By Teodros Kiros ( Ph.D.)
This piece continues ideas which I introduced in Tiigay and Vision and also my recent interview in African Ascent International.
I appeal to the existing leaders of the government of Tigray to open the public sphere to those who have invested years of their life journey to specialize in their fields of study,. This flaw will have devastating consequences for the development of Tigray, now that Tigray’s infrastructure has been destroyed. Restoring this infrastructure will need thinkers and strategists from the masses and specialists more than ever before.
The remaking of Tigray requires a new vision. Gone is the time when Tigrean leaders were chosen on the ground that they have fought in the battle field. Of course, I admire that service. That however is only one criteria. There are other criteria which must be seriously considered. I will mention a few.
The first is ideas.
Miliary service should also be based on the appropriate miliary knowledge which supplements knowledge born out of the practice of fighting. One learns to be a General by practice and theoretical knowledge, which in turn is passed on to the militia,
as is being done, which I applaud, so that Tigreans could defend themselves. I thank the Generals for doing this important work, but even the Generals, I am sure, will agree with me, will benefit from the wisdom of thinkers, to supplement what they know. The great Machiavelli was an advisor to leaders. We too must nurture this new vision. We need to develop able advisors, based on a demonstrated ability and record to advise.
Ideas about the human sciences and natural sciences require experts. This knowledge cannot be carried out by loyalists only. That old model has destroyed Tigray. What we need now is mature thinkers who should be encouraged to speak truthfully and challenge the administrators.
We must revise our educational curriculum and train our children to think freely and allow them to challenge us, so that they grow to become the fierce and mature thinkers for whom I am advocating.
Let a million ideas blossom. Let all those who think deeply among the masses flourish. Let them speak and be a source of data and natural insights inside their rational hearts, the dwelling place of the Transcendent.
It is not enough to design committees, where original ideas do not germinate, but becomes a site of circulating old ideas, which go nowhere.
The leaders of Tigray should not feel threatened by the critically educated not because they have degrees, but because they think deeply and courageously, and love their Let them think freely. Invite them to contribute. Assign them to positions where they can serve effectively.
Ignoring them as we are thinking to create a New Tigray will have dire consequences. The possibility of making the Joint agreement successful, and it can be, requires the participation of the learned, the wise, the decent, compassionate, empathetic and above all those who are in love with wisdom and the Good. The previous regime has tried this and it failed after twenty seven years of notable success. It could have succeeded even more, if the party was not manned by careerists.
We have to put an end to this and let new parties guided by new ideas flourish, or else, Tigray will fail again and I hate to see this and I am appealing to Tigrean leaders to take this idea seriously. Let us work together for the Good of Tigray, the victim of genocide.
There cannot be growth without intellectual battle in the form of differences communicated through the best argument, free of domination. Let the argument win and invite able intellectuals and the naturally wise among the Tigrean people, who could articulate these arguments to the public sphere in town hall meetings and conferences, or else, we will remain backward and eventually perish
I will humbly develop this thought further in future reflections.