The current visit to the U.S. by Ethiopia’s distinguished scholar and human rights activist Professor Mesfin Woldemariam has one mission: To preach to Ethiopians in the Diaspora NOT to support all-inclusive struggles to defeat the Meles fascist regime in Ethiopia and instead to start preparing for the 2010 elections. It is a mission to disarm the people of Ethiopia and make us all spineless people who do not stand up and defend ourselves.
What makes the professor’s mission potent is 1) he really believes in and is sincere about being passive in the face of extreme savagery of the fascist regime, and 2) he is respected by most Ethiopians and it is difficult to challenge him on the issues because of the much harmful idolatrous tendencies in our society toward individuals of his stature. Nevertheless, ER will once again be the lone wolf here. We will challenge Professor Mesfin that we appreciate your sincerity, but your way is against what made Ethiopia a proud nation — give me freedom or give me death. Your philosophy made 80 million Ethiopians slaves to a few thugs. Dear Professor, you are a great scholar in the field of geography. You are a respected human rights advocate. Please stick to those fields. Leave the politics to those who know the kind of language Woyanne thugs understand… more later >>>
112 thoughts on “Professor Mesfin’s dangerous mission to the U.S.”
Response to critic towards Prof. Mesfin
I don’t know why we Ethiopians limit our selves and be prisoners of the “Either….. Or” thinking. It is not healthy and wise to limit our choice. Why don’t we take the wisest answer Jesus Christ used to neutralize the venomous question from the Pharisees? Pay the Emperor what belongs to the Emperor and pay God what belongs to God. Let Prof. Mesfin be consistent to his struggle and stop demonizing him, after all he himself was a victim for peaceful struggle. Let Ginbot 7 fight its battle if Dr. Berhanu believes in it. These days politics have become intellectuals polemic instead of practical solution oriented activity.
Wake up Ethiopians, don’t forget the Ginbot 7 strategy is not absolutely correct too. We shouldn’t expect Prof. Mesfin to say go ahead draw your sward while there is no preparation for such struggle. A lot has to be done before we choose between self-defense or peaceful struggle.
We have seen repeatedly that ideas and ambitions alone can’t bear fruit; it must be coupled with courage and action. The TPLF members and the majority Tigrean supporters learned to stick to each other no matter Meles or the TPLF central committee is doing. That determination and sticking to each other has helped them to control and humiliate 77 million people. But look, we are fast to attack and criticize those who have paid a sacrifice.
Remember when the CUD leaders were in jail, the Ethiopian people stopped the struggle at home. We haven’t seen adequate reaction from the people like that of Kenyans or other African countries. Killing thousands of people shouldn’t deter the people to sit idly but for two years we have seen nothing. Even not one TPLF official was challenged in one or the other way when they spilled young children’s blood. The people were not ready to sacrifice like Kenyans or people in Zimbabwe. It happened from June to November 2005 and the collective struggle stopped. When leaders are arrested, people are expected to resist no matter what but it didn’t happen. Please instead of wasting time on such irrelevant issues, let’s prepare the people psychologically to pay a sacrifice for freedom and say no to oppression. Intellectual’s polemic won’t give freedom. Let’s learn about paying sacrifice, lets learn to build thrust since many Ethiopians have lost thrust in opposition politicians who couldn’t unite themselves but preach about national unity. This is shame! Let’s change this shameful attitude and bad habit first.
How petatic that professor Mesfin got to pray on stage. In the past he was telling us that we are too fatalist to leave everyting to God. Don’t get me wrong, I am not against praying but i never expected professor Mesfin to do the same thing that millions of Ethiopians have been doing for long time, which he has been so critical off.
Brothers and sisters, Elias, didn’t insult prof. Mesfin at all. Read the message again and don’t thing in Amharic, but in English when you read it. Where have you read an insult on the above articl? Will you point out or tell me the insult that you are talking about?
Elias, keep teaching the trues man!
Loosers,Woyanne starts another 17 years term rule to stay on power.
It is aready started.you keboardist guys most of you Ertreans are just idiots leaving crying your life abroad.But one thing for sure you see your masters falling down in the future.
