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The world notices Meles Zenawi’s crimes

Posted on , Updated on by EthiopianReview.com

By Muktar Omer

On August 05, 2011 a joint undercover investigation by BBC Newsnight and the Bureau of Investigative Journalism presented evidence that the Ethiopia’s current regime is using billions of dollars of development aid as a tool for political oppression. Here is the full transcript of the programme: Ethiopia using aid as a weapon of repression. This piece is written in reaction to this report.

The Ambassador’s refutations

By itself, foolishness is not exactly a crime. Provided it goes camel-herding into the sandy jungles of Wardheer. Provided it tills fertile land with brute force. And provided it knows its location and confines. It is not {www:felonious}, provided it remains profoundly modest, silent even. With such {www:deportment}, it could in fact pass for wisdom. It is when it yells, that it becomes {www:insufferable}. It is when it wears the shameless garb of impudence, that it becomes nauseating. Abdirashid Dulane Rafle’s, Deputy Head of Ethiopia’s mission in UK, refutations of the BBC’s report ripped open his hairy head to reveal to the world its penny-worth {www:innard}s.

It didn’t add any substance, even by way of sensible falsehood, to the discourse. His redundant ‘this allegation is a rehash of old lies’ is little more than a courtesy bow by a women whose lower garment accidentally snapped before a watching gallery. No one is invoking standards of the nunnery to judge Abdirashid. We are simply asking him to be properly qualified for what he has voluntarily chosen to do in his little life, namely to be the devil’s advocate. Did he produce a single hole in the BBC report? No. Does he hear the weeping widows? Does he see the orphaned sons spilling sob-tales in refugee camps?

This is to let off some steam, and to curse the man who is convicting his own mother.

Aid as a weapon of oppression
Aid to dictatorsThat Meles Zenawi is using the billions of dollars Western donors are giving his regime to oppress political opponents is without doubt. That Tigray People’s Liberation Front’s (TPLF) rule emanates from the barrel of the gun is, again, beyond {www:gainsay}. Sired by the gun, it is neither surprising nor unexpected that the TPLF seeks to gain by forgery legitimating governance credentials, ethos and language through the gun and by starving those who refuse to vote for it. What is surprising is the West’s pretense that it doesn’t know this.

Anna Gomes, the Head of EU observer mission, gathered first-hand information during the 2005 bloody Ethiopian elections and is today touring European capitals to tell what she witnessed to the listening. Human Rights Watch, ICRC, NGOs and the UN have been issuing series of reports about the political oppression, aid misuse and torture in Ethiopia. The US, through its annual State Department reports, spoke again and again of extrajudicial killings, unlawful arrests, and crackdown on the media and civil society in Ethiopia.

So, why would Stephen O’Brien, the UK International Development Minister, say “we take all allegations of human rights abuses extremely seriously and raise them immediately with the relevant authorities including the Ethiopian Government, with whom we have a candid relationship. Where there is evidence, we take firm and decisive action.” Where is the evidence they have acted on previous reports by all the global institutions I lined up above and reputable media organizations such as the New York Times?”

It is a matter of historical fact that Western powers shore up dictators who acquiesce to the demands of prescriptive, overweening imperialists. Western aid in Ethiopia is not helping poor people. It is prolonging the misery of hapless Oromo civillians and Amhara dissidents. It is sponsoring ethnic cleansing in the Somali region. The veil of hypocritical ‘humanitarian’ decency needs to be perforated and with it the West’s pretense to ethical {www:punctiliousness}. Whose money is used to unleash the ‘Liyu’ Police – a Janjaweed-type murderous militia, onto the Somali people in Ethiopia? What the BBC reported about Somali region is the tip of the iceberg. Thousands of civilians are killed each year by Zenawi’s military and paramilitary. Did the BBC report the gruesome story of women in Fiiq Zone, whose private parts charred after pepper was stuffed inside their reproductive organs?

Must the BBC tell for the World to notice?

Tells of atrocities are told by refugees that escape Ethiopia on a daily basis. Should the world ignore these cries for help and continue to sponsor a killer regime? Must the BBC and white journalists from the cold continent that finds anorexia sexy tell it, for the world community to notice the horror stories told every day by victims of Meles Zenawi’s violent regime? Should Britain and the West issue statements of ‘concern’ only when such snapshot reports come out? The answer to all of these questions is no.

