He who has lost honour can lose nothing more. —Publilius Syrus
The term honour comes from the Latin honos inwhich a person is assessed based on the individuals actions, mainly his or her honesty, dignity and integrity. The recent political theatre performed by four honourless characters (Hailu Shawel, Ayele Chamiso, Lidetu Ayalew, and Meles Zenawi) is an atrocious act of deceit, lies and dishonesty that has appalled all of those who long for democracy, freedom, justice and human rights in Ethiopia.
It is not far fetched to say that politics is perhaps the lone profession in which some dishonourable individuals are granted the title of honourable. What a pity. Dishonesty and deceptions are honoured and dignified. How long should the people of this magnificent land be subjected to such cheap gamesmanship. It is this very fact of political opportunism that considerably delayed the process of democratization in Ethiopia.
We all know too well that if it wasnt for the support provided to the military junta by some opportunistic intellectuals the duration of the regimes power may have been shorter and the suffering of the Ethiopian people could have been less traumatic and extensive. Those who betrayed the Ethiopian people at the time did it for nothing more than a few crumbs thrown at them from the military regime.
The recent choreographed publicity stunt, primarily prepared for the consumption of donor countries, is so juvenile in nature that we would hope it could impress neither donor countries nor the people of Ethiopia. No self-respecting soul with minimum integrity should buy into this vicious assault on the hopes and aspirations of the Ethiopian people for a true democracy.
It is an open secret that the history of TPLF shows its unmatched record of manufacturing surrogate political organizations deliberately created to advance its goals and objectives at the expense of the Ethiopian people. Before, coming to power TPLF used captured soldiers of the military regime to invent ethnic-based political parties, which currently form the so-called EPRDF. No one, particularly the Ethiopian people, believes for a fraction of a second that a TPLF led regime has truthfulness or an inch of integrity.
I remember what one of my good friends from Ethiopia told me during a telephone conversation. The only reliable information we get from the TPLF run TV, radio and print media is the date. The rest is pure lie and deception. Well, ironically, the same was said about the military regime. The publicity stunt shown on the national TV and posted on the pro-TPLF website is awash with the declaration that Ethiopia has made a great advance toward democracy. Sadly, as long as TPLF is in power there will never be democracy.
As I said above, no one expects truthfulness or a hint of integrity from the TPLF regime. Some, however, would be surprised by Mr. Hailu Shawls political acrobatics and the bow of loyalty that he delivered to Meles Zenawi. The question one needs to ask is this: Did Mr. Hailu Shawel betray the cause of true democracy, justice, human rights and freedom in Ethiopia or did he come full circle in returning to where he began his political life? We all know that Mr. Hailu Shawel was a Minister of Agriculture under Mengistu Hailemariams military regime. Although he claims that he resigned or left his post because of his profound difference with the regimes policy, one could ask a question about his rise to a cabinet position under a regime that terrorized its citizens for 18 years. Even lower level bureaucratic positions are rewarded to those who showed unwavering support to the regime and participated in the atrocities committed against the people of Ethiopia. Therefore, the question is what dont we know about Mr. Hailu Shawel? Is he a born opportunist that will say anything and do anything to have that honourable title and the power that comes along with it?
Political compromise and concessions are part of a political discourse. However, such deals are often made under one condition and that is the advancement of the greater good. In the case of the recent so-called electoral code of conduct deal, the only thing being advanced is the strangle hold of power by the TPLF. The reality is that the TPLF and the common good are irreconcilable. The political principle of TPLF is deliberate polarization, oppression and the infliction of maximum suffering and trauma on the people of Ethiopia. As for Lidetu Ayalew and Ayele Chamiso, well they dont even deserve being mentioned by name.
Displaying his trademark diatribe/rant, Meles Zenawi recently accused international aid agencies of inflating the number of famine stricken citizens in Ethiopia. The reason why aid agencies exaggerate the numbers, according to Mr. Zenawi, is the following: “It is a huge industry, and this industry are actors who have their own views on this condition. They sell food aid because they can sell it above the market price. They get some rent for it,” he said. “It is to their benefit and their advantage. They are selling their food where food is scarce. The same with those who are transporting food in their ships. And those truckers who get it from the ports to the consumer areas. People take quite a chunk of the benefits from this.”1 —— Meles Zenawi
It sounds like Déjà vu, doesnt it? We wouldnt have thought that Meles Zenawi would be echoing the exact same accusation levelled by Mengistu Hailemariam against international aid agencies and donor countries. In his Memoir Red Tears, Dawit Woldegiorgis, head of Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RCC) under Mengistu Hailemariam, discusses his conversation with Mengistu. Upon returning from a foreign trip appealing for food aid, Dawit was subpoenaed to Mengistus office and he describes Mengistus reaction to Dawits effort in convincing aid agencies about the impending famine and its magnitude. . The imperialist elements would do everything possible to thwart our efforts, to embarrass us, to destroy the gains of the revolution, one way of trying to embarrass us, he said, was by exploiting the drought .2——— Mengistu Hailemariam
Ironic, is it not? Almost 25 years ago one of the most ruthless tyrants of our time accused the donor countries and international aid agencies for fabricating and inflating famine. Today it appears Meles Zenawi is almost quoting Mengistu Hailemariam (without crediting him).Dictators, regardless or which time period they are in or what cultural context they come from, almost always behave the same way.
The statement of accusation presented by Mr. Zenawi is almost comical. I say this because I find it astonishingly dishonest and hypocritical to accuse international aid agencies of benefiting from the misfortunes of starving men, women and children when your political and business empire is built on the famine industry.
There seems to be a need to refresh the collective memory, and in particular that of Mr. Zenawi, as it appears that he is having difficulty remembering his own identity and past actions. It was the 1984 famine, and Mr. Zenawi was one of the senior leaders of Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF). It was there in the guerrilla camps that he mastered the art of inflating famine and exploiting the suffering of the people so that he could win the sympathy and support of international donors and aid agencies. Perhaps, Mr. Zenawi remembers someone by the name of Gebremedhin Araya. He was a member of TPLFs and the head of finance. Since leaving the organization, Gebremedhin has exposed the inner workings of TPLF and how Zenawi and his inner circle profited from the famine business.
When Mr. Zenawi accuses the international aid agencies of creating the food aid industry, does he consider providing the names of their local partners in Ethiopia? For example, Endowment Fund For the Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT)? The Trucking companies in Ethiopia run by people he might know? Just curious!
Isnt this thing that Zenawi calls the food aid industry the very foundation of one of his own biggest business conglomerates (EFFORT). Furthermore, isnt it because of his ability to fabricate, exaggerate and manipulate famine that he is in power today? Is this an attempt by Zenawi to play the guardian of moral values and ethics?
Now, this kind of hypocrisy and utter lies are at best not going to impress anyone, both in Ethiopia and within the international community. We all know famine is TPLFs political and economic capital and the aid agencies accused of creating food aid industry have partners in Ethiopia and we would like to know who they are. How about if we start with EFFORT? For 18 years Zenawi has lied to the Ethiopian people and deceived the international community in these dying days his rule. I urge him to change his pattern of deception and lies. Remember, there is a saying that when you point a finger in blame at another person, you have three fingers pointing back at yourself.
While I was surfing the Internet, I came across some websites that on October 17, 2009 a symposium in memory of a centennial birth anniversary for Ato Haddis Alemayu was scheduled. Many of the speakers were from the old school of Haile Sellasie University.
Last year, it is also to be recalled that Assimba.Org had held a symposium for DEBTERAW for no purpose other than to remind Ethiopians to search for his body or his soul.
What is symposium and what is its purpose? Originally, it was referred to a drinking party but since then it has come to refer to any academic conference.
In other words, symposium will encompass one of the following
A meeting for drinking, music and intellectual discussion adopted from ancient Greeks.
A collection of writings on a particular topic
A meeting or a conference for a discussion of a topic, especially one in which the participants form an audience and make presentation
Many educated Ethiopians have been conducting symposia but there is little evidence for concrete results.
It is to be recalled that the two Tsegaye Gebre Medhins met for the first time in a symposium that was organized by memhre Alemayehu Moghus to discuss about the real cause of poverty in Ethiopia. It was a lively discussion whereby Ato Alemayehu attempted to convince the audience of the perpetual threat of famine/poverty. According to Memhr Alemayehu, the recurring famine/poverty was because Ethiopians have over two hundred religious holidays in a year. That symposium of the 1970 did not hold to be true. The answer may lie in the works of Samuel Alemayehus obstacle to empower and encourage Ethiopian alumni.
Today, this time it is reported that millions of Ethiopians are struck by hungry; I have come to learn about Ato Haddiss symposium was meant nothing but to celebrate. After 39 years, symposia did hold to be true. What is wrong with those educated researchers or scientists? What a tragedy!
So what is this hundred years of ceremony for? According to the program organizers, known as Tibeb International Project (TIP) along his Excellency family members, his close friends and fans came to celebrate not only Ato Haddiss 100 years of anniversary but to solicit a fund for a foundation. If that is the way foundations are organized and funded, all the good luck for the organizers.
I am concerned that there seems no political contribution by Ato Haddis. I was not in the symposium but from the program it seems to me that Ato Haddis was apolitical man.
His book ኢትዮጵያ ምን ዐይነት አስተዳደር ያስፈልጋታል? What kind of governance for Ethiopia? This by itself was political unless politics has different meanings.
Ato Haddiss contribution to literature, to humanity and personal philosophy may assist to fund raise for a foundation in his name and honor. As at now, Ethiopia is not in glorifying names and deeds. Its expatriate people are being humiliated, its local population are harassed and imprisoned, its national resources are being abused and depleted and above all its citizens are on the verge of death because of famine. The answer lies, my dear readers, in the primacy of politics.
At this juncture, there is no better time to explain the way Ato Haddis and DEBTERAW has painted and struggled for the Ethiopian people via the art of politics of Reform or Revolution. It is proper to compare and contrast the two giants of a generation.
Ato Haddis and DEBTERAW
Side by Side
Ato Haddis has exposed the culture of Feudalism by writing fikire eske mekabir ፍቅር አስክ መቃብር whereas DEBTERAW has exposed the nature and culture of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church.
Ato Haddis got married and remained so until death despite no children of his own whereas
DEBTERAW did not marry to a wife but to a cause
Ato Haddis had aspired to democratize Ethiopia from top down whereas
DEBTERAW believed a change could only become feasible from both top and bottom. In practice, DEBTERAW fiercely struggled from the University community as top down phenomenon and he set an example by teaching from the Agaw Midre – a case of a forgotten place and people – Kehas Ber aka Chagnie – in an attempt to explain of bottom up – change.
Ato Haddis believed in the perpetual hospitality of Ethiopians to the outside world. DEBTERAW never believed hospitality to the outside world at the expense of Ethiopians.
Ato Haddis was for a reform whereas DEBTERAW was for a Revolution. Later on Ato Haddis joined the struggle for DEMOCRACIA for he saw the sharp contrast of Socialism Hibresebawinet that was propagated by the DERG and his cronies and the struggle for DEMOCRACIA by EPRP.
The Eway Revolution versus Socialism (hibresbawinet)
As it turns out, Ato Haddis, like the majority of Ethiopian intellectuals became supporters of the Revolution rejecting his old idea of Reform. There was debate after debate for the Revolution but not for reform. That was another reason why we go from one extreme to another extreme even in the present situations having learnt for decades of indoctrination.
The Shengo as described by Ato Tegegne Mogus was not meant to transform Ethiopia from a feudal system to a democratic system via constitution. According to Ato Tegegne Moghus, at a certain point in time, Ato Haddis became a candidate to be a prime minister by the DERG. Further Ato Tegne pointed out that Ato Haddis demanded the need for a provisional government Ato Haddis refused to accept, through the proxy of General Aman Andom.
The call for a provisional peoples government was a revolutionary slogan that was demanded by EPRP. Why did Ato Haddis demand this slogan? Ato Tegne did not elaborate, but here is what I think.
I have no doubt that Ato Haddis had put a condition on his becoming prime minister but for me I have another side of a story.
While Ato Haddis was being solicited to become a prime minister for Ethiopia, Addis Zemen Newspaper was also interviewing him simultaneously. Some of the questions I can remember was about what books he was reading. His answer was Das Kapital. And what he thinks about his critics on his book on explaining democracy. ኢትዮጵያ ምን ዐይነት አስተዳደር ያስፈልጋታል?
His answer was shocking to many opportunists of the time. Ato Haddis responded that he wished that Ethiopia had five such men in order to progress and prosper. He probably has regretted having written that book, (ኢትዮጵያ ምን ዐይነት አስተዳደር ያስፈልጋታል?) after his critics taught him the concept and function of democracy is it in the West or East.
Who were these individual critics? They were Tsegaye Gebre Medhin alias DEBTERAW and Yohannes Berhane. What was the role of these individuals in the Eway Revolution? Both were not only part of the leadership of EPRP but also the members of the Editorial Board of DEMOCRACIA the mouthpiece of EPRP. I know for sure Ato Haddis and many other intellectuals and ministers were reading the issue of DEMOCRACIA every week though clandestinely. Those who have been reading DEMOCRACIA definitely would not have accepted any position in the DERG regime.
By the way, how did these two individuals have convinced Ato Haddis? DEBTERAW critiqued on Ato Haddiss ideological philosophy while Yohannes Berhane explained the root and the nature of democracy. For these individuals, life is what one can give up and not what you can get. Herein lies the basic struggle between Ato Haddis and DEBTERAWS EPRP.
