Witness for Ethiopia’s Semayawi (Blue) Party by prof. alemayehu G. mariam

Why I support Semayawi party as a political party

In the days leading up to my speech at the first Semayawi (Blue) Party town hall meeting in Arlington, VA, just outside of Washington, D.C., on December 15, I was peppered with all sorts of questions. The one recurrent question revolved around my unreserved support for Semayawi Party after so many years of staying neutral and unaligned with any Ethiopian political party or group.

As I explained in my interview on ethiotube.com, my support for Semayawi Party should be viewed as an expression of my total confidence in the power of Ethiopia’s young people to change the destiny of their country and their readiness to struggle for peaceful change. The percentage of Ethiopia’s population under the age of 35 today is 70 percent. The vast majority of the victims of human rights violations in Ethiopia today are young people. The targets of political persecution and harassment, arbitrary arrests and detentions, torture, abuse and maltreatment in the prisons are largely young people. Young Ethiopians are disproportionately impacted by pandemic unemployment and lack of educational and economic opportunities.    

Here I record my “testimony” as a “witness” for Semayawi Party to affirm my unshakeable belief that Ethiopia’s youth shall overcome and rise above the dirty politics of ethnicity, pernicious religious animosity and audacious political mendacity to build a shining city upon the hill called the “Beloved Ethiopian Community.” This I believe to be the fixed historical destiny of Ethiopia’s young people today.

My “testimony” reveals only my personal views and opinions, and in no way reflects on any past, present or future official or unofficial position of Semayawi Party, its leadership or members. I have no role whatsoever in Semayawi Party. The only role I have is the one I have proudly conferred upon myself: “#1 Fan of Semayawi Party”.  My steadfast “testimony” here may raise eyebrows. I have heard some “criticism” that by showing strong support for Semayawi Party I am in fact playing a game of dividing society by age not unlike the divisive ethnic game of the regime in power. I will let the young people be the judge of that. As George Orwell said, “In times of universal deceit, telling the truth will be a revolutionary act.” I consider my “testimony” on behalf of Semayawi Party to be a “revolutionary act” against all of the political deceit, hypocrisy and chicanery in all around I see.

Why am I am the #1 cheerleader of Semayawi Party?

First, I support Semayawi Party because it is a political party of young people, for  young people and by young people. It is a party that aspires to represent the interests of the vast majority of Ethiopians. I underscore the fact that 70 percent of Ethiopia’s population today is under age 35. (Life expectancy in Ethiopia is between 49 and 59 years depending on the data source.) Ethiopia’s Cheetah (young) Generation needs a party of its own to represent the majority of Ethiopians. The Cheetahs need to speak up, stand up and wo/man up for themselves. Only they can determine their country’s destiny and their own.

The political parties of Hippos (my generation), by Hippos and for Hippos are simply out of sync with the dreams, aspirations, ambitions and passions of Ethiopia’s restless Cheetahs. We Ethiopian Hippos simply do not understand our Cheetahs. So many of us have been rolling in the mud of ethnic and killil (“bantustan” or “kililistan”) politics, muck of communalism and  sludge of historical grievances for so long that we have become completely paralyzed. Ethiopia’s Cheetahs do not want to be prisoners of antiquated identity politics nor do they want to walk around with the millstone of  the past tied around their necks. They want to break free and choose their own destiny and invent their own Ethiopia. 

As a not-so-loyal member of the “Order of Ethiopian Hippos”, I had great difficulty accepting the fact that Ethiopia’s  Cheetahs are very different from Ethiopian Hippos. I had great difficulty accepting the fact that the time has come for me and my Hippo Generation to  pass on the baton, stand aside and serve as humble water carriers for the restless Cheetahs. That is why I transformed myself from a Hippo to a Chee-Hippo, a transformation I documented in my commentary “Rise of the Chee-Hippo Generation”.

Second, I am deeply concerned about the future of Ethiopia’s youth. As I noted a few years ago, “The wretched conditions of Ethiopia's youth point to the fact that they are a ticking demographic time bomb. The evidence of youth frustration, discontent, disillusionment and discouragement by the protracted economic crisis, lack of economic opportunities and political repression is manifest, overwhelming and irrefutable. The yearning of youth for freedom and change is self-evident. The only question is whether the country's youth will seek change through increased militancy or by other peaceful means….” I believe Semayawi Party will play a significant role in channeling youth frustration into peaceful transformation in Ethiopia.

Third, I wholeheartedly believe in youth power. Youth idealism and enthusiasm have the power to change hearts, minds and nations. Youth power is more powerful than all the guns, tanks and war planes in the world. The American civil rights movement was carried on the backs of young people. The vast majority of the leaders and activists were young people. Dr. Martin Luther King was 26 years old when he organized the nonviolent protests in Birmingham, Alabama. By the time John Lewis was 23 years old, he had been jailed 24 times and beaten to a pulp on so many occasions that he does not remember. On May 6, 1963, over 2000 African American high school, junior high and even elementary school students were jailed for protesting discrimination in Birmingham.

Young Americans stopped the war in Vietnam. The free speech movement that began at a California university transformed free speech and academic freedom in the United States for good. Barack Obama would not have been elected president without the youth vote. Youth have also played a decisive role in the peaceful struggle to bring down communist tyrannies and more recently entrenched dictatorships in North Africa and the Middle East. The tyrants in the seat of power in Ethiopia today were “revolutionaries” in their youth fighting against imperial autocracy and military dictatorship. In their old age, they have become the very evil they fought to remove. 

I believe in the power of Ethiopia’s youth who have long played their part to bring about a democratic society and paid enormous sacrifices for decades. In 2005, the regime in power in Ethiopia today massacred hundreds of young people in cold blood in the streets and jailed tens of thousands. (I joined the human rights struggle in Ethiopia shocked and outraged by that crime against humanity.) Even today, Ethiopia’s young people continue to pay for democracy, freedom and human rights with their blood, sweat and tears. Ethiopia’s best and brightest have been persecuted, prosecuted, jailed, brutalized and  silenced. At the top of the list are Birtukan Midekssa, Eskinder Nega, Andualem Aragie, Reeyot Alemu, Bekele Gerba, Abubekar Ahmed, Woubshet Taye, Olbana Lelisa, Ahmedin Jebel, Ahmed Mustafa, Temesgen Desalegn, the late Yenesew Gebre and countless others.

Last but not least, I am in broad agreement with the Semayawi Party Program. It is a well-thought out and practical program that can effectively address the multifaceted problems of the country. In my special area of concern focusing on the administration of justice, human rights and enforcement of the rule of law, I find the Party’s program to be particularly robust. The Party supports a fully independent and competent judiciary completely insulated from political pressure and interference. Judges shall have lifetime tenure subject to impeachable offenses. The Party supports the establishment of a Constitutional Court with full judicial review powers. The Party pledges to abide by and respect all international treaties and conventions to which Ethiopia is a signatory.  The Party is committed to the full protection of individual rights, including the right to free speech and religion. There shall be strict separation of religion and state. The Party opposes any censorship of the press and curtailment of the activities of  civic organizations and associations. The Party’s program  emphatically states that the loyalty of the armed and security forces is to the country’s Constitution, and not to a political party, ethnic group, region or any other entity. The Party’s platform on economic, political, social and cultural issues is equally impressive.

