The Absurdity and Insanity of Making Constitution for Ethiopia in Exile

Many in the camps of disillusioned extremists imagine that it is the end of the road to the constitution order in Ethiopia. The exiled elites residing in the west are busy drafting what they call transitional constitution for Ethiopia, in total disregard of the reality back home. They made a foregone conclusion that the constitutional order currently in place is irrelevant. You cannot help but wonder the wisdom of this insanity. For those who are mostly retired politicians and/or academicians what is boiling in their head is how to grab power from their comfort zone in Europe and USA.

When the mind is set for shortcut, rational thinking has no place. Not many are amazed at all, given what they have been endeavoring in the past couple of decades. They think politics in terms of business and with just an unrest that occurred the whole system is easily thrown under the carpet. Here comes their total misunderstanding or deliberate misreading of the federal system in ETHIOPIA. This is a system anchored regional states of the nations, nationalities and peoples and all the powers are in their sovereignty. This is their system designed in the constitution they own on their own free will. That is how they want to organize and also coexist in harmony, peace and equality under the Ethiopian entity.

No one, perhaps except those who are busy in drafting the new constitution, will miss what the current federal system meant to the peoples of Ethiopia, to their identity, culture, language, religion. Again, they very well know what they have managed to forge together in the last 25 years by way of making the new Ethiopia based on the will, equality and solidarity of them all. Much has also been accomplished in this regard. Self administration, developing their culture and taking their destiny into their own hands are political gains that they aspired and fought for. In socioeconomic front also remarkable progress has been made in all areas the country including areas that were totally neglected out of sight of the center in the past. Their identity has been recognized and their rights are respected and defended by the constitution they ratified through their representatives.

It is this very system, the exiled elites absurdly try to undermine. In total disregarded and undermining the intelligence of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia, the elites are tolling to undercut the system so that they can climb to the throne of power. That is the first point to underline. But more importantly, the elites misread the demand and grievances of the public entirely. No one, no one from the largest nation to smallest group in Ethiopia is against the federal system in operation now. That is not the essence of their protest. Absolutely not. Quest for good governance, decent job for youth, better and quality services and accountability is not tantamount to protest against the very system that recognized and guaranteed their existence.

Elite politics in Ethiopia has lost its foundation long ago and the Ethiopian nations and nationalities, on whose behalf, the elites in the west have been speaking is gone for good. Those who are out of touch with the mass basis, who do not live the lives of the people can ignore the reality and live in their own fancy world. They have the temerity to craft constitution on their behalf. In the time of difficulty, the elites abandoned their people, fled the country and now lead comfortable life with their families and now dream to come back to rule who they abandoned to the brutality of the military regime.

The assumption that they know better for the people grossly underestimates the level of conscious of the peoples of Ethiopia and displays the typical arrogance of intellectuals-cum- elites. Never mind, their holier than thou attitude. Their gospel of hatred does not qualify any one of them to take any leadership role and they cannot be trusted with the future of our unity and destiny. The nations and nationalities in Ethiopia have taken their destiny into their own hands. It does not require any genius to understand that these guys couldn't even sit around a table, let alone lead a government together. First and foremost, they have nothing in common. If anything that unites them, it is their hate to the TPLP and the people elected the party to lead the regional state. Beyond and above that no common vision or strategy for the future of Ethiopia.

A nation as big as Ethiopia cannot be left to power mongers who by hook or crook would wish to grab power. The amount of lies and fabrications they have been heaping on the country and all possible efforts to damage the image of Ethiopia easily disqualify them from aiming, let alone leading Ethiopia. They have no moral authority. The unrelenting effort to block any assistance coming to Ethiopia is not lost on the peoples of Ethiopia. No politician or intellectual could possibly protest against the support coming to its own people. Their hate to EPRDF blinded them not even to distinguish between the people and political party. Hate and breeds hate as well as conflict breeds conflict. We heard loud clear when they call on the destruction and vandalization of hard won property any development. Their hope for Ethiopia and Ethiopians is to languish in poverty. How many people are now growing without clean drinking water or Heath services or without jobs?

If they think that it will harm the government that built it in the first place, they actually missed the point. The public is mature enough and realise that their grievances cannot be addressed and served this way. In the 21st century we live in, the only way to address grievances and differences is through civilised, mature and peaceful way. This is the philosophy of a progressive society. And that is what is being done in the country. Any well wisher for Ethiopia, must and ought to choose the path of dialogue, debate and tolerance. No earthly reason could justify this absurdity and madness. Let common sense prevail. Let the power of reason prevail. Let peace prevail in Ethiopia.