Mereja.Forum

[ethioscience]

There is a tragic irony in watching a retired professor of law apparently retire from his principles at the same time.

For years, Al lectured Ethiopians about democracy, human rights, the rule of law and moral responsibility. Under the TPLF, he found his voice easily. He wrote lengthy commentaries condemning authoritarianism and invoking American democracy, universal rights and the dignity of the Ethiopian people.

Today, apparently, those principles come with an expiration date.

Now that a different regime holds power, the former critic increasingly sounds like its public-relations department: achievements are celebrated, while war, civilian suffering, allegations of grave human-rights abuses and the continuing conflict in Amhara somehow struggle to receive the same moral outrage.

What happened to the professor who taught us that power must be held accountable?

Democracy is not democracy only when your opponents are governing. Human rights are not human rights only when your political enemies violate them. And the rule of law does not suddenly become optional because you approve of the man sitting in the palace.

A professor of law should understand this better than anyone.

Supporting a government is perfectly legitimate. Becoming intellectually blind to its failures while continuing to present yourself as a defender of democratic values is something entirely different.

Perhaps the most uncomfortable question for Al is therefore very simple:

Did Ethiopia change—or did your principles change when the government changed?

Because principles that apply only to your political opponents are not principles.

They are politics dressed up as morality.

And after spending a career speaking about democracy and the rule of law, becoming a mouthpiece for political power would be a rather unfortunate final chapter to one’s intellectual legacy.

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