A shocked public has been grasping for answers to what could have driven Saturday’s appalling attacks in Amhara’s regional capital of Bahir Dar and in Addis Ababa. All sorts of rumours are flying, some of which continue to be believed by many. Though some of the information in my hands is good enough to draw a conclusion, I will refrain from commenting on specific issues but rather try to point out the current situation of the country and what i feel are the reasons for the impasse so that it could serve as a springboard to dialogue.

A lot has been done to fan the flames of division and sectarianism among the Ethiopian population in the past three decades. Unfortunately, that has continued unabated in the past year, even after the appointment of the reformist administration, with certain mainstream media, extremist ethno-nationalist regional entities, ethnic activists, and the social media playing their part in augmenting the smouldering animosity that eventually burst into violent flame.

A floundering political transition

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that some regions inappropriately use their budget to feed their militias.

But most importantly the causes that lead us to the current turmoil are:

-The federal government’s negligence and failing in fulfilling its responsibilities of ensuring the rule of law as enshrined in the Constitution.

-The federal government’s failing in structuring its relations with regional states, watching these states silently while their leaders continue developing their own independent bases of power, flex their muscles and possess unrestrained power as if they are autonomous entities.

-Allowing regions to construct their own special forces and armed militias that are strengthened with massive military weapons and manpower. The federal government, instead of assuming control, leaves the state of affairs for the regions. At a recent meeting in Dessie town, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said that some regions inappropriately use their budget to feed their militias.

-The role and relationship between the Defence Forces, Special Forces, militia and the federal and regional police lack clarity and the subsequent growth of competitive tendencies among them are met with the inaction of the federal government.

-The tentative and adversarial relationship among regional states that have not been addressed in a timely manner owing to the passivity of the state.

-The criteria for selection of the appointment of the top echelon of the region’s security forces was not studied properly. The fact that the Tigray region appointed Getachew Assefa as the region’s security chief, the subsequent appointments in the Amhara and Oromia regions were done not in consideration of harmonious and peaceful coexistence between different communities but with the mindset of hostility and confrontation.

All those and a mix of reasons contributed to plague the reform process and undermine its credibility. In other challenges of this reform, the national consensus that has not been properly managed, the issue of accountability and reconciliation that remains to be addressed are making us witnesses to such tragedies again and again. Hence, not moving with a sense of urgency to redress those problems mean the reform process is facing at least two potential dangers.

The lopsided scale of justice

1/ It seems that the human rights abuses and violations committed in the past three decades are squarely blamed on certain individuals. While few were made to carry the burden of all sins and found themselves prosecuted, thousands of other higher and lower-ranking officials who have perpetuated similar criminal acts have been largely left unpunished. Many of them continue holding high positions with no qualms and even displaying a stubborn self-righteous attitude. The lopsided justice system that targets certain individuals while leaving other violators without redress means many have gone unrepentant, failing to express remorse. Yesterday’s tormentors and torturers in notorious jails have now turned into holy appointees who are preaching about love and peace.

2/ On the contrary, some of the people who have been harassed, persecuted and beaten, before their physical injury and physiological wounding have been healed, have been appointed to key posts in what looks like an instrument of recompense and reward. Others have been in a period of waiting for compensation of some sort for their wounds. Still, others joined the transition team with feelings of rancour.

Unaddressed grievances

The reform team has been preoccupying itself with other matters before creating the mechanism by which to establish a shared sense of right and wrong, to maintain a relationship between the victim and the aggressor based on truth and reconciliation. Without reconciling the feelings of rancour and animosity, embarking upon the task of modernising and developing the country is a futile endeavor but one that would have grave consequence. The uncomfortable truths about the past cannot be discarded by political speech that looks like a sermon and mere words of promise. The only path is by achieving truth, justice and reconciliation.

The reform process has been caught in a series of dilemmas and the signs of impending dangers were clearly there. When the Tigray region decided to appoint Getachew Assefa as the regions’ security chief, the man who perpetuated criminal acts during his tenure as the country’s intelligence office was one sign. Subsequently, the Amhara region decided to appoint General Asaminew Tsgie, the person who has suffered right abuse by the order of Getachew, as the regions’ security chief. Asaminew saw the likes of Getachew Assefa as his chief tormentors, and the effects of his imprisonment have left him a crushed and embittered man. Kemal Gelchu who defected to Eritrea, after pushed out by the regime and harbouring resentment, has been named the head of the Oromia security chief upon his return. With their appointments, it became hard to see how confrontation among the regions was unavoidable. A leadership that wishes to lead the nation toward peace and unity would not in way assign these three men for such key posts.

To sum it up, the prospects for genuine reform is being undermined, in large part by the complacency of the elite, costing the country a tremendous lot. It is high time for the Abiy administration to do a proper diagnosis of the situation and develop an effective strategy to redress the problems in the wake of this turmoil. One flagrant failure of the administration has been not able to mend its broken relationship with the Tigray region. Just saying the country is on the path of change while leaving the Tigray people under the captivity of TPLF could only be a joke.

Image credit the Reporter

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