THE EATHIOPIANS: PIONEERING FOR WISDOM THE AADWA FACTOR

26. May 2010 by Assimba.

BY Obo Arada Shawl   - MAY 23, 2010

Where there is no political war, there is no election

ELECTION IN ETHIOPIA = NO ELECTION IN ERITREA

What is election? It’s a process of choice. What is choice? It’s a selection among many alternatives. But choice involves free spirit.

But free spirit lives in an environment of freedom. Do we have freedom in Eathiopia? Did the Eathiopian people get their freedom? Or they did not have any, in the first place?

Historically Eathiopian politics was understood in terms of foreign powers. Kings, queens and the like did not bother the Eathiopians. If we believe they did, it is an anachronism (out of time and place). Eathiopians have to come to define our history of the Middle Ages as well as the Renaissance, in order to understand a feudal system of government.

ETHIOPIA

The personal names of Melesse and Isais is deciphered as MI =13 and 9

Mr. Melesse’s name adoption from that Legese has put him into a very complex personality. He is a materialist par excellence. He is in the business of accumulating riches without wealth. He is desperate to be recognized as a true image as a follower of Melese Tecle and an advocate of 13. On both accounts, he is faking. He is no Melese Tecle and he does not represent the 13^th. By the way elections were formally started functioning during the 13^th century.

The Ethiopians should stop believing that Ethiopia is being ruled by constitution and congress (cc). It’s being ruled by the central committee of adua.

TPLF’s deadly sin is their leading by lying- an uninterrupted lie will lead to nowhere.

The liars of Adwa clique leaders have put/in place congress and constitution but they have denied citizens of Ethiopia to exercise their hard-won freedom and liberties form Fascistic military regime. They are acting like foreign invaders – if they don’t allow DEMOCRACIA to flourish – they will be doomed to failure. My prediction is that the TPLF will be phased out in year 2013. Faking election after all we have gone through wars and revolution is not only wrong but stupid.

ERITREA

The EPLF considered itself as a conquered people by the Eathiopians. It is a paradox to be colonized by oneself when most of its members are considered themselves as Axumite Ethiopians. It is also a paradox to be colonized by “primitive peoples of Ethiopia.”

EPLF’s strategy of being a colony of Italy and a colony of Eathiopia was untenable. ELF’s stand on Eritrean Independence was tenable. This dilemma has remained an obstacle to any headway. What is worst, both organizations dwell on grievances, regret and possibly revenge. Their bet for solutions is DEMOCRACIA – nothing else will work. It is unfortunate that DEMOCRACIA is being abused by their leader, PIA.

Eritrean organizations have been cheating their people for too long instead of teaching them the right stuff – “who is your friend and who is your enemy?”

Mr. Isais is not in the business of pretension. He is traveling to reach the letter J =10.

In perception as in reality though, the Eritreans think that they are being ruled by the Central Committee (CC). But instead, they are being ruled by one man.

Lessons to be learned from Important Events

This week in history, three important events are taking place which are relevant to all Eathiopians

• Election - in Pennsylvania, USA

• Burial ceremony - in Hazega-Tseazega, Eritrea

• Election – at Adua, Ethiopia

The case of Pennsylvania is about a long-time Republican Senator Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania who lost his seat. Voters proved unreceptive to the converted Senator. The US Senator has switched parties after 44 years of serving as a Republican. It is reported that his move was to align himself with his Penn Public so as to prolong his political career. According to one journalist, he characterized the situation in America as “Ideology is out Trust is in”.

The Hazega-Tseazega case is about Tsehaye Minlik who has dedicated his knowledge, personal life and his children’s name to the cause of humanity, freedom and to the working classes of Eritrea and Ethiopia.

The annals of Revolutionary history of Eathiopia will remember this little unknown but great man who has served well the employees of the Assab Petroleum Refinery.

His name and family name transcends any other name in our region. The Sun (Tsehaye) which gives life here on Earth enjoys its presence in Eathiopia. Minlik is to the one who unified us not the one who divides us.

So what has happened to this man? This week on May 2010, on the eve of Eritrean Independence, he was buried on his village having buried in German soil for 20 years. Why is that his corpse was dug out and sent home? Why was he not buried in the cemetery that was allocated for the Eritrean Patriots? These are relevant questions to be dealt with in my subsequent articles.

For now, let me say that he was not only a fighter for the human free spirit but also he planned for posterity by naming his twin children as Nazanet and Harnet – both words have created confusion and chaos among the elites of Eritrea.

Tsehaye had definitely predicted the outcomes of the Eritrean Revolution. He died one year shy before the Eritrean Refendum.

Two decades have elapsed without enjoying the fruits of Nazanet and I hope the next decade will be the fruits of Harnet,

It’s reported that Melse is to complete with a lady for a parliamentary seat.

Election in Adwa is reported to be between the sexes not between ideas or positions. Both Mr. Melse and w/o Aregash have been together all along while messing up the Eathiopian societies. They are two sides of the same coin, so to speak.

There are people who said that Aregash is such a strong-willed individual that they don’t think that Melse is going to manipulate her.

The episode of Adwa election is helpless to bring us any closure. There is no finale to the TPLF leadership drama but maybe the end of the line.

Conclusion

Election in Ethiopia is equivalent to no election in Eritrea. I have predicted that the TPLF will phase out in 2013 and that the unity of Eritrea with Ethiopia will take place in 2013. There is no common era for 2013. They are Gregorian or Julian calendar.

Election in Ethiopia and no election in Eritrea are not different from each other. Cheating and lying are synonymous words. What both Liberation Fronts have been doing may seem to them as strategy and tactics. The TPLF leadership has developed hatred toward Eritreans while the EPLF leadership in turn hates the Eathiopians. In terms of hatred both are in the same wave length but in terms of strategy and tactics, they are different. One preaches for democracy while the other stands against democracy. TPLF leadership swims in fake democracy while EPLF leadership perverts democracy. Both parties depend on bullets not ballots. Eathiopians should strategize for a showdown for DEMOCRACIA – a political warfare.

The coincidence of today’s celebration of Eritrean Independence and the re-burial of my best brother/friend clearly tells me that the struggle was for cultural values not colonial.

TRUTH WILL PREVAIL

For comments and questions

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

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ARE DESPOTS INTELLIGENT? Or (Forgive Me for Asking) IS MELES ZENAWI INTELLIGENT?

26. May 2010 by Assimba.

Hama Tuma

 

This is really a joke, a pastime actually as dictator and intelligent are oxymoron. Sort of an idiot Savant, a fine mess, a little pregnant, accurate rumors. An Amhara Weyane and abundant poverty. Of late some quarters have insisted on calling the tyrant in Addis Abeba intelligent at a time when he is blatantly rigging an election while at the same time insisting on calling Robert Mugabe a blundering fool. When Idi Amin of Uganda was engineered by Britain and Israel to stage his coup against “Socialist” Milton Obote the British media was quick to mention and even praise his “native” intelligence. Native was the code word used for covering up “almost illiterate brute soldier of British colonialism”. Toe the line and you will be called intelligent.

 

The whole charade stems from two sources or motivations: the fist one being that notorious racist prejudice which makes a coherent black person intelligent, surprise, surprises the Kaffir boy knows how to talk at least. Or as the surprised Italian fascist officer said in a famous Ethiopian poem: “I saw the blacks eating like human beings” sort of surprise. In my own experience I have met this monster many times, with my listeners being surprised that I could explain the situation in my country and Africa as a whole and even debate with them. Without being cruel I have to state it is like the monkey doing new tricks very well, the ape speaks English and he can hold his own in a debate, hallelujah! And thus every street smart smooth talker becomes an intelligent person, with qualifications of course. As Santiago Carrillo, the late leader of the Spanish CP said it, “to ask for Western type democracy in countries like Ethiopia and Vietnam is to bray at the moon”. He was arguing that Ethiopians have to make do with a brutal colonel called Mengistu and his fake democracy as Carrillo, a pro Soviet to boot, was supporting the tyrant backed by Moscow. Thus, intelligent is by our own reduced standard, no one is comparing Meles with even any joke of a western miserable leader, mind you. The tyrants have used this prejudice to their own advantage as expected, they wear their Yes Bwana smile as a permanent fixture, they do the slave dance to perfection ( as Meles did sometime ago backing Sarkozy and Obama and betraying Africa in Copenhagen), repeat the buzz words that please the ears of the donors and, presto or voila, whichever you prefer, they or he appear as intelligent. When they say Meles is intelligent they do not mean he is crafty, devious, sneaky, able to hide his ignorance, intriguer, cruel, and a docile puppet, no. Meles said give me an opposition lest I become corrupt with absolute power and they clapped (intelligent was the cry). The dictator of Turkmenistan was one step ahead as he said: there are no oppoition parties so how can I give them freedom? An intelligent chap!

