'GAME CHANGERS'
OF IDENTITY
POLITICS IN ETHIOPIA
I
am gratified to have this book in my possession
and I must thank, first, Gedion Wolde Amanuel for
compiling the many articles and essays, including
mine that make up the text of this work, and
second A. Asamnew for mailing the book to my
address. The book is dedicated to Wallelign
Mekonnen and Marta Mebrahtu, and more specifically
to the 40th anniversary of the sacrifice of these
two prominent student leaders. Although the book
is for Wallelign and Marta, it also extends credit
to all Ethiopian students who equally paid
sacrifices for a better Ethiopia.
One
of the articles in the book entitled “On the
Question of Nationalities in Ethiopia,” and
authored by Wallelign on November 1969 was among
the many burning issues raised by the Ethiopian
students, and interestingly it has now become the
blue print for the EPRDF policy of devolution of
power.
In
the article mentioned above, Wallelign depicts
Ethiopia as a multi-national state “made up of a
dozen of nationalities with their own languages,
ways of dressing, history, social organization and
territorial entity,” and asks, “And what else
is a nation? It is not made up of people with a
particular tongue, particular ways of dressing,
particular history, and particular social and
economic organization? Then may I conclude that in
Ethiopia there is the Oromo Nation, the Tigrai
Nation, the Amhara Nation, the Gurage Nation, the
Sidama Nation, the Wellamo [Wolayta] Nation, the
Adere [Harari] Nation, and however much you may
not like it the Somali Nation.”
Furthermore,
Wallelgin asks, “What is the genuine national
state?” and he answers it as follows: “It is a
state in which all nationalities participate
equally in state affairs, it is a state where
every nationality is given equal opportunity to
preserve and develop its language, its music and
history. It is a state where Amharas, Tigres,
Oromos, Aderes [Harari], Somalis, Wollamos [Wolayta],
Gurages etc. are treated equally. It is a state
where no nation dominates another nation be it
economically or culturally.”
Different
views in favor of and/or perspectives against the
thesis of Wallelign could be debated in light of
the ongoing Ethiopian politics, but there is no
doubt that Wallelign Mekonnen has been vindicated.
On
behalf of IDEA, Ghelawdewos Araia, PhD dr.garaia@africanidea.org
Readers
who want to contact Gedion Wolde Amanuel can reach
him via gedionwa@gmail.com
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