Friday 7 December 2012

President Girma's Letter: Slip of the Mind or the Tongue?

                                                President Girma WoldeGiorgisGoogle picture

Since his coronation in October 2001, the President of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, Girma WoldeGiorgis, has been ‘playing’ at the background of the political scene. He is occasionally seen on ETV, receiving ambassadors and inaugurating the start and finish of projects. Luck has him that he was given a second term in office in October 2007. His term will technically end in October 2013.   

Having this as a background, I want to focus on the president’s take of the reconciliation efforts underway between the two EOTC synods. In his letter addressed to the patriarch abroad, he clearly highlighted the need to merge the two synods through reinstating Abune Merkorios to his position in Addis. In a separate letter addressed to the acting Patriarch in Ethiopia, Abune Natanael, the president requested the synod there to make a decision to reinstate Abune Merkorios as patriarch.


But then came a big surprise; that the president forsook his letters and made it clear via VOA that he wrote the letters out of sheer pressure, emotion, and hastiness. Dubbing the letters unconstitutional, the president’s office indicated the need to write another letter. Accordingly, the letter will clarify important points, among which one that Abune Merkorios would be allowed to compete for the position. 

For sure, these developments have great national ramifications which warrant further reflection. I believe the issues are too big to be forgotten easily. First, I briefly discuss how the president’s letters are unconstitutional. Second, I try to identify the motives behind writing the letters. Third, attempt is made to explain potential rationales behind renouncing the letters. Finally, I explain how the letter yet to come from the president’s office is again plainly unconstitutional.

Legal Stance

The Ethiopian constitution clearly maintains that religion and government are entirely different entities and hence one should not intervene in another’s affairs. Although he is not technically affiliated to EPRDF, the president holds the government’s highest position. His office should and could not interfere with EOTC’s internal affairs, such as the choice of patriarch. His letters addressed to the leaders of the two synods brutally breached the constitution. Although not a direct order, the letters powerfully requested the two leaders to create unity via making Abune Merkorios the next EOTC patriarch.

In fact, there will not come any stronger letter from a government official than these ones. Several EOTC believers and some media however appeared to cheer the president for his courage and positive thinking. They argued that his letters were nothing less and more than reflecting the holy wishes and beliefs of a believer to see a united synod. I also believe that the church does not need and cannot afford two synods. There was no problem if an ordinary person or a minor government official publicly expressed this sort of personal wish. Politically catastrophic was when the same wish came from the highest government office. So the president’s letters, no matter how well intentioned they were, were precisely speaking unconstitutional. If so, why the president dared to write the letters in the first place?

The Motives 

According to the president’s VOA interviews, he believed that Abune Merkorios was forced to leave his office by the former PM Tamirat Layne. And he thought that bringing Abune Merkorios back to the now open position was the surest way to unite the church. This cause seems plausible and noble though purely unconstitutional. This sort of behavior of politicians must be condemned by the strongest possible terms as it invites nepotism, corruption, and inequality, and compromises national interest and well-being. 

But then came the ugly justification; president Girma argued that his letters were writen out of sheer pressure (from a committee who works for reconciliation), hastiness, and emotion. To me, this is totally unconvincing, immature, emotional, and belittles the office he assumes. How could a president make as grand a decision as this one based on such grounds? The real motive of writing the two letters must be explained by the president’s personal will and belief to see EOTC united. By doing so, he wanted to erect a monument for himself on the landscape of Ethiopian history. Quest for personal belief and/or fame versus external pressure, hastiness and emotion might probably explain the president’s motive. If this is so, why did he renounce his own letters in just no more than 24 hours?

Why Renounce?

The president indicated that his letters brought unwanted effects and complications. He did not explain the specific complications but he indicated that Abune Natanael vehemently opposed the intention, citing the independence of the church from the government. I must accept that the Abune might complain about the rude intervention and I highly appreciate that. This must be emulated by all the bishops of both synods.

One thing should be made clear though. That Abune Natanael’s criticism of Girma did not imply that he was not accepting Abune Merkorios as patriarch. In fact, the Abune has been relentlessly working toward bringing reconciliation between the synods. He even made a phone call to Abune Merkorios and invited him to enter the country and church he left behind. He opposed the president’s letter because it could leave the door open for possible future government interference. He rightly thought that an interference which appeared positive or holly for now could bring unabated and unwanted interferences in the times ahead. To me, Abune Natanael’s opposition was logical, constitutional, spiritual, and educative.

The president failed to acknowledge the other part of the equation though. Was it Abune Natanael only who opposed his move? I do not think so. As the letters were copied to key government offices, it might be that top officials were surprised and shocked by the letter for two reasons. One, the letters clearly acknowledged the fact that Abune Merkorios was forced to leave his position. The government could in no terms publicly accept this fact. Two, the letters breached the part of the constitution that preaches the independence of religion and state. To me, what forced Girma to renounce his letters was primarily the pressure he received from the top politicians. In his Friday VOA interview, Abune Natanael made it clear that the government was also against the president’s intentions. The sort of complications the president lamented actually emanated from the top echelon of the political apparatus.  

