The Millennium Disconnect
July 6, 2007
ETP Editorial
We are now at a point in Ethiopia, where if someone mentions the word “millennium” - people in the immediate vicinity collectively cringe in disgust. Interestingly enough, our borderline comical and very oblivious government officials, the Prime Minister included, seem to have an insatiable urge to utter the word once every two to three minutes – sentencing the public to unending torture.
When a certain regime stays in power for too long, disconnect with its citizenry is bound to ensue. Through out the world’s history, this detachment is to blame for "If they have no bread, then let them eat cake" moments, in which the ruling elite display their total lack of empathy, sympathy and understanding.
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Yes, Ethiopia is no different; and we need not look too hard for evidence either, just forty or so years of recent history will do. In 1972, officials of the then Monarchy were abuzz with excitement over the upcoming 80th birthday of the Emperor. Extravagant ceremonies were planned, money was spent and officials were fitted for tuxedos.
Meanwhile, there was resentment brewing within the public. Teachers, workers, the military and students who were disappointed with the government's failure to achieve significant economic and political reforms were complaining of rising inflation, corruption and famine. Sadly, we all know how that ended.
Did the next regime learn from the mistakes of the previous? The answer is - not in the least. Not only did it repeat the same mistakes; but it also added some new ones exasperating Ethiopia’s situation from bad to worse.
In 1984, just twelve years after the Emperor’s 80th birthday, another colossal gala was being planned in Addis. This time for the revolutionaries; the “MEret LAaRashu!” and “AlEm Lewzaderoch!” comrades. The rest of Ethiopia on the other hand, mixed up in a bitter civil war, was going through a draught that made the preceding one pale in comparison.
According to some estimates, close to $100 million in government funds was spent on the celebration of the 10 th anniversary of the revolution. (Paul Henze, Layers of Time, 2000).
William Pascoe, a political analyst for the Heritage foundation, in 1987 said;
"When Through early 1984, even as evidence of impending drought mounted, the regime was concentrating almost solely on preparations for the September celebration of the establishment of the Workers Party of Ethiopia and the tenth anniversary of the revolution.” (Time for action against Menistu’s Ethiopia, Heritage foundation, 1987)
(Click to enlarge)
Stamp issued to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the revolution
The times;
“For months before the scale of the famine became known, President Mengistu denied its existence and flew in planeloads of whisky to celebrate the tenth anniversary of the revolution.”(Jonathan Clayton, the Times, 2006)
What is happening here? How can a government be so out of touch, so blissfully unaware?
It is a bit difficult to satisfactorily answer this question, as there isn’t a one fits all diagnosis to this problem. It could be that the administration is so intolerant of criticism; it has driven off those with sound judgment and is only surrounded by dim-witted cheerleaders; or it could be arrogance, total disregard for the needs of citizens, “who cares what they think as long as we have the guns”, type thing. Still another possibility: the psychological equivalent of burying one’s head in the sand – wishing problems would disappear if ignored. In all likelihood the ‘disconnect’ is a result of the combination of one or more of the above circumstances.
Here we are today, and once more, Ethiopia’s current regime is preparing to repeat the same mistakes. The Economy is in shambles, famine is on the horizon; we are at war on one border and in a tense standoff in another; the primary aspiration of an Ethiopian currently is leaving the country due to the lack of opportunity; democratically elected parliamentarians are in prison; the free press is no more; human rights abuses are out of control, etc…
And yet, amidst all these problems facing the country, the government is preparing to do some serious celebrating. An AAU (Addis Abeba University) student, writing anonymously on the magazine ‘Abiy Guday’ about the upcoming “millennium celebration” says;
What do we really have to celebrate at the moment? Trouble is pushing in at us from every border – what are the millennium parties going to be like in Somali region, in Gambella? And you don’t need me to remind you about all those terrible development statistics. How about if, instead of all this effort to mark the millennium, we focus our minds on something else, something more concrete. How about if we work out ways to develop the economy and become self-sufficient by 2010 … We could hold a huge party and make lots of speeches – ‘Thank you Mr UNICEF, thank you Ms Red Cross. You have helped us for so long. And we are hugely grateful. But we don’t need you anymore.’ (http://www.meskelsquare.com/archives/2007/06/bored_of_the_mi.html)
Now There's An Idea.
The Ethiopian government is advertising the millennium party as an event that shouldn't be missed. The September celebration, they say, is going to be one for the history books. Right they are, history will most certainly remember – the same way it remembers the celebrations of the past.
 Coming soon? |