[War] Ethiopia "A Most Historic Vote"

[Dylan de Valk]

January.26/2013
Addis Ababa
Prime Minister Dirma Zembagis

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Today was a big day for the new Prime Minister.  He had called in favours,
asked favours, threatened, and harangued wishy-washy parliamentarians.  For
weeks he had been organizing and whatnot with the help of his personal
secretry, Giorgios Kantela.

Advertisements had gone out over tv and radio stations and on the internet.
Well, maybe not advertisements.  Propaganda?  Who said anything about that?

At any rate, the vote in parliament for a referendum was due, and Dirma only
hoped that his cajoling had worked.

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3pm, the Chamber of the House of People's Representatives
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"And so, I propose a vote by this house, to whether or not we should give an
invitation to the former imperial family to come back to our ancient land
and serve in a constitutional manner."

A roar in the chamber began, and got louder to the point where the Prime
Minister had to shout everyone down again.

"This was part of my election platform.  But this is a deep-running desire
of mine, and I think, many Ethiopians as well, to restore our history and
try to repair the damage the Derg created.  Mengistu and his regime were
both unnecessary and destructive.  Ethiopia does not need, and did not need,
such brutal, totalitarian rule by the military regime of those days.  They
damaged the economy, but that symbol of unity and tradition, the Emperor,
was removed.  This is why I have proposed the vote before us today.  Think
carefully your vote."

After a few more speeches, voting began by the house, and it quickly became
apparent that the Prime Minister's party, the Ethiopian National Front, was
unanimously in favour, while the opposition parties were deeply divided.  It
turned out moderately in favour in the end though.  With the end of the
voting by parliamentarians, the Prime Minister rose from his seat again.

"Whether or not you voted in favour of or against the topic at hand, we have
made history today.  I will take the vote today as a vote of confidence in
the government's policies.  The government will move forward with this, and
later today we will issue the official invitation to the imperial family.

'If they decide to return, we will begin the process of modifying the
constitution in such a manner as to preserve parliamentary and elected power
while installing them in a constitutional and ceremonial manner as head of
state."  As his voice died away, Dirma looked around at the assembled
delegates and took his seat to applause from his benches and silence from
the opposition.

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Later that day
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"...And so, Ethiopia officially invites the former Imperial family to come
back to Ethiopia to serve in a constitutional and ceremonial manner
consistent with our culture and traditions."  Dirma Zembagis stepped down
from the platform at the media conference and began moving through the crowd
shaking hands and talking to various personalities and journalists.  After
getting out of the crowd he got into his limo and left, off to his office,
there to wait for the response.

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Actions:
1] Issue the invitation to the imperial family.
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