The horrendous events that transpired in eastern Ethiopia the previous weekend have grave political ramifications for the whole of Ethiopia. The mind-numbing killing, maiming and vandalizing of the properties of innocent compatriots in the Somali regional state constitute one of the darkest chapters in Ethiopia’s recent history.

A country which is not a nation of laws is bound to be riven by conflict. This is particularly true when the country happens to be in the midst of a political transition. Nowadays the constant headlines about conflicts, death and destruction in different parts of Ethiopia are unsettling its people.

A surefire way of extricating Ethiopia from the centuries-old quagmire it’s mired in is to develop a set of thinking befitting the times and is anchored in the national interest.

Ethiopia is presently undergoing a transition in its history the likes of which it has rarely experienced. Its citizens must contribute their share if the transition is to be peaceful, democratic and institutionalized.

There is a saying that goes, “Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host.”  It’s the responsibility of this generation to erase decades of hatred and vindictiveness with love and forgiveness.

Any observer following contemporary Ethiopian politics appreciates that the future holds welcome opportunities.

First we would like to express our condolences on the death of two compatriots following a grenade attack during the massive rally held at Meskel Square on June 23 in the center of Addis Ababa to show appreciation and support for Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed (PhD).

The worst of the plethora of diseases that has been afflicting Ethiopia’s political culture for decades now is the unwillingness to listen to each other.

The decision of the Executive Committee of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) decided last week to unconditionally implement the December 12, 2000 Algiers Agreement, which formally ended the 1998 to 2000 war between Ethiopia and Eritrea, and the decision of the neutral Eritrea Ethiopia Boundary Commission (EE BC) caught Ethiopians completely off guard.

It goes without saying that if a nation is to thrive as a cohesive polity its survival must never be compromised. And its peace and stability should never be used as a pawn to settle political scores.