UTUBO

The 2011 Arab Springs: Lessons for Ethiopians

2012-01-30T11:04:00.002-05:00

There were a number of popular uprisings against dictators that erupted in 2011 in the Middle Eastern and North African Arab countries: Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, Morocco, Jordan, Bahrain, Syria, Yemen, and Saudi Arabia. So far we have witnessed that at least the dictators on Tunisia, Egypt and Libya are gone, with Gadafi for good.

There are many common features in all these countries: the dictators ruled the people for decades with absolute power, stifling democracy, imposing state of emergencies; whether they were monarchies or otherwise, the rulers were closely knit by kinship, affinity and kleptocracy; they killed, maimed, jailed and forced into exile all those who dared to dissent; they divided their people and opposition along ethnic, tribal and sectarian lines; looted their countries’ resources and became tycoons on the back of their impoverished people.

Doesn't this sound familiar to the Ethiopian dictators? Aren't they their mirror images?

What else is common in those countries? Despite the sufferings of their people the dictators were all being propped up by Western democracies, in exchange for their oil or other security considerations.

People had to rise up and many lives had to be sacrificed, even just to attract western media attention. The people of those countries had to demonstrate that they have reached the point of no return to induce any regional or global intervention.

Unless they see any potential shift in the balance of power on the ground, none of the western powers will come to our rescue just on moral grounds. In politics and international relations, national interest takes precedence over morality. Even when there is an uprising and determination on the part of the opperessed people, they will not intervene until they see the signs of power tipping on the side of the opposition (Bahrain and Saudi).

Dictator Meles Zenawi, “the Ethiopian Caligula” is today the “darling of the West”, a “friendly tyrant” being propped up with injections of billions of dollars aid money and military support. Despite the siphoning of billions by the tyrant for personal enrichment, in amounts unheard in Ethiopian history, money is still being pumped into the dictator’s coffer. They might even rescue him, as they did with Ali Abdullah Saleh, Yemen’s deposed dictator, when the day comes.

But we still have to come together and rise up, learning the lessons from the Arab Spring. Change in Woyane's Ethiopia will not come through elections. Never!!! We have to rise up!!!

The Swedish Journalists Will be Released!

2011-12-27T22:26:00.002-05:00

There is no doubt in mind that the Swedish jounalists, (Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson)sentenced by the TPLF kangaroo court to 11 years in prison will soon be released. I am sure they or their government will never plead for celmency. These journalists have the international community (their own government and other democratic nations) behind them to defend their rights as free journalists. We are already witnessing the position of US's Department of State aginst this ruling and that of the Swedish media demanding their government to advocate for the unconditional release of the two journalists.

I am glad that by proxy, this sentencing on the Swedish jounrnalists, will help all those TPLF enabler western governments to reflect on how arbitrarly the TPLF junta was handling the case of justice for multitudes of Ethiopians that were detained en-masse in TPLF detention camps since the junta came into power.

I am sure, it should be our duty to push for the release of Ethioipan journalists and other prisiners of conscience, as the west puts pressure on TPLF for the release of these two Swedish jounrnalists.

Why Ethiopia should be singled out: An Answer to Professor David Shinn

2011-12-18T16:02:00.006-05:00

I read a commentary by professor David Shinn, the former US Ambassador to Ethiopia and currently, adjunct professor of international affairs at the George Washington University, titled, "Ethiopia and 2011 Global Financial Integrity Report".

In his commentary, while he admits that there are problems of illicit financial flows from Ethiopia, he questioned the integrity of one of the authors, Sarah Freitas, for "singling out" Ethiopia while there are many other African countries who have higher Illicit Financial Flows (IFF) than Ethiopia.

As to me none of those African countries mentioned by the professor (Nigeria, Egypt, Sounth Africa, Libya, Angola, Republic of the Congo, Cote d'Ivoire and Tunisia) with high IFF values, are comparable to Ethiopia by most standards, except being located in Africa. To mention a few, the economies of these countries are not as dependent on foreign aid as is Ethiopia, none of these are noted for an annual begging of food from the international community, none of these countries are ruled by closely knit kleptocratic junta of one ethnic group.

If I had to coin a word to express the level of IFF in Ethiopia, it would certainly be even more stronger than "bleeding the country dry".

The Hoopla of the Millenium: Woyane's Millenium Dam

2011-05-15T09:00:00.004-04:00

The other day I was calling home to speak to my parents on the occasion of the Easter holiday. As usual, after the initial greetings and enquiries about the wellness of immediate and extended family members, we contnued our conversation about the neighborhood, the community and the general frame of issues dominating the small southern town where my parents live.

Unlike other times, what struck me most during this round was, my mother's mention of the "the issue of the Gojam river dam as the deafening news of the time". It didn't take me long to realize that she was talking about the, "The Millenium Dam of the Woyane", the dam that will never be built under the ethnic dicatorship of TPLF.

That this dam is just a hoopla to divert the public's attention from the growing repression, escalating inflation, dissatisfaction, anger, frustration, poverty and famine, and above all, from the increasing signs of a sweeping revolution, can be noticed well from the absence of any mention about such a huge dam as a key energy development strategy in the much purported Five Year GTP of the country, and the conflicting and inconsistent propaganda of the regime's own mouthpieces, like Amare Aregawi's Reporter and Aiga Forum.

The so called Five Year GTP, that was endorsed by the rubber stamp parliament as the offician development plan of the nation in November 2010, does not mention as single word about the "Mellenium Development Dam" as neither a starategic direction nor as an implemetation startegy of the the energy sector development. It would be so absurd not to mention about such a dam, that is supposed to cost hundreds of billions of dollars of tha nations budget, in the plan document that is supposed to direct its implementation.

Another evidence that this dam is just a hoopla is the fact that, of the estimated total Five Year GTP budget of around 700 bln Birr, the whole of the energy sector's budget constitutes, just 177 bln Birr, jus a few billions more, than the cost of cement required to build the dam, as Amare Aregawi tells us.

Over the last couple of months, this "dam" has been the editorial of Amare's Reporter week after week. But the story he has been telling us does not hold water. Just the other day he tells us a delegation of 45 Egyptian diplomats came to Ethiopia to express their support of the launching of the dam and another day, his editorial laments about that delagation trying to sabotage Ethiopia's efforts to develop its river, once they are back in Egypt. One week he tells us the famous PM Mele Zenawi had laid the corner stone of the dam and its construction is in progress, and another week he tells us, that a study team has been established to reasearch about the dam, and again he tells us about the amount and cost of cement required to complete the construction. What a speedy research! And yet gain, he laments the famous Meles Zenawi has agreed to halt the whole implementation of the dam until an elected government is formed in Egypt.

Do you remember how the whole hoopla about the dam started? The dam that was no where in the GTP in Novemebr 2010, just became a "national sensation", following the popular revolutions in Tunisia, in December 2010, in Egypt, January 2011, in Libya, February 2011, and so on....We are already witnessing the start of its death before even its birth, with lots of the lame excuses of its delay escapegoating Egypt.

Dear Ethiopians, for now, let us focus on uniting and getting rid of this ethnocentric dictatorship, using the revolutionar momentum in our region. No distraction by Woyane's hollabaloo!

Woyani Thugs:The Alawites of Ethiopia will face resistance too, soon!

2011-04-08T16:20:00.004-04:00

Hafez Al-Asaad of Syria, who was commander in cheif of the Syrian Air Force in the the late 1960s, was a member of the minority Alawite tribe in Syria, who overthrew the then dictatorial government of President Nureidin and became president of Syria from 1971-2000, until he died. Since then his son, Bashar Al-Asaad is ruling Syria as president.

For almost over 40 years Syria has been ruled by the minority Alawites by sytematically alieniating the majority of Syrians from playing the right role the political and economic spheres of the country. The middle easten dictatorships in Iraq, syria, Libya, Jordan, Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia, etc. were all built along the same line of marginalizing the majority of the populations in those socieites.

And we have witnessed and are still witnessing what all those years of marginzalizations and extreme repressions of the majority populations in those countries have resulted and resulting in those countries from the recent turn of events.

Meles Zenawi recently bragged that he is immune from the revolutions that are rocking the Middle East and Noth Africa. But his recent futile attempts of rallying the Ethiopian Diaspora and the grandoise talk of building the Millenium Dam on the the Nile are symptoms of in built fear among the Woyane thugs and efforts to appease Ethiopias from rising in unison against his regime. Also the sudenn surge in improsoning opposition members from the ONC and OFDM and warnings to the UDJ and sabre rattling of war with Eritrea are all not signs of confidence and immunity from resistence with in.

For the rest of us Ethiopians, these very desperate attempts of the Woyane should give us even more courage to strengthen our resolve to challenge the thugs once and for all.

Momentum is on our side! We will win and get rid of Woyane soon!

Striking Similarities & Differences: Lessons to Learn from the Egyptian Revolution

2011-02-12T16:43:00.001-05:00

Since the rigged election and the standoff between Alassane Ouattara, the legitimate winner of the Ivorian election, and Gbagbo, in Ivory Coast in November 2010, and Tunisia’s Jasmine Revolution that culminated with the people’s victory in January 2010, and the ouster of Hosni Mubarak, one of Africa’s most brutal dictators, just yesterday, I was earnestly following the events, at times, with extreme level of emotions as if I were a citizen of those countries. My whole family, my wife and our 14 years old daughter were engulfed, particularly, with the turn of events in Egypt and were constantly comparing what was going on in Egypt now to what happened in Ethiopia in 2005 and what should happen in Ethiopia going forward.
Although this is not a new finding, let me mention some of the similarities of the tactics that the Mubarak regime used to silence the demonstrations/uprising until a few hours earlier to his stepping down to what the Meles Zenawi used to silence opposition prior- and post- the 2005 election in Ethiopia:
• While Mubarak tried to belittle the uprising by calling the demonstrators as young people being manipulated by “sinister” and “terrorist” groups/ the Muslim Brotherhood, Meles Zenawi called the demonstrators in 2005 as “unemployed youth” manipulated by the opposition/Kinijit.

• Blocking the internet, mobile phones, and cable channels. Although there weren’t cable channels in Ethiopia then, the Woyane government blocked SMS, internet and independent newspapers than and continues to jam independent radios like the VOA and Deutsche Welle and independent TV channels like ESAT TV.

• Intimidating and blackmailing the international community and foreign governments as subversive agents and destabilizers in the hope of buying domestic support and dividing the local opposition.

• The complete lying of the state-owned media: TV, radio and newspapers, in reporting what was going on the ground, despite the people’s awareness of the events going by the hour.

• Superficial submission to negotiations with the opposition when the going got tough, as it happened with the TPLF thugs calling for unconditional negotiations on November 8, 2005, just to buy time.

• One striking difference that we witnessed was that the Tunisian and Egyptian armies were on the side of their people while that of the Ivorian and the Ethiopian were with their incumbent dictators.

What is to be learned? Every army of a dictator and the people under those dictatorships are learning from what is going on in their countries and other countries around the world, no matter what dictators do to deny them from accessing information.
By now, at least, we have witnessed that the international community always goes with “wind”: The perceived balance of power on the ground. We have seen how wavering the US government was, changing the statement by the day, reflecting what was going on the ground. They wanted to be part of history in Egypt rather than risk of being in the dust bin.
In Tunisia, it just took just one daring young graduate, Mohamed Bouaziz, who was frustrated of being unemployed, humiliated, to spark the anger of the masses who were going through similar experiences and ordeals. In Egypt, it took just one young Google executive, Wael Ghonim, to inspire the Egyptian masses to rally behind the cause of freedom and democracy.
I remember some Egyptians talking about of being shamed by the uprising of the Tunisians and their toppling down of their 23 old dictator, Ben Ali. I am sure there are millions of Ethiopians who feel being shamed by their Tunisian and Egyptian counterparts who were able to topple down their dictators.
I am also certain that the Ethiopian army is also learning from what is going on in West and North Africa of the people’s thirst for democracy, no matter how it is differently structured in Ethiopia. They also know that they can’t run away with massacring unarmed protesters for the second time if that happened in Ethiopia now. Given what has happened since the rigged election in Ethiopia in 2005 (the Kenyan and Zimbabwean case) and what is currently happening in Ivory Coast, North African and the Middle East, the TPLF thugs are also aware that they can’t run away with the kind of cracking down of a popular uprising they were able to afford in 2005 and its aftermath.
We have witnessed the staunchest ally of the USA, Egypt, in terms of terrorism and Middle East peace, crumbling in our face, and the USA sidelining it and pushing it towards its demise. As to me, Ethiopia’s significance to US’s foreign policy interests would by no means outweigh that of Egypt’s.
Also, as we witness waves of revolutions in North Africa and the Middle East against dictatorships, which western powers are following with intense interest and supporting, it would be impossible for them to deny Ethiopians similar support, if similar revolution arose in Ethiopia at this moment. Since foreigner can’t take the lead on this, it is up to us, Ethiopians to learn the lessons of our time and to take up the leads and initiate the revolution to set ourselves free.

Dolling out land to foreigners in Ethiopia: It will have serious repercussions

2010-12-31T13:47:00.002-05:00

The TPLF thugs are dolling out large tracts of land to foreign commercial interests for nominal prices, particulary in Gambella and Benishangul Gumuz regions and seriously undermining the livelihoods of the people.

The blind argument for this move by the TPLF thugs is that the move will ensure natinal food security and modernize agriculture that could be replicated by the locals. I have no trust in this argument for so may reasons. First and foremost, there is no guaranty that the invesots will sell the food they produced in the domestic market for affordable prices.

On the other hand there is a fact that ownership/access to land provides so amny other seondary rights for the land users that will not be available when the land is transfered to commercial interests. For example, farmers who have had access to the land had not only the right to cultivate the land and harves crops, but also access to grazing for their livestock, wood for energy and other household needs, to grow fruits, etc. to supplement their income. Under the ownership of the commercial investor, the farmers lose all these secondary rights. How is this to be compensated by the investor? Will they have to be forced to sell their livestock for lack of grazing land or are thet to pay for the graing land to the investor? If they are forced to sell, will they get the right price? As all the farmers will be forced to sell at the same time, prices of livesotck will be dipressed and the farmers will lose money. If they have to keep their livestock, they will have extra cost of paying for the investor for the grazing of their livestock. Where will they get the extra money? Will the investor pay the farmers who will be converted to laborers enough salary to pay for all these extra costs?

We are already witnessing that local farmers where land is being dolled out are expressing their grievances and are being silenced and killed by the regime. Supressing these expressions will not halt the grievances. It will only aggravate the simmering of the tensions that will eventually erupt into violence that would be most costly to handle for the nation.

All Woyanites and their puppets are embarrassing during an uncensored interview

2010-12-30T10:07:00.002-05:00

I also support the critical reflection of Ato Efrem Madebo and Genet Mersha regarding the embarrassing interview of DPM and FM Hailemariam Desalegn with Bahl Vickram of the ITMN. I wanted to argue that it is not just Hailemariam Desalegn, but all Woyanites and their puppets who are so embaressing when interviewed by an uncensored journalist.

We have seen Meles Zenawi, Seyoum Mesfin, etal, blabbering, lost, lying, and contradicting themselves when interviewed by BBC, Aljazeera, AFP, etc. journalists of the free media. The only advantage the TPLFites have over their puppets, like Hailemariam, is thier ability to turn their anger on the interviewer and intimidate him/her to soften the qestion or abandon asking them hard questions, because they know they will not be held accountable for how they behaved during an interview with a free and foreign media at home, just because they are Tigre. They also display some sense of confidence because they speak their mind and know the details of the domestic policy issue as they are the ones that cook policy in the their own narrow circle.

Hailemariam and the other puppets do not have that added advantage. Whne they speak they don't speak their mind as they are not free persons. They don't even clearly listen to the question, because their mind is focused on how might Meles Zenawi, Azeb mesfin, or Bereket Simon, react if he/she answer the question this or the other way. They also don't have details as EPRDFites because they are not aware of the real essence of the policy issue they are talking about as it is cooked in the TPLF circles and just brought to the EPRDF polit-bureau for the purpose of rubber stamping.

