True Wisdom from a Millennium Mercy

The great things which I have learned from my life outside home is the power of forgiving. Good things are not easy to do. If all human beings could have been spiritual and governed by the voice of their inner conscience, we would not have this troubled world where we are living in. There are two biblical attributes which bears all the ten commandment in the Christian faith: one is love God, and the second is , love your neighbor as yourself. If we human beings could obey the above first principles of life, we would have lived a life of harmony. However, we think we are clever and become self complacent so that we down trod other fellow human. My experience in South Africa fascinates me and when I see the situation in Ethiopia, I fail to understand why we Ethiopians are at each others throat.

In 1994, Mr Nelson Mandela took over power from Mr P.W.Botha. Then the new black government set up a Truth and Reconciliation Commission which has justified South Africa from bloodshed. This commission has laid a foundation for all South Africans to coexist in harmony, at least in the near future. Mandela in his famous statement said, “ Now we must not go back, we must go forward together. We must put the past behind us and work together for the new future.” Revenge and vengeance has been take out totally of the equation. Ethnicism was annulled although there were such sentiments. South African blacks are the most brightest leaders I can ever say, not only in Africa, but in the whole world. I spoke on several occasions with black ANC leaders and did ask them why they still tolerate injustice by the whites. And I was told that it is impossible to change people's mind overnight; They told me that the adult whites have been already poisoned and programmed that the black races as subhuman. These people they have been told from early stage of their childhood that they are better race. It would not possible to change such attitude by any means. He said, “ we just have to tolerate and respect them the way they are.” These is actually what black South Africans do to their fellow whites even now.

If there is an extreme injustice and atrocities committed on the basis of race, it must be in South Africa which is still apparent in the land. The black South Africans forgave their best enemies. Despite black South Africans, about 90 % do not have a proper house, schools, clean water, electricity,... and the whites live the most affluent life on earth, they have forgiven them. Although the economic transformation is still a hurdle for South African blacks, they are still confident they will make it slowly, but surely. Therefore there is no lethal schism at least politically.

Though I have reservation about the business between Kinjit and EPRDF because I am neither Kinjit nor EPRDF. I am obliged to raise the issue. Whether it is done by EPRDF or Kinjit, I do not support violence. I detest violence, war, injustice, corruption, hypocrisy, perversity, ingenuity in wickedness, evil, greed, malice, blasphemy, envy, murder, rivalry, treachery, spite, gossips, hate mongering, scandal mongering, insolence, haughtiness, faithlessness, infidelity, heartlessness, ruthlessness,... for whatsoever reason. Who is without blemish in Ethiopia in retrospect and now? Emperor Tewodros had his own weakness which made his life short. If he did not take hostage of the British, he might had lived longer. If the queen turned down his request for assistance, he should knew, he might not get it by force either. But he was human and did what he thought was appropriate and died before time. Ethiopia lost him, and Ethiopia was defiled by British and many things were looted as a result which are still in the British national museum. These people are not still ashamed because they take pride of keeping in their library items which they stole.

If we take the case of Emperor Yohannes, he died after finishing the war, Ethiopians criticized him for fighting because he should have been behind than in the war front. But the truth is Yohannes and Tewodros were true leaders. They faced the enemies. They were not like Mengistu and Meles who stay behind and make others fight.

If we take the case of Emperor Menelick, he also had his own weakness, even if he did run out of provisions, he was supposed to return and drive out the fascist Italians. But he allowed them to colonize and enslave our people which has become now a thorn on all our sides pricking us every day to until we bleed and a beam in our eyes that make us weep every day.

Emperor Haileslassie tried to heal the colonial legacy and it did work for him but the coup reversed the situation which bore TPLF and Shabia. Mengistu hit Shabia until it was almost finished, but TPLF saved it.

Ethiopians and Ethiopians were fighting for no meaning for all the years of TPLF and Shabia. We were nominally told TPLF was fighting for the liberation of Tigray as the name implies. We were told that EPLF was fighting for the liberation of the people ofAbraham Dobech and Moges Asgedom. Tigrayans and Eritreans were recruited from both sides to fight each other.

