To the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission: You Are Wasting Your Time and Everyone Else’s

Introduction

As things currently stand, there can be no genuine dialogue, no meaningful discussion, and certainly no real negotiation within the Ethiopian empire. This entity, by its very nature, is inherently resistant to peace-making, for it was designed to subjugate rather than to foster unity and coexistence. If peace is to be realized, the empire must collapse. However, this does not mean that a peaceful Ethiopia is impossible—it certainly can exist. But it must be reconstructed from the ground up as a fair and free federation or confederation, built upon the foundational principle of the freedom of nations, nationalities, and peoples who have been subjected to the cruelty of this empire.

This presupposes the dissolution of the current imperial framework, as no empire in history has been successfully patched up and reshaped into a genuine democracy. Any attempts to do so are not only futile but reflect a fundamental misunderstanding of the realities of empire and democracy. If Ethiopia is to be truly re-imagined, it must be reconstructed through the genuine free will and collective agreement of all its nations, nationalities, and peoples as equal stakeholders.

Three Reasons Why the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission Is Fundamentally Unfit for Its Purpose

Hereafter, the terms “you,” “your,” and “yours” will all refer to the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission.

1. You Lack Legitimacy

From the very beginning, your commission has been illegitimate. You were not established as an impartial entity but were handpicked by the very leader who presides over his own fraudulent elections. This alone disqualifies you from conducting a legitimate national dialogue. A body appointed by an authoritarian ruler, with no independent mandate or public confidence, cannot claim to be a neutral arbiter. Thus, you fail the impartiality test.

2. Your Process Is Not Inclusive

Your so-called “dialogue” does not include all the main stakeholders, with the explicit boycott by key political groups being a matter of public record and common knowledge. The exclusion of crucial voices, particularly those of the oppressed nations and nationalities, stems from the fact that you have not earned their trust. This lack of credibility means that major political and social actors refuse to participate in your process, rendering your dialogue ineffective, unrepresentative, and ultimately meaningless. Therefore, you fail the inclusivity test.

3. You Perpetuate a False Historical Narrative

The Commission is entrenched in a historical fallacy that distorts reality to serve a singular, exclusionary perspective. You do not explore alternative viewpoints or acknowledge historical truths that contradict the dominant narrative. Let us illustrate this with an example.

One of the most frequently invoked historical references in Ethiopia’s national discourse is the Battle of Adwa. You and members of parliament promote this event as a symbol of unity, glorifying it as a collective Ethiopian victory against foreign colonialism. However, there is another side to this history—one that you refuse to acknowledge. The victory at Adwa not only halted Italian colonial ambitions but also strengthened Emperor Menelik’s capacity to consolidate his empire and further subjugate the oppressed nations within today’s Ethiopia.

For Oromo nationalists and countless other historically oppressed groups, Adwa is not a source of shared national pride but a pivotal moment in their subjugation. Does this perspective shock you? If so, it reveals your deep-seated bias. The very fact that you dismiss this historical reality as anathema demonstrates your partiality. You do not even entertain the possibility that alternative narratives exist, let alone consider them as valid components of historical discourse.

Your unwillingness to expose and address these suppressed histories is evidence of the deep flaws in your approach. You are not interested in radical solutions that could bring real change; rather, you seek to reinforce a one-sided, exclusionary narrative that upholds the status quo.

The Myth of Ethiopia’s 3,000-Year History

You do not need to be a historian to recognize that the widely propagated claim of Ethiopia’s 3,000-year history is not even a century old. The name “Ethiopia” was only officially adopted by Haile Selassie in 193­1 and gained international recognition after World War II. This was not due to historical continuity but was, in fact, a diplomatic maneuver—a symbolic consolation prize for an empire that had suffered under Fascist Italian occupation following a long plea by Haile Selassie for recognition.

Thus, the assertion that Ethiopia has existed for 3,000 years is a historical fabrication. We have no objection to acknowledging Abyssinia’s long history, but it must also be recognized that other nations and nationalities within the empire—the Oromo, Somali, Sidama, Welayita, Afar, and many others—have histories that span several millennia as well. Your attempt to impose a single, convoluted, and exclusionary historical narrative is an outright distortion of reality, one that deliberately erases the diverse histories of Ethiopia’s many peoples.