Why I support Semayawi Party as a  movement and true voice of Ethiopia’s Cheetah (young) Generation

It is my opinion that Semayawi Party is much more than a political organization concerned with winning votes to hold political office. I would find nothing unique in Semayawi Party if it were merely an organization preparing itself for mundane elections and parliamentary seats. In a country where there are over 80 “registered parties” (the vast majority of which are nominal ethnic parties) and the ruling “party” wins “elections” by 99.6 percent, it would be absurd to create another party such as Semayawi to compete for a miniscule less than one-half percent of the votes. That is why I believe Semayawi Party is indeed a movement of young people, by young people and for young people in Ethiopia.

I regard “Semayawi Party Movement” to be an organizational mechanism to articulate the dreams and ideals of Ethiopia’s young people about the country they want to build for themselves and pass on to the next generation. As a Movement, Semayawi Party serves in various capacities. It is as an “educational” institution enlightening young Ethiopians about the history, traditions and cultures of their diverse country. It teaches young Ethiopians that they are the proud descendants of patriots who united as one indivisible people to beat and route a mighty invading European army. Unlike today, Ethiopia was once the pride of all Africans and black people throughout the world. The Movement aims to regain Ethiopia’s pride in the community of nations.

I share in “Semayawi Party Movement’s” core values. Semayawi Party believes in peaceful nonviolent struggle against tyranny and injustice. I champion peaceful nonviolent struggle against tyranny and injustice anywhere in the world. Semayawi Party believes in the transformative power of Ethiopia’s youth. A compilation of all of the weekly commentaries I have written on Ethiopian (and African) youth over the past 7 years could easily form  a book length apologia (defense) of the transformative power of Ethiopia’s youth. My slogan has always been and remains, “Ethiopia's youth united can never be defeated. Power to Ethiopia’s youth!”

Semayawi Party Movement has only one goal: Creating the “Beloved Ethiopian Community” in the same vein that Dr. Martin Luther King dreamed of creating his “Beloved Community” in his long struggle for human and civil rights in America. Dr. King taught, “The end of nonviolent social change is reconciliation; the end is redemption; the end is the creation of the Beloved Community. It is this type of spirit and this type of love that can transform opponents into friends.” I believe the “Beloved Ethiopian Community” shall soon rise from the ashes of the kililistan (bantustan) Ethiopia has become.

The foundation for Semayawi Party Movement’s “Beloved Ethiopian Community” is unity, peace and hope. A “Beloved Ethiopian Community” is united by its humanity and is immune from destruction by the divisive forces of ethnicity and communalism. It is a Community that strives to establish equality, equity and accountability. The “Beloved Ethiopian Community” is a society at peace with itself and its neighbors. I believe Semayawi Party aspires to invent a new society free from ethnic bigotry and hatred; free from fear and loathing and free from tyranny and repression. Semayawi Party aims to build a Community where all Ethiopians --  rich and poor, young and old, men and women, Christian and Muslim -- are free to dream, free to think, free to speak, to write and to listen; free to worship without interference; free to innovate; free to act and free to be free. I believe Semayawi Party Movement will use peace creatively to transform enmity, animosity and bellicosity in Ethiopian society into amity, cordiality and comity. I believe the Movement will choose  dialogue over diatribe, negotiation over negation, harmony over discord and use principles that elevate humanity to defeat brutality, criminality and intolerance.   

The “Beloved Ethiopian community” is a “land of hope and dreams.” It is a community where young people could look forward to equal opportunity, equal justice and equal rights. It is a community where Ethiopia’s youth can freely share their common hopes and dreams. I have faith in Ethiopian youth’s  “audacity of hope”.

Let us ask what we can do for Semayawi Party  

I encourage and plead with all Ethiopians, particularly those in my Hippo Generation, to stand up and be counted on the side of Semayawi Party Movement. I know many have legitimate questions, doubts and skepticisms based on unpleasant past experiences as they consider lending their support. I have been asked, “How can we trust these young and inexperienced leaders to do the right thing?” I answer back, “How well did our experienced and trusted Hippo leaders do?”

Surviving under the most vicious dictatorship in Africa brings out the very best in many young people. Semayawi Party Movement leaders, members and supporters have shown us what they are made of: courage, integrity, discipline, maturity, bravery, honor, fortitude, creativity, humility, idealism and self-sacrifice. They have been arrested, jailed and beaten. They did not stop their peaceful struggle. What more sacrifice must they make before they can convince us that they deserve our full support? They are young and passionate; and they have all of the experience they need to continue their peaceful struggle for change.

Some have asked me for assurances that Semayawi Party is not a front for the regime or other hidden forces. All I can say is that if Semayawi Party Movement leaders, members and supporters are regime lackeys, then so are Prof. Mesfin Woldemariam, Prof. Yacob Hailemariam, and to mention in passing, Prof. Al Mariam. If the regime is so clever as to use Semayawi Party to broadcast its commitment to the rule of law and democratic governance, I am all for it. If today the regime released all political prisoners (including those held in secret prisons), repealed its oppressive laws, stopped massive human rights violations and stealing elections, I will be the first one to go out in the street and sing them praises. It is not about the people in power; it’s about the evil done by people in power.

I have been told that nearly all Ethiopian political organizations that have been launched in the past decade or so  have eventually failed. I have been asked, “How can you be sure Semayawi Party will not fail?” There are no guarantees Semayawi Party will not fail. If it fails, it will not be for lack of willpower, enthusiasm, dedication and sacrifice by Semayawi Party leaders and members. It will be mainly because of lack of support, lack of good will, lack of confidence, lack of generosity and  lack of material and moral support from their compatriots inside Ethiopia and in the Diaspora. If they should fail and we feel arrogant enough to wag an index finger at them and say, “I told you so!”, let us not forget that three fingers will be pointing at us silently. Nelson Mandela pleaded, “Do not judge me by my successes, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.” Let us judge Semayawi Party not by the chances that it will slip and fall in the future but by how many times it is able to get back up after it falls, with our help and support.

Some have expressed concern to me that their financial contributions could be abused as has happened so many times in the past. They want assurances of strict accountability and transparency. They ask me, “How can we be sure Semayawi Party will not abuse our trust as others have in the past?”

The Semayawi Party Support Group in North America is a gathering of the most dynamic and disciplined group of young Ethiopians I have had the privilege to know and work with. These young Ethiopians have committed significant resources out of their own pockets to support the cause of Ethiopian youth. They are young professionals and private businessmen and women representing the ethnic, gender and cultural diversity of Ethiopia. They understand and appreciate the values of  accountability and transparency. They relate with each other on the basis of honesty and integrity. For my money, I have no problems taking chances with them because I am convinced they will not let me down! I have full faith in the integrity of Ethiopia’s young people; that is my guarantee they will do the right thing.

