ሩህ ሚዲያ – Ruh Media

Habtamu Girma Demiessie (Jigjiga University)

INTRODUCTION

Circumstantial evidences in Ethiopian political scene witnesses the elite group have been driving the people in whatever course they wish, often to serve their own agenda than targeting the popular causes. This piece is to reflect my suggestion why and how Ethiopian populace liberate their minds from control by elite group and its subsidiary media moguls (both in social media and conventional media).
But readers have to know that it is my belief that I am not blaming elite group altogether. In fact, we do have shining figures at their helms that are able to elevate our country on to the ladder of prosperity, and enable us to keep pace with the dynamics of the 21st century.

MY MESSAGE TO ETHIOPIAN YOUTH !!!

The Ethiopian youth in general has to learn that there are vaious groups within and outside Ethiopia working to hijack the political change they sacrificed their lives.
Here is my special message goes to the Oromo youth, the Qeerroo:
As Aboy Sebhat Negga recently spoke to BBC Amharic, subsequent incidents in various partf of Oromia regional state has sparked it appeared easier to defeat the force that brought a change than triggering secession of Tigray state.
Indeed, the youth that sacrificed to this change are being used a fuel and die again for the revert back of the old days. How on earth one can die twice, first as reformist force and second as anti-reformist force??!!
As far as I understand, diversity is endemic to the Oromos. Millions of Ethiopians from every ethnic (religious) diversities have been living in the Oromo lands in peace, prosperity and dignity. This old tradition of peaceful co-existence has lived even in those tragic & bloody three years of Qeerroo struggle. The Qeerroo has shown a new form of struggle, a peaceful struggle to bring political revolution. In those times, no any ethnic group attacked in Oromia. But, today, when the youth struggle is taking a shape with Abiy Ahmed government installed, why the youth unable to preserve their good records? I don’t know!
The answer is up to the Qeerroo themselves.
In my part, this is a message I can convey to Qeerroo:
Never forget that OLF and the century old Oromo Struggle has culminated in 1995 by horrific incidents (the likes of Bedeno incident) that were politically motivated! The end goal was to put the Oromo causes off from the political plays. The youth of Oromo has to take a fair fetch of memory from recent history. The Qeerroo was heroic for its peaceful struggle. The youth should move on that! They should stop playing for the enemy.

THE YOUTH HAS TO FILTER INFORMATION BEFORE EMBRACING THEM ALL

The Ethiopian youth has to learn how systematic the elite group are in using them to serve their ends. This message especially goes to those who are actively using the social media as a major source of information.
Essentially, people perceive shape their outlooks. And it is their outlooks that control their stand on any aspect of life. The way people took a stand in turn determines the quality of their judgments. Hence, to shape the decision making behavior of people, what it takes is to manipulate their perception.
Someone’s perception can be manipulated to take him/her overoptimistic (enthusiastic) or pessimistic (stereotypic). In both states, the stands we hold or judgments we make are not evaluated or evidence based but driven by whims and emotions. In Ethiopia, the political elites have been implementing their vested agenda by distorting the perceptions of the people on the ventures of politics. They have used various means and tools to achieve that.
Nowadays, they are using ‘political activists’ their means and the social media their tools. That is manifested on the way political activists behave on social media: disseminating fake news; distort information; misinforming the public; distorting realities on political happenings; and/or how activists try to let the public wrongly understand the political personality of their political leaders/government officials. The way our elites distorted the fabric of decision making by wider public is upsetting the peace and lives of ordinary Ethiopians.
The dire consequence in distorting decision making behavior of Ethiopian populace on political businesses is as Albert Einstein once said it : “If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
The wider Ethiopian has to understand that whatever the actions by the elite group, they have to think twice before adhering to calls or take agendas. Ethiopian people has to filter information from media groups owned by these elite groups, least divisive and harm their peace.

NATION BUILDING IS A HISTORIC RESPONSIBILITY OF THE CURRENT GENERATION OF ETHIOPIAN YOUTH

State building is all about geographic integration. Nation building on the other hand is integration of diverse interests, value systems, identities, cultures, religious & belief systems. In Ethiopia, state building project completed a century and half years ago, but the task of nation building did not followed. King Lij Eyasu has taken encouraging steps forward but was short lived.
In Ethiopian context, the task of nation building has been either belittled or ignored altogether. Therefore, there has not been shared value system among wider populace. That is why polarized rhetoric dominating political discourses, risking the prospect of our togetherness under one flag, and establishing the Ethiopian state.
For Ethiopia, no way is as best as federal system. The nation building process should address diverse identities on virtues of ethno-linguistics, cultural, religious & belief systems, among others. Any attempt in the realm of nation building process should do away with tools of state building, which integrates coercive moves with elements of negotiation.
As the process of nation building should give due regard to represent our differences, so does respect our shared elements that we have developed in plus century years old of our togetherness under same governments.
A newer Ethiopia should be one which is able & willing to entertain all voices and identities of communities across all corners. In the process of building a nation, our generation has a historic responsibility of devising shared value system that subsequent generations would further enrich it.

MY MESSAGE TO ETHIOPIANS FROM THE EMERGING REGIONS

Last but not least, the elite groups keep on provoking the good hope of the ongoing political reform in the country. Those elites are misinforming people & communities in the periphery of the country, often called emerging regions on the ‘dangers they would face following the merger of EPRDF.
They try to provoke unfounded and immature propaganda that the new political development leave local communities to get ‘invaded’ by the ‘settlers’ from highland Ethiopia.Such a propaganda is voice from those who are victims of own political decay. Their attempt tr survive in such a way shows how deprived they in terms of political capital to survive in the political scene.
If there is anyone who buys their empty words, I don’t know why or how one imagine so. Anyhow, this is what I send a message to people & communities in the emerging regions in Ethiopia.
Let’s broaden our horizon and ask ourselves ‘Why we fear our land will be filled by highlanders?!’. Let’s get reminded that Ethiopia is open for us, the lowlanders to fill highland cities too.
By the way, no one lives wherever getting things for free. For example, if Somalis live in U.S.A or Addis Ababa, they are not burdens to U.S citizens or Addis Ababians. They live in their sweats and hard work, serving the local people. No one lets u live as a burden. The same holds for highlanders if they come to Somali region or any other emerging region too. They have been working hard to add values to local communities.
For instance, I have been serving Jigjiga University for the past 11 years. I am proud to say I have served my people here. I never feel a burden to anyone here; nor do I feel others feel same.
So, why we fear freedom to live elsewhere?!
Look this is 21st century, and today not land but idea is the most valuable resource. Let’s cope up with our time.
The limit of horizon is the limit of our civilization. Let’s think big; and achieve big!!!
Finally, the Ethiopian elites have to remember (understand) that Call for Unity doesn’t means call for unitary state. But, the elite group often mischief the populace to serve own ego (in many instances to seize political power to satisfy not popular causes but own agenda) Such is how we can build a prosperous Ethiopia.
The political elite has to know that everyone reaps own harvest. There is no any political agenda that would get a resolve by burning churches or mosques. Preserving peace pays for all! Those who try to take political profit out of these obsolete, if not satanic moves are paving their way for total extermination! The political satire would culminate and, in the end, Ethiopian state with diverse makeups of its people will thrive!

May God Save Ethiopia and Its People!!