Andargachew Tsige: A Person of His Words and Deeds Has Now Ignited the Engine of Freedom!

by T.Goshu

Let me first say that I am well aware that many fellow Ethiopians (genuinely or otherwise) may take this opinion of mine as from someone who belongs to, or associated with this or that opposition political actor (group). What I strongly want to say to those fellow-men and fellow-women is that the level of dehumanization we are facing as the result of an extremely idiotic and deadly political agenda and practice by TPLF is absolutely beyond kind of clumsy and self-defeating categorization of personalities. I am saying this not because I am afraid of being seen associated with any opposition political movement or interest group. I am one of hundreds and thousands of genuinely concerned Ethiopians about the horrible direction the country is heading to, and sincerely believe that something has to be done before it is too late even to the extent of encountering difficulties to manage the crisis we may face. I want to add here that I am one of millions of ordinary Ethiopians who sincerely advocate and support those opposition political forces which are trying their best to bring about a democratic change in Ethiopia through any means they choose. I am saying this just to underscore the fact that given the unprecedented situation we found ourselves, the case of Ato Andargachew Tsige being a deeply grave case in point, that there is an absolute need to go beyond our usual political, ethnic and religious or any other kind of interest circles and we have to get rid of the very root cause, the deadly politics of TPLF; and make the ultimate sacrifices paid and being paid by our patriotic compatriots fruitful enough.

As one of millions of Ethiopians who sincerely admire the political personalities of fellowmen and women such as Ato Andargachew Tsige, I was deeply struck by the news about what happened to him in Sana, Yemen on June 23, 2014. When I say I was deeply struck, it is not in a sense of believing that the ruling elites of the two countries (Ethiopia and Yemen) are/were expected to behave and act rationally and legitimately. Absolutely not. It is a very common knowledge that the relationships between or among most African countries in general and most East African countries, and countries across the Red Sea are not based on the long-term interest of the people but on the basis of very short-term give and take interests of ruling elites . Needless to say, Ato Andargachew Tsige, unfortunately has fallen victim of this well-orchestrated, senseless and gravely idiotic political game. What struck my mind is also strongly linked with the following extremely challenging questions: How many great citizens with great vison for Ethiopia and incredible dedication to make that vision a reality should we lose before we decisively say enough is enough? When and how we should change our wonderful words of “enough is enough” into deeds and irreversibly shorten the notoriously miserable political agenda and practice of the last quarter of a century by TPLF? Where is the bottom-line to go beyond witnessing miserable news after miserable news; and producing and posting statements after statements on those horrible stories? To what extent we are determined to walk and act together, and make sure that another selflessly patriotic Ethiopian should not fall victim of the same politically motivated crime anymore? We can go on and on with so many challenging questions of which we are not able and seriously willing to find fairly matching answers yet.

Now, here we are facing another critically challenging moment to our souls and consciences: How we should deal with the situation in which one of the selflessly patriotic Ethiopians, Andargachew Tsige is paying an ultimate sacrifice? As I mentioned above, given the behaviors and actions of the ruling elites of Ethiopia and Yemen, it was not difficult to expect to see the Yemeni government handing over Ato Andargachew Tsige to the TPLF government and by doing so reaffirming their relationship “strengthened” more than ever. Yes, that is the way they perpetuate and “safeguard” each other’s dirty diplomatic drama and deadly political game. As reasonably expected, we heard a statement by Ginbot 7 in the evening of June 3, 2014 about the handing over of Ato Andargachew Tisge to the cold-blooded ruling circle of TPLF. I did not know why; but I was just sitting on my computer desk with deeply disturbing feeling about what happened and what could happen next to an amazingly devoted freedom -fighter fellowman, Andargachew Tisge. I was just flipping over the pages of a book titled Gandhi: His Life and Message for the World (Louis Fischer, 1954, 1982). Here is what Gandhi had to say during his last fast and before he was gunned down by his own fellowman: “… death for me would be a glorious deliverance rather than that I should be a helpless witness to the destruction of India, Hinduism, Sikhism and Islam.”