I have known Hailemariam for many years since my junior secondary years in Areka, where Hailemariam was born and brought up. We were togehter in Catholic Seminary studying for priesthood, and we were close during our university years (he was my junior by one year). He was so genious academically and did well professionally in the years he was serving in the Water Resources Commission.

His moral decline and loss of confidence started when he was recruited by Simon Mechale of the then DPPC Commissioner to become a member of the Woyane's puppet ethnic deomcratic organization for the "Wolayita People" and ascended to become the President of Arbaminch University, and soon the President of the "SNNP Regional State". The guy chose ambition over his freedom.

The trajectory and the ascendance to positions (not power, because they dont have authority in their positions) of all the TPLF puppets is similar. They chose illicit power over their freedom. So, no matter how intelligent you are, once you lose your freedom, which is at the core of your "being", your "self", then you can't be rational, coherent and persuasive.

Thus unless they reclaim thier freedom, none of the puppets nor the TPLFites themselves could escape embarrassement not only during an interview session but at wahtever they do in their daily lives.

Releasing Derg Officials: Is it really a reconciliation?

2010-12-30T00:25:00.003-05:00

A futile debate is going on in the blogosphere and in the Ethiopian local media,as to whether the prospective release of derg officials is a move towards national reconciliation or it is constitutional or unconstitutional.

As to the constitutionality or unconstitutionality of the argument, the debate is futile because there is no constitution in woyane's Ethiopia that dictates the law. Woyane rules by whim, not by constitution!

As to whether the move will have a reconciliatory impact, for me it is just another political strategy of the Woyane thugs to appear as peace makers both locally and in the face of the international community and the diplomatic front. Other wise why bother about reconciliation while woyane is still harassing, jailing, and killing opposition politicians and their supports throughout the country. If there is a grain of real intention in the woyane camp to reconcile with the Ethiopian people, the right thing to do is sit and negotate with all opposition groups and chart the way forward for Ethiopia or just allow free and fair election.

Reconciliation happens when woyane leaves the Ethiopian people to freely organize, freely express their voice, freely do their business, when people can hold politicians accountable, when they are equal before the law, when there is justice.

How could releasing old, sick and fragile former derg officials be seen as a sign of national reconciliation? Do these officials pose any threat to woyane's power today? You reconcile with your challengers, your critics, not with those at your mercy. How is the release of a few derg officials going to be national reconciliation, while many thousands of people are suffering in woyane's prisons for their political opinion, most of them with agonizing treatment, while people are losing their jobs or opportunities for advancement and education because of their critical or independent opinion, while thousands are still fleeing the country for their safety and living in exile, when everything below the sky in Ethiopia is controlled by Tigrean minority, when a few arrogant Tigreans enjoy humilating others in all sectors of life. These gross violations have to change for a national reconciliation!!!

I have no problem if derg officials are released on an amnesty on humanitarian grounds, although I am one of millions of Ethiopians, who had been jailed and tortured by the regime, although still many may consider it unjust on legal grounds. But I am certain that their release is not a game changer for the Ethiopian people nor it is a sign of national reconciliation.

A Flattering, Self-Serving International Community in Ethiopia Today

2010-11-07T01:40:00.000-04:00

The condemnation from the DAG (the Development Assistance Group) in Ethiopia against the recent Human Rights Watch (HRW) report regarding Woyane’s abuse of foreign aid forced me to write this article.

I have spent most of my professional life working for government (20%), local non-profit, international non-profit, multilateral organizations and as an independent consultant (80%) in Ethiopia, from 1984-2005, until I was forced to flee my country in 2005.

During that period and the periods following after, I have seen a number of internal documents and local research articles by so many International NGOs (INGOs) and Multilateral organizations (MOs) in Ethiopia (including the UN and the World Bank) that reveal abuse of power and mismanagement of donor resources by the Woyane government in Ethiopia. I have a vivid memory of internal staff level discussions in the INGOs and MOs that criticize the abuse and advocate for the redressing of these abuses. That was until 2005, when I left the country, in the aftermath of the rigged election then. There are a number of reports within the World Bank and local and INGOs that show how donor funds leak and funjibly used within the Ethiopian government structure throughout the country.

But when it comes to publicly discussing and raising these issues of abuse and mismanagement of resources, self and national interests of the staff of the INGOs and MOs take precedence. Just like the local hodams, members of the international community are also afraid of “rocking the boat” and challenging the status quo in Ethiopia.

Invariably speaking, most of the INGO and MO staff in Ethiopia today know the deceptive economic strategies of the Woyane, since its assumption of power in Ethiopia (ADLI= Agricultural Development Led Industrialization in the early 1990s, SPRSP= Sustainable Poverty Reduction Strategic Plan of the early 2000s, the PASDEP= Plan for Accelerated and Sustainable Development to End Poverty, for the period 2005-2010, and the GTP=Growth and Transformation Plan, for the period 2010-2015) that have delivered nothing except a rhetoric. Except the change in the title of the strategies, there has been no change in substance and details of these strategies.

Staffs of INGOs and MOs know how un-mercy the Woyane government is towards its critics whatsoever. They have witnessed a diplomat after diplomat, an INGO staff after an INGO staff being ordered to leave the country within 24/48 hours upon a slight slip of tongue against the government’s handling of economic and political issues in Ethiopia.

Having worked within that sector in Ethiopia, I know the kind of financial freedom, respect and authority they enjoy in that poor county of mine, with very little to no accountability to the Ethiopian people, that they never imagined they would have in their own countries of origin.

As my favorite author, Graham Hancock, described in his famous book’ “Lords of Poverty”, staff of the “development industry’ will continue to pay lip service to causes of poverty and continue to amass their own wealth. They will even go as far as defending the dictatorial Woyane government of Ethiopia against the genuine reports of HRW regarding the mismanagement of donor funds to stifle opposition in Ethiopia.

My fellow citizens, don’t count on this international technocrats to deliver us from Woyane’s yolk of repression. Right now, they are defending Woyane and commending it for its performance in reducing poverty and advancing democracy. What a shame!!!

Count on your own sons and daughters and contribute your share towards the struggle for freedom.

Bullies and Dictators Rarely Stand Up To Any Heat

2010-07-14T14:16:00.001-04:00

By now, we all know that when the dictator of Ethiopia steals an election or his blatant lies are exposed, he invariably resorts to ad hominem attacks. The Honorable Ana Gomes who witnessed the daylight robbery of the 2005 election, the US State Department and the august international rights group (Human Rights Watch) have all earned the ire of the vicious and delusional dictator. And now, the highly respected Bloomberg journalist Jason McLure has been added to the list in the latest Meles.
http://www.jimmatimes.com/article/Latest_News/Latest_News/Ethiopias_PM_Zenawi_attacks_Bloomberg_News_journalist/33571

If, it were Tekeda Alemu, the underling or Patrick Gilkes, the handsomely paid mercenary at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs who wrote this nonsense, the least these imbecils could do is spell their boogey man’s last name correctly (McLure and not McClure)

In the years that Jason McLure of Bloomberg News has been reporting from Addis he has written well researched, well-documented articles about the political environment in Ethiopia. He could have just kicked back in the sun and practiced yellow journalism like most of the foreign journalists in Ethiopia.

Unlike other ferenji journalists, who can be bribed, wined and dined in Al-Amoudi’s harem to swallow Meles’ lies, hook, line and sinker, and regurgitate the crappy talking points from Bereket Simon’s office when the sun rises, the late Tony Mitchell, Jeffrey Gettleman and Jason McLure never fell into that trap.

It was easy for these serious journalists, who have immense pride in their profession
to determine soon enough that Ethiopia is ruled by a pompous dictator and habitual liar with a coterie of underlings who mix fact with fiction to hide the truth about the political and socio-economic crisis in the country. They became anathema to a dangerous dictator who has effectively decapitated the Ethiopian press to hide his crimes. And there was no way he would allow the trio of these impeccable journalists to bear witness and report his egregious offenses. They had to be declared public enemy # I and maligned, threatened with deportation and even imprisonment for doing their job.

Fortunately, through their hard work and the work of Human RightsWatch, the world has come to learn that Meles is nothing but a criminal thug whose heinous crimes have been well documented. And, in the not too distant future, he will no doubt find himself at The Hague to stand trial for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

As the late Tony Mitchell, Jeffrey Gettleman and Jason McLure will remain heroes among Ethiopians who appreciate their intelligence, compassion and diligence in exposing Meles for what he really is- a corrupt, egomaniac coward who will stoop to the lowest crevices of the cesspool.

Isn’t it really time for the Obama Administration to shut off the spigot to the pig’s trough? Surely, jamming the Voice of America and roughing up American citizens is an egregious offense and a disrespect no U.S. President should tolerate.

Why Silent After the Day Light Robbery of Ethiopians’ Vote by TPLF Thugs?

2010-06-02T20:45:00.000-04:00

I have seen blogger after blogger (including myself) analyzing TPLF thugs’ behaviour after the 2010 “election” and exposing the desire of TPLF to continue to rule Ethiopia by force with one party dictatorship. Multitudes of calls for the unity of the opposition to save this country were also made within the last few days.

But all this rage of Ethiopians, at least by those in the Diaspora, who are totally free to express their anger and concerns, did not come to the fore to touch the hearts and minds of others who might come to our aid. I don’t think at this critical moment blogging is enough to get our message across the wider community. How many non-Ethiopians really read our blogs and understand the level of ordeal we here in the Diaspora, and our people back home are passing through? For example, there wasn’t a mention of the 2010 Ethiopian election on the major cable television channels here in the US. How do we expect the American people to hear and understand what is going on at this moment in Ethiopia and stand on our side?

We have heard that the EU Election Observation Mission and even the US Administration have expressed their concerns that the election in Ethiopia was short of meeting international election standards. This should have given us the courage to go out on the streets of Washington DC, London, Brussels, etc, to loudly express our anger against TPLF’s dictatorship and that we are running out of patience. If we can’t or are afraid to do it here, in the very peaceful and free environment, how can we expect our compatriots at home to go out and demonstrate or organize civil disobedience in the face of the brutal dictators in Addis Ababa.

If we have political or civic leaders in the Diaspora, the time is right now to come together and to organize and call Ethiopians to express their concerns. The web world should help us organize and act not just writing, philosophizing. Organize a public rally immediately! Now! Let the American people hear and see our anger. I remember how effective that expression of anger in the streets of Washington, DC. was in the aftermath of the 2005 election in getting the then opposition leaders out of jail and in temporary holding of aid from the dictators.

Dear Ethiopians, if there is any element of real love for our country left in ourselves, let us forget anything at this moment and at least come out to the fore to express that love of country to our hosts and fellow human beings in the free countries we are living in.

I am aware that street shout in Washington, DC, or else where is not enough to free our people from the complex problems they are in, but let us be wise in using momentum! As the saying goes, “hit the nail when it is hot”. Other wise it would be like the “dog that barked after the hyena left”.

Habisso’s Self-Defeating Argument on TPLF’s Political Landslide

2010-06-01T23:46:00.002-04:00

Tesfaye Habisso, who served as the "First Secretary" in the TPLF’s “Transitional Government” in the early 1990s and as TPLF's Ambassador to the Republic of South Africa and the Republic of Uganda in the early 2000s, has an interesting article on Aigaforum, where he gave his analysis of TPLF’s political landslide in last week’s sham 2010 election in Ethiopia.

In reality, his article reveals how TPLF should have lost the “election” than win it by landslide.

In the first part of his “analysis”, he vaguely jumps from one point to another to show how the TPLF mafia group was able to gain the confidence of the people to win a landslide victory, and how the opposition, except Lidetu Ayalew, lost credibility. Here he also vaguely argued that the Ethiopian people don't care about the illegal accumulation of wealth by the TPLF thugs and their supporters.

But in his concluding remark, Mr. Habisso vividly describes the wrongs of the TPLF over the last twenty years, that are haunting the Ethiopian people in their day-to-day lives. Habisso advises the TPLF from now on to focus on addressing the following issues that are rampant in Ethiopia:
 Miserable justice and rule of law
 Poor governance
 Nepotism
 Ethnocentricisim
 Corruption and predatory tendencies in the public bureaucracy
 Galloping inflation, and
 Lack of freedom

How on earth can a party that has inflicted all these woes on its people win by a landslide? Or is Mr. Habisso witnessing that the “election” was really farce?

Meles is A Dictator by All Standards!!!

2010-05-19T23:31:00.002-04:00

What forced me to write this piece was the effort by Uduak Amimo, a BBC reporter from Addis Ababa, to project Meles Zenawi of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) as democrat, progressive and a respected statesman. Why didn’t the reporter try to answer the simplest question as to how could a person who still leads a party to liberate Tigray from the rest of Ethiopia be popularly elected by Ethiopians to lead the country he wants to secede from. For it is by being an elected leader that a person could be considered a democrat, if the reporter believes in this argument.

How could UduaK Amimo sincerely declare Meles as a strong and eloquent African statesmen, I believe after witnessing, how inarticulate and defensive he was in the recent African Economic Summit held recently in Daar Es Salaam, Tanzania? In that Summit, the dictator Meles was just superficially parroting about agricultural policies and institutions, while other African leaders and delegates were giving concrete experiences of how they changed their countries’ food security situations.

How could Uduak Amimo claim Meles as a democrat, when for all practical purposes all western democracies admit that Meles is a dictator but they support him only because of the country’s geopolitical position within the volatile Horn of Africa region, with the hope that he would stabilize the region despite being a dectator.

How is Uduak Amimo going to justify Meles as a democrat, when Meles’ foreign Ministry announced just a few days ago, banning all embassies and international non-governmental organizations from observing the upcoming election and restricting movement of their staff outside of the capital?

I was also wondering why Uduak Amimo identified Ethiopian Civil Society Organizations (CSOs) as “opposition groups” while citing about their complaint against the civil society law Meles enacted to stifle political desent.

According to Uduak Amimo, is Mohammar Ghadaffi of Libya, the most respected African statesmen, against whom other African leaders have to be evaluated and rated?

If as Udauk Amimo claimed, Meles has been advising his daughter and other Ethiopians “not to enter into politics for their own health”, why didn’t the reporter ask Meles to leave the office of his premiership, at least on grounds of his own deteriorating health after 19 years of rule, if not for the sake of bowing to the voice of the people?

As to the buildings the BBC reporter saw coming out of Bole International Airport in Addis Ababa, that is not a sign of development for Ethiopia or will have little benefit to the multitude of poor Ethiopians, since almost all those buildings are owned by a few corrupt Tigriyan officials, their families and cronies, who are amassing the wealth of the country illegally.

And the road networks the reporter is talking about are the perfect mechanisms for TPLF thugs for embezzlement of public money through the bidding process. Schools, clinics, hospitals, universities, and other infrastructure projects TPLF claims to have expanded are all mechanisms of siphoning donor money in the name of development.

From the style of the writing of the piece reported by Uduak Amimo, it looks like the piece was written by a TPLF cadre, but only was read by the BBC reporter. Given that this report came out just a few days before the 2010 “election”, I am not sure if there was no exchange of fat money between the reporter and the TPLF dictators. That time will tell.

At any rate, Uduak Amimo’s reporting wouldn’t change the substance or the image of TPLF and Meles Zenawi. Meles is one of the world’s brutal dictators by all standards!!!

Comparing the incomparable

2010-03-30T23:05:00.002-04:00

I read with amazement Adal Isaw’s March 29, 2010 article on TPLF’s mouthpiece (Aiga Forum) where he compared the challenge America’s democracy is facing from opposition to the challenge the TPLF’s dictatorship is facing from the "extreme elements" of the Ethiopian “opposition”. The writer bluffed how the United States should learn from TPLF’s handling of opposition in Ethiopia. What an absurd comparison!

What the writer has missed is the fact that the United States is a country governed by the rule of law, where every citizen has a right for the free expression of ideas including expressing opposition to rules, regulations and policies in a peaceful manner (health care policy or any other policy for that matter). There is no way the US government will follow the advice of Adal Isaw to crack down opposition expressed by the Tea Party groups against the health care bill. There were no incidents of detentions, killings or intimidations during the Tea Party group moments launched from civilian or non-civilian security forces.