Another Letter

The hilarious thing is that the president’s spokesperson indicated to VOA that the office will write another letter which among other things would indicate the fact that Abune Merkorios has the right and the possibility to run for the patriarchate office. That means, the office is to remind Abune Merkorios that he could nominate himself as one of the candidates who bid for the patriarchate office. The original letters were renounced mainly by resorting to the constitution. Is it constitutional for a government office to tell an Abune the possibility to run for the church’s highest post? If inviting Abune Merkorios to take the office is unconstitutional, how about nominating him for the competition? To me, this is as bad as, or even much worse, than inviting Abune Merkorios to re-assume the position without competition. 

Concluding Remarks    

EOTC is a big institution having its own rules and rigors when it comes to the choice and management of patriarchs. It has competent workforce and the moral and spiritual strength to deal with its own affairs. The division of the synod is a result of political maneuvering. It seriously challenged the church for the last twenty years. Although unconstitutional, president Girma advised for unity via reinstating Abune Merkorios to his abandoned position. To me, the president talked his mind through his letters. Deep inside his head subsists the truth- to allow Abune Merkorios to take the position once and for all. But for political reasons, he finally retreated from the truth and decided to talk emotional and immature. That effectively kills his already troubled image as head of state. Had this happened elsewhere, it would have instantly called for public apology and then resignation. For EOTC, nothing is more edifying and fulfilling than creating genuine unity between the synods at any cost.    

8 comments:

  1. ¨For EOTC, nothing is more edifying and fulfilling than creating genuine unity between the synods at any cost.¨
    I agree with this fact.

    ReplyDelete
  2. ¨For EOTC, nothing is more edifying and fulfilling than creating genuine unity between the synods at any cost.¨
    I agree with this fact.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hello Ato Teklu.
    I read your article regarding the letter President Girma wrote about EOTC reconciliation.
    I admire your concern for the division in the church. I also share your view that the synod should resolve its problems and establish its unity at any cost.
    But I am puzzled by your passionate opposition to the president's letter on the ground that it violates the constitution which establishes the separation of church and state. When I heard the president's VOA interview, I was laughing like a crazy person even as I walk the streets by myself. It is the most childish and immature act I have ever known. But as silly as the president's act is, violation of the constitution is the one thing I have not even considered for a minute until I read your article. May be I am shallow, but it does not cross my mind to be serious about a document which has been violated on a daily basis by its own writers. Atleast, I do not expect constitutional fidelity from the president whose power we all know is nominal both by law and practically.

    But it loos like you still take the constitution seriously. I have long stopped thinking in that direction. That is why it is puzzling to me.

    Thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  4. That is true. Let the Almighty allow us to see the unity.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Dear Mr. Abate,


    Greetings,


    I read you article in regards to Ethiopian Orthodox Church, slip of mouth of the President of Ethiopia. For heaven sake, can't you take that he is an old guy, and intention is to make peace in b/n the two group in this matter. Unless you want to capitalize the case and take to another level or want to use for political activity, the case should be ended up when the President ask excuse. Every single move to grab the power not for teaching the nation the truth. A church leader should be in the country and fought for truth instead of asking asylum and start to lead his life as a second citizen period.
    Don't to try to make business out of this. Use your time to produce fruitful thing for you and for the nation. Capitalize simple thing and try to get honey out it is shameful.
    Will leave you hear for your conscious
    Stay in blessing

    ReplyDelete
  6. Hello! I just wanted to ask if you ever have any trouble with hackers?
    My last blog (wordpress) was hacked and I ended up
    losing many months of hard work due to no back up. Do you have any
    methods to prevent hackers?
    Feel free to surf my web-site :: nude girls

    ReplyDelete
  7. This is a good piece and your strong rejection of government intereference should send a strong signal that the people are aware of their constitutional rights that the people leading them. But we need to teach more people to understand their constituition. I hope ESAt will open a program on consitutional awareness and what the government realy does. Mostly government used constitution to earn aid money and may have forgotten it or may be they just copy and paste other constitutions.


    Anyways, other people must really step up attack on negligence of government on its own constitution.

    Scholars need to say more on this. It may be a small mishap but it is really big lesson. I hope opposition should unite against President Girma and demand his resignation.

    I also believe you should post this article on other websites that give a chance to leave comments. I am a Muslim but I think this kind of dialogue will unite all of us in the 21 century.

    Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The points raised are of immense importance for the rule of the law in Ethiopia.President Girma should apologise and resign to heal on what he transgressed by violating the constitution.If he can not uphold the constitution as a torch bearer,he should not preach about the rule of law in our country.He,by declaring grave mishaps at that level, is rubber stamping preceedence to denegrate the constitution.His advisors should also apologise and leave the palace.By ill advising him they are supplying bullets to the religious exteremists to justify alleged government intereference in religious matters.

    ReplyDelete

Who will Win: Fano or the Government?

  The government's war for "disarmament" in the Amhara region has become much more   complicated than everyone’s expectation. ...