It is time the West gives a serious rethink to its policy towards the Ethiopian regime. The West should realize they are part to the crime against the people of Ethiopia. And in the end, intentions are not what count. They may claim to have the best of intentions for the people of Ethiopia, but if their money is used to finance rapists and torturers, they should not think poor and vulnerable Ethiopians are ungrateful lot when the victims curse the ‘aid’ givers.

In Somali Region of Ethiopia, a people to whom avenues to peaceful protest, assembly, and expression are closed, took up arms against an unjust, oppressive system. It is the only choice they are left with. If the West is interested in peace and development, let them stop funding the abusive regime of Meles Zenawi.

(The writer can be reached at [email protected])

21 thoughts on “The world notices Meles Zenawi’s crimes”

  2. The hypocracy of EU has no limit. on one side of their mouth they talk about their concern of DEMOCRACY, HUMAN RIGH,GENOCIDE in the world… While on the same mouth abetting criminals like zenawi..

  4. The fact remains that, it is our own the people responsibility to sacrifice and claim our freedom despite what the Western world is doing with dictators. We keep blaming,blaming, we are lucky even they posted it on BBC when they don’t have to. They act when people rise against dictators. Look at what happened in Egypt. What is going on in Ethiopia? Blame ONLF and OLF who have been collaborating with outside and TPLF regime to bring the demise of Ethiopian people. What is worse, they create the division of Ethiopia’s unity in the diaspora against TPLF. No one to blame but yourselves especially OLF. ONLF and OLF come out with different flags to protest showing to the world “we are divided” what kind of lunatic is that? What is worse is that, especially the OLF dissidents create more division by raising their children to hate against Amara when in fact they should be acting against TPLF and now they are crying. Are you going to blame Amara too (am not Amara btw)what TPLF is doing, that is right, you are going to say “17th century we were oppressed bla bla” as if OLF doesn’t know feudalism system has been throughout the world and not just Ethiopia. We also know that OLF and ONLF are secretly in support of the West because of the resources. Perhaps they are talking how to secede also. West is playing both for TPLF dictatorsip and Liberation Fronts. The issue is what about Ethiopians those who don’t have Liberation fronts, ordinary people who want to live in peace and harmony with democracy with ALL ethnic groups? Yes, this group must win and only us to do it and not rely on ONLF or OLF, they themselves have their own agenda that they create more division than unity therfore, helping TPLF to continue the oppression.

    LOng live Ethiopia

  5. The BBC must do the following:

    1. Must expose TPLF crimes
    2. Must expose ONLF crimes. Attacking only TPLF shows something is fishy behind or lacks balance and favours ONLF. Crime is crime regardless who commit it. So the BBC is must bring all the crimals to the spot lights. Otherwise, it would look like ONLF has promised dividends to BBC from the prospect of oil or gas in Ogaden. Is the western media unbiased? does they have motive behind? yes, they do. Thus everything is they says cannot be taken as it is and it has to be questioned. Did BBC ever told us about those who committed the massacre? no, it did not . I am not saying to defend TPLF,but every crime has to be exposed regardsless who commit it.

    If there was an Ethiopians government in Ethiopia, the British embassy must have been shut down until they extradited those who massacred 75 Ethiopians and 7 Chinese. But unfortunately, we are a nation with no shepherd, but we are a nation led by a fascist Yemeni Arab, Sheik Al Meles Al Zenawi, the Lemagn ( beggar ).

    BBC also need to tell us the ONLF members who has massacred 75 Ethiopians and 7 chinese. They know thier head-quarter is in London. If BBC is a pro justice BBC, then let them walk on the tight rope of balance and on the balance of justice? Harboring terrorists who massacred innocent Ethiopians and admitted publicly from BBC that they did it, and BBC hiding them in London, but here preaching us about rape and other injustice may beg questions? We need to know all the stories and we need to know where the killers are. We want justice for all our people, not justice only for ONLF sympathizers and their sponsors only.