 

The second reason for some calling these depots intelligent is because they are their puppets, instruments of neo colonial domination, and their mercenaries. Albert Camus called an intellectual an unsuccessful idiot and the late Walter Rodney defined the dictator as follows:

“A dictator is defined as one who elevates himself above all other citizens and often makes claims to be closer to God than mere mortals. Emperors, kings and nobles of the feudal period easily became dictators because they could justify despotic acts on the grounds that royal power and authority were of sacred origin. In more modern versions of dictatorship, the absolute ruler has to fabricate an elaborate cult of the personality to prove that he is more intelligent, more potent and generally superior to any other human being. Idi Amin fancied himself not only a physical giant but also as an intellectual giant. Besides, he boasted of a direct line to Allah. Eric Gairy, our Caribbean ex-dictator, dabbled in obeah and convinced himself that he was better than the world’s leading scientists and would personally solve the problem of unidentified flying objects. This is the stuff of which dictators are made”. Not intelligence at all unless one mistakes vulgar notions and instinct for intelligence.

 

Back in 2008 TV personality Barbara Walters went to Damascus and called dictator Bashr Al Assad an intelligent and charming man. The friend of many African dictators, peanut farmer Jimmy carter, went to Korea and declared “I find Kim Il Sung to be vigorous and intelligent”. Castro came to Addis. talked to the killer who declared: I hate hurting even a fly” and publicly declared “Mengistu is an honest revolutionary!” America’s admired and “intelligent” allies ranged from El Salvador’s General Maximiliano Hernandez (the very man of the occult who said “it is a great crime to kill a fly than a man because men are resurrected while flies die forever”) to Ian Smith, apartheid Botha, Mobutu and Samuel Doe, Franco and Videla, Pinochet and Papadopoulos, Suharto and Nguema ( the latter who said “I am in permanent direct contact with God and the only man who can kill and will never go to hell” and then went ahead to slaughter thousands in Equatorial Guinea), So long as the dictators are theirs they are called intelligent. Washington, London, Berlin and the EU as a whole bankroll the dictator in Ethiopia. One western diplomat in Addis Abeba has gone on record admiring Meles Zenawi’s capability to lie outright and in more than four directions. He is so intelligent he can rig elections, slaughter hundreds and stay in power! The man who makes a fine mess, intelligent!

 

The admired native intelligence of Idi Amin (His Excellency, President for Life, Field Marshal Al Hadji Doctor Idi Amin Dada, VC, DSO, MC, Conqueror of the British Empire [CBE] in Africa in General and Uganda in Particular and King Of Scotland”)
fast evaporated when he started to step on British and Western interests. He quickly became a monster, a fool, a cannibal, a savage, anything but intelligent. The “demonization” of all those who refuse to toe the line of the West is swift, cruel and relentless–just ask Gadafi, Mugabe, Sadam and others. The very people who praise Baathist and dictator par excellence Basher as intelligent would not be caught dead uttering one word of consideration as regards Sadam for example though he was a close ally of America at one time. Mengistu became crude and cruel because he was pro Soviet and not because he killed Ethiopians en masse which the new darling of Washington, a.k.a Meles, has been doing in earnest. The political alliance and consideration dictates the qualification. In actual fact, where there is intelligence there is knowledge and this does not mean vulgar and pedestrian groping to get one’s way by all means necessary, selling the country and the people wholesale if need be as Meles and others have done without qualms. It does not also mean power or authority but rather on how one obtains power and how he or she uses it. The West back then in the mid forties considered Mussolini civilized and mocked at Ethiopians trying to defend their country. The fascist was intelligent as was Hitler with whom many American companies such as General Motors, DuPont, Standard Oil of New Jersey, Davis Oil co., Ford, ITT, Chase National Bank, etc did brisk business, forget Nazism please, be intelligent. “Henry Ford was a good friend of Hitler and his book The International Jew inspired Hitler’s Mein Kampf and the Fuehrer kept Ford’s picture in his office and Ford was one of the four foreigners to receive the German’s highest civilian award”, wrote one fact finder. Intelligent people all around–they pay the piper and even the song is theirs. The intelligent West also did business with and backed the intelligent regime of apartheid in South Africa.

 

Of course, we may be crying foul because we have failed to understand the very meaning of being intelligent. If being intelligent means being a tyrant, a cruel murderer. a corrupt embezzler, a liar, an election rigger, a Western puppet, a traitor to one’s own people and nation, a complete idiot with the right buzz words, then Meles and other tyrants and their thieving wives are indeed intelligent. If we take intelligence as cleverly disguised stupidity then intelligent people are ruling us and making our lives so miserable that we want to intelligently but definitively remove them from power and the face of the earth. In the end all this can be taken just as an important trivia.

 

 

 

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Ethiopian Parliament: The rubber stamp and the “Speakers’ Corner”

24. May 2010 by Assimba.

Sunday 23 May 2010
By Fitsum Alemu
May 22, 2010 — After one watches the “parliamentary” meetings and sees the assembled members with their varied “intelligence”, one has to pray for the country.
It is well-known that a Parliament supposed to be a deliberative assembly of one nation, with one interest, that of the whole; where, not local purposes, not local or ethnic prejudices ought to guide, but the general good and the best interest of the country. Well, that is not the case in this Ethiopian “parliament”. Having been a member of the three consecutive “parliaments”, Ato Meles trained himself to talk, sometimes utters weird and unfortunate words and phrases which were repeated and quoted by friends and foes. The “speaker of the parliament”, Ato Teshome Toga, is incompetent to lead the meeting, as well as, afraid of following his own rules and discipline his boss, Ato Meles. Rather, the “speaker” has used his utmost power against the opposition. He shut them off and threatened them. It is disturbing to see the bullying and threatening of opposition members of parliament. What Ato Mels forgets or would like to forget is that, at the end of the day, in this “parliament”, he only represents the city of Adowa, if he really represents it at all. Opposition party members also represent districts- voters who sent them there. By insulting, threatening and bullying these members, he and the “speaker” are doing the same to the constituents. Instead of making this assembly “the house of bullies”, they could have spent their time by doing people’s business. One of them would be enacting real laws. Laws that will improve the everyday life of Ethiopian people, laws that facilitate growth and unity, laws that insure the respect of human and civil rights, laws that prohibits discrimination, laws that promotes equality and fair representation, laws that protects the environment, laws that give clear guidance about the role of the federal and regional governments, a law that creates a constitutional court to interpret the constitution, a land act which provides private ownership of a land, laws that regulates endowments and prohibits political parties from directly or indirectly engaging in business, many, many laws that will come up given the circumstances and events that triggers them. That should have been the role of parliament. Other countries of Africa are a head of Ethiopia by hundreds of miles. While the Ethiopia parliament sits and mostly deal with approving international aid agreements like board of directors of a big company, other African parliaments enacted laws that help their country’s development and advance the democratic process.
For instance, in 2009-2010 the Ethiopian parliament approved 58 International treaties dealing with aid and loan, and enacted 24 laws, including anti-terrorism law and charities law; in 2007- 2008, again the parliament approved 44 aid and loan agreements. Most of the laws that were passed since 2005 were intended to curb opposition activities, suppress free press, dismantle human rights organization, but strength the government financial resources so that it can spend unlimited resources to buy weapons and technology to monitor and persecute opponents and to hire more and more spies and security officers. That is why it passed the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, the Mass Media and Freedom of Information Proclamation, the Charities Act and the Electoral Code, to mention the few.
In comparison, the South African Parliament, in 2008, passed 21 bills that include social assistance, protection of information, regulation of the post office, consumer protection and even the sale and exchange of second hand goods. The Nigerian parliament debates dozens of bills dealing with employees rights, chemical waste management, lobbying, credit administration, disaster management, establishment of a space agency, cyber security, prohibition of torture, to mention some of them. Its counterpart in Kenya also passed 16 bills in 2008-2010. One of them is a new constitution. Moreover, the Kenyan parliament is debating bills like witness protection, free legal assistance and the control of alcohol drinks.
The point is, while other African parliaments are debating advanced issues and passing laws that serve the best interest of their country, the “parliament” of Ethiopia remained a rubber stamp for EPRDF’s loan and aid agreements and has continued to be a bullying field and a “speakers’ corner” of Ato Meles and co. That is why EPRDF is conducting election every five years, that is why people have to be killed, imprisoned, tortured, and that is why the country’s limited resources should be spent. It is high time for the Ethiopian people to say to EPRDF that you have sat too long for any good you have been doing.
The writer could be reached at fitsumka@aol.com

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Which Way Ethiopia? Solutions with ADWA, Adwa or AADWA?

14. May 2010 by Assimba.

By Obo Arada Shawl  - May 13, 2010

ADWA I: An Act of Defense

According to thousands of written and oral histories as well as to historical beliefs including that of mine, the battle of ADWA (1896) was a defense against foreign aggression. I do not have to explain what conquest and aggression means to my readers.

 

ADWA I, according to many historians and in line to the perception of millions of Eathiopians, it was a war for defense for a nation known as ETHIOPIA. There were no buts and ifs.

 

ADWA is spelled also as Adowa, Aduwa or Adua.  Writing our names with Latin alphabets might have created problems for our educated elites not to communicate properly. With GEEZ letters, there is no problem. ADWA is an acronym for American Deer and Wildlife Alliance.

