Tedla Asfaw
Friday May 18, 2012 will be remembered as one of the major victories the
Ethiopian Diaspora in the DC area scored against Meles Zenawi and his few
supporters who were cornered on the corner of Pennsylvania Avenue and 13th
St. I was surprised why they secured a permit on the 13th St and gave the
opposition a better spot to humiliate Meles Zenawi and his backer President
Obama. This was their major failure which saved the day otherwise the huge
anti Meles crowd would have charged against them to stop the Obama
Limousine and would have been ugly.
Friday May 18 around 7am the 13 St corner Meles supporters/Neche Kofia
were making little noise without any impact at all. Around 7:30 am we were
alerted by skillful young organizers that journalists and other dignitaries
were lined up to enter at the Regan Building.While told we have no permit
to go there by the organizers and security people we cross the Pennsylvania
Avenue for Action. Emotion run high, the denunciation of Mels Zenawi for
his crime against humanity was very loud and clear. We went on for almost
thirty minutes while watched by big gun drawn by security. It was amazing.
The good thing, Meles was not there.
We went back to our designated area on Pennsylvania Avenue and 14 St corner
with great pride after we made our voice for Freedom and Dignity loud and
clear to all who have responsibility to write and educate the public, free
media of the world. On Pennsylvania Avenue the crowd number tripled and
slogan condemning Meles Zenawi and President Obama for promoting human
right abuser on the G8 Conference on “Food Security” was loud.
The VOA journalist, Henok was alerted about the action he missed at the
entrance of the Regan Building. Apparently he was not interested even to
ask on what has happened and was interviewing one of the organizers briefly
before he left the scene around 8pm. He reported on VOA Amharic yesterday
that few hundreds Ethiopians and few government supporters were condemning
and supporting Meles respectively. His report is inaccurate because it only
covers the first hour of our action of the day and even missing the big
action while he was there. We have audios and videos to back our claim.
The battle on Pennsylvania Avenue to open the Woodrow Wilson Plaza stair
case and the side walk brought us scuffle with security officers. But the
crowd when you compare it from its size was polite and in fact the Plaza
helped us to divert the crowd to open up the sidewalk. The young, the old ,
women and men, Ethiopian Muslims before the Friday prayer joined us to tell
the world that Ethiopians faced both Food Insecurity and Freedom to choose
their representative and leaders at all levels.
Obama, Where is your promise ? Shame on You President Obama !!! This was
reverberating on the Pennsylvania Avenue. The people who were going to
school or work saw us and got their support by honking their cars
and taking flyers prepared by different civic organizations in the
Ethiopian Diaspora. When we were alerted the coming of Meles Zenawi
around 9am we brake all the laws to chase this man before entering the
building. Mayhem and scream forced security officers to draw their guns and
we knelled down to hold our ground.
Meles is a Killer , Meles is a Looter, Meles is our land Seller, etc. We
hold our ground for twenty minutes before security people took us to our
permit area across Pennsylvania Avenue. I have never seen such thing
before. When the last time we had a protest against Meles in USA it was
September 2010 in New York at Columbia. We were not given a chance to see
him and he was forced to enter a back door.
This is a humiliation he deserves after taking up power by Gun Seven Years
ago on this month. Seven years ago on May 15 he ordered the killing of
hundreds and the jailing of thousands of Ethiopians when they voted him out
of office. Since then Ethiopia is under Miitialry Fascistic rule financed
by the West. For the last seven years Meles and his close associates wealth
accumulated out of Ethiopia is more than 11.5 billion dollar while USAID is
feeding poor Ethiopians.
USAID, In Dictator We Trust was the slogan that greeted Obama. Around 10am
Pennsylvania Avenue was closed for traffic. Traffic turned back. That was
the time we control this famous street to send our message loud and clear.
Obama came from White House escorted by police cars and black limousines.
The Ethiopian Green and Red Flag greeted him with shout and condemnation
for supporting a world known human right abuser. Obama, Stop supporting a
Terrorist, Meles Zenawi is a Terrorist. No Food Security without Freedom.
Shame on You President Obama !!!! Ethiopian Americans will not Vote for You
Again !!! It was thunderous and no doubt he got our message and it is up to
him now to call in Public for Freedom to organize and speak in Ethiopia. We
don not subscribe to back door diplomacy. Ethiopia is not China !!!!
Pennsylvania Avenue loud voice between 13 and 14 st will be remembered as a
day that exposed USA Double Standard towards Ethiopia. The protest letter
written by human right organizations and the petition signed by more than
8,000 people, the telephone call made to the White House from Ethiopians
all over the world is a fact Obama and other politicians can not ignore.
For other Ethiopians/Hodams who are regime lovers on the 13 st we made it
clear to them what to come. They better be advocates of freedom like the
one they enjoyed here. Fight for the same right and freedom you have here
for the people back home. Do not exploit your own people’s land in the name
of development. Ethiopians love for their country is unparalleled. However,
the gentleness that characterized our people is misunderstood by
foreigners. Those who travelled to Ethiopia are safe in Ethiopia because
Ethiopians respect of human lives is deep in their culture. No foreigner is
blown up by suicide bomber or terrorist in Ethiopia. Ethiopia however has
been ruled under Terror and the regime wants to govern for life by
recruiting itself as a Horn Africa Security Ally of the West.
The majority of our people are now onlookers in their own country. “Wealth”
creators are foreigners and even the farmers are now forced to leave their
land to satisfy foreigners who were gathered at Regan Building in the name
of “Food Security”. Yes it is Food Security for India, Gulf Nations etc but
not for Ethiopian farmers. The people of Gambella and Afar are fighting to
keep their land. Lives are lost and will be lost in this struggle until
foreign landlords leave Ethiopian land for Ethiopian farmers only. The
protest in front of India Embassy last week is a warning and we will
organize such protests at Saudi Arabia and other embassies which are paying
cash for long lease to control a resource which we need dearly to feed our
people.
Had Ethiopians the right to protest in their own country many countries
would have been refrained from activities that will jeopardize the food
security of our people. In the last Seven years there has never been any
protest. In Ethiopia there is no Freedom at all !!! That message was
directly delivered to all who were in the meeting hall to talk about food
security yesterday morning. Meles Zenawi is a human right abuser, There is
no Freedom in Ethiopia, Free Eskinder Nega, Freedom, Freedom Freedom
shouted Abebe Gellaw one of the producers of ESAT TV whose voice Meles
Zenawi blocked on air with help of China. Meles got it yesterday from few
feet live from Freedom Messenger. All on that conference hall will never
forget those few seconds in their life time. The shock on Meles’ face was
clear for all. I wonder what he has said after that shocking encounter with
one of our own. Bravo Abebe !!!!!
Meles Zenawi who was condemned while entering at the Regan Building was
humiliated one hour after by our own in front of world leaders. I hope
Meles got a lesson coming once in a life time and resign immediately and
release all political opponents. Alah WaKiber, Egzeabher Yetekebere yehune
!!!! Victory to the people of Ethiopia !!!!