Abiy Ahmed criticized for silence on high-profile violent mob attack
The period of high hopes and optimism in Ethiopia ushered in with the coming of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed could turn into a disaster if the government doesn’t address security challenges and sectarian violence, human rights defender and peace activist, Obang Metho told Ethiopia Observer.
Obang Metho, executive director of the Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia, a nonprofit advocacy group based in Washington, D.C said in a phone interview that Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed should be commended for bringing meaningful political and economic reforms, new freedoms, and an inclusive and unified approach, but he needs to further galvanise all segments of Ethiopian society to deal with the ethnic violence that has started to beset the country.
Speaking in connection with incident in the town of Shashemene two days ago, in which a person was hung upside down from a tree by a local mob after rumour circulated that he had carried a bomb at a rally to mark the return to Ethiopia of activist Jawar Mohammed, Obang said Prime Minister Abiy’s near silence on the incident was more than disappointing. “His failure to speak out against such violence significantly hinders his efforts for reconciliation, inclusion, national unity and healing.”
The administration should monitor an extremely tense and deteriorating situation, and take significant steps to resolve the crisis.
“At a time when the country is undergoing rapid changes and positive reforms,such appalling acts and ethnic violence are breaking out in various parts of the country, causing widespread death, massive destruction, extensive displacement. This is challenging the ingenuity of the Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed and his administration,” Obang observed. “If such incidents are not handled more carefully, things could go out of control.” “Just a badge at the top doesn’t meant that everything would heal. The administration should monitor an extremely tense and deteriorating situation, and take significant steps to resolve the crisis.The Prime Minister must do more to be truly responsive to such concerns and create ethnic harmony.”
The administration should monitor an extremely tense and deteriorating situation, and take significant steps to resolve the crisis.
The ethnic conflict in Ethiopia could have multiple causes but it was largely exacerbated by the ethnic federalism system and restructuring of regions along ethnic lines adopted by the former strongman Meles Zenawi in the early 1990s, and it is now becoming a prison from which the country and the new administration cannot easily escape, Obang said. “Such violence is not a permanent reality for Ethiopia, but is symptomatic of political failures. Meles used divisive rhetoric, disruptive tribalism, and a loosely-held political coalition to impose the dominance of his own ethnic group, Tigrayans. He time and again used threats to gain support for his party, but at the same time perpetuating and igniting violence when it served him,” Obang argued. “That was Meles Zenawi’s vision for the country and now we have generations of young people indoctrinated with this poison,” Obang stated further.
The gruesome image that came out the town of Shashemene was shocking and the prime minister’s administration should be proactive in holding the responsible party into account, Obang said. Lack of condemnation by the Prime Minister Abiy and the Oromia regional president, Lemma Megersa about the incident is deeply disturbing. “The government should be unequivocal in their condemnation of it and should take the strongest action. The Prime Minister could use a time like this to send a message it is not acceptable and to promote national unity. He should also send officials to go around to other parts of the country and transmit the message,”
We must recognize that much of the failures of the past are because we have let the destructive lies of the false ideology of division deceive us and inform our decisions.
Obang also made a call to Ethiopians saying that “Ethiopian from all ethnic groups must stretch their muscles and breathe deeply from the winds of freedom blowing across our land until we all can stand up as one people, and contribute to the new Ethiopia. We must recognize that much of the failures of the past are because we have let the destructive lies of the false ideology of division deceive us and inform our decisions. Ethnocentric ideology is doomed to fail—like the other belief systems that are based on pride, egotism, greed, hate, opportunism, selfishness, and exploitation of the weak and vulnerable! When people discard such dangerous lies, they become new. We need to focus on common issues than divisive issues, to strengthen the fibres that tie the nation together.” he said.
The way that some activists in the social media are handling such incidents have at times been unhelpful, too emotional, and insensitive and we all must condemn bigotry and hatred in pursuit of national healing and unity without exacerbating further conflict, Obang said. Some are deliberately spreading extremism and hate speech on Facebook and Twitter, and the public should be prudent not to propagate such deliberate acts intended to foment hatred and conflict, the rights advocate concluded.
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Useful observation, Ato Obang Metho.