As we witnessed in the aftermath of the Tea Party events against the health care bill, there have been a number of arguments freely expressed and public debates going on in favor of and against the movement's opinion in a civil discourse in all kinds of free media.

Can the writer give me a single example of an opposition rally in the last five years where Ethiopian "opposition" groups were allowed to freely express their opinion in public demonstrations? Can he give me a single instance, in the last five years, where Ethiopian citizens were allowed to publicly demand for even their basic rights for food, water, shelter, protection, security, job, association, etc, leave alone an expression of opposition to public policy in Ethiopia?

Since the TPLF’s reign of terror in Ethiopia in the last 20 years, there were probably not more than 20 opposition public rallies in Ethiopia and in 99 percent of the cases there were mass detentions, killings or intimidations of citizens. Opposition groups and citizens have always been cornered, ridiculed and cracked down by the TPLF gangsters, with no room for genuine debate and accommodation, resulting in an extreme form of polarization and the kind of quagmire the country is in today.

In the United States, in thousands of places from small towns to big cities, thousands of public rallies are heard where citizens voice their concerns and oppositions daily, public officials are obliged to listen to these concerns and make changes in their polices and practices, other wise they are held accountable and face consequences by being voted out during the regualr free and fair elections held at all levels in the country.

TPLF’s Ethiopia is not such a place to be compared to the US. In Ethiopia, there is no rule of law, no accountability, no free and fair election, no freedom. I can’t understand why in the first place the writer chose to compare American democracy to that of Ethiopia. Ethiopia’s system is dictatorship and that of USA is democracy. They are incomparable! Any attempt to do so is just a futile intellectual exercise!! And my fellow Adal Isaw knows it deep inside his heart! But he will also be held accountable for his misinformation on D-day!!!

NO! To Sham Election in Ethiopia!!!

2010-03-21T15:14:00.002-04:00

Please dear fellow Ethiopians, it is time to say NO to sham elections in Ethiopia under TPLF thugs!!

Remember, TPLF’s slogan closer to the 2005 election was an “errorless election”! (enken yelesh mircha)! In fact, that slogan just was a pretense to deceive the international community, not a genuine belief in democracy within the TPLF. They soon revealed that it was a terrible miscalculation on the part of the TPLF after witnessing their defeat in the aftermath of the election.

That was when they decided they would never repeat that miscalculation in any future “elections” in Ethiopia. If you remember, that was when dictator Meles Zenawi openly came up with the discredited idea of the “Developmental State” argument and he forcefully asserted that Ethiopia does not need a multiparty democracy, lest the long term “development” goal of TPLF be interrupted. Following that assertion there were numerous incidents where Meles and Co. strongly argued in favor of the developmental state theory and that they openly stated that liberal democracy posed danger for Ethiopia’s development and existence.

Remember dear fellow Ethiopians, at least for the purpose of pretending, prior to 2005 election, they were opening up some space for the opposition to express its position to the public and to campaign. After finding out that they lost that election to the opposition, TPLF’s actions were to completely close the little openings for fair opposition maneuvers.

You know what followed after the election: mass killings of innocent Ethiopians and opposition supporters, mass jailing of supporters including opposition leaders (CUD). For almost the five years following the 2005 election, TPLF demonstrated that it can no longer entertain the slightest effort to accommodate opposition in the country. In effect, it was accusing and in logger heads with independent and international human rights organizations, media and public institutions that criticized its handling of human rights in Ethiopia.

In the subsequent years that followed, TPLF thugs and their supporters more openly advanced their argument that liberal democracy and multiparty politics are detrimental to the Ethiopian polity and were indicating that the best system for Ethiopia is Revolutionary Democracy led by one party. They were also openly advocating that what Ethiopians need is development not democracy, accusing western democracies of sabotaging Ethiopia’s “democratic” process.

The TPLF thugs have clearly demonstrated that they would not entertain any challenge from opposition groups and rights advocates by enacting the draconian NGO law and the “terrorism law”.

Even in the most recent interview that dictator Meles gave to local reporters, he preemptively indicated that opposition members who are complaining of mistreatment by TPLF will be tried by his kangaroo court and will be sent to jail after the “election”. Hooray, the verdict is already made on the opposition by the “Prime Minister” Meles, who is also the “supreme judge”. He said that they will only be tolerated now so that TPLF is not implicated as disrupting the “election”. In effect, Meles told us that he is holding an “election” just for the rhetoric and drama, not for the meaning and substance. So why should we go to vote for an already won “election”?

It is big time to say NO to sham election in Ethiopia!!!

Why Expect Accountability from TPLF Dictators?

2010-03-06T18:45:00.002-05:00

There was a lot of hype over the last week of TPLF’s illicit use of aid money to buy arms in the mid 1980s, while it was fighting to overthrow the then military government in Ethiopia. Since that news many have stated that for Ethiopians this revelation by the BBC was not a surprise at all.

I would even go further to say, it would be absurd to expect transparency and accountability from TPLF, whose ideology is still deeply rooted in Albanian Socialism, had come to power by the power of the bullet and is still ruling by the power of the bullet.

To this day, the TPLF thugs are the best experts in diverting donor money for unintended purposes in all sectors of the Ethiopian polity. Humanitarian and development aid, and loan monies are still siphoned continuously to fill the pockets of the TPLF thugs and to buy arms to intimidate and silence the the wider Ethiopian people and members and supporters of the opposition parties. Not only they use leaked donor money to silence Ethiopians at home, but also to prevent legislators in far away countries from passing laws that are not in their favor by paying lobbyists a generous sum of dollars.

The TPLF thugs believe their only accountability is to the international donor community and they believe they can always deceive them by using numbers. Woyane thugs are experts in putting arbitrary numbers in reports to convince the gullible or careless international community. We Ethiopians know that any figure used in any of the statistical reports in any sector of Woyane’s Ethiopia do not reflect reality! They are just arbitrary figures!!

But, though it has come late, it is good as it had rocked the dictatorial TPLF regime by exposing its secret deeds to the international public and policy makers. It would be even much appropriate if BBC could report not only of the past, but also the current abuses of famine aid money by the TPLF for political purposes.

We Ethiopians do not expect accountability from the TPLF dictators. The only way to freedom in Ethiopia today is fighting the Woyane by all means and removing them from power!! In fact their days are numbered!!

Beware of a “Terrorist Bombing in Addis Ababa” my fellow Ethiopians!!

2010-01-18T02:57:00.000-05:00

Woyane has always been using various tactics to blackmail the opposition within and outside of Ethiopia as terrorists to silence and intimidate opposition and to buy support from those who are always hallucinating about perceived attack from “terrorists” on their people and nations.

Although there is no real threat from the weakened opposition within Ethiopia to Woyane’s wiining of “election in 2010” that Woyane has been vangardly weakening since the 2005 election, Woyane has been lamenting about “terrorist attacks” directed at its leaders recently, and with the obejective of discrediting the 2010 elections in Ethiopia, and has jailed innocent Ethiopians in its dungeons.

For Woyane thugs, it is so easy to spill the blood of innocent civilians to just buy the support of countries that are overly reacting to the notion of perceived terrorism in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa Region. Preceding the 2005 Ethiopian election, Woyane has made similar threats and claimed of foiling such detonations of bombs in a cipiule of mass transit busses and trains operating in Ethiopia. But, given that the so called fake elections are approaching in Ethiopia, this time, Woyane will go as far as really detonating bombs, killing innocent Ethiopians traveling in city busses, where city buses are in operation, or inside busses traveling long distances on domestic long transport buses to make its stories of “terrorism” palatable to those who are blindly supporting it.

And I am sure, just to convince the gullible international community that there is a real threat from “terrorists”, Woyane will blast bombs on either public transportation facilities or inside hotels and places where members of the international community frequent in Addis Ababa or elsewhere in the country. For that matter, I remember stories of Woyane where an American was killed in a bombing of a taxi in Addis Ababa closer to the buildings of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs some years back.

I would thus advise my fellow Ethiopians and innocent members of the international community in Ethiopia to be vigilant of such sinister moves from the Woyane camp, and take all the necessary steps to protect themselves and not be the cannon fodders for Woyane’s agenda of staying in power indefinitely in Ethiopia.

A Victory Day for Ginbot 7 Movement

2009-12-22T16:59:00.000-05:00

When I read the news of Woyane’s death sentence over Ginbot 7 leaders on the internet at 7:00 am this morning, I was so engulfed with anger by the sheer arrogant act of the Kangaroo TPLF court. After a few moments of reflection I found my self extremely energized by a new sense of commitment for freedom and a new set of thinking. As I continued to reflect, I thought of many millions of Ethiopians who would be struck by a similar outrage and who would make the same kind of decision to advance freedom.

That then led me to believe that, in fact, Ginbot 7 movement and all freedom lovers will be much better off with his decision than not. At that point, I wished I had the telephone numbers of Ginbot 7 leaders to call them and congratulate them for what they have achieved today and they are standing for.

Woyane’s death sentence over Dr. Birhanu and his Ginbot 7 colleagues, elevates them to the status of Icons of Freedom both in Ethiopia and internationally.

Today is the day that Dr. Birhanu and his colleagues should really feel very proud of than be depressed by the nonsense death sentence, as it is the moment that would galvanize Ethiopians around the cause of freedom, as it is the moment that proved that they are the true beloved sons and daughters of Ethiopia whose life is being sought by the enemy. Today is also the day that millions of Ethiopians will flock en masse into the embracing arms of Ginbot 7 movement to further strengthen the struggle to force the TPLF ethnic dictators down and usher democracy in Ethiopia for good. They should also be proud today because today is the day millions of Ethiopians both at home and in the Diaspora will express their outrage over Woyane’s move to intimidate and silence opposition.

I am aware the lives of the heroes of the army and others who have also been sentenced to death and to life in prison in TPLF’s dungeons is at Woyane’s disposal, and I feel the immediate agony that their loved ones, families and friends are going through at this moment. But these heroes knew that the fight for freedom involved sacrifices, and they never expressed fear during all the fake trial they were subjected to. They knew they would be martyrs if they died for the cause they fought for.

I am not a member of Ginbot 7, but just a freedom lover who would love to give credit where credit is due.

Dear Ethiopians, let us celebrate Ginbot 7’s victory and build the movement by all our means. Let us expose the tyranny of the TPLF by all means we have.

Who Rules Ethiopia?

2009-12-18T18:36:00.000-05:00

According to Peter Heinlin of VOA Zenawi was angry that Ambassador Douglas Griffiths of the US acknowledged in front of the UN Human Rights Council members in Geneva that senior government positions were held by one ethnic group in Ethiopia ie Tigrayans. This truthful statement sent the foul mouthed dictator ranting and raving and calling Ambassador Griffths an idiot. So why did Meles go ballistic at Ambassador Griffiths’ statements?

A couple of months ago Ginbot 7 had exposed Tigrayan domination (58 out of 62) of the top positions in the so called Ethiopian Defense Forces which made it look more like a Tigrayan Force rather than a national force. Imagine if the top brass of the US military was exclusively composed of only Irish, Germans or Italians. Totally unthinkable right! But in a multi-ethnic society such as Ethiopia a minority ( 6%) ethnic group rules over a diverse population of 80 million at the barrel of a gun. The charade is exposed and the little dictator is mad as hell. By denying these charges and attacking the American envoy Meles is hoping that this story will not have any traction and wants to discourage others from ever raising this sensitive issue.

Sure, there are the token ethnic underlings such as Girma Birru ( Oromo) Addisu Legesse (Amhara) Teshome Toga (Wolayta) and a sprinkling of others with permanent positions within the tribal regime. The problem is having a sprinkling of Oromo and Amhara ( two groups that constitute 70% of the population) here and there does not give good cover at all. Meles has used these affirmative action quota positions to hood wink the donor community that under his 18 years of tribal reign Ethiopia has become a nirvana for ‘nations and nationalities.” While much of Africa has tried to shake off tribalism after independence, Meles, the poster child for the tribal ruler, has enshrined it in his constitution complete with tribal id cards Ethiopians are forced to carry.

Again a couple of months ago Ginbot 7 had exposed the total domination of the Ethiopian economy by the Tigrai People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) the ruling party in Ethiopia with some 66 companies under EFFORT e basically controlling all the strategic sectors of the economy. Sebhat Nega, the founder of TPLF and ex-Chairman of EFFORT confirmed in his VOA-Amharic program interview that indeed was true. The rest of the economy is controlled by the Saudi tycoon Al-Amoudi and other TPLF underlings. Meles as the head of government and as the head of his party has a choke hold on the economy to steal as much as he can and launder the money to his personal accounts overseas making the Tigrayan ruling elite fabulously wealthy. The donors belatedly are realizing that they are really enabling this obscene corruption taking place in Ethiopia. Meles knows this and is getting extremely nervous that the genie is out of the bottle. While he is willing to do anything for his paymasters, they on the other hand seem to belatedly realize the moral hazard of turning a blind eye to Zenawi’s excesses. In a nut shell, that is why the foul mouthed thug is ranting and raving against his paymaster’s envoy. If he loses their support he loses everything, for it will not take a day for Ethiopians to evict him from his squatter house – Menelik Palace.

It has really been a bad couple of weeks, bad press for Meles and that is why he is foaming at the mouth.

Prof. Mesfin, kill the enemy! Not people’s aspiration for democracy in Ethiopia!!!

2009-12-12T08:18:00.002-05:00

It is so painful to see Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam’s recent actions in derailing and disrupting the activities of UDJ and his playing into the hands of the TPLF thugs, as we notice the celebration and the fanning of his actions in the Aigaforum and other pro-TPLF websites.

I am not a fan of UDJ, nor do I approve UDJ’s move to challenge the TPLF in the upcoming fake 2010 elections in Ethiopia, although I am convinced that it would have become a credible alternative, with all its weaknesses, if there was an iota of space for free political competition in the country.

From my short membership experience in the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO), the Professor founded, I had a vivid opportunity to learn about Prof. Mesfin’s attitude towards power, although he always tried to claim that he is not a power seeker. Besides failing to put term limits to the position of the chairpersonship (which was assumed through regular election) of the organization in EHRCO’s constitution, he continuously kept the chairpersonship for himself, only alternating it with Prof. Andargachew, whom he crowned himself, sometimes in his absence.

Worst still, hidden behind the thick black lens of his glass, he was always infuriated whenever his opinion and position was challenged by a daring member, to the extent of ordering a background investigation on this daring member.

That was when I began to question the integrity of Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam as a genuine democrat and a leader, and his contradicting personality. How could he demand for a term-limit of a Prime Minister, that bestows more power and prestige, when he is not prepared to limit the terms of a chairperson in such a miniscule organization like EHRCO? How could he be an advocate of human rights, when he can not stand a person who used his right to freely express his opinion and who chose to ask a critical question in the organization he chaired? Despite these negative experiences, I gave him the benefits of a doubt, when he left EHRCO to join the Rainbow Coalition for Democracy, that later paved the way for the CUD.

From my observation, since his loss of prestige from the Ethiopian people, following the split of CUD, and his inability to be the king maker, what Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam has been doing since the TPLF-rigged 2005 election, is playing a destructive rather than a constructive role in Ethiopian politics and his fighting strategy has been wrongly directed at the opposition than on the dictatorial and the minority incumbent TPLF.

Professor Mesfin was hell bent on derailing the CUD, since he left the coalition early during its infancy, he was hell bent to kill Ginbot 7 movement, when the organization emerged as a credible alternative to the TPLF dictators, and he is now hell bent to kill UDJ, and gone in to the gutter to physically fight members of the party. Isn’t it amazing and contradictory when a person who professes about the rule of law takes the law into his own hands? And he does all this nonsense in front of the TPLF cameramen, which they are using for cheap propaganda.

