Ethiopia’s tyrant Meles Zenawi has called U.S. Ambassador Douglas Griffiths an ‘idiot’ for claiming that there is no equal representation of all ethnic groups in the government.
Mr Griffith represents the U.S. at the United Nations Human Rights Commission in Geneva.
Speaking at a council meeting last week, Ambassador Griffiths questioned Ethiopian regime’s contention that there is a fair representation of nationalities in government institutions. He said independent observers note that most senior government positions are represented by one ethnicity.
The dominant role of ethnic Tigrayans in the government, especially in the military, has often been a contentious political issue in Ethiopia. Tigrayans make up about six percent of the population.
Listen below:
[podcast]http://www.ethiopianreview.info/audio/12142009amha1800aMON.mp3[/podcast]
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VOA reports: Prime Minister Dictator Meles flatly rejected Ambassador Griffiths’ assertions. “I have not heard of such idiocy. But if it has occurred, it proves the idiocy of the person in Geneva,” he said.
Speaking to reporters before traveling to the climate conference in Copenhagen, Meles also dismissed a U.S. critique of Ethiopia’s restrictions on human rights and press freedom.
The U.S. embassy in Addis Ababa last week took the unusual step of urging Ethiopia to review a recently passed law restricting the activities of non-governmental organizations receiving foreign funding. The law goes into effect next month.
The Center for International Human Rights at Chicago’s Northwestern University issued a report last month saying the measure effectively silences human rights defenders and advocates of democratic governance. The center described the Charities and Societies Proclamation, or CSO, as “the most restrictive of its kind in sub-Saharan Africa” and compared it to similarly repressive laws in Zimbabwe and Russia.
But Prime Minister Dictator Meles defended the measure, saying it is in line with democratic norms. “There is no possibility of us changing the CSO law because we believe it is a perfectly legitimate law and consistent, if not with the theory, consistent with the practice in the advanced democracies,” he said.
Meles also rejected U.S. concerns about the closure of a newspaper that had criticized government policies. The U.S. embassy said the closure of the Addis Neger newspaper and charges against other private journalists and publishers might contribute to a perception that space for independent media in Ethiopia is constrained.
The media rights group Reporters Without Borders said the decision of Addis Neger’s editors to close the paper and flee the country was evidence of a climate of fear.
Meles said such criticisms are not based on facts. “We don’t take this institution seriously. Because they have proven to us over again, they take any allegation against the government as the last word in the Bible and they do not try to verify the facts,” he said.
At the same time, Prime Minister Dictator Meles scoffed at reports that suggest Ethiopia’s relationship with the United States is strained. He called bilateral ties “mature.” “It was never off track. People assumed it was off track because of some idiot comment made by this or that particular person in this or that particular place. But the relationship is quite solid, has always been based on things other than passing emotions,” he said.
Meles said he had not seen the U.S. embassy statement or the comments by the U.S. representative at the U.N. Human Rights Council. But he said, “I respect the rights of the United States to express its opinion on any matter under the sun, or if they want to, even on any matter over the sun.”
6 thoughts on “Ethiopia’s tyrant calls U.S. ambassador ‘idiot’ (audio)”
Here is Proof of Tigre supremacy
Chief of Staff, General, Samora Yunus, Tigre
Training Department, Lt. General Tadesse Worede, Tigre
Logistics Department, Lt. General Geazi Abera, Tigre
Military Intelligence Department, Brg. General Gebredela, Tigre
Operations Department, Lt. General Gebre Egziabiher, Tigre
Engineering Department, Lt. General Berhane Negash, Tigre
Air force, Brg. General Mola Haile Mariam, Tigre
Heads of the four commands
Central Command, Lt. General AbebawTadesse, Agew
Northern Command, Lt. General Seare Mekonnen, Tigre
South Eastern Command, Maj. General Abraha W. Gabriel, Tigre
Western Command, Brg. General Siyoum Hagos, Tigre
Division Commands
31st Division Commander, Colonel Tsegaye Marx, Tigre
33rd Division Commander, Colonel Kidane, Tigre
35th Division Commander, Colonel Misganaw Alemu, Agew
24th Division Commander, Colonel Work Aieynu, Tigre