Now on the 28th May, we are told by Aboy Sehbhat Nega that TPLF was actually fighting for Eritrean independence and Shabia was only fighting for power. However, TPLF cheated the whole Tigray for all those years as a result many people became cannon fodders just for few people's blind philosophy. A philosophy that upholds colonial legacy and a philosophy of self-destruction. We neither value colonialism nor its legacy because we were not colonized. There is no any virtue to uphold a colonial philosophy or its legacy. Truly speaking, un-speakable crime against humanity has been perpetrated by Aboy Sehbhat and his disciples and by Shabia altogether. Because of this perverted philosophy probably more than million Ethiopians including Eritreans have vanished from this planet. The development which has been held back by those conflicts cannot be quantified. The resources wasted is incalculable. Hom much loan did Mengistu borrow to fight that bloody war of TPLF and Shabia? How much money did Eritrean diasporas wasted to fund Shabia for 30 years for this TPLF sponsored war of independence? How much money is Ethiopia still wasting on all the on going conflicts with Eritrea and the concatenated proxy wars?. How many people are perishing now and then in Ethiopia because of this? How many Ethiopians including Eritreans have been refugees because of all those conflicts? How many have perished on their way to their dream safety? How many people has been ill-treated in foreign countries? How many Eritreans are still living in refugee camps since 1967? The crime which has been committed by TPLF and Shabia cannot be told in one piece of paper. Thus EPRDF is not blameless.

Since Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has taken office, how many University students were shot by live bullets and how many times?

How many farmers has been shot by live bullets in Awasa and Gambella? How many Ethiopian nationalists are languishing inside Tigray prisons after the return from the Eritrean war? We are aware of the military prisons near Zalembessa; we are aware of the military prisons four km away from Debre Damo where Nationalist Ethiopian Tigrayans are held since the end of the war with Eritrea? These are some of the those which we know there must be other atrocities which we do not know yet. This is to say that EPRDF like its predecessors has its own blemish.

About the election 2005, What is the point of talking that we had election? We are not interested in the name of the election itself. We are interested in its applications. Even Mengistu Hailemariam had many election too. Thus we are not interested in the name. I do not support any violence. I believe there are many other avenues to make a peaceful struggle. I neither support kinjit nor EPRDF to sacrifice people's lives for power. Neither kinjit nor EPRDF has a right to sacrifice my people for their power hunger. I hear both of you blaming each other. I reject both of you. Ethiopia needs neither of you if you kill our people and none of you takes responsibility. Ethiopian does not need self-righteous , selfish and power hungry. Ethiopian needs self-less servants.

As I have aforementioned, no one is without blemish. If another leader is to come, I am sure Prime Minister Meles will be charged for atrocities. I am aware that everyone is self-righteous. Even Mengistu Hailemariam believes he did nothing wrong. I am sure even Prime Minister Meles Zenawi will claim the same. In Ethiopia if you are a leader I think it is like you are entitled to kill. In truth, no one has a right to sacrifice even a single life leave alone many lives.

Having the above background, I think that we must get out of this vicious cycle of brutality and inhumanity against each other and to no avail. We must give a meaning to the millennium. The Millennium must be a good day for every Ethiopian. We do not want Mere false celebration bash just for name. I say to Kinjit please leave behind the past. Please put behind about the election. We all know George Bush cheated the ballot even in America, but Americans are not still talking about it. It is gone. Please put behind the past and work peacefully for the coming election.

If the Ethiopian government can hear me, you leaders of Ethiopia, we cannot keep on like this. You need to start to listen to the people now. We have heard about your philosophy. Your philosophy is totally against Ethiopia. I do not even think there is anyone who adheres to your philosophy than yourself. You have now told us yourself that you were unfaithful to the people of Ethiopia. I request you to abandon your old philosophy. In the spirit of the millennium I request you to release all the political prisoners including kinjit, Siye, Tamrat Liyne,... and those who are in prison in Tigray since the end of the war with Eritrea.

It is only reconciliation and forgiveness in the spirit of Millennium Mercy we can go forward since no one is blameless. You need to think by your brain not by your muscle.

It is not easy to forgive but the power of forgiveness cannot be fathomed.

Gezaee Hailemichael