The learned Professor Mesfin knows very well that there is no rule of law in Ethiopia that protects citizens from unlawful treatment, and is using that as an opportunity to promote hooliganism to attain his objective. If Prof. Mesfin is too much concerned about Birtukan Mideksa’s position being undermined in the UDJ, why blame members of the UDJ, who are victims themselves, than challenging the TPLF, by calling a peaceful rally in the TPLF corridors asking for her unconditional release, so that she is freed to reassert herself in her party? On the contrary, Prof. Mesfin has confirmed to the TPLF sympathisers that, even after his recent actions, he will not leave UDJ alone, but will continue to derail it and fight it.

Under what circumstances and conditions are such destructive actions of Prof. Mesfin justifiable and acceptable? And for how long should he be tolerated? As to me, he should be condemned and be told to refrain from acting similarly in the future. He should apologize to the Ethiopian people and leave the political scene. Other wise, he will not escape judgment on D-day!

ህዝብ፡ ለምኔ!

2009-11-09T20:07:00.000-05:00

ሓይሉ ሻውል
ገና ያኔ፡ ከመነሻው፣
ነበረ ያካሄዱ ፡ዉሉ፡ የጠፋው፣
መ አ ሕ ድ፡ ብሎ ፡ ጀመረ፣
መስሎ፡ የአማራው፡ ጠበቃ፣
ወዲያው ደግሞ ሊተናነቅ፣
ከአንጋፋው፣ ከመስራቹ፣ ፕሮፌሰር፡
አስራት ወልደየስ፣
ላንቃ ፡ ለላንቃ፣
ከዚያ፡ ደግሞ፡ ገሸሽ፡ አለ፣
ቆምኩለት፡ ካለው፡ ዓላማ፣
ብዙም፡ ሳይቆይ፡ ተመለሰ፣
የስልጣን፣ ጥሙን፣ ለማርካት፣
ሲታሰሩለት፣
ፐሮፌሰር፡ አስራት፣
አምሶና፡ አብጠልጥሎ፣
ድርጅቱን፣ መአሕድን፣
ብቅ፡ አለ፡ ደግሞ፡ ይዞ፡
አዲሱን፡ መኢአድን
አፍታም፡ ሳይቆይ፣
ደግሞ አለ፣
ተጣመርኩኝ፡ ከሕብረት፡ ሀይሎች፣
ግን፡ ወራት፡ እንኩዋን፡ አልሞሉም፣
አኩርፎ፡ ሲኮበልል፣
ከህብረቱ፣
ስልጣንን፡ በማጣቱ፣
ቀጠለ፣ የእውር፡ ድንብሩን፣
ደግሞ፡ ሌላ፡ ድንገት፡ ቢገኝ፣
ጠጋ፡ ብሎ፡ የሚቃኝበት፡
የስልጣን፡ ጥሙን፡ ለማርካት፣
መጣለታ፡ ቅንጅት፣
በሩን፡ ወለል፡ አድርጎ፡ከፍቶ፡
ጋበዘው፡
እንዲወጣ፡ የድርሻውን፣
ለዲሞክራሲ፡ ግንባታ፡
ቅንጅት፡ በዚያ፡ አላበቃም፣
እንዲያውም፡ ሰጠው፡ ስልጣን፣
የመሪነቱን፣
ነገር፡ ግን፤ የተገኘውን፡
በእርሱ፡ መሪነት፡ ሳይሆን፡
በሌሎች፡ ብልሆች፡ ብርታት
የ 97ቱን፡ ምርጫ፡ ድል፣
አሰቀለበሰው፣ ሓይሉ፡ ሻውል፣
ይኸ፡ የሰው፡ አጉዋጉል፣
ጉዋደኞቹን፡ ለመበቀል፣
ልብ፡ በሉ፡ ወገኖቼ፣
ሓይሉ፡ ሻውል፡
ይኽ፡ አንደበተ፡ ጎደሎ፡
በደርግም፡ ሰልጣን፡ ነበረው፣
ያበረበት፡ ከአምባገነን፣
ልጆቼን፡ ላሳድግ፡ብሎ፡
ይኸው፡ ዛሬም፡ ተፈራርሙዋል፣
ከ አምባገነኑ፡ እና፡ ከዘር፡ አጥፊው፡
ከወያኔ
በሃብት፡ ላይ፡ ሃብት፡ ለማፍራት፣
ስልጣንም፡ ለመቀራመት፣
ብሎ፡
ህዝብ፡ ለምኔ!

Why a Code for an already won “election”?

2009-11-01T23:38:00.000-05:00

The signing of the valueless “Code of Conduct for 2010 Election”, by nominal “opposition parties”: AEUP, EDP, and CUD” with the gangster TPLF has caused a sense of euphoria within the TPLF camp. The aim of the whole fiasco is part of TPLF’s deceptive strategy to dodge the gullible international community and give a false recognition to the powerless and egomaniac Hailu Shawel, Ayele Chamiso, and Lidetu Ayalew, through a photo opportunity with the dictator Meles Zenawi. Nothing more, and nothing less.

While there is nothing to celebrate, TPLF loyalists are shouting from all corners about this fiasco as a decisive moment in Ethiopia’s history towards a democratic transition. However, leave alone Ethiopians, even the targeted international community has doubts regarding this move, since they were repeatedly being told by the same TPLF loyalist thugs in no uncertain terms that TPLF is no friend of liberal democracy, and one party rule in the model of communist China is the best path for Ethiopia.

The fact that this “Code” is just a fiasco is coming to light, since we are already witnessing that even before the ink Hailu Shawel signed the agreement with dried, TPLF loyalist newspapers like the Ethio Channel, are accusing and sabotaging Hailu Shawel and his party (AEUP), as being immersed in corruption and engulfed by internal crisis. What a “Code”, that is breached by the very enforcer!! That is why I labeled it valueless from the beginning. Even the creator and enforcer doesn’t value it.

Although Hailu Shawel and the other two puppets declared that this was a really negotiated agreement, it is obvious from the process and the outcome that it was an imposed one, as also witnessed by Dr. Merara Gudina and Prof. Beyene Petros of MEDREK who declared the whole process as a “political theatre”. In fact, if it was a negotiated process, MEDREK’s demand for a unilateral engagement with the TPLF should have been respected and their concerns should have been heard and addressed. In stead, MEDREK was forced to exclude itself from the table and is now being told by Bereket Simon of the TPLF to be bound by the code it was not involved in and didn’t agree with.

The Ethiopian people who know what is going on in reality in Ethiopia, but who have no way of voicing their concern, will now be told about this “code” through the government controlled media until they are deafened and, even may be forced to come out and rally in support of the agreement by the Kebeles, who are rationing the basic food items the people depend on for their survival. The people may even come and rally by force, but they will not register and vote for TPLF. TPLF was rejected by the people in 2005 and has done nothing since then to win their favor.

The “code” fiasco, I believe is aimed at frustrating and confusing the Ethiopian Diaspora, who have been consistent in their resistance to TPLF’s divisive, monopolistic, and corrupt politics on the one hand, and to convince the gullible international community that there is now consensus within the opposition to hold a free and fair election in Ethiopia in 2010 on the other.

The moron and egomaniac Hailu Sahwel and the puppets Ayele Chamiso and Lidetu Ayalew have openly expressed that they trust the TPLF has come of age to conduct a free and fair election in Ethiopia. The international community may also endorse this and give the go ahead for the TPLF to run the show.

But, let it be known that, the voiceless Ethiopian people and the Ethiopian Diaspora do not believe that there would ever be a sustainable democratic change in Ethiopia with the TPLF thugs on the wheel. And we will fight this despotic TPLF regime to the end!!!

Here is Dictator Meles again with his Ultimatum

2009-10-27T20:47:00.000-04:00

Yesterday the dictator was pretending to call for the unity of Ethiopians behind TPLF in the name of famine. Today, he came back with his real face (again by the pseudonym of Adal Isaw in Aigaforum) full of anger with intent to ban the Ethiopian Diaspora from traveling to their homeland bogusly charging them as threats to national security.

As typical to all dictators whose days are numbered, his is colliding with every nation that does not sympathize with him, except Britain. His contemptible list of countries who are conspiring his demise is growing by the day, Iran, Libya, Lebanon, Egypt, Syria, Eritrea (did he forget Sudan?), USA, etc. I am sure after reading this post we will read a new list of enemy countries from Meles and his TPLF tomorrow.

To the dismay of every sane person, Meles is now accusing the opposition as promoters of faith based intolerance, when promoting religious and ethnic intolerance is his signature trademark, and warning that nothing will stop him from eradicating the, “self-exiled opposition” and its members and supporters in the name of preserving national security. He is also warning in advance the international human rights groups not to raise any issue of human rights violations in the aftermath of his action.

All these tactics are to intimidate the US and the West to buy their sympathy to allow him to cling to power without question. In reality, radicalizing and polarizing Ethiopia’s relations with the closest Middle Eastern countries would not be an advantage to Ethiopia’s long-term diplomatic and geo-political interest, but Meles is ready to compromise the country’s national interest for the short-term political gain.

The US and the West should never concede to these deceptive tactics of the dictator and should tell him to stop and to open up Ethiopia’s political environment to real electoral politics. That is the only way to guarantee long-term stability in Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa. .

Dictator Meles! Put the Politics and Economics Right first to End Hunger and Poverty in Ethiopia!!

2009-10-27T18:12:00.000-04:00

Dictator Meles (by the pseudonym, Adal Isaw) is back on Aigaforum with an article, “Enough is enough: there is ample time for politics”, in relation to the current famine that is endangering the lives of 14 million Ethiopians, with the hope of galvanizing the Ethiopian Diaspora behind the TPLF.

But I would say no to this futile and scaring tactics. Unless the politics and economics is put right first, there will never be an end to famine and poverty in Ethiopia. We know this famine is not just a result of unprecedented natural disaster in Ethiopia. It was a making of the TPLF’s disastrous economic policy and ethnic politics. TPLF’s land tenure, agriculture, environment, natural resource development, urban development, rural development, domestic and foreign trade policies were all flawed from their inception, and the minority Tigre dominated and ethnic politics that sow suspicion than trust amongst the Ethiopian people did not encourage productivity in all sectors of the Ethiopian economy.

We also know that TPLF had a history of using famine as a political tool. TPLF thrives through people’s hunger, poverty and crisis. They never cared for the loss of life. We know from their early history how they triggered Dergue to get “Howzen” bombed to get recognition internationally, we have heard from Gebremedhin, how they pocketed millions of dollars by forcing the mass movement of the people of Tigray into the Sudan territory to collect famine money on their behalf. We know how they denied entry of aid agencies to the Ogaden region to provide much needed emergency. We know how they used to deliberately facilitate the burning of forests and National Parks in the Southern and Oromia regions. We know how they triggered conflicts between different ethnic and religious groups where lots of lives were lost.

They can not tell us now how they care for people’s lives. Even recently, in the aftermath of the 2005 election, we know how they used donor food to force people to register in the kebeles to buy food ration.

There is no guarantee that TPLF will not use any future food assistance for a similar political purpose, especially in the run up to the already won “2010 election”. I am sure, if a condition was to be imposed where a neutral body, like international NGOs, local, NGOs or UN agencies oversee the whole management of the prospective emergency food aid , the TPLF will outright say NO, in the name of sovereignty. Since the issue for them is not saving life, but a hidden political end.

So my fellow Ethiopians, I understand that our people are at the verge of a crisis, people have already started dying of hunger. We might have to come to the consensus of helping our fellow Ethiopians who are passing through this ordeal, but it should be only under one condition: provided that this life saving effort is wholly overseen and managed by independent national and international institutions. Otherwise, it is another business opportunity for EFFORT/TPLF.

It is time to stop Meles: The Mad Dog of the Horn

2009-10-11T20:54:00.003-04:00

Of recent, when all the tail wagging to lure the Obama administration and the western democracies did not buy him any sympathy from them, dictator Meles is now openly expressing his contempt for democracy and multiparty election, as the subsequent writings of Adal Isaw of Aiga Forum (non other than Meles himself) reveal. In his most recent statement, “A Challenge to Election Observers”, Meles is questioning election observers why should they focus on freeness and fairness of an election and presenting China as a country that did not hold an election for 60 years but has become a world economic power as a success case study.

Mind you, it is this mad dog who is pretending to hold an election, but at the same time who is advocating that focus should not be made on freeness and fairness of the election process. From his statements the election outcome is already determined and Meles’ TPLF is presumed the winner and there will not be transfer of power. In this scenario, why in the hell should “election observers” be invited to Ethiopia in the first place? It is reported that close to 150 million Ethiopian Birr is allocated for the “2010 election”. In a country where more than 14 million people are starving, why should the mad dog be allowed to waste this sum of money for a fake “election”?

Meles is suggesting to the US and the West that he will shift his wagon to China and Russia, if in anyway they try to influence the democratic process in Ethiopia, in the pretext of sovereignty. He is also trying to warn the US and the West that the Horn of Africa will descend into havoc without him being recognized as the regional police.

The US and the West have intervened in the aftermath of rigged elections and subsequent mass detentions and killings in Kenya and Zimbabwe, and recently condemned the brutal killings of civilians in Gineau-Conakry, and asked the military dictator to step down. The blood of Ethiopians is no thinner than any other African, and Ethiopians also deserve an equal treatment from the US and the West in the face of brutal dictatorship that is undermining their future.

It is time for the US and the West to give an ultimatum to Meles to make the upcoming “2010 election” real using their leverage. The US and the West are the major financiers of development aid in Ethiopia and have real power to influence the democratic process for the benefit of the Ethiopian people and the stability of the Horn of Africa region.

Meles is just moving into Somalia in full force to distract international attention away from the election issues. Inciting conflict within and without is his best strategy to cling on power. He should be stopped by all concerned!!! And the time is now!!!

Meles the Dictator Caught Unaware

2009-09-27T00:14:00.004-04:00

Dictator Meles always took care not to convey inconsistent messages to his audience, particularly, the international community during interviews. Although he knows deep inside him that whatever political phrases or statements he utters are just lies, he always pretended as if he spoke the truth while bluffing his regurgitated responses with a false sense of confidence.

But humanly and naturally, you can not maintain that consistency, when you are a pathological liar. Somewhere, sometime, you will be caught unaware. That was what exactly happened to the dictator Meles a couple of weeks ago, when he was interviewed by his own mouthpiece newspaper, the Ethiopian reporter, regarding what advise he would give to his daughter if she was to enter into politics.

His advice to his daughter, or for that matter, anyone aspiring to become a politician in Ethiopia was, “to stay away from politics”, similar to the old Ethiopian adage that goes, “politikana korenti beruku”. With that response, I believe dictator Meles has for the first time spoken his heart and mind. He forgot that he had to pretend. May be, because the interviewer was his own pawn.

But again, during the same interview, when he was asked about the “opposition parties’” involvement in the “2010 election”, he accused them of trying to blackmail the “upcoming election” by trying to boycott the election.

Why does a dictator that advices people to stay away from politics, and does everything in his power to keep them away from assuming political power through an election on the one hand try to give them incentive (distribution of money through the “election board”) and intimidate them to participate in the “election”. Wasn’t he advising them to boycott and stay away from politics?

In democracies, citizens are encouraged to participate in politics, and those who run for public office are given due respect. And once in office, they exercise their duties and responsibilities governed by the law. Dictator Meles always thought and believed he is the only “god send”, qualified to rule Ethiopia, while all others have to stay away. All along he has been pretending to be a democrat, but his true nature was revealed in his words, I public.

For us we always knew, he will only relinquish his power by force. And we will force him, for sure!!!

Why Expect a Pigeon’s Egg from a Snake?

2009-09-05T20:38:00.003-04:00

I never had doubted about the destructive motives of the TPLF thugs, even when they were fighting their gorilla war in the 1970s, as their ultimate objective was to separate Tigray from the rest of Ethiopia. Every policy they have implemented since their assumption of state power in Ethiopia has been special treatment of Tigray against all odds. Their whole objective since 1991 was consolidating Tigre supremacy than delivering services to the Ethiopian people.

