By Yilma Bekele
Some days more than others it is becoming hard to wake up being an Ethiopian. It seems like there isn’t anything good about it. Today was one of those days. First to hit me was a report from Brussels. My fellow brother, Dr. Berhanu, was making a presentation regarding the current situation in our country. I do not have a problem with that. It takes an Ethiopian to speak about Ethiopia. My problem is with the people who were sitting across the table from him. As diverse as we are there is no way you would mistake them for an Ethiopian.
In front of him were two complete strangers, a man and a woman defending the acts and atrocities of the Woyane government. Lo and behold, I could feel my jaw dropping. These two hired guns from DLA Piper, a lobbyist firm from Washington D.C., were appearing in front of a European Union Parliamentary hearing and they were speaking for and about us. When did we sink so low? Doesn’t the minority regime have anyone they can count on to speak for them? Do they have to pay complete strangers to articulate their haphazard policy and ill-advised blunders? I know they hide from the Ethiopian people, I did not know they hide from fernjis too.
The whole world is worried about the 12 million starving Ethiopians. UNICEF is begging for help and to be allowed to help. Save the Children Fund is working hard to collect money. All aid agencies are focused to try to do their best. Our government is busy denying the existence of a famine. Our government is under reporting the number of people who are dying. They are playing the number game. They are shouting, “It is not 4 million but just 75 thousand children who are dying” and do not call it famine when it should be referred to as ‘lack of adequate nutrition’. They must have a special department devoted to the art of ‘misspeak and word parsing’. Symbolism is what matters to the dictator and his gang. It is all in the appearance.
Thus, hiring a high priced lobbying firm from the U.S. and sending them to a hearing in Brussels is of no concern to Woyane leaders. They are not ashamed to pay millions to have someone without any clue regarding our country to speak for us. The Europeans were as surprised as the rest of us. They were compelled to ask, who are you? It was left to Dr. Berhanu and to our friend the Honorable Ana Gomez to tell the true story about the dire situation in our homeland. The DLA Piper, after the teach-in session, was compelled to ask for forgiveness for their ignorance and they had to go back humiliated. They were trying to defend the indefensible. They were charging thousands of US dollars a day plus expenses while their clients’ subjects were starving and lacking a simple loaf of bread. Mercenaries have no heart.
The next item on my breakfast of misery plate was regarding the generosity of Dr. Sheikh Mohammed Hussein Alamudi to the so-called Ethiopian Soccer Federation in North America (ESFNA). The good Sheikh who has already bought our country is diversifying outwards. Apparently there isn’t anything left to buy in Ethiopia, and he stumbled across this Organization that has been using the name Ethiopia for the last twenty-five years, according their claim to fame.
Let us all calm down and look at this situation in a rational way. ESFNA is a US registered non-profit organization operating with a tax number and a license from the IRS. Its well organized web site (http://esfna.net/esfna/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=68) states its mission as follows: ‘The Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) is a non-profit, tax-exempt organization founded in 1984 to promote amateur soccer and cultural events within the Ethiopian community in the North America. Its goals include providing positive role models for the youth, promoting goodwill between the Ethiopian communities in North America and creating a bridge where people from Ethiopia and North America can interact in a mutually beneficial manner. In addition to the sports event, the Federation also promotes cultural activities to provide opportunities for Americans to learn more about Ethiopia’s culture and history.’
By its own admission it attracts thousands of Ethiopians to its yearly tournament held during the July 4th weekend. It charges for admissions, it collects money from vendors selling every imaginable Ethiopian related goods and services, and it holds a must attend concert before the final match. You can say that one is lucky to leave with your cloth on your back when you are done with this week of fun and orgy in July. ESFNA makes a lot of money. A lot of organizational work goes to arranging this once a year happening.
There is also the other side of ESFNA shrouded in secrecy and behind the scene manipulations. It generates lots of speculation due to lack of information. It encourages for a few to make decisions that affect the many without open discussion.
ESFNA must operate under the same rules and guidelines say as the ‘American Red Cross’ or your local ‘Save the Children Fund’. Our expectations are very high for a twenty-five years old organization. Transparency and accountability are a must for the organization to prosper and carry out its mission. As an organization rooted in a democratic system ESFNA should show the rest of us the superior model of open and transparent organization. That is if it really wants our respect, admiration and love.
I can google ‘financial report red cross’ and look at their IRS return. I can also read a detailed financial statement and their future plans. ESFNA should do the same. It should show the percentage that goes towards operating cost including salary, donations to teams, donations to our country, and others. Since our collective name is in the name, since we are taxpayers, we are entitled to such information.
