Tedla Asfaw
I read a good piece by Ato Wardoffa Banti titled "What Lies Ahead for Ethiopia" on Internet. ethiopian-forum@yahoogroups, by bringing the "Fire and Straw/Esatina Chid" dichotomy brought by Melese Zenawi on his parliament "accusing" Isaias of Eritrea masterminding an alliance among OLF, Kinijit and others to form the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy (AFD)more than two years ago in Holland.
AFD was attacked from its inception and now nonfunctional because there were and are some political groups and many elites who rejected it off hand because they are not ready to change their old habits of playing politics out of fear and suspicion seating in their own quarters unwilling to move one step.
The idea of talking with groups like OLF and ONLF which are accused of anti-Ethiopian by some elites derailed any chance of bringing different groups to debate and find solution for our country honestly and went back to old ways of politics that you are either with me or you are my enemy the fertile ground to make the "one hundred years homework given to Ethiopians " by Isaias of Eritrea to be on its track for the last seventeen years.
The masses in Ethiopia are calling for oppositions of all colors to work together even if Melese's cadres have been instigating clashes between Amharas and Oromos in rural areas including university campuses and between Oromos within themselves or between Oromos and their neighbors like recently they did Oromos Vs Sidamas.
Ato Wardoffa brought Isaias' infamous declaration of "one hundred years of home work" which is now eighty years to remain and most of the adults will surely pass away and impossible for them to know their result if it is "A" or "F" or remains unsatisfactory in the "D" range.
The "one hundred years homework" project designer even if it is Isaias, the political elites of Ethiopia played a big part to keep it in its right track at least for seventeen years because they do not want seriously debate all matters relevant to our country without any preconditions.
I have always said that without open free debate by all in Ethiopia and by talking and only listening to our own voices in our separate camps the one hundred years homework of Issays might l be a reality way after we all passed away.
To derail this homework given to us we have to do our part while we are alive.We must be bold and seat down and talk. We have a good chance to knock down the homework that is implemented by TPLF. Isayas and Melese are working from different angles with the same strategic goal of dividing us for the next hundred years to keep them and their followers in power until we finish their homework.
Ethiopians strong desire to live in a free and democratic society was all clear for all the doubters to see by coming out in millions and voted against TPLF in May 2005. The new Ethiopia should bring all political groups, liberation fronts, OLF, ONLF. ARENA and nationalist groups like Kinijit be it Hailu or Birtukan, EPRP and others and establish a new constitution drafted by people representatives to be voted by all the people in Ethiopia.
Here is where the "Fire and Straw/Esatina Chid" that worried Melese Zenawi and made him speak in animated mode in his parliament. He knows that coming together of all political groups without preconditions is going to shorten the one hundred years homework we were given by Isayas by many years.
Melese further go on and call on his cousins in Eritrea to question the wisdom of Isaias. How can he do that ? "We all know that if the Oromos, Amharas, Somalis etc. come together not only they knock me down but also dangerous for you people there that you might lose the liberty you have been granted thanks to your heroic fighters and our gallant forces in unison by braking the back of the chauvinists".
Let us bring the "Fire and Straw" together and nullify the one hundred years of homework or keep in our separate camps wait for the "miracle" like we saw on the fake election's sky in Ethiopia yesterday, bright sun circled by rainbow for one hour, as a sign of change to come soon similar to that of 1991.