Soon after their entry to the capital, their first attempt was to call for fake and opportunistic ethnic entities to participate in the “Transitional Charter”, that they were able to dictate its outcome, legitimizing their governing of the country as a coalition of ethnic representatives. That was when they were able to recruit their pioneer fake ethnic representatives, like Tesfaye Habisso, Beyene Petros, Simon Mechale, Petros Wontamo (all southerners), in addition to what they already had for the OPDO (Kuma Demeksa, Aba Dula Gemeda, Hassen Ali, etc) and ANDM (Tamirat Layne, Addisu Legesse, Tefera Walwa, Bereket Simon was already a woyane member disguised as Amhara), to endorse their “Transitional Charter” that ensured the division of Ethiopia along ethnic lines, and preferential treatment of Tigray on the pretext of being marginalized and affected during the civil war.

They then instigated vengeance against the Amhara in Arbagugu, Bedeno, Chelenko, sowing the seed of hatred amongst Ethiopian societies that have lived in harmony for generations. Such kind of TPLF instigated ethnic conflicts continued unabated in Awassa, Bech Madji Zone, Gambella, Gedio and Borana Zones. Such ethnic conflicts continue to happen to this day in all parts of the country, unfortunately with the support of the federal government and the involvement of the federal army.

Along side with this ugly promotion of ethnic division is, the concurrent strategy of the TPLF that tries to undermine the free movement of people, by confining them to learn and work only in their ethnic language, that would eventually bar them from moving to any other parts of the country as they would not be able to speak the language of that ethnic group or region.

The level of discrimination has reached an untold proportion in Ethiopia where , members of the Tigre Ethnic groups have controlled everything in the country: entry level public sector jobs (cleaners, messengers, guards, secretaries, etc) to all sectors of the professions (physicians, engineers, teachers, geologists, lawyers, etc.) businesses (where the EFFORT is on top of everything) and politics (the cadres/indoctrinators of the Revolutionary Democracy).

There have recently been reports of widespread conflicts, hungers, and medical emergencies in the country, particularly that of cholera, consuming the lives of people in the capital, Addis Ababa, and spreading all over the country at an alarming rate, which the TPLF is denying.

Instead, the TPLF thugs are busy, pretending, negotiating with the non-existing opposition in Ethiopia towards the upcoming 2010 election, in a forum organized by the British Embassy in Addis, Meles , is bluffing about vetoing the climate talk in Copenhagen (as if Meles is concerned to any of the real issues affecting the Ethiopian and the African peoples, and as if he has any power of influencing global policies as a beggar).

My fellow Ethiopians, let us wake up!! TPLF has always been consolidating its power, to control every aspect of the people over the last 19 years, not delivering services to the Ethiopian people. And it is boldly setting the stage further to continue to rule by force, no matter what!!! Today is the day we have to pledge ourselves to an urgent mission of saving our country from the TPLF gangsters, not tomorrow!!! Don’t expect a pigeon’s egg from a snake!!!

Every Inch of Land in Ethiopia is Our Home, Including Bench Madji Zone

2009-09-04T15:12:00.002-04:00

Today, I am writing as a very proud Ethiopian, born to parents who belong to two different ethnic groups from the southern parts of Ethiopia. But I am writing today because I was saddened by the usual sickening effort of the TPLF to always confine Ethiopians to reside and thrive only in their ethnic enclaves.

The TPLF mouth piece, the Ethiopian Reporter, wrote two days ago (09/02/09) about the repatriation of 804 “Amharan” households “illegally settled” in “Bench Madji Zone” of the “Southern Region”, back to Humera in “Amhara Region”.

Why was it in the first place “illegal” for them to move to any place within the Ethiopian border and settle, as long as the neighborhood has welcomed them, unless freedom of movement and settling in any part of the country is made illegal in the Ethiopian “Constitution:”? From the Reporter article it can be inferred that these settlers have been living there for about two years, and have been farming and happy in their new home, growing rice, pepper, and oil seed (selitt), all important products for domestic consumption and export. This shows that the settlers were welcome by the local residents, as they have been actively farming and harvesting their products in the last two years.

If there was any problem with the locals, they would not have been able to farm and harvest in the last two years. But because the local people didn’t care about ethic politics, and welcomed and accommodated these people, the TPLF was angry and sought a strategy of repatriating them back to “Amhara Region” against their will, leaving their harvest and anticipated profits (I am sure, a couple of kilos of pepper would have fetched them more than 140 Birr they were handed out during their repatriation).

The other reason the Reporter gave to their repatriation was that these settlers occupied a land that was intended for investors. Who are these investors (foreign or nationals) and how many people they are expected to hire from the local people is not clear in the article. If we multiple 804 households by the average family size in Ethiopia, which is 6, we have approximately five thousand individuals being dislocated form the site. Will the investor hire more than 5000 people in the area? Nothing is clear from the article. Should we give a priority to an investor over a citizen in such a scenario?

And if at all these people have to be resettled, why back to “Amhara region”? Aren’t there other places in Ethiopia which can accommodate these people in other parts of the country? Why make them feel they can only live in “Amhara Region”? This is a consistent strategy of the TPLF to confine everybody to their ethnic enclaves, eventually making them believe that they are different, forcing them to believe that they belong to these or that ethnic group before they are Ethiopians, to which they have to say no.

I beg every Ethiopian to say no to this sinister motive of TPLF, express their anger to such moves of the TPLF that is heading towards fragmenting the country.

Elleni Gebremedhin: Really, what are you up to and/or what are you running away from?

2009-08-16T01:46:00.000-04:00

It looks like that Elleni Gebremedhin, PhD, the CEO of the Ethiopian Commodity Exchange (ECX), is really targeting the Ethiopian Diaspora intellectuals in her recent article posted on Aigaforum, where she told her Ethiopian story.

Elleni’s story is really a magnificent story, and a story every Ethiopian shares and very proud of. For that matter, no one in Ethiopia is “pure bred” ethnically, as Ethiopians have been intermarried for generations, as Elleni’s story clearly demonstrates.

In fact, Elleni shouldn’t have come that long to explain in such detail about her ethnic background. Who Elleni is ethnically shouldn’t have been a matter at all, and it did not and does not matter for the majority of Ethiopian Diaspora intellectuals.

In reality, it is the TPLF, whom the dear CEO is loyally serving, that is trying to see everything with ethnic lenses, and that wants to confine every Ethiopian in their ethnic enclaves. It is the TPLF, who is deliberately forcing every Ethiopian to be identified by their ethnic identity than by their Ethiopianness. That is why the TPLF tagged every Ethiopian with an ID Card, displaying their ethnic identity, in order to enable it to discriminate and target Ethiopians that did not belong to a Tigre ethnic group.

Elleni should have thus addressed her article, her anger and frustrations over narrow ethnic politics, to the TPLF thugs, whom she is loyally serving than to the Ethiopian Diaspora or the Ethiopian public in general. The Ethiopian Diaspora is against the TPLF ethnic politics. Dear Elleni, you would be better off, if you advise and admonish the TPLF thugs to abandon their narrow ethnic politics and to advance unity in diversity.

Elleni also mentioned her love for Ethiopia and why she decided to return after more than thirty years of life overseas, to contribute to the rebuilding of Ethiopia in the best way she can.

I believe, many highly educated and experienced Ethiopians in the Diaspora fled Ethiopia fearing persecution from the successive dictatorial regimes in Ethiopia. The number of Ethiopians fleeing the country, particularly over the last decade, fearing persecution from the TPLF is on the increase. Many others, who were studying and working in the West, also chose not to return to Ethiopia, as they witnessed the increasing dictatorship prevailing under the TPLF. Still many others, who have obtained citizenship and permanent residence status, chose to freely advocate for their fellow Ethiopians in their countries of residence. These Diaspora Ethiopians are the heroes and the voices of the millions of Ethiopians who are denied every right in their country.

The TPLF had always tried to entice these people to return to Ethiopia and invest, work in the civil service and the TPLF power machinery, on conditions that they remain silent in the face of the gross human rights violations that the TPLF is conducting. If they had returned to Ethiopia to loyally serve the TPLF thugs, they would have enjoyed money, fame, luxury and power. But many of them stood their ground, followed their conscience, and refused the lavish offer of the TPLF and, in stead committed themselves to fight for the freedom of their fellow Ethiopians. By so doing, they refused to legitimize the TPLF as a democratic, popular or developmental government in the face of the Ethiopian people and the international community. These Diaspora Ethiopians are now working hard, in unity to force TPLF surrender power to the people of Ethiopia.

Having grown up, studying, and working in the world’s famous democracy, the USA, I say, Elleni should have known better. So, I have some sincere questions for my dear CEO:

Whether or not you believe the Albanian socialist model policies of the TPLF would really pull out Ethiopia from the ditch of poverty the country is in now? Whether or not you believe the divisive ethnic politics of the TPLF would bring development and harmony in Ethiopia? Whether or not you believe that preferential treatment of TPLF owned businesses would not affect the healthy development of businesses and the economy in Ethiopia. Whether or not you believe it is just for the TPLF, that constitutes only six percent of the Ethiopian population, should control every economic, political and social sector of life in Ethiopia today? Whether or not, you believe that every kind of expression of dissent should be brutally punished? Whether or not you believe that any independent civil society group in Ethiopia should be crushed in the name of being labeled “foreign financed”? Whether or not you believe that the “terrorism law” TPLF just enacted is not terrorizing the Ethiopian people?

If you do not believe in anyone of these questions, why are you loyally serving the TPLF regime, and not raising question? If you really believe they are democrats, why don’t you criticize them on their wrong policies and actions, instead of keeping quiet?

Dr. Elleni, you have now opened up the debate. And I want you to sincerely respond to the above and many questions and issues I did not enumerate, but are burning inside me, in what I believe the apartheid-TPLF is subjecting Ethiopians to.

I really want to hear from you and want to know, if the reason you retuned to Ethiopia was to satisfy your ego for power, fame, money, luxury or are you running away from something that we don’t really know?

I am sure the TPLF for now will give you all the stage, media and the resources, as long as you continue to loyally serve them and legitimize them and help them embolden in the face of the international community. The TPLF thugs will use you very well, you are now in the limelight, as long as, you keep silent and give a blind eye and deaf ear to the sufferings of the Ethiopian people caused by the TPLF.

Dr. Elleni, the TPLF is a rotten and dying regime. I am not sure how intimate you are to the top TPLF thugs and what secrets you know of their next plan in destroying Ethiopia. You better come out now and speed up their demise, rather than be found on the wrong side of history on D-day!!

Aigaforum, better apolgize than evade your shameful comment

2009-08-06T02:17:00.002-04:00

Aiagforum came up with thier response to Yilma Bekele's article in relation to his critical comment of Aigaforum's use of the "N***" word against Obama's administration. By the way, I did not understand what the purpose of the picture was under their title, "Things must be very bad for the Yilma's", where the buthcer Meles was taking a photo opportunity, while everyone else in the meeting seemed to be seriously engaged in something at the G8 meeting. For me, the picture does not tell any story than the simple opportunistic nature of Aigaforum's "King of Lions".

Instead of apologizing for their use of the despicable word, Aigaforum is trying to evade the over sight of their gross mistake and angered response to the adminstration's sidelining of the Ethiopia's dictators, with Hilary Clinton's first seven-nation tour to Africa, under the pretext of their being part-time bloggers, unlike the full-timer Yilma.

To my assessment, Aigaforum is the full-time blogger that manages a huge blog and has the time to write and post all the nonesense misinforming articles about the TPLF and its "sucesses" day in and day out, financed by the TPLF thugs. And to me, Yilma looks like a more seasoned, reflective and independent writer, whose conscience I trust more, in all the articles he publishes.

TPLF and its mouthpiece Aigaforum, were politically posturing, by celebrating Obama's inauguration at the Sheraton Addis, as the first African American president, and were pretending to be proud of their African brother, in the hope of dodging the new administration to blindly support their dictatorship.

And now, when the Obama administration began to be critical of butchers and dictators, like Meles, the TPLF and its mouthpiece Aigaforum could no longer pretend to be the proud Africans, when they spat their uncensored "N*** word".

Evading responsibility under the pretext of being a part-time blogger and having a broken English is not enough. This is not Ethiopia, where you can run away with anything with impunity. This is America, where you are held responsible to every word you use in politics. Take responsibility and apologize!!!

Another Plea to My Fellow Ethiopians in the Diaspora

2009-07-10T22:56:00.003-04:00

I am certain that Diaspora Ethiopians anywhere in the world are 100 percent in a better position to express their opinion freely than their counterparts in Ethiopia. And given the number of Ethiopian population, as compared to other African countries, I presume there are quite a good number of Ethiopian intellectuals in the Diaspora, who could be a voice to their compatriots, whose voice is suppressed in Ethiopia.

But a cursory look at various websites managed by Africans, makes me feel so embaressed about the very little information being posted by Ethiopian intellectuals revealing the very grim political and economic situation prevailing in Ethiopia. While there is an abundance of written materials, posted in websites managed by Africans about the human rights violations and corruption, even in samll countries like Ruwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabawe, etc., there are very few such revealing articles posted about Ethiopia at best and very contradictory, demotivating and divided (not targeted at the culprtit, the TPLF) at the worst.

It is true that woyane has a few fervent supporters, looters and killers, who are part of the status quo, belonging to the Tigre ethnic group, and paid writers, who work day and night, deligently, as thier full time job, to project woyane as a learning and changing party. These groups are at work, non stop, defending woyane/TPLF, at any cost, to avoid accountability.

The attitude of Ethiopian intellecuals in the Diaspora is extremely worrying. Either we have become the vctims of TPLF's divisive policy and strategy, or we have become so immature or selfish to notice the bigger picture of building a united and strong Ethiopia. For sure, individually, there are so many Ethiopian Diaspora intellecuals who could be leaders of Ethiopia, But when it comes to reality, we have to admit that, Ethiopia could only have one leader at a time. It looks like that the desire to become a leader or the most influential person, within the Diaspora intellectuals is blinding many from seeing the bigger picture and holding them from cooperating with each other to build a strong coalition.

Let me pose some questions to my fellow Ethiopian intellectuals in the Diaspora and leaders of the oposition in the Diaspora:

As intellectuals and opposition leaders, are we incapable of building consensus? Are we incapable of reconciling our differences and build a united front? Are we incapable of making compromises for the sake of the greater vision of building a democratic and united Ethiopia? For how long can we allow the suffering of millions of Ethiopians to continue under the yoke of Meles & Co.?

If we were united and were able to make a concerted effort to reveal the truth about the brutal dictatorship and ethnofaciscitic nature of the TPLF/Woyane, we would have been able to convey a very strong message to the Ethiopian pepole at home and abroad, and to the international community.

Our information and education campaign using the internet is so week and divided, with conflicting messages to would be supporters/sypathizers of the opposition camp. I think, many still feel confused and hopeless, not sure if any of their effort to reveal the truth, discrediting TPLF/Woyane, would matter or make a difference, in the face of such divided circumstances.

Ginbot 7 has declared that it would enage TPLF/Woyane using all kinds of mechanisms to force it step down, even using force, if necessary.

An intensive, strong and united front on the internet domain aginst TPLF's misinformation campaign is equally powerful in forcing TPLF down.

Dear Ethiopian Diaspora intellectuals, the time is right now, for you to play that decisive role in shortening the suffering of yor fellow Wthiopians. Informing the people!!! It is an equally effective tool in getting rid of the TPLF!!!

A Plea to My Fellow Ethiopians

2009-07-03T06:26:00.002-04:00

A futile discussion is going in the cyber world about Meles Zenawi's departure from power. Aiga and the Ethiopian Reporter have made this discussion a fan fare. And other non pro-TPLF websites are also intertaining this discussion. I am very saddened by these developments. That is exactly what the TPLF thugs want us to engage ourselves in and waste our valuable time and distract our attention from the core issues that have to be dealt in Ethiopia.

As to me, the core issue is, the minority TPLF thugs are, in control of Ethiopia, and sucking it to its death. That is the issue every concerned Ethiopian has to hammer, deal with, and seek the solution for.

