FORCE-BASED AND/OR
NONVIOLENT MOVEMENT (NM-111)
A friend shared the report
on statements made by TPC in London representing the front called the EPF. I
quote from one paragraph of the report to make a point below.
"At the time of Adwa victory,
Ethiopians did not go to beg the assistance of the West. They faced the enemy
with whatever resources they had at their disposal, like spears, shields, swords and
rudimentary weapons. That should be repeated this time. Like at the time of
Adwa, if Ethiopians would manage to tilt the balance of power with their own
efforts, the Western superpower would be running after the organization and not
the other way round. Until such situation is created, nobody would take the
opposition seriously. That was why he had to leave his men behind and travel to
Europe to solicit support from Ethiopians. Therefore, Ethiopians should save
from their food and support the Ethiopian Patriotic Front if they wanted
results sooner than later."
I quoted the above statement to make the
point that Emperor Menelik had assembled French made cannons that were much
better and fired at longer ranges than those owned by the Italians, and Menelik's
soldiers also had hundred of thousands of rifles. When Menelik showed his
displeasure at his frontal commander Dejazmatch Mekonnen about issues of the Italian
fort near Mekele, Dejazmatch Mekonnen wished to scale the Italian fort and
confront the Italians. However, he was withheld from advancing to the fort by the Cannon-master Balamberas
Abate Boa Yalew. Balmaberas Abate fired his cannon at the Italian's and his
cannon ball went down the mouth of the Italian's cannon at their fort
destroying it and killing those around that cannon. Though it was Empress
Tayetu's strategy of denying water to the Italian forces at the fort that
caused the Italian force to surrender, Ethiopians clearly had better cannons
and skilled personnel like Balamberas Abate Boa Yalew who were excellent at
using cannons. Balamberas Abate saved the life of Dejazmatch Mekonnen and
gained the respect of all. Balamberas Abate was also noted to be a skillful
engineer and architect, and some credited him for contributing to the design of
Menelik's Aderash at Addis Ababa. Later, the Dejazmatch and the Balamberas
became Ras Mekonnen and Ras Abate; and their children, who when in Menelik's
palace ate from the same Mesob, became
The main point though is that all must
learn from Menelik, from that genius of a leader who was more armed than many
might have been led to believe. Particularly in this season of the Adwa
Victory, as Menelik's aura shines over Ethiopia, Ethiopians must learn more
about him and from him.
In so far as the current conditions of
Ethiopia are concerned, I had recently expressed my views as follows.
"All of these atrocities committed
against non-Tigrey Ethiopians indicate that the conditions in Ethiopia are
absolutely ripe for armed struggle against the TPLF/EPRDF. Some would argue
that an armed struggle is inevitable. There are many, however, that still yearn
for a nonviolent struggle against Tyrant Meles and his TPLF/EPRDF." [1]
It is the nonviolent movement that has
isolated Mr. Meles Zenawe and has exposed his destructive policies and actions.
Mr. Meles is unable to handle a nonviolent movement. He prefers to identify any
opposition to his policies and method of ethnic-centered governance as treason
and to pursue it by force or by imprisonment with or without the use of his
kangaroo courts. He very much
would love to confront armed opponents,
The opposition has its
work cut out for it. It should
clearly explain what it opposes and how to go about attaining its goals.
Different opposition parties have different agendas. The Kinijit is a party
that works for that attainment of one-person-one-vote based democracy and is
opposed to ethnic-centered governance and ethnic-based regionalism. [2,3] A
one-man-one-vote democracy that is opposed to ethnic-centered governance and
regionalism could be attained in several ways that include the following
considerations.
I)
Had there been a well-organized
military force that would confront the TPLF/EPRDF there would have been no need
for a nonviolent movement. A parliament in a country that implements the
Eight-Point Principles enunciated by Kinijit [4] would help move the country in
a democratic and economically viable way.
II)
If Mr. Meles Zenawe would respect the votes of
Ethiopians that were cast by nonviolent means and he would accept the fact that
Ethiopians have nonviolently empowered the opposition party an armed struggle would have no appeal.