Lessons to be learned
At the time of the formation of the so-called Shengo, it was not peoples movement but revolutionary movement Ato Tegegne should correct his position. We all remember that during the peoples movement, the Emperor had promised a new constitution. It was a hoax to buy time. It was a missed opportunity by the Emperor to abdicate power to his son or sons.
Most of us remember that the collection of military that were selected from various units was known for their unruly behavior including Menghistu Haile Mariam. I believed that the DERG of 120 were chosen not for their contribution to society but to their negative contribution in their place of garrison or unit. The Shengo was a replica of the Derg council. Another hoax.
I do not know of many others, but in the place where I was working, the majority of employees chose a person not only he was unfit to be representative of the highly esteemed organization but he had neither moral nor ability. The employees just wanted to get rid of him. We have seen this trend again and again. Since there was no other way of controlling the liars, the cheats and the thieves, Ethiopians have a history of disposing the unwanted elements from their surroundings. It was a physical removal not mental. Where there is no democratic right such as to assemble, to speak or to print, it is impossible to elect reliable representatives but to elect/send the bad guys.
Take for instance, the case of Borana boys. The first time Haile Sellasie request the elders of Borana society to send their kids to Addis Ababa for education, the elders decided to send the children of the unwanted elements among them. It was after the first groups returnees that they began to send their own children.
Take the case of EPDM; those unwanted and tarnished elements of EPRP became another hoax to TPLFs coalition government.
The lesson here is that, the party of the DERG, the Shengo, and the coalition of EPRDF were/are all fraudulent. Let us get real for a real political party.
Conclusion
Ato Haddis and many other Ethiopian intellectuals have changed position away from the socialist propaganda path of the DERG but to accept the Revolutionary path of EPRP.The clandestine paper of DEMOCRACIA has played a major role in educating ministers, managers and officers during the DERG era thereby to the downfall of the DERG.
The guiding light for EPRP members and supporters was the publication of DEMOCRACIA and without this publication there is nothing that EPRP can do to move foreword. The current issues that are being published by both EPRP and its splinter group not only are tedious but irrelevant to the current situation.
I hope this is a bridge for the splinter groups to come together and make one DEMOCRACIA. It is not about having the name and logo that will legitimize EPRP to come to power. After all EPRP is mostly has been defined by its opponents. What is in EPRPs historical and potential soft power lies in the concept of democracy a solution for Aethiopia. Ato Haddis has learnt from his mistakes and why not the Mershas and his groups? That is the difference between maturity and immaturity. It is about the postponement of immediate gratification.
It is high time to come together. Why do we have to confuse listeners and readers by having two radio programs and two mouthpieces for EPRP? I suggest that if the Mersha groups do not want to associate with the word REVOLUTION, let them use EPDP. That would be a perfect compromise.
In EPRPs goal and operation, it is not about private matter but public. Let those who claim the crown or the political power think about the Assimba-Tselemti-Mercato (ATM) factor. There is a missing link to search.
Even one generation could not afford to wait for one hundred years in order to testify and certify.
“One of the remarkable facts in the terrible history of famine is that no substantial famine has ever occurred in a country with a democratic form of government and a relatively free press.”1 These are the words of the renowned Nobel Peace Prize winning economist Dr. Amartya Sen. His well articulated work establishing the link between undemocratic governance with famine is one of the most significant research findings that sheds light on the causes of famine and starvation.
Sean M. Lynn- Jones, Editor of International Security, the International Security Program’s quarterly journal at Harvards Belfer Center, concurs with Amartya Sens thesis, and he further elaborates on the link between totalitarian rule and famine. He argues, Most of the countries that have experienced severe famines in recent decades have been among the worlds least democratic. Such countries include China, Ethiopia, North Korea, Somalia, Cambodia and Sudan.2
Throughout history, famines have occurred in many different types of countries, but never in a democracy.3 According to Sean M. Lynn- Jones there are two important reasons as to why democracies do not experience famines. First, in democracies governments are accountable to their populations and their leaders have electoral incentives to prevent mass starvation.4 Secondly, the existence of a free press and the free flow of information in democracies prevents famine by serving as an early warning system on the effects of natural catastrophes such as floods and droughts that may cause food scarcities. A free press that criticizes government policies also can publicize the true level of food stocks and reveal problems of distribution that might cause famines even when food is plentiful.5
Repeatedly, humanitarian aid agencies and donor nations have appealed for emergency food aid when there has been a sign of rain shortage or total absence of rain in some parts of Ethiopia. Understandably, it is the humanitarian aid agencies job to raise the alarm bell so that they can provide what is needed to those who are unable to feed themselves. There is no dispute over the fact that those men and women, children and the elderly suffering from starvation and malnutrition should be taken care of.
The problem, however, is when those on the giving end of the equation fail to understand the causes of famine in its entirety and view it as a single, simple, or uncontrollable phenomenon — the absence of rain. Sadly, as we begin to hear another appeal for emergency food aid by international aid agencies such as the UN World Food Program and others, I am compelled to call upon responsible citizens of the world to consider a few points before opening their wallets and chequebooks and perhaps elevate the discussion surrounding famine beyond rain shortage.
Background
It is perhaps important to provide an abbreviated snapshot of the history of governments and governance in Ethiopia during the last 8 decades in order to assert Amartya Sens argument democracies dont starve. In the last 81 years, Ethiopia has changed hands between three rulers: Emperor Hailesellassie (1928-74), Colonel Mengistu H/Mariam (1974-1991), and Mr. Meles Zenawi (1991- Present). In other words, three men have ruled Ethiopia for eighty-one years. Within the same time period in my adopted homeland of Canada, 40 federal elections were called and twenty-two Prime Ministers came to power leading their political parties. Perhaps the most telling reality for me is that since I began my new life in Canada 15 years ago, 5 free and fair federal elections took place and three different Prime Ministers led their parties to victory. In short, I have seen more frequent change of government in the last fifteen years of my life than the people of Ethiopia witnessed in the last eighty-one years. Certainly, it is unfair to expect the same democratic growth or standard from Ethiopia as compared to Canada. What is inferred here is the fact that the struggle for democracy, freedom and justice took so many lives and continues to take more lives everyday. Forty years after the first march for democracy, forty years after the call for an elected government, Ethiopia remains shackled by a ruthless tyrannical regime.
The most publicized famine of Ethiopia happened in 1988 under the watchful eye of the leader of the military junta, Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam.The constant recurring famine has continued to kill numerous people under the watch of Meles Zenawi. The common denominator between these two regimes is that they are undemocratic, and they are not accountable and responsible to the people.
Why?
It is natural for the reader to ask a question why? why do these leaders ignore the plight of their people and expose them to such extreme suffering and even death? The answer is totalitarian regimes are pre-occupied and even obsessed with how to maintain their grip on power. They are trapped by the illusion of their superiority and the knowledge that a population with an empty stomach could not organize itself to challenge their authority. Therefore, one way to stay in power is to facilitate and create favourable environment for famine so that citizens remain pre-occupied with feeding themselves instead of working for democracy, social justice, freedom and human rights.
For example, after the 2005-contested election, which was won by a coalition of opposition parties, the government targeted farmers who supported and voted for opposition parties, denying them access to government distributed fertilizers and other farm support materials and supplying to those who voted for the regime. Such a policy did not only affect food production for individual families, but also it contributed substantially to the decrease in food production at a national level.
The other reason totalitarian regimes starve their own population is the emergency food aid is a valuable incentive to the most important institutions that matters to them: the army, police and security apparatus. It is well documented that the previous regime of Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam and the current regime led by Meles Zenawi diverted emergency food aid to strengthen their security institutions because their very survival was and is dependent on how the members of these institutions are fed and paid. They are well aware that any sign of dissatisfaction and discontent by the members of these institutions puts them at risk.
The third reason why totalitarian regimes starve their people is they want to appear caring and concerned about their people by appealing for food assistance. First, they deny that the famine is taking place and when they are confronted with evidence they minimize the scale of it. Finally, they appear to be shaken by the suffering and appeal for humanitarian support. This, in fact, is the pattern that all of us who grew up in Ethiopia witnessed in the last four decades.
The other characteristics of totalitarian regimes are that they try to create a false image by creating projects, celebrations, and economic growth. During the 1988 famine, Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam spent hundreds of millions of dollars celebrating the formation of the Ethiopian Workers Party, and the tenth anniversary of the revolution, while millions were starving and tens and thousands were dying. He even bragged about the remarkable economic growth and transformation, which he attributed to his leadership.
The current regime in Addis Ababa has adopted the same approach as its predecessor in manufacturing economic development on paper while millions are starving. Furthermore, the regimes slick ability to speak donor language and charm policy makers in the west created unwarranted collaboration, which contributed to the suffering of the people of Ethiopia. The current ruler for his part has claimed to have been delivering a 6- 11% economic growth increase for the last number of years and yet tens of millions of Ethiopians cant even feed themselves. At the same time, the regime is spending millions of dollars expanding Zenawis personal residence inside the national palace, while aid agencies are appealing for food aid to provide for millions of starving citizens
Famine and shortage of food for totalitarian rulers is an opportunity of a different kind. They determine who gets assistance and who doesnt. In other words they decide who lives and who dies. Such ruthless and inhumane food distribution policy is currently being implemented by the regime in Addis Ababa towards the inhabitants of the Ogaden region in Eastern Ethiopia. Using Ogaden National Liberation Fronts (ONLF) armed resistance against the regime as a pretext, Meles Zenawi restricted food aid to the population choosing to use food aid as weapon causing the death of thousands.
As the hunger and famine siren sounds one more time the regime in Addis Ababa is too busy selling farm land to foreign governments from the Persian Gulf to grow food in Ethiopia and transport it back to their countries to feed their population because their climate doesnt allow them to grow food. Readers of this article might be surprised to hear the fact that Ethiopia is growing food for other countries. However, the information is posted on the Ethiopian government web site, describing the deals: The investment deals are part of an initiative by the Saudi Arabian government to secure food security for the Kingdom by acquiring fertile land in neighbouring countries with sole aim of providing food supplies for the country [Saudi Arabia]. 6 So, the question is if Meles Zenawi is selling land to foreign countries to grow their food, why is it that Ethiopia is unable to grow food for its own people? Do the Saudis bring their own rain?
Ethiopia has suffered from several famines, and many Ethiopians are chronically
hungry. The reason for famine cannot be traced just to the shortfall of rain. Economic, political, as well as environmental, factors should be included when explaining the causes of famine. Drought occurs frequently all over the world, and doesnt always lead to famine. Weather is only ever one of several factors causing famine or chronic hunger. The main factor leading to famine in Ethiopia is the continuation of the cycle of poverty through oppression. Poor people do not have the resources to deal with shocks, and are more likely to be pushed into unsustainable ways of coping such as selling equipment, sending children out to work or eating less. Unequal trading systems also contribute to hunger in Ethiopia.
Another factor contributing to hunger is the land management system. In Ethiopia, individuals do not own land; it is assigned according to the size of a family, and redistributed every few years. Every time land is redistributed it is divided between more people, so each farmer gets less. Lack of investment, and the need for large yields from a small area, leads to land degradation.
What can citizens in donor countries do?
Ask questions:
Is the food shortage and famine in Ethiopia simply caused by lack of rainfall?
What is the political environment in Ethiopia?
Are people in Ethiopia free to organize, express their political views with out restrictions and chose their leaders in a free and fair election?
When was the last time the people of Ethiopia participated in a free and free election?
Are there political prisoners/prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia?
What happens to those who dare to challenge the authority of the current regime led by Meles Zenawi?
What is the current regimes policy toward its neighbours and what is the amount of money spent invading and occupying Somalia? Money that otherwise could have been used to alleviate poverty.
The answer to all of these questions could easily be found from the web sites of Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, Genocide Watch and other human rights and social justice organizations. Furthermore, the roles of these international organizations are now restricted by the new Ethiopian legislation that limits aid and humanitarian agencies ability to practice in the country.
What can policy makers of donor countries do?
The tragic events of September 11, 2001 caused the death of thousands of innocent people and as a result family members of those died were grief stricken. Certainly it is a despicable show of cruelty and ghastly act of violence. Any peace-loving citizen regardless of their geographic boundary felt the pain and shared the grief with those who lost their loved once. People around the world showed their solidarity with the American people. Unfortunately, the militaristic reaction of President George W. Bush and Vice President Dick Cheney brought known and condemned tyrants in to the fold of the coalition of the willing in the name of fighting terrorism Among the first once to jump on the band wagon was Meles Zenawi.
82 Million People Taken Hostage by The War on Terror
One of the regions identified by the Bush administration as a potential regrouping zone for the terrorist group Al-Qaida was the Horn of Africa. Particularly, the failed state of Somalia was identified as a major destination for the jihadists to expand the radical groups presence in Africa (though there was/is no empirical evidence supporting this theory).
Like many of the African tyrants, Meles Zenawi confirmed his loyalty to George W. Bush and his willingness to fight terrorism in Somalia and in the region. He was invited to the White House to receive a tap on the shoulder for his performance. In return Bush supplied some military training and hardware including Humvees, which were used to fire on opposition rallies in 2005 killing more than one hundred and fifty peaceful demonstrators. Subsequently, the US banned the sale of Humvees7 after confirming their use against peaceful demonstrators.