In my speech at the first town hall meeting for Semayawi Party on December 15, I told the audience that Yilikal Getnet, the chairman of Semayawi Party, did not come to the United States to beg for support or panhandle for nickels and dimes.  Semayawi Party does not want a handout or charity from us in North America. Yilikal came to America to share with us the trials and tribulations of his party, the challenges they face, their humble accomplishments under a brutal dictatorship and the dreams and hopes of Ethiopia’s young people for a free and democratic Ethiopia.

I believe that in all of the town hall meetings scheduled for Semayawi Party in the U.S., we should receive Yilikal, Semayawi Party members and supporters as heroes of a growing youth movement for peaceful change in Ethiopia. We must use the town hall meetings to celebrate not only the individual acts of heroism of youth leaders like Yilikal, Eskinder, Andualem, Reeyot and so many others but also to rejoice in the raw heroism of those young people demonstrating in the streets crying out “Anleyayim! Anleyayim!” (We will remain united!) or ‘Ethiopia, Agarachin! Ethiopia, Agerachin! (Ethiopia, our country!). (I always get a lump in my throat when I hear them chanting “Anleyayim! Agerachin, Ethiopia!)

For me, Yilikal’s presence in our midst as the leader of Semayawi Party is a reminder that the young people who were massacred in 2005 peacefully demonstrating a stolen election did not die in vain. He is a live witness that the peaceful struggle of those massacred for free and fair elections and the rule of law continues no matter what. So the question for us is: What can we do for Semayawy Party Movement? A better question is how do we show our appreciation, respect and admiration to our young heroes -- the fallen ones, the ones in jail, the ones being tortured, those facing daily harassment, persecution and humiliation?

Semayawi Party Movement needs all the support they can get. They need our moral support. They need our encouragement; they need to know we have confidence in them. Most of all, they need material support to undertake their youth outreach, education and awareness programs. They need material support to expand and sustain their organizational presence throughout the country. They need material support to maintain a robust legal defense fund. They need our material support to stand up to the richest, most corrupt and ruthless dictatorship on the African continent.

Our financial gift to Semayawi Party Movement is merely a token of our appreciation and an indication that we are with them as long as they keep their peaceful struggle for justice, equality, democracy and human rights. Our gift to Semayawi Party Movement is an investment in an Ethiopia at peace with itself. We give so that the next generation of Ethiopians will live in a new Ethiopia unburdened by our mistakes and ignorance. It is our individual and social responsibility to support our young people. If we don’t support our children – all of the young people in Ethiopia – who will?

Let us ask what Semayawi Party can do for us

In August 2012, I asked, “Who can save Ethiopia?” in a commentary titled, “Cheetahs, Hippos and Saving Ethiopia”. I pleaded with Ethiopia’s youth to lead  a national dialogue in search of a path to peaceful change. I have repeated my appeal to them in various ways since then.

I call upon Semayawi Party Movement to continue and intensify the reconciliation dialogue among themselves and launch a reconciliation dialogue in the broader Ethiopian youth community. I believe the dialogue on national reconciliation in Ethiopia must begin within Ethiopia’s youth communities. Ethiopia’s Cheetah’s must empower themselves, create their own political and social space, set their own agendas and begin multifaceted dialogues on their country’s transition from dictatorship to democracy through dialogue.  They must develop their own awareness campaigns and facilitate vital conversations among youth communities cutting across language, religion, ethnicity, gender, region and so on. Their dialogues must be based on the principles of openness, truth and commitment to democracy, freedom and human rights. They must dialogue without fear or loathing, but with respect and civility.  Above all, the Cheetahs must “own” the dialogue process. At a gathering of Cheetahs, Hippos should be seen and not heard very much; welcomed and encouraged to observe Cheetahs in action. The Cheetahs must keep a sharp eye on wily Hippos who are very skillful in manipulating youth. They should learn not to fall in the trap young people fell during the “Arab Spring”. The cunning Hippos outplayed, outmaneuvered and marginalized them in the end.

I believe reconciliation dialogues should begin among activist youth in informal and spontaneous settings. For instance, such dialogues could initially take place among like-minded activist youth at the neighborhood and village level. Activist youth could undertake an assessment of their capabilities, potentials, opportunities and obstacles in setting up and managing a community-based informal reconciliation youth dialogues. Youth activist could focus on creating broader youth awareness and involvement in the dialogue process by utilizing existing organizations, institutions, associations and  forums.

Reconciliation dialogue involves not only talking but also actively listening to each other. Youth from Ethiopia’s multiethnic society have much to learn from each other and build upon the strengths of their diversity. Ethiopia’s Cheetahs should also learn from the mistakes of the Hippo Generation and the experiences of youths of other nations. I urge Ethiopia’s Cheetahs to be principled in their reconciliation dialogues. They should always disagree without being disagreeable. Disagreeing on issues should not mean becoming mortal enemies. Civility in dialogue, though lacking among Hippos, is essential for Cheetahs.   

Silence of our…?

“In times of universal deceit,” silence speaks louder than words and pictures. Dr. Martin Luther King said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” As I end this commentary, I must speak up against the “silence” of our “friends” because sometimes silence is more eloquent than speech. When the leader of Ethiopia’s youth party came to Washington, D.C. for the very first time and spoke to a capacity crowd of Ethiopians unseen in the past several years, the Voice of America (VOA) was conspicuously absent. VOA did not send a single reporter to cover the event. I do not know why the VOA decided to absent itself from the event. I do  know that the Semayawi Party event was no less important than the variety of Ethiopian sports, cultural, academic and community events and even book signings  VOA routinely covers on weekdays and weekends in around Washington, D.C. Perhaps for the VOA Semayawi Party and Ethiopia’s youth are a simple issue of mind over matter; VOA does not mind and Ethiopia’s youth don’t matter.

I want VOA to know that when they faced the slings and arrows of  Meles Zenawi, when Zenawi outrageously accused them of “promoting genocide in Ethiopia”, I stood up for them. I defended their integrity, professionalism and impartiality time and again. I expected the VOA to attend the Semayawi Party event and report on the proceedings with the integrity, professionalism and impartiality they have shown in the past. Perhaps Ethiopians will begin to ask whether the Voice of America is now the Silence of America (SOA). We will continue to listen to the SOA, but not in silence.

No more silence; let us shout out and show our support for Semayawi Party Movement

Let us be silent no more. Let us proudly proclaim our support for Semayawi Party Movement. Let’s stand tall and proud with them. Let’s show them we appreciate and support their peaceful and nonviolent struggle for change. Let’s assure them that no matter how long it takes to walk the long road to freedom, we will be with them. They will be victorious in the end. Let’s show Semayawi Party Movement we love them!

Ethiopia’s youth united can never be defeated. Power to Ethiopia’s Youth!

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S. Africa Dismisses Report Mandela Trained by Israeli Agents

The South African Nelson Mandela foundation on Saturday denied the report that Mandela received the training from Israeli agents in 1962.

"We can confirm that we have not located any evidence in Nelson Mandela's private archive that he interacted with an Israeli operative," the foundation said in a statement.

The statement came after a British newspaper website reported on Friday that Mandela underwent weapons training by Israeli agents in Ethiopia in 1962 without Israeli agents knowing his true identity. The report claimed its source from "an intriguing secret letter lodged in the Israeli state archives."