 

Adwa II: An Act of Offense

The current regime of Ethiopia led by the adwa cliques is considered as a ministry of war. It is about attack nothing but attack. It is about attack physically, mentally and psychologically. Some of the highlights of being a war monger clique leaders were the followings:

• The assault on the Ethiopian culture
• The war on Ethiopian Revolutionary Parties
• The war on Eritrean civilians
• The war against democratic elections and
• The war against immigration to Ethiopia versus its encouragement to emigrate

 

AADWA III: An Act of Conversion and defense

Despite many allegations against the Eway Revolution, the Ethiopian Peoples’ Revolutionary Party (EPRP) and the Eritrean People Revolutionary Party (EPRP) had embarked on downgrading the act of offense unlike as in addwa II. There is bound to be a lot of discussion and clarification on AADWA III.

It is about defense nothing but defense. For this reason, the ministry of EPRP is all about defense.

 

AADWA III is a simple and humble historical generation for teaching learning and leading by example for a better Ethiopia. One of its main objectives was to differentiate between conquests vs. conversion (CC) and to institute a CC (Constitution and Congress) in Eathiopia.

 

However, the TPLF using some EPRP dissidents who present themselves as representatives of Amharas, the DERG using All Ethiopia Socialist Movement (MIESON) and currently many mushrooming organizations are playing phenomenal obstruction or havoc by abusing the concepts of democracy, leadership and politics in Eathiopia. One such example is posted below for discussion.

 

 

Hi Sir:

 

As usual you are misleading your readers while remaining misled yourself intentionally or unintentionally.

 

It was the Abyssinians ( Menz, Tigre, Gojjam, and Begemidr ) who fought against the Italians in the battle of ADWA, and that fight ended up in a HISTORICCAL ACCIDENT as per SVEN RUBENSON of the history department of the Haile Sellassie I University.  There were two ADWA ENDA SILLASSIEs. The Italians split into two, and agreed to meet in one of the ADWA ENDA SILLASSIEs; but instead one half went to one ADWA ENDA SILLASSIE while the other half went to the other ADWA ENDA SILLASSIE after being misled by a man called AW-ALOM!! That is why RUBENSON labeled it a HISTORICAL ACCIDENT.

 

ERITREA came into existence with the arrival of the ITALIANS by merging together

1- THE COASTAL RED SEA AREAS of DANKALIA and SAMHAR that have been under the MUSLIM KHALIPHATE since 702 AD when AXUM lost the AREA to MUSLIM ARABS and were under the TURKS for 300( three hundred years) when  the ITALIANS arrived.

 

2-THE WESTERN PROVINCE that the ITALAINS got from the PARTITION of the area of the old BIJA KINGDOM  of 702 AD that blocked AXUMITE passage to EGYPT by land while the BRITISH got what is now EASTERN SUDAN ( Kasala, Port Sudan, etc).  THE WESTERN PROVINCE has never been part even of ABYSSINIA!!!!!

 

3-KEBESSA that includes AKELEGUZAI, HAMASSEIN, and SERAYE whose majority are  CHRISTIANS that came mainly from Tigre, Gojjam, and Begemidr through reverse migration.

This part of ERITREA only can be said to have not been demarcated emotionally or psychologically.

 

 

You noted that AST were oppressed by HAILE SILLASSIE’s government. How about WOLLO that HAILE SILLASSIE never forgave for its support of EYASU, and the attacks on his fleeing army in 1935 after his defeat in the hands of the ITALAINS at MAI CHEW????

AMANUEL ABRAHAM, ISAIAS’s uncle, who was the resident representative of the CROWN PRINCE who was the official ENDE RASSIE of Wollo, several times took money that was collected by the WOLLOWIES in a collaborative manner to make infra- structural development saying that the CROWN PRINCE would add as much to the collection for the intended purpose. BUT NOTHING WAS DONE FOR THE PROVINCE, thus remaining undeveloped and dilapidated!!!

 

 

Minelik II did not abandon ERITREA to the ITALIANS whose defeat at ADWA was as a result of an error that I explained above and the BLOCKAGE OF REINFORCEMENTS FROM ERITREA.

 

MINELIK II could hardly believe his victory when he was praying for a miracle after having exhausted the supplies of his army. Had the ITALIANS delayed their attack by a few days, his army would have collapsed.

So he had no possibility of driving the ITALIANS out of ERITREA.

 

The outrage of the ERITREANNS at ETHIOPIA is not due to MINELIK’s abandoning them to the ITALIANNS; but for ETHIOPIA’s violation of the FEDERAL status of ERITREA that was ANNULLED under GUN POINT with the support of a few stooges.

Then the SCORCHED EARTH POLICY that was implemented by the ARMY OF THE OOCCUPATION to suppress the rebellion will never be forgotten by the ERITREANS.

 

DO YOU THINK THAT THE ABOUT 8,000 ( eight thousand ) PEOPLE OF HARGIGO south of MASSAWA  will forget the simultaneous SEA and LAND attacks that ended after murdering 500 (five hundred ) people in 1975, and 800 ( eight hundred) people in 1977 some of whom were burnt with their houses???

 

 

Surrendering a NATIONAL SEA OUTLET is just a fiction, because ERITREA has never been part of ETHIOPIA although it was under a SHAM FEDERATION with ETHIOPIA for 10 ( ten ) years followed by COLONIZATION for 30 ( thirty ) years. In fact, ERITREA, like the other ITALIAN COLONIES of LYBIA and SOMALIA, should have got its independence; but thanks to the AMERICANS who were interested in the MILITARY BASE of KAGNEW and who pressured the UN to put ERITREA in a SHAM FEDERATION with ETHIOPIA ( federated with Ethiopia under the Ethiopian crown!!!!), it missed its rightful attaining of independence.   The Americans used to pay HAILE SILLASSIE US$25 (twenty five) million per year as rental for the Asmara Military base.

 

Russia is not in ASIA MINOR that consists of KYRGSTAN, KAZAKHISTAN, UZBIKISTAN, TAJIKHISTAN, and TURKISTAN. AZERBIJAN and ARMENIA are neighbors of ASIA MINOR.

 

ELF and TPLF did not follow a real revolution!!!! WHAT nonsense!!!

Each one of them followed the objective reality of their respective people; you are just misled by SHA’EBIA (EPLF) propaganda. There was even a LABOUR PARTY that was RED as RED can be embedded within the ELF, and that was what sabotaged the front by triggering the civil war that gave more resources to the ISAIAS group.

 

EPLF RECEIVED Chinese literature and training!!! How far from the truth!!!

 

Out of the whole EPLF only ISAIAS and RAMADAN MOH’D NOOR went to CHINA where they stayed for about a year for learning a combination of revolutionary tactics, and military training; and THEY WERE SENT BY THE ELF with 3 ( three ) other cadres. The five went as political commissars of the 5 (five) REGIONAL COMMANDS that comprised the front’s field force.

 

ISAIAS went from the 5th REGIONAL COMMAND of HAMMASSEIN after a stroke of luck!! The commander of the 5th REGIONAL COMMAND was Woldai Kahsai, and his chief political cadre was ABRAHAM TEWOLDE. When Woldai Kahsai betrayed the revolution in 1967 by giving his hand to ETHIOPIA, ABRAHAM TEWOLDE replaced him as commander, and so when the SCHOLARSHIP TO CHINA came, ISAIAS was picked up as the replacement ABRAHAM TEWOLDE. So he went at the end of 1967, and returned in mid 1969 when the field was in turmoil.

The Kiada Amma (the General Command) was formed at that time, and ISAIAS became part of it. But a few months later, he walked a way from the ELF with 69 (sixty nine) other CHRISTIAN HIGHLANDERS. Two months later, the PLF split from the ELF and ISAIAS’s group joined it.

 

It was in 1976 that the EPLF was formed by ISAIAS, RAMADAN, etc under the instigation of WOLDE-AB WOLDE-MARIAM to rebel against the leadership of the PLF under OSMAN SALEH SABBE, and SABBE remained with his wing that was liquidated by the ELF in 1979.

 

Again, under the guidance of WOLDEAB, the EPLF and TPLF joined hands and chased the ELF out of the field and into the SUDAN. Here the CIA helped ensure the non return of the ELF to the field by arranging asylum  to the USA and WESTERN EUROPE for about 10,000 ( ten thousand)  cadres of the ELF.

 

 

The EPLF fighting ability was built by giants such as IBRAHIM AFA who used to be an instructor of the COMMANDOS of the Ethiopian navy, Major Negash Tesfatsion ( a Harar Military Academy graduate of 1962 AD and member of the DERG), Major Khesete Gebre Hiwet ( also a Harar Military Academy graduate of 1962 AD), Captain Tesfa Mariam Negassie ( a Harar Military Academy Graduate of 1960 AD.), etc, etc

Of course they built on the foundation laid by Mohammed Ali Omaru, Ramadan Mohammed Noor, and others who graduated from the Military Academies of Syria, and Iraq.

