The Government of Ethiopia Remains Committed to Resolve Differences Peacefully

18 Mar 2022

The Government of Ethiopia Remains Committed to Resolve Differences Peacefully

It is to be recalled that having chased the TPLF away from nearly all parts of the Amhara and Afar regions, the Federal government stopped its military advance into Tigray, giving once again peace another chance. Yet, the TPLF resumed provocation along the borders of these two regions. In its recent incursion into Afar, it attacked and destroyed Ab’ala, a town serving as the sole humanitarian land corridor to Tigray. It displaced more than 300 thousand civilians across the arid region of Afar. Currently, ample indications are emerging that civilians are being goaded to enlist in large numbers for the TPLF militias. The building up of forces along administrative borders of the Amhara and Afar Regions by the TPLF does not seem to resonate with government’s demonstrated commitment for peace. Notwithstanding such open provocative and disruptive acts, however, the government is exercising utmost restraint, which demonstrates its willingness to resolve differences peacefully.

The TPLF defines politics solely through terror and the barrel of the gun, not through peaceful political engagement. The government, on the other hand, endeavours to ensure peace through a nationwide political dialogue. It is in view of this duty that it has released high-profile political figures from prison; that it has halted its advance into Tigray; that it has lifted the state of emergency proclamation; and that it has established a national dialogue commission. These steps have been taken in the expectation that the TPLF would reciprocate, and the people of Tigray would be relieved from the Orwellian dystopia that they are forced to live under. Living under the TPLF’s grip represents the Orwellian world where people are denied their fundamental rights to think, to believe, and to hold their political views.

However, as alluded to in some mainstream media reports, the question for many people remains “how the national dialogue could succeed while excluding the TPLF and OLF Shene”. This question springs from a perception that the national dialogue is a prearranged process to cut deals among a few political elites. This view fails to recognise the underlying logic necessitating the National Dialogue in the first place. The rationale for the dialogue is to create an environment whereby contentious national issues can be candidly discussed and prevalent political extremes in the entire country can be bridged, thereby resolving the nation’s age-old grievances and recurring tensions. This has been one of the promises of the government post-election. And the National Dialogue Commission is established pursuant to that commitment.

In view of this, the role of the Commission is to facilitate talks among all political groups, civil society associations, interested groups, religious communities, and the public at large. The government’s decision to take the aforesaid positive steps, despite TPLF’s provocation, demonstrates its willingness to engage the latter. As a matter of fact, Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed affirmed this commitment in his recent parliamentary address. He confirmed that his government did never engage with the TPLF in dialogue so far, while noting the possibility of dialogue in the future provided that the TPLF behaves soberly and is persuaded that the use of force cannot meet its end. The Prime Minister further underscored the need for an all-inclusive dialogue saying, “if lives and resources could be sacrificed to save Ethiopia, grievances and emotions should be sacrificed to have discussions”.

Additionally, the Prime Minister reinforced this view through his discourse during the Prosperity Party congress last week.  He underlined the need to transition from the culture of resolving differences through coercion to resolving differences through discussion. Peaceful dialogue should address all differences, be it with Tigray or whichever entity should be in consideration, he reiterated. There is a clear understanding among party members that Ethiopia needs primarily sustainable peace in order to prosper, as the absence of peace would result in a fragile economy. That is why the government has persistently made it clear that it would sacrifice everything possible for peace.

In respect of the existing humanitarian concern in the Tigray Region, the Prime Minister boldly vowed that his government would not sit idle when the people of Tigray die hungry; it would not give up what it has been doing because the TPLF wouldn’t like the work. The TPLF would always want to widen fault-lines between the people of Tigray and the rest of the nation for political expediency. However, the government will not react to such attempts and fall into the rebel’s trap. It will instead lead the people of Tigray and help them identify malice from good intention.

In conclusion, partners should understand that Ethiopia has been dragged into this conflict due to TPLF’s attempt to capture state power by means of brute force. Due to the conflict so much has been lost, so much has been destroyed, but with all the pain inflicted upon the nation, Ethiopians still believe their collective resolve to overcome differences will bring the peace that they dearly need. Many expect that the planned national dialogue will deliver this peace if everyone readily honours and lives up to the required commitment in realizing it.

Ethiopia encourages partners to support this initiative and play their part in realising this sacred goal – peace. Any support the international community may provide in promoting the national dialogue is most welcome. Those entities who ordained themselves to be the voice of the people should respect this initiative. They must engage constructively knowing that nothing, but this dialogue could resolve the prevailing political differences in the country.

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