III)
Mr.
Meles is a well-armed tyrant that would not budge to weak forms of either
nonviolent movement or armed struggle or both. Only strong nonviolent movement
and or strong armed-struggle would bring about change.
The question becomes one
of finding out how Ethiopians would liberate themselves from a tyrant that the West
supports? Suggested modes of
struggle would include the following.
A) Respect the right of
Ethiopians to struggle for the liberation of their country by any means they
deem necessary.
B) The nonviolent movement
should have nothing to hide from friends and foe. It has the majority of
Ethiopians supporting it. Its purposes are clear and its goals knowable to
all. In order to attain its goals
and objectives the nonviolent movement should be strengthened by means of
implementing the following strategies and tactics.
1)
Organize a task force
that would coordinate civil disobedience activities in different parts of the
country at the same or different times. These activities should incorporate
what the Kinijit leadership had proclaimed before they were placed under arrest
by the tyrannical regime. It also must be clear to all that whether or not such
activities are taken the regime will imprison, kill, and maim any and all
persons its informs assume are opposed to their governance. However, a
well-functioning task force that implements civil disobedience should cause the
tyrant to change his ways and listen to the voices of the people.
2)
Call on the National
army to join with the people and not to continue to be a tool of tyrant Meles.
3)
Check assumptions about
the West and pursue tactics, short and long range ones that will cause it to
side with the people of Ethiopia.
The nonviolent movement has already taken steps that has caused the
European Union to begin to side with the Ethiopian people. a) The effort of causing the EU to side
with the people of Ethiopia should not slacken as the EU could be
misrepresented by some of its executives that would help the tyrant. b) More
effort should be expended and data should be presented to the British Prime
Minister so that he would not continue on his mistaken assumption that Mr. Meles
is a Òprogressive leader.Ó Prime Minister Blair should be encouraged to side
with the people of Ethiopia by opposing tyrant Meles. c) Continued effort must
be expended to enlist as many USA congressmen and women and senators to side
with the people of Ethiopia and to oppose the tyrannical regime. Continued
effort should be placed to enlisting the support of Civil Rights organizations
and organizers in the USA. The
effort should be to pass policies that are beneficial to the cause of
Ethiopians.
4)
Appeals should be made
and relations established with the governments of the Sudan, Yemen and other
countries of the Arabian Peninsula to cause them to side with the people of
Ethiopia and against tyrant Meles.
Historical ties with the peoples from the Sudan across Ethiopia to the
Arabian Peninsula should be tapped to obtain support, monetary and other
materials, to help the cause of the Ethiopian people.
5)
Fraternal relations,
peaceful coexistence, and bilateral and multilateral aid to help people in need
should be a foreign policy objective that the nonviolent Party of Ethiopia espouses
and would make known.
We yearn for a nonviolent
movement because we prefer to see Ethiopia choose its leaders by the secrete
ballot instead of by the bullet. We feel it deep in our hearts that Ethiopia
has earned the right for its leaders to rise to power without committing
murder. As the noted Ethiopian civil rights leader Professor Mesfin Wolde
Mariam told me in July 2005 while in Atlanta, the nonviolent movement is a good
cause to struggle for, though he has his fears that it might not succeed
immediately. We want an Ethiopia where its children will work for their
progress and the good of the nation, and all would have the right to reach
their goals to their fullest potentials irrespective of the language group they
might belong to. We want this right to be established by a credible and
nonviolent means. It is unfortunate that Mr. Meles Zenawe does not grasp what
is happening around him. In reality the nonviolent movement has isolated him
and has placed him on a platter that shows his destructive policies and
actions. Onward with the nonviolent movement!
References
1- http://aboutethiopia.com/c2-viceroy.htm
2- http://www.kinijit.org/static/KINIJIT-MANIFESTO-English-ver-1.0.pdf
3-
http://kinijit.org/content.asp?ContentId=1207
4-http://kinijit.org/content.asp?contentid=1079
HG 2/25/06