BISRAT
YOSEF
The youth
in Ethiopian politics:
Have we been dormant ?
Whenever, an issue is raised about the crisis of Ethiopian politics all fingers
point toward this generation/ the youth, specially since EPRDF?s ascent to
power. The youth has been blamed for not being active in Ethiopian politics, in
curbing the destructive politics of the dictators or otherwise. I am part of
this/new generation trying to clear the wrong picture being portrayed about the
youth by mentioning here and there a few of the roles of the youth in Ethiopian
politics. Here is my personal opinion.
Definition
To do so I am attempting to give my own definition of the word youth for
the purpose of this write up. I define it in Ethiopian political context. When
I am using the term youth I mean to include those who are not part of that
generation. Who didn?t take part for the down fall of Haile Sillasie. Who are
not responsible and aware of the time. Blindly born from 1958/1960. Youth in
politics! In addition, when I mention the word youth it always represents part
of the Ethiopian youth.
And I am not talking about the youth who are indifferent to Ethiopian politics.
Those who promote their selfish interest. who are not concerned about
democratic right of the people. Those who believe politics is for the cheats.
Those who recognizes being away from politics is as an accepted way of
civilization. I am talking about those who are active in politics whether
positively or negatively.
Then let us go ahead. What political involvement did this/ new
generation/youth is having in Ethiopia for the past 20+years?
I will start with the disgusting and ugly picture of the activities.
TO BAD
To begin with, TPLF then EPRDF, in its sketchy struggle from the bush, did
managed to organize the youth to fight the Derg regime and to end the unity of
Ethiopia. The youth were dedicated to serve EPRDF. The Ethiopian youth like
wise harbored the EPLF till Eritrea gets its independence. The same is true in
other anti Ethiopia organizations struggle. No one can deny these facts. Don?t
the youth involve in Ethiopian politics? Don?t Ethiopian youth join the anti
Ethiopia elements and organizations of that generation? Yes! We have seen the
youth siding the anti Ethiopia and ant-democracy elements knowingly or
negligently, which is a strong evidence for its active involvement in Ethiopian
politics though it is not for productive political ideals.
DERG
However the youth has also been active in defending Ethiopia and the people of
Ethiopia from anti Ethiopian elements. The youth has been behind that
generation of Ethiopian motive.
The youth have been active in condemning the Derg regime and the
EPRDF/TPLF/EPLF. I recall when I was at AAU when we are marching to the street
of Addis condemning and exposing the TPLF/EPLF fighters as anti Ethiopia
elements. I also recall at the same time the students fighting with the Derg
Kilb so many times. That was condemning the anti democratic and brutal
governance of the Derg.
I also have concrete memory of the demonstration of the youth supporting the
attempt coup of 1981. I also recall the students (9000 students) marching to
military training center to demonstrate and emphasize that anti Ethiopia
elements are in the verge of taking the state and disintegrating Ethiopia.
We can also recall the redundant demonstration of the youth in different part
of the country condemning EPRDF?s ascent to power. All these activity of the
youth has been accompanied by imprisonment, killing, exile, persecution,
intimidation and so on. Don?t you see that the youth were active in politics!
WEYANE
If we give a birds eye view of the struggle of the students of higher
institution we can summarize the different scarification the youth have
demonstrated repeatedly to liberate Ethiopia from Weyane?s anti Ethiopia
ideology.
In Jan. 1993 students of AAU took to the streets in protest of a planned
undemocratic and illegal referendum on Eritrea independence. The UN secretary
general Butros Butrose Gally was in Addis for official visit. Security forces
fired live ammunition into the crowd of unarmed students and arrested and
killed large number of students. The leadership escaped to exile.
In 1997 students joined peasants from northern part of Ethiopia who came to
Addis to present their grievances on the discriminatory and unreasonable land
redistribution policy of the government. Students were waged a protest on the
manner the government treated the peasant from the rural part of Ethiopia. The
students faced beating, arrest, and persecution. Some ended up in exile.
In 2000 the security forces arrested, beaten and persecuted students protesting
government failure to extinguish forest fires in southern part of Ethiopia.
High school students were also participated on the protest and beaten up,
killed and arrested.
