A choice of political leadership for Ethiopia

An Engineer, an Economist or a Political Party?

Introduction: A little bit of political history

For Leadership to hold, legitimacy is the single most important element. The Monarchy legitimizes authority from God, the Almighty; The Military legitimizes its authority from the Gun and political parties claim their authorities from party mandates. In our case, the legitimacy for the Monarchy and the DERG was clear as the day light. However, the legitimacy of the TPLF is blurred. There was/is a lot of lies and deception. Some of us believe TPLF’s legitimacy emanates from the State Department and some of us believe that their legitimacy comes from the people of Tigrai. Others believe that it comes from the ethnic nationalities of Ethiopia. But EPRP has gone through these assumptions and realities. EPRP has fought against all these elements of imperialism (both of American and Russian), has fought against narrow nationalism and has fought against distorted thesis of Shaebia’s colonial theory. There is nothing new for EPRP to regret and to lament for today’s Ethiopian situation.

The issue of legitimacy is of paramount importance to everyone and everybody. Let us have clarity on this issue before we fight on paper, on the streets, in bars, in churches and in assemblies.

The Eway Revolution was about legitimacy that emanates from individuals who will have a choice during recruitment, voting or election. Without working from bottom up and vice versa, there will be no legitimacy for power. Based on this fundamental principle, EPRP has taken a bold and an arduous process to empower individuals. A clear case in point was about Berhane Meskel Redda. Mr. Redda was indeed a revolutionary par excellence. He has spent an insurmountable amount of time, energy and resources to organize EPLO (Ethiopian Peoples’ Liberation Organization), the precursor of EPRP. Because of his talent and celebrity, many students and professionals wanted his leadership. In fact, many joined EPRP solely on his name recognition. Too many individuals have associated with EPRP because of Berhane Meskel Redda (BMR). But does this acronym of BMR resonate with this individual reality? With Berhane, there was no light, he did not believe in the Cross and he did not help individuals. So his name was a misnomer from the beginning. Call me by my name. What is my name?

The current discourse for political opposition leadership has been around two individuals, Ato Hailu Shawl and Ato Berhanu Nega. Both individuals have different experiences albeit with complementary education, that of cost and benefit. But what is at stake at the present time? Are Ethiopians looking for political leaders in the form of individuals or political parties? If so, are these two individuals apt to the leadership position? What do they stand for? Who are their constituents? Can they solve the ethnicity and the nationality question? What is their stand on War and Revolution? Globalization versus Free Trade? Demarcation versus Mass Deportation? How can they solve poverty and prosperity? And by what means? My readers should answer these questions for themselves. I for one want to express something of relevance to leadership 101 as follows.

The Engineer: It’s about cost in isolation!

Ato Hailu Shawl is an accomplished engineer in his field of study. He knows the cost of Construction, the cost of Operation and Maintenance of goods and services. What about benefits? Engineer Hailu understands benefits at an individual level or more appropriately for his personal interest. What about the social benefit to our society? Ato Hailu has worked for the benefit of International organizations such as, oil industries, Highways and Sugar Corporations not to mention agriculture and consulting for Europeans. I doubt if he had ever considered the social cost and benefit for Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

By training engineers are very much conscious of unit cost but not social cost. Let us not forget the DERG era in which five of the eleven politbureau members were engineers while the rest were military men. Both training do not dwell in rational thinking unlike other training. The rest of the population including the Ethiopian youths were forced to be involved in Dankera (dancing), which was contrary to real KINET as proposed, by Debteraw and his colleagues.

As a footnote, I had an assignment to connect Goddjam and Wellega by road via Bure-Nekemte towns. Mr. Hailu had asked me to speed up the project so that he can give it to the Russians for financing. I knew then that he was not considering the social economic benefit for the country. He was only doing his job. But I was doing my job and the public job simultaneously considering the benefit and the cost elements. As a technocrat, Engineer Hailu was excellent but as a revolutionary, he was mediocre. Another example worth mentioning was that during the dialogue (WYYT) of employees of Highway, certain groups opposed that the then manager of Highway Authority, Mr. Hailu did not qualify to join the discussion as he had 33 bedrooms in his residence. That automatically disqualify him to be a progressive worker was the complaint. To counter this silly argument, I told the group that I had 16 doors in my residence and that did not mean that access of doors disqualify me from participating in the discussion, I counter argued. Ato Hailu actually proved himself by allowing construction workers to have access to free men’s (cafeteria) in the construction site. Some of his policies proved that he stood for the workers.

