FRETSIDIQ FEKADE.

I have been, to the best of my ability, scrutinizing every steps of the current politics marching and yet not found the punch line significant to arrest all perspectives in a nut shell. The profound and grass rooted ideals such as mass base movement with strong political mobilization has not yet gotten a definitive look and approach to establish a united and uniform struggle substantive to empower the poor and oppressed citizens. Subsequently, obligated concerned citizens to re examine the major gridlock which deter us. Let me cite few among a number of problems as to why we are staggering to go straight forward and fight the real fight:

A. intra parties’ crisis and skirmish; for instance, either in CUDP or EPRP caused by traitors allegedly serve the incumbent more than their own polity.

B. unconscious political participation of many individuals galvanized by political whim but have been witnessed to lack prudence and reasoning or understanding of the political arena in its entirety; Precisely speaking, deficient of multi-disciplinary approach to the precursor of the problem. To mention a few, those naïve attendee at Siye’s city hall meeting, who is as criminal and responsible for the destruction of Ethiopia as Meles Zenawi

C. lack of principled disputation and systematic approach to analysis in discussion forums, electronic medias or paltalk rooms to achieve the desired goal.

The later suggests ways of influencing people to distance or preclude themselves from the political platform or gravitate them toward the struggle depends on how the politics is maneuvered. Bearing this in mind, I would like to stress on the third factor for the rest are being dealt extensively from every angle ostensibly or truly, siding with the voice of the majority or vice versa, regardless, the truth will be unveiled sooner or later.

Maulana Karenga, An Africentric psychologist has said once “ truth that isn’t born of struggle ( disputation ) is not truth at all; it is just mindless agreement”. The rhetorical and oratorical discourse that is flooding the cyber chat rooms with a silent majority are at the receiving end busying clapping and whistling, oscillating between lines while the very few CONCERNED individuals at times presenting sound political arguments as well as their counter parts, arresting their case one after the other; very often the discussion or dispute is conveyed by music or poetry, the audiences are best situated in the lobby to either listen to a speaker or find a foe or a friend depends on the context of the texts scribbled; at the end of the day, with few exceptions, people are satiated and sedated by frivolous dispute that goes on from dawn to dusk without a conducive goal achieved.

So far, in my experience of the last few months in Ethiopian paltalk discussion forum, I have felt the warmth of the radical view (explicitly embrace the very foundation of ethiopiawinet) and the cold arbitrary ( no reason or a rhyme) models; claim to afford an effective alternative to prevailing ways of viewing Ethiopian politics functioning. Irrespective of both views, the matter still remained ambiguous and obliged me to ask how can we come out of this little podium and tackle the real cause of the problem in the open in stead of circumventing the centric point ? The radical view assertively question: how much we exclusively define weyane as an enemy? What are the most prominent characteristics to identify weyane? What kind of political, social, and psychological orientation or model best serve us to survive as a nation in the midst of repression or there after ? Is the question of democracy weighs more than the question of freedom? And so forth.

unlikely, the rubbish and insignificant issues what I call the smooth or arbitrary model which I dare to identify intruder‘s modus operandi, too myopic to meet the end while pre-occupied dodging the means. Unjustly necessitate or conveying a message entails “compromising alien topics forge similarity with a tenet of participatory democracy, bounce or un bounce unfit characters according to room‘s policy, how do we accommodate people classified as anjas or bandas as though it were the mother of all issues and some more falsified grandiloquence which is an extended version of blah blah,” are being dealt at equivalent rate along with the emergency and sensitive sovereign issues of the mother land. Imagine the equivalence . Alas! What a futile endeavor. This argument is best analogues to what Tsegaye Debteraw’s says in his poetry; “Ethiopian eyatanat yilunal alem yenante nat”

For some egoistic, self-inflated, and ineffectual current political “personage’’, the paltalk “vanilla” politics has become of a magnifying glasses to enlarge their portrait beyond its actual size or render hyperbolic presentation. For some hypocrites and opportunist it has been a privilege to capitalize on issues endangering people as we speak for their own benefit. For some mentally belittled and afflicted weyane cadres, the medium has been a serviceable instrument to promote, promulgate, and project only their own image and selfish ethno interests. For fakers and phony personalities who are in the shadow and disguise in Ethiopiawinet but are real weyane as in the case of the DIASPORA ROOM’S THUG “ATSE” WHO LIVES ON MANIPULATION AND MASQUERADE, the specified room has been a tenure to make a living. And yet, while all these and other stuffs are taking place, we Ethiopians adamantly striving for unity and freedom are naively sit and talk gratifying a whim in addition to that, indulge our mentality in political exclamation. Is this a mentacide or what? Has there ever been any disputation resulting in good terms? Poor Ethiopians how are we going to prevail when harboring agents in our vicinity sugar coated with conventional thinking designed to attract and confuse people without keen selective judgment? WHAT OTHER WAY DO WE KNOW AS A PEOPLE TO STAND UNIFORMLY FOR THE TRUTH?

A lack of prudent and principled struggle combined with immature strugglers, the struggle will always end up in division as opposed to synthesis. Division, segregation, polarization among fellow ethiopians is what inspires weyane . However, if we were genuinely dispute over ideas that can truly build up Ethiopiawinet, the resulting disputation uncompromisingly bear strong nationalist individuals. This is not a biased or over reactive view, however; is my observation and evaluation based on facts on ground for some time has afflicted my “little mind”; thus oblige me to seek a proactive and systematic measure to revise what I have experienced. I am not here to destructively criticize every figure participate in paltalk room or its general aura; as a matter of fact, needless to mention names, there are a number of people that I have a great deal of admiration because of their systematic political analysis is no less than academic scholarly review. For that matter, their demeanor and nationalist point of view is worth my time.

What bug me so often is the average time being spent on untimely issues inadvertently or intentionally being covered to relegate and denigrate the core issues believed to have been an essence ( grass rooted ideals ) to the struggle. May that be a matter of curiosity? It is common every where that the mind’s hunger is initially manifested in curiosity, specially, as in the case of oppressed and robbed mind ( us), which is victimized itself and actively looking for ignorance. The politics that involves the lives of 80 million Ethiopians suffice to evade our boredom never the less elicit nothing more than nihilism. Here, ironically, curiosity doesn’t only kill the cat but also those driven by unconscious mind reluctantly respond to “911” ( an emergency). Has our collective mind been raped, violated and obliterated or subliminally submitted to the oppressor? I will leave this to the reader’s and paltalk rooms audiences’ own power of discernment.

One must ask how do we make a good use of this medium so as to constructively engage ourselves to find a remedy? My answer is plain, focus on fight or flight! Fight according to the magnitude of suffering our fellow citizens are enduring: atrocity, genocide, poverty, injustice, women trafficking, illegal adoption, imprisonment, corruption, epidemics, migration, war, torture, etc. who is responsible for all of these? Eyasu or Hailu shawel, what a parody! We know it all the enemy residing in “arat killo” is responsible for every problem there is to it. Taking all adversaries into consideration, we shall take action immediately as opposed to letting the issues fall in a deaf ear. when we compromise with the enemy, we become like some forms of cancer, the cells which should protect the organism from alien (enemy) intrusions begin to attack the life giving cells. As we stretch the struggle without the discipline and principle it requires; disappointment, frustration, anger, hopelessness ensue and the tenets and integral part of the struggle will fade up. Subsequently, stagnate or affix us with no point of reference. So, I say unto you, know your enemy and give a definitive look to the struggle at hand. Our fellow citizens voiced up time again the repression is enough. Therefore, let us neither stimulate nor flagellate ourselves solely in political discourse to no avail. Substantiate what is to be substantiated in the struggle to Fight with determined spirit in timely fashion or flight and get out of the mess.

Ethiopia will prevail!

By Gemencho

An ex-leader of the EPRP, who had left the organization a while ago, was asked by one of the diasporic magazines, how he sees himself with regards to the party that he helped build, now he is out of it. The interview was made in part to inaugurate his book on the history of the party. Since then, other accounts that contradict his understanding of that history have appeared, particularly by those who had worked with him and knew him in person. But that was not my issue at the time I was reading the interview. What caught my attention then was the way by which he confronted the question. He told the interviewer that he sees himself in “EPRP’s state of mind”. I took this to the heart and attempted to reconcile it with the political stance that he had taken at the time. At the time, the man did not just leave the organization. He left, because he could no more resist of being at peace with the regime in Addis Abeba, of being in Weyanne’s state of mind. Unless the ex-leader assumes EPRP is like a spirit thing that is everywhere, once in it always in it kind of phenomenon, I was not sure how he had found himself, in two parallel states of minds that were at war with each other. There are others who have applied his doctrine of wishing EPRP’s death while claiming to be one.

This is what the current anja, after rupturing itself, at its own convenience, from the ideals (which it calls the status-quo) of the organization, did. In the tradition of outright opportunism, it took advantage of the weight the name EPRP holds, to use it as a tool for its own group interest. It refuses to see the conflict it finds itself in, that is, waving its name, swearing in its name, while simultaneously attacking the very ideals which the name bears witness to. The group stands vehemently opposed to those ideals and still dares to call itself EPRP.

But what is in this name, EPRP? What does it tell, and who does it speak for? In his eloquent commentary about the political and cultural life of Debteraw, Obo Arada Shawel raises the significance of the name EPRP which he looks at, through this sacrificial life of an Ethiopian revolutionary. So, the name has cultural, social and ideological loci. It is not a phenomenon that is outside of history. It is not for everyone It speaks to a particular constituent and thinking. It is Ethiopian, multi-ethnic, multi-religious, fiercely independent, and uncompromising in its ideals. It is partisan and non transferable.

One hopes the anja would consider this and come to its senses and stop being a fake duplicate of the real one. One hopes it would avoid its own confusion by having the conscience and courage to leave the name to where it belongs. . . .

Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde

March 13, 2008

Confused or Confuser

Am I confused or a confuser (no such word is found in the English Dictionary, though)? My pen name is Obo Arada Shawl, which signifies that I stand for Rural Ethiopia, inner cities of Addis Ababa and Asmara respectively but my real name is Wolde Tewolde. Am I creating some confusion for my readers? If there is, please let me know as our given Names signify something of value.

In my previous article, actually it was a commentary on professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam who might intentionally or unintentionally lived in a confused environment or smart enough to confuse others during our lifetime. In the past, I had attempted to save Ethiopians from confusion made by a prominent Poet, deceitful geography professor and by an emotional journalist in Diaspora. I have always believed since years back that three professions (personalities) namely of Arts, Geography and Journalism can create distortion on any Ethiopian realities.

MWM (Geographer)

I do not want to go on answering the twenty questions posed to professor MWM by EthioLion.com. Besides, no one asked me to do so despite my plea. However, since the professor cannot stop meddling in the affairs of innocent Ethiopian/Eritrean lives, we have to continue to reveal and disgrace his personality a la mode of CC (combat & challenge) and TT (Tagel & Tateq) style of struggle. CC was the name of the publication of EPRP whereas TT belonged to MEISON’s. Both style of struggle were anemic to MWM. He likes Yaz & Leqeq despite his pretension as a leftist professor. When the EthioLion editor pleaded with the professor as to when to get off from the Ethiopian peoples’ back, I responded that he would never do that until he finds out his DNA. When I wrote that comment I did not mean his DNA in order to find out his paternity or his criminality record. I was trying merely to locate his space in life, namely his political geography.

Now, true to my prediction, he wrote an article on Obama (see Abbaymedia.com). He labeled Obama’s presidential race as a spirit. What kind of a spirit, one may ask? This kind of jumping into conclusion is what harmed our people and country. I am sure this is another blunder by the professor to be seen in the near future.

Every time there is a wind of change or a hope for change professor MWM jumps and make some serious mistakes including some irreparable damages. For instance, the professor had joined a panel of eleven PhD holders that was formed to demarcate the Ethiopian polity under the DERG. He also joined the group of so-called independent Ethiopians who went to London to witness the surrender of the Ethiopian government to EPLF/TPLF/OLF. This time, the professor had joined with three PhD holders and three Masters. One can go on listing his calculated or erratic activities. What I do not understand is why many Ethiopian intellectuals follow his example instead following the right people regardless of their titles. Call me by my name. What is my name? (Girzmatch, Kegnazmatch, etc. etc.)

I do not know whether it is true or not, but one simple explanation of the professor’s attitude of character and personality is given like this.

• In his professional field, at a certain time during a proposed meeting of some local Amhara officials to be held somewhere in rural Shewa village, they did not know the location of the village and so MWM was summoned by the Emperor Haile Sellasie I in order to locate the meeting place and so the professor true to his geography knowledge pinpointed the village. From there on, the Emperor reported to have said that ‘there is nothing that Mesfin does not know’. Could this be a reason for his arrogance?

• In his family life, when asked why he wanted a divorce from his wife, it was circulated that he said, “Two husbands couldn’t live in the same house”. Let us hope that Mideksa has liberated him this time around.

Our Issue, Then

How do we handle our aspirations for Unity, Peace and Democracy? At the time when I met Debteraw, our communication was three dimensional, in religious terms (father-son-holy spirit), familial (husband-children-wife), governmental affairs (monarchy-church nobility), political (party-army-masses) and so on and so forth.

Specifically, Debteraw used to insist that the practical solution for bringing Unity-Democracy-Peace was through READ (Revolution-Education-Art-Democracia). For Debu and me the letters of A&E are one and the same (usage in pronunciation as first & fifth). However, their contents were fundamentally different from mine as AE = Arts and Education (he was excellent in Kinet and Education). For me, the letters of K& W were/are relevant as KW = Knowledge and Wisdom. Our common agreement for working together was based on Revolution and Democracia (RD). By the way every nation has progressed via Research and Development while ours was set on Revolution and Democratization.

Our Issue, Now

I do not want to go into detail as why each leader/professional, country/countries or global organizations aspire to indulge in Ethiopia or Eritrea. Suffice to indicate to my readers in a nutshell what is behind agendas of our time.

So what is our stand on these issues? What do we need to do? Let us discuss them.

On Domestic affairs

• Engineer Hailu for Costs

• Economist Berhanu for Benefits

• EPRDF/TPLF for confusion

On Foreign affairs

• USA for Strategic purpose of fighting Terrorism

• UNMEE for Employment

• AU/EU/China for Trade and Aid

Our Issue then and now

Domestic and foreign: Although all organizations, groups and individuals attempt to resolve the Ethiopian issues, they all do it in around about way. That is by switching places for the letters of U (unity), D (democracy) and P (peace). Changing names will not help to solve the problems of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Prioritizing, yes.

EPRP for Unity, Democracia and Peace

For EPRP, it is not about prioritizing. It is about putting the three letters together. They have done this for four decades now. EPRP’s main tasks as at yesterday, today and tomorrow were, are and will be as follows: –

• Visionary Solutions

• Fearless leadership and

• Timeless principles in

• Domestic and

• Foreign sectors.

What I wanted to bring to the attention to all my readers is that there is no Unity in Diversity as Debteraw has been fighting for a long time. We cannot go on using the same phrase or mission of Vive La Difference! I believe now that we have to bring Unity in Clarity. That is why I am asking intellectuals and other literate Ethiopians to expose their true nature in terms of Names, Symbol, Ritual and Values. Call me by my name? What is your name?

True to the nature of Debteraw Tsegeye’s proposal for Ethiopia, I still insist to continue to dwell on the political solution based on Ethiopian History, Culture and DEMOCRACIA. He used to call this HCD. It is purely based on Ethiopian political History, Cultural and social/religious path (AAgmelago). To put it simply, let us see what has been said and presented to Ethiopians both at home and abroad.

EPRP is a unity of a political party, peace at the top of Red Mountain (ASSIMBA.com & Assimba.Org). Democracia in Eritrea and Ethiopia.

• Let us share our experiences

• Let us write our shared experiences or perish as they say and

• Let us finish the Marathon of struggle with ADE

When the war broke out between EPLF and TPLF and later agreed to settle their dispute through an arbitration but never materialized the agreement, but continue in disrupting the peoples’ daily lives, I proposed in such a way that Europeans should settle in Zala Anbesa to administer them, to let America to settle in Assab so as to develop the Red Sea and to let the Chinese to let them to settle in Badme to develop agriculture. At the time, nobody heeded my call. What about now? I have now different types of proposal. Here it is.

For EPRP, Ethiopia is a Center for the Universe and Eritrea is a Key for the World.

It is about CK. It is that simple.

Proposal

The senator from Wisconsin, Russ Feingold described Ethiopia as demarcated/bounded by a failed state of Somalia, by an ethnic cleansing Kenya, by a genocidal Sudan and by an inaccessible authoritarian Eritrea. Of course, the senator forgot to add the country of Djoubiti. It is inconceivable without D for our project of SEEDS country.

For comments and criticism

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

CALL ME BY MY NAME: A commentary  Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde

March 3, 1983

“As one of the reigning heavy heavyweight in Ethiopian political arena, we know the power of your punch,” writes the editorial. Twenty questions (EthioLion.com) were posed to the professor and we all are too naive if we expect a single reply by the professor. It will be reasonable for all readers to ponder over the questions and respond if possible. I would volunteer to start to answer the first question to be followed subsequently.

1. “What role did you play as an educator in the student movement of the Addis Ababa University in the late sixties and early seventies?”

First things first. Call me by my name? What is my name? Most names contain origins, meanings, variations and famous namesakes. For those of us who are not aware of how our names were given to us, in Ethiopia, there were three ways for giving names. In religious way, familial way and a popular fashion. Compare this as Ghanaian name where every body was named after each day of the week.

I do not know the intention of why Ato Wolde Mariam gave his son a popular name of MESFIN. A popular name to become a nobleman in the upper class of the Ethiopian societies. Professor’s name appears as normal name when deciphered (including his father’s name) will read as matter–wisdom–money.

I can understand the name of his father – a Christian who was not only a Christian but also an Orthodox one.

Popularity names change every year. That is parents search names for their baby names. The reasons are enumerated in the following cuts into two ways.

• Psychologists say a child with a common name or popular name seems to have better odds of success in life than a child with an uncommon name.

• A child whose name is at the top of the popularity poll may not feel as unique and special as a child whose name is less common.

So what was wrong with the professor’s name? Enough for his name. Let me say something about his role in the student movement.

Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam (MWM)

Versus

EPRP’s Crocodile/Animal Leadership

When professor Mesfin W. Mariam was teaching at the Addis Ababa University at Arat Kilo, he was considered as a model for leading and openness in the academic public life. What was not open was his role as a husband and a family man. Although it was a male’s world in Ethiopia at the time, student leaders have observed in the professor’s oppression of woman even to his own wife by keeping her for long hours waiting for him in his/her car for hours in end. When some concerned/obedient students asked the lady of the professor to inform her husband that she has arrival to pick him up, she used to inform them that her husband would not appreciate. And so she keeps waiting until late into the night inside the car with nobody to talk to.

As the desire for change gradually creeps in, professor was challenged by politics of government and politics of woman’s oppression, he was caught in an open discussion. As far as politics was concerned it was a fistfight with some Eritrean students and an angry tone with the progressive Ethiopian students. The professor turned aggressive towards the student body and defensive towards the University Administration though nobody knew what was happening inside his family.

Having an Ethiopian Revolution after so many ups and down in the University Campus, in theory, in organizational and political matters by challenging

• Firstly, the Administration of the University,

• Secondly the Lecturers and

• Thirdly against the subject matter that was being offered in the University curriculum. The University students union struggled to the end not only the Monarchy but to make an Eway Revolution which will have brought peace in Eritrea, Ogaden, Bale and Godjam, prosperity and stability in the rest of the country. Who were these vanguard leaders and who were those lecturers and administrators who were for the Eway Revolution?

