In Defense of Professor Tecola Hagos

I have read the writings of the respected Professor Tecola Hagos. I do not know him in person, but from my communication on-line with him, he is a respectable Ethiopian educator and very intelligible person. He is open minded; he is not narrow. He has a wealth of experiences one ever can have and he is open to share his unparalleled wisdom unlike many Ethiopians scholars. His love for Ethiopia is evident from all what he has written and from the Ethiopian flag he has hoisted on his website.

Whether it is the professor or other citizens should be respected, treated with dignity and integrity. He has voiced his opinions and beliefs. He is fully entitled to do so. Leave alone professor Tecola Hagos who is so civilized, any Ethiopian citizen has a full right to express his or her political opinion and beliefs. Because his beliefs and opinions does not click with the Ethiopian government, it does not mean he is wrong. Those of you who condemn people because people do not speak out what you would like to hear, you need to teach yourself democracy. Democrats are open to listen to other peoples opinion and beliefs. Democracy does not dictate people to think by one person's brain. Democracy does not become democracy if and only if it is being said by the supporters of the government.

As to the statement that the professor does not qualify to loosen the shoe laces of Aboy Sebhat Nega, this is really unfair. Both are mortal humans, I do not believe Aboy Sebhat Nega is a better human than the professor.

Moreover, the professor did not say there is no development in Ethiopia. He has asserted his feelings about Aboy Sehbhat Nega that what he has narrated was against the territorial and social integrity, security and economic interest of Ethiopia. The professor's view is an echo of 99 % Ethiopians. Those who claim that Ethiopian territorial and social integrity, security and economic interests are not virtuous talk issues must have lost the track where they are going and they might be only 1% and who are milking Ethiopia. They need to listen and correct themselves.

As to the history of the professor, it doe not really matter whether he was born in Asmara or Massawa or Mekele. The professor has been voicing his grievances about the political philosophy of Aboy Sibhat Nega. He never talked about people's birth places or other histories. Rational and seasoned people talk about ideas, not about people.

What is the big issue if he was born in Asmara and grown in Asmara? Is it a crime to born in Asmara? Asmara is the best place in Africa. I have lived in Asmara, it is beautiful and I would be happy to go there and to live there. And what is the fuss being born in Asmara?

What is the fuss if he was a fan of EPLF but now he has changed?; he has a right to change his beliefs too. I am not sure if he was a fan of EPLF, but if he was, he still has a right to change and to be the fan of better one. Why do you guys label people who differ from you as EPLF or derg? It is unfair. Put yourself in their shoes, it is like you will be called EPRDF even if you are not anymore EPRDF. People must be given a second chance. ANC in South Africa has not ostracized the NNP which is the apartheid party. They have been allowed to reorganize themselves and to participate in the democratic process. They did organize themselves. They won one province, the Western Cape, Cape Town. They were the provincial government of Western Cape until 2004. Now their party died by itself, but ANC has welcomed them and the apartheid party members who had been wreaking injustice for centuries on the black people are forgiven and has joined ANC and they are serving their country like the rest. If they were in Ethiopia, either they could have been executed or ostracized forever. Thus there is no democracy which serves only political party.

In my view, what the professor has stated is immaculate and based on veracity. He is neither hate monger or nor shy from the saying the truth. He has voiced his concern without any apprehension and prejudices. If you are telling us the government is doing what the people has chosen to be done, let the people speak out themselves. When he stated fire for fire, he does not mean war. There is fire for fire without war, without a drop of blood, without a loss of single life. If the government continues to pay a deaf ear to the citizen, that may not be far. Today's king is tomorrow dead. Nature is dynamic, the surge for freedom may be building up so that nothing will remain the same.

Divine Freedom to Ethiopia

Gezaee Hailemichael