This press release from ESFNA regarding the good Sheik’s donation is a little troubling. How and why did ESFNA deserve such generosity? Did ESFNA ask itself if it needs the money? Did ESFNA think about the impression it creates? Did ESFNA think about the bigger picture? One thing we know for sure in this life is ‘nothing is free’. In that case what is the catch? Accepting money from an individual closely allied with the illegal and criminally liable government is a little too much for me. This organization that is serving the cultural needs of the Diaspora community should be careful not to offend the sensibilities of its benefactors for a few pieces of silver.
This self-delusion of being above politics while engaging in political activity is not convincing. Claiming to stand neutral while one’s country and one’s people are subjected to famine and hunger, loss of basic human rights and arbitrary detention and punishment is an act history will judge harshly. I believe the Sheiks donation is an attempt to steer the organization in its current policy of turning a blind eye towards abuse of power. It will give it the muscle to withstand any attempts to reform it and steer it towards the road of open and accountable organization that reflects the wishes of its constituents. It looks like instead of choosing self-reliance as a principle ESFNA is willing to be bought. Instead of hard work and smart planning to flourish it is opting for welfare and loss of independence. Short cut has its pitfalls.
On the other hand ESFNA is free to declare itself as a business and do what the owners wish with their income. There is nothing like a clear and level playing field. But to register as a non-profit outfit and abuse the rights and privileges entailed to such organization is a disservice to the community.
As they say it is up to the consumer to be aware. That is what is beautiful about democracy. We are free to make a choice. To attend or not, that is the question. What to attend and what to boycott is making a loud statement. Knowing where ones dollar goes is being a smart consumer. Who succeeds and who fails is a decision made by the consumer. It is up to each of us to say no to abuse and disrespect. It is not okay to let wrong slide by and hope others will do the right thing. It is not cool to be silent in the face of injustice. Right is earned not offered as a gift.
DLA Piper and the Dr. Sheik were too much to take for one day. I feel like crawling back under the blanket. But not today. There are battles to be fought and won.
16 thoughts on “DLA Piper and ESFNA”
Bekele,
Touche! Tell these hodams “Greed is not good” They have been
fleecing and abusing these knuckleheads who drag their black
behinds to this event year after year, while the swines treat this cash cow as if it is their piggy bank.
For next year the whole rotten structure needs to be dismantled and reorganized. The Saudi mercenary can gift all of them to his boss Bandar.
Dearest Ato Yilma Bekele,
ESNFA is one of the best things that the Diaspora community has built. The Shiek is kind to acknowledge this and generous to extend a helping hand. He did not ask to buy it. If he is interested to buy a soccer team he can buy any team in the world. Last year he was worth 7 billion US dollars. Much of his wealth comes from oil. So you can imagine how much he is worth now. It was a simple act of generosity on the part of the Shiek. I cannot imagine any rational reason why ESNFA should reject the offer. I do not see any rational reason why this is your misery. Just think about it.
Keakberot Gara
No way, we (Ethiopian) going to craw back under the blanket. We will fight until tplf died and buried forever.
I will forward for as many brother and sister as I can. let them know ESNFA is sell out.
I would like to thank the writer for the concern, I always appreciate your articls. I agree on one thing you said, that one has to sit down and think what is the catch? whata is required in return? Where can it lead one of our once a year gathering in to?
Currently Ethiopians from all walks of life are called for a concerted action to end seeing the ugly face of poverty, famine, and build democracy for our own sake of survival. We know our differeces in opinion, political alignment, relegion, ethnic back ground , gender, economic back ground, age, etc. They existed in the past , they exist today , and they will exist in the future and we know how to live with our differences in unity. Our differences must not be used by our external historical enemies for their evil objective as we see it today.
Today people are dying in Ethiopia due to famine, a paradox famin that hits Ethiopia constantly in the midest of abundance. We need to break this cycle of famine once and for all by hook or crook. It is really a time for a wake up call for all Ethiopians to act in what ever way they can. I would say ESNFA is one good example to promot such event in addition to what it has been doing so far. My concern is not the money , it is the social gathering which can a play constructive role in our society. If we think this gathering interms of money it costs a lot. I would say boycoting isn’t a solution, rather making ESNFA more transparent and accountable is preferable if there is any problem because it belongs to us and our children. We have the responsiblity to correct all the mistake if there is one.
Do we have to politicize everything? You say he is running out of things to buy, you guys are running out of Ethiopian institutions to destroy (of course unless they accept whatever you believe in).
There seems to be an organised effort to discredit ESFNA and what it stands for.Esfna is one organisation the weyane has been attempting to control but failed to do so.Now we are witnessing a relentless effort to do just that.In the past Al amoudi donated money to the federation,but that money did not buy him any special favor,i hope it will not buy him now.Lately some people and websites,who are supporters of the pro democracy movement, are falling for the trap weyane is setting up for the demise of ESFNA.Please we need to wake up and protect the only strong institution that we have.If we lose it, we are also losing the opportunity to have thousends of people in one place that can be rallyed for various causes be it politics ,art religion ……etc.We need all the polititians, religious leadrs, artists and all others who ever used this great event as venue to promote thier respective organisation and ideas to stand up and defednd this great federation and the hundreds of volenteers who made it possible for the last 25 years.Some of these men never spent a 4th of July with their families in decades.Thank you ESFNA for bringing the community together.