On the University Campus, three types of personalities were being developed, passive, aggressive and assertive (PAA). The passive students were victims of the professor or while he himself was aggressive towards everyone and everybody. Those who were leaving the right of the academic freedom became aggressive.

Why did the professor behave in an aggressive behavior? And why do the student leaders become assertive?

There was a serious consequences for the professor, the Administration and for the Ethiopian government. Issues for admission/graduation to the University, issues of Academic freedom and room & board came into question. Here lies a challenge and an opportunity for the professor and the students.

As far as the passive students was concerned, they were not aware of their rights or they grew up in rural areas where passiveness or obedience to authorities were normal and rewarded. Rewarded by the professor or the University!

What about the assertive students? There was two ways of becoming assertive, in a clandestine way (named as Crocodiles) or in the open way (as become to be known as Animals). Both the animals and the crocodiles were basically the same in their mission, vision and not necessarily in their ultimate goals.

Their primary task was to decipher the letter “B” which holds a stumbling block in the middle of the ABC Eway struggle. Such was the professor “MWM”. A changing pattern in a very short span of time resulting in an aggressive behavior, for lack of deciphering the letter “B”.

At the time I am referring to was a time when sociology, psychology, anthropology even geography were not popular subjects to be enrolled in. The trouble for the professor arrives when the Animal of EPRP leadership has arrived into the university when they challenged mainly the subject matter including geography, physical as well as political geography. The professor was literally was forced to go out of the university and see the rural Ethiopia for himself instead of collecting and using student assignments for using as teaching materials. At the onset of the Eway Revolution, the professor indulged in this way “Youth involvement and activities increased with the launching of the student campaign by the regime. The idea was originated at the Haile Selassie University by Professor Mesfin Wolde Mariam in April 1974, shortly after the 1974 movement began.” (Kiflu: The Generation p: 179). We all know how disastrous the student campaign would have been had it not been for the wise decision of EPRP leadership to turn it around for positive thinking. The professor was always as one of his own colleagues Dr. Siuom G. Egziabher said that ‘Mesfin understands the timing for betrayal.’ To my opinion, the Professor has not participated in the principle of big B (Belief) but in the small B (benefit) or B (blood).

CONCLUSION

“When are you going to say the time has come and get out of the lives of Ethiopians in order of the rest of us to say good-bye?” EthioLion concludes its editorial.

The answer is never as long as he does not reveal his DNA.

For comments and critics

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

Marking the 33th anniversary of the founding of their narrow nationalist organaziation, the TPLF , the woyane gang, had a huge celebration last Sunday Yekatit 11, 2000 in Shire, a town in Tigray . During this occasion, Meles Zenawi and his accursed entourage enjoyed themselves by humiliating our national flag. They laughed at our Nation. The Woyane

donkey, said to have been an active participant ( YETIGIL AGARACHIN) during their time in the jungle, was covered with The Ethiopian National Flag and participated in the parade along with other veterans, thereby demonstrating , yet another animosity, hatred and humiliating action towards Ethiopia and its people. Woyane reaffirmed its insulting slogan WHITE NOSE ( TSE’ADA AFINCHA), their scolding phrase to those they call “donkey Amaras”, EZIOM EDUGAT. )

The Ethiopian National Flag, the symbol of freedom and independence not only of our beloved country Ethiopia, but also of the African people who were under the yoke of European colonialism and slavery for centuries was humiliatingly dishonored and trampled under the ugly feet of these pathological enemies of our proud and dignified Nation. One wonders as to why few people are still couldn’t get the magnitude and the depth of hatred that Woyane harbors towards the Ethiopian people. The lack of understanding of the pride and bravery of the Ethiopian Nation on the part of Woyane has, time and again, aggravated the situation in the country towards the destruction of Ethiopia as a nation. It was uncalled for on the part of Woyane to recklessly provoke the Ethiopian people and test its limitless patience.

The patience of our nation based on its strategic thinking shouldn’t have been seen as a sign of weakness. It is indeed a grave mistake on the part of Meles Zenawi and his gangs to undermine the magnanimity and the multidimensional outlook of our Nation. Now, the national humiliation perpetrated by the Woyane towards the Nation of Ethiopia has reached above and beyond the pardon and patience. There is no unlimited patience as such and the Meles gang should know that. The patriot citizens of Ethiopia in general and that of Tigray in whose name this national humiliation is being perpetrated in particular should stand in unison and condemn this act of humiliation of their national FLAG and common history. This attempted destruction of Ethiopian pride and history must be stopped now before it reaches a point of national anger

and sparks a nationwide volcanic eruption that could definitely be out of control. At the end, no one can doubt the fact that Ethiopia shall resurrect from the ashes of its tormenters and enemies. The ability of our Nation to sustain various types of attack and genocide both by local tyrants as well as by foreign aggressors has helped our Nation maintain its national identity and independence. Ethiopia shall also live in peace, tranquility and prosperity with her proud nation.

NEVER KNEEL DOWN !!!!!!

All Destructive Attempts by the Weyane Cabal Shall be Crused!!!

Zewale Zegeye

February, 2008

By: Getachew Reda  (February 19, 2008)

My dear Tigrayans; – I am writing this piece of message to address to you to look the ethnic issue seriously. The dangerous trend that is leading our people, in particular, the young generation of Tigrayan community is affected and transformed dangerously into ethnocentric thinker in the last sixteen years. When I write this communication with you, I have had both to remember and forget that I am Tigrayan or for that matter an Ethiopian. The forgetting was to see the human universal within the memory of ethnic specifics, under, race, ethnic, racial differences in no way spare one from being human.  Therefore, when I address to you with a specific attention regarding our community, my intention was not to single out my Tigrayan community as a racist community different than the rest racists out there overwhelmingly very bad.

But, there is no secret to the writing/addressing of this article in specific. The generations that were moving mountains “had been rotten by corruption from top to bottom” (Meles Zenawi- reason for the Tehadiso &split of TPLF into two).  Currently, for second time, the generations that were shaking the mountains not only had been rotten by corruption, but dangerously also became a racist and chauvinist. This is my secret to address to you. It is painful for me, I was been agonizing in the last many years how to address and minimize the growing issue of racist attitude against Amhara by some TPLF and none TPLF educated and uneducated Tigrayns.  It is time, to tackle the issue together in an open discussion to stop it once for all.

I was been fighting racism for many years beginning my childhood all the way in my adulthood in the actual battle in the field and here in writings. My name was been labeled as the only Tigrayan for CUDP “Hailu Shawul” party (taken by TPLF Amhara party) featured on Aigaforum.com (TPLF supporters website) and many, many slanderous names for standing against TPLF’s, OLF’s, EPLF’s racist teachings.I know there are few good determined Tigrayans out there fighting TPLF, but few of us is not enough to challenge TPLF which is supported by outsider’s money power. Here it is the call to the rest of you help me to come out on the open air together to tackle the growing racism and misunderstandings by opening public symposium and exchange an idea among us even calling TPLF supporters to explain their position to why they support the ethnocentric TPLF who is the source of so much hate among Ethiopians, beside TPLF dedicated its struggle and still swear its pledge of allegiance for Eritrean rights than to the Tigrayan/Ethiopians rights.

I am not going to tell you in detail what web sites TPLF and OLF supporters to intimidate me and my few strong fellow Ethiopian patriots on the websites. You have read them all from telephone harassments, insults & including death threats. That is a small sacrifice to pay when one stands for truth. This reflection is a matter of time to see it affect the entire society if we can’t tackle it on time.  The growing work of some racist elements from Tigrayan, Amhara, Oromo, Sidama, Hararee, and Somali Ethiopians posted on websites and in the form of books, public speeches, magazines one against the other labeling as natural enemy is dangerous and must be taken seriously. Tigringa TPLF magazines, books, radio propaganda been published that we heard, read far all those years against Amhara by Tigrayans that poisoned the mind of the youth and the community lead by TPLF has played a big share to harbor the negative attitude.

Some Tigrayan elites or others might think such negative teachings will go away with TPLF when TPLF’s power is done.  But, racism is mental sickness/ it is a cult behavior. Once brain is set to be racist, it will be there for a longer time and might even transfer to generation and family attachments. Therefore, the consequence would be very negative to our Tigrayan community and to others if we do failed challenge and response to all published ethnocentric propaganda works on websites, books/magazines in order to educate the ill informed community. Last week, I engaged my self on several websites that associated with ethnic/TPLF government or cult type opposition political websites like that of EMF edited by Kinfu and Dawit Kebede both claimed to be journalists spread poisonous, distractive anti Tigrayan, and anti ‘Ethiopian soldiers’ and anti opposition dignified leaders respected by millions of Ethiopians in Ethiopia. These individuals are worst than the Aiga TPLF cadres who attacked opposition leaders and patriots in the open websites worst than any enemy.

All of you are by now familiar to be familiar with such individuals on where many Amharic articles were published about them to expose these individuals intentional anti POPULAR Ethiopian patriots and worked hard in the propaganda fields with anti Ethiopian Somali groups and other anti Ethiopia secessionist groups.  On these and other open forums, I intentionally engaged there to see how many racist and political cults are breed and how intense they are; – I found it very, very concerning. Leaving the cult type opposition supporters of BB ON the EMF aside for now, I like to duel with what I saw on the TPLF sympathizer website.  Reading these individuals at any of their concern, many of their publishing are ethnic focus.  Majority of the writers seemed to be from the Diaspora (Tigrayans and Eritreans) and some directly from Tigray/Ethiopia. That was where I wanted to stay on discussing since the website is allowed to be read in Ethiopia by the public when other oppositions are blocked.  The discussants at the forum, the racism, the hatred attitude they reflected, towards Amhara speaking community is higher than ever, active and unbelievably irresponsible. Though, the said Amhara is not in power currently, attacking Amhara as anti Tigrayan seemed to be their obsession.

