A conceptual framework
By Berhanu Mengistu
2014/15

Background
Mediation or Shemeglena , is a common intervention method of peacemaking in the Ethiopian tradition.

Shemeglena, lacks some basic factors such as impartiality, neutrality and a modern version of ethical conduct. The factors lacking can be easily remediated in basic workshops facilitated by a trained mediator.

The Ethiopian political system is complicated both as framed by the constitution and as practiced in the governing process.

A clear understanding of both, is one of the fundamental prerequisites for pursuing a potentially successful mediation work.

Memorandum

Date: February 28, 2006
To: The Ethiopian Mediation Team: Shemageles
From: Professor Sisay Asefa and Berhanu Mengistu
Re: Proposed Meeting

We are sending this memo to all of you contacted by Professors Sisay Asefa and Berhanu Mengistu, in response to your interest and willingness to serve as a mediating group to help facilitate in the resolution of the current conflict between the Ethiopian government and the opposition political parties. We thank you all for your willingness to serve as one of the concerned Ethiopian professionals committed to peace, development, stability, and democracy. None of the members are associated as members of any Ethiopian political party.

The aim of the group is to serve as “Shemageles” or elders as in the great tradition of Ethiopians and their communities who practiced peacemaking over generations in situations where there is conflict that may have adverse impact on all the parties concerned. We are writing today to propose the first organization meeting of the Mediation Group. We would like to suggest that we meet on Saturday, March 18, 2006, in the Washington DC area. Details of the venue will follow in the near future. Given the urgency of the situation, we would like to know as soon as possible if you will be able to attend the meeting on the proposed date. Members can arrive on Friday or Saturday morning; the first meeting is scheduled from 1– 5:00 PM with appropriate breaks. This meeting may continue into late evening or extend to an early meeting on Sunday morning to finalize last-minute details.

ቀን፡ጥቅምት ፱፣ ፳፻፱ አ. ም.

ለመድረክ ጽ/ቤት

ከመግባባትን ገንቢ የኢትዮጵያ መድረክ(መገኢመ)
ዋሽንግቶን ዲሲ
አሜሪካ

ጉዳዩ፡ መ ገኢመን ስለማስተዋወቅና በኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ ባሉ በተለያዩ የፖለቲካ አማራጭ ሀይሎችና በመንግሰት
መካከል ሀገራዊ ውይይት ( National dialogue) ማስጀመርን ይመለከታል፡፡

በቅድሚያ የከበረ ሰላምታን እያቀረብን፣ ከወዲሁ ለሀገራችን ኢትዮጵያ ሰላምን፣ ፍቅርን፣ መረጋጋትን ብሎም
ብልጽግናናን እንዲሰጥልን የጠበቀ ምኞታችንንና ጽኑ ፍላጎታችንን እንገልጻለን። በመቀጠልም የመገኢመን አላማና
ማንንታችን በጥቂቱ ከዚህ በታች አንገልጻለን።

መግባባትን ገንቢ የኢትዮጵያ መድረክ (መገኢመ) በኢትዮጵያ ዘላቂ ሰላም ፍትህ ዴሞክራሲና ልማት እንዲዳብር
ባለድርሻ አካላትን በማቀራረብና በማወያየት በመካከላቸዉ መግባባትና መቻቻል እንዲኖር ለማድረግ በሚል መርህ
ተመርኩዞ እ.አ. አ. 2014 ዓ.ም. የተቋቋመ ድርጅት ሲሆን በአሰራሩም ባህላዊና ዘመናዊ የሽምግልና

Lulsegged Abebe, PhD
Berhanu Mengistu, PhD,

Introduction
One of the realities of the human conditions, particularly in its organized forms, is that most changes are preceded by crisis. Since the overthrow of King Hailesilassie’s government, Ethiopia has faced many changes that were preceded by crisis. The change that recently started in Ethiopia, which brought Dr Abiye into a leadership position, was uniquely different, at least until the last three weeks or so sad and depressing developments. The change process began with words of reconciliation, peace and unity among diversity. To this end, among the many reform ideas proposed by the new government was the establishment of reconciliation and peace commission for Ethiopia. The purpose of this short paper is to briefly trace the history of reconciliation commissions in the global context, reconciliation processes in the Ethiopian context, past and present, summarize the purpose and duration of Truth and Reconciliation Commissions and recommend a hybrid model for Ethiopia that will hopefully improve the organization and efficiency of the Reconciliation Commission of Ethiopia.