Speak with one voice

Politics based on ethnicity has been the norm for the past 14 years of EPRDFs reign. Even though there were those who advocated principle based politics, they did not have much success until now. Unfortunately, this success is met with ruthless cruelty that has always shown its face when EPRDF fails to win hearts.

Now, we have a government that disregards the constitution but accuses its opponents of the same. We have a government that denies the rights enshrined in the constitution, takes extrajudicial steps to terrorize the people it is supposed to protect to retain its power. Whatever the EPRDF leaders may say to appease the western donors, the people of Ethiopia will face a depressing future unless the EPRDF led government is replaced by one that has respect for the people and the consititution.

In order to accomplish a change of government, ethnic based politics has to give way to politics based on ideas and principles that apply to all Ethiopians. This is not to say that we should ignore the fact that we are a nation of various nationalities. We should celebrate our diversity without making our diversity to work against us. We should never let our diversity be used to divide us. We have to realize that we have a shared destiny and work towards that end.

The seeds of division that ethnic politics has sown is a challenge we should overcome if we are to speak with one voice. We are to speak with one voice:

1. for the release of those who have been arrested and whose whereabouts is unknown
2. for the release of those who have been arrested and whose whereabouts known but have not committed any crime
3. so that our people can know and exercise their right under the consititution without fear of reprisals
4. so that those who ordered the killing, the arrest and banishment of political leaders and innocent civilians are brought to justice
5. for a new political order that respects the voice of the people, that strengthens the unity of the diverse cultures within our country and that fosters economic growth for the benefit of all its citizens

It is my hope that the sacrifice of those gallant Ethiopians will not be in vain. They faced EPRDFs bullets with only a stone in their hands and I pray their sacrifice will bring us the victory as David was victorious over Goliath.

May the almighty God remember us!