Page 52 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 16

Leadership

The country under the Derg had power, and the centrifugal forces of blood of her children. Ethicist poli-
started it’s descent into the blood- separatism grew as Eritrea became cies separated families, shattered ties
shed of the Red and White Terrors, independent and ethnic based po- of friendship and sowed suspicion
and the escalation of the separatist litical parties became ascendant and among us all. Change should always
wars in Eritrea, Tigray, and the Oga- separatism spread. All thanks to the be for the better. Therefore on this
den (where Somalia would launch weakening of these ancient bonds. day that the country paid back their
a major interventionist invasion). Again came demands for change sovereign who had toiled tirelessly
All this unrest along with the mass from the new rulers replacing the on their behalf as its leader since
nationalization of private industries, old, but conflict deepened and walls 1917, with betrayal and humilia-
second homes and rental properties, went up between ethnic groups that tion, we should take a moment and
all land in the country, the push for had lived together in harmony for contemplate what we have passed
collectivized farming and the institu- centuries, intermarrying, in good through in the 44 years since, where
tionalization of a command econo- neighborliness, under a common we are headed in these hope filled
my on a soviet model led to eco- Ethiopian identity. Ethiopianess days, and how we wish to emerge
nomic collapse. Above all economic was weakened, diluted, even assault- from all this as a people.
mismanagement, internal and exter- ed in favor of narrow ethnicity and
nal War and Mother Nature’s wrath language. Unprecedented corrup- I am confident someday people will
expressed in horrible droughts came tion and abuse of power took deep learn to value and preserve what is
together to cause one of the worst root. Soon the same people who important and useful and beauti-
famines in history in the mid 1980’s installed this system found it had ful from our past, rather than cut
which made Ethiopia a synonym for turned on them, as upheaval spread everything down and burn it up
hunger. Ethiopians for the first time and anger welled up from a popu- and end up with ashes. For one,
in their long history began to flee all lation that had enough of it. There I think instead of the ceremonial
these disasters, creating the one of were no longer elders to say “stop” presidency we have in Ethiopia now,
the world’s largest diaspora commu- “calm down” “let’s talk things out”. a ceremonial constitutional monar-
nities. Those elders had long been tossed chy would serve the country would
aside. serve better as a symbol of unity,
Derg rule was governed by Marxist legitimacy and historic continuity.
ideology, which became its guid- Ancient timeless Ethiopia needed Besides, a ceremonial president in-
ing force. This philosophy tried reforms and some degree of change, stalled by the governing party could
to undermine the ties of religion, but the upheaval caused by the never be the impartial symbol that
culture, and tradition, all of which revolution of 1974 and the regimes transcends political parties in the
were regarded as being tied to the that came after destroyed much way a ceremonial Emperor would.
ancient monarchical past that the more than just her image. Change A president like that could never be
Derg had discarded. What they in our case was not for the better, a person to jump in and say “calm
failed to realize however was that and did little to improve the lot of down” and “let’s talk” as an impar-
culture, religion, tradition and in- the people. Today we see a dynamic tial figure between disputing parties
deed the monarchy, were all part of leader who once again has lifted the or factions. He would always be
a complex social contract between banner of Ethiopianism, unity, to- identified with the ruling party that
the state and the diverse community getherness and reform without the put him in office, no matter how
of the governed. The old traditions, divisive “us versus them” mentality nice or reputable he would be. A
the dignity, the old world manners, that has torn our society apart for monarch could.
the old nobility of spirit that existed the past 4 decades. I feel that we
even in the poorest households, the people however have not caught A country as ancient and as rich
were discarded in the name of up with Dr. Abiy. In most of our in history as ours deserves no less
progressiveness, revolutionary zeal, rhetoric we still think in terms of prestige than that enjoyed by Britain,
and Marxist-Leninist doctrine. The “struggle” and “revolution” which Sweden, Belgium or Norway, all of
Derg failed to recognize that attack- have been hammered into our psy- which have dynasties and histories
ing and weakening these institutions che by decades of various flavors of much shorter than ours, but have
would kill off this social contract Marxist leaders. Revolution smoth- managed to preserve the majesty of
and weaken the foundations of ered an 82 year old man in his bed. their old institutions and yet enjoy
the state and the unity of its peo- Marxism and it’s factions bathed vibrant democratic, prosperous and
ple. The Derg fell after 17 years in the streets of Addis Ababa with the free societies. It is food for thought.

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