By Lebenu Andinet
In the Time of Deceit Telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act” – George Orwell
As a former Woyanne Diplomat I am writing this piece to call upon all Ethiopian diplomats and civil servants to stand for truth and abandon the regime that lives on deceit.
The year 2011 is a unique and crucial year for many oppressed and marginalized people of a number of Africa and Middle Eastern countries. The year has so far witnessed the freedom of people through out the Arab world where dictatorship prevailed for decades. Tunisia and Egypt have completed the removal process of their respective dictators through popular uprising, where as Libya, Bahrain, Djibouti, Yemen, Algeria, Saudi Arabia are fighting hard to topple their decayed and undemocratic regimes. The basic underpinning of these revolutions is tied to the inability of the regimes to bring about economic development, establishing the rule of law and adopting democratic system that includes freedom of speech, expression and women rights.
The underpinning factors that initiated the uprising in the Arab world that include poverty and undemocratic practices are extensively witnessed in Ethiopia in a greater level for decades. Each and every rational Ethiopian can easily understand the prevalence of these sorry realities in Ethiopia. Just taking the recent realities it is enough to mention that up to 3 million Ethiopians are in need of food aid from other donors. On the other side it is also important to point out the ridiculous EPRDF’s “99.66%” election victory, which, according to Human Rights Watch and European Union Election Observation Mission, was conducted under the environment of coercion and harassment. Ethiopian have the obligation to use the time to voice their discontent in a peaceful and legal ways so as to bring about a better and promising future to themselves and they children. It should be time Ethiopians stop going to bed empty stomach and it should be time Ethiopians feel free to express their opinions with out fear of the government intelligence apparatus. Our future is now and it is in our hands.
When people are faced with the issue of bringing about change in Ethiopia through peaceful popular uprising they seem to interpret it in terms of going out in the streets to for demonestration. Although that is part of the whole process it is not the only action.
As the British famous author and journalist George Orwell, whom we know by his controversial novel, “Animal Farm,” and the well known quote, “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others,” has suggested the most important idea as to what constitutes a revolutionary act. Not only throwing stones, shouting anti-government words, posting resentment on facebook is revolutionary, but standing for truth in the face of deceit and naked propaganda is also by far the most revolutionary of all.
We all know the white lies and dry fabrication Meles Zenawi’s regime in Ethiopia feeds the public day in and day out about economic development and democracy. But it is not secret to understand the reality prevailing in Ethiopia. After two decades of Woyanne-led EPRDF rule, Ethiopia is at the bottom of the global economic ladder and its so-called “democracy” is resulting in the triumph of a one-party state where oppositions are weakened and coerced by the incumbent party and its coercive arm of the government.
In the face of these realities, Ethiopians from all walks of life have to be true to the truth rather than be filled with the garbage information disseminated by the regime to deceive Ethiopians. Therefore, amid these limitless Woyanne/EPRDF lies we got to stand for the truth. In so doing we are executing what is needed from each of us in making the revolution our country deeply needs a reality.
As a former diplomat of the Woyanne led EPRDF government, I know that the diplomats in different countries are instructed to execute so much fabrication that does not match the reality in Ethiopia. Among others, they are expected to promote the 10% economic growth, where as millions are in need of food and the government is begging other countries for help. They are supposed to promote respect for human rights in Ethiopia while the reality is that people have no right to organize freely. They are expected to inform other countries that elections in Ethiopia are free and fair, where as the institutions necessary to conduct elections are totally controlled by the Woyanne regime.
Ethiopian diplomats and other civil servants residing in Ethiopia and through out the world have to remain true to the truth and contribute their share of revolutionary act. They must assist the revolution by giving information necessary to inform the international community about the human rights violations and the corrupt nature of the regime. It is a call for your conscience in the name of millions of Ethiopians who go to bed every night with empty stomach, walking with bare feet and afraid to express their views.
Let’s come together and stick to one of the acts of revolutionary measure. Let’s fight deceit with the truth by exposing Woyanne’s horrible crimes and by supporting the forces fighting for the new Ethiopia where all people are equal no matter what their ethnic origin or political persuasion.
I am envious of the achievement of the people of northern Africa and it is my hope that Ethiopia shall join the Tunisia and Egypt in saying “no more” to dictatorship.
