The public in a position to guard peace, development

Tesfaye Lema

Identified poverty as its arch-foe, Ethiopia has been working industriously day in day out to make poverty a history and ensure sustainable development.  As a result, there are various encouraging changes since 1991 that witnessed the country’s progress in both economic and social developments.

Its economy has grown at a double digit for the past ten consecutive years; but 8 percent for this year, according to World Bank Report. The Ethiopian Grand Renaissance Dam, Ethio-Djibouti railway, Addis Ababa light railway, the hydropower dams, road infrastructure, telecommunication, access to potable water, access to health and education are some developments among many others.

But the country has become the targets of some irresponsible organizations like Human Rights watch since the overthrow of the dictatorial military regime in various forms. One of these is instigating violence and attempts to bring chaos to the country.

In the aftermath of the fall of Derg, members of that regime coupled with some chauvinists have attempted to create a crack between the government and the Ethiopian Christianity.  They have propagated as if the government had attempted to impose on the Orthodox Church following the endorsement of the Ethiopian Constitution which guaranteed equality of all religious.

When that attempt failed, they have changed their approach and began to create cracks   between the Christianity and Muslim. However, the government of Ethiopia has wisely handled. As the people lately understood the hidden agendas of the groups agitating them for violence and mayhem, they collaborate with the government for peace.

Then, they changed their agenda and began to create instability under the pretext of the Islam religion having made strong links with terrorist groups and continued their destabilizing efforts.

The anti-peace groups have merged forces with external terrorist groups and planned to destroy development projects in the country. One of these attempts was the endeavor made to destroy the Tekeze hydro-electric power dam.  A group of terrorists who were trained armed by the Eritrean Government entered Ethiopia aiming to destroy the aforementioned dam and other development projects though foiled by the Ethiopian security.

Despite the long standing and deep rooted tolerance culture of the people of Ethiopia, which categorized the country as one of the model countries in the world in religious tolerances, the extremists have been working industriously to poison that deep rooted cultural of religious tolerance. 

The violence in some areas of Amharea and Oromya Regional States are also the sequel of those peace poisoning and development jeopardizing attempts.  As usual, the current violence has merged with some questions of good governance posed by the some members of the public.  There are two fused concerns in the current violence.

The first one is the questions of some members of the public in connection to good governance.  These questions however could be solved peacefully via discussions.  There is no ground for people who have such question to go to havoc and violence as the Ethiopian government is ready to solve any problem posed by the people through discussion.

The anti-peace groups have manipulated and directed the real public questions that need appropriate responses in a legal way to violence and chaos.  They have destroyed development projects and public service delivery institutions. 

They also began murdering model farmers, local administrators and people whom they taught cooperate with the government for peace.  The Amhara and Oromo people want peace, good governance and development.  As a result, they have been playing significant roles contributing their money, time and knowledge for the realization of various development projects in the region. However, the groups who are imposing their destructive agenda on the people and burning the development projects of the people. They are not only destroying banks and plundering public property but also murdering innocent people. These terrorist activities   are so irrelevant to the need and question of the people.

The people asked for good governance and more development activities in their local areas, they by no means could destroy the already existed institutions from which they get various benefits.

Despite efforts to harmonize the country and ensure its overall development, there are groups usually attempting to poison any development activity of the government. The current violence in some areas of the Amhara and Oromiya Regional States are the manifestation of interests to poison Ethiopia’s stability.

The two Regional states Oromiya have registered remarkable social, economic and political progresses in the past twenty five years. There are a number of infrastructure and other development projects in the region. The developments in education and health sectors are also tremendous that made the people beneficiary.

The people in these two regions, like other people in other regions of the country, have been enjoying their language, culture and identity.  They have played a significant role in the development of the country.

The enemies of Ethiopia have been attempting to blackmail the country’s situation. One among these was the Eritrean government. There are also international organizations like Human Rights Watch. It  has been accusing Ethiopia for various issues since the demise of the military rule. Previously, it accused Ethiopia for displacing its citizens from their villages as it began investing huge Sugar development Projects in various parts of the country. The argument repeatedly came in a sense that the people are resettled to another area without any consultation. Besides, it has been arguing as if they won’t be beneficiary of the projects.  HRW connected it with the violation of Human Rights.

However, the situation on the ground is quite different from what HRW has been accusing the country. It is evident that citizens have been benefiting from the various projects. The government has undertaken different measures to ensure fair wealth distribution among Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia.  They have become beneficiaries of the fast sustainable economic development and the booming infrastructure.

Obviously, any development taking place without social recognition and acceptance has little fruits.  Recognizant of this fact, the government has been ensuring the participation of the Ethiopia people in any development agenda. As a result, the government held discussions on every project with the people residing around the site. It is usual for HRW and other Ethiopian enemies to exert efforts to destabilize Ethiopia and joepardize its developments. However, Ethiopian are now well aware of such activities. They are really in a position to guard their peace and development.