Elias u have a right to express your views,fuck the cowerds who are talking about futile peaceful resestance. Tej beberele neger bemesale gezayachen yena new zewer bel shemagele Mesfin manew ande shemagele new.Do not get me wrong my ppl,i hate Shabia as an Ethiopian,but sometimes stratagic allance helps a lot if we are serious about a regime change in our country.
dear mimi i read your reply… i believe you have a huge misunderstanding… if you carefully observed prof as far as the ethiopian politics is concerned he is firm on the basic principles ..before 2005 he tried to uncover all the woyane evil deeds against humanity through the EHRC ,then he he played a vital role in forming KINIJIT and preached peaceful resistance and struggle along all his colligeus(including birhanu and andargachew)..and still he is telling us we shouldn’t giveup on the peaceful struggle IDONT SEE any TRAIT or BETREYAL …the point is there is no MIRACLE on the Proff MESFINS’ side ..rather the miracle happened among elias and his website … it didnt even took a minute for elias to turn around against those people whom he praised..” ye zemenachin tayitu”, “ye kinijitu abat”,”jegnochachin”..bla..bla…Im not saying tht elias can not differ in his opinions yes! he can! but its immoral to degrade people we chose their own means of fulfilling the common goal…by the way i 200% sure this will happen to DR BIRHANU and ANDARGACHEW too….when they deny to sign the contract that you proposed with OLF IN ASMARA(AS YOU ADVISED) GOOD LUCK BIRHANU AND ANDARGACHEW ( KE ELIAS MILAS MALETE NAW)
profeser mesfen,do you know the word tureta you are an old fox who is not better than hailu shawel.tureta yewtu bekawot .you already serve hailselase,derge, and now weyane.we are tired of being always cheated by you.you have been there when derge kill 60 haileslase officials,you are now with weyane compaining for them.we do not need your fake politics while ethiopians are dying by weyane.
We are talking about 80 million plus people of Ethiopia. One professor is is just a needle in a hay stack. And every professor is not a smart politician. I have no disrespect for him, but certainly put him in question mark.
I can’t trust someone who can’t make make peace within an organization could bring peace to million people. As a father figure and respected intellectual, he should have been intervened to resolve conflict within CUD at this time of need. Instead, he was the one who engaged in instigation and pulled the crack apart. If he had been acted, because of his stature, the warring parties may have been listened to him and CUD would have been averted the crisis.
Personally, I have no opposition in his view of peaceful struggle, but it is just a simple wish than concrete plan to how to achieve The People’s government.
In my view, Ethiopians ability to bring TPLF to the negotiating table is already at dead end because of the fracture within the opposition in which Professor Mesfin is one of the contributors.
One can’t reach his or her destination if there are two steps backward for every step forward. As a brain surgeon have no idea how to milk the cow, politics is not an academic endeavor, but a cummulative effect of experience, persistence, prediction, defense, conviction, bravery, justice, faith and wisdom. And when it comes to Africa, it is spiced with mercy of muscle.
Given to his age, elite background, previous record of abstainance from the struggle, and his handling of the Kinijit crisis, simply tell as professor Mesfin is on the wrong place. I wish he simply do his human rights business. He already has been in the worst days of our nation and never participated in any political activities until 1995. Then, what did he wanted now? If Birtukan control Arat killo to replace Major Girma? I love his geography but not politics.
selam #106,
I have no problem with Mesfin using his self serving methods of so called struggle, if only he did not start spreading his anti oppostion pro Wayane propaganda.
After all even many of his types are peacefully sitting in Wayane parliament for the last 18 years and conducting the so called “peaceful struggle”
At least even those in Wayane’s parliament are much more better than professor Mesfin himself because they are not barking against the other opposition groups and their methods of struggle since they do understand as to how fake that regime is.
The professor sems to join them inorder to get his salary and spend his old age chating about his past.
All those so called principles of opposition and human rights activities of professor Mesfin seems to be for ATTRACTING AND GETTING ATTENTION from the Wayane dictators and securing status and high level employments for his individual petty feudal self by swearing in the name of the people just like he has been doing under absolute king Haile Selassie and dictator Mengistu Haile Mariam.
Now, he may keep directly and indirectly singing for the Wayane dictatorship just like the old and big music box, singing old melodies every time the minority dictators drop few coins through the coin hole.
Otherwise he must prove me wrong by his practical actions but not only through empty talks. I have no problem changing my opinion then! Flexibilty is my virtue!