 

In fact, ISAIAS was groomed by the Americans since the day in 1970 AD when he was recruited by CAPTAIN Capland of Kagnew Station.

 

Nowadays one of the old leaders of the ELF by the name of OMAR JABIR who is very proficient in both ENGLISH and ARABIC is writing about this history from where he is in Australia. He is in the middle of his second chapter, and he is posting his articles on ALNAHDA1.8m.com web site.

 

 

With best regards

 

Conclusion

Historically, ELF/EPLF, TPLF, DERG and EDU were operating on the basis of war front. It was equivalent of organizing a Ministry of WAR instead of Ministry of Defense. We cannot change historical facts. What we can change is the attitude for initiating a ministry of defense- defense for peoples’ culture, defense for religious values and defense for mothers’ land as in Ethiopia and defense for fathers’ land as in Eritrea.

 

TRUTH WILL PREVAIL

 

For questions and comments

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

 

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THANK GOD I AM NOT RELIGIOUS!

14. May 2010 by Assimba.

Hama Tuma

I am no hashish smoker and I am not even restating the famous Marx saying that religion is the opium of the people. To each his own belief, poison, delusion or fantasy though I do know this can be a luxury in Africa where tyrants can ban Christmas, declare Christianity a crime, proclaim Islam a religion of slave drivers. I am proudly saying thank God I am not religious, with what that implies not escaping me, because far too many crimes and foolishness of grave proportions are being committed in the name of religion. I am also aware that religion is being used as a convenient cover to shun away from politics and ignore one’s responsibilities to the country and the people.

An Iranian cleric declares that earthquakes are caused by women who are scantily dressed and provoke males to pre martial sex and maybe the excited body movement disturbs the earth’s balance. One other cleric had years ago declared that women and men in the same bus means thousands of sins per day as they accidentally or knowingly brush against one another. Somali hard line Islamists, (a curse on that easygoing people), have banned all music and no Somali can hear foreign broadcasts from America or Britain or hum a song. Grim existence is in, wail or lament but no singing at all. An unpopular French president wages war against the sad polls by declaring all out war on Burka or Niqab wearing women (a few thousand or so) while millions want him to wage serious war against economic hardships and some right wingers want him to send off the whole African and Arab “invading horde”. A teenage woman is stoned to death in Mogadiscio after being raped by the hardliners themselves who then allege that she has committed adultery and religion calls for her death in this brutal manner. An old Nigerian MP marries a 13 years old girl and hides behind religion to cover his crime. In this same Nigeria some years ago, a woman called Amina lawal narrowly escaped stoning thanks to international protest action. Amina Lawal was at the time of the trial a 30-year-old divorced woman who was said to have confessed to conceiving a child while single.  She was sentenced to death by stoning in March, 2002 in Katsina state under a new law that considers pregnancy outside of marriage as grounds for being convicted of adultery. Sudanese journalist Lubna Hussein was to be whipped for wearing trousers in public. The Taliban cut throats and disfigure by acid the faces of innocent young girls who go to school all the time using religion as a cover. A man in France is a bona fide polygamist and declares he is devout but no religious law of his forbids him from having many women as mistresses. Where we see oppression of women we find religion buttressing or being used to justify the injustice. And take the Catholic priests all over the world giving paedophilia a strong Vatican ointment. The Crusaders and the followers of Saladin did all the terrible things they did some centuries ago but their example lingers on. The passage of time and all claims of civilizations become illusory, of no significance. States with aspects of theocracy are still present from the Vatican (Holy See) to Iran. Lebanon was almost destroyed because of a divide that was also religious and Hamas- Hizbollah and Israel also confront over a religious divide and not merely for territory. Philippines, Thailand and Indonesia are beset by religious problems as was Ireland.

Thank God I am not religious! Murderer Joseph Kony calls his criminal horde the Lord’s Resistance Army and claims God talks to him often (in addition to the spirits of whom one is called “who are we?”) and has ordered him to cut off the ears and lips of people especially of those who ride bicycles. What has God got against bicycles? At least Alice Lakwenya, his relative, used to claim outright she was a witch! In the past we have had Pope Pius V the Grand Inquisitor who had thousands murdered, Saint Dominic (the king of torture as he was later called) who had pain machines invented and tortured to death so many, Saint Pedro Arbires the Spanish Inquisitor who wiped out Jews, the Vatican Pope in Mussolini’s time who blessed the Italian troops on their way to invade Ethiopia (and kill one million in the process). Ethiopian kings, of whom the most notorious in this respect was Atse Yohannes, murdered many in the name of religion as did the Dervishes and the Mahdists. The Ayatollah of our time had many Bahai believers hanged and fanatics in Punjab sodomized and beat to death a Christian barber for cutting the beard of a Moslem. Lebanon was wrecked by religious conflict and Nigeria is having its share too as we write and the spectre hangs like the sword of Damocles over Ethiopia too. The corrupt leaders in Riyadh sin against their religion but invoke this same religion to mutilate, decapitate and hang poor people like the Ethiopian woman they hanged in public. Afghan elites are allowed even by their wives to sodomize young boys of 7 to 12 years of age. Here is what one angry blogger wrote on the subject:

“Businessmen, warlords, and police officials seem to be the biggest consumers of Bachi Bazi, or boyplay. The prominent and successful men are introduced to the boys at Bachi Bazi parties. The men sit cross-legged and watch the boys, dressed as young women, do their elaborate dances. Afterwards, they are given out to the highest bidders for sex. The government is so corrupt that all attempts to stop the practice have proved to be half-hearted — even less.

Reporter Najibullah Quraishi bravely dogged Northern Alliance Commander, Dastager, following this notorious sodomizer as he met young men he wished to have in his harem. “How many boys have you had?” asked Quraishi. (he had clearly meant sexually). “About 2,000 or 3,000,” said Dastager, who appears to be about 40.

Things are no different where the Taliban holds sway. In John Krakauer’s book about Pat Tillman (the man who chose service to his country over a $3.6 million football contract), it’s reported that each Taliban fighting group maintained a cook’s boy — a field kitchen helper of 12 or 13, who’s duties went beyond cuisine”.

The sex abuse scandal of the Catholic Church has now reared its head in Africa, from Kenya– Uganda to Mozambique and South Africa though it should be said the scandal involved European priests as the local ones ( realistic chaps), in their majority, father children and even die of AIDS with absolutely no regard for Rome’s chastity laws.

It is fair to admit that non religious wars have killed more people than the ones attributed to religion. However, the use of God or Allah to justify the crimes of thugs has become too common for comfort. In Africa, we are forced to note that the guerrillas or rebels taken as exotic and liberators in the sixties and seventies ( many were flawed even then to state the truth) have now been turned into all out thugs and criminals (Renamo and UNITA are almost looking benign compared to the RUF, LRA. Al Shabab, etc). In Somalia, the fanatics wrecking that country claim to be soldiers of God, followers of America’s nemesis (Osama Bin Laden) or, even worse, more radical than Osama (no quarter giving Salafists). Religious fanatics have gone against science many times and it is no surprise to hear Iranian clerics accuse women for earthquakes occurring all over the world. The followers and monks of Saint Cyril beat to death a woman scientist Hypatia and we all know the fate of Galileo. How many women have been burnt to death as witches? The spectre of religion is haunting us in Africa and the omen is not very positive. Africa hardly needs more division and conflict on religious grounds but that is what is being fanned not only in the Horn but in other African regions. Banning music, killing off women who are not covered up, throwing acid on the faces of young women going to schools, cutting the throats of journalists and intellectuals, attempting to murder writers and educators–this is not progress, serving God or being religious. Sarah Palin echoes many rightists and calls for American law to be based on a certain sort of Judeo Christian “Sharia”: our laws should be based on the God of the Bible and the Ten Commandments! We remember the slave trade was justified as Christian by the churches and priests of the time and Apartheid was backed by the South African Boer churches.

I had in the past suggested that our politicians should wear the Burka–we do not want to see their ugly faces anymore. No one has taken my advice. Gaddafi suggested that Nigeria should be divided on ethnic and religious lines–that Tripoli man has failed to be original and his “get divided” prescription has, as expected and as his ridiculous Green Book, received no support. Joan of Arc was referred to as a woman who went mad for God but remember where she ended up– burnt to death and her monument in Paris is presently a gathering place of unholy fascists. Parties of God or parties of religion (Hezbollah or Hizb al Islam or Christian Democrats) are more than suspect and more problems than part of the solution. The Lord never said He wanted a Resistance Army or a Party in His name, or did He? Africa’s experience with Bible wielding missionaries has not been, to put it mildly, nice. Religion was used as a sleeping pill (is the tse tse fly Christian or Moslem?) enabling the colonialists to steal countries as Africans went down on their knees, wept and prayed and, to re-quote the late Senghor, “slept the sleep of the Negro”!