The point is that Ato Hailu has passed through many ups and downs including imprisonment. I remember that he gave a bold statement against the cadres of the DERG regime. I also remember that a bus ticketed for supposedly allowed an EPRP member to commit suicide humiliated him. I hope all these might help him to differentiate between EPRP, the DERG, the TPLF and the EPLF. With the exception of EPRP, all other organizations believe that might is right. For EPRP, right is might. It was, it is and it is going to be in the future. Ato Hailu recently said that he has learnt a lot while in prison. I hope he can now differentiate between deception and democracia, between USA, EU and E and E not as countries but as their way of life and their political system. HAILU SHAWL is a proper and legitimate name as deciphered by debteras. It is a positive name. Call me by name. What is my name?

The Economist: It is about benefit in isolation!

DR. Berhanu thinks that there is light at the end of the tunnel or rather the light is on. If I have to decipher his name, the letter B is still locked on him. I recommend Ato Berhanu to unlock his name. In his first name, there is no light but in his second name there is nature. In Ethiopia, the government is against nature. Everything is artificial. Ato Berhanu should learn at least from his father. I see that he did not learn from the first alphabet of A (ASSIMBA). Personally, I do not think he has the trade off between cost and benefit analysis. The Ethiopian economy has been an incremental development, thanks to World Bank and capitalist development of infrastructure. Dr. Berhanu and his close friends have not realized the long and hard development plan of the country. Individual projects and sector projects were materialized on their cost-benefit analysis. Now Mr. Economist thinks on political terms and even that what he call civilized and uncivilized? What does that mean? I wish he could have used a proper term of Regierungsbezirk/Bezirksregierung (urban and rural). Ato Berhanu before learning anything from Rural Ethiopia, he was appointed as a mayor for the city of Addis Ababa. Am I missing something? As an economist (I am sorry I do not know in what he has specialized), he should know something about urban planning and rural development. I hope he understands what I am saying. Ato Berhanu knows that needs are logical while wants and desires are sentimental and emotional. Our needs pushes us just so far, but when needs are satisfied, they will stop pushing us. But if our purpose wants and desires – then wants and desires will keep pushing by after our needs are satisfied and until our wants and desires are fulfilled. So what is that derives Ethiopians to push for? Is it liberty and freedom political or otherwise? Please stand up Mr. Berhanu as you have during the Imblta Groupie Era!

Ato Berhanu had joined EPRP but has been discharged voluntarily from his duty of serving EMAKKIANS (Ethiopians and Eritreans). Nevertheless, he has worked tirelessly to demean and to undermine EPRP’s leadership. I doubt whether Mr. Berhanu had grasped the working relations of EPRP leadership and follower ship, i.e. Zematzches and Azmatches. He had been falsely accusing EPRP of killing a dozen members of minorities for the purpose of empowering Amhara and Tigrian elites. When confronted that he was involved in the trial of guilty conspiracy but was released, he again lies that he was a minor. As a policy, EPRP does not send minors to fight. I suspect he went to AAssimba to save his life from the terror of the DERG and not ready to struggle for change.

Let me sketch Mr. Berhanu. He was from Markato a bustling area for workers and traders. No education only hard work. Arada a Balanced place for action and counter action. Arat Kilo or Sidist Kilo an academic center for intellectuals. I have traveled for 13 years from Mercato to Arat Kilo (3 miles) physically and mentally. But for Mr. Berhanu it took him two solid years to travel these three miles of distance. Arada by definition is the center of Addis Ababa. There seems an effort by Berhanu to be a centrist in the Ethiopian affairs. He wanted to be in Mercato and at Arat/Sidist Kilos at the same time. He should live in the Piaza. His priority should be known. He should choose as a matter of priority, education, politics or business. He cannot have them all. The economist should really try to understand the costs that have been paid by all Ethiopians to be free from dictators and authoritarians like that of Melese and Isayas respectively. Ask the Mercato residents and traders; ask the Arat/Sidist Kilo students and residents and above all ask the whereabouts of all the Aradas. Party Relationship: It is about social cost and social benefit in unity

