Workshop on Bullying. Civility and Academic Freedom: A critical need

Dear Colleagues

I am gaining a lot of understanding of my Ethiopian community by virtue of my active participation to engage students and young people as they move in time to advance themselves in their lives and their profession. I have thousands of people around me spread all over the world, watching what happens in our schools, colleges and universities. In Ethiopian schools, colleges and universities on the average the business of teaching and learning are done as expected. There are troubled areas here and there, the hardworking admins, staff, students and the general university community are managing them. 

Some universities are taking action against unruly students and staff members who are directly or indirectly responsible for some of the troubles. Some universities are working with their communities to adopt the students who come from outside the region where the universities are located. There are also campaigns by notable academics and community leaders to empower the young people so that they don't yield to emotion, rather they use evidence and data to make decisions.

The situation of Ethiopian universities is unique in a sense that they are representation of Ethiopia itself on account of the diversity of the staff and the student body.. I call them little Ethiopia. They are places where it is very easy for conflict to arise.They are also places where highly localized solution to a problem that may begin in the dorms Such solutions can be scaled up to solve bigger local and national problems. 

The Ethiopian university community, the admin, the staff, the students and security can not afford dealing with problems that are caused by simple word exchanges or public statements or even posture that has the appearance of hate and exclusion. Such behavior of a single individual can become that little amber that burns the entire forest.

As I observe and sometimes heavily participate in the mitigation of conflicts that are caused by limitations in interpersonal communication, I come across very cold hateful individuals who happen to be instructors in the universities. In my view unpolished and over zealous staff member are common in our schools and universities. What make a university iare the quality of the learning environment and the quality of the staff. Each member of the admin and staff represent the university. Any behaviour bad or good is a reflection from the university. I will make my point using an example

At this time the entire Ethiopia and including Ethiopian authorities are waiting for answers about the students abducted from Dembidolo. There is a international appeal to get answers. Many are responding. This is a peaceful request and the people signing the appeal are participating in a process, in my view it is good. I am monitoring this appeal through my social media outlets and I am reading the responses. One response caught my attention. 

Three or four days ago I posted a change.org appeal on behalf of the missing children. I am aware of the fact that all concerned are working hard on this. I am concerned, as a father and as a person having over 100s of nieces, sisters and friend of thousands of mothers 

The post is already viewed over 2000 times. I am following the responses. Some people may like the post some may not.  One response by a person named "XXX" caught my attention. Please read the screen shots. XXX wrote the following, I quote

"They are maried to hero, you will get heros from hero"

In this respond when he says "They" he is referring to The Abducted Girls.  This post was viewed over 2000 times. 

Clearly Mr. XXX is aware of and read about the 300 or girls abducted by Bokoharam in Nigeria, who were raped and impregnated by their captors. He is supporting the rape and abduction of the children from Dembidollo. 

 For any one casually reading his response it is disgusting and it shows the true measure of hate that he carries. I believe such level of is likely common in Haramaya University and in all Ethiopian university campuses I don't believe this is an isolated case of a bad apple in the mix of hard working staff and administration in our institutions. His response also shows how far those in position of authority knowingly spew words of hate and  diminish the ability of a university to accomplish its mission to shape the future.

Haramaya University is one of the premier and oldest universities in Ethiopia. The best students and scientists came out of it. There are people, still alive, in their nineties who still tell heroine stories about the beginnings of the university. Ethiopian universities must be the safest places for young people to learn the tools that help them achieve their God given potential regardless of who the are and where they come from. 

Ethiopian universities must work more to remove physical and emotional barriers so that their students can succeed as their predecessors. In my opinion there must be a mandatory training on Bullying, Civility and Academic Freedom. Misguided individuals like Mr. XXX can come out of mould of hate and provide the services that they are hired to do so that the universities can accomplish their missions.

I am personally dedicating the groups I am affiliated with to support and to participate in activities that empowers the university administration and staff members. 

We can prepare an excellent workshop convened by experts in conflict resolution, interpersonal communication skills, academic freedom and the limits of academic freedom. It can be done. Solution to any problem, however hard, begins with a simple conversation. 

With best regards

I wish peace for our young people and their homeland Ethiopia-- ---

Abebe Kebede (https://essannet.com)