Ethiopia to stage mass celebration to mark its second National Flag Day

By Molla Mitiku 10/03/09

Despite the respect to their flags that Ethiopians have inherited with, it is a new phenomenon to Celebrate National Flag Day.  The first colorful historic celebration took place on the 5^th of July 2008, which was attended by millions of Ethiopians, government officials, diplomats and invited foreign guests.  That event was celebrated colorfully and brought some sort of harmony.

The National Flag Day has enabled nations, nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia to forge unity on the bases of mutual respect, commonality, and equality. The celebration not only strengthens the solidarity and unity of Ethiopians but also expedites peace, democracy and sustainable economic development of the nation.

Not too far to forget the tribulation that Ethiopians had been completed to pass through.  In the past regions, they had been suffering of both natural and artificial disasters.  They were hit hard by poverty and famine.  Millions of people, most of them children and women were coerced to lead dejected life. The disconsolate life and hunger resulted in the death of a significant number of people. Those who managed to get their daily bread had to pass through various ups and downs. The economy of the country was entirely deteriorated. The majority wrecked to achieve their daily bread and derelict to feed themselves and their children.

Moreover, nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia were deprived of their human and democratic rights.  Their cultures, languages and dignity were annihilated.  They were starved of their rights to decide their fate.  Despite their indisposition, they were constrained to smooth the progress of the fake attempts of unifying the country under a despot unitary rule.  Although the people fully comprehended that the tyrant was using unification as a pretext to elongate its time, they had no option but choosing armed struggle with the very motif of overthrowing that despot regime, which resulted in a bloody conflict among Ethiopians. Besides, the tyrant regime waged wars against some tribe, which hammered out the norms, cultures, religions and languages of most of the nations, nationalities and peoples of the country, which brought vendetta among them.  Poverty, on one hand, violation of human and democratic rights on the other hand aggravated the sufferings of the people.

Owing to the immense sacrifice that Ethiopians paid, the dire situation was altered since the inception of federalism.  Following the fall of the military regime, the people designed and endorsed a constitution that ensured human and democratic rights of nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. The preamble of the constitution stated, "We nations, nationalities, and peoples of Ethiopia strongly committed, in full and free exercise of our right to self-determination, to building a political community founded on the rule of law and capable of ensuring a lasting peace guarantying a democratic order, and advancing our economic and social development, firmly convinced that the fulfillment of this objective requires full respect of individual and people’s fundamental freedoms and rights, to live together on the basis of equality an without any sexual, religions or cultural discriminations."

Ethiopia with more than eighty ethnics and diverse cultures and languages could unify only with the will and active participation of all nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia.  This could be achieved if there is legal warranty that respects their rights, ensures equality among them and guarantees their being beneficiaries of developments in the country.  In this regard, federalism was the only option in Ethiopia to ensure the rights of all nations, nationalities and peoples.  It was the appropriate option to create a voluntary unison among them and play fundamental role in realizing peace, democracy and rapid economic growth.

Elazar (1987) argued that federations foster peace, promote economic prosperity, protect individuals against political authorities by constraining state sovereignty as well as promote mobility and hence territorial clustering of individuals with similar preferences.

Federalism, therefore, has been playing a decisive role in ensuring the rights of all nations, nationalities and peoples in the Ethiopian case. Apparent changes have registered and the people have benefited from various developments in the country. This scenario has already created perceptible solidarity of the people. Many Ethiopians believe that the celebration of the National Flag Day could add a significant value in enhancing their unity to its apex.

It was last year that Ethiopians begun to celebrate their National Flag Day. Prime Minister Meles Zenawi on that celebration said, “The conviction Ethiopians made in that special event was the manifestation of their commitment to realize the ongoing effort to mitigate poverty and backwardness and show loyalty towards the constitution and national emblem.”  According to the Prime Minister the celebration was also a good opportunity for the youth to renew their commitment to ensure the nation’s renaissance and it would be an event where every citizen would vow to realize the vision of making Ethiopia one of middle income economies.

Poverty is our arch-foe. Unless we work together to get rid of it, the opportunity to exist as a strong nation will be impossible. Poverty instigates unceasing conflict, intimidates to accomplish others’ interest and jeopardizes efforts to uphold democracy and good governance. It is only if we eradicate poverty that our country would be a strong nation in which its citizens enjoy its resources comfortably.

On the fist National Flag Day, Foreign Affairs Minister Seyoum Mesfin, on his behalf said, “This celebration is not only an occasion at which the people of Ethiopia, and more particularly the new generation, will be singing the national anthem as a sign of devotion and honor to their flag. It is also an event at which they will make a pledge to stand together to realize the Ethiopian Renaissance.”

The people in general and the youth in particular vowed to work hard for the realization of peace, democracy and sustainable development of their country in the first ever National Flag Day celebration. One year has passed and accordingly, the people have been participating actively in various development programs.  The second National Flag Day will be celebrated on the 5^th of October 2009 with an intensified participation of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia.

The speaker of the House of Federation Degife Bula said the celebration of Ethiopian Flag Day could further strengthen the existing bond not only between the public and the government but also among nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. 

Ethiopians are to stage mass celebration to mark the Second National Flag Day, which has also a significant role in the intensification of the participation of the people of Ethiopia in government development programs and realize the ongoing economic development of their country.  It will be a day in which all citizens revamp their promise towards working day in day out, being hand in glove, for the grasp of Ethiopia’s renaissance.

Ethiopians have strong belief and love to their flag since time immemorial. They know that it symbolizes their identity, dignity, pride and unity. Celebrating National Flag Day, therefore, could further help to strengthen the love that Ethiopians have to their flag, country and to one another.

It also helps to effectively carry out the shared vision of the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. The vision to pull their country out of the quagmire of poverty, the vision to enhance democracy, good governance and justice,  and the vision to make the country one of the middle income generating countries in the world. It could also help to strengthen and consolidate cultural tolerance among the people and instigate them to work together so as to ensure Ethiopia’s renaissance and realize the efforts to mitigate poverty.

On the 5^th of October 2009, Ethiopians will further strengthen their unison and solidarity and renovate their vow to work, being hang in glove, to exterminate poverty, augment good governance and democracy as well as warranty sustainable economic development. It will be a day in which nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia replenish their promises to bring to fruition the renaissance of their country. Succinctly, this Day is vital to beef up the bond among the people of Ethiopia so that it is one of the momentous time to minimize differences and work together for commonalties to achieve shared vision.