Professor Mesfin W.Mariam is a very distinguished scholar with a profound potential to become a leader for million of Ethiopians and a visionary person with lucid and crisp thinking, an intelligent and Ethiopian with distinct and consistent character.
When Professor Mesfin speaks, he speaks of problems, he then suggests or comes up with the likely solutions. When he speaks, he speaks of reality and delivers the realistic story with truth, professor Mesfin has the capability to deliver messages clearly or subtly so that he creates the opportunity to pose then think right and do the right thing, as well.
To prepare for the 2010 election is the right thing to do and it is that we should do it right.
Professor Mesfin reminds us of woyanaetplf and Fascist Italians murdered thousands and hundreds of Ethiopians. Italians were punished and kicked out of Ethiopia and were sent back to where they dare come from. In 2005, Professor Mesfin and his colleagues and millions of Ethiopians shared a common vision for Ethiopia and came out and stood on a podium victorious over tplfwoyaeeprdf regime.
Professor Mesfin will never ever disappoint us or neither fails Ethiopians nor betrays Ethiopia in the struggle against eprdfwoyanaetplf regime.
Professor Mesfin reminds us of leadership: Leaders must be accountable and responsible for carrying out their leadership duty to put public’s interest above anything else.
Professor Mesfin reminds us and speaks of being on constant alert and guarding our being Ethiopians in every directions and corners.
Meles Zinawi, aggressive and reckless has no sense of belonging to Ethiopia. He came to power by the barrel of the gun and shot many bullets and killed Ethiopians.
“Ethiopia is beautiful.” Says, professor Mesfin. He taught in the university and produced many qualified Ethiopians, he fought for the right and freedom of Ethiopians and actively participated in the election and brought us more victory. Look, now he is with the rest of Ethiopians fighting against the repressive regime.
Ethiopians, who do you think is a good leader: Professor Mesfin or Meles Zinawi?
mimi#109,
First of all i would like to appreciate the way way you forwarded your argument genuinely with out barking on any body(unlike the owner of this web site).
I completely agrre that the proff. shouldn’t have started attacking others who believe that woyane can be over thrown through other meanses too. I believe that he should respect the right of others to choose every possible meanse that they think is effective to throw the woyanne regime.Muluneh Eyoel set a good example by respecting UDJ’S”the right to choose the meanse”during his speech at the DC meeting.Ihope proff Mesfin WILL(AND MUST)follow Muluneh by doing so.
I really don’t buy what you said about the parliament and salary thing, cause if he was really intersted , he could have done that 15 or 16 years ago (like proff andreas)by applauding when woyanne gave away eritrea to shabia
when a car is running idle, it will do nothing but making a noise and polluting the environment aroung it. Likewise, sitting in a Kangaroo parliament owned and run by Meles Naziawi,the crimeboss, telling others what to do and conducting only a one-way communication, alas, who a man in his right mind wants to do nothing but sit like a dummy with nothing to stimulate the brain that is supposed to function properly?
Prfessor Benyene Petros has been complaining for too long that he spends hours yawning and sneezing, sometimes laughing over and about nothing chiefly because there has been nothing he could do; he was simply collecting about 3000 birr/month for just doing mouth fitness, yet doing nothing for the people he represents.
others, members of the Kangaroo parliament also spend their time doing nothing but counting hours, days,months, and years just like a bay playfully uses his finger to learn conting.
Yes, individuals, groups, and/or organizations with identical shared vision can use different meanses to bring democracy and freedom to Ethiopia for Ethiopians. Therefore, we must have choices and options jsut in case one fails or brings parital or no result.
We have to develop a culture of exchanging 360 degree feedback so that we will or shall improve our weakness whille builing more on our strengths.
Like any genunie Ethiopians has no interest in serving Meles Naziawi in the fake parliament that he has been running for more than 17 years, so Professor Mesfin deoes have no interest in being the servant of the crimeboss.
Yes, it is a well known fact that Shabya, its followers, and supporters don’t like Ethiopia and professor Mesfin W/Mariam and will continue to sabotage Ethiopians pretending to be one of us, Ethiopians. Ethiopians, stay on maximum alert to protect our leaders,the motherland, and our people. Amen and thanks.