By Sioum Gebeyehou
The Problem: The “Kilil” politics kept the peoples of Ethiopia residentially, occupationally, and culturally apart. A body of shared values did not emerge to weld the disparate peoples into any sort of coherent community. Indeed, the ethnic elements grew to distrust each other and were systematically manipulated by the ruling party into antagonistic relationships.
The Solution: The best way to deal with aggravated ethnic tensions is to build inter-ethnic coalitions through the recognition of the legitimate concerns of each ethnic group. This approach removes the fear that after the fall of the current divisive regime, change would result in another form of ethnic domination. Inter-ethnic coalitions are better established through people to people UNDERSTANDING and RECONCILIATION.”
The presentation below shows the Principles of Understanding and Reconciliation: (click on image enlarge)
6 thoughts on “The Principles of Understanding and Reconciliation”
The bsest solution for the segement of the opposition parties with ethnic agenda is come out of the entitlemement of ethnic fedrealism and seccessionism and governing a killil of ill defined boundries form Negelle to Gullele/
Finfine from Wellegae to Harrarge unite on the common goals for unity, territorial integrity, sovereignity of Ethiopia and Ethiopians and the strategies to achieve those goals to get rid of TPLF/eprdf regime rather than confession,repentance,atonement,redemeption, and salvation that each each individual had to do before God, in order to do the right thing. The right thing is to stand up for unity, territorial integrity, Sovereignity of Ethiopia and Ethiopians in a peaceful struggle.
I thank Ato Sioum for thinking about the future. We are all aware of the problem facing us today. Ato Sioum’s approach is to find a solution to build the new society on a solid foundation. That is what is called smart thinking. I like his approach of identifying the problem and devising a solution based on facts and experience. The principle of understanding and reconciliation is applicable in all walks of life. Thank you for a great work.
Reconciliation between various oppressed Ethiopian communities is easier than the reconciliation between the oppressed and the oppressors.
The oppressed Ethiopian communities in one region of Ethiopia have never lost faith in, or love to, the other group of Ethiopia who have had the same nasty treatment by Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) for almost 20 years, and there is greater hope that all the Ethiopian people who have been living under the Berlin Wall – the Ethiopia “Kilil” – will embrace each other as soon as the “Kilil” that has separated them for two decays is dismantled.
The artificial Kilil may have damaged the minds of the young born from parents living under Kilil, and they may not know what life will be out of Kilil. They have been brainwashed by Meles cadres that the only world they should know and take care of is the world of their own Kilil; they have been told people who live outside some ones’ Kilil are not related to them linguistically, culturally, historically, and religiously. So these young Ethiopians who are 20 years old are taught that the Oromos who live under the Oromos Kilil are not related to the people who live under the Amhara Kilil, and the people who live under the Tigray Kilil are not related to any Ethiopian tribes except to themselves.
Therefore, how do we reconcile these young people who have never lived out of Kilil with the old people who have enjoyed good life before the creation of Kilil but suffered tremendously living confined to Kilil only like the Native Indians in America or in Canada? Solution: Let the young Ethiopian themselves come out of Kilil and taste what life is out of Kilil if they don’t believe their parents who have probably told them many times that life out of Kilil is much preferable to life under Kilil. Life out of Kilil is communicating and exchanging new ideas with other people while life under Kilil is isolation and hatred toward the other group of people who do not belong to the other Kilil people.
Who are then the people who need redemption (ህጽበት), or confession (ኑዛዜ, ቀኖና) or repentance (ንሥሐ, ጸጸት) or atonement (ምልጃ, ካሳ) or forgiveness (ምሕረት, ይቅርታ) or salvation (ድህነት, ቤዛ)?
The people of Ethiopia who have suffered under Meles tyrannical rule need salvation, atonement, of course not repentance and forgiveness; however, the Tegarues and their likes badly need repentance for their sins against the rest of the Ethiopian people and forgiveness from all the oppressed Ethiopians. Then, real reconciliation will take effect between the Tegarues and the oppressed Ethiopians.
We are living in a country where every right of demecracy buried after the election of 2005. In ethiopia, at this very moment every one fear to experess his or her idea which oppose the ruling party.One ethinc fight with the neibouring for simple reason. For Example in 1999 the fight between Guji and Gedeo,and other can be sited. They were living in good harmony understanding each other but EPDRF enticed to fight. in this simple clash more than 1000 people died.but not reported.
Recntly I read these words posted in the cubicle of a Missouri8 unemployment office, (it isa paraphrase, if I recall it totaly). ” BE VERY CONSIDERATE AND PATIENT, EVERYBODY SEEM TO HAVE A WAR OF HIMSELF”). I found it to be true. Every Ethiopian seems to have a war of himself, so does every group, be it in thye opposition and regime supporters. Our wars are personalized , but we love our country of origin. We do not have Generals with unified command that can negotiate with the adversary on our behalf. The opponent has its own internal and external war.Everybody is running from each other like rocks in the expanding universe. Can’t we make sense of CREATIVE CONFLICT RESOLUTION AND ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION for the best survivavl of all and our country through forgiveness! Revenge is out of the question. When we revenge with a brick, the other side has a rock! Listen to your brother and reform.
With Love in this Easter. Gedlu