By Fantu Agonafer
ETHIOPIAN REVIEW has become the voice of Ethiopians residing in North America and elsewhere. Provocative and timely ideas concerning Ethiopia’s past, present, and future are articulated.
In the last three issues of Ethiopian Review I have read interesting and stimulating articles: “Appointment With Destiny,” by Dr. Alemayehu Gebre Mariam (August), and “A Strategy Toward A Federated Democratic Ethiopia,” by Tesfa Guma (October), to mention only a few. The most curious for me however, was the “True Test for Democracy Still Ahead,” by Dr. Getachew Mekasha (September issue).
No turning back
Dr. Getachew began his articles, “His Imperial Majesty Amha Selassie I sent a delegation to Ethiopia to participate in the July Conference in Ethiopia. I led the delegation which consisted of seven members …” I was shocked to find out that we had a self-crowned monarch residing in Washington. Dr. Getachew, a regular contributor to Ethiopian Review, has been writing on Ethiopia’s past and the accomplishments of her monarchs. Little did I know by focusing on the past glory of Menelik and Yohannes he was paving the way for the self-crowned Amha Selassie.
Dr. Getachew aptly has said nothing on the 40 some years of Imperial rule by Haile Selassie. Suffice it to say that Ethiopia decayed under a royalty which had little vision, dynamism, or interest in the Ethiopian people. The Ethiopian people collectively rose in 1974 and brought the demise of the monarchy thus ridding the society of the most selfish, oppressive, ignorant, parasitic, divisive, and archaic form of government. The usurpation of power by the Derg and Mengistu by no means diminishes the relief felt by the Ethiopian people in eliminating the monarchy.
To say Ethiopia now awaits with open hands the return of the monarch belittles truth, and shows the contempt Dr. Getachew and others like him have for the Ethiopian people. It would be best for Dr. Getachew and the few like him to understand that the monarchy in any name is dead to never resurface in any shape or form. The provisional government should not allow the setting up of offices for such treason. Anyone interested in Ethiopia’s future should work towards the promotion and nurturing of democratic ideals. A revival of the monarchy by no means is a litmus test for the flowering of democracy, but to the contrary its death. We have heard of the Swedish, Japanese, and British monarchical systems which the royal apologists now seem to favor. We would also like to remind our apologists of the French, Chinese, American and many others who have bade farewell to monarchs to never look back. Ethiopians who love and are proud of their past history will not now succumb to nostalgia. They have chosen and taken an irreversible step.
Monitor but Support the new administration
The provisional government under the leadership of Meles Zenawi, despite heavy criticism by his detractors, mostly self-serving intellectuals and royal apologists, has taken some constructive measures towards the democratization of the country. It is up to us to shape and nurture these democratic ideals. The Meles provisional government has been attacked on the grounds of narrow nationalism. His administration so far is inclusive of all nationalities. He has been criticized for giving up Eritrea. Eritrea is still part of Ethiopia. The referendum to be held in two-years would prove where the heart and soul of the Eritrean people are.
The new administration should be supported as well as closely monitored least they give-up their ideals of democracy and revert to ruthless dictatorship like Mengistu and Haile Selassie before them. Decentralization, government by representation, freedom of speech and press, and democratic movement which they now espouse should be encouraged. A mixed-economy, as opposed to laissez-faire, will have a greater potential to succeed. A laissez faire economy is more of an ideal than a reality. The government has to play an active role in shaping the economic direction with the private sector. Japan, South Korea, France, and Sweden are some of the countries who have shown a great deal of success on economic development through the application of a policy of mixed-economy.
The road ahead of us is difficult but exciting for this or any future administration. The fact that a blood bath and the dismemberment of Ethiopia has been avoided clearly signifies that God and our Lord Jesus Christ is indeed with Ethiopia.
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Fantu Agonafer, Ph.D., resides in San Francisco