Denying the allegation, the foundation said "media have picked up on a story."

Mandela received military training from Algerian freedom fighters in Morocco and from the Ethiopian Riot Battalion outside Addis Ababa before returning to South Africa in July 1962, according to the foundation.

"In 2009 our senior researcher travelled to Ethiopia and interviewed the surviving men who assisted in Mandela's training, no evidence emerged of an Israeli connection," said the statement.

On Dec. 5, the anti-apartheid icon passed away at his residence in Johannesburg at the age of 95.

Mandela became the first elected black president in South Africa after the end of the apartheid system in 1994. 

Source CRI English

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ከወያኔ ክፋትና እብሪት እንጂ ፍትህ አይጠበቅም !!! = ግንቦት 7

ወያኔ ባለፉት ሃያ ሁለት አመታት የአገራችንን የፍትህ ተቋሞች አንዴ አንደ ቂም መበቀያ ሌላ ግዜ ደግሞ እንደ ማጥቂያ መሳሪያ እየተጠቀመባቸዉ የፖለቲካ ተቀናቃኞቹንና ጥርስ የነከሰባቸዉን የህብረተሰብ አባላት እያሰረ፤ እያሳደደና እየገደለ ከርሞ ዛሬ ላይ ደርሷል። በተለይ ከግንቦት 1997ቱ ምርጫ በኋላ ወያኔ ብዕርና ወረቀት ይዘዉ በሃሳብና በአመክኖ የታገሉትን ሰላማዊ ዜጎች “ሽብርተኞች”፤ ድምጻችን ይሰማ ብለዉ የመብትና የነጻነት ጥያቄ አንግበዉ በሰላማዊ መንገድ የታገሉትን ኢትዮጵያዉያን የእስልምና እምነት ተከታዮች ደግሞ “አክራሪዎች” እያለ ፍርድ ቤት በማቅረብ በፍትህ ተቋሞች በኩል የፖለቲካ ዉሳኔ በማሳለፍ ሠላማዊ ዜጎችን ለረጂም ግዜ እስርና እንግልት ዳርጓል።

ወያኔ ለኢትዮጵያና ለዜጎቿ ደንታ የሌለዉ እና ከስህተቱ የማይማር የግብዞችና የዘረኞች ስብስብ ስለሆነ አሁንም የአገሪቱን የፍትህ ተቋሞች እንደ ማጥቂያ መሳሪያ እየተጠቀመ የኢትዮጵያን ህዝብ በፍርሃት ጨለማ ዉስጥ ሸብቦ እየገዛ ለመኖር የቆረጠ ይመስላል። ባለፈዉ ሳምንት አጋማሽ ላይ የወያኔ አገዛዝ ከአንድ አመት ተኩል በላይ እስር ቤት ዉስጥ አጉሮ ያቆያቸዉን የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎች ከፊሎቹን በነፃ ተለቅቀዋል የሚል ከፊሎቹን ደግሞ ተከላከሉ የሚል ትርጉም የለሽ ብይን ሰጥቷል። በህወሀት ታጋዮች የተሞላዉ ፍርደ ገምድሉ የወያኔ ፍርድ ቤት እንኳን ተከሳሾቹ በተከሰሱበት ሽብር የመፈጸም ወንጀል ምንም አይነት ማስረጃ አልተገኘባቸዉም ሲል አገዛዙ ግን የፖለቲካ ክንዱን በመጠቀም ማስረጃ ያልተገኘባቸዉን ሠላማዊ ዜጎች የተከሰሱበትን መሰረተ ቢስ ክስ ተከላከሉ የሚል የፖለቲካ ዉሳኔ ሰጥቷል።

የወያኔ አገዛዝ የሙስሊሙን ህብረተሰብ የመፍትሄ አፈላላጊ ቡድን መሪዎች ፍርድ ቤት ያቀረባቸዉ ለምዕራባዉያን ለጋሾቹና ለአለም አቀፍ አበዳሪ ድርጅቶች ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ ፍትህ ያለ ለማስመሰል ነዉ እንጂ ወያኔ የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎችን የፈረደባቸዉ ያሰራቸዉ ቀን ነዉ። የወያኔ የፍትህ ታሪክ በግልጽ እንደሚያሳየን ወያኔ ግለሰቦችን የሚያስረዉ ለክስ የሚያበቃ ማስረጃ አግኝቶባቸዉ አይደለም፤ ይልቁንም ወያኔ ማስረጃዎችን እየፈበረከ ለፍረድ ቤቶች የሚያቀርበዉ ግለሰቦችን ካሰረና ሰብዓዊ መብታቸዉን ከገፈፈ በኋላ ነዉ። ለምሳሌ የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎችን አስሮ ብዙም ሳይቆይ የእነዚህን ሰላማዊ ዜጎች ተክለ ሰዉነት ጥላሸት የቀባና ግለሰቦቹን ያለ ማስረጃ ወንጀለኛ አድርጎ የፈረጀዉን “ጂሐዳዊ ሀረካት” የሚል የፈጠራ ድራማ ሰርቶ ለህዝብ አቅርቧል።

የፌዴራሉ ከፍተኛ ፍርድ ቤት ሽብር በመፈጸም ወንጀል ተጠርጥረዉ የቀረቡለትን ግለሰቦች በተከሰሱበት ወንጀል ማስረጃ አላገኘሁባቸዉም ካለ በኋላ ሁሉንም በነጻ አለማሰናበቱ የሚያሳየን የወያኔ ፍርድ ቤቶች ከፖለቲካ ተፅዕኖ ነጻ አለመሆናቸዉን ብቻ ሳይሆን፤ ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ ፍርድ ቤቶች የገዢዉ ፓርቲ የማጥቂያ መሳሪያዎች መሆናቸዉን ጭምር ነዉ። የወያኔን አገዛዝ ከሌሎች አምባገነኖች ለይቶ አደገኛ የሚያደርገዉና በምዕራባዉያን መንግስታትና በቀላጤዎቻቸዉ እንዲወደስ ያደረገዉም ይሄዉ አገዛዙ የሚቃወሙትን ኃይሎች የሚያጠፋቸዉ እንደሌሎቹ አምባገነኖች በግልጽ ሳይሆን በህግ ሽፋን ዉስጥ በስዉር መሆኑ ነዉ።

የወያኔዉ ፍርድ ቤት በተመሳሳይ ወንጀል ተከስሰዉ የቀረቡለትን ነገር ግን ምንም መረጃ ያላገኘባቸዉን የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎች ገሚሶቹን በነፃ ለቅቆ የተቀሩትን ጥፋተኛ አለመሆናችሁን አረጋግጡ ብሎ መወሰኑ የወያኔን ሁለት እኩይ አላማዎች ያሳየናል። የመጀመሪያዉ የወያኔ አላማ በአላማቸዉ ጸንተዉ የቆሙትን የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎች መከፋፈል ሲሆን፤ ሁለተኛ አላማዉ ደግሞ የኢትዮጵያ ፍርድ ቤቶች የቀረቡላቸዉን የክስ መዝገቦች በሚገባ አጣርተዉ ዉሳኔ የሚሰጡ መሆናቸዉን ለአለም አቀፉ ህብረተሰብ ለማሳየት ነዉ።

የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ግን እንደዚህ አይነቶቹን የወያኔ እኩይ ተግባሮች ካወቀ ዉሎ አድሯል፤ ስለሆነም ከወያኔ ፍትህ ጠብቆ አያዉቅም፤ ወያኔ የክፋትና የበቀል ምንጭ ነዉና ለደፊትም አይጠብቅም። የድምጻችን ይሰማ መሪዎችም ሆኑ ከእነሱ በፊት በግፍ ታስረዉ መከራቸዉን የሚያዩት የፖለቲካ ፓርቲ መሪዎች፤ ጋዜጠኞችና የሲቪክ ማህበራት መሪዎች የታሰሩት ለቆሙለት የፍትህ፤ የነጻነትና የእኩልነት አላማ እንደ አለት ጸንተዉ በመቆማቸዉ ነዉ። እነዚህ ጀግኖች የታሰሩለት አላማ የሁላችንም አላማ ነዉና ፍትህ፤ እኩልነትና ነጻነት የጠማን ኢትዮጵያዉያን ክንዳችንን አስተባብረን የችግሮቻችን ሁሉ ምንጭ በሆነዉ በወያኔ ስርዐት ላይ ክንዳችንን በጋራ እናንሳ!

ድል ለኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ!!!

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Ethiopia ranked bottom on the 2013 Web Index

In its Web Index report released last week, the World Wide Web Consortium ranked Ethiopia 80th out of the 81 countries it covered. The ranking reaffirms ‘hélas‘ the widespread Cyber Censorship and Surveillance in Ethiopia, corroborates that with regards to ‘Internet freedom’, Ethiopia is the one of the most repressive countries in the World as recently reported by Freedom House in its Global assessment of Internet and Digital Media .

Interestingly, this new Web Index proposes a multi-dimensional measure of the Web’s growth, utility and impact on people and nations. The report “assesses how the web empowers people not only to receive information, but also to voice their own views, participate in public affairs and take action to improve their lives”.

The paper ranks countries in four categories: universality of Internet access; freedom to safely and privately access information and express opinions online; amount and availability of relevant content; and empowerment to use the tools of the Web to foster positive change. The U.S. and other developed countries scored poorly on the “freedom and openness” index in the wake of a series of revelations on the scope of governmental surveillance fueled by the leaks of classified documents by former National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden.

Ethiopia had the lowest score in the sub-index on ‘Freedom and Openness’ assessing the extent to which citizens enjoy rights to information, opinion, expression, safety and privacy online. The report refers to the Telecom Fraud Offenses Law in Ethiopia seen by many as reinforcing the existing ban on VoIP. The law effectively opens the door for a prison sentence of up to eight years and a fine of up to 80,000 Birr (US$4,500) for “using or causing the use of any telecommunications network or apparatus to disseminate any terrorizing message” or using telecommunications for an “illegal purpose”. What constitutes a “terrorizing message” is left deliberately vague and allows broad interpretation under Ethiopia’s far-reaching and highly-critized anti-terrorism law. Many journalists and opposition party figures were indeed “criminalized’  for having reported about banned opposition groups and openly writing critics to the regime.

Eskender Nega

Ethiopian veteran journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega and online journalist Reeyot Alemu were convicted under Ethiopia’s highly criticized  2009 Anti-Terrorism Proclamation for voicing challenging questions about government policies that were posted on web sites run by Ethiopians in the Diaspora. Despite thenumerous calls from rights groups, Eskinder is in prison since 2011, serving an 18-year sentence on ‘terrorism charges’ .

It is to be recalled that the last independent technical tests conducted by OpenNet Initiative (ONI) in September 2012 found that the government owned sole Telecom operator in the country (Ethio Telecom) filters the Web primarily targeting ”independent online news media, political blogs and Ethiopian human rights groups’ websites. Of the 1,375 unique websites tested, 73 were blocked including online portals” such as AddisVoice, CyberEthiopia, EthioMedia,  EthiopianReview, Nazret“, the report stated on page 278. (also see the Complete list of blocked web sites by the Ethiopian Government ).

On the other hand, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology, repeatedly rejecting any possibilities of liberalization of the Telecom sector, claims to have set up policies to provide impetus for the development of ICT sector in the country by offering a “world class business environment along with a conducive policy and regulatory regime“, in particular by setting up an EthioICT village and various e-government initiatives. As detailed in the government’s five-year strategic goals in Ethiopia’s Growth and Transformational Plan (GTP), Ethio Telecom, the state-led telecom, wants to reach 65 million subscribers by 2015 while maintaining a government full monopoly over the industry.

While these ambitious plans are truly commendable, critics affirm that all e-services by the government is not genuinely seeking to provide services of quality to citizens and consumers but rather initiated with the optic of strengthening the regime’s authoritarian rule and obstruct any outbreak of an  ’Arab Spring’ type revolution in Ethiopia.

According to the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) ’s figures on Measuring the Information Society, Telecom services in Ethiopia are among the most expensive in the world and the country has one of the lowest rates of internet and mobile telephone penetration in Africa. Despite low access, the government maintains its myopic monopoly with strict controls on infrastructure and other value added ICT services while being the only one  in Sub-Saharan Africa to implement nationwide, systematic and politically motivated internet filtering.

As one of the fastest growing economies in Africa, Ethiopia has the potential to be the regional out-performer in Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), with many qualified professionals locally and in diaspora (see the amazing IceAddis Team) and a relatively untapped consumer markets in mobile service provision and other ICT services. However, the political environment could once again impede its progress unless the authoritarian regime in Addis Abeba realizes the need to adopt effective policies that unleash the potential of ICTs in stimulating economic growth, good governance and bring social opportunities to all Ethiopians rather than fearing the political ramifications of ICTs and pouring efforts on blocking websites, hunting bloggers and attempting to muzzle online political dissent.

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CPJ: Eritrea, Ethiopia, Egypt Among Worst Journalist Jailers

 

ADDIS ABABA — The New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists says Eritrea, Ethiopia and Egypt have the highest number of imprisoned journalists on the African continent. The three countries are also on the worldwide top-ten list of worst journalist jailers.

 

A new survey released Wednesday by the Committee to Protect Journalists indicates 34 African journalists are in jails in northeast Africa.
Tom Rhodes, the group’s East Africa representative based in Nairobi, says the Horn of Africa is particularly problematic because the governments there do not tolerate dissent.

“I think they have been on this list year-in, year-out simply because of the governments’ lack of tolerance towards any kind criticism. Every time a reporter reports something critically, they throw them in jail,” he said.

In Ethiopia, seven of the 34 journalists are in jail.  But the government here insists these reporters are imprisoned for violations of anti-terrorism laws, not because of their reporting.Global rights groups, including Amnesty International, have been critical of these laws in Ethiopia and elsewhere, noting they are often misused to silence the media.