For George W. Bush and his Western allies, such as the former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, the democratization of Ethiopia is not their primary concern. They wanted their so-called War on Terror to succeed. One of the strategies developed by the Bush administration was to outsource the mini War on Terror campaigns to those who are waiting anxiously to say, Yes Sir!. One of the leaders willing and ready to sub-contract happens to be Meles Zenawi.
Tragically, the cost of such an outsourcing enterprise is not just the death and injury of young men and women in uniform. The cost is in fact far beyond that. In Ethiopia, the War on Terror became an impediment to the struggle for true democracy, freedom, human rights and social justice. The regime of Meles Zenawi, enjoying the tacit blessing by Western governments to its repressive and cruel policy on its own people, has become more emboldened and so much so that it has begun to design its own anti-terrorism legislation in the name of fighting terrorism. It is an open secret, however; the real reason behind the legislation is to completely neutralize dissent. Most importantly, by associating all potential opposition with terrorism the regime wanted to continue winning the support and blessing of the West and subsequently convince Western policy makers that that there is no viable force other than the current regime to effectively fight terrorism in the region. In effect, tacit approval of the West became part of the largest hostage taking in the history of humankind. 82 million people continue to be hostages of misguided Western policy and under cruel, unjust and repressive regime of Meles Zenawi.
Should these unjust policies of Bush and Blair continue even after they themselves are long gone? The answer is an emphatic No. The only way to effectively curb the potential violence caused by extremists groups is not by strengthening equally violent and ruthless regimes such as the regime in Addis Ababa. Democratization, freedom, rule of law and respect for human rights is the only way not just to defeat violence in a short term but to guarantee sustainable peace for all. The question is, how should Western policy makers partner with the people of Ethiopia in dealing with the reoccurrence of famine? Here are some suggestions:
If they dont see a good enough reason in joining the people of Ethiopia in the struggle for democracy, at least they should not support tyrants like Meles Zenawi.
Learn from history. The strong men approach in Africa never worked and it never will.
Partner with the people of Ethiopia to fight terrorism instead of collaborating with a repressive regime.
Out-line a clear policy statement linking undemocratic governance with food shortage.
Stop merely shipping short-term food aid and instead work with the people of Ethiopia to promote democracy, freedom and development, which in return nurtures good economic policy and deals with poverty and starvation.
In summary, a simplistic understanding of famine as an absence of rain does not hold up to scrutiny. Such an incomplete understanding only nourishes tyranny and continues to promote injustice. Broad, deliberate and long-term thinking is required to pull Ethiopia out of famine and underdevelopment. The answer to the problems of Ethiopia couldnt be found in the capitals of the Western world. Unfortunately, partial causes of the problems, however, can be traced in the West. Western government financial, political and even military support to the undemocratic regime in Ethiopia has enormously delayed the democratization process of the country. This, in effect, has impacted negatively the potential for economic growth and political transformation. Lets not see famine in isolation democracy, freedom and hunger linked. In the words of Dr. Amartya Sen, democracies dont starve. Ethiopias problem is not lack of rain; it is the famine of leadership.
I am sure there are a lot of people who think that begging needs no training, all you have to do is look miserly (which you will look if reduced to that state of starvation and stress or anxiety anyway), roll your eyes, and beg. How wrong they are! Begging is an art like all other such callings, it needs training and expertise and the recent report that in one Indian village such a beggars' school exists has highlighted the necessity of stopping the amateur beggars in Africa, a continent known for its ultra professional beggars.
In the good old days you could just beg (have pity on me oh passer by, I am starving!) and tug at he hearts of otherwise disinterested citizens. Modern times have hardened the ordinary human being; pity is a scarce commodity, giving help turned into a business unto itself. Consider the number of charity organizations and NGOs around the world (more than seventy in Addis Ababa dealing with the thriving business of child adoption) and the point becomes clear. Begging has become a competitive business, cut throat all the way, very capitalist. You can't have the millionaire without the beggar. One begs the other, the contrast is all. Beggars have to be professional, modern, savvy-- the times require this. In Egypt, India, Ethiopia and other places professionalism has reached the level where a beggar can rent a child for a day; organize an open bleeding wound to expose to appear pitiable and very wretched. The hard hearts need shocks, in the Indian school of begging children are taught how to sound and appear miserable while in places like Ethiopia there is really no need of training for this--we are very miserable.
Professional begging has now become as African as cassava, foufou. matoke, ugali and Injera. Any African tyrant worthy of this name is first of all a beggar par excellence, the only difference he has with the beggar on the street is that he lives in the palace or State House. Those who refused to beg from the Mau Mau, to the "NO" man Sekou Toure, the Amilcar Cabrals, Netos and Machels--where are they now? Those who opted beg had a better end---some ruled for long like Houphet or Bongo senior, Mobutu or Kamuzu. They had the art of begging down to a capital B. One of the main tenets of professional begging is for the beggar not to exhibit inferiority. The assertive beggar is the successful one. The begging tyrant hoards millions, drives posh cars, lives in palaces and yet treks to the West to beg. But, before such pilgrimages and hajjes are made there is a dangerous animal to kill and it is called humiliation. The beggar should never feel this thing called humiliation. The people may be starving, the capital city may be stinking to the seven plus heavens, the oil millions may have disappeared down into the tyrant's secret bank accounts abroad and hundreds of thousands of starving children may be sleeping on the streets but, as we say in Ethiopia, he must wash his eye with salt and beg. The beggar artist called Meles Zenawi for example begged the West for food aid for the famine stricken millions by boldly accusing the West of not delivering food aid in time. If the young African girl called Dambisa Mayo riles against foreign aid, the fruit of begging, it is because she knew not poverty and the need to beg as she came from a well to do family. The artist beggar must be adept at spinning captivating stories--extending the palm and wailing for help is of no use. Have a story line, drama and suspense, falling down the ladder, endurance and suffering and spin it with good presentation skills. Make the donor part of the operation--give and you shall receive. That is why donors give our tyrants money after money and take back quite a big part of it back while the tyrant gets a considerable sum to add to his coffers. Why should the World Bank give Meles Zenawi and other dictator millions? Surely, it is not because they tell the Bank grim tales of human rights violations, broad daylight massacres, concentration camps and war mongering. The World Bank and the IMF, or the donors in general, do like cruel dictators but they do not like to be told of this in public. They want lying beggars. I once saw in one American city a homeless person with a begging bowl in front of him and a written sign which stated "No need to lie: it's for the drinks". Many a kind elderly person passed him by, angry. Few donors want the truth. Likewise, the tyrant beggar cannot openly claim I am begging for money to steal or to buy arms with. He must spin a convincing story of worth, combining arrogance (make them feel guilty with neo colonial and imperialism references if need be) with a we are going to perish like flies if you do not fork some millions over and he must convince the donors who instinctively wonder "what is in it for us." The beggar must learn to share.
No country is FOB (Free of Beggars) and one of the countries teeming with beggars, India, is trying to use repressive measures to clean Delhi from its thousands of beggars before the October 2010 Commonwealth games. This country touted as a democracy and still practicing the caste system that has rendered millions untouchable and without rights is using courts in vans and trucks to send beggars to detention centers and prisons. Such a round up was also tried by Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia, Arap Moi in Kenya and their attempt to monopolize begging by eliminating the street beggars has failed miserably. If the top man begs the white man the ordinary folk can beg from the black man or woman. It is a desperate situation and in downtown Nairobi enterprising street kids cover themselves with human excrement and threaten office going women to throw some at them unless they give them a few shillings. This aggressive begging has proved effective. Meles Zenawi at the G20 meetings tried to look as one of the donors or the big countries giving us a good example of the professional beggar without any notion of humility. Profitable as it is, begging has branched out and become a nation wide profession. Some expose their wounds and deformities as in the past while others perform, sing or stand as stone statues to beg. The latter do get more money but begging 101 also comes along with teaching stealing expertise as our tyrants have taught us over the years. Beg and steal go together--show me an African tyrant who begs for help from the West but does not steal from it or the people. The tyrants are so in it that they steal elections and innocent lives too.
The beggar is a pauper who has no money and begs for it. And the beggar is also the one who takes the money that is not his and in this definition we can bring in the tyrants and the corrupt ministers like the British MPs who were actors of the recent scandal of appropriating public money fraudulently and illegally. They really do not need money but they cannot kick the begging monkey off their back. Mobutu, Bongo, Meles, Moi, the list is long of those who have become rich by begging and stealing but still continue to beg. They have so crowded the field that the paupers and poor people in need of help are edged out, rounded up, harassed and jailed. It is a tough world out there. The beggar's school in India teaches how to overcome this and survive in the face of big and voracious beggars called ministers and leaders. The millions of beggars in Africa do need such a school. Can India help instead of taking over our lands and riches just like China and the West?
Mankelklot Haile Selassie(Ph.D) – September 22, 2009
BACKGROUND IN THE FORM OF PREMISE
1. The struggle in Ethiopia is a function of time:
The longer this treasonous group is left to rule Ethiopia, the more the effectiveness of the eroding factors, such as the division of the country along ethnic and language lines, on the unity of the people and the territorial integrity of the country itself. Therefore, the harder it would become to correct the situation when TPLF is removed. Factor in, the fertile lands being sold to foreigners into this territorial integrity treason.
The division of the country along the ethnic lines is being used by TPLF as a vehicle to dictate the implementation of the revolutionary democracy, TPLFs political program. The methods and the means as to how to protect and defend its political interests and its business empire is thoroughly integrated into the revolutionary democracy. To give the educational institution as one of the examples, teachers, students as well as the school administrators, all over the country, are being forced to be members and put this political program into an immediate effect.
The Oromo political organization, the Amara political organization, and Southern Peoples political organizations, that are part of EPRDF, are simply robots whose existence is to protect and defend TPLFs political interest and its business empire, by fully, without any question, implementing this revolutionary democracy. Due to this treasonous collaboration effort by these ethnic political organizations, the impact on the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia would be far damaging unless resolved in time, hence, making the struggle in Ethiopia to be directly a function of time
2. The hands of TPLF leadership are drenched with blood
A formidable blood thirsty enemy is facing the country, the people, the opposition forces, and the committed and progressive democratic individuals. It is an enemy that came to power in 1991, by mercilessly shading the blood of young and old Tigryans. Here are what they did as succinctly told by Gebremedhin Araya:
1) Meles Zenawi, Sebhat Nega, Seye Abraha, Gebru Assrat and their collaborators designed the murder of four to five thousands young, old and children in Houzin, a weekly market in Tigry province where thousands come to exchange goods and services. Imagine, among the killed mothers, caring their babies on their backs. These murderers, systematically, and, deliberately devised a scheme where their fighters enter the market place, a day ahead of the market day, in day light, openly, while people are watching them. And then they pulled them out in the evening, in darkness, where people cannot see them being pulled out. The information that many TPLF fighters are in the market place reached the intended target Mingistu Haile Mariam. This was how these murderers baited Mengistu Haile Mariam, at the expense of the Tigrys young, old, children, and babies carried on the back of their mothers, to mercilessly bomb the market.
It was like dousing those people who are in the market with kerosene or benzene, by Meles Zenawi, Sibhat Nega, Seye Araha, and Assrat Gebru, and then inviting Mengistu Haile Mariam to come in with the matches to start the fire and burn them alive. If these murderers had the heart to devise such merciless killings of thousands of young, old and children in this way, it is commonsense for one to imagine the putting of thousands of children, young, and old Tigryans inside a big house, built by these leaders of TPLF, for this purpose, and burn them alive. These are animals. It is really mind boggling how these people would do such unbelievable thing. Here, through this act only, one can easily see the vivid personification of Hitler, Stalin and Mussolini by these leaders of TPLF. I cant tell you how livid I got when composing this segment of the article. I never new this secret before. I put the blame, as did some of my friends, fully on Mengistu Haile Mariam. How wrong I was.
The scheme for the killings of innocent people, mostly farmers in the market included the buying of a number of video cameras to record the bombing by Mengistu Haile Mariam. What these murderers did not realize is that, in reverse, they were recording a concrete incriminating evidence of what they did to the people of Tigry. It originated and deliberately, without the other side knowing about it, collaborated and committed genocide. The irrefutable and incriminating evidence is all over the place for the international court of justice to put these murderers to jail for life. These people with this kind of track record were seeking the extradition of Mengistu Haile Mariam to Ethiopia and kill him. During Mengistu Haile Mariams rule, 80% of the killings of young and old Tigryan people was committed by Meles Zenawi, Sebhat Nega, Seye Abraha and Gebru Assrat. (Gebremedhin Araya)
2) The TPLF leaders, cold-bloodedly, orchestrated the killing of Tigryan elites, members of TPLF, but who opposed and protested the reprehensible and destructive act of TPLF on the unity and territorial integrity of Ethiopia. They were against the separation of Eritrea. This heroic act, on the part of these Tigryan elites, emanated from the three criteria that specifically identified by the TPLF leaders to be used when recruiting members or fighters for TPLF. Here are the three criteriia roughly translated: a) completely accepting that Eritrea is the colony of Ethiopia, b) accepting the separation of Tigry from the rest of Ethiopia and establishing a Tigry Republic, and c) accepting that Tigrys backwardness, poverty and disease, were deliberately caused by Amaras to punish Tigry, and therefore teaching that Amara is the enemy of Tigry.