With all due respect to all those who love their religion I have to say thank God I am not religious as being religious these days is, more often than not, spelling disaster, hate, division and fatal weakening of Africa and her hapless people. No need to ask anyone in Jos, Nigeria. Mind you, despite my indignation, I have not yet called for a violent action against the criminal Abune/Archbishop/ in Addis Abeba nor sent a letter of support to the daring Atheist who demanded the arrest of the Pope (when he visits Britain) and his being charged for “crimes against humanity”.

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Meles Zenawi`s sham elections and the accompanying opposition.

12. May 2010 by Assimba.

Zeineb Aliye

Meles Zenawi and Co. call Ethiopians chauvinists and it is right for Ethiopians in turn to call them ethno-fascists. Ethno-fascism is fascism shrouded and served in the plate of ethnicity. However, this does not mean that all Ethiopians espousing ethnic politics are ethno-fascists. The description ethno-fascism applies to the Meles-Sebhat brand of ethnicity which has the characteristic features of fascism and racism. Ethno-fascism is the foundation of the ideology of the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF) and that is why Ethiopians call its leaders an ethno-fascists. Thus it is now time to leave aside the political correctness and resort to the use of the suitable descriptions ethno-fascism and ethno-fascists when referring to the TPLF and its leaders.
The rise of ethno-fascism to power in Ethiopia is an alarming development with potentially devastating consequences. It is threatening national as well as regional stability in the volatile horn of Africa. Its increasing dependence on western aid and willingness to go to any length to serve foreign interests, are harming the long term interests and sovereignty of the country. The ethno-fascists are demonstrating their hostility to Ethiopia by signing and giving away the vital interests of the country like access to the sea and fertile lands. Thanks to these anti-Ethiopia fascist forces, Eritrea and the Sudan have benefitted a lot at the expense of Ethiopia.
The Ethno-fascist and racist Meles Zenawi has been staging sham elections in order to deceive and portray himself as an elected leader in the international arena. In the eyes of Ethiopians his periodic sham elections are simple dramas he stages to entertain himself and his donors. Ethno-fascism is pursuing its trademark of divide and rule as a result of which our communities are polarized and the bonds holding them together are disentangling. Thus ethno-fascism should be rejected and the struggle against it should take the central stage and serve as a rallying issue. Ethiopian intellectuals should be courageous enough to call `a spade a spade` and enlighten the general public on ethno-fascism and the grave dangers it poses to the country. Meles Zenawi`s repeated references to the genocide in Rwanda are by no means mere political rhetoric. It shows what he has in store for Ethiopians and intends to do if his power comes under threat or he is forced to leave Ethiopia. It is well known that Meles Zenawi has employed fascistic propaganda and agitation methods to mobilize the Tigrayans and wage his wars against Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet. The relatively destitute Tigrayan society has been receptive to the fascistic politics of the TPLF and Meles Zenawi. Ethiopian forces standing for Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet receive his harsh treatment and severe punishment as the case of Birtukan Midekssa proves. History has amply demonstrated that fascism is very violent and does not entertain the ideas of equality, peace and reconciliation. Ethno-fascism is based on the politics of discrimination, exclusion and ethnic favouritism. It does not accept the equality of citizens and rule of law.
Meles Zenawi has defied and derided at repeated calls for peace and reconciliation. He has defied all the appeals and calls for the peaceful resolution of the deepening political crisis in the country. He continues to strengthen his brutal security apparatus which he uses to punish and silence the voices of peace and reconciliation. As a fascist, he has no interest in reconciliation and is squandering all such opportunities. Instead he has chosen repression and violence as his instruments of rule. His regime is declared illegitimate but clinging to power through sheer force and violence.
At this juncture, I am glad to express my support to the Ethiopian voices of democracy, freedom, justice and reason who are calling for the outright boycotting and rejection of Zenawi`s sham elections. The forces of democracy and freedom never take part in sham elections and cooperate with a ruthless dictator. Instead they stand for and pursue the course of creating an all inclusive and free political space in which fair and free elections can be conducted. It is only then that we will be able to have a democratic process in which all the stake holders take part without fear, hindrances, intimidations and restrictions. A democratic process can not be launched as long as the country is under the grip of ethno-fascism. It is also high time to put pressure on those forces who have been part and parcel of these sham elections by embracing Zenawi`s ethno-fascistic rule as a democratic process worth taking part in.. In this regard one does need only to see Zenawi`s preferential treatment and empowering of members of his golden ethnic group in the economic as well as the political arena. These facts are not lost to opposition forces vying for some seats Zenawi will kindly allocate to them. It is long overdue for these forces to review their wrong pro-Zenawi positions and come to terms with the political reality in the country. They should be aware of the long term political costs associated with taking part in sham elections and legitimizing ethno-fascism.
The so called code of conduct shows that sham elections are the joint undertakings of donors and Zenawi to improve and promote the international image of the latter. The belief among many Ethiopians that Zenawi is charming or deceiving the west is easy to refute considering the close alliance between the west and Zenawi. Zenawi can not deceive or mislead his western political advisers or coaches. Conflicting interests are at play and those are the aspirations of Ethiopians for democracy and freedom on one side and the sham elections of Zenawi. There is not any advantage to be gained by taking part in Zenawi`s farce. Nor do these sham elections advance democracy, freedom and justice in the country. Meles Zenawi has reportedly told his followers and supporters that his or the absolute power and hegemony of the TPLF will not be contested or submitted to public votes. It appears that Zenawi is more candid than the opposition groups who are lining up to get some seats from him. That is why I doubt the credibility and sincerity of the opposition who are participating in Zenawi`s farce.
I have read some contributions which arguing in favour of taking part in Meles Zenawi`s farce or what they refer to as elections. But I have not found any compelling or convincing arguments in them. In fact some of their points bear resemblance to the ones being advanced by the supporters of Meles Zenawi. Their reasonings condense to the assertion that democratization is a process and participation in the process via elections would contribute to moving it forward. There are also others who also cite  participation as a condition for the legal existence and functioning of the opposition parties in the country. Whether they take part in or not, these opposition groups and personalities are at the mercy of Meles Zenawi. Their participation in his sham elections does not safeguard them against his assaults and crack downs. They say that there is no free meal with Zenawi and one must expect to receive some pinches and punches from Zenawi. Some opposition forces claim that the peaceful struggle is the only effective means to dislodge the dictator from the palace. But in effect they are denied the basic rights such as free assembly and expression of ideas. Zenawi has banned demonstrations and the free press. They can not conduct public meetings without the permission of Meles Zenawi. Leaving aside the political cost participation in Zenawi`s farce entails, his degrading and humiliating treatments of the opposition figures sitting with his herd of cadres are unbearable. In fact as the enemy of our country, Zenawi is humiliating us all Ethiopians and derives a lot of pleasure by doing so. Even a practising Christian like ato Girma Kassa are fervently arguing for taking part in the sham elections. We know that the Bible forbids supporting deception or falsehood and ato Girma Kassa`s position contradicts the teachings of Christianity. This same person has written some pieces praising the ethno-fascist and racist rule of Meles Zenawi which is not expected of Christians. It is worth mentioning that there are also Ethiopian muslims supporting and working for ethno-fascism. This shows that our institutions of faith are becoming morally bankrupt and instruments of repression and violence. Besides, ato Girma Kassa, there are also others who are promoting and selling Medrek as a strong and unique combination of political parties with the potential effect of uniting Ethiopians and winning the sham elections. The advocates and supporters of Medrek seem to suffer from a short memory or be misleading the public. Some of the leaders of Medrek are well known personalities who have been an integral part of Zenawi`s sham elections and sitting in the rubber stamp parliament. These guys do not have any popular or national vision other than taking part in the farce and offering the sembalnce of legitimacy to ethno-fascism. Opposition politicians who have been cooperating with Meles Zenawi by taking part in his sham elections do not have any achievements to show and convince us. What they incorrectly call a democratic process is not moving forward since Zenawi is tightening his grip on power and closing the so called political space. Ethiopians are well aware of the reality and can not be deceived neither by Zenawi nor the opposition. We know why Zenawi is putting the opposition politicians in his assembly and enjoying their company. The recent successive draconian laws of Zenawi all refute the claims of those supporting participation in the sham elections. Zenawi has moved swiftly to close all the small openings or venues he thinks are available to the opposition. As a result we see no visible opposition political activity in the country. I do not see any difference between banning and stifling the opposition. Zenawi has apparently preferred stifling to banning to avoid embarrassing his donors. It is once again important to emphasize that the country has yet to set on a democratic process. A democratic process can not be initiated under a fascistic dictatorship like that of Zenawi. The sham elections Meles Zenawi stages are by no means part of the democratic process. As stated by many Ethiopians, they are designed and conducted to consolidate and legitimize his dictatorship. I think these are the essential points missing in the arguments and where the main confusion lies. Those arguing for participation are missing or deliberately overlooking these stark political realities on the ground..
As the main enemy of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi, should be denied any direct or indirect cooperation he seeks to legitimize his ethno-fascistic rule in Ethiopia. The opposition should not allow itself to be used as a pawn or tool to advance Zenawi`s anti-Ethiopia and personal agenda.. At the maximum they ought to mobilize the public and frustrate Zenawi`s ambitions of selling himself to the outside world and continuing to collect western aid cheques. At the minimum the genuine Ethiopian opposition forces should denounce his sham elections and distance themselves from them.  It is true that the west can continue to finance Zenawi`s regime irrespective of what happens. However, the election or democratic camfloulage or pretext they use should not be available to them. We recall how the donors and World Bank changed their canals of channelling money to Zenawi after the latter shed the blood of innocent citizens in the aftermath of the May 2005 elections. That is why many of us have come to the conclusion that the donors are not credible partners for democracy, freedom and development in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopians should continue their anti-fascist struggle to get rid of the illegitimate rule of Zenawi and associates and secure their rights and sovereignty.

