Aklog Birara Dr.
Allow me to tell you first that I do not like war at all. Instead, I believe in the power of ideas, clear cut and compelling. clear and people-centered ideologies and programs that improve human welfare.
People revert to war when all other options are closed in addressing their grievances.
In the light of this truth, the Abiy regime is wrong in portraying Fano as extremists, warmongering, narrow and exclusively Amhara centered. Facts that matter include the following:
- Amhara is forced to take up arms after exhausting peaceful means.
- For months, Amhara, especially youth, protested in the streets throughout the Amhara region demanding fair and even handed treatment, justice, the rule of law, fair treatment and the right to live and work in any part of Ethiopia without being killed, maimed, incarcerated or displaced.
- The response from the Abiy Ahmed regime was deployment of the country’s defense forces to the Amhara region and carry out a brutality unheard of in the annals of modern Ethiopian history.
The Fano movement is broad-based and popular with far reaching country wide consequences. Among Fano members are ordinary peasant farmers fed-up with being marginalized and attacked by Abiy’s forces as well as non-Amhara soldiers who abandoned their units and joined Fano. The latter is a huge development for Ethiopia and Ethiopians. I say this because the struggle for justice is expanding.
By all indicators, the Amhara population is determined to protect itself from extinction. The Fano movement (some call it insurgency) that spearheads the struggle is fighting firstly to protect the lives of the Amhara population; and secondly to unify its struggle with other ethnic groups and topple the system and structure that pits one ethnic group against another.
All victims of the current system believe that, for Ethiopians regardless of ethnicity or faith, to enjoy peace, stability and prosperity, the repressive, oppressive and divide and rule ethnic federal system and structure system must come to an end.
Shaleka Yalew, Fano, no doubt, provides a compelling and persuasive picture of the purpose and ultimate goal of the Amhara Fano popular struggle for justice, equality and democracy.
I urge you to watch the below video released by Anchor media.
Dr. Aklog,
” መነቫችን አማራ መድረሻችን አማራ” OR “መነቫችን አማራ መድረሻችን ኢትዩጵያ”
As you rightly said “the repressive, oppressive and divide and rule ethnic federal system and structure must come to an end. ” My concern is, as some Ethiopians emphatically argue, alibet for years if not decades, if it means to bring to an end “ethnic federal system”. Given the degree to which “ethnic federal system” is embraced, any atttempt to bring it down under the guise of “liberating the whole country” might end up in disintegrating it. My feeling is many ethnic groups in the country do not know what to expect. Hence, slow in reponding to the call to join.
I hope the Amhara movement which you said is for “justice, equality and democracy” will soon clarify that it does not reject “ethnic federal system”. I’m saying this simply because some who argue “justice, equality and democracy” are enough for peace, equality and harmony and wither “ethnic federal system” might be wrong.
In many countries, the federalism they have is not based on ethnics while in others it is.
The non ethnic based federalism aside because we all know what it looks like, I want to draw you attention to ethnic based federalism in countries where justice, equality and democracy are respected. Examples are U.K., Spain and Canada. These countries have adpoted a system accomodating Scotish, Catalonia and Quebec nationalsim. Because of the accomodation, in at least two of the three, referendums to separate have failed and the countries maintained their unity. In our case too, we need a system that accomodates ethnic groups. Rejecting ethnicity is meaningless.
As the Amhara movement gains momentum, there is a growing question whether or not the existing “ethnic federal system” will remain. I would rather call it nervousness due to lack of idirection as to the future. Rightly oe wrongly, Amharas are accused of unitarism and hate for ethnic federalism. Clarifying position on this issue is important. It is good that you mentioned the Amhara movement will “unify its struggle with other ethnic groups (to) topple the system”. Similarly, Shaleka Yalew has talked about “nations and nationalities” that are oppressed by the regime that need to be liberated.
Can assurances be given by the Amhara movement to nations, nationalities and peoples of the country that “ethnic federal system” married to ” justice, equality and democracy” will be maintained? If these assurances cannot be given, better the Amhara movement have መነቫችን አማራ መድረሻችን አማራ as its motto rather than መነቫችን አማራ መድረሻችን ኢትዩጵያ since some ethnic groups have started airing fear of losing their “ethnic federal system”.
Nervous ethnic.
Here is a suggestion to FANNO to save Amharas and the country.
Once again in our recent history, Amharas have emerged as the holders of the master key to solve Ethiopia’s multifaceted problems. How? By opting for confederation.
Amharas have no choice but to move for confederation simply because ethnic federalism in the Ethiopian context or in any other country’s context has not worked except for those who seized state power.
