The Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia (SMNE): The Old v. the New Ethiopia.

Two weeks ago, I was invited to a brainstorming meeting that was organized by the newly formed SMNE’s committee members.  The SMNE mission, as I found out at the meeting, is to mobilize and to unify all Ethiopians regardless of their ethnicity, religion, and political affiliations. Its objective is to bring justice, freedom, equality, and the protection of human right in Ethiopia. And its motto is “no one is free in Ethiopia, until all are free”.  At the meeting we were each asked to give our opinions on what is the old versus the new Ethiopia? Below was my response to the old versus the new Ethiopia:

The Old Ethiopia

In the old Ethiopia, leadership is monopolized by those who consider themselves mainstream Ethiopian’s elites.  Since the birth of modern Ethiopia, the elites from so-called “mainstream Ethiopians” have led the country one after another. For centuries one so called “mainstream leader” is replaced by an alternative leader from the so-called “mainstream”. However, the fact that they are framed as alternatives, only served to reinforce the dominance of the status quo. And as a result, we kept seeing leadership failure after failure in Ethiopia.

The so-called “mainstream Ethiopian leaders” refuse to encourage the equal participation of all Ethiopians. And over the years, they developed a view that there is only one truth; and that they alone hold that truth. This led them to think that they alone know the truth, and therefore; why waste their time listening to those they considered” non-mainstream Ethiopians” on how to better lead the country. These leaders and their supporters developed an attitude that says: we are the strongest, therefore we are the best; and our way, which is right, works for us, therefore it must work for you too. And if you do not see that, we may have to help you, perhaps even force you to see things our way. This attitude by the so-called “mainstream leaders” and their supporters toward those they considered “non-mainstream Ethiopians” led to continues killing of the Anyuaks of Gambella, the Southern people, and the Somalia of Ogaden region and the absolute exploitation and domination of the country by current regime in Ethiopia.

These leaders are less incline to listen to others because they believe that they are better, wiser, and more advanced. They impose their own view of the world upon others not knowing that their perception of their rightness is merely a reflection of their own socialization within their cultural contexts. They do not know that individuals socialize in different contexts of reality and truth. They do not know that what they see as their own reality and truth may not be relevant to others.

The New Ethiopia

In the new Ethiopia there will be a break away from outdated attitudes of the old days by having leaders who will immerse Ethiopians fully and exclusively in a radically different perspective that will challenge the so-called “mainstream Ethiopians’ ideology”. We will have leaders who will challenge the status quo and leaders with desire to understand and honor all existing cultures in Ethiopia, while supporting exchange of ideas and views of all Ethiopians. We will have leaders who will strive to understand other’s (not only of so-called “mainstream Ethiopians) perspectives and who will be prepared to be flexible in their leadership style to accommodate the masses.

The citizens of the new Ethiopia will learn to understand each other’s viewpoint so as to come to an agreement. They will know that understanding each other’s viewpoint is very essential to our existing together and crucial barrier against the total collapse of Ethiopia. And they will know that as long as we live in association with others, and as long as we accept that our lives are better without constant conflicts and disputes, then understanding each other’s viewpoint or/and not imposing ones viewpoint upon others is required.

They will understand that, as people, we can claim to be engaging in democratic process only when we learn to come to agreement. They will understand that good democratic process depends on everyone contributing, on everyone having the fullest right to voice their opinion, and on everyone being accepted as equal. And this is what I, personally, want to see in the new Ethiopia. 

Thank you,