The Prime Minister new play, a strategic piece aimed at consolidating his power, has recently garnered attention for manipulating state-controlled institutions and media. Central to this unfolding drama is the so-called Dialogue Commission, which has convened citizens in Addis Ababa and other major cities. This entity has come to symbolize both the excesses and failures of Ahmed’s administration, highlighting a profound political, social, and economic crisis that demands urgent and holistic solutions.
The Dialogue Commission, ostensibly established to foster dialogue and promote peace, has deviated from its mission, and followed the government’s path, thereby deepening the crisis. Under Abiy Ahmed’s direction, this Commission has become a tool for propagating its agenda rather than addressing the nation’s critical issues. The Commission’s gatherings of citizens, lacking a clear agenda & inclusiveness of the stakeholders, have been criticized for their lack of genuine engagement and their role in perpetuating Ahmed’s authoritarian rule.
Ethiopia is currently grappling with a complex web of challenges. Politically, the country is polarized, with significant tensions between ethnic groups and regions. Socially, there is widespread discontent and mistrust towards the government, exacerbated by ongoing human rights abuses and lack of transparency. Economically, the nation is struggling with severe financial strains, partly due to the relentless military campaigns and expenditure in the north, which have drained resources and destabilized the region.
Reconciliation and truth commissions and dialogue commissions were created in other troubled countries to stand on their own to solve the country’s problems. Those commissions were making decisions on their own, establish relationships with third parties, including foreign governments, international human rights organizations, and international organizations; Such dialogue commissions need to investigate & fully engage to propose solution.
As has been mentioned repeatedly, the international war and the large-scale human rights violations and destruction of property caused by the Italian Fascist Party and the German Nazi Party in the world were the first pioneers to solve the crimes of international and domestic justice. Argentina, Spain, and Rwanda followed them. South Africa’s Tunisian commissions have resolved problems through law and reconciliation and made their society stable.
The above attitude is very different from what is happening in Ethiopia now. The dialogue and reconciliation commissions listed above were established independently and free from political influence. The dictatorial regime (ANBAGENEN) established the dialogue commission created in Ethiopia to meet its own end goals. And the anger is not from the people but from the one who kills the people. The Commission designated to serve the interest of, given by the oppressive system government that works under this deadly and unjust system, can’t resolve, so it is not a solution to the problem of the Ethiopian people. Still, it is a part of the problem.
