History is rarely a quest for truth; all too often the past is weaponized by those in power to justify their abuses and to hide their excesses. Such was the case when former Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn traveled to South Africa, out of all the places, to deliver a speech at the 10th annual Thabo Mbeki convention. As if the present state of Ethiopia has not been sullied enough by ethnocentrism, Hailemariam went one step further and mangled Ethiopian history in order to justify ethnic apartheid.
For those who don’t have a keen insight into the political and social dynamics unfolding in Ethiopia at the moment, Hailemariam’s speech seems like a wonderful example of Pan-Africanism that extols the virtue of unity in the face of foreign aggression. As always, the devil is in the detail. With a slight of hand, Hailemariam fundamentally altered one of Ethiopia’s proudest moment for the sake of political expediency.
Hailemariam noted that Emperor Menelik II knew Abyssinia by herself could not defeat the Italians so “he went to the south and south east” in order to garner more resources. If you pay attention to the speech, Hailemariam made it a point to segregate Abyssinia from south, south east and south western Ethiopia. He even notes how...continued...
Read full article at: https://ethiopians4cm.org/hailemariam-d ... apartheid/
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teodroseIII
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gagi
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Re: A Response to Hailemariam Desalegn: Stop Propagandizing Adwa to Sanitize Ethnic Apartheid
This comment against the keynote by HD is an overstretch; unnecessary hair-splitting. It does not serve any good purpose.
HD is in fact presenting Adowa as a shared victory, He is weaving, using Adowa, the history of the Northerners (Abysinians) and the Southerners together, which is essentially advancing the unity of Ethiopians!
Denial of the existence of the multicoloured ethnic groups won’t bring unity. Acknowledge their existence, treat them with dignity, and at the same time work towards more integration within the framework of Ethiopia. Encourage and support the different community groups to build a common future. Above all, take out the hate that TPLF sprayed with its short-sighted view of hurting the Amhara
HD is in fact presenting Adowa as a shared victory, He is weaving, using Adowa, the history of the Northerners (Abysinians) and the Southerners together, which is essentially advancing the unity of Ethiopians!
Denial of the existence of the multicoloured ethnic groups won’t bring unity. Acknowledge their existence, treat them with dignity, and at the same time work towards more integration within the framework of Ethiopia. Encourage and support the different community groups to build a common future. Above all, take out the hate that TPLF sprayed with its short-sighted view of hurting the Amhara