Hiiraan Online

Ethiopia PM Dr. Abiy Ahmed

We, the Ethiopian Somali Democratic Council, has been in euphoric mood to witness the nomination and confirmation of Dr. Abiy Ahmed peacefully so that we will see the sustaining of economic prosperity, peaceful atmosphere and sustainability of governance  that had been asserted in the last twenty seven years.

The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) government elected Dr. Abiy Ahmed as its new party Chairman to replace the outgoing Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn. While Dr. Abiy’s election answered the question of who replaced  Hailemariam, it was a genuine effort by reformists within the regime to address the demands of the Ethiopian people. In other words, Ethiopia’s ruling coalition elected a new chairman and in a major shift in leadership that could also ease persistent unrest in the last three years in  our country  that is dubbed previous years as one of Africa’s fastest-growing economies.

It’s no secret that Dr. Abiy’s election comes at a critical time in Ethiopian history. However, Ethiopia has had worse situations than these ones and we, Ethiopian Somali Democratic Council, is hoping that the newly elected Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed will overcome the obstacles, will restore peace and tranquility and strengthen the institution check and balance. The tensions also reverberated well beyond Ethiopia’s borders, threatening its status as an anchor of stability and foreign investment in East Africa and its role as a key U.S. ally in the region.

Since its inception, Ethiopian Somali Democratic Council has been operating under a firm principle of working collaboratively with change agents from any quarter as long as genuine democracy is their end game. At the same time, until the transition from Derg dictatorial regime to Federal system becomes a reality, we urge the Ethiopian people who have paid immense sacrifice to continue their determined and just struggle for freedom, justice, and democracy in a peaceful manner. We oppose the arm struggles that have waged from neighboring countries to destabilize the peaceful, economic and political component of our country.

We stand ready to support the government’s rapid implementation of democratic and economic reforms and look forward to the peaceful .Our ethnic group, known as the Somali, maintaining they have been systematically excluded from power and we are asking the newly elected Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed to introduce a political program to annul the associate (agarr) that has stifled the aspiration of Ethiopian Somali, Gambela, Afar and Benshengul.

As my people from all corner have succinctly pointed out, as he takes over the Prime Minister’s Office as of this week, Dr. Abiy should embark on chartering the transition by:

1) Annul the agar (associate) statue immediately.
2) Release all political prisoners held in Somali Region prison particularly Bashir Muktal and throughout the country immediately.
3) Call for a national reconciliation and an inclusive dialogue with all political groups immediately.
4) Repealing legislation and rebuilding institutions which are repressive and stifle dissent, including the anti-terrorism laws, intelligence, military, election boards, judiciary sectors and others.
5) Reform institutions such as intelligence, military, election boards, judiciary sectors and others immediately.
6) Allow independent investigation by international agencies such as UN special rapporteurs into atrocities, killings, and tortures that are perpetrated on civilians by the government security forces in the Somali Region for the last ten years.
7) Bringing all the intelligence, military and political authorities who are responsible for perpetrating atrocities to justice with special emphasis to those associated the Liyu police and military generals’ attacks across from the Somali region.