The TPLF thugs, Meles and Co. have ammassed millions of aid and tax dollars, their Tigrayan kins are in charge of every department and section in every government sector, while they only constitute 6% of the Ethiopian population. They are also controlling the "regions" from behind the scene. Much of developemtn resource is directed to Tigrayover the last 18 years of Woyane rule. Just compare the number of Ineternational Airports Tigray has, to the Southern or other regions. Tigray has Mekele, Aksum and Adowa Airports, besides the airstrip in Adigrat (totally four). Compare this to the South, an air strip in Arbaminch, and Awassa. And in Oromia, airstrips in Jimma, Nekempte, Dembidollo. And in Amhara one international airport in Bahirdar (much less sophisticated than the one in Mekele), and airstrips in Desse, Lalibella, and Gondar.

I leave the judgement to you Ethiopians. While Tigray has about 4 state of the art airports (with 6% of the the general Ethiopian population), the rest of the country (Oromia, Amhara, and South), with more than 75% of the population has only less than 10 airports. The physically huge Somali and Afar regions have negligible airports. Is this fair? Shouldn't we talk about this? Shouldn't Meles and Co. be held accountable to this gross injustice? Shouldn't every Ethiopian focus on exposing these injustices with emprical evidence in every sector of the Ethiopian polity/society?

All of us have at least a moral obligation to tell the truth, and make the Ethiopian people aware and make the judgement as to how the TPLF should be dealth with.

Meles and Co. have destroyed Ethiopia, thier hands are soaked with so many inocent Ethiopians' blood, and have accumulated wealth unheard of in Ethiopian political history, and will never, never, never, relinquish power in anyway (election or voluntary resignation) unless forced.

The discussion should be how should we force them to step down and hold them accountable!!! Any other futile discussion is allowing them to humilate the masses and destroy the country irriverisbly.

My fellow Ethiopians, I beg you all, to focus where focus is due.

Outright Adimission: Time is Running Out for TPLF

2009-06-27T21:06:00.003-04:00

The TPLF mouthpiece (The Ehiopian Reporter)in it last two editorials (June 21 and 24, 2009)published about the need for some TPLF executives to voluntarily resign from office and about time running out for TPLF in relation to the conflict with Eritrea and Somalia, and the need for urgency and pleaded for strengthening unity.

What I had mentioned in a couple of my earlier articles regarding the crisis in the TPLF and the expected blame games and increased acts of repression and acts of confusion was not just a tale tale or a prophecy, but an accurate analyisis of the course of a dictatorship.

The aparthied-like TPLF regime nevr qualified to be an Ethiopian government. From its inception, the mission of TPLF was to weaken and destroy the country by didviding it along ethnic lines so as to bring a complete control of the minority Tigre ethnic group at the helm of state power. Over the last 18 years of its rule, TPLF has achieved this mission. TPLF members and sympathisers control everything in the country. They have amassed wealth, that could never be thought of in Ethiopia. They have have dished out Ethiopian land to neighbouring countries. They have sown seeds of animosity amongst ethnic groups, and encouraged and instigated ethnic conflicts in various parts of the country.

They still want to rule the Ethiopian people for 20-30 years, with impunity, in one way or another, as Meles wishes in his new love for "Developmental State" theory. But to deceive others, particularly the international community, they talk about holding an "election" in 2010. They even go as far as saying, there is no other way for the "opposition" except participating in the "election". And these days, hey ar also saying, they would welcome international obervers! The hoodwinking of the international community continues. But, they know for themselves and we Ethiopians know that there could not be a genuine opposition in the killing and jailing fields of TPLF's Ethiopia.

But there is an ovewhelming silent resistance and total rejection of TPLF and its miserably failed policies. Cracks from within the ruling regime are also becoming visible in recent days. Opposition groups that have organized underground in Ethiopia and are strong outside Ethiopia are also gaining ground.

To distract the attention of the international community from closely scrutinizing the repression of resisitance within Ethiopia, TPLF has, once again, rushed into Somalia, in the name of "fighting terrorism", TPLF may also ask for some more time until they win this "war of terror", how can they hand over power in the "middle of war?"

For TPLF thugs, whatever problem that exists in Ethiopia today is caused by others not them, even after 18 years of ruling!!! They have always been blaming the Emperor, the derg,opposition forces and the "vocal diaspora" for all Ethiopia's woes. And these days, they have also turned their blame on their unusual suspects, the World bank, the IMF, Western donor governments, the "silent majority diaspora", the "opportunistic majority diaspora", Sufian Ahmed of the Ministry of Finance, Teklewold Atnafu of the Central Bank, Samiya Zakaria of the Central Statistical Authority (to hoodwink the Amhara). Sure, there would be more to come in the coming dyas, weeks and months!

It is true that time has run out for TPLF. It is true that it is now ruling the country, still, under a state of emergency. It is also true that it is trying to hoodwink the people and the international community, pretending to look like ready to leaving office. That is not the way forward. The bitter pill TPLF has to swallow is stepdown and negotiate with all stakeholders in Ethiopian politics. Anything less than this may buy TPLF time, but will not save it from demise. All pleas for unity won't help, it just falls on deaf ear. You can't reap what you did not sow!! You have been divinding people all the last 18 years, and they won't just come to rescue you. Yes time is running out for TPLF!! No doubut, we would soon celebrate our victory!!!

The Quest for Reconciliation: New Question or Another Rescue Operation?

2009-06-07T20:20:00.003-04:00

I just read an artilce on the Ethiopian Reporter (ER) of June 07, 2009, where the ER quoted Prof. Gebru Tareke, saying, "Celebrating Ginbot 20 wouldn't help reconciliation", from the interview they had with the professor. And it just reminded me of many cries from senior Ethiopian citizens, asking the same questionnot, to not inflame wounds between the brotherly people of Ethiopia, just over 17 years ago, when the TPLF thugs and its sympathisers were beating their drums on Ginbot 20, humilating the Ethiopian people and the disbanded Ethiopian army.

Nobody gave an ear to that wisdom then, and the inflaming of wounds and insulting of the wider Ethiopian people continued unabetted. Hundreds of thousands of parents, who lost their children in the civil war were being forced to bow their heads in humilation, and belittled while being asked to partake in the "victory" of the few.

In fact humilating the people was not only limited to celebrating Ginbot 20, its ramifications were reflected in alieniating the wider people from the day to day running of the country, by monopolizing all critical positions in the military, civil and security institutions by peolple from Tigre Ethnic groups.

Just a few days ago, one of the founders of TPLF, Aboy Sebhat Nega, in a Radio interview with Hagerfikir in Washington, DC, said that Ginbot 20 is an everlasting festival in Ethiopia, he wants to continue humilating, not reconciling.

The humilated Ethiopian masses have now stood up and are saying enough is enough. The TPLF dictators, who always felt that they are invincible, because thier commands have always been obeyed by virtue of their bullet, and their subordinates were overwhelmed by fear, are now beginning to see the crack from within and without. Their coherence is now in tatter, and the balance of fear is shifting from the people they used to oppress, kill, maim, and jail towards their own camp. It is time within the TPLF circle, that no one trusts the other, it is time to blaming each other and, it is time to defect (if possible). In addition to TPLF's unpopularity, the military is also now defecting in masse, speeding TPLF's downfall.

Yet, I am not suggesting that there should not be reconciliation. It is long over due!! In fact, as things are going now, I don't think the TPLF will have a chance to celebrate one more Ginbot 20!! Even then, it is time to sow the seed of love and reconciliation.

But, what I am saying is that the TPLF butchers should not scape justice in the name of reconciliation. There can be no peace, democracy and development without justice.

What I am now sensing from this plea coming from the TPLF mouthpiece (Reporter) is that Meles and his colleagues are contemplating of negotiating with the opposition in exchange for amnesty. That sould never happen. Meles and Co. should be held accountable for their crime against humanity.

In the context of the foregoing explanation, I welcome the Professor's question, even though, it is not a new question and it came late. But, if it is another attempt, from an intellecual of Tigre ethnic group (I feel sad when I use this distinction), to rescue TPLF criminals from facing justice, it will no be acceptable.

Hell or High Water, There is no Turning Back

2009-06-06T12:29:00.004-04:00

I don't understand why, whenever the TPLF thugs are cornered from all directions, and are at the brink of breaking, all those who were pretending to be genuine critics of the regime quickly come to their rescue? I have come to question the integrity of these people, particularly in the last couple of days, from what they have written in relation to opposition effort to explore opportunities of harnessing prospective relations with Eritrea.

Let me, bluntly, ask and challenge Dagmawi and Ethiopian Recycler, what their real objectives are when they are undermining opposition efforts and try to equate it to a tactic of power hungry individuals to come to the negotiating table?

I would also like to bluntly refute that their proposed solution to remove the TPLF dictators is not only workable, but rather would further extend their grip to power.

In an earlier article I have argued that, there is nothing wrong in working in partnership with Afeworki of Eritrea, if he has come of age and learned from his past mistakes of weakening Ethiopia. As I said earlier, leaders can make mistakes, learn from them and make a renewed commitment to rebuild a new partnership. There is no doubt that Eritrea will benefit from a friendly and strong Ethiopia in more ways than one. Or are they claiming that leaders do not learn, what so ever? As Afeworki himself said, TPLF and its sympathisers would never want any trust developing between Ethiopians and Eritreans and their leaders.

Ethiopian Recycler also argued that military solution would not work. As to me, no serious opposition would have contemplated, let alone, choose, a military solution had TPLF opened the slightest of real opportunity for opposition to function freely inside Ethiopia? The whole of the Ethiopian people and the world know what happened after the 2005 election. The space for opposition has increasingly been narrowing to a choking point, at this stage, where people are now denied to even read or listen to a different opinion. In fact, TPLF is just tabling a law in "parliament" to freely spy, torture and jail any potential real opposition to its power. So how is opposition going to "thrive" in Ethiopia, in such an environment, Sir?

Engaging dictators militarily is not a totally unacceptable option. Of recent, some liberal intellectulas have developed plausible arguments supporting the idea of entertaining the use of military power or coup de etat as a potential strategy to remove unelected dictators from power.

Ethiopian Recylcer has also proposed about putting pressure on donors not to support the TPLF thugs. We have seen how any such attempt by donors have been handled by TPLF in the past. TPLF thugs have looted plenty of wealth from the nation and any stick from donors is not going to affect them immediately. Even when suspending development assistance is used as a stick, it would be the population that would suffer, and TPLF does not worry about the suffering of people. In fact they would knowngly starve people, to force donors regreat their decision. Dictators do not easily submit to donor pressure. Also donors wouldn't go that further to force dictators out, if they have some immediate national and security interests. It should be by the people themselves that dictators have to be dealt with.

I don't think Ginbot 7 chose the startegy it chose, not by default but by design, using all strategies to get rid of TPLF from power. It is not a miscalculation at all, but rather a working strategy!! There was no need to give in to TPLF and, willingly be silenced, as the rest of the opposition at home are being treated. There is no opposition in Ethiopia today, except on the NEB("National Electoral Board)directory.

And why is calling a spade a spade seen as a hate rhetoric? Why are we trying to distance ourselves from the truth in the name of civility? Isn't it obvious that all the top brass in the military, civil and security institutions are from Tigre ethnic group? And is that just, or fair? Isn't it true that some TPLF loyalists of
Tigre ethnic groups are in control of business in Ethiopia today? Why is revealing
the truth called hate? Is it better to call a spade a spade and try to seek the medicine now, or keep silent, hide the truth underneath and let anger boil and destoy societal fabric later when it exploded. Is that the solution being proposed by Ethiopian Recycler?

Last, but not least, there have been repeated calls and there will be continued call for the general people of Tigre ethnic group and intellectuals of Tigre ethnic origin, as Ethiopians, to embrace the struggle of the Ethiopian people for freedom and democracy. Even the "Tigre intellectuals who are working feverishly behind the scene to extend TPLF's life", would be better off in the long term if they embrace the wishes of the wider Ethipian people, and join the struggle. But, nobody would force them or beg them if they choose to be thrown in the dust bin of history as do the TPLF thugs.

Fighting for Freedom is not TPLF's Exclusive Domain

2009-05-29T22:53:00.002-04:00

The emergence of Ginbot 7 as a popular movement and its becoming a real threat to TPLF's monopoly of power has caused a lot of fear and confusion within the TPLF circle. That is why we hear contradicting statements here and there.

Just a couple of weeks ago, in an interview with Africa Confidential, Meles was heard saying, Ginbot 7 ("the group") is not a challenge, but a significant irritant, but their real worry is the trained terrorists of al-shahbab. On the other hand they keep on labelling Ginbot 7 movement as a terrorist group, in the hope that it will stick in the face of the international community, and theirby legitimize their intention of crushing this popular movement. That is the move when, Zeru Hagos parroted, "Aweys out and Andy in" in his recent article in the TPLF mouthpiece (Aiga Forum), refering Andargachew Tsige's alleged meeting with Eritrean officials.

If at all, Andargachew had travelled to Eritrea to discuss issues of partnership, what is wrong with that? What is wrong if a movement adored by Ethiopians, sought partnership with any other power to liberate Ethiopians from the yolk of dictatorship they are in under TPLF? Didn't TPLF work hand in hand with EPLF in their effort to liberate Tigray from the dictator dergue? In fact, as TPLF's manifesto reveals, thier exclusive strategy was only armed struggle, and they used Eritrea, as their base.

Ginbot 7 on the other hand has, from its inception, declared that it will use all forms of ressitance to force TPLF stepdown and open a space where all different opposition groups could negotiate on an equal footing to form a transiational governemnt until a free election is held.

Current opponents of TPLF, including Ginbot 7 movement had tried the peaceful way by participating in the 2005 election. In that election, they mobilized the whole of the Ethiopin society, won the trust of the people and defeated the TPLF by a landslide victory on the ballot, until that victory was reversed by the bullets from the Agazi Army of TPLF.

Even after that victory was stolen, the opposition went further, against all odds, for the sake of peace, to let the TPLF prevail for one more term, on condition that the legal and political environment is facilitated to make the next election free from controversy. It was the TPLF that has an intention of ruling by force indefinitely, that closed the option, jailed the opposition leaders and killed and incarcereted the people mercilessly.

The TPLF thugs beleived that, since they have an ethnic Tigrayan army loyal to their authority (as is being partially admitted by Zeru Hagos in the Aiga Forum article I mentioned above), they can silence dissent indefinitely, against all odds. Where was it in history that dicators held the race to the finish, with out cracking, without fragmenting? That is what we are witnessing in the TPLF circle now. We will soon start to see some running away from the regime if they have any opportunity of travelling outside the country. For that matter, they were already preparing for this eventulaity from the beginning, as they were saving their looted money in foreign banks and sending their children to schools overseas (even though they are pretending of retiring at home by asking the rubber stamp parliamnet to approve a retirement benefit plan).

While the pressure from within will continue to be mounted, other forms of ressitance will also be launched from all directions, not just from within Eritrea alone. Who the hell did reserve, armed opposition for TPLF alone!!! Freedom requires all forms of sacrifices. And we won't spare any!!!

The Change We will Never Accept

2009-05-26T00:23:00.002-04:00

In the run up to 2010 election, the discussion and pretension is going on in the TPLF circle, of changing the "old guard" by a "new blood" of leadership. As expected, the candidates being considered for the top positions are the Arkebes, Adhanoms, Tsehayes (Abbay), etc. all from the Ethiopian Aryan race. The Meles-Sebhat-Bereket core will continue to run the show from the shadow. In fact not from the shadow, but from their new equally staffed, funded, resourced and protected offices, they are trying to secure in the draft law they presented to "parliamnet" requesting benefits for officials leaving office.

Even to pretend, their search for new blood did not include peoples (as they want to call them) from Oromo, Amhara, Somali, Wolaita, Guraghe, Hadiya, Kembata,Sidama, etc. May be, after this article, they may consider thinking Juneidi Saado (who was being tossed from Ormomiya presidency to Minister of Communications, Minister of Science & Technology, a Tour Gguide for Azeb Mesfin, etc.), Addisu Legesse, or Abbadula Gemeda (whos is Oromo, only in theory). Or even Kassu Illala or Hailemariam Desalegn (tossed from South Presidency to a messenger in the PM office) from Wolaita, all of which are overwhelmed by fear and are only thinking by their belly.