For your information, I will post one among the many racist writings faxed/ posted from Tigray and judge it yourself how far the mind of Tigrayan youth is affected, and another one from Amhara ethnic who is predicting future vengeance by Amhara against Tigrayan once TPLF out of power as if TPLF defend Tigrayans. Here, the following message is from Tigray.

Quote <“Author: Anonymous I am not like Diaspora and I can give more information what Amhara are doing to Tigray. Forget about Nebreu wede Mekelle that happened in the past. Don’t think the hate towards Tigryans was born with Kinjit and will disappear with Kinijits’ death. The hate towards Tigryans is more than century old. We all remember the atrocities committed during “zemene shewa” of Menelik and “Zemene Amhara” of Haileselasse. The hate was there and it will stay there until I think, we bring a permanent solution to it. Forget about Nebreu wede Mekelle that happened in the past. I am not like you Diasporas I lived in Tigray and I can give more information what Amharus are-doing, to-Tigray-now.

The main road from Addis to Tigray passes through Debrebirhan, dessie woldiya to Tigray. Tigray trucks are now forced to use non-asphalt road that passes through Nazareth and Afar areas to Alamata The reason is the hate filled chauvinist amharus are robbing, killing and damaging the Tigray (TIG) coded trucks.

The hydroelectric line that is coming from Gojjam is repeatedly damaged because the local people disconnect the line that passes through the Amahra areas.

Tigryan development project like that passes through Amhara official will always be sabotaged. Ex while new highways are built in every parts of Ethiopia in the last 17 years, our only old road mekele- Endasellasse was not built b/s the so-called Amharu experts who approve projects rejected. Right now there is a big fight between Tigryans and the so-called experts in Addis about water supply project for Mekelle. While the Tigryans are demanding a dam to be built in WerEi so that towns like Adigrat, wekuro, hawzein, abiadi, can benefit from the project the Amahru “experts” are spoiling the project and simply want to build wells in-Mekelle. There are a lot of ugly stories done to Tigryan people. What is saying doesn’t waste your time the Getachews who deny nebret wede mekelle. I have heard them ridiculing Hawzein massacre is fabrication of TPLF.2008-02-14 10:12:19 GMT >”

As you read it in the above quoted writings from a person who simply is a racist but victim of TPLF teachings and without searching the actual information on the ground, he is been accusing the Amhara community from nothing. To begin with the issue of Haussien; – such accusation was not at all sourced from Amhara but from X- TPLF members. The fellow must be a new cult who simply rose up to the stage recently.  Recalling when we see the attempted failed accusation by TPLF government against CUPD playing the Interahamuwe card (Interhahamuwe- is group of militant youth trained &recruited by the militant in the government’s MRND in Rwanda to carry indiscriminate genocide against the TUSI claiming the Tutsi has to go back out from Rwanda to Ethiopia where they (HUTU) claimed the Tutsi belong), the slogan of “Nibret Wedemekele, Tigre wede Mekele” was conceder by TPLF as Amhara provocation from Kinijit (considering Kinijit as Amhara party) against Tigrayan is been talk much about.  We all are familiar with the story, that the person who from Kinijit party accused of saying was been arrested, went to TPLF court, found not guilty and sent free. No need to duel with such intentional accusation that could have been sourced from other racist opposition armed groups or could have possibly came /said by any racist or frustrated, ill- informed idle, unemployed elements at a situation which TPLF is manipulating to link it to the Kinijit party as if it came from the manifestation of Kinijit.

Leaving the other irrelevant and serious baseless accusation how the Amhara professional Engineer officials working for TPLF government are sabotaging Tigrayan development as if the Amhara are leading the government power working against Tigrayans and accusing them as such and as if they (Tigrayans) are subordinate of Amhara ruling shows absolutely how their breed are odd and out of touch and hypnotized by untruthful and poisonous TPLF teachings. Let me just give you one simple falsehood how the fellow accusing Amhara falsely for attacking Tigrayan coded trucks that traveled through Amharic speaking communities forced to change rout through Afar lands and Alamata rout leaving the old Asphalt rout/road to the side, accusing the  “Amhara chauvinists robbing, killing Tigrayans and Tigrayan coded trucks”.

The reason for the rout change was made for few reasons. One- the old rout is on reconstruction, (patching and asphalt works). The second reason why it was chosen was the said Afar rout leaving Maichew town to the side (without connecting/entering to Maychew town directly from Wollo and the rest of the next routs of small towns) that lead to Maichew) using The Afar routs/roads entering Mockoni, Wajrat, Adishehu, Betmara to Mekele was chosen because it is an easy access, no hills, mountains, curves, and cliffs. It is simply long wide clean natural road with no cliffs, curves and rocks friendly to the new or old driven trucks /cars and comfort road to drive regardless it is not paved yet with asphalt. That was what the authority in Tigray is said. But, what we read from the fellow claiming he was debating us live from Tigray with such ludicrous accusation against Amhara community is unfounded truth absolutely spread to create community conflict.

Let us say, happened, but killings, robbery didn’t only occur against Tigrayans by Amhara Shifta/outlaws if happened, but Tigrayns too are robbed, killed by Tigrayans on broad day light in Mekelle city, Maychew, Adua and the like.

The fellow is living in Tigray physically, but he doesn’t know what is happening in Tigray in reality. All he/she need or should have done was to read Woyin Gazetta under the column of the Police investigations and crime reports. May be he is not well aware that the same Tigrayan are robbing, beating by targeting at times “women only” by bruising and leaving “blacked-eye” to their face in Mekelle town by a town outlaw gangs and robbers. It is been a very concerned issue and there was a repeated meetings and public gatherings to solve the problem that singled out women only in an orchestrated crime. Still robbery and intimidation is number one issue in Mekelle ranging from snatching cellular phones and jewelry from citizens in particular areas to cover drug addiction that was never been seen occurred before during the king or during Derg regimes.

People in Mekelle don’t walk or entertained many times without going in pair for fear of gang attacks or vicious robbers.  Amhara didn’t create the intimidation and town terror in Tigray?  It is been carried by Tigrayans against Tigrayans.  Crime and outlaw didn’t stop there. It is been occurring everywhere in Ethiopia. In Gonder, and in Baherdar- I know close friends lost their parents/father and children by outlaws and robbers. They are all Amhara outlaws who killed, robbing Amhara law-abiding citizens. Some of them went from the Diaspora to visit their relatives in villages/towns in Ethiopia and is been murdered and robbed their money and possessions and jewelries by a highway robbers who are lawless and unemployed elements looking for money. I have never heard families complained about the incidents related to ethnic issues, perpetrated by Tigrayans or Amhara.

It is been focused only perpetrated from unemployed outlaw who robe or kill passengers on the highway for money as use to be during the monarch time. It is not new phenomenon, to see armed robbery during TPLF on highways. It is a failed state. Criminal who killed or intimidates community for money is color or ethnic blind as long as he robbed for looking for money.  To present social problems as if it was perpetrated by Amhara to hampered the development and transportation and rout that go to Tigray as if there are no Tigrayans in the government or as if the government is not lead by individual Tigrayans who control/rule the entire nation is untruthfulness.

Accusing as if the people of Wollo or Gonder/Gojam are anti Tigray because of few outlaw and unemployed well organized  “Shiftoch/shefatu” from such locality that might had damage electric lines, that said stretched from Gojam/Gondor or Tigrayan robbed coded Tigrayan trucks is intentionally misguiding the public to create hatred against the people of Amhara by Tigray community. My information so far didn’t show any record that is been reported by the government or by the Tigrayan authority labeled it as such, so far as I know until this days.

If such is really happening on the ground, then there is no TPLF government in power.  If this is true, trucks that are going to Tigray forced to detour through another rough and far routs for fear from Amhara intimidation on the highway, then, The community in Tigray are in deep trouble (I remember there were some Derg officials in Wollo preventing Teff from going to Tigray and used to unload the trucks- but, it is odd that this happened now when the government is now Tigrayan individuals controlling the power – Could this be because the leading elements in power are Eritreans in spirit and they can careless about Tigray). If it is found to be true, it could also be a sign that TPLF is loosing control of governing territories as a government. And that is a serious matter that all Tigrayans need to come together to fasten its isolation and created understanding and brotherly cooperation with the said neighbors and others before issue gets worst. Either ways, it is our problem to solve it.

My fellow Tigrayans; – I tried to show you in my limited ability what I could alone and what I couldn’t all those years as an individual concerned Ethiopian to indicate the movement of the needle how far TPLF is breeding old and new racist generation. It is now up to all of you to come together how to tackle such growing racism before it affected vast communities. We have to learn from previous incidents to what happen in 1991 in Ethiopia by OLF leaders and its guerilla armed group and learn from Kenya in the recent ethnic clash perpetrated all by few greedy reckless and irresponsible political animals who deserve to be in the world courts not freely allowed moving and propagating inside communities still continue doing their dirty political games in the name of the people. At last before I finish my message, I will quote another good intention but reckless provocateur indicating future avenge against Tigrayans to see yourself how such provocation could also is a signal for future trouble, though, the following argument could have come from an honest writer, but such element could be easily manipulated during ethnic conflict by connive leaders. Here, I will quote what was posted on “Ethiopian Review” website discussion forum last week. Quote:

<GOBEZ G!!! I think you are wrong about Ethiopians hated the Tigray people but to correct you it’s the woyanee teaching most of Ethiopia how to hate each other by showing a race card do you blame us for hated them back after all we have been suffering for the past sixteen years and have not seen on inch of good treatment from the woyanee and it’s supporters and you are right about one thing it’s not right to hate the majority because of the few but what do you want us to do after all we need to survive …

NOTE: Meles is not all alone there are lot’s of Tigray supporters with him which they don’t know there is pay back time ones the coast is clear .it may be too late, I suggest the Tigray people to rethink about this and make peace with the rest of Ethiopia when there is still a chance…> end of Quote.

