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"This country, with its institutions, belongs to the people who inhabit it. Whenever they shall grow weary of the existing government, they can exercise their constitutional right of amending it, or the revolutionary right to dismember or overthrow it." Abraham Lincoln
Very "revolutionary" statement, but take a note -- that country "belongs to the people who inhabit it."
Second, the difference between "constitutional" and "revolutionary" rights. Constitutional comes first.
Now, about the government in Addis. I do not expect the individuals in power to go through some miraculous transformations, people do not change, usually. But that is not important, the rules of the game are more important. They all can be Marxists, but this is not the game they can play now. What I do expect that the government will be forced to share powers more and more. The division of powers is not an American invention, I rather see it as discovery. Ethiopia will follow the natural law of evolution, when government has to lose Legislative and Judicial powers over the nation, getting into Executive shape.
Regardless of the outcome of the elections, the government will have to share the power with the parliament. More and more every year. In Russia in 1993 the two came to the open clash. Yeltzin made the same mistake the communists made two years before, they thought the control over army guarantees control over country. Not anymore.
But why the clash? -- because there was no third leg; Russian Supreme Court was just a name and had no idea how to deal with the new (badly done) Constitution. The lack of the constitutional studies in Ethiopia is the same symptom of the future troubles. There are many problems with the text of it and the Parliament very soon will find it out.
I am not sure that Issayas understands how his mistake changed the entire disposition and directions in Ethiopian politics. His attacks on the government only make Ethiopia and Ethiopian society stronger, because this is precisely the opposition's point about a broad power-based government. In fact, the radical change in the government structure will make Ethiopia more successful in diplomacy and economy. Is that what he wants? Maybe he is an Ethiopian after all, although confused and sick who doesn't even understand what he is doing.
The 2000 elections will be different from the 1995 elections and mainly due to the war.
In order to exercise you constitutional rights you have to know it -- the constitution. I posted the existing Constitutional Committee @ http://angelfire.com/ak/sellassie/politics/constitution.html -- this is the future power, even if it is not today.
There is another not that visible power -- Addis Ababa Chamber of Commerce -- see http://angelfire.com/ak/sellassie/politics/commerce.html
They are in bed with the state Mafia, but they will grow independent.
If you will follow the links @ https://www.angelfire.com/ak/sellassie/politics/index.html
you will find the list of parties and members of the government and parliament and if you see the names which could be endorsed, please write your testimonials.
You can influence the 2000 elections more than you think.
Yours,
Anatoly G. Antohin