22nd Division Commander, Colonel Dikul, Tigre
14th Division Commander, Colonel Woedi Antieru, Tigre
21st Divison Commander, Colonel Gueshi Gebre, Tigre
11th Division Commander, Colonel Workidu, Tigre
25th Division Commander, Colonel Tesfai Sahel, Tigre
20th Division Commander, Colonel, Teklai Klashin, Tigre
8th Mechanized Division, Colonel Jemal Mohamed, Tigre
4th Mechanized Division, Colonel Hintsaw Giorgis, Tigre
19th Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Guae, Tigre
44th Division Commander, Colonel Zewdu Teferra, Agew
13th Division Commander, Colonel Sherifo, Tigre
12th Division Commander, Colonel Mulugeta Abraha, Tigre
32nd Division Commander, Colonel Abraha Teslim, Tigre
6th Mech. Div. Commander , Colonel Gebre Medhin Fekad, Tigre
23rd Division, Commander, Colonel Wold Beilalom, Tigre
43rd Division Commander, Colonel Wodi Abate, Tigre
26th Division Commander, Colonel Mebratu, Tigre
7th Mech. Div. Commander, Colonel Gebre Gebre Mariam, Tigre
Defense Ministry Departments and other
specialized Units
Agazi Commando Div., Commander, Brg. General Muhamed Aisha, Tigre
Addis Ababa Security Division, Colonel Zenebe Amare, Tigre
Palace Security Force, Commander, Colonel Geresenay, Tigre
Banks’ Security Force, Commander, Colonel Hawaz Woldu, Tigre
Engineering College, Commander, Colonel Halefom Ejigou, Tigre
Heath Science College, Commander, Colonel Tesfaye Giday, Tigre
Mulugeta Buli Technical College Commander, Colonel Meleya Amare, Tigre
Resource Management College Commander, Colonel Letayi Tigre
Staff & Command College, Commander, Brg General Tesfaye Giday Tigre
Bilate Training Center, Commander, Colonel Salih Berihu, Tigre
Hurso Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negash Hiluf, Tigre
Awash Arba Training Center, Commander, Colonel Muze, Tigre
Bir Shelko Training Center, Commander, Colonel Negasi Shekortet, Tigre
Head of Admin., the Ministry of Defense, Brg.Gen. Mehari Zewde, Tigre
Dejen Defense Aviation, Head, Brg General Kinfe Dagenew, Tigre
Defense Ministry, Head of Research, Brg. Gen. Halfom Chento, Tigre
Defense Ministry, Head of Legal Affairs, Colonel Askale, Tigre
Head of the Office of the Chief of Staff, Colonel Tsehaye Manjus, Tigre
Head of Indoctrinated Centre , Brg. General Akele Asaye, Amhara
Head of Communication, Colonel Sibhat, Tigre
Head of External Affairs, Colonel Hasene, Tigre
Head, Special Forces coordinating Center, Brg. Gen Fiseha Manjus, Tigre
Head of operations Department, Colonel Wodi Tewik, Tigre
Planning and Program Department Head, Colonel Teklai Ashebir, Tigre
Defense Industry Coordinating Head, Colonel Wodi Negash, Tigre
Head of Finance in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Zewdu, Tigre
Head of Purchasing in the Ministry of Defense, Colonel Gidey, Tigre
Head of Budget Department, Ato Brehane Tigre
belay ,
belay kilu..The topic has nothing to do with what you posted..
Ediot Meles is simply repeating what Mugabe said to an American diplomat in Libya.
This is typical slip-up by a ‘Killetam’. That is what makes him and his goon mob squads even more dangerous. Dangerous to their own people and the people of Ethiopia in general. Like any typical ‘temch’ and ‘scourge’ they will keep laying siege to the country until they seep out the last drop of milk and honey. On their way to oblivion, they will call honest people idiots, terrorists and let genuine patriots languish in jail indefinitely. May God, That God Abraham, That Almighty God of Moses, Isaiah, Jehovah, Noah and many saints sniff this Dracula and his Miss Peggy mistress along the rest of the gangs out of that ancient land we all call ‘Mother Ethiopia’. I commend Mr. Griffith for his courage.
The little man’s defense is like a monkey looking herself in the mirror and calling the image ugly while praising herself beautiful at the same time. Instead of denying the fact that tigreans dominate all sectors of life in Ethiopia, he needs to own up to it and say “so what ” with his usual arrogance.
Meles is sick. The guy needs a good psychaiatrist.
He does not want to answer a proper answer to questions raised by many promint personalities.
His principle is: some answer is better than no answer. He applies a hit and run tactics of his jungle times.
It is the Bush administration that brought him to emperor Menelik Palace.
Now he is Yohannes v of the Tigre dynasty.
It is true that in the contemporary Ethiopia, one minority ethnic group is reigning over 95% of the total population.
The respected ambassador is 100% correct.
A fact finding mission can verify the matter.
If the report comes true, then Meles and his cabinet should leave office prior to the fake Election of May 2010 in Ethiopia.