Ethiopians marked their Second National Flag Day colorfully

By Molla Mitiku 10/05/09

Despite the respect to the flag Ethiopians inherited, Celebrating National Flag Day in the country is new.  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, which played vital role in strengthening the harmony of the people.

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.

In the past, regions have been suffering 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 considerable number of people. Those who managed to survive had to pass through various ups and downs to get their daily bread.

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. 

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 nations and nationalities, diverse cultures and languages could be unified 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.

President Girma Woldegiorgis on the Second National Flag Day celebration said, “The respect that Ethiopians have for their flag should be manifested in eradicating poverty and ensuring sustainable economic development and prosperity.” He also added that the National Flag Day helps the people of Ethiopia to renovate their promise to upgrade the economic development the country has already began to register. In this regard, the president said that the National Flag Day has a special meaning to all Ethiopians.  

The conviction Ethiopians made in that special event is the manifestation of the commitment to eradicate poverty and backwardness.  The nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia have used the celebration as an opportunity to renew their commitment to strengthen the bond among them and work hard to promote peace, democracy and sustainable development in the country.

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.

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 was 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, on his part, said that the Second National Flag Day, which is celebrated under the theme “Our flag is the manifestation of our unity!” could further strengthen the existing bond among nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopian. He also urged all Ethiopians to work hard to strengthen the democratization process in the country and renovate their promise to alleviate poverty and ensure sustainable development.

Ethiopians staged mass celebration and marked their Second National Flag Day, which has also a significant role in the intensification of the participation of the people of Ethiopia in 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. 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 vowed to strengthen their unison and solidarity and renovated their vow to work, being hang in glove, to exterminate poverty, augment good governance and democracy as well as warranty sustainable economic development. It was a day in which nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia replenished 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 times to minimize differences and work together for commonalties to achieve shared vision.