By Yilma Bekele
Last Monday Aiga Forum, the website reflecting the views and opinions of Tigray Peoples Liberation Front, the party in power in Ethiopia that is led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi posted a racial slur directed at the president of the USA. It said:
“The misguided extremist Diasporas have been cheering up for the last couple of days. You know why? Hillary
Clinton will not visit Ethiopia during her trip to Africa. Hmm! Who cares if the N**** administration ignores Ethiopia?!” Aigaforum.com
This posting was viewed by thousands of people as far away as in Germany and as close as San Francisco, CA. You can read Ato Abebe Gellaw’s investigative reporting on the subject here.
The fact that Aiga Forum posted the racial slur is undeniable. Aiga Forum used an ugly racial epithet to describe the administration of President Obama is a fact that will not disappear by the simple rearrangement of a web site posting. Once on the Internet it stays on the Internet. What is published on the web will stay there no matter what, unless of course a nuclear explosion obliterates the thousands of servers diligently saving all that is put in cyber space.
The way a person or an organization reacts to incidents is a reflection of their mindset, philosophy, or their general outlook in life. The way that Aiga Forum, as the mouthpiece of the TPLF regime, decided to respond to this shameful incident is a window into their standard operating procedure.
If I might digress a little bit, let’s compare two situations that happened within the last month. On July 16 a black Harvard professor was arrested by a white police officer in Cambridge, MA. The incident received wide coverage. During a press conference, Mr. Obama responded to a question and said the Cambridge police ‘acted stupidly’. He spoke too soon. Plenty of folks, both black and white, were hasty in their conclusion.
Our dear professor President, Barrack Obama, realized he was wrong. Upon further reflection, he later admitted that, “I could have calibrated those words differently.” He did not leave it at that. He decided to use the incident as a ‘teachable moment’ for all Americans. He opened the door for citizens and law enforcement people to discuss racial sensitivity, racial profiling, and the issue of race in today’s America. A positive outcome was created out of a bad situation.
Now, let us look at how Aiga Forum and the TPLF regime handled the ugly incident that they created. They wanted to shift responsibility away from their despicable act. They denied that what many people saw, did not exist. They attempted to make the story about me because I wrote an article pointing out their shameful insult against President Obama, and our African American brethren. That is not fair. The story is about Aiga/TPLF’s defamation of the first African American President.
The following is their response to their dirty deed:
Take for example a certain Yilma Bekele article that appeared on abbay media and ethio forum websites about Aigaforum. For the record Aigaforum did not write or post the comments attributed to us in the article! Yilma must be idle or hurt by the ongoing saga with UDJ! Else what was he smoking when he wrote such white lie about Aigaforum? Shame to those websites who posted the article without checking! The two websites could not even agree how to present the article to their readers. One is trying to cheat readers to make it more believable!
Yilma, ethioforum and abbay media you are wrong! When we want to say something we do not hide or speak /write in ‘qene’ we are straight. Next time quote us properly! And we ask you to apologize to your readers for misinforming them.
You see what I mean. The highlighted color is theirs, and the emphasis is theirs. What brought about idleness, smoking, and UDJ into the picture is not clear. After publishing this, they have the chutzpah to ask for an apology. Two Amharic sayings come to mind. The first one is ‘ye leba aynederek melso lib yaderq’ and the second one is ‘ke detu wede matu’. The explanation and the usual insult was posted on Wednesday, August 5th. The next day they came up with a whole new clarification. They claimed that their ‘nemesis’ used ‘disposablewebpage.com’ to defame their image. Of course, this new spin on the story is not true either. We have IT professionals that can prove the so-called disposablewebpage.com that they claim created the insulting posting, was made after the fact. This is just another feeble attempt to white wash the original blunder.
Aiga Forum/TPLF editors could have used this incident to reflect on their destructive behavior. They could have dug deep into their psyche and try to understand what we have been pointing out about their ethnic based mentality, and its negative effects on our country. They could have used this ugly uttering as a ‘teachable moment’ about the pearls of narrow ethnicity, racially motivated hatred, and using insults to demean a fellow human being.
That is not the style of the minority-based government in Ethiopia, the bankroller of Aiga forum. Aiga Forum has made it a habit to insult and demean fellow Ethiopians. Its web page sole reason for existence is to inflame inter ethnic animosity between our people. It is a cheerleader for the inhuman acts of its sponsors that are directed at the citizens of Ethiopia and neighboring countries. It is a factory of lies, innuendos, and half-truths used to split opposition parties and to pit one group against another to later enjoy the fireworks sitting on a high chair.
It has insulted our tireless and successful community organizer Ato Obang Metho as a ‘phony’ leader, it has led the charge against Kinijit, and the massacre of peaceful demonstrators in the aftermath of the 2005 election. It is currently salivating at the prospect of a civilized argument inside Andenet turning into a full-blown war. Aiga Forum is adding fuel to the family discussion trying to turn it into a conflagration.
