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There is no gainsaying the fact that the aspiration to make certain enduring peace, democracy, and security needs the collaboration of each and every one residing under Ethiopian skies.
It is clear that unless everyone works together, achieving the desired goal will not be as easy as taking candy from a baby. In actuality, ensuring peace and security throughout the national territory requires the endeavors of the government and other stakeholders. Taking the aforesaid reality on the ground into account, pertinent bodies have been carrying out an enormous amount of effective strategies that can oil the wheels for peace and tranquility in all areas of the country.
As moving the country to the next level of accomplishment is unanticipated and unthinkable in the absence of peace, everyone has been pulling out all the stops to join hands with the intention of ensuring peace.
Peace is universally desired. It is not a matter of personal attitude alone, it is a question of establishing a new society founded on values, culture, and a way of life integral to peace at local, regional, or global levels. Peace can emerge from the kind of lifestyle and the type of value system that we cultivate among our children and grandchildren. It depends on the way we nourish or flourish the cultural traditions, according to sources.
No development can be effectively pursued without an assured and durable environment of peace and security. Earlier, it was argued that "if you want peace, prepare for war," but now it must be "if we want peace, prepare for peace." "We need to remember that preparing for peace is the most effective means of preserving peace." War must be unconditionally rejected, and peace must be promoted.
Notwithstanding the fact that the whole thing has been moving in the right direction, some naysayers have continued dragging the prevailing reality on the ground through the mud. As the country has been dedicated to making peace and tranquility happen, every Tom, Dick, and Harry should combine efforts with the government.
As the country is stepping in the right direction, the wider international community should stand by the side of the government to smooth the path of making peace happen at the earliest possible time. In the present climate, the federal government has been discharging a wide spectrum of tasks to conduct a national dialogue on a national scale. In actuality, it is expected that the national dialogue will play a paramount role in sowing the seeds of peace in every corner of the country
It is common knowledge that Ethiopia has played a paramount role in effectuating the Pretoria peace accord. Since the signing of the Pretoria peace accord, there have been tangible changes. Besides restoring peace, the peace deal has paved the way for the unfettered delivery of sought-after humanitarian aid. The restoration of basic services has also been carried out smoothly. And, the resolve of the federal government has been vital in making the grand deal effective.
As things currently stand, the federal government has been assisting the progress of the reintegration of former fighters into society with a focus on making them lead a harmonious and meaningful life. In addition to providing the former combatants with appropriate rehabilitation, which is vital to their existence, pertinent bodies have been greasing the skid for the disarmament and reintegration of TPLF fighters to the society. As it is impossible to take the country to new heights in the absence of all segments of society, they will be made to be part and parcel of development-related activities.
Immediately after the peace deal, both parties have begun putting the peace implementation into effect in accordance with the terms of the deal. In the aftermath of the commitment and determination of the federal government, they have been paving the way for the reinstating of essential services, smoothing the path of humanitarian assistance, and other things of a similar kind.
Subsequent to the peace deal, Ethiopia has sustained buttressing bilateral engagement and collaboration with various nations in various parts of the world, focusing on economic, political, and social matters in accordance with mutual respect and common interests.
Despite a considerable amount of unjustified pressure on the country from Ethiopia's adversaries working persistently to twist Ethiopia's arm and breach its sovereignty, the people of Ethiopia, in the fullness of time, turned out to be triumphant over their enemies. At this very moment, various nations have kicked off assisting the progress of diplomatic relations with quite a lot of nations worldwide on quite a lot of matters.
In a similar vein, the federal government of Ethiopia has been carrying out various activities to conduct national dialogue on a national scale down the road. On the subject of the issue, various bodies at different stages have been forwarding their feelings, ideas, and thoughts.
Tagesse Chaffo, Speaker of the House of People's Representatives lately on the topic of the issue, said that active participation of the general public is vital in the upcoming national dialogue process to realize lasting peace and national unity. So far, the activities of the Ethiopian National Dialogue Commission are encouraging.
The commission should strengthen its efforts to ensure inclusivity in the remaining preparation period so as to make the dialogue achieve its goal. All citizens have to actively take part in the national dialogue. Ethiopia set up the dialogue to bring lasting peace and national harmony through consensus. The engagement of all segments of society at all levels is vital to entertain diversified ideas and to achieve the goal of the dialogue.
In a previous interview with The Ethiopian Herald Asrat Asale, Peace and Security studies expert said, "Building sustainable peace and ensuring security is a complex and ongoing process that requires long-term commitment and collaboration among many stakeholders and the community at large. As peace and stability is core in offering a number of opportunities to personal growth, and an instrument to let people pursue their goals and aspirations, and enjoy a sense of safety, nurturing it through constructive fashion is fundamental.
Peace is not simply the absence of conflict, though the absence of conflict is certainly part of peace. True peace encompasses more than just the absence of violence or war. Peace is a state of harmony, tranquility, and mutual understanding among individuals, groups, or the community.
Peace involves resolving conflicts in a nonviolent and constructive manner, addressing the root causes of disagreements, and promoting cooperation and empathy. Peace also involves fostering cultural understanding and respect, promoting sustainable development, and ensuring access to basic necessities such as food, water, and healthcare. There are negative and positive peace ideals. Negative peace is the absence of direct violence or overt conflict. It is characterized by the absence of war, physical aggression, or open hostilities between individuals, groups, or nations.
Whereas positive peace goes beyond the absence of violence and seeks to address the root causes of conflicts, promote justice, and build sustainable peace. It involves creating the conditions that foster social harmony, cooperation, and the well-being of individuals and communities. A number of nations around the world have experienced negative peace ideals through the use of power, but none of them can realize sustainable peace and stability. The crucial role of the government, the elites, and the general public is to safeguard peace and security rather than spend time applying negative ideals.
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The other thing is that journalists should attach importance to peace journalism in view of the fact that it plays a huge role in ensuring peace all over the country. If all journalists are on familiar terms with inside-out journalism and act accordingly, bringing about lasting peace cannot be difficult.
Conflict reporting and framing by media outlets and the ripple effect has been a subject of great interest to conflict resolution scholars and experts, governments and all parties to a conflict. The question of how media can be an agent of peace without compromising objectivity has always been the argument when journalists and conflict scholars meet at around table. Peace journalism is possible when editors and reporters make choices of what stories to report and about how to report them that create opportunities for society at large to consider and value non-violent response to conflict, according to an article.
The pros of peace journalism have long been recognized by conflict management scholars, with opponents of the said concept coming out strongly to defend objectivity in media reporting when peace journalism is practiced. However, numerous conflicts are now happening globally, with conflict management experts raising concerns over the role of media in conflict management and escalation.
Editor's Note: The views entertained in this article do not necessarily reflect the stance of The Ethiopian Herald