This barbaric act was also designed, systematically, and, deliberately by Meles Zenawi and Sebhat Nega. Of course consulting the rest in the leadership. They wrote a letter full of admiration of their services for TPLF. The letter was signed by Meles Zenawi and
Sebhat Nega and addressed to these individuals who protested. The letter addressed to these protesters were made to reach Mengistu Haile Mariam. Mengistu Haile Mariam,
another murderer, grabbed the bait and killed these progressive, innocent Ethiopians without an iota of investigation.
3) A progressive elite by the name Asmelash Assaye, a member of TPLF, who protested the destructive act of TPLF was led to his grave to be shot and killed. Sebhat Nega was standing by the grave while it was being dug. When the digging was completed, Asmelash Assaye, perhaps blind folded and his hands tied was, either forced, or, told to step inside his grave. He probably did it willingly. Sebhat Nega supervised the process leading to the shooting of Asmelash Asaye. The presence of Sebhat Nega was to make sure that Asmelash Asaye was inside the dug grave and machine gunned.
4) Over 80% of the murder committed in Tigray was by TPLF. In addition, as stated by Prof. Daniel Kinde, 20, 000 Tigryans, most likely the young ones, were sacrificed for the so called the liberation of Eritrea. Now look where Eritrea is standing. The sacrifices were in vein.
5) The leadership of TPLF did not limit their killings to the province of Tigry. They followed the Tigryans, who opposed and protested the sadistic actions being taken by TPLF, to neighboring provinces such as Gondar. One can easily assume the effortless murdering of Tigryans particularly in Sudan where they had a strong connection. By the way, according to Gebremedhin Araya, who witnessed the conversation, the deal to give the strip of land, about 1000 km, to Sudan was in the making in 1974. Meles Zenawi did fulfill the promise that was made to Sudan. I am quite sure Meles Zenawi and his collaborators were laughing when the rest of us were screaming when the land was given over to the government of Sudan by Meles Zenawi. .
Now one can easily see that the memorial statue erected in Tigay by TPLF is to cover the cold-blooded murder committed by Meles Zenawi, Sibhat Nega, Seye Abraha, Gebru Assrat and their collaborators on the young and old Tigrians who resisted their actions. When these murderers are removed that statue must be obliterated to the ground. Unless the representation or its role is reversed in that the statue is in memory of those cold-bloodedly murdered young and old Tigryans by Meles Zenawi, Sebhat Nega, Seye Abraha, Gebru Assrat and their collaborators..
As the evidence clearly shows, TPLF came to power by shading the blood of young and old Tigryas. I am quite sure the people of Tigry will get them for it. It is only a matter of time. In the mean time, it is holding to its power by shading the blood of young and old progressive and democratic Ethiopians from every ethnic background by using the killing system it practiced and the machines it used on Tigryans. Meles Zenawi, Sebhat Nega and their collaborators will continue to murder democratic and progressive individuals, as well as aggressive elements among the opposition forces to assert their power. The killing of 200 young and old Ethiopians after the election of May 15, 2005, the killing of 430 young and old Anuk, attests to this shocking and senseless behavior of TPLF leadership. The numbers may appear small, but one should remind oneself that many hundreds unreported killings have taken place all over the country. What is shocking is the manner those Ethiopians were murdered, and the motives and the ruthlessness behind it. What Sebhat Nega did to Asmelash Assaye, is a good reflection of what the leadership of TPLF is capable of doing. The people of Ethiopia is being ruled by murderers and criminals who should have been in jail long time ago.
3. TPLFs decision is to never lose any election:
The oppositions are facing an extremely controlling political situation. It is extremely imperative to calculate ones political struggle against this openly declared objective. TPLF has openly declared in its political program, the revolutionary democracy, that it will not let the opposition parties win in any election. Based on this bold statement, if the opposition won they will be denied, as in the case of May 15, 2005. Here is what it stated in its political program:
and only by winning the elections successively and holding power without let up can we securely establish the hegemony of Revolutionary Democracy. If we lose in the elections even once, we will encounter a great danger. So, in order to permanently establish this hegemony, we should win in the initial elections . In the subsequent elections, too, we should be able to win without interruption.
It is incumbent upon the existing opposition forces to reorient their strategies and tactics. They have to reorganize their political programs to challenge the regime and meet the need of the current demand by coming up with an equally ruthless and decisive, at the same time systematic activities, where the society at every level would be fully involved. A program without specific activities and clear targets to meet the current social demand is useless. Of course this characterization of the program reflects the organization that developed it.
4. Blocking the indigenous entrepreneurship
The present and the future economic development, hence the improvement of living conditions of the society at large, hence the eradication of certain preventable diseases, and further more, the development of science and technology, totally rests on these indigenous entrepreneurs. Independent, individual risk takers. The ruling party, TPLF, is trying its level best to destroy this backbone of Ethiopias economic development by stretching its business tentacles to the village levels, all over the country. One can see the impact on the activities of these indigenous entrepreneurs when the regime is the producer, the distributor and does the retailing aspect of its businesses.
It frustrates them by raising business taxes to the level where they cannot survive but
To abandon their businesses. It deliberately discourages them from pursuing productive and beneficial projects by using its effective machinery, the bureaucracy. Had the regimes ultimate interest was to lay down strong foundation for future economic development of Ethiopia, they would have first invited the indigenous entrepreneurs to develop the selectively offered fertile lands to the foreigners long time ago. No, TPLFs leadership main interest was and still is the kickback they would be offered, and, for sure, also the sharing from the profits. These are the guys who, according to Gebremedhin, did not care even if Sudan takes Gondar. Therefore the longer Meles Zenawi, Sebhat Nega and their collaborators are left to rule Ethiopia, it is giving them green light for the literal obliteration of the indigenous entrepreneurship.
HOW TO PROCEED WITH THE STRUGGLE?
Given the above political situation, it is extremely important, always to be aware of the fact that time is an essential factor in the struggle in Ethiopia. It should be the linking thread, all the way, when designing the strategy and the tactics of removing the current destructive regime. It is the responsibility of the existing opposition forces, particularly those who are in the field using the legal forum to cease every opportunity that comes along and use it relentlessly.
Those in Ethiopia, in the field, where the struggle is taking place, have no choice but to participate in the coming election of 2010. I argue that for those who are struggling under the constitution of TPLF, the only instrument at their disposal to remove the regime is election. If not using the only instrument they have, then what? The stumbling block, between the opposition and the reaching out to the society, hence the full participation in the election, has to be removed by using any method necessary. It is up to the opposition forces to create the device to overcome the stumbling block. It is a fact that the regimes position is not to let the opposition forces win. TPLF is blunt about it. It is saying if the opposition won the election then they have to be denied. This position of TPLF has to really sink well with the opposition parties. I am going to repeat what the regime openly stated in its political program, the revolutionary democracy. If we lose in the elections even once, we will encounter a great danger. So, in order to permanently establish this hegemony, we should win in the initial elections . In the subsequent elections, too, we should be able to win without interruption. The opposition forces are facing a formidable challenge. Accept the challenge and go through it or totally remove oneself from the field. There should not be any excuse for not participating in the election. If not election then what? They have to answer this question unambiguously.
There are two instruments at the disposal of the opposition forces for challenging this formidable power. I inserted the revolution of Iran for the purpose of emulation, or imitation. The instruments of struggle are: a) Rebel before election, b) Rebel after election, and c) the lesson from Irans revolution that took place after the election, as an example and perhaps as an inspiration. Intending to pursue these actions strongly suggest the use of election as an instrument of struggle. Election in Ethiopia should not be simply to go the processes of election just for the sake of election. No, it has to be a deliberate function, the ultimate goal of which is to remove the regime and empower the people of Ethiopia. So, here are the instruments.
a) Rebel before election
Once an opposition force(s) is determined to challenge the ruling party TPLF, at any sacrifice, start with the demand for the regime to fulfill all the requirements that satisfy the election process. The election process encompasses activities from the very beginning of the preparation to the last day of the election. The demand should also suggest the process to be peaceful and to go smoothly. The demand aught to be for unfettered election process. Let the government and non-governmental international organizations be aware of the demand submitted to the regime. If the ruling regime does not comply with the demand, particularly with the non-negotiable demands that have to do with the right of the opposition forces a must to have, then the opposition force is in its right-full position to call for demonstration whether it is legal or not. Here, the demonstration to be effective, it has to continue until the demand is satisfied. That is why it is called Rebel before election.
b) Rebel after election
Let us assume, either, a) due to the Rebel before election, or, b) due to accepting the demand submitted by the opposition forces, the regime fulfilled the democratic requirements before the election and the election took place. Let us also assume the opposition parties won the election as in May 15, 2005. Based on what the TPLF stated in its political program, it will not give in. It will repeat what it did in the election of May 15, 2005. Then, this will be the time to use Rebel after election. Here too, once people started to protest by coming out to the streets, it has to continue until the regime surrenders. Perhaps, if the intensity overwhelmed the regime, then there will be a good opportunity to remove it by peoples power. The intensity refers to persistency and the high number of participants. Let us not forget the three million that came out to demonstrate on May 9, 2005. So, there is the potential to repeat it. Of course this would be the critical juncture where determined leadership is required. Perhaps, what we do not realize is that a war is going on in Ethiopia today, between the regime, which should be considered as an invading power, and the people of Ethiopia. In a war the primary concern is how to fight with the right strategy to win the war, not the sacrifices, inevitable to follow, as it is part and parcel of any war.
It is an occupying enemy because of the items discussed under background. If one red those items carefully one would find that the leadership of TPLF is not of and for the people of Ethiopian, nor, of or for the Tigry people either. It is amazing. The more the leadership of TPLF is exposed by the insiders, this characterization, that is being an occupying power, the more it is clearly becoming the reality. Then who are they? They are killing machine invaders, organically disassociated from the society, probably from the values and the norms of human beings at large, completely. Because of this discernible characteristic, they have the potential to be bought, that is the TPLF leadership as a group, by other countries to do for them what they did to Tigry people and still doing to both Tigry and Ethiopian people. An organized ruling political party turning into mercenaries, ready for hire. The extent of their detachment from the society indicates the potential for them to become mercenaries. Their detachment from the society has the potential to this extent. It is organically detached from the Ethiopian people. It appears that it is so isolated, no community anywhere in Ethiopia, including in Tigry would come to its defense.
c) The lesson from Irans revolution after the election
There were two phases of protestation that took place in Iran. The first phase was to continuously coming out to the streets. They did it for eight consecutive days. They are still doing it on and off. It is alive and burning in their hearts. During the demonstration 30 people were killed, as confirmed by Irans government. The supporters of Mr. Mousavi, the challenger, put the death to 69. Many were jailed, including reformist religious leaders.
In phase two, street demonstration was stopped and resorted to tactics such as :
–the boycott of goods advertised on state-controlled television
–attempting to deny power to state-run TV evening news
–blitz street demonstrations just long enough to chant death to the
dictator several times but not long enough for security forces to
arrive
–identifying paramilitary Basji vigilantes linked to the crackdown
and putting marks in the opposition color green, or pictures of
protest victims in front of their homes
–scribble anti-regime slogans on money
(Sources: CNN, Wikipedia and Telegraph of UK)
There are lessons the opposition forces, as well as progressive and democratic individuals in Ethiopia can learn from Irans revolution of June and July 2009. Here I might add, that, perhaps, the saviors of Ethiopia are among these progressive and democratic individuals that would come out, come together, and spark the REBEL. Coming back to the revolution of Iran, first it was a well structured and well organized demonstration. Second, the effective use of technology and creativeness was astonishing and very admirable. Third, the open participation and the daring involvement of the religious and reformist leaders was also admirable. Fourth, the firm determination of the society who strongly believed there was an election fraud demonstrated continuously in the face of death, beating, and imprisonment. According to CNN over a hundred of them are still in prison. This type of determination both by reformist leaders and the society at large, particularly the young segment of the society, aught to be emulated by the leadership, and, particularly by the young and progressive segment of the Ethiopian society, including the students.
IS THE TIME SHORT?
No, it is not. The question aught to be what were the opposition forces doing at least for the last three years? Given the concrete political, economic and social situations itemized as the background for this article, how can they sleep or seat idle folding their arms on their chest, without doing anything? They would be accountable for the killings that took place, and, for the treasonous act committed by TPLFs leadership. Imagine this. Had it not been for the rock-solid and unyielding unity of Ethiopian society, the country would have been disintegrated under the eyes of the existing opposition forces, both inside and outside of Ethiopia, long time ago. What is amazing is that, it had never occurred to them that the longer Meles Zenawi and his collaborators remain in power the more the country would be in a very serious danger.
I strongly argue that, given the only means at their disposal to remove the occupying regime is election, then it is their responsibility, no matter what the political environment would be, to go through it with the determination to win. At any cost.
IS THE ELECTION WINNABLE?
Is the 2010 election winnable? The answer is unequivocally yes. In Ethiopia, the struggle is well delineated. It is between the people of Ethiopia and the invading enemy. It is not between opposition forces. It is the people of Ethiopia against its enemy. I argue that as long as TPLF is in power, with its determination to stay in power, irrespective of any thing, and suck the blood of Ethiopian people, any election held in Ethiopia is winnable. The election of May 15, 2005, as far as the people are concerned, is repeatable. Because, the 26 million, if not more this time, that came out for the election, and the 3 million that came out in May 9, 2005 in support of the opposition forces, are there. Add to this potential the level of the consciousness of the society are there, intact, if not better. Given this situation, whatever deceptive maneuvering the TPLF leadership applies, the Ethiopian society will not surrender its will and its power. It will demonstrate it when the election comes.
