(Ewnetu Bilata Debela)

When we look back in retrospect to the time we vowed to never let repressive regimes revive we can easily conclude that we have passed through a lot of formidable challenges. These grievances are the outcomes of arbitrary oppressive rule imposed by few despotic and narrow minded individuals over the broad mass.

The despotic regimes required the various nations and nationalities of the country to throw away their ages-old identities that are manifested in their culture, language and religion. Hence in order to be considered a citizen of the country and enjoy the rights that they are entitled to by the virtue of being born in the country and human at all, they had to forget their language, throw away their iconic costumes, adapt names of the rulers language and worship what their rulers worship.

In defiance of the decades old ethnic oppression and subjugation of the wide mass by the narrow minded rulers, the diverse nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia had raised arms to secure the respect of their human and democratic rights.

The protracted armed struggle in all corners had left the country so poor and war ravaged that existing as a nation was put in to question. Without any prejudice and pessimism, one can conclude that the country would have plunged in to a situation that many countries like Somalia, Liberia, former Yugoslavia and Rwanda had faced as all these countries had failed to ensure a system that accommodates their people’s diversity.

When the Cold War ended in the 1990s many of the countries in the socialist bloc had suffered from a grave political and economic bankruptcy which in turn led to conflict and disintegration. The horrendous genocide of 1994 in Rwanda had claimed the lives of nearly a million people while the ethnically and religiously homogenous country, Somalia is still stewing in decades old ethnic strife.

Many people had speculated that Ethiopia would have surely fallen in to the same quagmire. Coupled with lack of democracy, the prevalence of backwardness and poverty as well as the existence of at least 17 armed liberation forces in the country would have resulted in an endless and atrocious turmoil.

Viewed in terms of the same regional, continental, and global phenomena, these speculations could not be refuted as blatant as these people are used to deduce their conclusions through analyzing the above precedents.

But the historical and intrepid actions taken by the united forces of the countries nations and nationalities have succeeded in changing the usual course of a history, not only of our country but of the entire world for that matter.

After overthrowing the tyrant Derg regime the fighters had taken a historically remarkable measure to rescue the country from a number of evil consequences like atrocities over civilians, disintegration of the country and/or subjugation of the country’s sovereignty to external forces that have a number of designs and interests against it due to its geopolitical location, natural and historical resources among others.

One of the crises awaiting the country that just toppled the tyrant regime was that of the emerging western ideology of neoliberals which was rushing to take the situation as an opportune moment to impose its interests over other countries. The military forces of the western powers that pursue neoliberalism were stationed in our neighboring country Djibouti after winding up their military mission in the Persian Gulf.

Had the country fallen in a turmoil that happened in Rwanda, Somalia or Liberia at the moment, it would have been a very suitable pretext to intrude in to the borders of the nation with a pretext of stabilizing the “friendly” country. It would also be a long awaited opportunity for them to step on the soils of the nation which they had no chance to do through the centuries old attempts of colonialism.

Thanks to the relentless stand and farsighted leadership of the nations and nationalities of the country, both the outrageously feared chaos and the mischievous designs of neoliberal forces to take their grip in the internal affairs of the country were thwarted irrecoverably.

The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which was the pioneer anti-tyrannical fighting group composed of various ethnic groups of the country, had taken a wise measure in holding a transitional forum through involving all parties and war waging fronts in a wider platform that accommodated their broad views and burning interests. This historical event has indeed laid the foundation for the realization of a democratic system through peaceful transitional means.

The nations and nationalities of the country have cemented their hard won independence by sealing their covenant for unity, tolerance, diversity and development with a Constitution.

The FDRE Constitution fundamentally corrects the wrong political, economic and social interactions handed down from feudal kings to the Derg regime. It also paved the way for the building of new Ethiopia. Therefore, our Constitution is very modern, radical and democratic. Its provisions can be a measure for its democratic nature. It recognizes multi-nationalism and diversity; all sovereign power resides in the nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia. Furthermore, it helps to conceive a roadmap for renaissance of the new Ethiopia.

The new Ethiopia has crept out from danger of disintegration and conflicts to a well established and consolidated new relation of its peoples on the basis of tolerance and mutual respect among each other. After settling the question of peace and democracy the country has registered rapid economic growth especially during the last 12 years. The Constitutional system is to be credited for the registered growth as it has created conducive environment to this effect.

Today, democracy and multi-national unity of Ethiopian nations, nationalities and peoples are being built on firm ground. Our democratic and multinational system is unshakable despite futile efforts of destructive forces. On the contrary, our togetherness and democratic unity is coupled with sustainable peace and development as stipulated on the Constitution is flourishing.

Accordingly, the country is building one political and economic community. It is able to build an inclusive country reversing the downward slide and weak unity of the country with democratic union and a path to renaissance. We are now working towards ensuring our internal and external peace and foster regional cooperation and good neighborhood.

Nations and nationalities discriminated and isolated in previous regimes are now playing active roles in building the new Ethiopia as the system accommodates their interest. They benefit from democracy and economic development of the country as their right for self-governance is guaranteed.

However, maintaining these successes and setting out for more is critically important. It is worth noting that all of the multifaceted problems accumulated for years would not be possibly solved in twenty years. Extricating the country out of poverty and undemocratic system being a success by itself, we need to prepare for more strides cognizant of the fact that enormous challenges are ahead of us. The major challenges that can threaten our new system include rent-seeking, lack of good governance and religious extremism. Particularly, narrow nationalism and chauvinism hidden behind rent seeking coupled with religious extremism are more likely to threaten our peace.

Lack of Good governance emanates from rent seekers unfair desire to accumulate wealth. Therefore, the anti-rent seeking struggle is part of the efforts to ensure good governance. Effectively countering these challenges should be prioritized as part of an effort to ensure the success of our renaissance.

Cognizant of the fact that failure in nipping these challenges in buds threatens the very existence of our country we need to intensify our anti-poverty struggle in similar commitment that helped us succeed against undemocratic regimes. To gain all rounded victory we need to wage an intensive struggle against rent seeking mentality and ensure good governance.

This for sure fosters our multi-nationalism, diversity and democracy. Henceforth, we can say the threat of collapsing and disintegration is replaced with tolerance, reverence, development and democracy.

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*The author, Ewnetu Bilata Debela, is a State Minister of Government Communication Affairs’ Office, and one of the few Ministers active on facebook.