If Aiga Forum can prove that they are not responsible for that which was posted on their website, I will be the first one to apologize. I will go to great length to ask for forgiveness from Aiga Forum for defaming them. I am sure our independent web sites will not hesitate to print a retraction.
On the other hand, there is definitely no chance that this will happen. It is because we stand by our story that upon opening Aiga Forum site people saw the ugly post right on their front page. Unless Aiga Forum can prove that someone hacked into their site, and planted the ugly degenerate statement, the statement I made continues to be a verifiable fact.
What to do about it a good question. Thanks to the freedom we enjoy in the USA Aiga Forum is protected by the First Amendment of the Constitution. Many people died to uphold that right we take for granted. The right to use the N word Aiga Forum is throwing at the President did not come cheap. Many of our African American brothers and sisters paid a heavy price, in order for us to live and enjoy life to the fullest. We Ethiopians should know better. When our country was attacked by Fascist Italy, our African American friends were the first ones to volunteer to help us stand up against a European aggressor. The great African American poet journalist Langston Hughes wrote the ‘Ballad of Ethiopia’ that included the words:
All you colored peoples
Be a man at last
Say to Mussolini
No! You shall not pass
We definitely owe quite a lot to many people, specially our natural allies, the Africans in the Diaspora. Aiga Forum wrote ‘we put a quick disclaimer and moved on’. It is not that easy my friends. A disclaimer cannot erase a deliberate insult and a shameful act. President Obama has been insulted in a vicious manner. I have been defamed by being called a liar, and the Ethiopian people have been included in this shameful act. The only way out is for the alleged Administrator of Aiga Forum, a certain Isayas Abay, to acknowledge this transgression, and to ask for forgiveness from all the injured parties, including the people of Ethiopia. I believe that Aiga Forum should have its own ‘teachable moment’ and refrain from becoming such a divider and a negative force in our country’s strive to attain democracy, respect for human rights, and the ushering of the rule of law into our ancient kingdom. There is no other way out.
If on the other hand, the Aiga Forum/TPLF owners persist on this fiction of blaming others for their hate crimes, they leave us no choice but pursue all legal means to stop them from hurting us again. We are in the process of finalizing a petition drive to ask Ethiopians, and all peace loving people to condemn the actions of Aiga Forum/TPLF and to make our feelings known in no uncertain terms. We are not afraid any more. We refuse to be bullied. We refuse to be victimized by the narrow ethnic based regime. We refuse to be insulted, degraded, and dehumanized when our country is crying out for justice and progress. We demand the removal of the unjust system that is keeping our country backward, illiterate, and center of starvation in the twenty first century. Enough is enough. We say to Aiga Forum/ TPLF camp, you can run but you cannot hide from the truth.
12 thoughts on “Aiga Forum’s ‘teachable moment’ on hate”
I thought that Yilma is a person well versed with the true intentions and nature of the TPLF and its leader Meles Zenawi. Yilma and other Ethiopians should not be taken by surprize when they encounter racist and degrading remarks by the TPLF media. It is very important for the genuine Ethiopians to grasp the fact the TPLF is basically an ethnofascistic organization entertaining and propagating their ideas of Tigrayan supremacy and lordship. I think Ethiopians are failing in their struggle against the TPLF because many have failed to realize the ethnofascistic nature and missions of the TPLF and its leaders. The TPLF leaders will use all their ethnofascistic methods overtly or covertly to cling to power and abuse Ethiopians.
good article thanks. and yes we dont run away we are going to fight this tribal narrow minded Woyane insulting the president of the U.S.A and insulating our brothers the African American and UN insualt to African should not be tolereted.
I think you are giving them too much attention. These clowns need to be ignored. The more you engage them the more they feel they are valuable. If the intention was to expose them or bring their shameful act to the attention of American authorities (FBI or what have you) … then you haven’t learned a thing. Weyane and its associates could get away with anything as long as they serve their masters obediently. Period.
The confusion that is going to be created by TPLF
Written by By Efrem
Wednesday, 29 July 2009
Before the shuttle rocket that launches from Kennedy space station to the outer space returns to earth the TPLF juntas are going to make a surprise manoeuvre of change of tactics. I really appreciate the timing of the TPLF when it comes to choosing an alliance. They did it at a right time to ally with the EPLF to hit DERG. After their mission is accomplished using advantage of blood and sweat of EPLF they allied at a supersonic speed with the Amhars to hit Eritrea. And now they are contemplating to take actions to ally with Eritrea and Oroms to hit Amhara.
They are prepared to say they accepted long time the EEBC decision and they don’t have a problem to implement it. When they are going to be asked are you prepared to leave Badme to Eritrea? Their answer will be “YES”. Eritrea is going to be caught by surprise. There is going to be confusion in Eritrea.