Part of the winning of election of 2010, that is, going to the election cite and voting would be done by the people. That is the responsibility of the society. In a democratic system where the rule of law is respected that would have been the completion of the process. Power would be transferred smoothly in favor of the people. But in Ethiopia that would not be the case. Here is the crux of the issue. The part played by the society, which is the determining aspect of the process, completes 50% of the process. To complete the
remaining 50% is fully the responsibility of the opposition forces who are intending to participate in the election. Whether the Rebel after election, is needed or not, is for the opposition forces to determine. From the experience of May 15, 2005 election, the people were ready to defend and protect its vote. Unfortunately leadership was not provided then. In fact, the leadership of the opposition party left the people behind and started to deal with the regime.
On 8/18/2005 I posted an article titled IT IS CONSPIRACY. The target of the article was the Proposal prepared by CUD and UEDF and presented to Meles Zenawi. Of course Meles Zenawi rejected it. Here is what I stated in the article under the sub-topic, Fully accepted the election results as dictated by the regime: The third main feature of the new political arrangement is the establishment of a government structure based on power sharing . The new government shall be structured in such a way that cabinet posts and portfolios are shared equitably among the three major parties IN ACCORDANCE TO THE PROPORTION OF THE VOTES THEY RECEIVED AT THE MAY ELECTION. Emphasis mine. Do you see how the opposition leadership completely sidelined the people and sold out their voters? They shamelessly used the votes as the negotiation factor. This was done totally against the cry of the people. I am quite sure every one remembers what the people was demanding then.
FORMING A COALITION
Finally, how about forming a coalition by those who are intending to participate in the election? It has to be a one shot cooperation. The type of coalition formed by Kinijit. The main and the only purpose is for winning the election. After the election each will go back to its previous position and wait for the result. Once the coalition is formed it should fully adopt, in detail, the procedure followed and the steps taken by Kinijit. Just to point out few relevant points. Kinijit won in the election because of the negotiation and the compromise made between the organizations in the coalition. The coalition agreed to identify one representative, instead of two or more, capable of beating Meless representative. In fact, this was exactly the point for forming the coalition. This procedure can be repeated in 2010 election and will be effective if the coalition is formed. For that mater, this method can be repeated in any election as long as TPLF is in power.
Two approaches and two proposals for redefining or redrawing of Ethiopias future either by cartography or planning.
On the one hand, there is Ato Zewge Fanta who has written two articles the first one was entitled Liberators coming north or South and the second article entitled Building Democratic Ethiopia: Nation of Individuality, This author, has vehemently objected not only the need but also the idea of help coming either from the north or south of the main stream Ethiopia. He emphasized that Ethiopians do not need liberators. As a solution, Ato Zewge Fanta proposed models (via diagrams and maps) depicting on how Ethiopia could be redrawn for administrative or political purposes.
While on the other hand, Obo Arada Shawl has been proposing via his articles entitled Solutions with DEBTERAW indicating the dire need of DEMOCRACIA which is still hanging on the neck of Tsegaye G. Medhin, alias DEBTERAW. Obo Arada Shawls model for re-defining Ethiopia is based on intonation of spoken and written languages.
Ato Zewge, on the one hand, is a cartographer by profession as such he had access to top secretes of
Re-Settlement and development programs in Ethiopia,
Land Reform, and
Border issues with neighboring countries such as the Sudan and Eritrea.
Obo Arada Shawl, on the other hand, was an economist by training and a transport planner by profession and as such he had
Planned and programmed transport infrastructures
Participated in various transport and communication sector studies
Participated in the inventory of Ethiopias socio-economic and materials for construction
Zewge believes that the Kilil administrative imposed by the Woyane regime had created insurmountable economic and social hardships to all Ethiopians. It is recommended for readers to read Ato Zewge Fantas articles on how he arrived to this conclusion. And also, it is necessary to examine his models for reform. I suggest to the readers of this article to compare and contrast Ato Zewges model with that of Daniel Kindes proposal of Ethiopias administrative structure.
Unlike Ato Zewge, Obo believes that the concept of Kilil per se is not bad in terms of physical geography as inasmuch as it is against the freedom of Movement for Ethiopians. The Woyane groups have just repeated the concept of infringing on peoples individual freedom that was created by MIESON with the approval of the DERG. The creation of Kebele was a terrible mistake and now, it is perhaps ten times greater a disaster to be used by the current regime. For Obo Arada Shawl, Kilil is interchangeable with Kebele in terms of destruction and harassment.
Both writers could not agree more on the Kilil issue. It is a devastating concept no matter how the current president attempts to convince the world that ethnic federalism works.
This writer aka Obo Arada has proposed to re-define Ethiopia not in terms of physical geography based on cartography or virtual demarcation but by naming names, by inclusion and by honoring titles. That is, call me by my name, call me by my address and call me by my title (NAT).
My name is the letter E, my address is MAKK and my title is a civilian titles and not professional titles. We can discuss and debate on these Names, Addresses and Titles in order to comprehend, communicate and reconciled. This is what I call the Eway Ethiopia.
In other words, this writer has a history of building bridges between the head, the heart and the hand. If these three Hs are connected, there is definitely a solution to our perceived problems.
As to – from the outside to the inside – the 3Fs of, Flag, Fidel and Freedom have been presented to the readers.
DEMOCRACIA or democracy?
Ato Zewge Fanta defines democracy as follows.
Democracy is a principle by which to fortify and build, not divide societies. The people of any region have democratic rights not to be excluded and barred from sharing the heritages and resources that the nation is endowed with. Similarly, it is the right of the nation to protect the interests of the whole and to prevent the partition or separation of any region away from the rest (Zewge Fanta, 1993). According to Ato Zewge, kilil is a colonial dogma and he wrote the purpose of kilil was to partition Ethiopia into several tribal homelands with ultimate goal of creating several nations within a nation. This according to Ato Zewge is an anti-thesis of democracy.
Democratic right is one aspect of DEMOCRACIA. The rule of the majority and the right of the minority should be considered in the case of Ethiopia without delay.
DEMOCRACIA is the rule of the majority but in Ethiopia it was and is the rule of the minority. In other words, there are too many minorities to count. That is what the ethnic federalism is about. The foreign powers do not want the rule of the majority for there is no way to control the majority and as such there is no benefit to gain from such support of the rule of majority.
In the case of Ethiopia, foreigners have been searching for the real minority. They had found in the five hundred nobility of Moja and Asdge families and when these five hundred members of nobility could not be useful any more, then they began to search for few educated elites in the country, they failed to find or to pin point some, then they searched among the military elites again they failed. The Eway Ethiopian Revolution via DEMOCRACIA raged on unabated.
As the Eway Revolution was coming to a close, foreign powers have intervened with a new brand of recruits to halt the oncoming victory of the people and they found in some elements in Diaspora. Again many of them failed to hold on to power as a minority. For few years they seem to give up hope and only concentrated in exasperating the regional conflicts. This time around, still to build a minority of bourgeois class who can be a minority to be controlled and maneuvered by foreign powers is on. That is the dilemma we are in.
Are Ethiopians going north or south to be rich or to be liberated that may be the question at hand? Are these groups going to be rich by corruption? Or is Ethiopia is going to be wealthy by selling or leasing its land to foreign countries? The answer lies within each of us.
Conclusion
Zewge Fanta has attempted to redraw Ethiopias map via cartography based on nationalism and patriotism whereas Obo Arada Shawl, has been proposing to re-define Ethiopia via the concept of planning, programming and budgeting if not by name, address or title. Let the discussion and debate begin.
If Ethiopians cannot prosper by the concept of DEVELOPMENT, it is better for them to PRESERVE their natural resources. By natural resources, I do not mean, minerals, agricultural produces but also their cultural history, religion and climate.
The Tigray People`s Liberation Front (Meles/TPLF) and associates have devised and are implementing yet another scam to fleece farmers and amass wealth under the guise of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange. Commodity Exchange is trading in agricultural products and their derivatives. It requires a mechanism or system which supports and promotes free trading to thrive and benefit all the would be actors. These indispensable elements are lacking in Ethiopia under the grip of Meles Zenawi and it is clear to see the actors and forces the so called Ethiopian Commodity Exchange has intended to benefit. The TPLF is an inherently ethno-fascistic, discriminating and exclusionary political force imposing its wills on all spheres of life including the economy. In general fascism does not allow the emergence and functioning of a free economy which opens up possibilities and opportunities for all citizens. Still worse with ethno-fascism as we see it in operation in Ethiopia, is the ethnicization of the economy and concentration of wealth in the hands of Meles Zenawi and his kith and kin. As the supreme ethnic leader, Meles Zenawi is discriminating against and practically excluding Ethiopians who do not belong to his ethnic group. Unlike many robbers in power, Meles Zenawi Zenawi and associates own and run parasitic business tycoons registered in the name of their front as endowments and ethnic collective ownerships. In other words, the TPLF and people of Tigray are nominal owners and the covers Meles Zenawi and his associates use to pillage the country. These parasitic mega businesses are receiving preferential treatments, engaged in unfair trade practices, pushing industrious citizens out of business and stifling the emergence of a competitive and free market in the country. The ethnic homelands or barriers he has erected are hindering the free movement of capital and skills in the country. Despite preaching the importance of a liberalized economy, Meles Zenawi and those in his inner ethnic circle are virtually in control of all the profit generating sectors of the economy including the supply and distribution of artificial fertilizers. Besides, the ethno-fascistic regime is abusing its ownership of land to maintain its grip on power by preventing farmers from exercising their basic human rights. Government ownership of land is considered to be the major factor depressing production and productivity in the agricultural sector.
Thus Ethiopians have every reason to distrust Meles Zenawi whose records are full of deceit, manipulations, treason and advancements of anti-Ethiopia agenda. That is why we can not take the economic and political institutions his regime creates at their face values. They have all proved to be superficial and intended to implement and promote his economic and political
agenda which are harmful to the national interests of the country. Meles Zenawi and his associates are also in the business of selling the countrys fertile farmlands to foreign bidders. Thus this latest and apparently refined dishonest scheme or the Ethiopian Commodity
Exchange heralds the expansion of Meles Zenawi`s business empire into the agricultural sector of the economy. The so called Ethiopian Commodity Exchange can not be taken at its face value and regarded as a platform for free trading in such an economic environment controlled and manipulated by Zenawi`s crony and parasitic capitalism. This can be substantiated by drawing a parallel with the privatization agency, which was found out to be a scam. The privatization agency was established as part of the economic liberalization or reform measures prescribed by the western financial institutions, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank (WB). Its stated objective was to privatize public owned enterprises in a fair and transparent manner but what ensued were corrupt practices which led to misappropriation of public property. It appeared that the World Bank had not monitored and overseen the privatization process. It is to be recalled that Meles Zenawi himself had accused one of the top officials of the privatization agency of corruption and thrown him into prison in the aftermath of the split within his TPLF. This is an indirect admission of corruption and misappropriation on the part of Meles Zenawi who uses corruption as a political weapon against dissidents within his front.
The western financial institutions require privatization as one of the preconditions to be met if a given poor country is to be eligible for gaining access to their credit facilities. The economic policies of the western financial institutions are not pro-poor and partly responsible for the deplorable economic conditions in Ethiopia. The outcomes of the so called structural adjustment programs of the World Bank and which require cuts in public expenditures have had devastating effects on the livelihood of the poor.
Despite reneging on the economic and political reform needed to stabilize the country the regime of Meles Zenawi is enjoying access to these facilities. This proves that economic and political reforms (including human rights) do not matter and are subordinate to clientship and serving the interests of the big western powers.
Africans may be miserable and subjected to poverty but they are on the whole nice people forever thinking of the welfare of others even in crazy times when they may be forced to indulge in a genocide or cut arms and legs with machetes. It is a dour and grim world we live in and so the Africans’ untiring attempt to make us laugh now and then should be appreciated.
From the land of the Sudan, where once idle chiefs ordered a man to marry a female goat and warmed the heart of may a racist, came the indecent trousers show. A Sudanese woman, Loubna Hussein, working as a journalist wit the UN was arrested because she was wearing a trouser in public and it was deemed indecent. The world which did not know that the stiff necked fundamentalist regime has been flogging women on the basis of their clothes was surprised at first and then amused. What makes a trouser indecent? Tightness? Colour? What? We all know the Sudan has grave problems in its hands. The regime has to make sure its killing spree continues in Darfur and that does require effort (not every lazy regime can handle a genocide!), that the impending secession of the South does not materialize, that the starving millions get enough food–huge tasks, big priorities. But, the generals took time out to give us the trousers show, dragging a brave woman to court and sentencing her to prison or fine (flogging left out this time–too much world attention). The dynasty or succession show presented to the world by Syria and North Korea was justifiably taken away by Africa for the enjoyment of all. Eyadema of Togo left power to his son, Kabila senior to Kabila junior in what was Zaire and now Ali Bongo of Gabon is succeeding his corrupt father. “Monarchy– republics” are in vogue and up North Mubarek is coordinating his own similar show and Gadafi may very well leave his place to Seif Al Islam, his son. Funny shows.
