– A Personal Call to Action II
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What to Consider
Having mentioned the need to act immediately in order to get our leaders released, we need also to think about long-term struggle against human rights abuse. There is, therefore, a need to substantially rethink how we can best put pressure on the US government and European Parliament and win the battle of public opinion. This is not a struggle to form a new ideological hegemony but to allow the people of Ethiopia enjoy the most basic human rights ratified in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. To do this, we don't have to abandon our existing campaigns. However, we do need to supplement them with a sustained new approach that can undermine the legitimacy of TPLF repression, build up the moral authority and persuasiveness of our demands for democratic rights, and thereby enhance the dignity, respect and support for our struggle.
First, we need to get the prisoners of conscience released. For that we need immediate action, as I already have said it. Civil disobedience might also involve more indirect actions such as blockading of roads and public squares, hunger-striking etc If we see value in our dignity and are proud of ourselves as Ethiopians, then we should be prepared to publicly refuse to obey and to refuse to submit to the will of the local authorities. This should be organised regularly and over a long period of time.
Each and every one of us knows that the road to freedom is long. Hence, a single civil disobedience action is not sufficient to achieve our goals but we have to start somewhere. Many of you have read or even seen how the mass mobilization of African-Americans started in small-scale acts of civil disobedience in the 60s and sparked sustained civil rights campaigns. Although our objectives are not the same, we need to plan week to week actions in various cities and make sure that our actions constitute sustained civil disobedience activities to get the needed attention. We must make sure that our movements for human rights and for justice are acts of civil disobedience that are peaceful and polite while filled with commitment, are sustained and well coordinated in order to get our leaders released.
Having mentioned the need to act immediately in order to get our leaders released, we need also to think about long-term struggle against human rights abuse. There is, therefore, a need to substantially rethink how we can best put pressure on the US government and European Parliament and win the battle of public opinion. This is not a struggle to form a new ideological hegemony but to allow the people of Ethiopia enjoy the most basic human rights ratified in the Universal Declaration for Human Rights. To do this, we don't have to abandon our existing campaigns. However, we do need to supplement them with a sustained new approach that can undermine the legitimacy of TPLF repression, build up the moral authority and persuasiveness of our demands for democratic rights, and thereby enhance the dignity, respect and support for our struggle.
First, we need to get the prisoners of conscience released. For that we need immediate action, as I already have said it. Civil disobedience might also involve more indirect actions such as blockading of roads and public squares, hunger-striking etc If we see value in our dignity and are proud of ourselves as Ethiopians, then we should be prepared to publicly refuse to obey and to refuse to submit to the will of the local authorities. This should be organised regularly and over a long period of time.
Each and every one of us knows that the road to freedom is long. Hence, a single civil disobedience action is not sufficient to achieve our goals but we have to start somewhere. Many of you have read or even seen how the mass mobilization of African-Americans started in small-scale acts of civil disobedience in the 60s and sparked sustained civil rights campaigns. Although our objectives are not the same, we need to plan week to week actions in various cities and make sure that our actions constitute sustained civil disobedience activities to get the needed attention. We must make sure that our movements for human rights and for justice are acts of civil disobedience that are peaceful and polite while filled with commitment, are sustained and well coordinated in order to get our leaders released.
3 comments:
What a brilliant and courageous girl!!!
We are proud of you!
Oh
days are coming.
be brave
Hi Seblework
I have heard your interview with ethiopian radio by Ahmed Ali and I felt very sorry for not hearing you very well.
I want to help you with easy communication. Do you have a good internet access? If you have please try to use skype or yahoo messager. Any conversation via this services is very clear. Consider it when you make interview next time with anyone.
Good bless you and be strong.
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