IHMS COMMENTARY
Where the Hararis’ Hope is!
Written by Selahadin Aboubaker
Like any Humans, Hararis are creatures of habits. We developed a habit of showing concerns for our people, but not knowing to move further and stuck there.
It is apparent that in any political dispensations, the people not only need awareness but also direction so that they would not be stuck in their actions and become clueless or in state of denial and avoidance. Their energy and time should be used in taking care of the common good as well as, mobilize their resources towards resolving the immediate ill-fated conditions of the community or the Hararis at large.
In June, IHMS did broadcast the Harari youth meetings into episodes, thereby showing the youths’ determinations and commitments in facing their problems, as well as understanding their limitations and potentials at both local and international levels. These youth representatives of different groups, including few from diaspora, took Hararis’ plight with passion, and signaled to take it not only seriously, but also to take it as their cause. They encompass true absorption of the cause.
Among many obstacles these youths are facing, the one that stands out is being sucked in past glorious Harari History, as we call it ‘The Wareg Zeman’, to the point of not being able to come out of it. In fact, living in the past has generally consumed the older generation because they chose the ‘Wareg Zeman’ to be their permanent home.
During their discussion, the youths talked about Hararis poverty, the withering away of Hararis’ glory days in academia, and demographic shift due to massive immigration abroad, whereby diaspora contributed to the larger degree. Furthermore, they have discussed issues related to affordable housing problems, lack of skilled youths and employment, bad habits such as Bercha, poor political and organizational consciousness, and many more. These highly organized Harari youths were telling us that these are problems they cannot afford to overlook and set aside. They are telling the plights of Hararis are so real and currently happening day-in day-out.
After all, there is hope and light at the end of the tunnel for all Hararis. It is very encouraging to see these Harari youths who are fully in the present, and in touch with the reality on the ground. These youths are positive and looking forward. And as pro-active members of the communities, they have come up with action plans, openly seeking the help from the Harari youths in diaspora to fill in the gaps and their short-comings. Throughout their discussions, they articulated the urgency of the need of timely actions. They encapsulate the now and they displayed vividly the unprecedented conditions of Hararis that need immediate attentions and actions.
As much as learning from Harar’s History is paramount, trying to ‘Live’ in the past is tantamount of dismissing and devaluing the present, and perhaps neglecting the future. Least assured, though, these youths, after discounting various degrees of distortions, are not short of allotting the gratified Harari History. It is appropriate due for what it worth. Their bravery and hopes they uphold in facing the current reality would enable them to not dwell much on the past. Treasuring the past can only be meaningful, when it helps us to use it as a guideline to shade some light in the present conditions, and even more light on what is coming. Otherwise, if we are just only craving the return of the ‘Wareg Zeman’, we may possibly end up mourning by wasting not only the present, but also the future of Harar.
Another challenge our youths are facing is, the immediate past pull they are facing from their parents’ generation. Parents were cherishing their first spasms of their realities, still retaining their past political beliefs and organizational affiliations today. The parents’ beliefs in themselves are not problems for the Harari youths. However, most parents are perhaps fixated in their past and it becomes a problem when parents, consciously or otherwise, wishing that everyone, including the youths, to agree with them. What this means is that wanting, in some cases pushing the Harari youths to adopt their version of a pristine imaginary past, as if it were a perfect past!
Therefore, if nothing is so important enough to merit the efforts of Harari Youths in getting involved, then what they seek these days, as we watched on IHMS, is to overcome these obstacles to achieve their objectives of saving themselves and Harar at large.
That is why we appreciate the Harari youths who chose to take on the current Harar’s ill-fated situations seriously as the historical responsibilities would hunt and shoulder on them! And for that; All we can say is, we are with you all the way and “Thank You! “