By Assta B. Gettu
A moving, inspiring, and galvanizing speech by Dr. Gregory Stanton, President of Genocide Watch, is a blessing in disguise for all of us Ethiopians, especially for some of our Tigrean brothers and sisters who are intentionally or unintentionally ignoring our every day calls to them to openly denounce the most oppressive government of Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) and join the solidarity movement without hesitation.
Dr. Gregory Santon’s advice [watch the video here] and warning to the Tigreans are simple, direct, and clear: Meles Zenawi is vicious, barbaric, criminal, and greedy; he wants to colonize the entire country of Ethiopia, using the old tactics — divide and rule, and at the same time exposing those Tigreans who support his goal for their own selfish benefits to a precarious situation.
Dr. Gregory, as a president of Genocide Watch, has the first hand knowledge about human tragedies in Ukraine, in Burma, in Ghana, in Sudan, in Uganda, in Ruanda, in Cambodia, and in many other parts of the world, and such wide range of knowledge and experience of his has enabled him to unequivocally predict what is going to happen to those Tigreans who are looting the country, selling its fertile lands to foreigners, and amassing great wealth for themselves and for their friends, leaving the other Ethiopians hopeless and desperate.
Since he knows very well what happened in Rwanda between the Tutsi and the Hutu tribes, Dr. Gregory expresses his innermost fear of such genocide may happen in Ethiopia against the minority tribe, the Tigreans unless they stop their support for the oppressive regime of Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi). God forbids, if genocide takes place in Ethiopia, it will first, Dr. Gregory foretells, destroy the Tigrean political elites who are now enjoying life to the fullest and send thousands of them to jail and many of them to exile.
Knowing the strength, the wealth, the greed, and the cruelties of dictators of our world, Dr. Gregory sends a strong message to all political opposing parties that such powerful dictators such as Meles Zenawi, who is armed to the teeth, will not easily be removed from power unless the opposing political party is well organized and united, regardless of ethnicity, religion, and geographical location. And the best place, Dr. Gregory suggests, for organizing solidarity movement is Washington that has attracted thousands of Ethiopian politicians. It was from this great city of ours, Dr. Gregory says, that the Ghanaian politicians were able to overthrow the dictator of Ghana, and from this Washington city the Ethiopian solidarity moment could bring down Meles Zenawi from his power.
Having freely offered to his, mostly, Ethiopian audience the techniques how to bring down Meles from power, Dr. Gregory denounces the atrocities Meles have committed on his own people, especially the genocide on the people of Gambella in 2003 in which over 1000 people were murdered; he recalls what happened in the 2005 election where Meles was defeated, but angry about the outcome of that election, Meles murdered over 100 Ethiopian civilians and sent to jail thousands of people on suspicions of opposing him.
Angry by the deaths of so many Ethiopians under Meles the dictator, Dr. Gregory recommends that we must track of each killer, and when these criminals come to Washington, they can immediately be caught and sent to jail. He believes democracy is the solution for genocide; genocide occurs when people are excluded from voting, and he firmly attests that women are the best for defeating genocide and bringing peace to the world. Of course, he is not talking about Jezebel (Azeb Mesfin) or about the wives of Al Amoudi here; he is talking about the great women such as the Burmese Aung San kyi,
Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia, and many other noticeable women who advocate democracy and the rule of law for their people in their respective countries.
Finally, his perfect message to all Ethiopians and particularly to the Tigreans who adore Meles Seitanawi (Zenawi) is related to Martin Luther King’s statements: “I think we all have moral obligations to obey just laws. On the other hand, I think that we have moral obligations to disobey unjust laws because non-cooperation with evil is just as much a moral obligation as cooperation with good.”
I agree with him that Ethiopia has the most ancient civilization, and I may add to his factual statement that the main factor for that ancient Ethiopian civilization is the existence of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church, which he calls the Coptic Church. The Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahido Church has an absolute right to build a Church in Gambella or anywhere else in Ethiopia. Its mission is to spread the word of God to all people by building Churches, church schools, hospitals, training theologians and missionaries.
15 thoughts on “Santon speaks based on first hand knowledge”
We can be very poetic and appealing, but poetry and appeal that is not based on some form of power is simply a call that will only fall on deaf ears. I REPEAT DEAF EARS. Occasional lip services apart only deaf ears are what you are going to be offered always even to the planet’s end. So, invent other viable propositions.
Why should Tigrians who grabbed power following the total defeat of their King and the utter miseries that followed until 1991 willingly disown their own son who is helping them swim in the material, financial, political and social capital resources? Häh?
It is only LOVE from GOD that can conquer the Satan. We Ethiopians need each other to solve our problem.
Keep on dreaming. Insult and blackmail Tigreans and then they will submit to your evil agenda? ha ha . Too late. Find your fools like Abrha Belay, Seye and Asgede. As to Santon, he is just trying to incite genocide, but he can not. Ethiopians including Tigreans are wise than he thinks and than the few confused Dergists in Diaspora.
