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Ethiopia has rarely enjoyed sustained peace and stability throughout its history. For centuries, citizens of all walks of life in all corners of the country have been subjected to all kinds of suffering by despotic rulers and, in general, by the political class that has always put their interest and that of their cronies above the national interest. Fortunately, the high price the nation and its people have consequently paid has not led to the collapse of the state that many feared thanks to the shared values that its diverse population has forged over eons despite ethnic, religious, cultural and ideological differences. . Yet no community has been spared the scars left by the absence of lasting stability and democratic governance. Recent events unfolding across the country make it extremely difficult to heal these wounds in the short term.
From the COVID-19 pandemic to the series of ethnic-based conflicts in various parts of the country, to attacks on defense forces and the ensuing police operation in which tens of thousands were killed, maimed and forced to flee from their homes, 2020 passed as one of the years Ethiopians want to quickly forget. This troubling state of affairs is primarily due to the fact that decent and progressive citizens who have the public interest at heart have largely avoided politics, leaving a void that has been filled by incompetent, shortsighted and unprincipled elements. These elements see violence as a means to achieve their goals and cannot care less about the resulting misery for innocent civilians. If they are not removed from the political arena without delay, the ordeal Ethiopians are experiencing will have no end.
Putting aside the atrocities that took place in the distant past, for the moment, the constant wave of violence gripping Ethiopia and the anxiety it evokes have taken on a massive humanitarian and economic cost that has rarely been seen in living memory. . Ethiopians and foreigners alike often wonder how we have managed to maintain our sanity, how we have survived so long as a cohesive policy in the face of the gruesome murder and displacement of millions of defenseless compatriots along with the inexorable rise in the cost of living that it has had . made life hell for the vast majority. While this may be a testament to the resilience of the bond that binds Ethiopians, it raises the question why we have become so used to death and suffering that most of us have come to consider what is appalling to most of us. people everywhere like something similar. For the course. As disconcerting as the indifference may be, we must look at ourselves critically to identify the reasons behind and begin the process of healing the wounds that are still too open for many of us.
As well as wreaking havoc on the political and economic fronts, the endless conflicts raging in Ethiopia have also perniciously eroded the social fabric that holds Ethiopians together. Despite the injustices they have suffered at the hands of absolute monarchs and dictators, Ethiopians have always demonstrated admirable unity by thwarting the incessant attempts by the country’s historic enemies and traitors blinded by hatred and greed to achieve their goal. drop. The secret behind the Great Adwa Victory and other feats they accomplished by defeating the colonial and expansionist armies is their reserve of love for the place they call home and countrymen. Unless Ethiopians realize and thwart deliberate acts designed to undermine their solidarity, which has been the basis of their solidarity and harmonious coexistence, and tear them apart, the traumas inflicted by the unrest ravaging the nation cannot heal.
In an age when the use of force to impose government on others has proven to be a failure, the only viable way forward is to embrace pluralism and empower citizens to exercise their basic freedoms. The violence that threatens to corrode the fabric of society and therefore the very survival of Ethiopia cannot be attributed to ordinary people; it stands entirely on the doorstep of inept, myopic, and selfish politicians bent on advancing their sinister programs with carefree disregard for the consequences. Ethiopians have shown time and again that they do not tolerate anyone who tries to sow divisions and hatred among them, to weaken the harmony that has served them well in times of adversity. For a people who have a proud history of standing shoulder to shoulder in their compatriots’ hour of need, the near absence of empathy for the victims of heinous atrocities is cause for alarm. This is an aberration that should be rectified promptly. That is why it is essential to initiate an inclusive process of national reconciliation aimed at rehabilitating affected communities to help them overcome the trauma they endured through no fault of their own.
