The alliance requires our full support as it is a confederation of various stake holders in Ethiopian politics and a significant milestone to vanquish the divide and rule policy imposed by the authoritarian regime. As it was stated in previous articles by several Ethiopians, unsurprisingly, TPLF supporters (active and passive) have been stunned by the creation of AFD and they try frantically to downplay the alliance by arguing that it is unnatural for the groups to come together to collaborate. Similarly and regrettably, many who consider themselves stake holders of the struggle appear to be obsessed with everything that can be wrong about the alliance rather than what could also go right.

One approach to tackle the genuine concerns that have been raised in association with the formation of AFD would be enhancing the quality of alliance in process and overcoming the obsession of negativism or paranoia that is making many unable to embrace the positives that have come with the birth of the AFD. In my view, a pragmatic approach to address the genuine concerns about AFD requires first a large dosage of optimism, or else the effort to bring democracy in Ethiopia could be a never ending journey or a vicious cycle.

AFD is a new phenomenon that requires appropriate care like raising a child. It is an effort that can break the Divide and Rule policy which has been implanted into Ethiopia’s political system intentionally. The dream for democracy can become a reality if stake holders in the AFD work hard, remain positive and implement a system that will guarantee the rights of all Ethiopians and the protection of their unity.