The Role of National Consensus and Reconciliation Practices for Peace in Ethiopia: Pathways for Sustainable Peace in Ethiopia.
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Date
2020-06
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Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Ethiopia is undergoing massive political reform since April 2018. However, the sustainability of
this political reform is depending on to what extent the reform is capable of identifying and
addressing major national issues through national consensus and reconciliation. The study aims
at exploring the major national consensus agenda and the need for national reconciliation at one
hand and the effective implementation of the political reforms initiated in Ethiopia to build
sustainable peace. The qualitative research methodology was employed and semi-structured indepth interviews with key informants were conducted. The key informants are selected purposely
from different professions and political affiliation. The data collected from all interviews were
analyzed through critical discourse analysis and secondary data had been analyzed
systematically. The study explored that the FDRE constitution, federalism, institutional
independence, democratic system, national flag, national emblem, national heroes, economic
model or economic policy, privatization, government interference in the market and the issue of
equal distribution of resources, political culture, culture of tolerance, and promoting cultural
identity are major national issues that should be addressed through national consensus. On the
other hand, historical narratives, past regimes injustice and the issue of social cohesions,
political and economic marginalization, ethnic extremism, and the issue of boundary
demarcation are major national issues that should be solved through national reconciliation in
order to bring sustainable peace in Ethiopia. The available legal, policy and institutional
frameworks are enough to conduct national consensus and reconciliation to bring fruitful
outcomes. Despite critical challenges, the current political reform also has the potential to
transform the fragility of Ethiopia situation into consolidated democracy and able to build
sustainable peace. The medemer discourse, on the other hand, is one of the most important
principles of togetherness, unity, and forgiveness that bridges the horizontal relationship among
the societies and brings sustainable peace in Ethiopian. The general public is willing to address
the national issues through national consensus and reconciliation but the political elites are
manipulating their political interest over national issues. The national consensus and
reconciliation model of Tunisia, South Africa, and Rwanda are the best models that the
reconciliation commission of Ethiopia should take into consideration to bring successful
outcomes.
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Keywords
National consensus, National reconciliation, National dialogue, sustainable peace, political reform.