Talk of Gadafi and the showman in Tripoli held a big bash to which African “kings and chiefs” in their colourful dresses were invited over to declare once again Brother Moamar Gadafi the King of Kings of Africa. He was given a throne as a gift (among other offerings) and he wore huge gold rings and a necklace. After a heavy meal quite a few of the tribal chiefs and so called kings napped as Gadafi spoke, but no the show still went on and tried to surpass Bokassa’s coronation as a central African Napoleon some decades back. The funny show aside, Gadafi is no fool. He has used his oil to buy the old British Empire and to make it bend to his wills, to release the alleged Lockerbie bomber and then to ridicule itself by claiming it did that on humanitarian grounds only. From Somalia, we got the funny event of terrorists of Al Shabab buying arms from the alleged enemy, the Transitional government led by Sheikh Ahmed. The arms come from Uganda bought and paid for by America. Once again our wily neighbours are being supplied with arms by their own enemy, Washington, and the naivety of the often arrogant American officials makes us laugh. In Ethiopia, the often unfunny despotic regime of Meles Zenawi came up with its own Orwellian joke banning the word cholera and baptizing it instead (very many thousands even in the capital are afflicted and hundreds are dying even in the capital Addis Abeba) as “Atet” or dangerous or fast watery diarrhoea. No doctor can use the C word or would face jail and the routine beating. This has given ideas to other tyrants to re baptize killer diseases and make them appear benign or innocuous. Ugandans used to call AIDS “slim” but some are now considering calling it “severe diet syndrome (SDS), giving the idea that the loss of weight is linked to fanatical dieting “like the ones engaged in by some models. Malaria can be renamed Saturday Night Fever and so on.
Cameroon’s Biya spent 400,000 US dollars per night for hotel rooms and services fee
(the average Cameroonian earns a dollar a day) but his spokesmen retaliated with a
“he has been allocated the money and he can spend it as he pleases” thereby making everyone–including Cameroonians–laugh. Don’t be jealous! Who gave him all this money to spend? Bad question, just laugh and enjoy the noble gesture of our tyrants who spend so much money to maintain our prestige in foreign lands (where God knows why they still think we are poor and begging for help!) and give us the chance to enjoy by proxy. The latest joke on the streets of Addis Abeba is that the tyrant Meles will win the 2010 general election hands down ( he lost the last one but stayed in power killing and jailing those who cried foul) because of millions of hens and chicken will vote for him as he raised the price of a hen to 80 Birr (they used to cost less than ten Birr in the past) and millions were not able to afford them for the kill come the Ethiopian new year (September 11) and the chicken and hen folk are elated. A South African boy, who did not know of Idi Amin who had at least 33 children, answered the question “where do babies come from?” with: “they come from Jacob Zuma” (who has 18 children by the latest count). The problem with Africans, if you want to call it that, is that they are an open book, not hiding details of their personal lives. Many a European and American have concubines and very may children out of wedlock but silence is the edict on the fact. Not Africans who flaunt their peccadilloes. Idi Amin paraded his wives and very many children, the old Mzee Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya dragged his wife, Mama Ngina, to a public forum so that she can testify he may be old but was as active as cock It was all before the blue pill). In all cases, we supplied the fun; we let those who think we are savages and bizarre have the laugh at our expense. We told the world we married goats, believed in traditional witch doctors (who consulted bones instead of the computer), declared an arrogant Arab colonel king of kings, denied diseases their existence by giving them benign names, ignored the existence of famine, elected again and again pour own tormentors, like to slaughter one another for nothing, and that our riches are there for the taking. The world laughed at us. We were useful, we are useful.
An acquaintance of mine I shall call Professor Mendal (a combination of the names of there educated Ethiopian fools) suggests that Africans can get back at their tyrants by laughing at them. The run of the mill African dictator takes himself very seriously and has very many laws dealing severely with any lese majeste. You cannot laugh at he tyrants who can only laugh at the Nation at will. The practice of laughing at the tyrants, of not taking them seriously at all, of ignoring their edicts, of roaring with laughter at their endless antics will surely drive them crazy. Idi Amin stole the people’s laughter and enjoyed his won fun and aggravated the misery of the people. Take our constipated looking tyrants ranging from Kagame and Meles to Ngueso and Dos Santos and imagine what being laughed at or being ridiculed will do them. We can also laugh at the opposition and give them a taste of reality. Back in the early and mid seventies Algeria’s Boumedienne (he hardly ever smiled out of choice and not he had crooked teeth) played at being revolutionary and invited dozens of self declared liberation fronts to Algiers. One of these was a self declared Ashanti prince who brought over a political program which had an introduction, his photo, other books written by the author and a long article on the personality of the “prince revolutionary” with a final call foe the then president of Ghana, Busia, to resign (because “you are a sophist”) and concludes by stating if Busia does not resign the Ghanaian army should overthrow him via a coup d’etat. A curious political program in which the self declared prince states that he met Busia and the [president suspected he was a roving agent of Nkrumah (“which I was not”) or a “big personality disguised as a common man”(“which I was”). Such funny “rebels “and “Marxist- Leninist- Lumumbist ” con men from the Congo are no longer around. Politics has become boring and the politicians humourless. That is why the African should laugh at those oppressing them and at those who declare themselves their liberators but are caricatures of those in power. Laughter is indeed the best medicine.
Our Revolution is based on nurturing the SEEDS, whereas the revolution of MIESON groups and all other subsequent groups and fronts was bent onto the destruction of the seeds
W. Kassa M.
By way of Introduction
Many individuals representing websites, magazines, and political organizations have presented their pros and cons whether to ally with the leader of Eritrea, Isaisas Afeworki. In my previous article of Eritreans versus Ethiopians: choosing sides?, I have promised my readers that I would comment on the views and opinions of the pundits and advocates for Ecountries (Ethiopia and Eritrea). It is to be recalled though that most of them have dwelt on the relationship solely based on President Isaisass open statement without the wishes and value of liberty for the Eritrean and the Ethiopian people in general.
Neamin Zeleke has produced a piece of article entitled The imperative for Ethiopians dealing with Eritrea that became a precedent that ensued with a snowball argument and counter-argument among rivals and enemies without dealing with the issues and problems that put us all simultaneously into these messes and progresses contrary to many activists and protesters claim, I believe that the Revolution in Ethiopia and the war in Eritrea were not a zero-sum game.
My view is based on these individuals opinions and views; it is not targeted against their personalities. It is rather focused on the issue of struggle of INDEPENDENCE for Eritrea, on the one hand, and on finding the uncomfortable TRUTH that was historically and politically based on the Eway Revolution. Eway is my way of explaining what actually took place and is taking place in both Eritrea and Ethiopia to people who once were and still are outside the realm of change aka Revolution.
In the early 1960s, Ethiopian elites were fed up with the status quo. Berhane Meskel Redda (BMR), a prominent founder of EPRP who later turned against his own party used this phrase the revolution will not be televised as frequently as he can. It was a song written by Gil Scott-Heron in relation to the then eroding democracy in America. That silent revolution spearheaded by the Crocodile group of the Addis Ababa College has continued to the present day albeit moving at a faster rate via the engine known as the Animal Group of DEBTERAW. Both groups were basically known for their covert and overt operations respectively. And their followers include ዝገብር ነዲኡ ነይነግር
(A doer does not tell even to his own mother) ሞያ በልብ ነው (action lies within the realm of the heart).
In conformity with an Orthodox method of operation, ግራ እጅህ ያደረገውን ቀጙ እጅህ አይወቀው – the Eway Revolution went underground በሕቡዕ BeHbuEE in the initial stage but later on, many revolutionaries came out in the open defying any regime that does not stand for Eathiopian Security, liberty and Justice. (Notice that EPRPs official slogan was unity, democracy and peace). In other words, in EPRPs parlance
Security = Unity
Liberty = Democracy
Justice = Peace
Not dealing with these three pillars of value in the order given will tear Aethiopians apart to the core. It is time to deal with these Truths if we desire to move forward and not backward, asmany activists and protesters in Eritrea and Ethiopia seem to suggest.
The Eway Revolution is a change in thinking, changing of hearts and minds of Aethiopians. EPRP did not televise the Ethiopian Revolution for it is a concept about national security, communal liberty and individual justice not readily recognizable by millions of Eritreans and Ethiopians.
In a nutshell, the confusion among the majority of Eethiopian readers arose simply because of the lack of information that took place between the years (1974-1991). This particular period was not only blurred for a lot of Ethiopians but also, to a large segment of the Eritrean elites. Currently, these lost Eritreans are either searching for the Hafashs ሐፋሽ political power base or seeking revenge for being misdirected by EPRP now turned into PFDJ. For this reason, their struggle is deemed to continue by any other means necessary for democracy and justice.
As far as the sequence of Eritrean Independence is concerned, I have presented my case scenario in http://www. debteraw.com/, although it was written a decade ago, which I still believe is valid. The majority of Eritreans got what they wanted (Republic?) though the elites do not seem to embrace it for lack of DEMOCRACIA.
As to the uncomfortable Truth in relation to the Ethiopian Revolution, here is what I have to say.
Journalists or advocates for a cause
We all know by now why and how the stalemate situation between Eritrea and Ethiopia that was primarily caused by the two autocratic leaders is nearing ten years. We also know that both leaders were allies for a little over a quarter of a century. This may seem a long period of time for those individuals who did not participate in the political affairs of either Erithrea or Ethiopia. But they should be consoled by the dedication of those individuals and political groups who had waited for almost half a century in order to bring justiceand respect for all Aethiopians irrespective of their nationalities.
As at today, there is neither individual justice for Eritreans nor collective respect for Ethiopians the basis of our social history.
It is in the context of socio-political history that we should be able to delve into partnership with either leader of Eritrea or Ethiopia.
As per the current discussion and debate, two assumptions seem to prevail:
If the government of Isaisas fails, Eritreans will automatically rejoin with Ethiopia
And if Meless government collapses, Ethiopia will be able to restore Eritrea as its province.
The above arguments are not only untenable but naïve at the core.
However, I have no reason to doubt the sincerity of those who want to ally with the president of Eritrea or distance themselves from prime minister of Ethiopia. But the rationale for dialogue should not be construed as a negotiation that would be based to be a pawn in the game of the instability of the REGIONS of SEEDS (Somalia-Ethiopia-Eritrea-Djibouti-Sudan). EPRPs motive force was and still is to nurture seeds as opposed to the destruction of SEEDS. (It is to be recalled that some circles had perpetually accused EPRP for sabotaging the wars against Somalia and Eritrea.)
Dont we remember when the Ogadenis became victims of an experiment for T- 60 (driverless tanks) supplied by the Soviet Union and a dogfight between an American jet F-5E and a Russian MiG-21MF? Dont we know now that the Ethiopian regime is sending troops to Somalia and that the Eritrean government in turn is shipping guns and ammunitions in retaliation? What is the purpose? I do not think it is about planting the seeds for harmony and cooperation but rather of destruction of the SEEDS.
Now, the former Italian Somali-land is again a victim of the proxy war of the mini powers of Eritrean and Ethiopian leaders. What a tragedy for all to see? Dont we learn from experience? As a footnote, we should be able to have learnt from our experiences – only the bad side of things – so as not to repeat them. But it seems to me that the so-called Abyssinians strive to learn positive things from their bad experiences there is no need to learn the good- there are role models and mentors to emulate. In Aethiopia, elders, academicians – ጽንሐተ ምሁራን, civilians (the honorable ones), religious (the faithful one), military (the professionals) and revolutionaries (public servants) are our role models and mentors. We follow their footprints and we learn from their mistakes. These should be our new guidelines.
We had enough of conspiracy and secrecy from the so-called Abyssinian community. That methodology is one good reason why the opposition groups are not succeeding to achieve their goals whatever it is. The lack of professional journalists and the lack of trusted and credible educators is hurting Aethiopians more than ever before.
Let us examine the pros and cons for cooperation or confrontation as proposed by the journalists and advocates. For convenience let me categorize the groups of discussant into the followings:
GROUP A: Includes Dawit W. Giorgis (Agent) Neamin Zelleke (publisher) Elias Kifle and Hassan Umer Abdella (journalists) and the others who support the idea of becoming an ally of President Isaisas of Eritrea. Their proposal seems to emanate from Neamins article as well as from Eliass interview with president Isaisas.
Ethiopias national salvation could only be a reality if Ethiopian patriotic and democratic forces have a base, and outside support to wage their multi-pronged struggle. The requisite is for a sovereign country to become a trusted ally of Ethiopian opposition forces and provide them all around support.
Ato Zeleke seems to argue that just because the opposition needed a base, they should sell their freedom if not their soul. His statement is ridiculous. Only cowards or foreign troops need a base. The mountains of Nakfa, Aasimba, Tulu or Dedebit bereha, Chercher, Simien mountains or the valleys of Awash, or the deserts of Afar have been used as bases for those he calls patriots and democrats. The people are the bases. Mercato was the base for EPRP. The palace of Minilik was the base for MIESON and that of Asmara was a base for ELF. First, Ato Neamin should believe in what he wants and then act upon it in order to find a long lasting solution (ZeLLeKE!!! Call me by my name). It is high time for all of us to find other plausible excuses for our dealership and trust-ship.
While endorsing Neamins proposal Shaleka Dawit has said a lot of things in his article of June 29, 2009the way forward for Ethiopia and Eritrea. Here are some of the highlights:
Not relating with the Eritrean government is a misguided position
Despite the fact the process of uniting Eritrea with Ethiopia was flawed with technical and strategic errors, the people of Eritrea believed sincerely and sometimes manifested in extreme ways that I have not seen anywhere else in Ethiopia
I am the only one survivor from the pioneer group
The flag and unity of Ethiopia is paramount
I was an active part of the revolution
There is some evidence to the claim that the student movement unwittingly allowed itself to be used by forces that had inimical agenda to Ethiopias interest.