While I still appealing to act all as Ethiopians together to stop the growing racist attitude in our community, I like to inform you that some few websites are also allowing racist elements to spew their hatred towards Ethiopia on an open forums without no restriction and that should stop as soon as possible. Negative provocations that we have so far /heard/read is been a signal to show us to take the problem on time seriously and break it before it goes far and wild into action. We as Tigrayns and as Ethiopians in general have to worry about our Tigrayan, Oromo, Gurage, Amhrar, Wolaiya, Hararee, Sidama, Gambella and the rest as our families who are living spreading all over Ethiopia as farmers and business people and professionals and their families and their livelihoods from being a target of racist elements by the time TPLF is out of power, as we recall the record of history registered in the past genocide carried by OLF/EPLF/TPLF against Amhara in Arba Gugu and other areas and periods in before and after 1991.

As you know TPLF leaders are not going to say there defending the Tigrayans as we witnessed them done anything damaging force against the Eritrean group currently in power who slaughtered/bombed the children and parents of Tigray in Aider children school with a cluster bomb similar to the act of the fascist Italy during the second world war that occurred in Ethiopia (we know TPLF minimized the bombing of school children by EPLF while working hard to magnify the bombing of villagers and markets by Haileselassie headed by the British air force commanders).  When TPLF’s power sooner or later is weakening as to every tyrants in history happened, the leaders will definitely run in every direction to save their neck as we saw similar tyrants in history in the past or even in a small scale public disobedience/riots that we saw in Addis Ababa which forced some of its Diplomats and members of the TPLF parliament for defection before it is too dark for them to escape.

It is fact that not them (TPLF), but “we” are the only people might remain for the public to settle the conflict now or for the future to pave the way to a smooth transition. Therefore Educated Tigrayans need to think a better strategy to harmonize and teach our communities than to still sit idle or bought into the game of TPLF echoing similar false and dangerous propaganda.

In the meantime, I like to thanks those few Tigrayans from Canada and Washington and elsewhere, which contacted me via telephone and emails how to create a joint task regardless our political differences to stop the growing racist teaching of TPLF in our community. We have to stop our own ignorant racists and reversed them to their normal thinking able them to associate with the rest before we focused and complained how other ethnic racists hate us.  Obviously such elements that hate Tigrayan society are also similar brain washed victims by their elites and they have to be seen as such/victims.

(1) Concerned Tigrayan educated elites should call other educated and uneducated Tigrayan community to stop the growing negative view against Amhara that was there and still actively growing dangerously by OLF/TPLF sympathizers than to be possessed by Kenyan ethnic conflict or other countries while we are here our communities are infested with growing ethnic hatred of attitude at each other.

(2) All Ethiopian elites together with Tigrayan elites should arrange worldwide conference how to tackle the growing ethnic problem before it grows dangerously. Together we should create a united, harmonious and prosperous community.

If financial issue is the problem, all of us will be there to contribute for such positive mission. Racism is eating our people like fungus and we need to cure the ugliness of it before it completely corrupt the mind of our people. All we need is start talking about it now. History is recording. Ethiopia will prevail!

Getachre@aol.com

The recent division within the opposition parties, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) and the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP), is putting barriers on the future of everybody’s struggle. The Ethiopian public is greatly disappointed and frustrated to see the endless intra-party amoebic splits and factions.  The popular democratic movement that began more than three decades ago is set to be frustrated and the untold misery and despair to our people resulting from the socioeconomic havoc to the country is likely to continue for many years to come.

Given this spate of intra-party fragmentation, the Ethiopian National Congress (ENC) finds it necessary to reiterate the basics of its belief: unity, peace and reconciliation. These are necessary for Ethiopia’s national survival, and we expect all who read us to be similarly aware and concerned. Since its inception in 1997, the ENC has been maintaining its neutrality in order to create and provide an enabling environment for peace and reconciliation. It has always engaged in bringing various groups with divergent views together. It has also been promoting the rule of law, the respect for human dignity and liberty.  Its educational campaigns have been on elections, good governance, coexistence and civil society associations. roles in the crucial area of unity, peace and development. It has achieved a significant success in the formation of UEDF, and is still committed to bring these within parties.

We, therefore, cannot but emphasize that no amount of political justification warrants the breakup of popular political parties. Intra-party divisions and squabbles result in self-destruction and implosion, and take us away from reaching our cherished goals. They destroy the drive for unity, peace, and democratic governance for which many of our country men and women sacrificed their lives.  Despicable and shameful exchanges discrediting each other have become the norm in electronic media discourse.  Focusing on minutia rather than communalities or explanations of differences, intransigency and stubbornness have substituted diplomacy and magnanimity.  This kind of crippling behavior must stop.  In the current Ethiopian context, Ethiopians have to speak out and find ways and means of arresting this kind of political culture once and for all.

The ENC calls on the rank and file members of political parties to join us in challenging the untimely and unnecessary divisions. Party members should recognize that whenever inter-party crisis arise, accumulated anger, miscommunication or perceived motives could prevent .rational. decision-making.  They should not feel constrained by the formal decisions of the governing structure of their particular parties.  In fact they should even cross the .political. divide, reach out to one another, and form task forces to seek rapprochement. We also call on concerned Ethiopians and civil society associations in
Ethiopia and in the Diaspora to come together and seek joint solutions to this grave and haunting problem fragmentation among the opposition parties.

There are four other prime reasons for promoting intra-party reconciliation. Firstly, it is crucial for the whole purpose of having parliamentary democracy and the rule of law. Political parties must lead to win parliamentary seats, premierships and other state positions. In the Ethiopian context where the rule of the gun has proved supreme, they can at least present a formidable front as opposition parties or coalitions.  National voters and, less importantly international observers, would be less confused if they could avoid parading a multiplicity of personalities, fine-line differences and fragmentation.  Their unity and strength should herald, at the minimum, the victory of parliamentary democracy and the rule of law.

Secondly, there is an urgent need to defeat the destructive impact of ethnic focused politics that has been used effectively to pit voters, individuals and parties against each other though the simple and antiquated principle of .divide and rule. along ethnic lines. This has cost Ethiopians their lives and property, and caused untold damage to our self-image. Even if our sense of nationhood is still intact, the fact that our national status has been abused in this manner is eroding our territorial integrity, national security, and our human and material resources. In the name of .free market. economic principles, it has allowed the introduction of the unfettered sale of Ethiopian precious assets, territories and land plots. Our youth migrating in search of employment are falling victims to abuses. National parties in opposition should spend their energies in combating such impacts of divide and rule.

Thirdly, Ethiopians are weary of diverting their national interests into personalized, patrimonial politics. The culture of person focused politics, one that depends on a person.s wealth, looks, gender or other forms of identity, has been the hall mark of processes with which self-interested individuals have abused their power.. The unwarranted claim that policies are entirely dependant on personalities misses the point that rulers, political leaders or other individuals have to abide by the rule of law. It has given African leaders the right to use the armed forces against their peaceful nationals. We plead with political parties in opposition not to contribute to the condition that allow those in the reins of power tofollow such paths.

Fourthly, the Ethiopian opposition parties are insufficiently prepared to deal with the grave situation the country is facing in north east Africa. If the wars the regime is now embroiled come home to roost, our society and country might be exposed to untold harm. If the geopolitical scenario leads to tensions along the Red Sea and the region of the Blue Nile, Ethiopia will be the loser. It would be impossible for any of these opposition parties to overcome their internal bickering and inter-party rivalry in time to respond effectively for protecting the country. They may not be able to inspire public confidence from their divided base, and chances will be that Ethiopia will be exposed yet again to forces that might impose themselves on the country.

The opposition political parties have the duty of promoting our national interests and survival.  By working to regain the rule of law, the respect for human rights and the right to have a parliamentary democracy in Ethiopia, they should inspire and engage us all in dialogue.  They should lead a victorious, peaceful and genuine transformation of Ethiopia through the geopolitics of north-east Africa.  We strongly advise them to listen to our pleas for their internal and intra-party unity. We hope that all interested individuals and groups will join us in convincing them to reconcile their differences, at least as a tactical move.

The Ethiopian National Congress
Ethiopiannationalcongress.org

CALL ME BY MY NAME: Solutions with Debteraw, XXIII
Obo Arada Shawl alias Wolde Tewolde – February 13, 2008

The crocodiles are dead
The Animals are imprisoned
The Oak is still burning
Badme and Assab are in non-negotiating
EPDJ and TPLF live by your name
Let us give EPRP a break so as to stay in its true name!

BREACHING TRUSTS OF CULTURE AND UNDERSTANDING

A change is an essence of life. An attitude change is much needed. Practically everyday, we change our clothes, shoes, and take shower (personally I don’t) food and so on and so forth. When we were young, we think differently, when we are old, we cannot think in the old way. We should grow old and be mature. In what way, one might ask?

History and Culture are our main references for survival, stability and unity. However, as elites we do not distinguish between history (by the way there are hundreds of history types) and culture (of course there are many cultures.) Our political history is full of errors. Our cultural history is not documented. Our revolutionary history is being discarded. So how can we trust one another and understand each other? It is a tough call.

As for me, the followers of king Minliks I & II, Tewodros, Yohannes are the real hindrance to progress and understanding. These kings have done their useful work. Their history is done. It is no use to follow their ideas of holding to and transferring of power. If reference is needed for stability, take the case of Jesus the Great who ruled Ethiopia in 1704 when the stability of the country was at its peak. It was after his death that the local lords became stronger. We should all remember that we had kings and kingdoms without maps and demarcation.

The point I am trying to make is that if we want change as we did in the 1960s and 1970, then we have to abide by all rules and regulations that govern human beings. For almost fifty years, I have heard the same slogans and intrigues from our elites. Don’t we have the capacity to learn? Don’t we read maps, least directions? When I was in high school, there were some seventy countries, now there are over two hundred countries. When I used to travel from Addis Ababa to Asmara, it used to take me three weeks, now it takes a day and a half. Can’t we see this? I see in our community a lot of people (including me) carrying cell phones, for what? Is it not for communication unless we have different meanings for communication?