(The writer can be reach at [email protected])
17 thoughts on “A message to Woyanne diplomats – from a former diplomat”
The Ethiopian people are more than capable of removing their oppressors if the West specially the US keeps it’s hands off our affairs. Weyane could have long gone if it wasn’t for the contineous life support provided to it by the West. What we say to it’s neo-colonial masters is, leave us alone so that we can solve our own problems; stop meddling in our affairs period.
ፖለቲካ ንፋሱን ተከትሎ ጎራ መቀየር ከሆነ ለፍትህ መቆም አድርጌ አላየውም ያው ለመጣው ማገልገል ይባላል
ebakachu yihe tsihuf is timely and important. elias please be amarigna astergumina leochm web sitoch lay post argut. this is intellectual revolutionary struggle.
thanks
Which Diplomats is sending a message to , Is it to those who is out side the country working in the Embassy’s or to those are inside the country working against the people ? If we are talking about those out side once they are mainly considered no use there are some almost as equal as the inside once and they have same responsibility as Meles and Co and to them going against this regime is a joke. we ethiopians something i remember when goshu woldi defected from mengistu and was saying this and that to ethiopians outside after all the crimes he did. let us forget
about them and the ethiopian people are ready to overthrow this regime
more than ever.
Well done dear Aknaw,
Tell Ethiopian those who you happen know the following;
1. demanding freedom is every body’s natural right,
2.we in diaspora should not and never think we are doing favour for Ethiopian at home,
3. we must know that not only we have obligation to be voice for the voiceless fellow country persons, who are un able to do so, but we must also do just that, because it is wrong and criminal for us to live in peace and well, while Ethiopian at home are living in hell on earth.
The brutal regime that never selected by Ethiopian imposed un measurable oppression,suffering and pain we know, so to end this we have a duty not only willingness.For that Naturalrights are universal with out distinction.This is long over due, we must act swiftly and now. Please remind every one this.
Thank you.
Woyane/TPLF is doing everything according to plan (1976 TPLF Manifesto) which is to disintegrate Ethiopia and build greater TIGRAI and wonder why this ex-diplomat joined EPRDF in the first place but it is even better to realize the mistakes committed sooner than later.
Diaspora and the elites in and outside are unfortunately doing more harm than good and prolonging the reign of state terror and the suffering of the Ethiopian people. We want democracy but we are not democrats. If the majority decides something instead of accepting it whether we like it or not we collect our groups and build another party even without accountability of the money collected in the name of the old party and ending in private pockets. Such kind of deeds only prolongs the suffering of the Ethiopians both at home and abroad and should abide by rules not jungle laws or ZERAF mentality.
ere tewu ataskun ebakachihu.
you do not seem to know whom you are planning to deal with.
This is an excellent piece of writing.
Dear Mr. Former Diplomat
We expect you to tell us how MoFA is organized, and on whom to focus to pressure them out of their position. Who can be our ally in our revolution? We need more people like you who abandon the regime and join the youth forces.
All Ethiopians are saying ENOUGH to Meles’ regime. BEKA!!!
Dear former Diplomat,
You have written very well. However, if you are outside ethiopia, there is nothing you have to fear about. you should be able to speak upfront and show yourself with your real name. You have millions pf people behind you. Can we ethiopians learn from egyptians, tunísians, libyans etc…
The appeal to diplomats (employees of the department of external relations of the cold-blooded ruling circle -TPLF/EPRDF) sounds a genuine appeal from a genuinely concerned person. I have no any clue whether the writer is former diplomat or not. It would have been much more genuine and patriotic if he had had a courage to use his name. As far as the point he wanted to make is concerned, he absolutely desreves sincere appreciation and his call has to be taken seriously . However, if we are sincere and credible enough about the role of diplomats, there is a need to go beyond telling stories about the untold suffering of the Ethiopian people which is the day-to-day experience of the people themeslves.
1) What and how about many career and well- experienced formrer(we can go back to the Emperor Haile Selasie and the bloody rule of the Derg) diplomats particluarly those who live in exile? What kind of tangible contribution are they making to the realization of genuine democracy and the creation of better life style in our country? Are they visible in any public event organized to make our voices heard in support of the change desperately desired by the innocent people of Ethiopia? I might be wrong ,but It is only very, very ,very few former diplomats who are trying to take part . Folks, if one is honest enough with himself , it is absolutely necessary to live by example,i.e. taking ones step from telling to showing . Simpley put, former diplomats especially those residing abroad should make sincere and strong call for organizing a kind of discussion forum and come up with the idea of crearting a coolective and coordinated support for the struggle in our country.