The TPLF is looking for a possible negotiation to leave power to Amhara in Ethiopia. At the same time the TPLF are going to agitate the Tigriyan people for an independent Tigray. Both the Amhara and Tigray people are going to be confused. The Amhara for one side they are going to be in a happy mood to get power but to find them selves in shock to go through vicious circle of conflict with the Tigriyans. The Tigray people are going to be patriotic to defend their right as an independent people but to find themselves in trouble surrounded by enemies.
The possible arrangement of dialogue between TPLF and the Oroms is not realistic. The good gesture that is going to be forwarded by TPLF to support the cause of the Oroms is going to create confusion among the Oroms.
The remaining question will be what will happen to the relationship of TPLF and the Somalis. The TPLF says now they have nothing to do with the Somalis. The main reason is there is no direct neighbourhood between Tigray and Somalia. In this case it is not going to be confusion but is going to create anger by the Somalis. The Somalis are going to ask why in the first place destroys Somalia and say now you have nothing to do with it? The TPLF are going to say “now we leave you with your original arch enemy the Amhara and leave us alone to deal with the Amhara and you Somalis pursue to deal with them. By the way we have a common enemy we need to support each other”. Still the Somalis are not going to be confused but are going to ask questions like who will compensate the Somalis destruction done by the TPLF regime? No answer from TPLF but comes with a proposal saying “in principle we do take responsibilities for what happened in Somalia but we will insist on dialogue how to deal with the common enemy the Amharas”.
Starting from September 2009 until May 2010 there is going to be confusion in horn of Africa never seen in the history of that region.
In the old days when our countrymen were attacked by way of violence and hurt unfairly and powerless to counter inequitable assaults, they are yearning for having able man to defend them and take on those assailants. And when people who went through such ordeals got a son they call him“Demelash”. Ato Yilma Bekele is a true son of Ethiopia who advocates for Ethiopian people suffering under this villain and ruthless tyrant. I profoundly admire and respect able men like Ato Yilam Bekele, Professor Alemayehu Gebremariam, Ato Obang Matheo, Ato Abebe Gellaw and many other respected scholars who are communicating their views and expose the evil deeds of this brutal regime at home. Ethiopians who are suffering under this merciless tyrant needs you more than ever. Keep on writing and enlighten us and let the world know the depth of our pain and misery. Our country is held hostage by a few tribal juntas who hate Ethiopia and bent to loot and destroy the very fabric of that nation. .
“He who accepts evil without protesting against it is really cooperating with it” Martin Luther
King.
I urge all Ethiopians to use all means at their disposal to protest against this criminal regime. We could start by signing a petition for immediate and unconditional release of Birtukan Mideksa. She is suffering in solitary confinement in woyanes 2 meters squared dungeon since December 2008. Our Ethiopian community number in Diaspora is in hundreds of thousands if not more and unfortunately the petition signed for a release of Birtukan Mideksa is not exceeding 3000 people since its start long time ago. Does this say a volume about our culture of protesting against evil? “Afincha simeta ayin Yaleksal” was the maxim that we heard all along but it seems it does not work for the new generations of Ethiopians. Or Ayin Yemiyaleksew Ayin simeta Bicha new? No. It should not be that way and we got to be Demelash for every unfairly attacked, looted, subjugated and powerless Ethiopian anywhere. I am my brother keeper should be the motto….
Aiga forum is also a home of racist ‘Tigre’ major contibutors such as Zeru Hagos. I have an evidence of this in which Zeru comforted himself by suggesting that as long as the Ethiopian opposition is “bowing down” to another “Tigre although a bad one” in reference to Eritrean leadership, it is still OK. If this does not make Aigaforum a home of racists Tigres, what will? The home of Tigre fascists, aigaforum, is also showing its embrassing face to the whole world, by using the ‘N’ word against a very loved and popular president such as Brack Obama. What a pity…
It is no wonder that dictators and their puppets bark like a dog until they are stopped. Do you remember Saddam Hussien with his sword and Mengistu breaking a bottle full of red wine to show their strength against America.
It is not possible to rule a country indefinately by terrorizing and killing. The Ethiopian people are killed not only by Agazi bullet but also by the education policy to produce illiterate slaves for Tigrean masters.
It is time to say no to tyrany in Ethiopia and elsewhere we are in a different Millinium. Meles should go back to Albania and refresh his politics because even Albania`s system (Model of Meles Zenawi) has long changed.