What is going on with our lecturers (including those who are on radio talk show) and writers? Is anybody listening to what they are lecturing or any one reading to what they are writing. I leave this for them to answer. I demand them to heed to John Adams, 1765 that wrote as “ let us dare to read, think, speak and write.”

Notwithstanding these elites, the general populace of E-countries have already the answers for the journalistic questions of what, who, where and when long time ago thanks to people like Debteraw. What the EE-peoples are asking now is the Socratic question of Why and How. Debteraw has fought and still struggling to do that by showering questions of why and how even to his captors.

Politics demand that some truths cannot be told. In hindsight our politics was a cheap piece of instant wisdom. We had operated on passion at the exclusion of intelligence. We should have done both then and do it now.

We need the intellectual firepower from our professors and PhDs to those of us who want to preserve it and pass it on. My partial inquiry is provided in the following paragraphs.

However, unlike the current American primary election that is based on personalities our own struggle is based on issues. Let us examine a group of individuals who were part and parcel of the progressive movements of Ethiopia.

ISSUES AND PERSONALITIES

BADME: Border demarcation as disturbing news by DR. YACOB H. MARIAM

ASSAB: Natural outlet to the Sea by NEGUSSAY AYELE, Ethiopian scholar

A lawyer and a Politician (YHM & NA)

The old guards of Haile Selassie I University Muhuran’s reasoning concerning the port of Assab and Eritrea is as follows: –

“Assab in the hands of Eritrea will always be a menace to peace for Ethiopia as well as for Eritrea itself. Nobody can deny that Eritrean struggle for secession from the day of its inception has enjoyed material and diplomatic support of we know who, without whose support the secessions would have been a pipe dream. It is not farfetched to think that piper may one day feel that she has to be paid, embroiling the Horn of African in the Arab-Israeli conflict. In addition, since Eritrea has absolutely no use for the Port of Assab, it may pass it over to enemies of Ethiopia, providing yet another opportunity for Assab to become a flash point for conflict. I can also not imagine that any future generation of Ethiopians will ever acquiesce to Eritrean annexation of Assab and let itself be asphyxiated. These statements should be construed as pleas for banishing war from our region. We Ethiopians want to live with our neighbors in peace and good neighborliness, particularly with Eritreans with whom we are inextricably intertwined for the better or worse- a relationship that could be developed for mutual benefit. The Eritrean and Ethiopian politicians who in my view could not see beyond the tip of their noses elected for separation of a people, which should never have been torn asunder. Though we do not know the wherever they are. Nonetheless, we cannot afford to allow ourselves to be landlocked and condemned to perpetual poverty and approbation and entrust our security to even our kin, if we can help it.

The ball is on the Eritrean court. For us Ethiopians, access to the sea and the rights of the Red Sea Afars hold the key to the bliss that may await Ethiopia and Eritrea. The Eritreans we hope will understand the emotion, sense of anxiety the loss of Assab spells among Ethiopians, and we hope they will have the foresight and the maturity to see to it that this useless piece of property for Eritrea, yet a life-line for Ethiopia, will forever be a wedge of hostility between these two sisterly African nations. There are myriad peaceful ways of incorporating Assab with Ethiopia, which are equitable, fair and just to all parties concerned. What is needed is goodwill on the largest recently landlocked country and yet the closest to sea anywhere in the world, has an access to the sea as it did for several millennia.”

“ No Ethiopian issue in recent memory has galvanized the otherwise fractious Ethiopian intellectual with such unprecedented unanimity” (www.Ethiomedia.com 11/26/2007)

The above two professors at the height of the Ethiopian Student Movements, were supporters of the impending Eway Revolution. In fact when the Monarchy ended its life, both individuals had joined organizations in order to promote their interests (personal or public). I believe both were seeking for political solutions between Ethiopia and Eritrea. When they could not deliver the political solution, they have resorted to the economics of transportation. What do they know about economics of transport? If they do we want them to teach us. As far as I know, Assab is not useful for transport outlet for Ethiopia. And, Badme is not a cause for disturbing demarcation.

Consider this

Badme = Bad Me ( I am no good)

Asab = As AB (I am the father)

A BA (bachelor of Arts) is adequate to understand the culture of Ethiopia and Eritrea least the condition of a village and an artificial port.

I am so sorry that such fine professors in their own fields of study have sensationalized the case of Badme and Assab. I can understand why UNMEE and MI (Melese and Isayas) sensationalize and internationalize the village and the outlet, but not when these enlightened and one time Revolutionaries. I would ask these professors to re-examine their assertion of “useless piece of property for Eritrea, yet a life-line for Ethiopia.” Talks are cheap as they say. Your one time colleague Debteraw has a solution for your concerns. It is called AAGMELAGO (see Call me by my name: a small talk with Debteraw, part I). You wrote, “ There are myriad peaceful ways of incorporating Assab with Ethiopia”. Please name one.

WEBSITES OF DEBTERAW & ASSIMBA

A call for Movement: Eliminating the twin tyrants, by Mesfin Araya, PhD

Helter Skelter, Topsy Truvy, by Hama Tuma, A Revolutionary writer

The self-less generation (middle aged guards) of Haile Sellassie I University, a.k.a. Tsinhate Muhuran’s reasoning for the ills of Ethiopia and Eritrea are described as follows:

The student movements have created revolutionaries and nationalists. As professor Endrias Eshete wrote, “ the irrationals have done their useful work, it is for the rational to carry on” I believe these so-called rational are now carrying the duty of educating the young mind of Ethiopian students, carrying out the diplomatic programs in the USA and conducting business in the name of free market in Ethiopia. It is an anomaly that those who created them are out of the country, dead or imprisoned.

Mesfin Araya, on the one hand, has written an open letter calling for the need for resolving the ensuing problems of the Horn Africa by demanding removal of the twin tyrants again without telling us why and how to do it. Definitely, there is no progress but the process has been going on since professor Mesfin played a role in Haile Sellassie I University Campus. What has happened to the Revolutionaries? Or what has happened to their idea of unity, stability and prosperity? Were there flaws in their ideology of Philosophy, Religion or Politics? Or was the methodology of struggle was wrong? Why did everyone as the professor has indicated that everyone and everybody have returned safely into his/her mother’s “womb”? Can the professor distinguish between dictatorship and tyranny?

Or alternatively, do our intellectuals know that the entire system of global economy or the digital era have created havoc in our region? I wish all the professors could come together to form a Think Tank to solve the perceived problems of Ethiopia and Eritrea or what he call the “Horn of Africa.” I wish they could call me by my name? What is my name?

My own way of explanation is simple and straight foreword in that there is a switch of role models. Robin Hood is replacing Che Guevara. Reverend Martin Luther is replacing Malcolm X. Makonnen Bishaw is replacing Tilahun Gizaw and son on and so forth.

Hama Tuma, on the other hand, in his article of Helter and Skelter, Topsy Turvy, vividly explored the questions of what, who, where and the when questions without the why and the how questions. Here is what he wrote: –

“The victims always do the dying, the killers thrive. It is not a fair world. Tell me another story please.”

I will tell you this. ELF (Equality, Liberty and Fraternity), the story of the French Revolution has been and is being copied in Toto by our organic and inorganic intellectuals.

Hama Tuma presented 38 statistical figures concerning the status of the whole world including USA.

However, in America, unlike that of France, our struggle is for Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (LLH). Without statistics, can we choose between these two concepts? As an example, take the case of Jerome Keviel who embezzled US$7.2 billion or Euro $4.9 billion for our discussion. Mr. Jerome is becoming movie hero for the whole world including perhaps for Melese). In France, they say he is “Mis a pied”. In America, we say, “you’re fired”.

Is this an aberration or what? Tell me more Mr. Hama!

Mr. Hama Tuma! Who says the world is fair? Are we not struggling to bring another story? There is no fraternity and no equality in America. There is only liberty. That is our common denominator with you guys over there in Europe.

In general people don’t vote based on issues. They vote based on judgment and character. I believe it is true with the May election in Ethiopia. Most of the candidates have poor judgment and character.

Mr. Hama continues to write, “ People with short memories have messed it all up. Yesterday’s criminal can be feted as today’s hero without a pip of an apology or a mea culpa from them. The new persists and spreads. No wonder many people are confused and mediocrity has ascended to the throne.” I agree completely on this one. Here is what should be done.

On one hand, while on the process of changing everyday we may make mistakes, if we do, in religious lexicon, we have to REPENT or say MEA CULPA and move on to a new direction or position. Being stubborn is ignorance; arrogance offends not only God but also humans.

While on the other hand, if we make mistakes in our political belief systems or strategies be it military or propaganda, we have to admit and REGRET and say sorry.

Both requests are acceptable by both the Almighty and the Mighty.

In Ethiopia or Eritrea, there are no role models. Before the Revolution, there were the apostles, prophets, evangelist, priests and teachers. After the Revolution, there were only comrades (a good name became sour). Among the civilian population, there were mostly titles, which we labeled feudal. On hindsight, they may be useful. Now, we have Doctors and professors. It is for this reason that I ask the “organic intellectuals” to be role models.

In Ethiopia, we have to remember that Debteras are the role model for social justice. EPRP’s Debteraw is a scholar and a model for both Ethiopia and Eritrea. We are not asking to memorialize Debteraw, we are asking for immortalizing him and his works. That is the task of all the progressive elements of Ethiopia and Eritrea.

I am wondering if these educated veterans of the Haile Sellasie era as prudent and cautious politicians as Negusse Ayele and Mesfin Araya, as bold and blunt Revolutionaries as Hama Tuma and Yacob H. Mariam, have a common culture and understanding towards Eritreans and Ethiopians. If not, we have to look for other serious relationships in familial, personal, religious and historical phenomena, in lieu of political revolution.

