By Seble Teferra

It is important for Ethiopians to be informed about the current crises in Ethiopia. Unfortunately, the international press addresses most any bush war in the boondocks of the world, but rarely finds time to address the war in Ethiopia, now some three decades at work.

It is also interesting that people who have continuously financed the insurrectionist rebel factions from Arab lands desire the Ethiopian Coastline, Massawa, Assab and whatever they can grab to totally isolate Ethiopia and hold them captive without access to the Sea, with ultimate absorption and conversion of the Christian Ethiopians to Islam “by force.”

While it is true that in Ethiopia itself there is little derision between the Christian and the followers of Mohammed, however, the folks across the pond and on their East and North have continuously acted to cause derision between the faiths and to use military force to overthrow and takeover the Ethiopian Government, by force. The support of the rebels by Iraq and by Libya, including Libyan forces operation with the rebels, is evidence in fact of the conspiracy by the Arab governments to destroy Ethiopia.

Make no mistake, President Mengistu Hailemariam is no “Prince of Peace.” He is in fact a dictator who offers the nation total destruction following his lead.

Moreover, Mengistu’s methodology for problem solving, i.e., firing squad methodologies inevitably produce the same results wherever they are used. e.g. in France during the French revolution and ever other country in the world where the folks with guns come to power, they always kill off all of the intelligencia or exile them and try to “wish skyscrapers, bridges, ships, aircraft and technology into existence.” What they gain is another dark age where the poor that survive are further impoverished and destroyed.

The question many Ethiopian ask, “What is the policy of the opposition?” is most appropriate at this juncture. Armed thugs replacing Armed Thugs never solves problems but further exacerbates them. The replacement thugs only kill off the remaining thinkers and replace them with a different group who still steal under the color of law.

I would urge that those who plan to replace the present power with another think carefully on what they replace them with. i.e., if to carry on the same politics of self destruction, nothing is gained by
the change in the long run.

If indeed, those contemplating a new government stop to gather those from abroad who have the professional technical ability to think and evolve plans, programs and rational budgets, and produce and introduce a Constitution with a Bill of Rights protective of the Right to Life, Right to lawfully acquired property, and the right to self-defense against criminal aggression, then it is possible for a Government of the People to exist and prosper.

There is more to the development of a rational system of government of the people, by the people and for the people — than expounding of all laws, rules and regulations which impact the marketplace such that a Free Market Economic System can have the opportunity to evolve creating the opportunity to excel and create such that those risk takers may do so without any greater penalty than the loss of their investment capital. Without such opportunity there never has been and can never be progress in any nation on earth toward greater individual liberty and greater economic prosperity.

It is important to know the platforms and principles of the opposition and the Philosophical underpinnings of those who propose to “offer better government”. i.e., “better than what” and “at whose expense.” The incentive to excel and create exists only when individuals have the opportunity to advance their position in life and make more money. Take away that incentive and people don’t.

I believe the U.S. should have at the very least provided technical assistance and such support as may be essential to bringing the criminally acting separatists under objective control, which along with technical and life support aid such as food, clothing, etc. would help bring a cease fire and an opportunity to negotiate differences.

I urge the Ethiopian Review and other Ethiopian publications to ferret out the facts concerning “who the opposition folks are” such that readers may determine their competence and credibility to run the government in trust for the people of Ethiopia, with a constitution protective of their inalienable right to life and its only meaningful corollary, the right to own property and right to self defense.

Seble Teferra is a student at USC