Evaluating Adiem Kaise Abebe research work

Strengthens of the people of Ethiopia’: constitutionalism and proposals for

constitutional reform research paper.
One and most important thing in this research paper is the writer try to assess the constitution
with realities for instance when the writer discus about how the constitution drafted and
approved he boldly inform us what happened during that time .the constitution opponents were
subjected to harassments and charges .the writer try to discuss the constitution and the reality are
parallel, relating to self-determination of the regional stats the practical oppose the constitution.
The other important thing the writer reflect that in principle focusing on difference is standing on
the cliff. This idea is bending and working idea of this time nation to nation, ethnic to ethnic
conflicts and disputes daily so that focusing on ethnic difference is adding petroleum on fire.

“The emphasis on ethnicity and the ethnicity of politics have generally undermined the unity
amongst ethnic groups and have particularly led to some conflicts between locals and settler
minorities.” (Adiem, 2013)P61

Another good side of this research work the writer gives principle-based evaluation on important
parts of the constitution. The writer suggest that establishing ethnic based federation
government is bad to build peaceful nation many scholars suggest that for the country like
Ethiopia which have multi ethnic groups (more than 80 ethnic groups )selecting ethnic based
federation is adding petroleum on fire .it is preferable selecting geographical federation
government for multi ethnical background nation .

“Indeed, the ethnic based system of government ‘has converted many Ethiopians living outside
their areas of ethnic origin into foreigners within their own country’. The Committee on the
Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) noted that the organisation of political parties on
ethnic lines can potentially increase ethnic tension and recommended Ethiopia to ‘encourage the
development of integrationist multi-racial organisations, including political parties’.42 In short,
there is a need to find the appropriate equilibrium between ethnicism and nationalism, between
unity and diversity.” (Adiem, 2013)P62
Weakness of the people of Ethiopia’: constitutionalism and proposals for
constitutional reform research paper.
One weakness of this research paper is it ignores some historical concepts such as he writer
forgets to include the emperor Hailesalase third revised constitution which is revised in 1967
after Germami Niway and Mingestu Niway coupdeta trial and land to the peasant’s movement.
At least he can include a single sentence about the third revised constitution of the emperor
because the constitution has many improvements as a document even if it was in the last period
of the emperor.

The other point in the sub title Constitutionalism: Constitutional principles and compliance the
researcher describes selecting one official language in the constitution is incorrect but many
countries practicing the in the same manner since the widely spoken language is that language
using that language an official language is accepted internationally.

Also some indigenous scholars suggest that Ethiopia federation style is hard to classify wither it
is ethnic base or geographical, the federation type is vague but the researcher did not investigate
deep information about what formalities should include to say Ethiopian federation is ethnic
based. For instance if we say we have ethnic federation why more than 20 and 50 ethnic included
in one region. The constitution has not this answer so the writer could not go through evaluate
the constitution based on principles of federation.