I deeply and sincerely believe that although it is fair to say that the two happenings should be analyzed in accordance with their specific circumstances, timing, internal and external factors; there is no doubt that the two exactly coincide in their major visions and devotions. As Gandhi was for seeing an independent India in which her people could live in peace enjoying their fundamental rights including their respective religious freedom, so was and is Andargachew Tisge. As Gandhi had preferred death to witnessing the destruction of his country and the gross violation of her people with various religious practices, so did and does Andargachew Tsige. Fischer powerfully describes how Gandhi is one of the great leaders of the 20th century by stating that, “He (Gandhi) now belongs to mankind.” And Andargachew Tisge, no doubt belongs to all freedom- aspiring and freedom-loving Ethiopians whose aspirations are parts and parcels of all mankind.
Needless to say, all tyrannical regimes in general and the ethnic-based tyrannical ruling circle in our country in particular are terribly afraid of any individual or grouping that inspires the people to rise up for freedom and shared prosperity . They (ruthless regimes) unleash their killing machines whenever they get frustrated about losing their voracious and unlimited political power. That is exactly what we are witnessing at this moment in time (the case of Ato Andargachew Tsige). To this end, TPLF has a very deadly stupid assumption of undermining the intelligence and capabilities of the people. It foolishly assumes that if it hunts down opposition political leaders and all those who inspire the people for desirable change, the people remain disorganized and continue to be simple subjects of its evil-driven agenda and practice. Simply put, the brutal inner circle of the ruling party is infested with a deadly political madness of believing that it is possible to maintain power by suppressing and killing those Ethiopians such as Ato Andargachew Tsige who has a great deal of truth and gut before they create a society that could strive for the better. That is exactly what we have witnessed for the last two decades and are witnessing at this critical moment in time.

When it comes to spreading confusing information about the exact whereabouts of Ato Andargachew Tsige by TPLF- led government , it is not difficult to say that the ruling elites are trying to measure and test the very serious outrage by the people back home and Ethiopians in the diaspora. It must be critically underscored here that they (rulers) still believe that decrying political crime by the people will not go beyond emotional reaction that is driven by symptoms and events. They still consider the political opposition camp as not better than a cowardly barking dog. That is the challenge which desperately requires a very serious inward and outward looking. Simply put, it would be disastrous for all political opposition forces and civil rights advocates if they could not show what they say is what they really mean.
Not only political actors and civil rights advocacy groupings; but also each genuinely concerned Ethiopian should equally stay firm and consistent and prove that what he or she says is what he or she really mean. It is understandable that it won’t be realistic to expect each and every individual to contribute to the struggle on equal basis. On the other hand, it would be terribly wrong for a genuinely concerned individual not to do whatever he or she could be able to do. We are facing dual challenges at this critical moment in time. The immediate or urgent one is fight for the safety and subsequently release of Ato Andargachew Tsige; and the second but most critical one is fighting for the realization of a political system in which all us could live in freedom and shared prosperity. Yes, the work of democracy is a process and the process is messy even in relatively developed democracies, and it will continue with its messiness. However, using this and other rhetoric such as change is inevitable but it is only a matter of time as excuses without making things happen does not make any sense at all. The political process we want to see cannot process itself. The process without serious human intervention that is characterized by its own time framed plan of action does mean nothing. Yes, dealing with politics in this terribly mischievous and full of merciless conflicts of interests is extremely tough. But, there is no any other option except living and dealing with it. The very essence of the matter is to what extent we have tried and how much concerted effort we have exerted, and continue to do so. I hope we will be moving forward accordingly and we will prevail sooner, not later.

http://ecadforum.com/blog/andargachew-tsige-a-person-of-his-words-and-deeds-has-now-ignited-the-engine-of-freedom/