 

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Ethiopian and Californian elections – similarities & differences.

12. May 2010 by Assimba.

 By Yilma Bekele

It is election season in California. Two positions are open. The governorship and Federal Senate positions are up for grabs. Both parties, that is the Democrats and Republicans are going thru the primary process to nominate their strongest candidates for the November elections. November is Six months away but the contest is becoming hot.

Television and radio are the two preferred medias to reach the electorate. We are being inundated by sleek commercials costing millions of dollars. The candidates are spending their own money, their supporter’s money and their friend’s money as if it grows on trees. There is no such thing as ordinary elections. It is both art and a science. Nothing is left to chance. Commercials are prepared after a lengthy process of focus groups, pools, psychological impact, sociological studies and good old ‘makes me feel good’ assessments.

There have been lengthy debates between the contestants organized by independent groups. Free, vibrant and long debates on issues are standard. There is a media watch group checking all the facts thrown by the candidates. A small mistake can be their undoing, so they are very careful before they open their mouth. They avoid what is known as ‘foot in the mouth disease’. Supporters organize town hall meetings, neighborhood functions and public rallies to introduce their candidate. Fans put signs on their front lawn, windows, cars and every conceivable open space to advertise their preferences. They set up phone banks to call every voter, prepare mailers, use their email accounts and move heaven and earth to reach every last voter.

There is no such thing as government imposed ‘Election code of conduct’ on the candidates, journalists or the party’s. The local Police, State Police and the Federal police (FBI) are not part of the equation. The State has not yet threatened the candidates regarding their positions on issues and the possibilities of being charged for their frank opinions. The Governor has not warned the party’s regarding any wild intentions of withdrawal from the election. No one has offered to come and observe the election. The candidates have not requested observers either.

The candidates know that the voter is sovereign. They are no attempt to belittle the citizen or intimidate an opponent. It is not acceptable behavior. One-person one vote is the rule. It is not always perfect but there is no organized attempt to steal, cheat or exclude.

The voting in our neighborhood is conducted in a small church around the corner from our house. They have a roll of names from DMV, check your name and hand you a ballot. Ethiopians that have arrived a matter of six years ago and that have acquired US citizenship can vote. The only requirement is citizenship and age.

It is election season in Ethiopia too. Citizens are voting for membership in the Federal Parliament. The Party with the highest number of winners will form the next government. That is well and good, but as they say the ‘devil is in the details’. There are a few issues we have to clarify in this Kafkaesque process of election in Ethiopia. Kafkaesque is an apt description of what is billed as election. Here I am using the term to mean ‘intentional distortion of reality, senseless disorienting, often menacing complexity and a sense of impending danger’ by the one party state.

To begin with there is the ‘National Election Board of Ethiopia’ (NEBE) appointed by the ruling party. The members of this government body owe their allegiance to the party. Please see PM Meles’s interview with Stephen Sackur’s regarding the election board. (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pY2NNOYKM8M) Their survival depends on the whims of the Prime Minster and his TPLF party Politburo (it is an old Soviet term to mean Central Committee of the ruling mafia group). It is alive and well in Ethiopia. There is also an ‘Election Code of Conduct’ proposed as (‘”I’m gonna make him an offer he can’t refuse” kind) and a few ‘chosen’ ones signed the contract. The ‘code of conduct’ is an all-reaching agreement that controls the activities of the Party’s, the Media the Candidates and the air they breathe. It is entirely drawn by the ruling TPLF party and the TPLF appointed Judiciary is the final arbitrator of all issued raised. If the election is a football match this will be analogous to having the TPLF assign the referee, linesmen, the football rules and is in control of the stadium with its own security force.

There are over eighty political party’s registered by NEBE. All but less than five are organized by the ruling TPLF party. Most exist by name only to be activated on a need basis. They can field candidates recruited by the regime, accept state funds thru the ruling party and show up for make believe debates and official functions. They have assigned ‘leaders’ from their own ethnic group but TPLF cadres (mostly Tigrai) run the show from behind.

The fantasy created is so real that it puts real competition to shame. There are candidates but they cannot campaign, meetings are allowed but meeting venues are closed or owners of such places as hotel halls or parks are threatened by the state not to allow opposition activities. Candidates meetings with their constituents are discouraged by arresting and intimidating their supporters. Please read Dr. Negasso Gidada’s article (http://ethioforum.org/wp/archives/1451) Debates are held but since all parties are counted as real the opposition ends up with a fraction of the time. The opposition candidates have to be careful what they say in the heat of the debate since the Prime Minster have warned about the dangers of prosecution after the election.

The opposition cannot campaign in the Kilils due to fear of intimidation and the real danger of being beaten, jailed, and property like cars, video cameras damaged. Please see Dr. Merera’s report regarding his visit to Moyale. (http://www.voanews.com/horn/2010-05-05-voa3.cfm) The only exception seems to be in Tigrai due to the fact that the candidates were former members of the ruling party and seem to have clout in the military. It is ‘check mate’ situation in Tigrai. The rest of the Kilils are like the American ‘wild west’ where might is right.

Television and radio are the sole property of the TPLF party. The opposition is given the two minutes during debates that are also delayed for ‘editing’ purpose while the ruling party is allowed twenty-three hours and fifty minutes. The independent ‘print media’ has been decimated thus it does not play any significant role while make believe ‘independent’ newspapers are a few but loud.

Supporters of the opposition Party cannot campaign door to door, neither holds meetings in their own houses nor put up placards on their cars or front door. It will surely invite catastrophe and this fact is clear to all. The mere attempt of wearing T-shirts with the opposition name and picture is a criminal offense. The law to watch out regarding meetings is the new ‘terrorist’ law passed after the last election. Please see Human Rights Watch analysis of the law at (http://www.hrw.org/en/news/2009/06/30/ethiopia-amend-draft-terror-law)

Election observers are members of the TPLF party and its junior affiliates. Foreign observers are a few in number and rendered ineffective by the ‘code of conduct’ that specifies no video, no picture and no interview in the pooling places. Ferenji philosophy is ‘I will not tell unless you complain’.

 

Suffice to say that the only thing the two elections have in common is the word ‘election’. In California the citizen is free to make his choice without undue pressure from anyone. In California the chances of electing the most capable person for the position is statistically high. In California the candidates have utilized every available media to let the citizen know their stand on issues. In California the Kilil and the Federal government have taken ‘hands off’ attitude and recognized the right of the citizen to make a decision based on his own conscience. In California the ‘candidates’ are not threatened with harm, their family and friends intimidated or stay up all night gripped with fear of what tomorrow might bring.

In Ethiopia the election is over before it started. For the opposition it is what is called as ‘fait accompli’ situation. That means it is over before you know what happened and it is not reverse able. As the sun will rise up from the East tomorrow morning TPLF (EPDRF) will have a majority in parliament, Ato Meles will be elected Prime Minister and more than ten million Ethiopians will wake up hungry with no prospects for a good lunch the day after the ‘democratic election’.

In this election over half of the country is closed to the opposition. There have been three reported incidents of candidates being murdered the last two months. The one Party State has been known to use lethal force on its citizens. It is a clear warning of what is to come. There are not enough brave souls that are foolish enough to tempt fate and stand for elections. In the Democratic Republic of Ethiopia the Chairman of the strongest opposition party is jailed on trumped up charges (Chairman Bertukan Mideksa). The logo of the opposition is awarded to an affiliate of the ruling party (CUDP logo to EDP). The name of the opposition party is handed to ‘hand picked’ leader (CUD to Ato Ayele Chamiso). Even the Chairman of an opposition party is removed from his position and a new one replaced by the NEBE (Dr. Merera and ONC). In Ethiopia the chances of electing the most capable person is nil, zero none.

Please note this not due the Ethiopian people being stupid and incapable. It is due to a lack of good governance. Election 2005 marks a watershed in our country’s history. It showed us that our people embrace the concept of good competition and fair election. The road to the elections were the most exiting, hopeful and a rebirth of the good old Ethiopian ‘free and proud’ mindset. The atmosphere was ripe with anticipation and people were filled with purpose and unity. That Ethiopian sense of ‘not trusting’ was hovering in the background but we choose to believe that a positive outcome was possible. What can I say the Nation was drunk with hope?

