IF YOU CAN’T LOVE US, FEAR US

By Edomiya Girmay Published on December 05, 2024

They’ve always told us what’s wrong. They raised us with their rules and their explanations for chaos, but we never really understood why things had to be this way. Year after year, it’s only grown worse. The hate, the disappointment, the cruelty—they get bolder, more in-your-face. We see it everywhere now.

We've been raised to see division. Taught that our neighbors, our fellow Ethiopians, are somehow enemies because of the stories passed down to us. How often have we been told that Tigray "betrayed" the nation, that the Amhara "oppressed" the Oromo, or that the Oromo were “outsiders”? These are not just political divisions; they are narratives that have festered for years, turning us against each other.We say we want peace. We say we want life. We want to survive. But these aren’t questions anymore — they’re demands.

Demands that rise in the hearts of every young person today. We are tired. Tired of pretending everything’s fine. Tired of constantly having to survive. Tired of carrying the weight of hatred you gave us. you couldn't love us,

A young girl named Nyela Doukouré once said

But here's the truth no one wants to face: it's not just the government alone. This is us too. We allowed hatred to creep in. We believed the lies, and we destroyed ourselves because of them. Think about it—how did a nation with such a rich history and such vibrant culture fall so far? A country never colonized, yet we have allowed external hate to seep into our hearts, turning us against each other.

Look at what we’ve become. More than millions of people have died in the war between Tigray and Amhara brothers fighting brothers, families divided, and communities torn apart. And for what? I can understand what you can say, but just think about it. We fought. because someone said so.

And now, we have this: Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, once a city meant for all Ethiopians, now turned into a battleground for those who want to claim it as their own. It’s no longer about who belongs here; it's about who can dominate, who can control.

The city, the land, has become another casualty of our divisions. And here’s the irony: religion, faith, teachings—these things were supposed to keep us from turning into monsters. They were supposed to remind us that death comes for us all and that doing evil wouldn’t bring peace.

But what happened instead? It fueled more cruelty. It made us worse. Life is short, so why not make others cry, right? Why not hurt, destroy, and leave scars while you still can? But this has to stop. It should have stopped a long time ago. By now, if you were thinking clearly, you would have realized that people weren’t created to destroy. We were created to be good, to make good.

But somewhere along the way, you forgot that. And let’s not forget we’ve turned the beautiful, strong women of our land into victims, raping, killing, and brutalizing them. So would I offend you if I question or call you, you can say confront? You are the problem Not the government alone. You heard me; you are the cause of the chaos that kills, destroys, and hunts us down. You are killing us, and the saddest part is that you know it — and you don’t stop. Isn’t it obvious by now that you do this for sport?

What kind of future are we building if we continue down this path? What kind of nation will we leave for our children if we can't stop this cycle of hatred and violence? We need time now to reflect on the path we’ve taken and where it’s leading us. This isn’t just personal. This is something the entire country needs. A moment of silence. A pause to understand what we’ve become.

But here's the thing: it's not too late. We can change this. It must stop now. The youth and everyone are waking up, seeing the truth, and they are done.

Done with your hate. Done with your destruction. There are only a few people who want to keep destroying, keep killing, and keep changing us into something we’re not. But whether you like it or not, the world is evolving. Time is changing, and so are we. The real battle is not with the government. It’s with us. The people. We’ve looked to the government for protection, but we know now: no one will save us except ourselves. We are the ones who must break this cycle. We are the ones who must protect one another.

If we can’t protect one another, if we can’t stand together as Ethiopians, then we have no future. We’ve allowed hatred to turn us into something we are not. And if we don’t start thinking critically, if we don’t start saying no when we’re told to harm, we’ll only see more of the same—and it will be worse.

It’s time to look in the mirror and ask: How did we contribute to this? It’s time to choose differently. The future of Ethiopia depends on us—on whether we choose unity over division, peace over hatred, and understanding over fear. So, if I have to warn you, manipulate you into seeing what’s coming, here it is: Time will end you. Nature itself is tired of you. The land, the earth, the very forces you’ve abused—they will finish you. And we — the young — will be the ones to spit you out.

#If you can’t love us, teach us, or provide for us, then you should fear us

Because we are done. Done with your hate. Done with your destruction.

Edomiya Girmay

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