I do think it can be too late for Tigreans to save themselves because when people enjoy life to the fullest as Tigreans do today they will not notice what is going on the rest of the world. However I do not get why the Ethiopian Orthodox church should not build a church when missionaries can come from thousands of miles far away to expand their religion so I think it is wrong who ever gave this information to Mister Greg or to the genocide watch organization was wrong when there are many important issues why the Orthodox church building has to be a target it reduces the balance and fairness of the issue. I hope this building an Orthodox church was not given by Obang Meto because I have heard from TPLF members or from some Tigreans saying he is anti Ethiopian Orthodox church I am not sure if mister Obang Meto is a protestant or an Ethiopian Orthodox church fallower. By the way I have heard TPLF sends Tigreans to outside Ethiopia as Eritreans when a resettlement program comes for Eritreans who are in Ethiopia is this true if it is true why the Eritreans do not expose this crime.
I have a few questions to the author:
1. This pretty much looks like a threat of collective punishment and genocide. Certain Tigreans have supported TPLF, all Tigreans should be killed for that. A threat you seem totally ok with.
2. If you are a aman of principle, you ought to be consistent. So lets apply the same principle to the former regimes. Many Amharas supported those regimes, hence, its justice that all are killed. By now I assume you taken a 180degree turn.
3. There is no mention of the Oromos, Amharas, Afaris who for various reasons support this government. So correct me if im wrong for drawing this implication: if you are non-Tigrean and support this gov. for whatever reason, then you will at worst be brought to trial, however, if you are a Tigrean and support this government then you will be murdered (which you will anyways whether you support or not).
4. Do you think threats of genocide will benefit your plea to create a multi-ethnic and broad opposition coalition?
5. Why should any reasonable person join you cause when you are telling him that an undiscriminate/collective punishment/genocide will be unleashed upon his people if you take power?
6. Im wondering whether you are an agent of Meles Zenawi, beacuse this is exactly the type of material that gives his interhamnwe discourse some legitimacy. And by doing this you are tarnishing the image of the opposition camp.
And finally, I think my questions were both decent and relevant, and I would love it if the author could provide some answers.
If there were a time to ever be ashamed to be an Ethiopian, this will be it. What a shame and disgrace to glorify this sick man’s call for action. How can you call yourself an Ethiopian by taking on a chunk of your own population (Tigray) and put them on a genocide watch?
What about the 85 million people living in the country under this government? Are they also enablers of the current government? I wish you would better know the proud people of Tigray and how they pride themselves to being called Ethiopians. They paid the ultimate price to pave the road to better Ethiopia time and again through out history. If you want short sight yourself to look far back, then just look at what they did to get rid of the tyranny called Derg. You should thank all the Tigreans for their sacrifice not only for getting rid of Mengistu but for putting this country on the map of progress and prosperity. As much you would like to make it all doom and gloom, there is a harmony and sense of oneness between all tribes in the country. While you applaud a mercenary of yours bringing down a wing of your own population, the people of Ethiopia are busy building their country one stone at a time. Your argument is not about who has the better ideas and vision for the future of the country – it’s about a grab of power by all means. You, sir, exposed yourself of your true identity by applauding and glorifying this man’s comments. This is politics of hate at it’s best. This is not presenting oneself as the better alternative to the current government. Trust you me, the Ethiopian people in general and the tigreans in particular have no problem to see through your hidden agenda of hatred. The politics of divide and conquer are long gone. The days of of your backward thinking are history. The Ethiopian people are on the path to the promise land to take you seriously. History will never be kind to you.
The fact is that,when the minority rules hte majority with iron fiest and keep the majority under suppression and opression,then the consequence will be very,vey grave;having said this,all those whor are directly or inderectly collaboratining with the supprssive,brutal few individuals of the Meles Naziawi’s regime,for sure,the greatest majority will revolt to oust the illegal regime with full consequence beariong on Zinaiw and supporters;that is the message and that is what we have been talking about for twenty years.
when you tell one you are coming to punish him for whatever reason, he is more determined to make sure he is one step ahead of you. and so will the tigrian.
wefefe wula
Meles and Mengestu have taken to their advantages the law-abiding, the kindness, the God fearing and humbleness of Ethiopians as weaknesses. If Ethiopians were evil minded as Meles and Co. by now Meles and the members of TPLF would have gotten the taste of their own horrific crimes they committed on innocent Ethiopians, and the world would have witnessed the 2nd Rwanda bloodshed in Ethiopia. Thankfully Ethiopians are not evil monsters as Meles and Co. I agree with Dr. Gregory Stanton when it comes to the genocide Meles and TPLF members are still committing on Ethiopians in Gambella and other parts of Ethiopia. However, I was amazed by Dr. Stanton’s statement that one of his concerns is that “Coptic Churches” being build in Gambella. How I wish that, the least of Ethiopia’s problem is building Orthodox Churches in Gambella and other parts of Ethiopia. As long as people are not forced to change their religion, I don’t think building Churches should be seen one of the problems and the concern of genocide watchers. I am afraid it minimizes the seriousness of TPLF crimes.