The ruling party sent all kinds of signals to show that it hasn’t changed. A few candidates were murdered and some beaten. We knew it was part of the ‘weaning process’ of a Party that was used to violence. You just can’t expect them to quit cold turkey. The PM raised the specter of ‘interhawme’. Alarms were raised and dismissed. Another hiccups we thought. The May rally at Meskel Square was our epiphany. At last we knew that we are good people that can unite for a great purpose. Please read Ato Debebe Eshetu’s article on Awramba Times (http://ethioforum.org/wp/archives/2086) Meskel Square showed that under the right conditions we are capable of rising above religion, ethnic affiliation and social class.

 

We come to the most important question now. Why participate in such a farce? The real answer is, it does not really matter much. Why discuss something that is insignificant in the great scheme of life. What is true is that a democratic election is a process of building a successful, growing and peaceful society. Those countries that hold democratic and free elections have a stable, peaceful and healthy society. Those that deny the basic right of their people suffer from civil war, insurrection and a miserable population always on the verge of catastrophe.

The Ethiopian election is not democratic. The Ethiopian Nation the TPLF leaders have built for the last eighteen years has not borne any fruit. It has only exacerbated the problems they inherited from the failed Junta dictatorship. The TPLF philosophy is not capable of growing the economy, creating real peace and having a happy, healthy and content population. The economic system of favoring an ethnic group to lord it over all others does not work. The idea of a single ruling party and ethnic group monopolizing both the military, and the business sector does not work. The concept of power emanating from above and treating the population as serfs does not work.

Thus electing some members from Medrek, some from AEUO, EDP and others is not a game changer. The problem is not the number of party’s. The system itself is the problem. With the Ethiopian system the question is not a matter of fine-tuning it. It is a complete overhaul that is called for. Party’s can go ahead participate to their hearts content, but remember other than creating employment for a few more individuals it is not going to make an iota of difference. And arguing whether to participate or not at this eleventh hour is only to create a distraction from the shameless act that is to follow. Just do not expect us to cry when you scream foul because Meles cheated or your behind is hauled to Kaliti for further schooling on the true nature of a dictatorial one party state. We promise not to say ‘we told you so!’ Furthermore, this business of bitching because you are not offered a solution is very lame. If someone tells you jumping from a cliff will kill you it doesn’t mean that not jumping will help you solve your problem. Telling you not to jump gives you another chance to contemplate, and to find a lasting solution that will prevent you from entertaining this crazy idea of trying to solve a fundamental problem by ending your life.

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Meles Zenawi`s sham elections and the accompanying opposition

8. May 2010 by Assimba.

May 7, 2010 at 8:51 pm (Commenatry)

By Zeineb Aliye

Meles Zenawi and Co. call Ethiopians chauvinists and it is right for Ethiopians in turn to call them ethno-fascists. Ethno-fascism is fascism shrouded and served in the plate of ethnicity. However, this does not mean that all Ethiopians espousing ethnic politics are ethno-fascists. The description ethno-fascism applies to the Meles-Sebhat brand of ethnicity which has the characteristic features of fascism and racism. Ethno-fascism is the foundation of the ideology of the Tigray People`s Liberation Front (TPLF) and that is why Ethiopians call its leaders an ethno-fascists. Thus it is now time to leave aside the political correctness and resort to the use of the suitable descriptions ethno-fascism and ethno-fascists when referring to the TPLF and its leaders.

The rise of ethno-fascism to power in Ethiopia is an alarming development with potentially devastating consequences. It is threatening national as well as regional stability in the volatile horn of Africa. Its increasing dependence on western aid and willingness to go to any length to serve foreign interests, are harming the long term interests and sovereignty of the country. The ethno-fascists are demonstrating their hostility to Ethiopia by signing and giving away the vital interests of the country like access to the sea and fertile lands. Thanks to these anti-Ethiopia fascist forces, Eritrea and the Sudan have benefitted a lot at the expense of Ethiopia.

The Ethno-fascist and racist Meles Zenawi has been staging sham elections in order to deceive and portray himself as an elected leader in the international arena. In the eyes of Ethiopians his periodic sham elections are simple dramas he stages to entertain himself and his donors. Ethno-fascism is pursuing its trademark of divide and rule as a result of which our communities are polarized and the bonds holding them together are disentangling. Thus ethno-fascism should be rejected and the struggle against it should take the central stage and serve as a rallying issue. Ethiopian intellectuals should be courageous enough to call `a spade a spade` and enlighten the general public on ethno-fascism and the grave dangers it poses to the country. Meles Zenawi`s repeated references to the genocide in Rwanda are by no means mere political rhetoric. It shows what he has in store for Ethiopians and intends to do if his power comes under threat or he is forced to leave Ethiopia. It is well known that Meles Zenawi has employed fascistic propaganda and agitation methods to mobilize the Tigrayans and wage his wars against Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet. The relatively destitute Tigrayan society has been receptive to the fascistic politics of the TPLF and Meles Zenawi. Ethiopian forces standing for Ethiopia and Ethiopiawinet receive his harsh treatment and severe punishment as the case of Birtukan Midekssa proves. History has amply demonstrated that fascism is very violent and does not entertain the ideas of equality, peace and reconciliation. Ethno-fascism is based on the politics of discrimination, exclusion and ethnic favouritism. It does not accept the equality of citizens and rule of law.

Meles Zenawi has defied and derided at repeated calls for peace and reconciliation. He has defied all the appeals and calls for the peaceful resolution of the deepening political crisis in the country. He continues to strengthen his brutal security apparatus which he uses to punish and silence the voices of peace and reconciliation. As a fascist, he has no interest in reconciliation and is squandering all such opportunities. Instead he has chosen repression and violence as his instruments of rule. His regime is declared illegitimate but clinging to power through sheer force and violence.

At this juncture, I am glad to express my support to the Ethiopian voices of democracy, freedom, justice and reason who are calling for the outright boycotting and rejection of Zenawi`s sham elections. The forces of democracy and freedom never take part in sham elections and cooperate with a ruthless dictator. Instead they stand for and pursue the course of creating an all inclusive and free political space in which fair and free elections can be conducted. It is only then that we will be able to have a democratic process in which all the stake holders take part without fear, hindrances, intimidations and restrictions. A democratic process can not be launched as long as the country is under the grip of ethno-fascism. It is also high time to put pressure on those forces who have been part and parcel of these sham elections by embracing Zenawi`s ethno-fascistic rule as a democratic process worth taking part in.. In this regard one does need only to see Zenawi`s preferential treatment and empowering of members of his golden ethnic group in the economic as well as the political arena. These facts are not lost to opposition forces vying for some seats Zenawi will kindly allocate to them. It is long overdue for these forces to review their wrong pro-Zenawi positions and come to terms with the political reality in the country. They should be aware of the long term political costs associated with taking part in sham elections and legitimizing ethno-fascism.

The so called code of conduct shows that sham elections are the joint undertakings of donors and Zenawi to improve and promote the international image of the latter. The belief among many Ethiopians that Zenawi is charming or deceiving the west is easy to refute considering the close alliance between the west and Zenawi. Zenawi can not deceive or mislead his western political advisers or coaches. Conflicting interests are at play and those are the aspirations of Ethiopians for democracy and freedom on one side and the sham elections of Zenawi. There is not any advantage to be gained by taking part in Zenawi`s farce. Nor do these sham elections advance democracy, freedom and justice in the country. Meles Zenawi has reportedly told his followers and supporters that his or the absolute power and hegemony of the TPLF will not be contested or submitted to public votes. It appears that Zenawi is more candid than the opposition groups who are lining up to get some seats from him. That is why I doubt the credibility and sincerity of the opposition who are participating in Zenawi`s farce.