Freud’s famous case studies that seek to come up with an explanation for what happened could be a starting point.

Reading the Bush Tragedy by Jacob Weisber may help us to understand our own dilemma. It is about a plane crash with a black box that can help explain what brought the White House down in flames. A black box of ours with serious relationships is in order. Laboratory and diary can be our stepping-stone for our educators and revolutionary leaders to teach and lead us.

EPRP’s DEMOCRACIA

And then there is confusion when we see DEMOCRACIA in the name of EPRP in two websites. Apparently both seems the same outwardly but inwardly, they have deep differences in unresolved issues of Eritrea. For how many years can we use the case of Eritrea and Eritreans as an issue to be resolved? Eritrea and Eritreans have not changed since Gherhi (Adam), along with Dinkinesh (Eve) the father of humanity has been created and I do not believe they will change. In fact the world is going to change into their way of life. It seems to me that some ex-EPRP leadership assumes that by using DEMOCRACIA, which was and is the mouthpiece of EPRP can become automatically the heir of EPRP. DEMOCRACIA was not and is not the mouthpiece of some individuals but the mouthpiece of all its members, associate members and supporters. It should be identified with those held incommunicado and with those who sacrificed their lives for the sake of all Ethiopians. Above all it should be under one banner and leadership.

There is something about the word “Democracies” with the letter D: D for divide, divorce, doubt, drug, and dirt. So many words with a D are on our lips as in depression, debt, debauchery, dyslexia, dementia, and dysfunction

For us Defeat and Deny are important word concepts. Let us compare and contrast the case of Ethiopia and Eritrea using the following ten criteria: –

• Elimination of Corruption

• Crime Reduction

• Protection of private property

• Reduction of Taxes

• Enforcement of Contracts

• Supporting the Rule of Law

• Encouraging Savings and Investment

• Educate their population

• Become self-sufficient in food production

• Stopping fight with neighbors

The above analysis may help to evaluate the current situation in Ethiopia and Eritrea. This is a choice to make for non-political individuals. Just to give them a hint, Estonia and Ireland are examples where creating it is creating not by buying but wealth.

The interest of EPRP, I believe is to challenge the governments of EPDJ of Isayas and the TPLF of Melees do not think that EPRP neither challenge the ownership of Assab nor the demarcation of Badme. It was not and should not be an issue for EPRP.

Consider these:

The Tsinhate Muhuran Akals of the Haile Sellassie I University were hoping to continue to implement the following: –

Representatives = Rs of EPRP (animals)

Senators + Ss of EPRP known as (crocodiles)

Decipher the letter B and spin the letter E and be whatever you want to be.

• Bellette (excellence)

• Berhanu (enlightment)

• Beyene (justice prevails)

• Bereket (blessing)

• Bekele (planting seeds)

Call me by my name: what is my name?

CONCLUSION

The Long March of experience in the Eway Revolution and the bitter lesson of Badme war do not seem to sink in our head least in our soul. Have we learned to decipher the alphabet of English? If so we have just not progressing. It seems that we have not grasped the letter A and still we have not been able to decipher the letter B.

If there is no BDT (building democratic tradition), we have to BBC (building bridges for communication). Liberty is promoting virtues and excellence. Liberty is in Europe and USA and we should have it for all Ethiopians and Eritreans regardless where they live.

Let us have a common call.

For comments and questions

woldetewolde@yahoo.com

Inspiring Quotes

”In European countries when people undertake new kinds of work and make cannon, guns, trains, and other things revealed by God, the people concerned are called engineers; they are praised and given more assistants, not insulted on account of their craft. But you are going to leave my country without people who can make the plough…. From this time forth anyone found insulting another on account of his work will be punished by a year’s imprisonment.” (Emperor Menelik II, Proclamation of 1908 quoted in Robin Hallet, Africa Since 1875, University of Michigan Press, 1974, p.127)

“Speed is irrelevant if you are going in the wrong direction” Mahatma. Ghandi

“The things that will destroy us are: politics without principle; pleasure without conscience; wealth without work; knowledge without character; business without morality; science without humanity; and worship without sacrifice” (Mahatma Gandhi)

“There is no absolute knowledge. And those who claim it, whether they are scientists or dogmatists, open the door to tragedy. All information is imperfect. We have to treat it with humility” (J.Bronowski)

“Whoever undertakes to set himself up as a judge of Truth and Knowledge is shipwrecked by the laughter of the Gods.” (Albert Einstein)

1. Introduction

There is a pervasive and corrosive phenomenon characterised by the gratuitous trading of insults that we believe has been disorientating the Ethiopian opposition lately. Though the opposition is passing through a difficult phase at the moment and life has not been certainly easy, it is clear that it remains (whether it acts fragmented or in a composite fashion!) still strong having entered a state of reflection to find insights with new and invigorated foresight to make realignments that can work better than the alliances that seem to have unravelled with so much public and open hostilities.

On the other side, the ruling parties have not had such open divisions and fights and they seem to hold together well occasionally commenting wryly about the problems that have befallen the opposition camp.

It is often said that every crisis can offer also opportunities provided all concerned can think deep, prepare to change their perspectives on issues, focus on the bigger picture and search for what unites and habituates ideas, systems, institutions and policies to found a politics that builds rather than destructs. There is a need to develop a perspective above and beyond the current irritations that ‘poison political thought’ with insults, as Dr. Mennsasemay perceptively put it, rather than thought that can help to create a democratic and developmental civilisation in Ethiopia.

2. Learning to Debate without injecting Insults!

A perspective to engage in a free conversation and debate on issues that affect all of us to find solutions that can work free from degrading insults is critical for all of us to make an obligation, habit and value. There is a moral obligation on all who have chosen to enter public life to make public political conversation principled and also to be driven by honesty, morality, conscience, knowledge and character. Public discussion is an arena to clarify issues to educate the public to help people to make the choices that they have reason to value and select in order to change their own and their fellow human beings’ lives for the better. That means those who engage in public life should learn to either ignore insults or not respond to the insults but to the issues that matter to the people, the country and the nation. There is no value in personalising issues except to hurt the cause one has solemnly volunteered to stand for. If indeed people have entered into public debate because they would like to contribute whatever they can to make a better Ethiopia for all Ethiopians and indeed the rest of Africa and the world, there is absolutely no justification to engage in the transaction trading insults back and forth and thus corrupting both the moral and political spirit to go down rather than elevating a high moral and political purpose and dedication to prevail over public life.

To engage in insults by those who say they stand for the higher purposes of developing the country, people and nation and not to use the method of civil and reasoned argument is tantamount to undermining the very cause one says one stands for. Away from insults and a way into debates and mature conversations must be found to clarify with imagination and reason to shape a future that lifts the majority in our country that have been losing out for so long when those who enter public life turn their putative concern for the public good into a private good. It is thus critical that a political culture where reflection and consideration guide action is promoted. The habit where people throw slings and arrows at each other and at the same time take no responsibility for their actions must not be condoned anymore. Much damage has been done by people that have taken offensive action whilst disengaging and disconnecting from the consequences of their actions! The culture of learning to debate and converse without contaminating the debate with insults must be vigorously promoted. An insult free culture is very critical to promote in Ethiopia. If we in the NES have been guilty of any error, we give notice to all that we are very willing to learn from others and wish to remain in the public debate from the sole desire to see good done for people, country and nation and nothing else at all!

We know what insults can do. Those insulted can feel alienated and estranged and the core of politics, that is to forge alliances and push policies and programmes by building majorities to effect change, will be misdirected. In the worst cases it can lead to violence and into organised hostile camps each with a narrative against the other with the possible loss of time to undertake change. Insults that continue unabated over time can lead to the kind of inter-ethnic violence that we sadly witness in Kenya now. In some cases such an atmosphere of hostility can push back the struggle into decades. There is thus merit to learn to fight in a friendly atmosphere, and also in as much an insult free-medium and political space as possible even when there exist major differences. It is a mark of maturity to create an insult free political zone for intelligent debate on policies, issues, challenges, puzzles and problems.

Those that fan rumours and escalate the conflict from the media are also not helping the emergence of debates and political conversations that would be constructive. Self- censorship and discipline from the media would help hugely to ameliorate the exasperation of insults and counter-insults from being traded by the print, image, internet and voice media as it continues to happen now!

3. Some Examples of Big Insults from History!

It makes one cringe to dig some examples of insults from history. But it may provide perspective to the current exchange of insults within the Ethiopian opposition today.

To begin with though, it is interesting to read the amazing perspective of Emperor Menelik on insults. He said his country would be left without ploughs by insulting those who work. He said what Europeans would support as engineers, in Ethiopia those workers doing hands and crafts are insulted. He thought to discourage such insults by imposing one year imprisonment. Whatever ones position on emperor Menelik is, one cannot but admire the wisdom of the emperor then in rejecting and even wishing to punish insults against those who create and innovate the plough to till the land.

Today the kind of insults freely traded against those who entered public life and tried to help the country’s democratisation is baffling. One wonders what emperor Menelik would say if he sees what is happening to those insulted and those who insult them. In Ethiopia today democracy is on the historical agenda. Everyone agrees that it is on the historical agreed from the whole spectrum from the rulers to the armed opposition! Nevertheless within the spectrum, there are people who struggle to bring it about and those who obstruct its emergence and consolidation.

What makes the insult unacceptable is that the fight has broken out from amongst those who have been pushing a democratic agenda together. These are people who should respect each other for struggling for democracy. Instead they have been victims to what appears to be a virulent and insidious political culture that has destructively privileged insults over commonsense. The emperor said his country may be without ploughs, today the country might be without democracy, if one by one those who wish to enter public life are discouraged by fearing the endless insults thrown at them by all and sundry and leave the space to those who enjoy to trade insults and mutual recriminations. If those who are determined to struggle are confronted with tiresome insults constantly and opt to leave public life and their contribution is lost, who is hurt in the end? It is not the persons that leave or opt out; it is our country that will lose. We say it is better to sacrifice the need to insult and change the culture to public debate on issues!!!

