የኢትዮዽያውያን ዴሞክራቶች ድረ-ገፅEthiopian Democrats' Website

By Mesfin Mengistu

It is understandable that a political thinking requires any decision to be attributed to political goals and ends. There is no doubting the fact that a decision of higher national significance always requires political reasoning and calculation. Is there anything which can impel us to think of the EPRDF leadership’s decision to construct a grand dam on Abay River in a different way than this? I don’t think so. What leaders of the regime have been saying since the pronouncement of the project is political in nature. The criticism directed against Egypt for obscuring Ethiopia’s interest and articulations, the popular desire and commitment for the realizations of this project and what the government has been saying and doing in connection with the dam including the public rally held on May 28, is all political - and for political reasons.

But contrary to this, the flatterers of the EPRDF were heard and seen blaming the critics of the construction of the dam for looking at it from a political point of view. The implausibility of this argument starts from its wrong expectations. From what perspective are those who have reason to oppose the project expected to do so? Opposing the project other than on political grounds mainly appears to be opposing its economic value. As I see it, this is not the case for many of those who have their own doubts over the construction of the Dam.

I was impelled to write this article after being impressed by an article Belayneh Tesfaye had written in The Ethiopian Herald (Friday, Genbot 18/2003 E.C), under the little "Politicizing the grand dam is Tantamount to Playing down Ethiopians’" psyche. The writer, in addition to his attempt at rationalizing EPRDF’s traditional lambaste against its opponents, came through by saying a lot of things about Arab revolutions and their unlikely happening in Ethiopia before urging his readers only to think of how “motive power is everything to Ethiopia.” The main contradiction in the article is that while the writer was trying to persuade others to think about the dam only in term of power generation, he makes political analysis about how the 'developmental' leadership is delivering good things in Ethiopia. To what amounts his claim to politically articulating his dislike of politicizing the, other than suggesting that others should not do the same? Does he mean that something right for him is wrong for others? This is quite incomprehensible.

My stand on the issue is that we need to focus on the importance of the dam than what reasons had motivated the government to come up with its construction. This may fit with why the writer is saying. There is no doubt about its importance for the country’s future and fame, regardless of why and how we argue about it. Having said that, I would like to remind people that there must be disagreement and debate over the realization of any project of national significance based on its pros and cons.

In a democratic atmosphere, disagreement and debate over any lofty idea is always expected and treated in a manner far different from what EPRDF’s supporters are trying to do with regard to those who do not support the construction of the dam. The wording of the title of the writer’s article and its content suggest what he thinks about those who are not interested in the grand dam as non-Ethiopians who are playing down Ethiopian’ psyche. I have heard many empty addresses ascertaining the senseless notion that those who are not in accord with the damming of Abay Ricer are not true Ethiopians. This is ridiculous.

One can raise many legitimate reasons against the construction of the dam now. I have concern over its being very proximate to the Sudanese border and strongly oppose the EPRDF members’ manipulation to impose the contribution of a month's salary on those who are not practically in a position to do so. This scenario confirms to me the absence of space for individual choice in this country. I’m saying this not to reject the construction of the Dam, even though I see stronger truth in the argument that suggests the government’s unexpected move was a reaction to what is happening in Arab countries. My dislike of this argument is not based on the value of true judgment but due to its feasibility. For whatever reason, I need the dam and we should all need it.

The writer went a long distance towards making us understand his belief that the Arab-type revolution cannot happen in Ethiopia, arguing that we are difference from them in our social make-up. I feel the writer has no interest in understanding either why these revolutions are going on across Arab countries, or even the situation in Ethiopia. Even though I’m not expecting such revolutions in Ethiopia, the writer’s argument of “difference in social make-up” doesn’t hold any water.

The very reason for the happening of the revolution in Tunisia, Egypt Libya, Syria, Bahrain and Yemen is the absence of democracy and the authoritarian nature of the regimes that we share with them, regardless of the “difference in social make-up.” Of course, we are much better than those who have no experience of conducting an election of a democratic type. But it has to be noted that the result of the election that brought about such a popular disappointment to Egypt was much better than we had last year. I don’t want to share the EPRDF’s argument of "over-showering" democracy in Ethiopia with this writer - whatever that means. With due respect, I would like to remind the writer to study what democracy is all about how a democratic government works in comparison with what is going on in Ethiopia on the ground.