Not only that on December 2000, police responded violently to students
protesting living conditions at Awasa Teachers College. Students of the college
were beaten and arrested.
On April 2001 AAU students went on strike demanding academic freedom, including
the rights to organize a student union and publish a student newspaper and
removal of armed uniformed police from campus. Bahidar university student also
joined the cause of AAU students. The same is true for other campus like Kotebe
and Mekele University.
The brutal force of the TPLF/EPRDF went on smoking the demonstrators from all
direction. The unarmed students started to collide with life ammunitions of the
security forces. The people couldn?t tolerate the massacre then decided to join
the students. That was a historical protest of the students and the people for
days. So many people killed, wounded, imprisoned, and tortured. Hundreds went
to exile including the leaders of the student?s council.
On March 2002 high school students in the south part of Ethiopia protested
against economic and educational policies of the government. Security forces
killed wounded and arrested many students.
RECENTLY
On Nov 2003 Bahirdar University students protested for the treatment by the
government in their "leaving condition." Students were killed,
imprisoned, bitten and taken to prison. The university has been closed.
On Nov. 2003 AAU students protested the cost sharing policy of the government.
In addition on Dec. 2003 Debreziet teacher training college students were
forced to leave their school, beaten up by police, arrested and intimidated for
waging a peaceful demonstration on the same cost sharing policy of the
government.
In 2004 students of Nathreth colleges has been band from attending school for
requesting an explanation and protesting the widely condemned cost sharing
policy of the EPRDF.
In Feb 2004 Addis Ababa University has dismissed more than 400 students for
resisting the EPRDFIZATION of the students community.
Consequently, the youth in most schools are waging a demonstration and protest
for supporting the dismissed students and exposing the brutality of EPRDF
regime.
Look at what is going on right now at Ambo college and schools, the
dismissal and imprisonment of hundreds of students from Jimma University. The
same is true in different schools of Addis Ababa and Harrer.
On April, 25, 2004 more than 400 Ethiopian school students have fled to Kenya
saying they are being persecuted by the Addis Ababa government because of their
Oromo ethnicity.
UEDF
Yes! The youth is trying to defend the people and the country. Yes! The youth
has been active in Ethiopian politics. We are also the back bones of UEDF. We
are playing active role for its success. The constituting member organizations
of UEDF highly rely on the youth. Look at EPRP, EDUP ,ONC and others.
BARRIERS
However, the youth might not be doing to the level of the people?s expectation.
I believe we are not as active as that generation. The huge barriers, relative
to that generation, are:-
The continues strength of the home born anti Ethiopian elements and huge
international pledge for its survival. Mushrooming of undedicated and seasonal
political groupings also has a great repercation on the youth psychology on
politics.
The international political order and balance of power is not as favorable as
it used to be in the time of that generation. By then the generation
(especially the anti Ethiopian element) exploited to fulfill its goal any or
more of the then powers such as Egypt, Arab league, Western countries, East
Block, China, OAU and so on. Basically the cold war game had a lot to guarantee
confidence and facilities to that generation.
However, there are parts of that generation which failed to exploit the
time for its priority was defending Ethiopian interest. Unlike others, they
couldn?t let their concise to compromise Ethiopian sovereignty and
establishment of a popular government. These group were persecuted by EPLF,
ELF, TPLF, DERG, Arab League, Western block, Eastern block, and so on. Hence
they couldn?t come to power to realize their dreams for Ethiopia.
To come to the point despite all these barriers and harassments we have never
been dormant. We are trying. The courage, devotion, and Ethiopian vision of
that generation is the fuel for the youth.
TO CONCLUDE
As evidenced above we have been trying to involve in Ethiopian politics. And, I
believe the way forward for the youth is to have a common focus for the future
of Ethiopia. To aspire a prosperous Ethiopia where the oppositions, the
government and the people work together for the unity and betterment of our
people and country.
United front is the only way to hasten the fall of Weyane. When we look at the
huge number of political groupings an independent struggle would protect or
maintain EPRDFS position in the country.
Hence, let us exploit these historical opportunity for Ethiopia by amassing
behind UEDF and its objective.
THE STRUGGLE CONTINUE !!