Bold move to bear eternal peace

goEthio

BY GIRMACHEW GASHAW

Following the release of some prisoners recently, most people both at home and abroad were shocked by the decision. The court cases of these people have been terminated. Things continued in a very tense manner until the attorney general and later the premier explained about the issue. Indeed, even if the government has to be clear to its people, I believe that therehave tobe issues that must be concealed as everything could never be unveiled.

For a country like Ethiopia which has been in tight circumstances, releasing prisoners can definitely deflate the political tension. Sometimes, when prisoners are released, the international community that has been toiling to twist arms of Ethiopia would no longer have a political agenda to further increase its zeal of imposing sanctions of various kinds.

However, no one denied, the evil deeds of top TPLF terrorist group leaders and its followers on the Ethiopian Defense Force members as well as on the people of Amhara and Afar states. However, the government reached such a decision with the objective of resolving the problems of Ethiopia peacefully and sustainably by avoiding destruction and vindictiveness through national dialogue.

The government wants to make national consultation or dialogue with all political parties and passes imperative decision on the future destiny of the country. True, the age old political challenges of the country can only be resolved through inclusive national dialogue. This by itself is a bold move. However, the national dialogue would never be effective if all political parties do not partake in the platform. Thus, if we see the release of the prisoners from this perspective, the political decision is well timely.

The other point I want to pinpoint here is, the culture of forgiveness. Forgiveness is a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed the bearer, regardless of whether they actually deserve their forgiveness. If we understand the aforesaid statement, when the government terminates the case of these political prisoners, it called off their court cases.

Here, what we should bother about is, the perception of the people towards justice may be altered to the worst. They may feel doubtful government’s capacity of maintaining law and order in the country as a whole. Thus, it is quite imperative to aware the public about the legal procedure the government follows when it release political pensioners.

Of late, it was explained that amnesty is different from pardon in that amnesty is extended to persons who are subject to prosecution but not yet convicted, whereas a pardon is granted to a person who has already been convicted. Persons are pardoned by the Board of Pardons and granted by the president as per the law. Accordingly, the release of prisoners by the government Friday was neither pardon nor amnesty, but termination of proceedings.

These politicians were named “suspect” to a certain crime. The people know what was happened in the country before these people were under custody. Here, all Ethiopians have their own doubt onwhat if they again engaged in the same activities that led the country to political chaos. Thus, apart from making national consultation, the public needs a binding promise from the side of the government that the released prisoners would not involve in any criminal activities which baffles the relative peace maintained in the country in future.

Definitely, we drew important lessons about a culture of forgiveness from our ancestors and teach others. Basically, forgiving those who need our forgiveness is also a thing that reliefs us. So the saying goes, “Forgive others not because they deserve forgiveness, but you deserve peace,” the decision the Ethiopian government made earlier is instrumental in coming up with a rewarding effect.

Indeed, a number of Ethiopians have paid lives to maintain peace and stability of their country. We know how a few political parties or individuals in Ethiopia have committed unforgivable fault to make their dispatchers happy targeting at fattening their personal gain at the expense of innocent civilians.

“In my opinion, forgiveness costs us nothing.It will help Ethiopia reap victory in the peace process. Therefore, I humbly ask all Ethiopians to accept this decision for the sake of the glory and victory of your country. Government’s decision to drop charges against some suspects aims at minifying Ethiopia’s enemies, mobilizing resources and allowing the culprits not to return to the path of destruction,” said the Prime Minister.

Above all, the forgiveness that has been applied since the coming to power of the reforming government clearly stipulated that Africa does have the capacity to practically apply the motto reciting ‘African solutions to African problems’ using its sons and daughters. This is a lesson other African countries should share as best practice and replicate in order to solve their internal affairs at their own reach.

The upcoming political parties’ dialogue should also underline this concept and political parties have to pledge to do things in a manner full of civility coupled with mercy and forgiveness.

 Editor’s Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The

The January 11/2022

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