If they are already preparing to crown their chosen people, whom they would manipulate from behind, why do we (the opposition) need to spend our time and money to particiape in an election at all? Just to legitimize their continuity, at the expense of our people whose wishes will never be respected in the election?

Meles has already told us in his "paper", he proudly presented in one conference, TPLF has to stay in power for the next 10 to 20 years to see through the developmental policies of his party to be implemented without interruption to see result. That is what he is planning to do in the publicly financed office, when he "leaves" the premiership.

I have no doubt that the draft law presented to "parliament" regarding benefits for officials leaving office will be passed by the rubber stamp parliament. We know this TPLF controlled parliament has passed other laws in favor of TPLF when TPLF lost the 2005 election, before the people's representatives joined the outgoing parliament. But, believe me, leave alone this law, even thier constitution will not survive, and they will not escape accountability, for all the crimes they committed during thier "aparthied" administration.

The TPLF is engulfed with the rage of the Ethiopian people from within and without. The blind support they enjoyed and expected from the USA, the EU and multilateral organizations in the past is not also forthcoming, particularly in relation to their invasion of somalia in the name of terror.

So, in the name of change TPLF wants to win the support of the Ethiopian people to continue controlling them while it remains a minority and evil minded group. Their mouthpiece, the Ethiopian Reporter, is also teaching us the importance of thinking above party line and advising us to focus on saving our country first. Which country is the Reporter talking about? The country TPLF has been slaughtering and giving parts to all neighboures? The Reporter is begging us to extend the Tigre supermacy, nothing else, not saving Ethiopia first!!!

Meles and Co., you may fake that you are making change, for the international community, your usual constituency, but for us Ethiopians, it is not change we can believe in, but it is a change "we will never accept"

Tshaye Debalke's Bluff is Panic, as Judgement Day Aproaches

2009-05-24T12:13:00.009-04:00

Tsehaye Debalke, just posted an article in Amharic on Aiga Forum, titled (literal translation of mine), "Terror plot, in the name of democracy". I was not surprised by this bluff, since I know who Tsehaye Debalke is. He has good reason to panic as judgement day is approaching for non repenting TPLF thugs.

Let me just say a few words about Tsehaye Debalke. Before TPLF's control of state power in Addis Ababa, Tsehaye Debalke was a civil serevant, working as an ordinary person in the then Ministry of Information. I very well remember him as we boarded on a taxi as we rode to work from Frensay Legasion to Abune Petros.

But the directions and status of our lives changed a few months after TPLF controlled Addis Ababa. Just because, Tsehaye Dabalke was from the Tigre ethnic group, he was soon promoted to a higher position in the Ministry of Information (MOI) and soon became the head of Television Division in the the MOI. While I was still riding my taxi to work, Tsehaye Debalke, started driving brand new Toyota Land Cruisers, almost changing these cars every day and being escorted by body guards, because of his sudden change of status. Just in a few months it was a climb in status and fame, just becase he was a Tigre!!! Being a Tigre brings you a favored satus and money, to this day, in Ethiopia!!!

Within just a few years this hyena, ammassed untold amount of wealth. But, even that was not enough for him. He had even a bigger dream of becoming the top TPLF brass and bandwagoned on the side of the Siyes and Gebrus to topple Meles. After their attempt was foiled, he was safely escorted to leave the country. He moved to the US, with all his stolen wealth. I don't know what his status is now in America, whether he as an asylee (if he is an asylee, his staus should now be revocked, because he is barking in favor of the government he accused to get his asylee status) or working for his masters after asking pardon as did, Abbay Tsehaye, his friend.

So much so about Tsehaye Debalke. My advise to Mr. Tsehaye is: never think that the Ethiopian people would not recognise you just becuase you were away from the scene for a few years. Your return to the scene now is understandable as you try to rescue the TPLF, from the chaos it is in. We know, the only way you would escape accountability, is ony if TPLF stayed in power. The reason why you are barking now is because you have sensed that judgement day is approaching, as the system that unduly favored you is cracking.

Tsehaye Debalke, we Ethiopians don't need your advice. Ginbot 7 is our representative Movement, and we are giving it $500s $1000s and even more to strengthen it. We are doing it out of our own volition. Even your TPLF is collecting money from Ethiopians devastated by poverty through forced membership.

Mr. Tsehaye, since when did you become an advocate of the Amhara people? Wasn't your TPLF the party that was ordering the mass murder of Amharas in Bedeno, Arbagugu, Chelenko? wasn't TPLF the party that started its rebellion with the main objective of undermining the status of the Amhara, and a stated objective of bringing the Tigre dominance (refer at your party's manifesto)?

You were trying to riducle, perhaps, Dr. Birhanu Nega and Andargachew Tsgie, from the sky rises of New York and London. For that matter, from where are you parrotting your nonsense, or do you think also New York and London are also reserved only for people like you. You are living here freely hiding your embezzled money, but our heroes, live here because they were unable to live freely in their country that has become a prison to its people because of your TPLF. They are our heroes, and they will lead us to freedom from within and without!!!

Mr. Tsehaye, we, Ethiopians, are only demading and fighting for equality of status. Nothing less!!! Repent and embrace equality, before it is too late. We have said no to minority (Tigre) dominance. Act like the ostrich, that treis to hide its head in the sand, not to face reality, you will be forced to drink from the chalice on D-Day!!!

Oh! TPLF Give us a Break! You are our Worst Enemy

2009-05-23T00:01:00.004-04:00

I was reading a recent MoFA statement, just posted on Aiga Forum, ridiculing Isayas Afeworki of Eritrea, under the title "President Isayas lectures the world, masquerading as the defender of Ethiopian Unity". In fact, if any word comes out of PM Meles Zenawi talking about Ethiopian Unity, I would have used the same title to ridicule Meles, since I am certain that, Meles has no agenda of defending Ethiopia's unity. From the start, as their first manifesto entails, TPLF's objective was to weaken and break up Ethiopia and build a Tigray Republic.

I don't see anything wrong, if Isayas projected himself as a defender of Ethiopian unity,in the so called interviews he gave, if after a long period of reflection (now 19 years), he has come to realize that defending Ethiopia's unity benefits Eritrea too, in all ways than one. Leaders make mistakes, acknowledge it, learn from it and make a renewed committment, to repair the damage they have inflicted. If Isayas is moving in that direction, I will give him the benefits of the doubt. I am against Meles's rigid evil stance.

On the contrary, Meles and co. (TPLF) are the ones who are still advocating for a weakened and divided Ethiopia. Weren't Meles and co. the ones ridiculing, himilating and belittling us, Ethiopians, for promoting the idea of, or even talking about Ethiopian unity? The TPLF had no remorse, not admitted any wrong regarding their position on Ethiopian unity. While we still have to prove him right, Isayas is at least showing signs of change regarding his past position on Ethiopian unity. The TPLF thugs are angry whenever they hear about Ethiopian unity. Whoever, that speaks about Ethiopian unity is their enemy.

The statement also shamelessly accused Isayas for closing political space, for lack of accountability, lack of the rule of law, and absence of election, and free media in Eritrea. What a hypocrsy!!! I am not saying that Eritrea is a democracy, but the TPLF thugs, who are the helm of dectatorship, have no any moral authority to accuse President Isayas as a dictator. There is no accountability, rule of law, free media and free elction in TPLF's Ethiopia.

I couldn't stop laughing when I read the line that accused Eritrea for condemning the US. Wasn't just about two weeks ago that Meles and Co. were barraging their insult and accusations on the US Department of State, for publishing the dismal Human Rights situation prevailing in Ethiopia?

In fact, I was unable to find a single sentence in the MoFA statement that does not apply exactly on the TPLF thugs.

So TPLF, give us a break!! Whatever disguise you use to try to hide your identity, will never work. You are our worst enemy!!! The fight for freedom continues!!!(Nekae bilenal)

TPLF's Consistent Message: Don't Challenge my Authority!

2009-05-21T21:42:00.005-04:00

Nobody will be fooled by TPLF's acrobatics when it pretends to be loosening its grip by futile measures, such as suspending the new Charities and Civil Societies law that was recently enacted. Perhaps, they may fool the international community, but not us, Ethiopians.

From the beginning, the challenge to TPLF's power never came from the Ethiopian NGO sector. It was obvious that 99 percent of Ethiopia's NGOs were primarily engaged in delivering basic services, that in the first place, the government should have provided to the people, by raising resources from outside the country. They were doing the government's job. That was why they mushroomed in the country since 1991, as long as they did not question the status quo. And since then, TPLF was closely monitoring them and made sure they operated under their strict serveillance. The very few NGOs that had a different approach to development, were always checked, shown the "red line" and brought back in line.

It was in the run up to the 2005 election that a few NGOs started to show interest in participating in voter education, whcih made the TPLF feel insulted! They were quickly brought to silence immediately after the election, just by beating and jailing the two "strange" civil society activists, Daniel Bekele (he was not even a member of the local NGO) and Netsanet Demissie.

The challenge to TPLF's power came from the opposition who were capable of mobilizing the whole of the Ethiopian society, and bit the regime in the 2005 election. The humilated, the defeatted and the rejected TPLF, then turned its anger on everybody. Nobody was spared from the massacre and incarceration!!! Children, young people, women the elderly, NGOs.

As the pressure from the people, the opposition, and the international community mounted in the face of severe human rights violation, TPLF had to look for ways of distracting attention: invading Somalia in the pretext of terrorism and then drafting and enacting NGO law, jailing Birtukan. It succeeded! The whole world's attention shifted from the plight Ethiopians were facing, to Somalia. The debate became whether to tighten or loosen this or that artcile of the draft or enacted NGO law, to whether the condition of Birtukan's arrest was legal or illegal in reference to the "Clemency law' or the "Constitution", as if laws and constitution matter in TPLF's Ethiopia. Anyway, TPLF distracted world attention, and bought time to plan the next destructive strategy which will enable it to cling to power.

Since the beginning of May 2009, signs of revolt against the repression began to show up and TPLF is inside a narrow ring. They are now on the move to repress further, to silence this errupting volcano, by jailing many, and by killing many.

But they are trying to pretend that they are changing, once more for the "constitunecy", the international commuity. They are calling back deported Eritreans to return and invest and reclaim what they lost after the 1998 deportation. For the donors, this is a "normalization of relations with Eritrea towards peace", but for us, Ethiopians, this is purely another futile effort to buy vote from Eritreans by allowing them to vote in 2010, and an attempt to isolate Isayas Afeworki, from his people. There is not an iota of desire to build peace in the heart of the TPLF thugs.

They are pretending that they are changing by suspending the recent "Charities and Civil Societie" law, again, for the international community. Even for the local NGOs, the "change" had no meaning. In practice, it never affected them, as it was just intended to scare foreigners.

They have already moved back to Somalia, "to fight terrorists", and they will soon release Birtukan Mideksa. No doubt about that!

Believe me, there will soon be euphoria within the international community, who would rush to claim that the "regime is opening up space for civil society activity", and is "releasing opposition leaders" (as if Birtukan, will just do miracle amidst a severely weakened and divided UDJ) and will plead that "the regime has to be given chance". And they will call for calm and restraint from the oposition and the people and ask evrybody to participate in the 2010 "election". Perfect strategy for TPLF, as designed!!!

But for us, Ethiopians, nothing is changing, they are distracting attention and buying time. We know them, that is the style of their governance!!! Their message is conssitent: Don't challenge our authority. We take them for their words and fight them to the end. We will never be fooled!!!

From Warning to Pleading: The Disillusioned Woyane

2009-05-15T21:51:00.006-04:00

The symptoms of the real demise of the TPLF are recurring over the last couple of weeks from the contradicting statements the TPLF and its mouthpeiece "the Reporter" are making. When the real crack in their rotten system began three weeks ago, they were quick to lament about an attempted coup, that soon turned to assassination attempt and then terror, just within days. They didnot have the courage to accept the reality that people will say, "enough is enough" when the torutre and humilation reaches beyond the level they can humanly tolerate.

From then on, it was all warning and intimidation of the people in successive statements through all the media they control at home, and through the electronic media through their racist representatives in the Diaspora (Aiga Forum). They did not even spare the US and UK governments who were their lifelines all along the last 18 years. And then came their mouthpiece, "The Reporter" with its warning, declaring, "the way forward is peace and only peace", as if TPLF was a promoter of peace, while it was the sole reason for the lack of peace in Ethiopia sice their control of power in 1991.

Peace does not prevail in a country just because one mentioned the word "peace' for political consumption purposes while promoting policies that undermined the peaceful coexistence of the people through actions that favor one minority group, particularly, the Tigray ehtnic group, economically, socially and politically. As stupid as it was, the TPLF believed, it could force the people to believe the unbeleivable, to accept the unacceptable, and to tolerate the intolerable indefinitely.

Even when TPLF was outrightly rejected during the 2005 election, it was not willing to read the visible signs of rejection, nor to listen to the voice of the people, and ignorantly believed it can silence the people's voice through more harsh intimidation tactics of indiscriminate mass murder and incarceration, as it did in the 2005 election aftermath. But that reinforced the determination of Ethiopians,including concerned militray officers and civil serevants, to fight for freedom from repression by a minority of Tigryans, who are at the helm of economic, social and political dominance in present day Ethiopia.

The turn of events over the last three weeks are now forcing the TPLF to sense the real threats to its monopoly of power. It is now witnessing that the time has come, where it can no longer continue cheating and intimidating the majority of the people under any pretext. That is why the TPLF machinery and its mouthpiece are trying to tone down thier arrogance, changing their stance from warning to pleading, just to buy time as usual, but not with genuine belief of the need to reconcile and unite with the rest of the people.

Just within the last couple of days, the "Reporter" has changed from its intimidating stance of, "my way is the only highway" to pleading about the need for unity, expressing its fear of an impending disaster in Ethiopia, if things don't change, and is advising Ethiopians to say, "enough is enough" to Ginbot 7,
which it believes is the culprit for all the current political developments in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian people know, who was indiscriminately targeting whom over the last 18 years. The TPLF and its mouthpiece should know that the people do not seek their advice today. The Ethiopian people have already said "enough is enough" to the TPLF. The TPLF has to swallow the crude reality that, today it has one and only one choice: to come to terms to the fact that it is a minority and rejected regime, that it can no longer cheat the majority and have monopoly of power over them, and has to be ready to negotiate and accept its real place in Ethiopian politics, or face its total demise for inflicting intolerable pain against the people. It may also risk inflicting revenge on the people of Tigray, for projecting them as the "Arian equivalent of Ethiopia", unless the people of Tigray openly dissociate themselves from this racist group and plege allegiance to the whole of Ethiopia.

The TPLF and its mouthpiece are terrorized by the recent bold revelations of the real and the whole truth, by Ginbot 7 radio and General Haile Meles, and the Genocide Watch, of the crime that was being committed by the TPLF over the last 18 years. My timely advice to the TPLF: leave alone the warning, no amount of pleading will guarantee you the monopoly of power you enjoyed in the past. Hell or High Water, the majority will prevail. Accept this reality and step down!!!

Woyane: The Real Desperado of the Week

2009-05-06T22:23:00.004-04:00

We heard Bereket Simon lamenting last week, labeling the Ginbot 7 as the "desperado" group in relation to the fabricated coup-turned assassination attempt trying to creat havoc in Ethiopia. They were also calling the US to extradite the leader of Ginbot 7, Dr. Birhanu Nega, as the culprit of this "terrorist" act. Blinded by their inflated perception of themselves, and proving their ignorance of how international relations operate, they thought they can horse ride and persuade the US government to submit to their wish.

Having learned that their effort was futile, they are now openly and desperately trying to discredit the US Department of State's 2008 Ethiopia Human Rights Report on their state controlled ETV. I am sure, they are doing this with three objectives in mind. First, this is a follow up foolish attempt to their earlier attempt of warning the US, conveying "if you don't cooperate with us, we will destabilize the region, which is already prone for terrorism" and trying to hold the US hostage to their sinister motive.

The Second is to send a message to the US pretentding that they no longer care about relations with US as they are building reliable relations with Russia and China as was being professed by Ambassador David Shinn. Again, ultimately trying to hold Amerca hostage, if it attempts to criticise the Woyane regime.