There is no doubt that, the criminal, the thief, the torturer, and the killer Meles and his supporters are very paranoid. I strongly believe that it is one of the reasons why they are giving Ethiopians land to foreigners. The foreign land owners will protect Meles and his criminal buddies by all means of necessary to protect the Ethiopian land they claimed to be their own now.
Please stopp pretending not knowing what is going on in Ethiopia after all these years.We are not kid, Ethiopia is invaided by the most ethnofasistisc Tigrean cessionist who are fragmenting our land if you accept that thats up to you but I have the right to say the truth that you dont want to say it,but you dont denie these are murderer who are distroying the nation.People are daying as we speak but maybe not your brather or sisters.TPLF must be erradicated before they create anather genocide like Gambela,Ogaden,Oromia or Amhara.Death to TPLF and Hodams and victory to the people of Ethiopia.
Elias, how desperate can you be? How can you give space to this Neanderthal blind chauvinist called Asta B. Gettu who has been insulting everyone and anyone who is not an Amhara Orthodox Christian in this very forum time and again? Is this how low the opposition succumbed, calling for ethnic violence among Ethiopians? Let me give you something to think about while you are jumping up and down in support of this clown.
1. It is not ancient history that it was the Tigrean minority ethnic group that was instrumental in toppling the Derg taking the brunt of what the military junta has to offer. The bulk of the fighting during the time of the Derg rule took place In Tigrai province and everyone surely knows who won that fight. The last time I checked, the Tigreans know how to defend themselves. What makes you think that the Tigrean will lie down like a lamb while you are thinking of exterminating them? The Tigreans have all the armaments of the nation in their hands and it is asking for trouble calling for genocide as a means of removing them from power. You better make sure what you ask for is the real deal before you end up being the victim.
2. How can you never mention all the other ethnic groups in the nation that are strongly aligned with the Tigreans, at last count – almost everyone in the nation, to be singled out for ethnic cleansing? The Amharas (does not make a difference if you called them hodams or not), the Oromos and all the rest are dining and wining with the Tiigreans but you spared them the ire of ethnic cleansing. And why is that? Maybe is it too much for you to handle?
3. It is a very dangerous course to pit one ethnic against another in any political environment and this is the last thing Ethiopian needs right now. It is one thing for some fernenji idiot to come with such nonsense, but it is totally unforgiveable for any Ethiopian worthy of the name to raise that banner without regard to the consequences. I know it is tempting on a slow news day to fill your pages with stupid ideas, but remember that sometimes no news is good news too.
Asheber A.
I have the picture of the church that is being built in Gambella on a hill that the resident people consider their sacred place. I am not from Gambella, but I was led to believe that it is one of those provocation acts that the TPLF is implementing through out the country. We do not want to digress to the religion issue, but it appears that the TPLF and some extremists have now started the initiation of conflicts along religious line. It is to clear to ignore this fact. The Orthodox church under the current Patriarch has been very aggressive and they are playing with fire. Let’s remember that the TPLF uses every thing possible to prolong its rule and followers of the Orthodox faith should not fall into the trap of the TPLF.
#12 mamo : I am sure you are a protestant I do not know why you have to deny it, just to convince us? your god and you know that you are Luther’s son. I feel bad for people like you they do not have the gut to say what they believe you look like to me Meles calling voice of America using the name Abebe but the smart Eritrean diplomat found that was Meles calling from 4 killo so like Meles you are telling you are not a Pente sad I just hate people like you and Solomon the one who sing about Meles’s eyes. So start to be frank from here and now because there thing that will not harm you for being true. I am sure you will come back with another name to justify your dead case. Number 11 mister TPLF why you are here with Ethiopians go to your TPLF owned web address I admire you Elias for accommodate this person. because his web sights would not do the same thing.
Lets take the first step and take Tamerat Lyne back to jail where he belongs.
#11,
You should be ashamed of yourself. To begin with, you have nothing to brag about, and TPLF did not topple the Derg by it self. Regardless, you topple the Derg or not, TPLF have proven to be the most ruthless inhumane creatures, looters and killers. If Ethiopians have to choose between the two evil Meles and Mengestu, without a shadow of a doubt, Ethiopians would choose for the lesser evil Mengestu in a second. TPLF have been committing all the unthinkable crimes on Ethiopia and Ethiopians for the last twenty years: corruptions, incarcerating countless number of innocent Ethiopians, torturing, killing, looting, giving our land to foreigners, taking our country to unnecessary war with Somalia and Eritrea…Only delusional people like you would think TPLF is better than the Derg or Meles is better than Mengestu—how laughable! Ethiopians would rather have Freedom and human-rights, than cheap high rise buildings and roads.
Thank God for people like Tamagne, Professor Alemayehu, Elias and the rest of brave Ethiopians–we will never forget the crimes of TPLF: http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/30110