Bulcha vs Merera over the lawless regime Letter to the Editor | February 3, 2008
Mr. Bulcha (left) and Mr Merera: "One failed the other"
Dear Editor,
Thanks for your summary of ER's interview with Mr. Bulcha Demeksa
As an Ethiopian, I highly sympathize with Mr. Bulcha and the supporters of his party. No Ethiopian, or no human being for that matter, deserves to go through that.
However, I just wanted to point out something. "...If the ruling party wants, it can arrest us at whim, just like what it did to Kinijit (CUD) in 2005. What are we going to gain from this situation?...", says Mr. Bulcha.
I thought this is just a classic case of people who sit calm until the flood reaches their door. In the beginning of 2006, I think, when Dr. Merera Gudina asked Mr. Bulcha and Dr. Beyene Petros to adopt the case of the imprisoned CUD leaders as one of their primary causes in Parliament, the two apparently refused. May be they felt it was too much of a risk for themselves, thought it was not their business, or felt the CUD leaders got imprisoned because they refused to enter Parliament and that they are safe from such a danger because they have entered Parliament.
I am not pointing this out because I feel as if this is some sort of a divine revenge on these people. But because I feel that they are guilty of not seeing this government for what it is - a regime that doesn't know the rule of law, and taken the necessary actions. The government did not imprison the CUD leaders because they broke any law, but because it is intolerant to any credible, respected opposition. So people like Mr. Bulcha should have looked at the lawlessness of the regime and realized that it isn't about being "on the right side of law" or not, and that it will come after them sooner or later. They should not have felt safe in Parliament. They should have taken democracy and democracy alone as their primary cause and stood for those who were imprisoned unjustly!
The past is past. But what do the rest of us learn from this? It is that nobody is safe from lawless governments regardless of what they do. Let's not forget, teenagers were shot dead while walking home from school. If you don't go to their steps to fight what they stand for, they will come to yours to harm you or take your life. It is a message for the Priests, the Sheiks and the average citizen who sit idle thinking that as long as they do not get involved in politics, they will be safe. It is for all those who don't contribute to 'diverting the flood before it gets to their door'.
Thank you again,
Sara Amde
Ethiomedia.com - An African-American news and views website.
© Copyright 2007 Ethiomedia.com. Email: editor@ethiomedia.com
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| Mr. Bulcha (left) and Mr Merera: "One failed the other" |
Thanks for your summary of ER's interview with Mr. Bulcha Demeksa
As an Ethiopian, I highly sympathize with Mr. Bulcha and the supporters of his party. No Ethiopian, or no human being for that matter, deserves to go through that.
However, I just wanted to point out something. "...If the ruling party wants, it can arrest us at whim, just like what it did to Kinijit (CUD) in 2005. What are we going to gain from this situation?...", says Mr. Bulcha.
I am not pointing this out because I feel as if this is some sort of a divine revenge on these people. But because I feel that they are guilty of not seeing this government for what it is - a regime that doesn't know the rule of law, and taken the necessary actions. The government did not imprison the CUD leaders because they broke any law, but because it is intolerant to any credible, respected opposition. So people like Mr. Bulcha should have looked at the lawlessness of the regime and realized that it isn't about being "on the right side of law" or not, and that it will come after them sooner or later. They should not have felt safe in Parliament. They should have taken democracy and democracy alone as their primary cause and stood for those who were imprisoned unjustly!
The past is past. But what do the rest of us learn from this? It is that nobody is safe from lawless governments regardless of what they do. Let's not forget, teenagers were shot dead while walking home from school. If you don't go to their steps to fight what they stand for, they will come to yours to harm you or take your life. It is a message for the Priests, the Sheiks and the average citizen who sit idle thinking that as long as they do not get involved in politics, they will be safe. It is for all those who don't contribute to 'diverting the flood before it gets to their door'.
Thank you again,
Sara Amde
Ethiomedia.com - An African-American news and views website.
© Copyright 2007 Ethiomedia.com. Email: editor@ethiomedia.com