Shaleka Dawit is a narcissus. His own writing style says a lot about him. He writes I and my colleagues; I and I, instead he/she, they and I. All the above quotations made by Shaleka were either shallow or dishonest statements. I dont need to go into details.
According to his personal stories, Shaleka Dawit was not involved in the interests of Aethiopians. In fact he testified that he was
A soldier of fortune
A foreign minister and
A governor for a province that was claimed as colonized. Dawit has never considered or imagined himself as an administrator or as a public servant but only a governor (colonizer)!!!
Shelekas positions had nothing to do with the welfare of Aethiopians. The only time he was appointed to serve the Ethiopian refugees was the time when he runs away from the action of relief on the pretext that colonel Goshu Wolde became his immediate boss in lieu of Menghistu.
Shaleka Dawits claim that he had been on college campuses at home and abroad that might have qualified him to be a knowledgeable and an authoritative person. But that alone wouldnt guarantee him to be an expert and give advice especially when he is not asked by the victims let alone by the victors. I think it is time for him and me to give way for the Eway generation of Eritrea and Ethiopia.
As I used to point out repeatedly in my Tobiyya articles it is a reflection of the anomalous eccentricity of yal teTenTaqeqe Fichi Yal Tesaka Gurbtinna la sort of unconsumed divorce and impossible neighborliness between Ethiopia and Eritrea,
Mr. Abdalla may have written hundreds of articles on Tobiyya about እስጦጵያ but he seems to have been in the fringes of the nature of Revolution that liberated us from our social, educational and religious feudal mentality. Ours i.e. modern politics is about relationship in whatever form to bring peace, harmony and prosperity. (Concepts for politics are available within this article).
Mr. Abdella by quoting the journalist Tesfaye Gebreab an anecdote of an Asmara lady with a koboroo dancing dazzlingly the traditional Guaylaa on occasion of Eritreas Independence Day in the streets of Asmara As I used to point out repeatedly in my Tobiyya articles it is a reflection of the anomalous eccentricity of yal teTenTaqeqe Fichi Yal Tesaka Gurbtinna la sort of unconsumed divorce and impossible neighborliness will not in any way move us in the right direction between Ethiopia and Eritrea.
The story goes by a journalist who asks her Adiye; why are you dancing so passionately?Oh, my son, we are celebrating the glorious day of our freedom from the Ethiopian occupation She replies. The reporter asks her further, by the way, can I have your name and the good old lady retorts back with apparent and unfeigned innocence my name is Ityobiya.
Was this anomaly in the minds of the lady or in the journalists vocabulary? She was perhaps liberated from her own name, I would not know. What is in a name? Call me by my name are two different things. Harnet and Nazanet though interrelated are two separate concepts.
Mixing up her name with that of a country Ethiopia does not make sense. Her given name was ኤትዮጵያ and she got what she wanted. I dont see the reason why journalists like Tesfaye and Abdalla cajole the ladys name with her feelings. Come on Mr. Abdalla, (call me by my name, what is my name?). The Eway Revolution was meant to decrease if not erase such petty things of belittling the common people. I dont believe you are taking revenge on Umer or Omar. Do you?
The above journalistic approach is killing the nation of Aethiopia in as much as the DERG cadres had diminished it to nothing with revolutionary phrases.
Mr. Abdella continues to write
There is no doubt that the Ethiopians have to deal with and engage Eritrea as state and the Eritrean people both as individuals as well as organized entities whenever the opportunity offers itself. It is inevitable that the Eritreans and Ethiopians, by simple logic of geography, if not history will live, side by side as neighbors of two states or as citizens of one state as they used to do just less than two decades ago. One need not be a futurologist to understand that. In politics both geography and history are constant variables. But the most constant and permanent seems to be geography.
Mr. Umer Abdella again writes on
Again, if my memory comes to my aid, the United Nations General Assembly in its 1950 deliberation on the disposal of Eritrea enumerated the following three main justifications for the resolution it adopted on the establishment of the federation between Eritrea with Ethiopia:
The historical ties between the two peoples
Ethiopias need for a sea outlet
The peace and stability in the region
I am not so sure the whether non viability of Eritrea as an entity was also taken into consideration as a factor for affiliating Eritrea with Ethiopia in an unequal federal arrangement that ever body today, concedes was doomed to fail from the beginning
The third choice seems to discuss and debate about Regions. That concept has had its days too. We are on a higher level of politics of cooperation or confrontation. We all have choices which way to go.
What is geography and history for Mr. Umer Abdalla? Is he referring to physical geography or political geography? What is history for Mr. Abdella? There are hundred types of history. Which history is he referring to?
Mr. Abdellas main contention seems to rest on UN Resolutions. Even then, he is not referring to economics, social, cultural, religious or political nature. We have come a long way to where we are.
Ethiopians and Eritreans are demanding the nature of our leaders, whether they should be FEARED or LOVED. In other words or in modern terms all EE people are after the rule of law, democracy and freedom. It is not even about peace and stability in the region. It is rather a question of LEGITIMACY. Is it the power of the gun or the power of people? That is the question. Let us wait and see who will win. As a professional journalist, Mr. Abdella should have lead the other journalists in reporting what has been said or seen and not to give judgments with whom to ally or not to ally. Inasmuch as the cadres of the DERG have withered away for lack of clarity, it is also inevitable that the journalists of the current regimes will wither away for lack of integrity.
GROUP B: includes Saleh Gadi (webmaster) Mintesnot (political observer) and Ayalsew Dessie (Ex-member of EPRA), Mersha Yosef (ex-member of EPRP collective leadership)
But, the real debate has to start in earnest. It has to also be realistic. Although the focus of the discussion is the way forward we must be forced to frequent the recent past again and again. It not only geography that we must deal with but also we must come to terms with our recent past history as well.
The above quotation is from Hassan Umer Abdalla article. This quotation would have elevated Mr. Abdalla to the Group B or C if he had been sincere about the Eway Revolution. The recent past may not be well understood by Mr. Abdalla.
More of Red Tears written on July 2, 2009 by Saleh (Gadi) Johar and posted on Awate.com Mr. Johar responds critically to Shaleka Dawits proposal on relationship with Eritrea. According to Johar, Shaleka Dawit is a career soldier, a politician, a leader and an intellectual, which scares him to death. According to me Shaleka Dawit is none of the above (see my comments on Shaleka).
It is an axiom that people are afraid of the things they dont know. Mr. Johar would like to be a history teller whereas Shaleka Dawit is a history writer. Both desires are at a loggerhead especially these eras of deception and lies. No one will win the argument. What I can say about these two individuals is that both have nothing in common as their point of reference is only religion, which is in turn a private matter. I hope in the future both individuals participate in the discussions and debates about politics of Erithrea and Ethiopia together or solo. As of now, Woyane has opened the Pandora box of ethnicity and Shaebia has closed the freedom of religious practice. Both actions are dangerous.
At this juncture, I want to point out from Salehs article for my readers.
I was once talking to an elderly and respectable Amhara neighbor. In the course of our conversation, I mentioned a friend and tried to describe him to my neighbor. I told him that my friend grew up in Addis Ababa and that he is Amhara, and that his name is Omer. My neighbor wrinkled his forehead and snapped his head up in surprise: someone with a name like Omer cannot be an Amhara; he is a Muslim!
Saleh continued to write
I dont want to bore you with that surprise lesson I learned from my neighbor.
It was easy to remember Haile Sellassie (and his predecessors) policy of building a nation state: an Ethiopia centered on the Amhara nationality and the Orthodox religion. The rest, if they were not willing to assimilate and shed off their identities, would practically be relegated to second-class citizens, if not worse.
As far as names are concerned, I have been writing why and how we got our names and further challenged my readers whether they are tuned to their names. I leave the answer to my readers and to Dawit himself whether he is living the life of king David. As far as I am concerned, he is not. There may be a change in his final part of his life, I cannot predict but I hope he does.
As to Haile Sellassies desire of a Christian state, I do not see any problem with that wish. Many nations were Christians let alone Ethiopia that have embraced Christianity long before Christ was born. Am I to oppose if a nation wants to be a Muslim nation? The answer is no.
The saddest part of our groups, such as Mersha and Ayalsew, is the unexpected and unwarranted reaction to the suggestion of Zelleke, Shaleka or Elias to be an ally of Eritrea. These ex-members of EPRP should have known better than the rest of the ordinary members about the relationship of EPRP with EPLF and ELF in the same way that EPRP had relationships with MIESON, at least in the initial stage. It was only when fundamental issues of value changes that EPRP had parted company. The first question that should have come to Mersha and Ayalsew was to ask what fundamental change has cropped up for EPRP to be an ally with the leaders of Shaebia or TPLF. The famous reminder of Mersha to EPRP members was በሬ ከአራጁ ይውላል ወይ? Is there any change of heart or mind that comes from president Isaias or Prime Minister Mellese towards the value and struggle of EPRP? I did not see it coming either from Ayalsew or Mersha about personal relationships and vendettas. (NB. Ayalsew versus Dawit; Mersha versus Iyassou check their writings and listen to them on radio interviews)
It is within this group that I want to elaborate, and perhaps convince that the correct position lies within this group for certainly the solution lies in here provided that we soberly and critically use our voices of reason and our common sense.
The most important piece of writing from this group is that of Fanta Zewge and so I chose to dwell on writing in the hope that it is inclusive for the other members of the group. Here is the quotation from Zewges article entitled the liberators going north coming south
Certain Political Figures from the wide field of Political Parties of Ethiopia are considering some sort of armed struggle. Their main objective is to remove the dictator who is reportedly preparing to step down. The armed struggle is a noble mission so long it is to free the people from an oppressive regime. However, the implications of the armed struggle are complex to be left to the actors and Engineers of the armed struggle. First, it must be realized that the armed struggle powered by EPLF that helped TPLF to grab power in 1991 is a sticky issue by it. Objections to the plan are mounting. Second, the armed struggle is seen as a back door to power, and so, a mission to replace a dictator by another. Third, the idea that a dictator of a tiny state, a province of Ethiopia for decades and centuries being consider as a liberator to the proud Ethiopians has become a shameful and humiliating experience. The author explores these issues. With or without armed struggle, the Ethiopian people will free themselves and the dictatorial regime with its Ethnic Federal System shall come to pass. Anticipating new era, the author has presented conceptual models by which to establish Economic and Political Administrative regions based on the natural and cultural features of the country. Ethiopians have to undo the damages and restore the nation to its original conditions. And to modernize the country, modern systems must be adopted. For that purpose, the author has presented conceptual models of Economic Regions and Political Administrative entities. These shall give an idea of the framework for establishing a new Federal System of Government.
Armed struggle: Ato Zewge on armed struggle, writes the armed struggle is a noble mission so long it is to free the people from an oppressive régime. However, the implications of the armed struggle are complex to be left to the actors and engineers of the armed struggle. This is well said. (Compare and contrast between nationalists and revolutionaries.)
And I plead with Mr. Zewge to find out by the historical differences among the armed guerrilla fighters how they had been conduction their field operations. i.e. the relationships between educating-organizing-arming.
Original conditions Anticipating new era Ethiopians have to undo the damages and restore the nation to its original conditions. What is the basis of origin? Physical or mental origin, there will no be original condition for a new era. That is against change or revolution.
Modern systems must be adopted to modernize the country, Is this not a contradiction, Ato or Mr.? How do I know with which title you would like to be addressed, the original title of Ato or the modern of MR or no title at all?
Political entities The leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia do not distinguish physical geography from political geography, since professor MWM did not teach them. Instead Enver Hoja or Maos theory of isolation guided both leaders. Besides, Ato Fanta seems to have the belief system of hatred towards these leaders since he wrote, For Ethiopians there shall be no worst insult than being ruled by hordes of High School drop-outs
Honestly, both leaders are articulate and knowledgeable. The problem with the leaders is that they are using their talents and skills for the wrong cause. They have played hide and seek in Sahel, they have played hide and seek in Badme war and they are playing cat and mouse in Somalia. Dont tell us they are dropouts. They are cunning and clever at the same time. Besides, there are thousands of dropouts from high school who are ready to lead the country. Graduates from High school would have been enough for a population with over 80% illiteracy.
An economic region Mr. Zewge whether out of conviction or anger believes that, and I quote, Eritrea is not an important land by itself. What makes Eritrea important is Ethiopia. Eritrea is not a factor to Ethiopias progress If that is the case, why do subsequent leaders of Ethiopia always link with Eritrea? Was it for gaining benefits or for scapegoat? Mr. Zewge not only is stuck with the old economic models based of sea transport and raw materials. Mr. Zewge and others are advised to grasp the triple resources of SSS as economic model for the 21st century and beyond.
If Ato Fantas concept of importance is out of conviction, it will be a milestone for many Ethiopians not to squander their time, energy and resources on bringing Eritreans to the table. I will be one of them, as I will watch you on how you will implement your Federal States based on your conceptual model of diving the thirteen provinces roughly into two.
Let me tell you an event with how Menghistu H. Mariam decided to divide his Ethiopia for the purpose of planning. The experts came up with two alternatives for discussion in planning commission. Before the discussion commenced, the three experts showed to Menghistu alternative proposal to be presented to the Council of Ministers and their experts. Instantly, Menghistu decided on the spot that the Planning Regions should be formed into seven regions (the two alternative proposals were to divide Ethiopia into 5 or 7). And so the Dictators decision was done. Many of the attendees were puzzled why the Dictator decided the way he did. A joker and a thinker by the name of Osman clarified Menghistus calculation that dividing the fourteen provinces by two instead five was much simpler.