To summarize the third point, you fail the historical accuracy test.

While the above critiques pertain specifically to you as a Commission, there exists a far deeper, more entrenched problem—one that makes your mission not only difficult but fundamentally futile. This challenge can be best described as The Elephant in the Room: The Ethiopian Empire’s Inherent Resistance to Peace. 

As emphasized at the outset, the Ethiopian empire, by its very design, is hostile to genuine peace. Let us explore this point in greater detail, without resorting to academic complexity, but in a way that ordinary people can understand.

If there is one fundamental principle that could guide humanity’s coexistence—whether in a relationship, a family unit, a community, a nation, or among different nations—what would it be? The answer is simple:
Mutual Respect Rooted in Empathy” (MRRE).

Why Is the MRRE Principle Essential?

The MRRE principle consists of two key components:

1. Mutual Respect

Respect acknowledges the inherent dignity, autonomy, and worth of every individual and community. Whether in a personal relationship, a society, or an international system, respect forms the foundation of trust, fairness, and cooperation. Without respect, relationships are built on coercion, domination, and exploitation, leading to conflict and resentment.

2. Rooted in Empathy

Empathy ensures that respect is not just a formal or intellectual exercise but a deeply felt understanding of others’ perspectives, emotions, and lived experiences. It bridges divisions, fosters compassion, and allows diverse groups to coexist in harmony.

Application of the MRRE Principle

The principle of Mutual Respect Rooted in Empathy applies at all levels:

1. Community Level – It fosters social cohesion, reduces prejudice, and promotes cooperation despite racial, cultural, religious, or ideological differences.

2. National and Multinational Level – It translates into respect for self-determination, sovereignty, human rights, and cultural diversity, while empathy fuels efforts toward peace, sustainable development, and solidarity.

If Ethiopia were to genuinely adopt the MRRE principle, it could build trust, understanding, and collective progress. But in its absence, coexistence remains transactional, power-driven, and conflict-ridden—exactly the state of Ethiopia today.

The Unanswered Question: Is Ethiopia Capable of MRRE?

The simple answer is NO.

When has Ethiopia ever accorded genuine respect and empathy to its oppressed nations and nationalities? The Eritrean struggle was met with decades of needless, bloody war—only for Eritrea to eventually gain its independence anyway. Now, history is repeating itself with Oromia. Oromos will achieve their freedom, but not before thousands of lives are needlessly lost, because the Ethiopian empire does not understand peace. It does not practice Mutual Respect Rooted in Empathy—it only understands force and coercion.

If the Ethiopian state truly valued respect and empathy, it would allow all nations within it to determine their own destiny freely. Instead of coercing them into a forced unity based on distorted historical narratives, it would allow them to make their own choices. Some might opt for federation, others for confederation, and some for complete sovereignty—and all of these choices should be respected.

The message is simple: do not decide for others through coercion and exclusion while simultaneously demanding their allegiance to a narrative that denies them their dignity.

Conclusion

Your commission is futile. You lack legitimacy, inclusivity, and historical accuracy. The Ethiopian empire, in its current form, is incapable of fostering peace because it refuses to embrace the Mutual Respect Rooted in Empathy (MRRE) principle. True peace can only be achieved when nations, nationalities, and peoples come together as equal partners, of their own free will—not through forced narratives, coercion, and exclusion.

However, this is not to say that the future is entirely bleak. Nations and nationalities do need each other for a common good—but only under conditions of free will and mutual respect. If they are allowed to determine their own destinies independently, the likelihood is that they will voluntarily come together for shared interests, as equal partners and stakeholders. Some may choose to remain in a federation, some in a confederation, and others may opt for full sovereignty—and none of these choices should be vilified. What must be rejected is the coercion of nations into a forced unity built on flawed narratives and historical distortions, while simultaneously denying them the dignity of self-determination and mutual respect.

The path forward is clear: respect the free will of nations, uphold historical truth, and replace coercion with genuine partnership. Anything less is a waste of time.


Thank you.

Galatoomaa.

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