A multi-ethnic country under ethnic federalism, Ethiopia will not have a fair and free election and govern without the opression of one or another ethnic group. Hence, democracy is an illusion that cannot be realized under ethnic federalism.
The way Oromo rose to power and now control the entire country through proxy regional governments is the proof. Tigreans have done it for the last thirty years and Oromos have stepped in Tgreans shoes to impose similar one ethnic group rule.
With their number and the size of their region, Oromo opressive rule will be much worse than Tigrean`s. Give another two years to Oromo rule, Ethiopia will be the tail of the whole world by all standards of measure.
So, it is time for Amharas to exercise their constitutional right to self-determnation and vote on confederation. If they adopt conederation, it will give them the opportunity to attract direct foreign investment since confederation will enable them to have economic diplomats and even have embasies abroad cutting the Oromo controlled foreign ministry diverting foreign investment to Oromia and other favoured regions. Amharas can also have a defense force which will protect them from foreign invaders including attacks of ethnic Oromo organizations. Full control over the resources in the region without interference from the ethnic fedrealist rule is certain.
The Belgian model of confederation which appears to hep advance amhara interests is something to explore.
In any event, Ethiopia needs vast decentralization resembling confederation since the federalism the country has adopted is notheing other than unitarism in disguise. Controlled from the centre, it has miserably failed to develop the country let alone prosper and ensure safety and security of its citizens. The chaos we see in the country right now has much to do with lack of development (in all sectors) and security. Both have proven beyond the capacity of the ethnic federalist government to provide. Change of government at ethnic federal level is not the answer for these problems.
Tigreans have floated the idea of confederation or separation even if they pretend to remain part of the country for the moment to get federal budget and borrow money from local and international sources in the name of Tigray and obtain direct foreign assitance and aid. They are being treated by the feds as a de facto independent state receiving foreign dignataries and opening diplomatic offices abroad. Tigreans know that they will not be fairly treated under Oromo rule because the federalism in place cannot be reformed to realize equality; as a result, their choice of confederation or separation appears just.
Amharas must seize the opportunity to decide their destiny via self-determination as well without wasting another year under incompetent Oromo rule. Despite all the atrocities they have committed on theselves, Amharas, Afars and many others, Tgreans are embraced by the Oromo rule since Oromos now feel tobe the only savours of Ethiopia.
Folks! Don’`t be fooled!. Oromos pretend to be “savours” only if they rule the entire country as one piece. Like any other ethnic group that aspire to oppress and dominate ,they are after resources rather than equality, democracy and respect of human rights.That’s why they are unwilling to drop ethnic federalism which CANNOT be reformed to accept equality of all peoples in the country. Democracy is dead and buried under ethnic federalism.
If Amharas want to be heard and embraced as Tigreans, they have to go for confederation. Once confederaltion is implemented, talk about non-thnic based federalism and negotiating a new constitution is possible. There is no country that moved from ethnic federalism to non-ethnic federalism directly; the short cut to this long process is recourse to confederation first.
If confederation is not accepted, Amharas will be better off if they say good bye to the ethiopian state. It is outdated for Amharas to hang on “mama TOBIA” cry since nobody in the country is interested in it any more. What Amharas got from this cry is atrocotoes, redicule and shame. All these on Amhara because they gave Oromos and other ethnic groups a country which they are not ready and willing to let go. If Amhara insist on confederation, Oromos might call the army on it to « protect » the unity of the country! That will make them a laghing stock since they were in the forefront to weaken the unity of the country. Now they cannot be alllowed to reverse gear.
Amhara! Wake up and smell the cofee. Tell Oromos that you want confederation – if not confederation then separation. Oromo crack down will soften even disappear as it did for Tigreans if Amhara opt for confederation. But the idea is not to see Oromo softening on Amhara, it is to seek real confederation as a wayout from decades long quagmire and pave the way for a talk on a new constitution. Oromo softeneing take Amharas no where.
Try it! It will work and catapult Amhara development and growth to the sky and ensure your security. It will eventually liberate Oromos too from their bloody distructive path poised to take everybody else down them.
FANNO – make this BRIEFpoints your motto and win – Amhara economic freedom including control of its natural resources; direct diplomatic relations to attract foreign investment and aid; its own defense and security forces; democracy backed by free and fair elections in the region by regional political parties only; no ethnic federalist party to run for office in the region.