I wish good luck to Ato Fanta since nobody is coming a liberator either from the north or south. Ato Fantas ideas of economic regions and political entities may work but only in Godjam region as model for the rest of the country.
In order to be clear with the past and move on to the future, it is proper to remind once again the long and arduous struggle of EPRP for it will not only liberate the minds of its members and supporters but also it will help others to liberate their minds and hearts so as to be free in life and in death.
I find it necessary even at the expense of repeating of my past articles. The following part should be used as a reference guide in conjunction with my commentary. It will be useful for any person who wants to know and understand the history of political revolution in both Ethiopia and Eritrea as depicted in the following pages
A little bit of Revolutionary History in Ethiopia
Independence for Eritreans
On the onset of the Ethiopian Revolution, intellectuals representing various academic domains came up with their version of what the people need and want. Apart from their wishful thinking of progress and hope, most of them were not qualified to analyze the urban problem with which they were associated let alone to assess the needs and desires of the rural population.
However, two schools of thought emerged, dominant among them were EPRP and MIESON.
To recap the history of the Ethiopian Revolution, there were three major enemies to be tackled by all progressive revolutionaries. These were
Feudalism
Bureaucracy and
Imperialism
In order to combat these enemies of progress; the following slogans were devised,
Land to the tiller (in relation to Feudalism) meret laArashu መሬት ለአራሹ ተዋጉለት አትሽሹ
Combat the pretenders (in relation to Bureaucracy) ኣስመሳይ ምሁራን ይጋለጡ
Although both EPRP and MIESON organizations had similar ideological background on the above issues, MIESON had a better understanding of political theory in terms of philosophy. EPRP was not only equipped with revolutionary history but it had the added advantage of spelling out clearly and simply the demands and wishes of all peoples of Ethiopia.
It is to be noted though that the nationalists of ELF/EPLF and TPLF use slogans against Feudalism and Bureaucracy in the following manner – Amhara in relation to Feudalism and opportunists for the Bureaucracy. It was and is ironic for these nationalists to claim to have fought against Imperialism of the West and East. The end result for these groups concerning capitalism and socialism (both types labeled as Imperialism) is nothing but confusion. The current governments of both counties are either scared of globalization or enamored with it. As in the past, there is neither clarity nor basis for their actions of policy in both countries.
What were the Issues that drive MIESON and EPRP apart?
The basic questions that divided the intellectuals of MIESON and EPRP were the following:
Who will replace the Throne of Haile Sellassie I, the crown prince or a political party?
What is the nature of the military vis-à-vis the objective condition of the nation of Ethiopia?
When and where is the question of nation and nationalities resolved?
Why?
And How is the question of DEMOCRACIA i.e. SEA (freedoms of speech, expression, assembly) is applied?
Legitimacy: MIESONs choice as an answer to the question of who was the Military Junta. EPRP rejected the idea of supporting the Military known as the DERG to take over the responsibility of leading the Revolution. EPRPs argument was based on the assumption that the DERG could not be a Revolutionary but only a Fascistic group. The DERG has ruled Ethiopia for seventeen years and MIESON, the advisor of the DERG collapsed on its own merit. As a result of the first mistake to the first question of who, the second follow-up of the nature of DERG became irrelevant. These fatal mistakes caused by the MIESON group has taken place simply because the group had no clear understanding of the conditions and facts of Ethiopia on the ground.
As to the third question of nations and nationalities, MIESONs stand was correct in the sense that there was only one nation, politically speaking. EPRPs stand on nations and nationalities were based on Revolutionary concept of using family as a model of explaining conflicts. EPRP used to argue that the unity of a family is not only essential to any conflict resolution but it is also necessary. EPRP continued to argue further that if either of the parents has unruly and unholy behavior towards the marriage or the family, divorce is recommended, for the sake of the children, but education (consciousness) always should precedes, argued DEMOCRACIA, the mouthpiece of EPRP.
Take for instance, the case of my first cousin who was married to a poor teacher albeit from her native village. Despite their disagreements, the couples have been making babies without interruption resulting in bearing seven children. The parents have stayed together for almost thirty something years. But as far as I remember, there was no peace in the family. Their life style was not a disagreement in content but in intent. The mother speaks vocally and upfront while the father was a silent killer. For this style of life, the outside world including me was wondering how the children were living under such conditions. In todays parlance, both parents abused the children. It was a horrible condition for the children especially when extended families are involved. I know this was not an isolated family and that was why the culture of oppression and exploitation had to stop. When such oppression takes place even at a national level, the gifted and the humane section of Aethiopians were forced to support at least in theory the divorce of the families. EPRP was not an advocate either for divorce or separation unless it was absolutely necessary. It was in this context that the party is considered as a pioneer for disunity. Exercising unity on the one hand, while opening eyes of freedom of choices in case of dire needs, on the other should not be a basis for condemnation against EPRP. On the contrary, there should be a commendation for this political party.
Truth for Ethiopians
If we really want to distinguish between the struggle for independence and the truth of how we reach to where we are today, one has to examine and understand the following methods of struggle. For here lies why and how neither all the liberators for Ethiopia, Eritrea, Oromia or Somalia or any nationality could neither Cooperate nor Coordinate (CC) their struggle for a common cause.
STEP ONE: Know Your Enemy ንቃ፤ ወዳጅ ከጠላት ለመለየት
STEP TWO: Get organized ተደራጅ፡ ውጤት ለማስገጝት
STEP THREE: Take Arms ፍላጎትህን ለማርካት Tatek alamahn lemasakat
The only organization that has followed these three steps was EPRP. The rest started with arming the people without identifying their true class enemies. In other words, their struggles were carried out in the reverse order i.e. mastatek-maderjet-mankat. Due to its credit, MIESON did not reverse the order of struggle but isolated and categorized them, which was equally fatal to the real way of struggle for change.
In other words, for MIESON everybody and everyone should be in the same level of education, same level to be organized and the same level for being armed.
EPRP rejected this idea of first, second and third. For EPRit the people will be organized as they get conscious (educated) and they will bear arms, as they are organized እየነቃን እንደራጃለን እየተደራጀን እንታጠቃለን . This process was the last straw that killed the back of the camel so to speak that separated EPRP from all organizations. It was the correct way and it is still the right method alias known as the Eway Revolution.
Who would show us or convince us if those armed without being educated can be re-organized for a civic duty other than banditry. That is the dilemma we are in. Civic and civil societies that lasted for thousand of years have now become militarized. Aethiopia was not and should not be societies of Uniforms. We seem to forget the CONCEPT of ZEMETCHA!!! Mobilization for collective security for Country, God and Family as told by oral history.
Anyhow, in as much as the false statements about the reconciliation between MIESON and EPRP have bombarded us, seemingly the same argument is circulating about the reconciliation between EPLF and TPLF. As far as I can understand, the reconciliation between MIESON and EPRP was totally wrong. In politics, it is not about personal vendetta, it is rather about public issues and values. EPRP and MIESON have agreed to work together simply for the following main reasons.
That the DERG failed to be a true Revolutionary contrary to MIESOs conviction
That national question of Eritrea and nationalities of Ethiopia went astray due to fault of either MIESON or EPRP
That MIESONs stand on limited Democracy (የተገደበ ዴሞክራሲ) has been abandoned.
That the slogan for PEOPLEs PROVISIONAL GOVERNMENT as proposed by EPRP is still desired by many political organizations including, of course, MIESON. Is this not the burning and current issue for both sides of the aisles so to speak!!! Both organizations cooperate together on matters of issues not for reconciliation per se. And I believe the same will apply to Shaebia and Woyane.
Current State of Affairs
Eritrea: a Language based state
When we speak of history, we are not speaking of social history, cultural, economic or religious history of Ethiopia. We are referring to our political history via revolutionary path.
What is history? I would like to quote a famous slogan of history from And Ethiopia Radio ታሪክ ምስክር ነው ኢትዮጵያ አንድ ናት!!! What kind of history, AND Ethiopia? That kind of slogan has helped Shaebia and Woyane to claim their base on languages and ethnic respectively. We should not use the same language that failed us while MIESON was within the power base of the DERG. Even Shaleka Dawit, a once Dergist has abandoned this slogan though with no remorse.
The stand against each other of shaleka Dawit and comrade Ayalsew is from military point of view. That of Shalleka is from the point of the DERG and that of Ayalsew is from EPRA (Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Army).
As far as military is concerned, the EPLF defeated the ELF army, the TPLF has defeated the EPRA (Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Army.) Militarily overall the DERG has lost its military power although with all the resources of Ethiopia at his disposal, should have defeated any organization in war. Menghistu and his cronies were not aware of Peoples War.
In Ethiopia or Eritrea, it is somewhat stupid to talk about military power. How can we as (Eritreans and Ethiopians) boast about military prowess, when we dont produce bombs, guns, or tanks to talk? We manufactured no hardware to boast about. We buy them from foreign countries with hard currency hard currency that comes from the labor and sweat of Eritreans and Ethiopians. So it is better to ask what was the motive for the people to fight or sacrifice life, money or hard labor. The soft powers of Aethiopians are much stronger than the hard ware stuff.
Eritrean Independence: Is it worth all the sacrifice? Written by Yosief Ghebrehiwot and posted on July 16, 2009 has stirred arguments and counter arguments. The argument of Yosief and Saleh does not seem to touch base for Yosief asks the wrong question and Saleh responds with a wrong answer. Why dont they let the experts speak from their expertise? If Mr. Saleh and Yosief want to touch base with their readers let us hear from them about politics of government power base. Is there a power base in Eritrea apart from the one-man show or do you have an alternative? Readers want to listen!!! As far as answering Yosiefs question, we may soon hear or read a Cost-Benefit Analysis (quantified in figures) about Eritrean Independence.
As to the language based state of Eritreas formation, it is totally wrong. Eritrea with nine languages!!! This is not only untrue, but the basis for independence is totally wrong. ዓለም መሊኣ ዓሰርተ ሕጅስ ትኽይድ አላ ናብ ዓሰርተው ሐደ
Ethiopia: an Ethnic based nation
They call us Orthodox Christians for nothing. Orthodox is attached to Nature. Of course every other thing or history has origin. Having Arts developed socially, economically, politically and culturally in Aethiopia at a high end of scale, it was transformed to Europe and Asia as a science and further developed in America to become Technology the application of science.
Now what? As human beings continue to travel to live on Mars or the Moon, it is necessary to go back and revisit the origins of Arts or Natural societies with symbols and written languages, where socially, culturally, and philosophically they can be observed live.
I have written articles on the problem that challenge us all and suggested some provocative alternative solutions for the leaders of Eritrea and Ethiopia.
What is the problem then? It is the land and the language problem. Or is it?
The leader of Eritrea sticks to a land question while that of Ethiopia dwells on language differences. Both are wrong, there is neither shortage of land nor desire for language differences.
Aethiopia: Political based nation-state
There is an old adage, which says political science without history has no root; history without political science has no fruit. To make myself clear as far as politics is concerned, politics at its best will perform the followings:
Politics can preserve peace
Politics can protect human rights
Politics can advance economic well being
Politics can encourage excellence in arts and sciences and
Politics can change or remove the governments of Ethiopia and Eritrea
At its worst, politics can do the followings:
Creates tyranny
Encourages war
Cause economic ruin
Bring barbarism and
Destroy or silence the losing side of the struggle for power
Politics is a civilizing activity when it is at its best. But in our case, it was not and still is not a game. If politics were a process, within or among political communities, there would have been a platform where public values would be articulated, debated and prescribed.
In EPRPs politics the stakes involve the following five choices in the order of priorities
Life or death
Freedom or fear
Peace or war
Order or disorder
Prosperity or poverty
The above five factors operate in reverse order for Woyane and Shaebia, life or death comes at the bottom while at the top of their agenda comes prosperity or poverty.
Concluding Remarks
Another shot at coup detat መፈንቅለ መንግሥት or continuing the ongoing Eway Revolution?
It seems that the elections of 2010 as scheduled in Ethiopia and 2011 (as rumor has it) in Eritrea of unknown type of election gave a boost up for all the pundits and advocates participating in these seemingly unpopular elections. By the way, election is a small part of DEMOCRACIA.
Of all the nations that have passed through the three types of revolutionary path, coup detat, insurrection and guerrilla warfare simultaneously should not easily succumb to merely elections. (See Solutions with DEBTERAW).
We have witnessed these with COPWE, we have seen this with Ginbot 7 and we are going to see more of the same. Many developing nations dwell on Election Day and ended up in disaster. Aethiopians should expect more than mere elections.
It is in the areas of
Land Issues in lieu of Feudalism
Governance in lieu of Bureaucracy
Free Market in lieu of Imperialism
That the journalists or the truth seekers update their stories about Ethiopia or Eritrea.
First things first though, we all should collaborate in order to force Shaebia and Woyane leaders to meet the following demands.
Locating the whereabouts of prisons and prisoners
Releasing all political prisoners
Allowing free speech, free press and free assembly
We are basically a civilian society with no uniform. The uniformed men of the DERG destroyed us; the guerrilla military are posed to silence us. It is in this context that we should or should not ally with either the leaders of Eritrea or Ethiopia. There should not be an alliance for some individuals or groups convenience. We should be in the business of saving Humanity (HC) from dictatorship and tyranny. That is the weakest link of all dictatorships.
