https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WM3lle-WzQ
I listened to Lemma Megersa’s hopeful Interview with Barro Tube in 2019 and wondered
a), what happened in the translation since and b) why Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed is incapable of uttering the same messages and mitigating risks at the most critical time in Ethiopia’s political history. To his credit, Lemma Megersa, one of the most significant political leaders in Ethiopia today said the following:
“It is a crime to snatch lands in Addis Ababa.”
“Why not recognize that Ethiopia has other cities? It can build other cities “
“It is a crime to change the demographics of Addis Ababa, a city of 5 million pepepe.”
“The path to justice is truth telling and equitable treatment of all citizens.”
“I do not want to witness perpetual bloodshed in the name of justice or to redress the past.”
“We have sown the seeds of hatred after hatred” and induced normalization of a culture of killing fields.”
The exact opposite is happening in Addis Ababa and the rest of Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s killing fields are expanding at an alarming rate. It has the largest IDP population in Africa. Ethiopia’s politics is more ethnically toxic today than it was before the Prime Minister took power five years ago.
Imagine what is unfolding in Ethiopia today.On April 2, 2023, a massive demonstration was held throughout the Amhara region denouncing the Prosperity Party condoned killings and ethnic cleansing of Amhara and demanding justice. This occurred on the fifth anniversary of Abiy Ahmed’s premiership.
To counter Amhara peaceful protest, the Oromo Prosperity Party organized protests in Oromia in support of the Prime Minister.
The implication is that the fight is between Amhara and Oromo..This is a most dangerous and unfortunate development for Ethiopia that we all must combat. History will hold the Prime Minister accountable for inflaming the situation.
I do not know whether Lemma Megersa has a say in the matter. But I urge him to come out of his shell and push more vigorously for common ground and for political sanity for which he is cited often.
Prime Minister Abiy has a moral responsibility to understand that replacing TPLF hegemony with that of Oromo hegemony is a recipe for Ethiopia’s collapse. .
Ethiopia is in desperate need of statesmen and not tyrants.
