Change happens and will continue to happen, and the real question is: Will we fear it or will we welcome it?
(The Leaderless Revolution: How Ordinary people will take Power and Change Politics in the 21st Century, Carne Ross- 2011)
On the second half of May of this year, Semayawi (Blue) Party took lawful, peaceful and legitimate demands of millions of
victims of dehumanizing political agenda and practice for the last two decades straight to appropriate offices and let them be informed that they (the people) were ready to take their voices to the streets of Addis. They unequivocally made clear that legitimate voices of millions for political freedom and human rights should not merely be heard but seriously listened to. They also made clear that the powerfully echoing innocent voices desperately deserve a timely and appropriate response. Although the ruling party tried to play its very ugly political drama, the patriotic young Ethiopians kept the momentum going in a much more determined and wise manner thanks to the very courageous and firm leadership. Yes, it was the Blue (Semayawi) Party that has broken the silence of eight years ruthlessly imposed by the ruling party with the order of the late dictatorial Prime Minister, Ato Meles Zenawi. Yes, a greatly reinvigorated move for change was enthusiastically organized and launched on June 2, 2013.
Needless to say, the move has been welcomed with a great deal courage by
the people who cannot afford to continue being captives of the fear that has been used by the ruling party as the main instrument to perpetuate its dirty, if not deadly political game.
Now, Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ-Andinet) has come up with very legitimate, well-focused and well-targeted issues to be echoed throughout the country and beyond under the theme “MILLINS OF VOICES FOR FREEDOM!” It goes without saying that these kinds of moves for the prevalence of genuine freedom, justice, and respect for fundamental human dignity are profoundly serious. Yes, not only the moves but how those genuinely concerned political opposition forces are trying to move in a relatively well-coordinated and mutual understanding sounds very good. Yes, the trends being developed and the directions being taken by those opposition parties (Semayawi and Andnet), and of course in collaboration with all other genuinely concerned parties/movements are encouraging as far as the question of how to deal with the issue of healing from a very painful political agenda and practice being carried on by the ruling party is concerned. I strongly believe that the author I cited earlier (Crane Ross) is absolutely right when he argues, “When one hand is hurt, the entire body feels the pain. Our neighbor is part of us. When any human being suffers, it should be a source of pain to all of us .We should fell pain, not pity.” I want to believe that that is the sense of the move we are witnessing in our country. Well, I am well aware that there may be many fellow Ethiopians who may still genuinely be doubtful about the desirable trend I am talking about. Given the repeatedly failed attempts of getting and walking together and registering meaningful difference in our political journey (past and current), it is not surprising to see and experience kind of pessimism lingering. On the other side of the story, it has to be admitted that the failures we suffered from is not only because of the weaknesses of the leadership or membership of opposition political parties. It has been and it is also the lack of active and persistent participation by the people themselves that has contributed to our failures. Yes, individuals and organizations have their own huge impact on any societal endeavor let alone in a political arena that deeply touches every aspect of life like ours. But, there is no any historical evidence showing a political success story (I am talking about changes for good) without an intensive and extensive participation by the people themselves. I have never come across any plausible evidence that justifies the successful political story that has been achieved by a society that has never been in a position to break the fear and terror imposed by tyrannical regimes. Harold S. Kushner (Conquering Fear: Living Boldly in an Uncertain World, 2009) argues, “… hope and courage, not fear and timorous obedience, are the will of God. Courage is not the absence of fear; it is the overcoming of fear. Courage is looking fear in the face and refusing to be intimidated. …. Courage is the young mother crippled in an accident or diagnosed with a degenerative disease who continues to raise her children and tend to her husband instead of dissolving into self-pity.”