EPRP unlike, EPLF and TPLF, did not depend on personalities or on the Secretary General of the Party. A significant number of intellectuals believe that had Berhane Meskel Redda become the Secretary General of EPRP, there is no doubt in their mind that Mr. Mellese or Mr. Essyas would have been in the place where they are now. Mr. Redda would have been the Ethiopian and the Eritrean leader. But the question is would that be a solution? Probably, it would have been a solace for those who cry that EPRP is evil and weak. Too many EPRP members and associates desire victory at any cost. But that is not what the genuine EPRP aspired for Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Instead of a single man at the helm, EPRP decided to have a weak Secretary General but a strong collective leadership. EPRP leadership is living by example, of the people, for the people and by the people. DEMOCRACIA is the mantra of EPRP. Unless we are blind or deaf, DEMOCRACIA is the voice of EPRP. DEMOCRACIA HAS BEEN THE COLLECTIVE LEADERSHIP OF EPRP SINCE ITS INCEPTION. Not only Ethiopians but also the whole world are crying for DEMOCRACIA, thanks to EPRP leadership and membership. This means that EPRP is a winner not a loser. It became a winner though at a heavy sacrifices and losses to itself. We should not confuse that all losses of lives and material wealth were the result of EPRP’s doing or undoing. All losses and victims are a result of EPRP’s opponents. EPRP is a victim not a predator. According to Debteraw, EPRP was and is to educate, to empower Ethiopians and Eritreans through READ (Revolution, Education, Arts and Democracy). There is nothing wrong to read and to decipher one’s name, one’s culture and one’s belief. Call me by my name? What is my name?

EPRP: It is about political analysis

The majority of EPRP leadership does not like manipulation, as manipulation is the enemy of Trust. Debteraw with capital D used to dig into problems, not the people. Some think that there are two kinds of workers, those volunteers and those who get paid. Not true for Debteraw. There are only volunteers, some who get paid, and some who do not.

In every high achieving organization, like EPRP, people are basically volunteers. If Ethiopian workers do not want to work but just collect a paycheck, they can do it. But the point is simple. What makes people “ volunteers”? Why is it that some computer programmers produce more times than others? Why is it that some people on NASA projects work sixty or more intense hours a week without being asked or paid extra for it? And why is it that EPRP leaders work overtime and without pay?

The truth is that whether people are employees or volunteers, they d o what really needs to be done only voluntarily. EPRP members and leaders “volunteer” because Ethiopia and its people expect their best to give them and to receive the best in return. And in particular during the 1070s, when Ethiopians and Eritreans were enthusiastic and behave in ways they want them to behave, the tone of voluntarism was necessary to a high performing organization of EPRP. EPRP’s call was heard all over the country, and it is going to be heard again. Welcome aboard, the Eway Revolution will save you all.

Maintaining EPRP’s dignity

Dignity is an internal self-respect that should never be allowed for compromise by the disrespectful actions of others. It is the result of commanding and demanding the respect of others. EPRP derives taking responsibility for its choices and actions.

· It acts on principle, not expedience

· EPRP faced catastrophe without collapsing

· EPRP has clear boundaries and do not permit to be consistently violated

· EPRP resisted slurs, attacks and meanness with like behavior and

· It has high standards and lives up to them.

CONCLUSION

Our Eway revolution was to define the standard of all values as man’s life; the means of our survival as the exercise of our rational minds, not our adrenal glands like that of Mellese of Ethiopia and Isaiah of Eritrea. EPRP has taught us that it is because we must be free to think and act in order to survive and flourish that we should deal with one another based on mutual consent and never through the initiation of forces. And for these reasons, the E-governments should be limited to protecting the rights of individuals, to life, liberty and land property, and above all the right of all exiles to return to Ethiopia.

What we here from postmodernists like the economist and his elite colleagues is that there are no standards, no right or wrong, and that is a matter of opinion and interpretation, except their own bizarre theories and hidden agendas. This line of thinking is rampant with TPLF leadership thanks to our economist and his likes.

What is needed is an unapologetic defense of the rational, responsible and principled individualism. Each Ethiopian/Eritreans should pursue the goals he love, whether nurturing a child to maturity or a business to profitability; whether writing a song, a poem or a business plan; whether laying the bricks to a building, designing the building or arranging its financing. The result would be a society in which we are each enriched, entertained, educated, enlightened and inspired by our fallen and living fellows. This is the vision of our comrades of EPRP.

For comments and criticism

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