the prospect of holding free and fair elections. Years of corruption and economic mismanagement by the TPLF oligarchy have pushed the national economy to the brink.
Ethnic federalism, which is unique to Ethiopia, continues to fuel conflict between people who have coexisted in harmony for generations, resulting in genocidal violence, destruction of property and displacement of biblical proportions. Innocent civilians have been massacred in various parts of Oromia, Benishangul-Gumuz and other regions; and more recently, retreating TPLF thugs have committed heinous crimes against the Amharas and other ethnic groups in Mai-Kadra and neighboring villages.
Justice is demanded by those whose ancestral lands and other properties have been forcibly usurped by the TPLF. Disturbingly, the federal government has shown an inexplicable callousness in responding to the legitimate demands for recognition of the Amhara inhabitants of Humera, Wolkait, Tsegede, Tselemt, and Raya, who have been subjugated, tortured and subjected to unspeakable repression due to their identity. Similar cases abound in other parts of the country, such as Wolaita, Guragie and various areas of the southern region.
Extremist groups and terrorist organizations such as the TPLF and OLF, which have committed heinous crimes with impunity, have not yet been classified as such by the government in power. As a result, some of them have continued to carry out horrific attacks on defenseless civilians that have not been seen since the dark days of Rwanda’s Interahamwe.
The large sums of aid and donated money drawn from the nation’s coffers and hidden in foreign bank accounts by TPLF leaders will continue to cause unimaginable financial pain and challenge for years to come. The international community and financial institutions have yet to fulfill their moral responsibility and listen to the pleas of the people of Ethiopia for the return of the wealth that they have blatantly stolen from them.
It is against this background that Vision Ethiopia, in keeping with its proven tradition of excellence and neutrality, has organized a series of panel discussions to address some of the most critical issues of our time. Questions to be addressed include, but are not limited to, the following:
• The Constitution is the legal document that has legitimized current ethnic federalism, which is indisputably the source of widespread conflict in Ethiopia. So what is the framework for abolishing ethnic federalism and ratifying a genuine constitution that guarantees individual rights, ensures the equality of all people before the law, and ensures the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the country?
• One of the legacies of the TPLF regime is the illegal appropriation of fertile lands from neighboring regions and the subjugation of the inhabitants of these places. What is the due process for addressing the grievances of the Amhara and other ethnic minority groups whose ancestral lands have been forcibly annexed by the TPLF and the inhabitants subjected to countless suffering and persecution because of their identity?
• Since the current government came to power, extremist forces, including the TPLF and OLF, have caused incalculable damage to the economy and perpetrated heinous crimes against humanity. To date, the government is reluctant to identify and report some of these elements by name. How can extremist elements and terrorist organizations be purged and banned to ensure lasting public order in the country?
• While the postponement of the planned elections due to the disruption caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic is understandable, there are doubts about the feasibility of holding free and fair elections in the current environment in Ethiopia. What are the options available to ensure a genuine transition to democracy and to build strong democratic institutions in the country?
Vision Ethiopia, an independent, non-partisan association of Ethiopian academics and professionals, has invited Ethiopian intellectuals, community leaders and professionals to present or participate on these important and timely issues with a view to formulating viable policy alternatives for policy makers.
The Conference will be held in two separate segments on the following dates and topics:
• Topic 1 (Saturday, January 8, 2021). Constitutional reform, ethnic federalism, border disputes and transition to democracy
• Topic 2 (Saturday, January 15, 2021). Extremism, terrorism and genocidal violence: challenges of the transition to democracy
Conference agenda items are available HERE in PDF format
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Vision Ethiopia is a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization incorporated in Washington, DC EIN 81-0729204. http://visionethiopia.org. Email: [email protected]
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