Dear Elias,
“…Aiga Forum/TPLF editors could have used this incident to reflect on their destructive behavior. They could have dug deep into their psyche and try to understand what we have been pointing out about their ethnic based mentality, and its negative effects on our country. They could have used this ugly uttering as a ‘teachable moment’ about the pearls of narrow ethnicity, racially motivated hatred, and using insults to demean a fellow human being”
It is shame anyone who is an Ethiopian his ancestors have done a lot to all black people in Africa and elsewhere through out history:
being the first none white nation defeated a white man’s nation in a face to face symmetric war in 1896 in Adwa. That became as an example to the none blacks all over the world to fight against the European colonization. (The second nation who defeated a white man in a face to face war was Japan against Russia in an Island in 1905).
Ethiopia being the home to the first human being, civilization, christen state, owns the only black people alphabet and so on is serving to all blacks all over the world especially those out of Africa(former slaves) to see themselves through her long, deep and admirable history mirror. The ever lasting hero Belay Zeleke tactic and determination of fighting against the facist Italy became the examples to all Africans to fight against the colonizers in Africa and as the result they managed to become free. Ethiopia has supported all sorts of military and any needed training for the fight against colonization in Africa. Even Mengistue followed that Ethiopian’s long and deep rooted Tradition and commitment for Africans and Africa and he trained thousands of Zimbabweans in Ethiopia to fight the British colony there. Now we wonder why British is so hostile against Ethiopia and is on war damaging the Ethiopian Image all over the world started in 1984 in the name of help. Mr. Mandela and many South Africans were at least for half year each time to get training in Ethiopia to fight against Apartheid in Africa. Read Mr Mandelas first book about Ethiopia and Ethiopians. You will now how the well informed Africans are proud and have lots of love and respect towards Ethiopia.
The point is that any Ethiopian has respect, is related and part of all blacks no matter where they are. However the Aiga forum which calling itself as Ethiopians are not from those kinds of Ethiopians. They are even identifying Ethiopians by force with Ethnicity and kilil. They are dividing an old nation like Ethiopia which is the first ever independent state in Africa/the world with Kilil despite she has the lowest Ethnic group based on population proportion.
Look for instance Egypt. Only 15% are Arabs. The rest are Coptic, Berbers, Blacks and the vast majority are Turks, Syrians, Palestinians, Italians, Greeks, Armens and so on came there because of more than 2500 years immigration from all over the world. You can say all races, Ethnics and the likes are living in Egypt as it is happening elsewhere in the world, too. Yet, except the aiga group’s policy in Ethiopia, there is no Ethnic policy and kilil elsewhere.
Therefore these stupid Aigas are too racist this way to make a living at the cost of the nation. Can you remember that shame, a boy, Dementia, criminal, too liability and with many bad names to describe him exactly who he is; Sebhat Nega? He can not talk about any body with out associating that person with specific Ethnic groups. He cannot talk about any place in Ethiopia without associating it with their fake/illegal/no one accepted Kilil. Being Tribalist is in their dirty blood they think being that way gives them something and makes them better than others.
That is why they think they are right calling individuals including the most dynamic, admired, respected, hope and example to the world genius, our beloved Brack Obama with their racist and hateful behavior . We all know that except the Aiga groups meaning 96% Ethiopians will die for Obama. Because they love and respect him. He has made/still is making the biggest history on earth the same way our Ethiopians have done time after time for thousands years. He is one of us. He even looks naturally as an average Ethiopia does. So, naturally he is one of us.
Aiga (the racist, Tribalist and killilist) Go to hell. You are shame. Why don’t you learn? Only something good towards others and the situation will make our country a better place to live and bring us together as one citizen under our worldwide famous(Black people Symbol) flag.. Stop being bad and stupid.
I have my own experinces about aigaforum. Recently, I was in Ethiopia and witnessed myself when the government officials held discussions with clergy and clerics of different religions inorder to alleviate “religious tensions” in Ethiopia. I also witnessed the peaceful demonstration by 250 members of UDG for Bertukan Midekssa’s release and followed closely and read the news coverages by most of the news outlets. Only to read from aigaforum and shocked that there were youth in UDG’s demonstration wearing t-shirts with “Ethiopia the island of christianity”. It was the only news outlet that reported this. I don’t need to tell you what the motive behind aigaforum is by reporting that.
Please let us see the petition form ASAP and undertake further developments.
we should write to all kenyaian embassies abroad.we should write to Mr.Raila odinga(prime ministre)of kenya and he is also the same ethinic group with barack obamas father.we should also to nation media tv of kenya.we should bring aiga weyane outlet to total to their feet.They don’t deserve to function at all.We also should write to black caucus in the congress of usa.Let bring this racist organization to their feet.
no matter what tplf and its agazi cadres do no one should pay too much attention to them since they have repeatdly demonstrated their ignorance on many occasions – they are so conditioned they are not aware of the world they live in so deformed they still have the gangle mentality
Surrprised? Woyane will do anything to give bad name to Ethiopia and Ethiopians. After all, that’s what they come to achieve. Destroy Ethiopia by any means necessary.