4. Emperor Menelik too has not been spared from Insults!

In Ethiopia the generation of today often tends to be condescending to the generations that are long gone. Who has been spared from being demonised, insulted, criminalised, condemned and reproached in Ethiopia that has been in public life in the country? Everyone has his or her unacceptable share of insults thrown at him or her. For example, emperor Menelik has had his share of insults heaped upon him. Ironically, abroad in recognition of Ethiopia’s victory at Adwa in 1896, Emperor Menelik has been appointed as the first honorary president of the Pan-African Association when it was held in 1900 in London. But at home some people have devalued his contribution claiming that his only role is to claim the victory others have achieved by attributing it to him! This myth continues to be replayed to serve the political needs of those who feel they can gain more by distorting his historical record. The sad part is that this is retold by those who are contaminated by the poisonous ethnic politics of the time where they are not able to say their own ethnic heroes have done well as well as emperor Menelik. Instead they have to say contrary to all historical accounts, that emperor Menelik came after the battle is over to claim the victory, despite the fact that historical records and witnesses attest that he was in the battle leading it!!!

The politics of ethnicism has thrived in Ethiopia by a denunciation and insult of the 19th century intellectual and political project of modernisation and unification born in the face of the challenge of the European Scramble for Africa. Emperor Menelik’s name is associated with the insult that he was more a ’colonizer’ rather than a’ unifier’- which he really was, i.e., a unifier and modernizer using force- to bring the various kingdoms into a national entity very much like others, for example, much as the late coming respective unifiers of Germany and Italy did.

Admittedly his record should be criticised and debated. We think such historical debates are better conducted in the spirit of drawing appropriate lessons to help us chart a constructive future for all those who feel hard done by and those who do not. The trouble is when the criticism degenerates into condemnation, criminalising and insults of the person, it spoils any effort to shed as accurate a reflection as is necessary to do and understand in order to draw lessons to appropriate for constructing a better future for all.

In 1991 there were open calls and demands to bring down emperor Menelik’s statue were it not for the brave citizens of Addis Ababa that fought back to rescue the statue from being brought down. A proper assessment of his rule and legacy is of course welcome. But exaggerated condemnation or admiration shows a sign of current polarisation and does not show a willingness to understand, know and learn lessons from history that contains very often an admixture of versions that can be good to some, bad to others, and violent and cruel to still others. What is needed is not to invoke his name and arouse passion to reject, condemn and criminalise him and his record. To do that is indeed to do nothing but to opt out from undertaking a process of real knowledge discovering engagement for truth and history. An honest intellectual engagement that is free from a proclivity to criminalise and condemn is in fact a necessary launch pad for engaging history to shape the direction of contemporary politics.

In Ethiopian history also, when one strong man succeeds to hold power, his priorities often are to destroy the legacy of those who occupied the seat of power before him. It is as if he does not remove both the deeds and spirit of those replaced, his rule would be haunted. So he goes for the broom to remove any record or deed that may compete and overshadow his newly acquired status. The effort to destroy the legacy is more severe, if the previous holder of power left behind some thing worthy to remember. Thus the end of one ruler and the emergence of another always begin with a lie. The emergent feels a need to understate and even criminalise and condemn the record of those preceding its own rule. He too faces the same fate that he administered to his predecessors. So history goes on a Y axis of change of rulers over the X axis over time where what is revealed is a constant negation followed by successive negations to eclipse the passing of one to welcome the overblown imaging of the man of the hour in the throne!

To this day in Ethiopia we have not been lucky to learn from a sober evaluation of the past and a critical scrutiny of the present to develop a constructive direction to shaping the future. There must be a way to solve this problem once and for all. In China all the first generation leaders that contributed to the liberation of China are all recognised. Lin Biao who was designated heir to Mao Tse Tung has been even rehabilitated. His daughter was in tears and thankful for her country to recognise the goodness in her father’s contribution after he fell out so badly and lost his life fleeing as reported officially at the time. There is no reason why in Ethiopia a national approach to see even some positive in the worst persons cannot be tried. It is more putting all those who played different roles and made either contributions or even failed to do so- they need to be preserved. And future generations are made to learn from them- from the good, the bad and the ugly!

The tendency to privilege passion, dramatisation, exaggeration and emotional outbursts and insults and to freely throw them about, on and at the leaders without any concern for conceptual rigour, factual accuracy must be resisted. For example the victory of Adwa has been very significant not only for Ethiopians but also for the black people the world over. A responsible approach to it would thus be to apply a perspective, a curiosity and an inexhaustible willingness to know and learn from the victory of Adwa instead of choosing to scramble to denounce emperor Menelik who led the nation to this historic victory. No matter what anyone says the facts of history record that emperor Menelik was the pen ultimate leader of that historic battle and his political genius lied not so much on whether or not he himself shot enemy soldiers, it lies in the fact that and in his ability to bring all the relevant players to team up and be a champion together. It is in his ability to get all to work for the good of their country together with him from every corner of the country that his leadership quality is demonstrated. And in Ethiopia it is no exaggeration to say uniting disparate forces appears to be in many ways more difficult than developing the unified field theory has been in physics for the leading theoretical physicists!!!

What is even more discouraging to note is this: the insult or condemnation that be- fell emperor Menelik is not an isolated incident. It is a general pattern that has not diminished through time and in fact has become worse and worse as time goes by. The preference to vent insults rather than enrich public life with intelligent debate, factual accuracy, intellectual honesty, moral probity and fair play in politics is continuing to emaciate the Ethiopian human imagination and spirit. Where there is hope for seeing the electrifying brightness of human imagination and intellect, we are treated to the shoddy and perverse pettiness of cantankerous cruelty where people we revered for having the courage to stand up against injustice are trashed before our very eyes as crooks, cheats and embezzlers and self-centred and calculating power-mongers! It is very hard to change 180 degrees against all of them just like that. But we have witnessed this happening right in front of our eyes. We must protest this culture of trading insults and condemnations by creating a new and more honest, responsible, humane and insult- free political culture!

5. Concluding Remark!

We believe we all must protest in the strongest terms the saturation of the public arena for the exchange of insults. We know for whatever reason this saturation of public life with insults has an agenda against the energy and mobilisation to discover and create a workable democratic political system that is an alternative to the ethnic based system that we have now. The latter having been built as it is with blackmail and the injection of monumental doubt to the life and survival of Ethiopia itself if the’ nations, nationalities and peoples’ wish to do the Eritrea on Ethiopia! Insults are freely traded and circulated deliberately in order to make all of us victims so that we lose trust in all those that have struggled and entered public life. It is directed against all of us not to be able to create leaders, trust them and support them. It subverts all and none are spared. It is an onslaught against all decent Ethiopians. We must protest in the strongest terms against this threat to deny the country to produce the best committed and able amongst us, create the leaders people can trust. Let us clear the public space from loading it very often with insults that destroy and instead let all try to fill it with knowledge and information that construct a future that endures by creating a political system based on principle, justice and fair play.

Almost everyone seems to fall prey to some attack and rebuke whether long gone or living. There is neither restraint from such behaviour nor encouragement to manifest a generous nature by developing a balanced, moral and intellectually honest perspective on everyone that has been and continues to be involved in public life.

The recent degeneration of opposition politics to a self-destructing exchange of insults gives us much cause to ponder and reflect and call all who wish Ethiopia well to create the broadest possible crusade against insults, condemnation and criminalising accusations levelled freely with moral abandon.

One wonders what Ethiopians collectively must do to discourage insulting behaviour that may cost this nation the early emergence of a political system that can assist the country, the nation and the people to work better and build on their generous and empathic nature and evolve a strong democratic civilisation.

Those who love their people, country and nation will not, should not and would not give in to the easy option of insulting others to achieve what they wish to achieve. We expect them to be open to dialogue with infinite patience and humility. They do this because they have chosen to serve the public and their country. They do this not to please anyone. It is a call of duty and commitment.

Never mind the fact in dealing with the challenges of life; all human beings have weak and strong points. “The strength of a man lies in his acknowledgment of his weakness, and his weakness lies in not knowing that in his strength lies the antidote to overcoming his weakness” J.A.Olowojoba (Aalborg University Nigerian Post-Graduate Student!) But such a balanced take on other humans by those who choose to comment appreciating what is good and criticising what is bad is often ignored. Instead rage and fury is unleashed on what is perceived and considered as a weakness of the one selected for the firing line. His weaknesses are exaggerated and spread all over the media with no regard to truth or accuracy.

Finally, As long as power change is not based on the choices, votes and voices of the people, this problem will recur. It will not stop. That is why a transition based on a democratic will of the people might inject a sensible approach to history, a nuanced approach to the legacy of those who ruled before, and fairness in judging others and oneself with as an objective a yardstick as possible now and in the future. Democracy or the government elected by people must be tried to see if we can bring in honesty to the politics of denial and lie that has done so much to hurt the people, the country and nation for so long. Emperor Menelik after the Victory of Adwa said: “Ethiopia has need of no one. She stretches out her hands to God.” (Emperor Menelik, February, 1890). Ethiopia was united then as one at Adwa’s victory, not as divided as it is right now. Ethiopia needs the unity of its people and social communities, and the freedom from insults, in addition to the help of God. Once it achieves unity it should safely course through the historical contours of the manifold internal and external problems confident that its survival will beat the fear of time.

By: Mammo Muchie, Chair of NES- Scandinavia Chapter
Professor, Director of Development, Innovation and International Political Economy Research (DIIPER)
Aalborg University
Fibigertraede 2
9220-Aalborg East
Aalborg, Denmark: Tel.no. 00-45 9635 9813
fax. no. 00 45-9815329 http://www.ihis.aau.dk/development/http://www.ihis.aau.dk/ccis/

Public life must not be