This is aperiodic English program presenting contributions from Friends of Harar. Since the inception of International Harari Media Services (IHMS), a number of non-Harari Ethiopians and alike have shown relentless support for Harar’s cause. They believe and insist that Harar is their motherland. They have demanded at various forums to have their voices heard in support the minorities in Ethiopia, and in particular for Hararis. Reaffirming Harar as a City of Peace, Unity, Solidarity and Co-existence, IHMS has created English program for these spectrum of Friends of Harar to add their voices and presentations, as well as, to be heard openly. They are the voice of reason as independent agents with eye opener for the others. Therefore, this is their program, and today, we have the following episode for you as written by Dear Friend of Harar.
February 2, 2020
IHMS COMMENTARY
Outsourced Ethiopian Orthodox Christianity
and
Abiy’s Synerge as political Deformation in Ethiopia
Written by Friend of Harar
Across circumstances and areas, Ethiopia’s minorities do share one common characteristic. For almost two centuries, that characteristic is social, economic or political marginalization or systematic assimilation. In recognition of this fact and a century and half continuous struggles brought down the Imperial Menelik and its inherent Hail Selassie regimes in 1974. These repressive regimes were dismantled to their core for the good of the majority and liberated over 80 minority social groups in Ethiopia. It feels like uprooting systematic tribal apartheid!
Following the ever confused Ethiopia’s politics, I would like to shade light on some issues and provide some evidences on how Orthodox Christianity was outsourced (not homegrown), and gauging Abiy’s deformed political move and direction in today’s Ethiopia.
In spite of some human right abuses, embezzlement of government finances, corruptions and dominance of a single tribal government in the last 27 years, the dismantling of the old imperial regimes and diminishing the dominance of a single ethnic group brought a sense of equity and equality among the diverse peoples, as well as, reaffirmation of Ethiopianness (not Amharazation). These liberalizations have consolidated minority rights, enhanced cultural and traditional identities, thereby reinforcing the use of their indigenous languages throughout the country. The Federal Constitution was a bold experiment and had justified itself as a roadmap for the minorities at large. It was a question answered in paving ways of self-preservations for the minorities and the Oromos at large. Mind you, without the recognitions of the 82+ social groups and accepting each and every ethnic group as indigenous people, there is no united Ethiopia. These social groups are the DNA, the fabric or building block of Ethiopia. To equitably live in today’s Ethiopia, regardless of numbers, sizes, shapes and forms, each social group must respect the existence of each ethnic group with its diverse identities including religious rights and equality. Viable government upholds the constitution, and implements rules of law, fights discrimination and uses humanity at its core!
Talking about the coming of Christianity and Islam into Ethiopia, both religions were introduced to the native Abyssinians by the Arabs. No contempt of Arabs anymore! It is suffice to refer to The Law of Kings (The Fetha Nagast) document, which is a collection of laws originally written in Arabic by the Coptic Egyptian writer Abul Fada’il Ibn al-Assal at the time, when Cyril III was Patriarch of Alexandria (1235-1243 AD). It was introduced into so-called North-West Abyssinia during the reign of King Zara Ya’qob (1434-1468) to relieve him from sadness and depression as reported in the document itself. This document later became the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church Constitution (or Faith and Order document), translated from Arabic to Ge’ez by Petros, the son of Abdasayd (1667-1682). This is suffice to imply that Islam had reached eastern and southern part of today’s Ethiopia way before the arrival of Coptic Christians south of Gondar territories. The establishment of Harar as Islamic Knowledge Center, verifying Harar’s civilization way before the advent of the civilizations of Gondor spreading to the rest of Sultanates of Ethiopia.
