AMERICA: SAFE HAVEN FOR TERRORISTS’ TARGETING ETHIOPIA

It is paradoxical that  Ethiopia has been cooperating with developed nations in fighting against the revival of international terrorists in the Horn but America and other developed nations have become safe haven for terrorists targeting Ethiopia.

By   Tomson Bernard 

Ethiopians had been suffering from mass killings, tortures and imprisonments. They were also deprived of their human and political rights for decades. There was, however, a breakthrough, since the overthrow of the military regime. Since 1991, the country has made a clean sweep. Parliamentary governing system was inducted in which all nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia were represented for the first time in the history the country.

The constitution of the country, which has incorporated the Fundamental Rights and Freedoms in a broad sense, was endorsed. As it is given in detail in the constitution (Articles: 13 to 44), the fundamental rights of the people have guaranteed. Then onwards, the country has been strengthening its democratic system and making tremendous efforts in bringing lasting peace, viable democracy and sustainable development. Many foreign diplomats, political analysts and scholars agreed that Ethiopia’s democracy has been so remarkable that the political rights of nations/nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia have got priority and high attention both in the constitution and in the enactment.

Based on this, the constitution also vividly put that the people of Ethiopia have the full rights to elect and nominate their political leaders. The rights to become member or supporter of any party are also free and open. Political parties have the rights to meaningfully participate in their countries political, economic and social issues in a democratic manner under the umbrella of the constitution.

Article 38 of the constitution ensured the people to determine political power. Ethiopia had conducted three elections so far. As a result, different political parties had participated in the past elections. The people of Ethiopia gave their votes to those whom they believe could lead the country. Currently, there are a considerable number of opposition party members in the parliament, which is one of the tangible indications of the democratic situation in the country.

However, there are some political groups who have been struggling to take power by unconstitutional way. One of these groups is the one that named itself as “Ginbot 7” founded by Dr. Berhanu Nega.  He, along with his close advocates, is living in the United States of America. This group has been misleading some innocent Diaspora and some developed countries that it is striving to build a democratic system in unconstitutional way. In doing so,  they have planned to collect a great deal of money for their own luxuries as well as to buy  weapons and hire  terrorist practitioners to commit their terrorist attacks  in Ethiopia.  

They made communications with few easily manipulated raw members of the army and others who have already dismissed due to discipline and other cases. Though foiled by the country’s security organ, they had planned a disastrous terrorist attacks in the country.  The money collected from some irresponsible countries and few members of the Ethiopia Diaspora under the pretext of struggling for democracy in a country where democracy has been fully undergoing, has allotted to harm civilians.

Of course, not only Berhanu and his advocates but also the countries sheltering and funding them read the people of Ethiopia like books that they never allow any group to come to power under duress.  That is why all the attempts made by this group and others have become futile. The history of the country has already changed that only the people could determine for any group to come to power. There is no room for groups who want to get political power in unconstitutional way.

The mere reason is the fact that Ethiopian constitution has given its citizens the rights to participate in the political, economic and social affairs of their country. As a result, the people have no reason to spare their efforts in fighting such terrorist groups like “Ginbot 7” who want to disturb their peace. Ethiopians have already got the right way. They have been enjoying both their political and human rights. They have also realized that they could built their country only in a peaceful way. They, by no means, could be misled by such groundless reasons.

Therefore, there is no Ethiopian that follows this terrorist group that has been attempting to change the government unconstitutionally. However, the major objectives of Berhanu and his advocates are not coming to power in Ethiopia. They know that it is impossible for them to do so. They also know that the people don’t accept unconstitutional political power in the country. Their major objective, however, is to be millionaires and millionaires by collecting a huge some of money from the Diaspora and developed countries under such pretexts.

It is really appropriate for developed nations, Ethiopian development partners, international and local organizations to condemn what “Ginbot 7” has attempted to commit in Ethiopia. There won’t be any doubt that the developed nations’ developmental support and their overt interest is to see developed and democratic Ethiopia. However, they are also supporting terrorist groups targeting Ethiopia. Democracy, by no means, can be realized by terrorist acts and by creating tenterhook, havoc and chaos. It could be built through building institutions that could help strengthen democracy and altering antidemocratic attitudes.

The well developed and democratic countries like America and Great Britain should help Ethiopia to develop such institutions so that the democratization process that the country has been implementing could reach the desired level.  The government and people of Ethiopia believe that it is what these countries are doing. They also believe that America and other developed countries have a strong stance against terrorism, so has Ethiopia. 

Ethiopia, as a partner, has been working in close with these countries in fighting against terrorists planned to make the Horn of Africa a safe haven for their revival and reorganization. But I don’t believe that America acts in the same way as all the terrorists that threats Ethiopia have harbored and depart from it.  It is really a paradox that Ethiopia is wiping out the revival of terrorism targeting developed nations whereas America and other developed countries are becoming safe haven of terrorist groups targeting Ethiopia. The harbor of Dr. Berhanu Nega and his advocates is one of the typical examples for this argument.

It is not the first time that Ethiopia has become targets of terrorist harboring in developed countries. One of the recent attacks by terrorists living abroad and targeting Ethiopia is the one committed in Ogaden. The current attempt of terrorist attack that was planned to be committed in Addis Ababa is by a terrorist group based in America and Great Britain. Despite Ethiopia’s efforts towards cooperating with these developed countries in combating terrorism, America and Great Britain have become fertile grounds for terrorists targeting Ethiopia