Mr. Obang Metho’s comment regarding the ramshackle ethnic based Federal Government is timely and appropriate. It is also understandable. Perhaps, he has the vision of South Sudan where bloated bodies splayed across in the oil field shortly after the hard won ” independence”against political Islam and the Arabs. There is no doubt in my mind these untamed youths are sadistic brutes, not to mention their vile manners. I know from first hand experience around that area where unarmed Selale poor farmers Christian Oromos were massacred on behalf of “Great Somali ” during the expedition 1964 and again in 1977. But that was in the past. Now what is needed is the action of wanton few should not poorly reflect generally on Oromos. For there are some people in Ethiopia who fears the rule of Oromos like raging fire, particularly, the defunct TPLF. People should not see this incident as a sinister development towards democracy and the well-being of Ethiopians regardless of their ethnicity, period. I hope Dr. Abiy should take action immediately against these unseemely characters at a time like this. With due consideration.
Thanks as usual, for timely info
Obang is a unifying figure known for his political analysis. Those who follow his articles, can support me on this point. Like Obang always says, if we don’t fight for every Ethiopian beyond our ethnic groups it would make us hypocrites. What those savages did to the poor boy in Shashemene was disgusting and to quote Obang, we should all be ashamed of it. The premier should talk measurable steps for the safety of all in Ethiopia.
I agree with most of the recommendations for the new administration, nontheless I consider your view analyais on Meles and the ethnic federalism in Ethiopia way far from the facts and racist blinded by hate.
Am with you D. Desta
First of all who praised and encouraged mob mentality and taking the law into mob’s own hands? Isn’t it the political movement itself?… this is the fruit of it then… as the old saying goes “you shall sleep on the bed you have made”.
You have been generating words of reards to Abiyi Ahmed before this time the he is good leader. But the reality is the reverse of it. After he came to power, look what is going on in the country, killing looting, destruction of public properties, lawlessness, racism is at the muximum stage consersely, yoy are condemning to theformer great leader, PM Meles Zenawi. He had ssved the country from evil things and had maintained in peace and full security for the last 25 + yrars with dramatic Economic change. Reslly,Mrlese’s system of administration was unique and inclusive for all nations and nationalities of the country. Believe it or not this time the country is in a stateless situation. The present PM do not have any capacity and commitment to halt the present harsh situation of the country.
I totally agree with Obang’s insightful article. The government, activists and citizens in general should denounce this barbaric act in clear terms. We should send a clear message that this kind of act is unacceptable and a crime and ensure it doesn’t happen in the future. “Mob justice” is a deplorable act which denies victims the right to defend themselves. I think it is the responsibility of the government to ensure the rule of law is prevailed in the land to protect citizens and hold responsible instigators accountable. I am also very disappointed by the lack of coverage of this incident by the government media. Long live humanity!
I APPRECIATE YOUR VIEW AND THANK YOU.
Good observation. The PM should take ownership of the good and the bad of what his people are doing. He also needs to create accountability at regional levels. If not, this is how dictators are born. Most disctators in history were populist at first too.
Meles had his own shortcomings but the country was the most stable during his leadership. You can’t build full democracy without the infrastructure that supports it. Like, legal framework, strong judiciary system, enough educated people to serve the system, etc. Even American democracy took 150 years before women can vote.
Let’s build on what was started in the last 25 years than to start over for ‘a dream of democracy’
A woman lost an only child in a war in old China. Her grief was so strong and decided to live in a thick forest full of wild and dangerous animals. Then one day, a lady of good means find this unfortunate woman during her business travel. The lady was horrified seeing this emacited old woman in this inhospitable place. After greetings, she offered her something to eat from the food basket she carried with her. In the mean time , she asked her what she was doing by her self. She gave her a sage council after hearing the sad stories of her general circumstances. This rich lady offered her a place to live with her. The old lady responded in the negative while appreciating the kindness of the lady. In desperation, the lady told the woman in grief the forest is full of tigers, before she finished her next sentences. The old lady replied in her curt, no none-sense way at least there is no dictator in this forest that makes life hard for everybody compared to the tiger
Now the country is free at last from TPLF despotic rule of 27 years. It is a relief to have a PM without emotional baggage unlike Megestou and Meles.
the current situation will lead the nation to think and question Oromo’s longest thirsty for leadership that can bear no fruit now .
The PM,s inaction on the Awassa incident in which the ethnic Wolaitas living in the town have been killed in the most barbaric ways by the Sidama youth and Sidama political leaders is also surprising. The Wolaitas were ordered to leave the Awassa town in which they have been living for decades, and immediately and simultaneously with the order, the killing started. The mode of killing included burning person alive, burning a house with people inside, multiple killers beating a victim with bars until a victim stops breathing, and so on. Nearly 15,000 have been uprooted from their homes and prevented from returning to their homes where these men women and children became refugees not only in their own country but even in their own town. The Prime Minister has to order an independent investigation and bring the perpetrators to justice. I commend his reform efforts though.