Similarly, Islam was also introduced into North-East Abyssinia (during Negashi Kingdom) as Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) ordered Muslims in seeking protection from infidels of Mecca. Evidently, none of the religions were homegrown, but imports from Alexandria (Egypt) and Mecca (Saudi Arabia), respectively. Obviously, today’s Orthodox Christians and Muslims are decedents of converted or reverted indigenous Abyssinians or Emiratis of Ethiopia. These historical facts would easily bust the misconceptions and misinformation rampantly spread among Ethiopia Orthodox followers that Muslims are immigrants. We are all indigenous Habasha or Abyssinians, and lately Ethiopians. Mind you, ignorance and misinformation often lead to very expensive human and material destructions, as seen in Motta town in Gojam. These inhumane destructions in both Motta town and Harar were the results of organized propaganda, extreme Orthodox Christians and activities of remnants of imperial guards. In strongest terms, the Muslims and true Ethiopians condemned the unwarranted devastations of Muslims properties and Mosques in both places. These must not repeat itself anywhere in Ethiopia.
Coming to my second point. Abiy’s Synergy philosophy (Medemer), if it is at all a healthy philosophy, is a doctrine of forceful assimilation in reshaping, and reviving the whole repression of the past imperial regimes, as well as, reject the renaissance of the diverse people of Ethiopia from self-governance, self-determination and independence. It appears that Abiy’s proposed Constitutional amendments subtly are deforming the diverse peoples of Ethiopia and relinquishes their rights of developing their identities and languages. It is simply reinstating dominance and his philosophy appears to be an old colonial British philosophy, if you dismantle the language, you can immediately dismantle the fabric of a social group, and hence controlling them and their resources eventually.
For example, look at how the proposed constitutional amendment attempts to discourage the use and development of minority languages in their own territories, and also suggesting to reinstate the plain green-yellow-red flag! Mr. Prime Minister, do you know that the plain green-yellow-red flag is a symbol of feudalism, repression, oppression, exploitation, forceful marginalization and assimilations for almost all ethnic groups in Ethiopia? Do you know that it is a flagship of dominance of one religion over the others? This is how much your Synergy Philosophy is demented in advocating the by-gone eras, and bringing back the painful past for all the minorities and the Oromos at large.
Another example, look at imperial constitutions that clearly created suffering and pain among the large segments of its population in the last centuries. Deep rooted discriminatory documents were developed and used as the rights of Amhara and Ethiopian Orthodox Christians over the others. Referring to these documents, listen to these – how the imperial constitutions discriminated when serving various ethnic and faith groups in imperial public services of imperial Ethiopia: it clearly says, first serve Amhara Orthodox Christians, second Non-Amhara Orthodox Christians, third Amhara Catholic Christians, forth non-Amhara Catholic Christians, fifth Amhara other Christian faiths, sixth Non-Amhara other Christian faiths, and lastly serve the Muslims. How offensive and inhumane were these!! Believe it or not, these were part of the imperial rules and laws that were dismantled in 1974 to bring peace to the majority.
Conscious of the social injustices committed in the last 150 years, Abiy’s political advisors and entourages are increasingly nervous about their future. They are contradicting the current national constitution and international laws. The future of Ethiopia is not the reformation of its past regimes nor ignoring international agreements and laws. Ethiopia has spectrum of laws, policies and constitutional provisions (agreed upon by the majority social groups) aimed at protecting the minority social groups and upholding a number of international legal agreements; to mention few, United Nations Declarations on the Rights of Indigenous people (2007) and ILO Conventions of Indigenous and Tribal Peoples (1989).
The Synergy (Medemer) philosophy is hostile to such conventions, and as his political advisors are remnants of imperial mind-sets, misleading the head of state into an illusion of becoming King-Prime Minister of Ethiopia. This dangerous conspiracy and political move must now be stopped for good, or the country will come altogether ungovernable. Listen to the peoples of Ethiopia – the minorities, the Muslims and the Oromos at large who were the victims of imperial Ethiopia for centuries. Based on the partial restorations of their dignity, rights and equity since 1992, they are again voicing to have full rights and peaceful co-existence in today’s Ethiopia. As observed recently, omitting the large segment of the population is either vying for total destruction or genocide!
Respect humanity and wish you all peace!