I have read some contributions which arguing in favour of taking part in Meles Zenawi`s farce or what they refer to as elections. But I have not found any compelling or convincing arguments in them. In fact some of their points bear resemblance to the ones being advanced by the supporters of Meles Zenawi. Their reasonings condense to the assertion that democratization is a process and participation in the process via elections would contribute to moving it forward. There are also others who also cite  participation as a condition for the legal existence and functioning of the opposition parties in the country. Whether they take part in or not, these opposition groups and personalities are at the mercy of Meles Zenawi. Their participation in his sham elections does not safeguard them against his assaults and crack downs. They say that there is no free meal with Zenawi and one must expect to receive some pinches and punches from Zenawi. Some opposition forces claim that the peaceful struggle is the only effective means to dislodge the dictator from the palace. But in effect they are denied the basic rights such as free assembly and expression of ideas. Zenawi has banned demonstrations and the free press. They can not conduct public meetings without the permission of Meles Zenawi. Leaving aside the political cost participation in Zenawi`s farce entails, his degrading and humiliating treatments of the opposition figures sitting with his herd of cadres are unbearable. In fact as the enemy of our country, Zenawi is humiliating us all Ethiopians and derives a lot of pleasure by doing so. Even a practising Christian like ato Girma Kassa are fervently arguing for taking part in the sham elections. We know that the Bible forbids supporting deception or falsehood and ato Girma Kassa`s position contradicts the teachings of Christianity. This same person has written some pieces praising the ethno-fascist and racist rule of Meles Zenawi which is not expected of Christians. It is worth mentioning that there are also Ethiopian muslims supporting and working for ethno-fascism. This shows that our institutions of faith are becoming morally bankrupt and instruments of repression and violence. Besides, ato Girma Kassa, there are also others who are promoting and selling Medrek as a strong and unique combination of political parties with the potential effect of uniting Ethiopians and winning the sham elections. The advocates and supporters of Medrek seem to suffer from a short memory or be misleading the public. Some of the leaders of Medrek are well known personalities who have been an integral part of Zenawi`s sham elections and sitting in the rubber stamp parliament. These guys do not have any popular or national vision other than taking part in the farce and offering the sembalnce of legitimacy to ethno-fascism. Opposition politicians who have been cooperating with Meles Zenawi by taking part in his sham elections do not have any achievements to show and convince us. What they incorrectly call a democratic process is not moving forward since Zenawi is tightening his grip on power and closing the so called political space. Ethiopians are well aware of the reality and can not be deceived neither by Zenawi nor the opposition. We know why Zenawi is putting the opposition politicians in his assembly and enjoying their company. The recent successive draconian laws of Zenawi all refute the claims of those supporting participation in the sham elections. Zenawi has moved swiftly to close all the small openings or venues he thinks are available to the opposition. As a result we see no visible opposition political activity in the country. I do not see any difference between banning and stifling the opposition. Zenawi has apparently preferred stifling to banning to avoid embarrassing his donors. It is once again important to emphasize that the country has yet to set on a democratic process. A democratic process can not be initiated under a fascistic dictatorship like that of Zenawi. The sham elections Meles Zenawi stages are by no means part of the democratic process. As stated by many Ethiopians, they are designed and conducted to consolidate and legitimize his dictatorship. I think these are the essential points missing in the arguments and where the main confusion lies. Those arguing for participation are missing or deliberately overlooking these stark political realities on the ground..

As the main enemy of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi, should be denied any direct or indirect cooperation he seeks to legitimize his ethno-fascistic rule in Ethiopia. The opposition should not allow itself to be used as a pawn or tool to advance Zenawi`s anti-Ethiopia and personal agenda.. At the maximum they ought to mobilize the public and frustrate Zenawi`s ambitions of selling himself to the outside world and continuing to collect western aid cheques. At the minimum the genuine Ethiopian opposition forces should denounce his sham elections and distance themselves from them.  It is true that the west can continue to finance Zenawi`s regime irrespective of what happens. However, the election or democratic camfloulage or pretext they use should not be available to them. We recall how the donors and World Bank changed their canals of channelling money to Zenawi after the latter shed the blood of innocent citizens in the aftermath of the May 2005 elections. That is why many of us have come to the conclusion that the donors are not credible partners for democracy, freedom and development in Ethiopia. However, Ethiopians should continue their anti-fascist struggle to get rid of the illegitimate rule of Zenawi and associates and secure their rights and sovereignty.

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Ethiopia and election drama.

1. May 2010 by Assimba.

 By Yilma Bekele

What do you do when you first wake up in the morning? Some of us cannot move without our first cup of coffee while others require a good breakfast. How about if you went to bed without dinner? I am sure you woke up a few times hungry, you did not have a good restful sleep and it is possible your rest was disturbed by all sorts of dream and nightmare due to an empty stomach.

Food is primary. Food comes first. Without food there is no you. Without food there is no life.

Food is what is lacking in our country. Food has been lacking in our country for eternity. We are famous for not having enough food. Our name has become synonymous with hunger. When you say famine the word that comes to mind is Ethiopia.

Why is there not enough food in Ethiopia? We are lazy? No. Our people are known to farm from sunup to sundown. Farming is a family business. Our land is dry? No. We have plenty of rivers flowing out of our highlands north into Egypt, East to Somalia and west to Sudan. We don’t have enough land. No. We have plenty of virgin land waiting to be developed. We are over populated. No. We have enough land to sustain twice our current population. We are stupid? No. Our dispersed citizens all over the world are proof that we are one clever people that will settle anywhere and thrive.

Thus we are not lazy, we have a beautiful fertile land, we are not over populated and we are not mentally challenged people but we are still hungry and cannot survive without a handout. Why?

There is not enough food because we are not using our resources intelligently. Did I just say resources? As soon as I said resource you automatically thought of mineral or oil or such commodity. No, we have resources more precious than that. The people are the most important resource of a country. We have not figured out a way to harness the abundant resource of eighty million souls in front of our eyes. That, in a nutshell is our problem.

It is nice to have minerals and oil. It is good to be blessed with a vast population. But by themselves they don’t mean much. There is a third important factor that makes the two work in harmony. It is a vital part of the equation. It is what we have been lacking for a long time. That is what we don’t have.

I am glad you asked. What is lacking is good governance. It is enlightened leadership. That is what is missing in our country. Our country goes back thousands of years. Our Ethiopia is not a recent phenomenon. We have such visionaries as Tewodros, Yohanes and Menelik. They have been gone a long time but their legacy still lives.

Today we are lost. We are like a vessel without a pilot but driven by the wind. We stumble from port to port. We travel without knowing our destination, we plan without knowing what we want to achieve and we fail time and time again. We are accustomed to leaders that avoid responsibility. They excel at blaming others for their mistakes and lack of vision but they have this remarkable ability to shake accountability.

Here is a quote from a classic Chinese text (Tao TeChing) written around the 6^th. Century BC about leadership:

The best rulers are scarcely known by their subjects;
The next best are loved and praised;
The next are feared;
The next despised:
They have no faith in their people,
And their people become unfaithful to them.

When the best rulers achieve their purpose
Their subjects claim the achievement as their own.

We don’t have that do we? Thus we go hungry. We roam the earth looking for a place to settle. We despair for our country and we fight each other. Whether at home or in a foreign land we have no harmony. There is no peace among the children of Ethiopia. We celebrate our differences and magnify our contradictions. We are one sorry nation.

The way we are going about building our country is not a wining formula. We all know it is not going to happen. You cannot fit a square inside a circle. You can try, but it won’t fit. My son used to try that when he was two. One week with that toy and he figured it is not going to happen. He did not force the issue. He learnt. Here we are responsible adults and we are still trying to fit a square inside a circle.

We are at it again. The current farce billed as an election is bringing out the worst in us. We are stuck with a Party that is unable to let go. It survives from day today. It survives by creating contradiction among its people. It stumbled into power without a clue of what to do with it. It has been improvising for the last seventeen years. It lacks what the American refer to as ‘Exit strategy’. I am sure the TPLF leaders would love to go into the sunset peacefully. Sit back and enjoy their ill-gotten wealth. How is the burning question keeping Ato Meles and company awake at night. Their belly is full but their mind wonders.

Think of it this way. Ato Meles his family a few of his friends can leave. How about their entourage. What is going to happen to the junior abusers that have been doing the actual dirty job? It is a very interesting situation. Lack of ‘exit strategy’ has been the Achilles heel of dictators since time immemorial. Shah of Iran, Ferdinand Marcos, Augusto Pinochet, Mobutu Sese Seko, Alberto Fujimori, Nicolae Ceausescu and so on have all been victims of that simple but vital concept. They always get caught with their pants down.

After all is said and done we are back to square one. Waking up hungry. Fourteen million Ethiopians are in a state of constant famine. Twice that number wake up hungry everyday. When it comes to our children it is said that those that are mal nourished (starved) during their developmental phase, the deficiencies are recognized to have the potential for permanent adverse effects on learning and behavior. A nation of mentally challenged is the outcome.

Everything is inter related. You cannot have food on the table without a good governance that requires a visionary leader. You cannot have a visionary leader without a democratic elections that weeds out the wheat from the chaff. You cannot weed out the chaff without an open transparent competition for the citizen to judge. So we go around this vicious circle we have created.

What do you think the current election is going to accomplish. Definitely it is not going to separate the chaff from the wheat. Why? Because it is all chaff. The wheat knows better. It is going to sit this one out. TPLF is going to win. Medrek will be allowed one hundred seats. The Europeans and the Americans will bless the outcome with ‘some’ reservation. Ato Meles and company will celebrate their emerging democracy.

The Ethiopian people will watch the drama somberly. The hunger will continue unabated. The migration of the young will be accelerated. The sale of our virgin territory will gain momentum.

All is not lost. It might look hopeless but every contradictions carries its own solution. Didn’t the divine Haile Sellasie regime crumble due to internal rot? Didn’t the mighty Derge wither away due its arrogance and abuse? The same fate awaits the criminal TPLF regime. I will leave you with what Tao TeChing said about rebellion:

 

When rulers take grain so that they may feast,
Their people become hungry;
When rulers take action to serve their own interests,
Their people become rebellious;
When rulers take lives so that their own lives are maintained,
Their people no longer fear death.

When people act without regard for their own lives
They overcome those who value only their own lives.

There will come a time when the people no longer fear death.

 

 

 

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