Slogans : እኛ አማሮች አማሮች ሙሉ የተፈጥሮ ሃብታችንን ለራሳችን ጥቅም እናዉላለን፣ እኛ አማሮች ነጻ ቀጥታ የውጭ ግንኙነት እንመሰርታለን፣ ይህ ለእድገታችን (ዲፕሎማቲክ ቢሮ መክፈትን የሚጨምር ለመዋእለ ንዋይ መሳብና የውጭ እርዳታ ፍሰት) ወሳኝ ነው ፤ እኛ አማሮች የራሳችንን የመከላከያና የደህነነት ተቋሞች እንመሰርታለን፣ እኛ አማሮች ማናቸውንም የፌደራል የፖለቲካ ፓርቲዎች የማይጨምር በክልል ፓርቲዎች መካከል ብቻ በሚካሄድ የሃሳብ ፉክኽር ዲሞክራሲያዊ ነጻና ፍትሃዊ ክልላዊ ምርጫ እናካሂዳለን፤ ከነዚህ በመነሳት በእኩልነት ላይ ለሚመሰረት ነጻ ዲሞክራሲያዊ ፌደራሊዝም እና አዲስ ሀገመንግስት እንሰራለን፥
“አማሮች ሙሉ ሃብታችንን ለራሳችን ጥቅም እናዉላለን¨
አባይን ውሰዱ። ምንጩ ጣና ሃይቅ አማራ ክልል ነው። ይህ ማለት ከሃይቁ የሚመነጨው ውሃ እንዲሁም ውሃው የሚፈጥረው ሃይል ንብረትነቱ የአማራ ህዝብ ነው። እየተሰራ ያለው ግድብም በአማራ ክልል መሆን ሲገባው አውጥተውታል። ይህም ቢሆን አንዱ ውሃው የተፈጥሮ ሃብቻችን በመሆኑ ውሃውን ተከትሎ የሚገነባው ግድብም ብንረታችን ነው። ኦሆዴድ የሚመነጨውን የመብራት ሃይል ገቢ ተጠቅሞ እኛንው መልሶ እንዲወጋን ማጎበት የለብንም። ይህ ብቻ አይደለም ፤ ማናቸውም የክልሉ ሃብት ንብረት ለክልሉ ህዝብ ጥቅም ብቻ እንዲውል ማድረግ አለብን። ኦሆዴድን ተረዳድተን እናራቁተው። ሃገር የመሆን ፍላጎታችን አንዱ መገለጫ ይህ ነው። ኦሆዴድ ኦሮሚያ ውስጥ የሚያደርገው ይህን መሆኑን እነረዳ።
ቀጥታ የውጭ ግንኙነት ካልመሰረትን ክልሉን በኢኮኖሚ በፍጥነትና በተሟላ ሁኔታ ማሳደግ አይቻለንም። አሁን ያለው አሰራር ሁሉም የውጭ መዋዕለ ነዋይ በማዕከል በኦሆድዴ የተያዘና ለኦሮሚያና ጥቂት ለተመረጡ የኦሆድዴ ፕሮጀክቶችና የሚውል ነው። አንድ ወይም ሁለት ክልሎች የኦሆዴድ ኦሮሚያ ትርፍራፊ የሚወረወርላቸው ሲሆን ይህ ደግሞ አማራ ክልልን አይጨምርም። በግል የሚማጣ የውጭ ሆነ የሀገር ውስጥ መዋዕለ ነዋይ አፍሳሽ ክልሉ ጦርነት ውስጥ ስለሆን ባትምክረው ይሻላል በሚል ማስፈራሪያ እንዲተው ወይም ወደሌላ እንዲሄድ ይነገረዋል። የት ቢባል ያው ወደታወቀው ኦሮሚያ። እና ጎበዝ! አማራው በስንቱ ይጠቃ? አማራው ቀጥታ የውጭ ግንኙነት መስርቶ ፣ ኤምባሲዎች ከፍቶ ፣ የመዋዕለ ነዋይ እምባሳደሮች ሰይሞ ክልሉን በኢኮኖሚ ካላስመነደገ ወደባሰ ኢኮኖሚያዊ ፣ ወታስደራዊ፣ ፖለቲካዊና ማህበረዊ ቀውስ መግባቱ እይቀርም። ሁሉንም ለኔ በሚለው ስግብግቡ ኦሆዴድ ኦሮሚያ ስር አማራ ሊያድግ አይችልም። ኦሮማይ!
It’s not only economic ties wiith foreign governments that Amhara needs, the ties should include political, cultural, military and social issues. This begins with neigbouring states, expand to involve the continent and then beyoond to the whole world. I can’t wiat to see that happen.