What is the difference between criminals and those who harbor them? We all know what the Sheik is up to. ESFNA was not supposed to be surrendered to the Sheik knowing what he is up to. ESFNA should be reorganized!
I call such move by the god father of weyane, al-moudi, the YugoEthiopianization and Ethiopia for sale to the highest bidders. These people will never settle down until the great nation is dismantled from with in and out; while all of them are stashing or accumulating wealth in the name of Ethiopia.
Some people think they can destroy a resilient organization like ESFNA with their rumors and base less accusations. Guys get a life stop too much time gossiping around balcony or writing garbage on the internet. instead go out side do exercise and shape up by loosing your beer belly, read books, develop positive thinking, volunteer your time for community services and above all have a healthy relationship with your God. Life is so precious you need to use it wisely instead of talking nonsense all the time. I commend ESFNA’s guys for creating such a wonderful occasion .I cant wait to see all my old buddies who are coming from all over the states.
WELL SAID teddy(10) and AA(6).
pro Democracy said “boycotting isn’t a solution”, Forget the organization, but who this generous man? He is an opportunistic crook who is on bonanza of robbing Ethiopia inside out while his brothers, TPLF, gunning down the resistance on the street of Addis. Do you take money from a man who buys guns to kill your people. It shows a total disrespect in sheik’s part, but no rupris there because he is surrounded by hookers soulless poletician and singers telling him he is God(AIGA forum). What is behind this generosity.
Sheik and TPLF expect that the gathering of angry Ethiopians surely chang to political rally or a show of solidarity movement. How do you stop that from happening. You need a lot of money for distracting people from their concern with concert and glitters. . They will do any thing to make it only sport issue, THAT IS WHERE SKEIK COME IN the SPORT FUN HIMSELF WHO DOESN’T WANT or COME NEAR POLITICS. How do you offend avid sport fun who gives you that much money by talking politics. ESFNA is owned by Ethiopian killer and i refuse to approve its ACTION.
Teddy,
Take it easy.
No body said ESFNA should be destroyed. The leadership of ESFNA, in multiple occasions refused to discuss about the income and expenditure of the so called non-profit organization. If you contact ESFNA and ask them to get their financial statements, which you have the right, especially as a stakeholder in the so called Ethiopian Federation, they doom you as enemy.
I like to remind you though; they are collecting funds in the name of Ethiopians, including you. They don’t even allow unemployed old Ethiopians to do small business at the soccer tournament for free. They sale vendors for thousands of dollars. They don’t care about Ethiopians or sport, all they care is about money.
Also, as we heard the Tycoon gave them thousands of dollars, but does that mean we don’t get to pay for stadium fee? No, they still charge the people.
This is what is everybody here saying. Let the embezzlement stop, let there be no interference by politically motivated people like the Tycoon, let there be transparency.
4:25AM,
“Last year he was worth 7 billion US dollars. Much of his wealth comes from oil”
If you were not an empty head you would have known that
part of the seven billion comes from thhe Ethiopian gold he hauls without paying a cent from Shankiso and laundering woyanes loot from the 100 or so TPLF companies controlling
Ethiopia’s economy.
So, ESFNA and their tiphozos shut the hell up and enjoy your
frifari. Alamoudi is a front for the corrupt perverts in the house of saud and looting Ethiopia’s resources thru MIDROC just like woyane does thru EFFORT.
ESFNA needs to be restructured to benefit Ethiopians
not a few asamas. Sure you will spend your July 4th away from home if you are going to return with a bundle of cash
on July the 5th. Sorry ass robbers!!!
Is it really tough to recall facts at least in the near past?
Let us agree that this guy is generous, why he needs to distribute many on these bodies in the west at the time when westerns are calling and straggling to save life in our starving Ethioipia?
Why he backed up these primitive wild-groups who let that country dies for ever?
Big in wealth and body means not big enough in moral and ethic!
boycotting will not produce any thing.1, Ethiopians should face these hodams bandas 2, , they should open their financial door to IRS .3, Ethiopians should give full information to IRS and based on the given information IRS should take the full investigation about the in come and out come of those bloody bandas and hodams who do not care about the fates of their country [ if they are ethiopians and think better than pig] 4, boycott buying any thing from the market,,5, boycot their final dance program and arrange another night programm for ethiopians 6, ESFNA should be reformed and lead by true ethiopians or concerned ethiopians should form another ESFNA WHICH IS FREE FROM weyanes and arab’s agent. these are the most important solutions