Siye Abraha: A man who can play a big role if he wants to

By Girma Kassa | January 4, 2007

Ato Siye Abraham will address Ethiopians in Washington DC on January 5, 2008. With the exception of Ethiopian Review, whose editor did not have kind words for the former defense minister, major Ethiopian websites like Abugidainfo, Ethiopian Media Forum (EMF), and Ethiomedia … have posted the meeting notice on their front page.

ER has already made a decision, labeling Ato Siye as a criminal. “Just because Meles locked up Siye Abraha in jail for six years as a result of internal Woyanne power struggle, the crimes he committed do not go away. He must account for his horrible deeds,” wrote ER. (I wish ER would have had the same standards for the OLF leadership and Mr Issayas Afeworki of Eritrea)

I prefer to wait and hear from Ato Siye himself. So far from what I have heard, in interviews he made after his release, I see a seasoned individual, with great wisdom and strong commitment for the national unity of Ethiopia and the rule of law. I see a man who can play a pivotal role in bringing Ethiopians together and help remove the deepening polarization of Ethiopia that are caused by the ill-fated ethnic politics of TPLF.

In the January 5th meeting, I would like to hear his stand on the poisonous article of the constitution that give right to “nations and nationalities” to secede from Ethiopia. I would like to hear if his first commitment is for Ethiopia as a whole instead for only one region. I would like to hear if he has a willingness to join a political party that is not organized under an ethnic group?

During the May 2005 Election one thing is clear. Despite of the facts ethnic politics had been preached for more than 15 years, Ethiopians has voted for “Ethiopiawinet”. They want to live together in a strong, prosperous, peaceful, democratic and United Ethiopia where all its citizens live in dignity and respect. Ethiopians do not want to see bloodshed anymore. They do not want to be treated as second class citizens when all the privileges go only to certain group of people.

Will Ato Siye keep note of these heart beats of Ethiopians? Will he notice to what Ethiopians have rejected? Will he sense that there is a big divide and polarization within Ethiopia that can be healed only when people are brought together? Will he try to be part of the solution or instead continue to massage bad policies of his old party, the TPLF?

Ato Siye has a clear and golden opportunity to play a major role within Ethiopia. If he still espouses his old ethnic politics (like the Tigray Arena leadership did), I believe Ato Siye’s influence will be mainly in Tigray and cannot have at all any national impact.

To the contrary if he endorses a federal Ethiopia that is not based only on ethnicity, Ato Siye will clearly demonstrate that he is no longer in line with a rejected politics. He could easily join organization like the CUD or the UEDF and struggle for the betterment not only of residents of one region but of all Ethiopians.

The choice is his. I see a great potential for him. I see his popularity grow among Ethiopians outside Tigray. I advise him to make bold actions, not spoil this opportunity and be in deeds the true son of Alula (dekialula), a man who put Ethiopia first.

——-
The writer, Girma Kassa, can be reached at [email protected]