 Egypt has cracked down on journalists since President Mohamed Morsi was ousted in July by the military.
And in Eritrea, 22 journalists are in prison; none of them were charged or brought before a court.
Rhodes says it is difficult to get reliable data from Eritrea.
“It is really a closed off country. It is considered the North Korea of Africa. That said, we mostly rely on exiled journalists, Eritreans who fled the country that tell us what’s going on,” he said.

Turkey tops the list of most imprisoned journalists, followed by Iran and China. Other countries in the top 10 list of CPJ’s worst journalist jailers are Vietnam, Syria, Azerbaijan and Uzbekistan.

Worldwide a total of 211 journalists are currently imprisoned.

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Duo of Swedish Journalist Reminisce Their “438 Dagar” in Ethiopian Custody

Somalilandsun - The Authors of "438 DAGAR" Martin Schibbye, and Johan Persson, which is a book detailing their "438 Days" in Ethiopian custody and related experiences have now turned to exposing the ills they perceive to be ongoing in the Ogaden Region.

In an exclusive interview with journalist Mohamed Farah of Ogadentoday Press the two Swedish scribes say their motivation to pursue information on the region some refer to as "Ethiopia's Darfur" or "Africa's Palestine" by the burning desire to bring to light inhuman activities that were known but craftily what hidden from the International Community.

Describing their arrest by Ethiopian Counterinsurgency forces operating in the Ogaden region against the Ogaden National Liberation Front-ONLF that led to the 438 Days" in Custody Journalist Schibbye said that 150 soldiers who had been pursuing them for some time opened sporadic gunfire injuring him on the shoulder while colleague Johan got hit in the arm

Though the two faced extreme torture especially lack of medical attention, the counter insurgency forces viewed them as hostile elements geared towards disruption of national security since they, the Swede journalists undertook their coverage under guidance of and accompanied by members of ONLF, an armed group the Ethiopian government considers rebellious thence outlawed.

Below are the verbatim excerpts of the interview

Ogadentoday Press: Welcome to Ogadentoday Press
Martin Schibbye: Thank Very Much
Ogadentoday Press: What makes you to travel into Ogaden and put yourself at risk?

Martin Schibbye: Despite, many reports written about the conflicts in the Ogaden, no-one set foot in the oil-fields to report on and that drove us to try and use our legs to see with our own eyes the impacts of the Oil-Industry rather than googling to cover the story. The only conventional way into the area is to make an official visit, stage managed by the Ethiopian regime, pausing for a few hours in some well‐run hospital. These things are organised at regular intervals. At some point, you have to make a choice as a journalist. Either you produce a text in which Ethiopia claims there is peace in Ogaden, while the separatist movement, ONLF, insists there is a state of war. And you're satisfied with that. Or you try to find out what's true. Which of the perspectives are accurate. Either refugees were tortured by the Ethiopian army, or they weren't. Either there is conflict in the region – or not. It shouldn't be a matter of opinion. That is why we have to go into, so we can see with our own eyes what the consequences are of the activities of the international oil companies

Ogadentoday Press: Did you have a chance to meet and interview the local Ogadenis inside Ogaden region?

Martin Schibbye: No, not really, the conflict level is high and the area is militarized .We passed through an empty village that its residents fled due to the conflict. We pass abandoned huts, and meet an elderly man wandering the desert who says his village was burnt to the ground and everyone was killed. He planned to flee to Dadaab. We also make a long interview with the commander of the ONLF group that is guiding us about why they fight and their views on foreign oil companies. Because of the heavy fighting in the area that we passed through the Ethiopian army detected, followed and ambushed us.

Ogadentoday Press: When did you fall into the hands of the notorious Liyu Police militia? And how did they treat you?

Martin Schibbye: On June 30, about 150 Ethiopian soldiers attacked and opened fire on us I got hit in the shoulder and Johan got hit in the arm. Then, I shouted: "Media! Media! International Press!" After we were arrested, we were not given medical care, a chance to contact our Embassy, or taken to a court but instead kept us in the desert for four days. It was the longest and the worst days that I have ever experienced in my life. The army started to make a mockumentary about what has happened and they brought in military journalists and gave us clean clothes. We were told to co-operate or we would be killed. To make us cooperate they arranged a mock execution. Driving us around to different locations to act like a Steven Spielbergy film. The film's director was the vice-president, Abdullaahi Yuusuf Weerar, conversing with the regional president, Abdi Mohamoud Omar by phone.

Ogadentoday Press: Were you imprisoned in one of Ogaden jails?

Martin Schibbye: We spent a couple of nights at the police station in the regional prison of Jigjiga but then we were taken to Maekalawi prison in Addis Ababa. In the beginning, we thought that if we could prove that we were journalists we would go free, but the opposite happened. We were sentenced and charged as terrorists because of being journalists. They made an assessment. At one hand international criticism on the other hand to scare away both foreign journalists and the local ones. Meles Zenawi was on top of our case from day one and wanted to make an example.

In detention we realized that we were not alone as all the cells from right to left where crowded with politicians and Journalists charged with terrorism. It was obvious that we were in the middle of crackdown because of Ethiopia's anti-terrorism law restricted freedom of expression and used it as a tool to crackdown on dissidents.

Ogadentoday Press: How do you describe Kality jail to people that have never been in it?

Martin Schibbye: Its impossible. Its eight zones with 800-1000 prisoners in every zone. Basically its crowded like a music festival, but without beer, without music and with a lot of soldiers with guns. It was 200% overcrowded, hot, dusty, lack of water, full of rats and fleas and many people were very sick among them, people with HIV and tuberculosis infections. But the conditions were not as significant as the other inmates. What is concerning is not the condition but who they put in there: Journalists and political opposition figures. There was also something else in Kality. A friendship between prisoners. The first word I learned in Amharic was "nubla", "come and eat". We hade a lot of support from fellow prisoners.

Ogadentoday Press: Ethiopia government regards jailed Journalists in Kality as terrorists, do you agree?

Martin Schibbye: No, we have been accused of the same things, we had been to the same prison and had the same sentences-but that is where the parallel ends: Eskinder Nega, Woubshet Taye, and Reeyot Alemu and many others still there. Only me and Johan are free.
All these young Ethiopian journalists faced a tough choice. They are intelligent, and well-educated .They could have chosen an easy life. They could have chosen another profession, but the love for the truth to their country for their human being made them journalists. They stayed and continued to write, and that decision brought them to Kality.
With nine detained journalists left in Kality, Ethiopia today is one of the leading countries in the world when it comes to imprisoning members of the press. Repression of the media has also made the country a world leader when it comes to running journalists out of the country.

Ogadentoday Press: Do you believe that your book for "438 days" can expose both the plights of Ogaden people and Prisoners of conscience in Ethiopia?

Martin Schibbye: Since our release I have often been asked if the attention helps the imprisoned or not. My answer is that it is far more important than food and water. When you're locked up as a prisoner of conscience, the greatest fear is to be forgotten. The support from the outside is what keep you going and international coverage does provide a certain level of protection. Prison guards and administrators will think twice because they know the world is watching. But we should also be aware of that the arrest of me and Johan Persson made evident the damage to its reputation the Ethiopian government was willing to accept in its effort to silence independent reporters.

