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…Lest we forget
Coffee time with Oma Dua’a (Grandma the Blessings)
Written by Friends of Harar
There is a lot to learn from our mothers, fathers, grandmas and grandpas. It is coffee time with Oma Dua’a (Grandma the Blessings) in Toronto to be blessed and listen to her legendary oral history. Though she is in her 90s, she has incredible memory; spelling out whatever it is in details with precision. May Allah bless her with long-life to have more conversation with her every week.
Here is some historical facts and deep insight of Harar, Hararis and Ethiopia’s issues at large were captured during our coffee time with her.
If we look into Ethiopian history from 1887 to present, a lot has happened. Every ethnic majorities or minorities have their own version of history. As Winston Churchill quoted, “History is written by the victors.” Though history is written by the victors, it doesn’t mean the true history of the dominated or oppressed vanishes, it gets passed on from generation to generation until someday the true history of all comes out. The time we are living in today is that kind of time, where the oppressed history of many are being told and come to light!
If we look into Harar’s history, we existed over a thousand years before we were forced to assimilate as part of Ethiopian empire. We had our Harari Kingdom, sovereign and self-governed for much longer than we have been governed by Menelik, Haile Selassie and subsequent regimes. We haven’t forgotten our history; Harari Scholars, other Ethiopians and foreign scholars have written Harar’s history, because true history never dies. Truth always prevails no matter how long it takes.
Among many things that happened to Harari people, and among many stories Oma Dua’a (Grandma the Blessings) told us, it worth sharing with you something interesting but cruel thing that happened in Harar. From the inception of the city of Harar to the many wars fought by our forefathers, to how our culture flourished and Islamic education widely spread across the horn of Africa. Grandma Blessings said, “Let us go back to one story that no Harari should forget,” and “true Ethiopians stand close and stand by us.”
In our conversation what really struck us is the story of Emperor Menelik. The Shewan king, Menelik, his attacks on neighboring kingdoms with the help of European musketeers, created an assembled Ethiopia. He sent a message to the then Harari Amir (king) to surrender; the Amir, replied with an offer by saying this to Menelik, “I will surrender my kingdom if you convert to Islam.” Well that did not go so well with the invader and expansionist. Menelik invaded Harar, and the 1st act he showed in the city was totally disgusting act. Menelik marched into the second biggest Mosque (Masjid Al-Kawther), he stood inside where people Pray, he peed to show his ruthless power and what he thought of degrading Islam; that was not enough, he massacred many in the same Mosque. He passed an order demolishing the mosque and built a church. Today, the church still stands unfittingly as a symbol of internal colonization in the heart of the city. However, Hararis and the Muslims at large had a chance to take it back, instead they have left it as a charity and a symbol of tolerance and co-existence among its diverse population.
Of course, many other atrocities, aggressions and oppressions unabatingly followed all the way to the time of Haile Selassie regime to the current social injustices; but the Harari forefathers bravely faced all the regimes to keep Harar and its culture to this day. The fact and the truth must be carried on with this generation! Remember that truth is older than terror, the terror Harar gone through for over a century, and truth always bound to win no matter how long it takes.
It is also important to emphasize, however, the oppression is not only for Hararis but also for all Ethiopians including the Amharas with the exception of the elites. Let’s remember what Sara Shepard ones said, “Those who forget the past are doomed to repeat it.” We have to learn and move on!…Lest we forget!
Oh! Ethiopia, instead of celebrating and enjoying the beauty of diversity, the politicians are here wrongly magnifying our differences leading Ethiopia for destruction. Now Ethiopians are here, divided, in the brink of a civil war, who benefits? All Ethiopians? No. But, the beneficiaries are the very few who instigate this ‘divide and conquer political strategy’ to stay in power. They are the roots of violence since they play politics without principles.
Looking into the past is relevant as long as we learn from it, so we don’t repeat it. What our past teaches us is that, when power hungry political leaders grab power, they only benefit themselves and only those who worked with and for them, but the general public, be it their own Ethnic group or others would not gain much at all. The Poor will remain poor, oppressed will remain oppressed, they will be oppressed by their own Ethnic Political leaders. So what is the solution?
The only solution is for ALL ETHNIC GROUPS to acknowledge that they are not enemy of each other, that they are neighbours, brothers and sisters; they are all humans who recognize each other; who lived all their lives together in one Land, one country; they should not destroy each other, but protect and support one another. As the saying from Matshona Dhliway goes, “We all belong to the world, and the world belongs to us all.” Otherwise, the alternative is a Civil war, destruction that benefits NO ONE.
There is absolutely no way that ONE ETHNIC Group build their sovereignty by destroying another, or have any sustainable peace by destroying others; that is just impossible, history is the proof of that. If we learn from our past history at all, we should learn this fact, no one can build power by destroying others and believing they can enjoy that power, never!
Ethiopians! Acknowledge and respect natural diversity. Peace is embedded only in multiculturalism for all!
Aselam Aleykum