The third, certainly is, to send a chilling fear on the Ethiopian people at home, on the assumption that the people who are listening to these robust declarations on the ETV will think that the regime, which is not afraid of ending relations with the US will not hesitate using any force to silence their dissent. For that matter, in a related intervie, the dictator Meles has already recently revealed that any dissent will not be tolerated by the security forces and that they have completed all the preparations to harshly deal any dissnet, where he warned the people that they have to adequately learn from their mistakes of the 2005 election aftermath.

Beyond being desperate, the way they are trying to discredit the US State Department Human Rights Report is just laughable. While crtisizing the report as invalid on the basis of evidnece and methodology, the very methodology they used to counter the report and finding their "truth" was at best, interviewing frightened and helpless family members of the victims and equally frightened community members,and members of the local government security and police force, the perpetrators of the violence, at the worest.

So I say, this week was the week that showed that the woyane are the real desperados, and a second sign of the real count down to their demise

Woyane: A Government that Deserves a Coup

2009-04-30T00:23:00.003-04:00

I think the count down to Woyane's demise has just started if the coup attempt, that, they claimed has occured is to be believed, and that should be something that we Ethiopians have to be proud of and should be supported by the international community, rather than being averted.

What options has Woyane left for Ethiopians to exercise their right of electing their leaders, except by coup? It has stolen the 2005 election, vowed to remain in power on the ground of building a developmental state, is stageplaying to conduct a sham election for 2010, and has already started jailing prominent opposition leaders in the country.

Woyane is a government without a constituency in Ethiopia, just clinging to power by sheer force. Its confidence on its sheer force has reached such an arrogant proportion that it considers itself that it cannot be challenged and can rule with impunity. On their own account, we are now witnessing that they had an inflated perception of themselves. That they are weak and vulnerable.

For a people that has been demanding its freedom, and that has been denied all options of exercising its right, a coup could be an alternative route. Thus the effort of the Ethiopian military to stage a coup is the right step that has to be encouraged and facilitated, not averted by the international community.

The Ethiopian people, the horn of Africa region and the wider intenational community would be better off if the Woyane regime is deposed from power by all means. This is a regime willing to play all the cards to spread terror in the country and the region if it sees any threat to its power.

As evidenced, after the alleged coup incident, the Woyane regime has been calling the US government to hand him over, the leader of Ginbot 7 as the culprit, and is threatening to destabilize the region if its question is not answered. They shamelessly reveal their desire to hold America hostage to their sinister motive of staying in power.

It is high time for America and the democratic world to draw the red line. It is time to encourage the military to harness the benefit out of a coup. There is no sovereignty to be lost by doing so. Woyane is an illegitimate and unpopular regime that deserves to be deposed by a strategic coup, before the country is engulfed by a more costly civil war where the international community pays even more price.

Woyane: Hell bent to Control not Develop Ethiopia

2009-04-16T09:16:00.002-04:00

The Woyane gangesters had their most recent meeting in Addis Ababa where they discussed about strategy of stage playing the next election and continuing to rule the country illegitimately.

We heared that they also discussed their plan of industrializing the contry to substitute import. And their priority is the defence industry!!! What a developmental state!!! Produce more armaments in a country whose people are chronically food insecure and more than ten million people are starving every year. In a country that has one of the biggest infant mortality rate and maternal motality rate in Sub Saharan Africa, it is insane to make defence a priority.

As of their own account, in the 2008/09 budget, Woyane's planned defense expenditure was already more than the sum total of the expenditure for health and agriculture. This is a clear indication of Woyane's desire to rule the people by frightening. A government, focused on developing the country and caring for its people would reflect that by investing more on health and agriculture not on bullets.

Orphaning of Our Political Struggle by the West: A Call for Determination

2009-03-19T19:59:00.003-04:00

By the way things appear from the angle of the stance of the West towards supporting our political struggle to get rid of the tyrannical government of Meles Zenawi, it looks like that it is being orphaned, confirming the notion that it is we, the people of Ethiopia, who have to take the primary responsibility in getting the politics right in Ethiopia, and that we can not rely on anybody else.

Even the hopes that I had since the election of Barak Obama as the US President, that things will change for Ethiopia for the better, are beginning to die by the day. This fear is not unfounded of course. There were some recent observations that caused my legitimate fear.

First, despite the constant call from the Ethiopian opposition and the Ethiopian people, not to enrich the Woyane regime with money in the name of development assistance, without requiring the regime to fully respect the rights of its citizens, was ignored by the European Union when they granted the dectators hundreds of thousnads of dollars to the dictators.

Second, in a very recent testimony before the US "House Subcommittee on State and Foreign Operations Committee on Appropriations", Ambassador David Shinn (a former Ambassador to Ethiopia) was recommending, that the US not push Ethiopia on the issue of democratization and human rights because of Ethiopia's developing relationships with China and Russia, because Ethiopia was cooperating with the US on the issue of terrorism, and its potential for future US interests in the Horn of Africa region.

This testimony was in fact being capitalized for a political gain in an article on the Sudan Tribune Newspaper by Tesfa-alem Tekle, which the Ambassador had to take note of.

Third, the Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, during her visit to China, was heard emphasizing, despite China's dismal human rights record, how to build partnership with China in the face of the global economic down turn. So human rights in China is secondary to US economic interests.It may also be true that human rights in Ethiopia is secondary to US's global war on terror interests.

When it comes to Ethiopia, there might even be further conflicting interests, associated with the receipt of millions of dollars by President Bill Clinton for his foundation from the Ethiopian tycoon, Al Amoudi. To that effect, even recently, the former president, his daughter, his brother and his brother's son were visiting their projects in Ethiopia where they were being hailed by the project's host community. Will the Secretary of State, be neutrally critical in assessing the dectatorial regime of Ethiopia, when her family and her in-laws are being treated as heroes?

Fourth, Meles is invited by the British PM for the G-20 meeting in April in London. Why on earth should Meles be the one to represent Africa in that meeting when his human rights records are dismal as are his economic performance, where 12 million Ethiopians are starving due to his communist economic policies and discriminatory practices?

If we are to achieve our politcal objective of getting rid of the dictatorail regime in Ethiopia and build a democratic culture and nation, we have to be aware of these developments and strengthen our own unity and present ourselves as formidable opponents, showing something tangible on the ground. It is then and only then that our orphaned political struggle will by fathered by all.

What is going on inside UDJ?

2009-02-27T11:12:00.006-05:00

It was with great shame that I listned to the Ethiopian TV that screened a snapshot of the argument between Dr. Yacob Hailemariam and Debebe Eshetu of UDJ. I heard Dr. Yacob condescending his own colleague in public saying, "Debebe you are an artist and you dont't teach me about law" with an expression of anger and frowning face. Engineer Gizachew was also showing a sarcastic smile at the humilating exchange, and Dr. Hailu Araya was bowing his head at the corner. It all looked like there was a conspiracy against Debebe Eshetu, who was trying to warn those who were chairing the meeting not to speak on his behalf regarding the conditions of his release/pardon.

I wonder why did Dr. Yacob and his fellow conspirators wanted to reveal this at this particular time, if there is any truth to what he was talking about, since they kept quiet about it even though they were asked to tell the public at the time of their release. Or is it to show solidarity to and save the face of Meles Zenawi, who was telling the World about the conditions of the release and pardon of the defunct Kinijit?

Even Meles himself has acknowledged that each of the former Kinjit leaders signed their request for release letter individually, accepting individual and collective responsibility for what happened in the aftermath of the 2005 election. So how did the distinguished lawyer, Dr. Yacob, come to know that the conditions of release of himslef, Gizachew and Hailu were different from that of Debebe, Birtukan and Birhanu? Or was he secretly advising and drafting those letters on behalf of Woyane or the then Shimagiles?

Can the Ethiopian people trust that Dr. Yacob and co.will respect ordinary Ethiopian citizens if they can not show any respect to their own colleague?

It might be early to judge, but I am afraid some in the UDJ are already selling themselves to Woyane. And everybody has to closely scrutinize their move and openly expose it to the public. They should not be allowed to drive the Ethiopian people into the in the name of opposition.

"The Indispensable Meles Zenawi"

2009-02-26T22:40:00.005-05:00

Just a few weeks ago, Meles was bragging about leaving the priemiershp and staying at the helm of his party, pretending as if he has always been obedient to his party's voice. And since then, we are hearing from members of his party of their worry that Meles is indispensable for the survival of Ethiopia.

I am sure, in the coming weeks and months, the "pressure" from his followers and supporters will mount forcing him to reconsider his intention of leaving the premiership after the 2010 election. Some are even suggestinng that not only that of Ethiopia, but also the security and position of the whole of the Horn of Africa and of Africa as a whole will be compromised if Meles were to leave the premiership and have started pleading him to stay for at least one more term.

As the days go by and the 2010 election approaches, as Meles had already hinted in his interview a few weeks ago, he will "succumb to the pressure" of his party and will accept to continue to be the Premier of "FDRE".

Who are Meles and his cronies trying to deceive? Wasn't Meles the one who was bragging about the need for the "developmental state" and one party system for countries like Ethiopia to accomplish long-term development interests and to ensure conitnuity, not only at home but also at bigger world fora? Or has he and his followers suddenly abandoned their theory of the "developmental state"?

Meles and his cronies have already completed their preparation to stage another sham election and are determined to cling to power for one or more terms by force. The" loyal opposition" at home, is already showing the fracture from the Woyane pressure and are not in a situation to mobilize popular support, except legitimizing Woyane by participating in election. Woyane will compete with no one and overwhelmingly "win the election" in 2010. Meles will "accept" the "call of duty" from his party and become the Premier.

The "Indispensable" Meles, who is notoriously known for his arrogance, humilating deafeat in Somalia, torturing of his own people, is shamelessly begging the world to feed 12 million starved Ethiopians, is in deed indispensable for his cronies for them to continue to rob Ethiopians, but, for the majority of Ethiopians, he is a brutish thug who desrves to be held accountable.

Why All This Posturing?

2009-02-13T23:47:00.005-05:00

We heard these days Woyane partaking in Obama's presidential inauguration in Sheraton Addis and organizing some events in the commemoration of Black History Month.

Since Woyane's assumption of power in Ethiopia, there were five presidential inaugurations in the US, twice for Clinton, twice for George W. Bush and one for Obama. Also, there were 17 Balck History Months. Where was Woyane all this time? In its actions so far, Woyane was more affiliated to G.W. Bush, and to the racists who were perpetrating the atrocities on the Civil Rights marchers of the 60's, as it demonstrated in the aftermath of the 2005 elections. Why didn't it celebrate the inauguration of G.W.Bush? In fact, he was their most ardent supporter, both deplomatically and financially.

Whom is Woyane trying to fool? Does Woyane think democrats, who have been trying to pass HR 2003 in the US Senate, do not know what was and is going in Ethiopia since the rigged election of 2005? Isn't Woyane the party that was killing innocent demonstraters in Addis Ababa, Awassa, Bench Maji Zone, in Gambella, in Ambo? Does Woyane think that the Ethiopian people have forgotten all these?

Woyane should know that it can no longer deceive anybody through all this politcal posutring. It has to come to terms with reality and submit to the voice of the Ethiopian people. Or face the inevitable defeat!!! Nobody in the wrong side of history has ever won!!!

The Call of the Time to Save Ethiopia: Unity of the Opposition

2009-01-27T22:59:00.002-05:00

Fragmented opposition to the Woyane regime in Ethiopia has little chance in brignging down the dectatorial regime in whatever form of struggle or electoral process domestically, nor can it pose a strong international diplomatic pressure on the regime.

It has been said time and again that even countries that have come to realize the true nature of Woyane as a dectatorial regime, had difficulty pressurizing the government, in fear of creating a power vaccum, because of lack of a united and credible opposition that can stabilize the country. For example, over the last four to five years the US Department of State and Congress were being approached by a number of Ethiopian opposition groups who claimed to represent the interest of Ethiopians. In some instances, some of these appraoched the State Department undermining the effort of the other opposition. Similar approaches of the opposition with the international diplomatic community crippled the potential diplomatic support that could have been gained to challenge Woyane.

It is obvious that no foreign country will fight the fight for us to bring Woyane down. Nor none of us can fight alone the monestrous Woyane. Woyane has closed all the ways in which we can openly unite and peacefully oppose it on the ground in Ethiopia. We still have to unite and go underground to resist and get rid of Woyane by all means in Ethiopia.

And in the diaspora, where there is the freedom to associate and express opinion freely, we have to come together and provide a credible alternative, to help the international diplomatic community pressurize the despotic Woyane to submit to negotiations with the opposition. This is the call of the time: providing a credible and united opposition as an alternative!!! Every Ethiopian in the diaspora has to answer to this call!!!

The True Color of Woyane: Dictatorship

2009-01-19T13:09:00.003-05:00

In present day Ethiopia, there is not much problem of lack of law, but rather, the critical problem is the lack of the Rule of Law. Woyane has for that matter, a near perfect constitution for all to see. It resembles the constitutions of most democratic countries in the North. The problem is, that constitution does not govern the Woyane tyrants. They do not obey that law they drafted and enacted. There are also many other international conventions and covenants that Woyane has ratified, for the whole world to see. But it does not obey these laws. There is no structure that can hold Woyane accountable. Woyane is above the law in Ethiopia. The true nature of Woyane is dictatorship, nothing less!!!

Recently, they are trying to distract the attention of Ethiopians and the international community by passing the Ethiopian Civil Society Law, as if the law matters to them. There was a law in that country that governed civil society, which they never wanted to respect. They were never in good terms with independent civil society since their assumption of power in 1991. They were organizing the whole society all around Ethiopia in such a way that it is never penetrated by independent civil society groups.

As a civil society practitioner in Ethiopia for over 15 years until the 2005 elections, I have a vivid memory of how Woyane was organizing households along the line of a quasi-political grouping to control the whole society. Independent civil society groups never had a chance of engaging the society for real and questioning the status-quo, except delivering the services the government was supposed to deliver to its citizens. Even before the passing of this new civil society law, Woyane was denying access to independent civil society groups from genuinely engaging the Ethiopian people for development.

The people at the higher echelons of Woyane are closely knit together by kinship and affinity. Naturally, this kind of association is not open for democracy. It is this group at the helm of Woyane, that has dictated the drafting of the Ethiopian "constitution", created a fake division of organs of government, and playing and watching all the drama that is going on in Ethiopia.

So let us forget the talk of changing Woyane through electoral democracy. Let us come together and force them out by all means. Now is the time. Dictators do not accept election outcomes!!! Dictatorship is Woyane's true color!!!

2009-01-07T01:04:00.001-05:00

Tha Nature of Woyane

Often, I read and listen, from the proponents of peaceful struggle in Ethiopia, that Woyane can be persuaded to leave or share power with the opposition through an election outcome. I also had some expectation that EPRDF would accept the people's verdict during the 2005 election.

But the aftermath of the 2005 election has confirmed to me that Woyane, true to its nature, is there to rule for good, unless it is disposed by force. I am not a political scientist or an academic to support my argument with a review of the lierature. The fact that I was a resident in Ethiopia since Woyane assumed state power and stayed there until the aftermath of the 2005 election enables me to reflect and make a near conclusive statement that the best way to get rid of Woyane is force more than anything.

I think the way Woyane was pretending to be democratic and accomodative has deceived many Ethiopians, as it did to me, of its true nature. The key engineers of today's TPLF (Woyane) are related by either affinity or kinship and have been sucking the blood of Ethiopians during their battle with the dergue and after their assumption of state power in 1991. These Woyane thugs have systematically been embezelling resources and imprisoning and killing all people who stood on their way. And they knew that they would be held accountable for their actions if they were to lose power by any means.

Since the order of the day is now holding elections, to appear democratic and accommodative, the Woyanes will also hold regular elections no matter what. But they will never surrender their power through democratic means, since they will never trust anyone to consider them innocent.

Since they will do anything to cling to powr to avoid accountability, the alternative way to get rid of them is to engage them in violent struggle.