One positive outcome of our book and a newly released documentaryfilm based on material smuggled out by Abdulahi Hussein (a former adviser to the state president Abdi Muhamud Omar and now a refugee in Sweden) is that The International Public Prosecutors Office in Sweden has decided to start an investigation of suspected war crimes against a number of identified politicians and military personel in the Ethiopian region of Ogaden. Pointed out are the regional president Abdi Muhamud Omar and the vice president Abdulahi Werer. I hope that the ones responsible for the terrible atrocities can be held accountable.
As long as Ethiopia can commit crimes, jail journalists and get away with it, it is a cheap and easy way of censorship. To jail a journalist should be regarded as a crime against humanity. But in this regard, I don't put my hopes to international pressure. For now, the jailed journalists are nothing more than "an irritant" in the diplomatic world. It's business as usual.
I put my hope in the young generation which I shared the concrete floor with in Kality. Despite, the daily propaganda on the Ethiopian state television, ETV, very few in Kality regards the jailed journalists as terrorists.
I have an unquestioning faith in Ethiopia's young people.

Ogadentoday Press: Thank you so much, Martin Schibbye for your time.

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Tribal politics rides so close to heart

By Mulata Gudata 

Politics rises with time and dies with time. Politics has a ‘wind’ - the political wind which blows in different directions at different times. The wind and time of communism held sway across the better part of our glob for the better part of the 20th century before it run out of its wind when its time came to be no more.Unfortunately our country had to be part of that infamous wind for nearly two decades before it went down taking our country with it. Now it is the time and wind of ultra-fast information, globalisation, commercialisms and cooperation all of which do not do well in the confines of boundaries for they are meant to reach out far beyond any limit for the benefit of humanity. 


 In our context, unfortunately some of us are holding to the option of a fall-apart at the time when the world is coming together into a global village. Yet, as we go against the tide, we are not only in for a rough ride but also doomed to end up with a bleeding nose. We should always remember that our country is deliberately wide open to foreign hands and interests which is set to complicate our effort towards freedom even when we are united, forget all the dreams of going it alone. Unfortunately this is a fact that remains to confront us for a long time to come even after our freedom which all of us should appreciate and stand together with the sole purpose of overcoming it with collective effort. We face a collective challenge that begs for a collective effort to overcome, which in turn calls for tolerance for us to be able to join hands and stand together by minimising our differences.

We should not forget that the more time we allow such irresponsible sell-out of our national interest, by resisting the call to stand together in order to put an end to it in the shortest time possible, at its best the greater is the risk of it for us to remain on the sideline as mere dreamers which we should not allow by way of unwitting complacency, at its worst we go ahead in our divided way and play it out to our own peril. Our presence next to each other is not without any reason as we are meant to be a support for one another far from being the agent of obstruction to each other who harbour more will towards favouring foreign interests wittingly or unwittingly than standing with fellow citizens. Our remedy lies in accepting that gracefully and working towards harmonising our relationship as the civilised society that we are. Call me an alarmist, a pessimist or anything you like, I wish to urge all of us to embrace each other with tolerance with the sole aim of avoiding the internecine blood-bath and civil conflagration out of which none of us has any hope of emerging in one piece.

We are up against a government that has pegged its existence on playing us against each other so much so that they can stop at nothing to manage and execute our difference with the deadliest possible outcome against us. Our unity is the best weapon in our arsenal to counter all those plots and machinations, for they are in charge we are not. What we have in plenty is the strongest will of our people to go to any length to avoid tribal and sectarian clashes and their readiness to pay any sacrifice it takes to overcome the challenge we are facing. We should stand together in order to be able to play the determination of our people to our own advantage not divide, weaken and squander it only to fall and fall badly.

We do not need to look anywhere else to get our lesson against going it alone. Simply look at Syria where Assad is set to remain in power stronger than ever, in spite of all the crisis and hell on earth Syria had to go thru over the last three years, all that not out of Assad’s mass base or popularity but because of the divided and fragmented opposition that has remained in no attractive shape even for those who want to support and help them against Assad’s brutal minority government. What other source of a sobering lessen do we need apart from such copycat of ours. The only difference if any is that, theirs has been actively and tragically unfolding for as long as we have seen it so far with no end in sight while ours is waiting to begin.

We were divide and remained that way for over two decades, made ready to go for each others’throat with the slightest stroke of a ‘button’ but thanks to our peoples’ wisdom and ability to see thru all those sinister motives and motivations, they have managed to remain together peacefully by avoiding the worst that they were being prodded and prompted to make happen to each other. All we need is build on the example of our Muslim and Christian community, who have successfully avoided igniting sectarian conflict they were openly pushed into making it happen as a result of dirty tricks such as burning churches and throwing the Holy Koran into pit latrines.

On the side of politics, thank God our political wind reached its zenith along tribal line in early 1990s and turned around full circle before we went down the catastrophic path our approach could have espoused. Again thank God we had time to reflect long enough now that we should know what to aim for and how to get there. On one hand the role of time cannot be easily discounted from among many factors that lead to the political wind of the Oromo people in lager part to clearly show the inclination of taking a slightly different direction away from ultra-tribal towards the moderate one. On the other hand, time has also played a great role in making the rest of Ethiopians to be willing to accept what they would not at all be willing to consider in normal circumstances.

With time we have all mellowed out to be able to meet each other at the middle ground. And this fact leaves our political ground very fertile for cultivating a true democracy that should base itself on the platform of thoroughly reformed outstanding socio-political issues. Yet, the last two decades we have been on holiday reflecting meant that the Woyanes have had their exclusive time at the national cake working very hard at compromising our national interest enriching a small clique of like-minded men and women – which is also fair enough when we gave them the chance. But the sad part of it would be if we allow them needlessly any more time as we dither and drag our feet.

In moderating the Oromo politics the group lead by General Kamal Galchu became the first to break the ‘taboo’ by offering to work with other Ethiopians within the Ethiopian unity. As we all witnessed, it was seen greeted with a high level of welcome by our people serving as a good indicator of the fact that our people need and approve any effort made towards resolving our differences amicably. And then came the very founders of the OLF now ODF though this group is yet to reveal its proffered modus operandi of coalition or alliance inevitably expected of the nature of political approach they have opted for.

The inherent mistake in the approach to Oromo politics from the very inception meant the failure we have seen so far and staying along the same course would mean another grave mistake. By moving to rectify that the ODF group has taken a commendably bold move that has to be not only welcomed by all Ethiopians but also encouraged and supported. Obviously the Woyanes not only want us stay divided but also tirelessly work hard at any given opportunity to ensure our division for they owe their existence to our divided and weakened sorry situation. If we keep walking along the path they want us, we are not at all walking well. The message here is short and clear: simply say no to the ‘recommendation’ of dictators by doing the opposite of what they want us to do – join hands and stand together with tolerance and unconditional focus on our common interest. Nothing is common to any society than the quest for freedom, equality, security, peace and stability as well as the unyielding and unrelenting endeavour to overcome poverty.

