The Intimidated voter and the 2010 Ethiopian Election
26 May, 2010 | By Teodros Kiros (Ph.D)
Freedom is to democracy as breathing is to life. Where there is no
freedom, there is no democracy.
the process of the voting itself was oppressive. That voters were harassed,
bribed, frightened and forced to vote, if they wanted to eat and live.
They were given a choice between starvation and pseudo voting. Those who
voted chose life over death.
The struggle for hegemony begins now, as Medrek plans the future, five years
from now, as this election has come and gone.
We yet have to sense the pulse of the Ethiopian poors, who yet have to tell us
what they want, what they need and how best to attain it. The 2010 election
did not allow them either to participate or deliberate. They did neither. They
were intimidated and threatened not to vote their conscience.
They have gone back to their tin houses to die, without knowing how and
when. They did not dare to dream for a better future. They are too hungry to
sleep and dream.
For now they count stars, late at night huddled like frightened rats.
Brothers and sisters, do not worry, only plan and fight. Medrek is there to
continue the fight for cultural hegemony.
Your condition is not permanent. No condition is permanent.
Dr. Teodros Kiros, is a Senior Editor at Ethio Quest News. His weekly
column appear here
26 May, 2010 | By Teodros Kiros (Ph.D)
Freedom is to democracy as breathing is to life. Where there is no
freedom, there is no democracy.
- The recent election in Ethiopia
is a paradigmatic example of a
so-called revolutionary
democracy, without freedom,
the freedom of the intimidated
voter, who neither voted her
conscience nor engaged her
political imagination.
- The point of the election is not
the process of the voting itself was oppressive. That voters were harassed,
bribed, frightened and forced to vote, if they wanted to eat and live.
They were given a choice between starvation and pseudo voting. Those who
voted chose life over death.
The struggle for hegemony begins now, as Medrek plans the future, five years
from now, as this election has come and gone.
We yet have to sense the pulse of the Ethiopian poors, who yet have to tell us
what they want, what they need and how best to attain it. The 2010 election
did not allow them either to participate or deliberate. They did neither. They
were intimidated and threatened not to vote their conscience.
They have gone back to their tin houses to die, without knowing how and
when. They did not dare to dream for a better future. They are too hungry to
sleep and dream.
For now they count stars, late at night huddled like frightened rats.
Brothers and sisters, do not worry, only plan and fight. Medrek is there to
continue the fight for cultural hegemony.
Your condition is not permanent. No condition is permanent.
Dr. Teodros Kiros, is a Senior Editor at Ethio Quest News. His weekly
column appear here
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