2) This initiative should be shared and coordinated with individuals and groups who are trying to do their own best. There should not be a culture of creating groups and forums for the sake of talking about talks. There should not be a culture of “if it is not my way, there is no way.” I am saying this because our culture of grouping is in most cases a kind of making our own small world, not bringing small worlds into a larger world.
3) Let concerned former diplomats exchange views and ideas on how to become sensible and responsible players in the struggle going on in our country. It is from this perspective that the witer’s article( former diplomat) does make a lot of sense. Let us try to make a lot of and strong sense!!
ነገሩ ወይም ህሳቡ መልካም ነው ነገርግን ከዚህ ግለሰብ ጋር ለመወያየትም ሆነ ግንባር ለመፍጠር የሰውየ ማንነት በደንብና በጥንቃቂ ተመርምሮ መታወቅ ቀዳሚ ሊሆን ይገባል እንዳሉት ቀደም ሲል የዲፕሎማት አባል ከሆኑ በአሁኑ ሰት በውጭ የሚኖሩ ከሁነ ምን አንደሚያስፈራቸው ትንሽ ያጠራጥራል እንደገደሉ ዛፍ ነፋስ ወደአየለበት ለመሂድ ካልሆነ በተጨማሪ ብዙ ጽሁፎችን ሳነብ ለውጥ እንዲኖር የሚጮህው በሀይለስላሲ ጊዚ ጀምሮ ሲታገል የነበረ ሰው ነው ማለት የአሁኑ እዲስ ትውልድ የት ነው ያለው?ይህ ለውጥ ይህ ትግል የእዲሱ ትውልድ ትግል መሆን እለበት እኛ በሀሳብ ከመደገፍና አንዳንድ ምክሮችንና ዘዲዎችን ከመጠቆም በስተቅር መሪ መሆን አንችልም ደግሞም ለኧንድ ኢትዮጵያችንና ለተጨቆነው ህዝብ ለፍትህና ለእኩልንት የምንል ከሆነ የፓርቲ ብዛት አስፈላጊነቱ ፈጽሞ አይታየኝም ይህ በበለጠ ጥቅሙ ለእለው እምባገነን መንግስት ብቻ ይሆናል (ከፋፍለህ ግዛው) ስለዚ ይህ ጊዚ ሳይሰጠው በአስቸካይ ሊታሰብበትና መፍትሂውን መፈለግ በጣም አንገብጋቢ ጉዳይ ነው እንደው ስልጣን ፍለጋና ለስም የዚህ ፓርቲ መሪ ወይም አባል ነኝ ለማለት ካልሆነ ፋይዳ ቢስ ነው እንደአሁኑ ቲክኖሎጂ በልተራቀቀበት ዘመን በጫክው እየተሰበሰብን በእጃችን እየጻፍን ዲሞክራሲን ስንበትን ስናስተምር ንጉሱ እንዲወርዱ ስንጮህ፣ደርግን ስንቃወም የነበርን በወጣትነት እድሚ ነበር የአሁን ዘመን ወጣት የት እንዳለ ምን እንደሚያስብ ግራ እየገባኝ ነው
ኢትዮጵያችንና ህዝባ በነጻነትና በፍትህ በእኩልነት ለዘለአለም ይኑሩ!
if anyone would like to have a word with me so as to discuss on matters that will help to bring down the regime in addis, please use the adress stated above and i will tell you who i am if needed.
Well done. It is time that those who are in the current and past regimes who have the experience to awaken, mobilize thhe peoople of Ethiopia both inside and outside. Especially outside as it is easier to organize. As someone mentioned above, what have these people in the past regimes have accomplishhed so far and have taught the people inside and outside that they have learned the mistake and show the people and support to bring democratice change. it is true however that the past people from the past regime have been shunned due to they are being accused and blamed for what happened to Eethiopia under Selassie or regime. it is time however Ethiopian people to stop this resentment and allow the past regime people to participate in the democratic advancement of Ethiopia. Not only the past regime, even those who have been part of EPRDF or Weyane as the above diplomat need to be involved if they want Ethiopia to be peaceful and democratic.
Former Diplomat get a life,We are not ready to hear from former diplomat who abandon his post(job.Get over with it.
The wife of one of the 4 Ethiopian Diplomats in the US was caught with illicit drugs in London.
This is not a name tarnishing effort. Weyanes think there little dirty secret is well kept- not quite.
Watch this space. The full story to be prevailed soon.
Diplomacy, weyane style.
Dear Editor,
Correction please. their not there.