Just look away and around our political landscape, to our brothers and sisters from Gambela who are somehow better placed to wiggle out of the union by easily avoiding the inevitable pain and turmoil if our country were to go bust, with the benefit of their location on the extreme peripheries and the relative safety of the other side of their geographic location. They are clearly coming out saying we should stick together and work towards a democratic and new Ethiopia in which we all are free, equal and happy.

Multiple bonds such as blood ties, our diverse and intricate social mix, our physical look-alike, natural geography, historic background no matter from which perspective we look at it, our ‘addiction’ to Enjera, our major three faiths: Christianity, Islam and traditional beliefs as well as our economic needs and interests tie us together and they are not easy bonds for us to playfully break free and let go. What we need is not many boundaries between us but boundless love and affection for each other in which we see one another as an indispensible piece and an important part of the larger picture.

As usual, before the finishing line, I want to ask all Ethiopians one crucial question: who among us does not wish for our social woes to go away just over night for us to be able to wake up the next morning to find our self in the love and affection that prevailed our land before the tribal hell started seeping its toxic breeze in our direction since early 1990s? The answer is obvious: we all wish it happens today not even the next day.

Then I say we can make it happen, here is how: before anything we should appreciate the fact that the moment all our leaders (at least a significant group for there are simply too many to expect all to agree which may sound a bit naive) mange to reach an acceptable deal on the modus vivendi and step onto the platform to announce it, our tribal sentiment automatically begins not to cool down but just freezes. Our people have incredible innate potential for forgiveness and reconciliation and that is one of many things that make us proud of our self. We have hope only in the fact that forgiveness and national reconciliation are the way of putting to rest conflicts like ours that spans a long period of time and involves a wide range of crimes committed against the nation and its innocent citizens.

Yet, before we reach there or to help our self reach there, here is one simple thing we all can start doing just now: refuse to see or say anything negative (politically) about any other group or community that has the potential of tingling our already charged tribal sentiment, and start ‘singing’ everything good about one another to set our self into the mood of that genuine love and friendliness we crave. It is a natural social law that we cannot expect others to love us as we talk ill of them for tribal politics rides so close to heart and remains too important to let down by failing to reciprocate any presumed attack.

The nature of the tribal trouble we are trapped in is such that a villain to one camp is a hero in the other. When a Dachasa is vilified the Lelisas, the Gurmesas, the Jamals and the Kamals of our land are all ears. In the same breath, when a Demelash is demonised the Debebes, the Demekes and the Asefas of our land are all ears. Folks, times have changed a lot. We got to be mindful of issues related to our opposite camps. We should not miss the crucial point that the individuals with the ability to help us reach out to each other and move forward are the same ones who can be the rallying point towards fuelling our conflict when we gravely fail to know how to carefully handle and work with them, literally from all camps.

Unfortunately we have been seen killing each other and uprooting communities merely because of the madness that dowels in tribalism. Compared to all that, sometimes off-the-cuff remarks of a sensitive nature should be seen as meaning nothing until such time when we will be able to claim to have resolved our differences. By this I do not mean that we should encourage them until such time but I challenge all of us to focus our time and energy on the fire and stop chasing the smoke for we stand a grave danger, in the process, of missing out on what can be a vital asset.

We need to acknowledge the fact that the younger generations, particularly those who are below 30 years of age, grew under the atmosphere that only groomed them to think and act in the interest of their tribe far removed from the sense of the larger national pride. This being the case, it would be unfair if we rush to condemn them when we see them excelling in the field they are taught to think and act well. As a remedy to this, all we need is a better understanding and a good grasp of the reality of our situation to be able to make conscious efforts towards tolerance even when we know their ideals and aspirations starkly contradicts with our expectations. For condemnation and denigration are not the solutions but the resolution of the issues that keep the tribal sentiment alive, fuelled and burning.

We should always remember that the individuals who stand out leading our tribal camps are the same ones who will help to unify us and play a key role in the rise of our nation once again when our socio-political issues are resolved and the dust settled. We need to focus on treating the underlying disease not the symptom by trying to reach out to each other with tolerance in order to minimise the risk of running out of steam even before we get off the ground and reach anywhere.

But thank God we are at liberty to bash and vilify all the villains of our land the likes of Sibhat Negas, Bereket Simons, Siyum Mesfins, Demeke Mekonnens, Girma Birus and so on because these have left their tribes to obey the urge of their big bellies by being in the infamous government we have today and once they are there they belong to all of us and to no tribe. Even though they claim to represent the tribe in whose name they have gone into ‘market’ they have no ground of legitimacy what so ever to their claim since they are unelected representatives who are known to the world for stealing votes. So we should recognise them for what they truly represent -themselves and their big bellies - and keep giving them their dues by telling them and the wider world that they are criminals who should belong behind bars secure with a big locker far from public office.

In the recent past, I had the chance to listen to Mengistu’s interview on ESAT radio program which left me with a feeling of déjà vu all along. Here was the usual Mengistu, true to character and unrepentant as hell 22 solid years after he let loose and took cover in Zimbabwe, with no qualms in his attempt to denigrate Mandela’s achievement as unfair compromise. For our former dictator one is not a winner unless one does the complete-kill and takes it all to make peace. Unfortunately some Ethiopians still remain cheated about the motives of this man. Mengistu had more love for power than the country for which he exploited our national sentiment. This is a pure and simple fact. This is a man who started out with a killing spree and remained in power beating war drums for 17 solid years with no will for ending the war. I am ashamed to hear him still proudly clutching to the term, ‘abiot’. Once a monster always a monster!

We opposed, condemned, demonised and fought Mengistu Hilemariam and the government he led whenever we got the opportunity until the last minute. Nothing makes the ones in our government of today any different as long as they keep on lording on us with the shameful and ugly government that does not have the gut to be moved into standing up for the protection of its citizens when they are abused and brutalised in a foreign land. Ours is a government distinguished for its corrupt ways, marginalisation of the majority, deprivation of freedom of expression, abuse of human right, treasonable compromise of national interest and uprooting of poor citizens to make way for foreign interests for which we are not expected to extol and praise any member of the gang that is using it as a vehicle for greed satisfaction and self aggrandisement as if there is no tomorrow.

A less informed friend of mine could not believe me about the 100,000 tone coffee I quoted in my previous article until I showed him a YouTube video as evidence. But thank God we are beyond any reasonable doubt that no coin of it and other loots went to the benefit of the Trigryan poor mass, in whose name the TPLF went into business, as it did into the overseas dubious accounts of the gang that holds our country hostage which should partly serve as evidence when we loudly warn against extreme tribalism as no benefit to our ordinary people.
Finally, I want to end this long article with some quotations and a sentence of mine that follows:

When people are divided, the only solution is agreement. -John Hume The power of dictatorships comes from the willing obedience of the people they govern, if the people can develop techniques of withholding their consent, a regime will crumble,” Dr Gene Sharp, the author of From Dictatorship to Democracy, once said.

So, I should say, the onus remains on our leaders and intellectuals to come up with the techniques with tolerance and agreement!

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