Good governance problems cannot be solved through unrest and riot

                                                                                             Desta Hailu

Although our country is a country that is in the beginner curve of democracy, it has been able to record many successes for the past two decades that nobody can deny. One of the successes our country recorded in democratic order building is facilitating for citizens to voice their difference in a peaceful manner. However, using the good governance problems that are seen in our country as opportunity, some groups are seen trying to instigate unrest by manipulating the emotion of the youth.

By disseminating fictitious and baseless information and twisting minor issues to suit their agenda, elements that are trying to obstruct the country’s development and peace are also working to change the situation to unrest and violence and cause the death of innocent people and destruction of property.

Recently, such thing has happened in north Gondar after there was an effort to arrest some individuals in some areas that are wanted by the law. Those who died are our brothers. The property that was destructed is the property of the people. And the government properties that were destroyed were assets that were built through our money.

Truth be told, it is not hard to see what could have happened if the government in close relationship with the peace-loving part of the public didn’t safeguard the rules and laws. Any opposition that involves shooting at and attacking security forces, killing or harming peaceful citizens, stealing public and private properties is not an appropriate approach.

ESAT, OMN and some social Medias in cahoots with extremist political parties and Diaspora politicians have made the effort to push our country into turmoil and unrest by organizing a looting and killing squad. If the government isn’t able to ensure security, rule of law, the country cannot exist. It creates the situation where no one can move peacefully. As I have tried to mention it earlier, any force that takes away of lives of innocent people and destroys properties doesn’t know anything about rule of law.

Looting and stealing doesn’t want any peace. And this group should be stopped by the cooperation of the government and the people. These forces of chaos have dragged the young people into a wrong track by adding manipulative issues they believed will provoke their emotions. And this has cost the lives of the innocent people. First of all, we the young people should become aware of the hidden agenda of these forces. As rule of law is not ensured by the government effort alone, but with the effort of every peace-loving people also, it is imperative to bring culprits to the court of law.

Some parties who claim to run for power in peaceful manner were seen applauding them in their statements as they angle a short cut to power for themselves. Their effort to cover the unrest with legal cloth is an irresponsible act and shows how much they don’t care about the country and people.

Young people have a huge share in either constructive or destructive outcomes. If we the young people are unable to see the good from the bad, we will become vulnerable to forces of malice and get involved in things that would hurt the country and people. It would be important to see what has happened in Libya and Syria.

A system that accommodates difference has been realized in our country. In a country where such system is realized, any move to create unrest and violence is not legal or appropriate approach. It is possible to display difference in peaceful manner.

As the development we are seeing everywhere is gained through the peace and stability that is exists in our country, parents should play their responsibility in advising their young children so that we don’t become a tool for anti-peace and anti-development groups. Our country’s constitution has guaranteed citizens human and democratic right.

A state of affairs, where constitutional rights are ensured, and anyone can voice his/her opinion peacefully has been guaranteed in our country. So, I don’t think it is sane trying to dismantle a system that has brought such/these rights. The basis of everything is peace. The development that is initiated in our country can only be guaranteed by maintaining the successes we have garnered and by working hard to realize what are left to be done. If not, we will be destroying what we have built. As I have tried to mention earlier, when the youth should be maintaining the rapid development seen in our country and hasten our country’s renaissance, it should not be used as a tool for forces of malice. If we are unable to do good things, we should not be used as tool for their hidden plot.

We should be vigilant not to be used as a tool by forces of malice by believing the false information disseminated by some foreign electronic Medias, Social Medias and Diaspora politicians. Of course the democracy culture of our country is still young. It hasn’t implemented all there is on the paper. And it will be implemented by us the young people fighting for it in a peaceful manner, and not through destroying properties - it is unacceptable to take away innocent lives, destroy properties. And it brings nothing but regret and shameful legacy.

When it is possible to solve every issue through dialogue in our country, trying to impose own opinion on others forcefully is not a constitutional approach. As peace is the main pillar to move, work and prosper peacefully, the public should be protecting the peace. Development, rule of law, freedom to do anything we want all can be done if only our country is at peace. What is the value of peace?

ESAT, OMN and some social Medias, which are mouthpieces of OLF and Ginbot 7, have used the youth for their malicious activity by instigating them through fictitious stories – and they are still working on that. They have claimed the government’s measure to subdue forces that were killing people and destroying property as a forceful measure taken on “peaceful demonstrators”, and have tried to use the public for other of their malicious objectives.

When the government in our country is established by consent, trying to dismantle it through riot and unrest brings accountability. Our country’s constitution has stated that power in our country emanates only from the peoples’ vote. Government comes and goes, but the country and people always lives. Although it is the main job of the government to ensure rule of law, it is not a task we only leave for it alone. Parents should advice their children. And the youth should be identifying the good from the bad. It should also be understood that our act can bring accountability. It should be understood that rights always bring responsibility.

If we can’t bring accountability for anyone for their wrong doing, the peace of our country will be compromised. Thus, in order to ensure rule of law, we all should stand next to the government and identify the culprits who did this and bring them to justice. There are no stone left unturned by OLF and Ginbot 7, groups branded as terrorist, to create conflict between people, and between the government and the people. It is inevitable that these forces of malice will work to use the youth in order for them to get power through in short cut.

In addition to exposing the work of these negative elements, the implementation of the action plan to solve good governance problems that is initiated should be implemented. Good governance problems cannot be solved through unrest and riot, but through a dialogue between the government and the people. And this is being implemented. Good governance problems can be solved by the mature and serene directive EPRDF follows, and not through the baseless stories ESAT and OMN propagate.