  6. At the outset, I wish to congratulate Muktar for articulating the plight of the millions of Ethiopians and most of all the crime perpetrated by the Tigre crime family against the Ogaden Somali, Oromos, Amharas and others by writing:

    “The West………… money is used to finance rapists and torturers, they should not think poor and vulnerable Ethiopians are ungrateful lot when the victims curse the ‘aid’ givers.”

    This is certainly at the core of the recent BBC’s report and the disgusting Ethiopia’s (Tigre’s) Ambassador response on one hand. Mubarak of Egypt’s crime does not compare to the crime being committed by Meles and Tigre thugs against the people of Ethiopia. Needless to say Mubarak and cronies finally landed in a cage answering to the crime they committed against the people of Egypt.

    Hope and pray that Ethiopians will unite and drag into a cage the fascist Meles Zenawi and his Tigre cronies very soon!!!!

  8. The Tigre People Liberation Front,TPLF, is a brutal ethno-fascist organisation which has a history of murder, purges and assasinations at the centre of its being.

    TPLF cannot change its nature in the same way as a leopard could not change its spots. Murder and violence are synonymous with TPLF.

    THERE IS NO SOCIETY IN ETHIOPIA TODAY NOT BRUTALISED BY THE TPLF.

    eVERY THING THAT THE tplf does involves some kind of violence and coercion. TPLF started to use donated food aid as a weapon to subjugate peasants is not a new thing as some people would believe. It is an art the TPLF has mastered to perfection that they have now convinced themselves that they would some how be able to cover up their heinous crime no matter what.

    It is this complacency of the TPLF that have finally exposed their belly. Their lie factory could not hide the hungry , skinny children,most of them dying, crowded in feeding camps throughout southern and northern Ethiopia.

  10. Dear Abdissa

    I can not respond appropriately to your comment because I do not really want to misquote you. When you say “tigre thugs”, what do you mean? Could you please elaborate you comment so as to make us understand your point. What I mean hear is that, do you have a problem with the general population of tigray or are you just implying to the crime committed by meles and the gang. By the way I have noticed that Meles or tigre only isn’t in the government. There are those who kill and agressively work for this gov’t that are from other tribes. Any ways I will wait for your answer.

    Thank you

  11. TO Gezaee H. : YOU ARE ONE OF THE LOST PERSON. WHY YOU NEED TO BLEAM ONLF LIKE MELES CHENAWE? NO WAY GRETER TIGRAY! YOU NEED TO BE A TEACHER FOR WRITER LIKE MELES? KE KE KEKKIIKI. WEYANE DAYS ARE NUMBER`S. YOU ARE WORRY VERY MUCH! WE KNOW THE DAY IS VERY NEAR. YOU DO NOT HAVE FRIEND IN THE NORTH AND SOUTH OR EAST. SO YOU ARE FRUSTREATED LIKE YOUR MASTER MELES CHENAWE. GOD BLESS MAMA ETHIOPIA.

  13. I hate this runing boby dog so callad Melles.How can one person will destroy the whole Ethiopia and horn africa.US hade made mistak before and the price must pay now.
    Weak the whole horn and destroy Americans interst….it means the Melles and the 30 his famiely.

  14. What a waste of time talking about TPLF.They are not Ethiopians and they will make sure to disintegrate our mother land.They have done more damage to us than any body in the 3000 long years of great History.No invaiders have hurt us as much as the Tigrean invaiders.The peopel of Tigray is not responsible but TPLF represent a great many Tigreans who are helping TPLF and every Ethiopian know that atleast a million of them work for TPLF.Even if they were only 100.000 they would never last 20 years and we dont have to pretand for ever.The first to get the food aid is Tigreans.Most of them who live in the west are not willing to stand with the rest of us why because they are a part of the stealing,murdering,abusing,arresting ethiopians at home.The time is very near to the irradication of TPLF and there supporters.Ginbot 7 is doing well and at home peopel are talking about the strategy how to get rid of these Bandas and send them to Dedebit.With out the help of the west.Its a matter of when not if its inevitable no body in the world will save the Tigrean terrorists.time is in our side people are suffering atleast 90%of Ethiopians are living in hell.We all have to support (ESAT)as well.Any body who doesnt support at least ESAT will be question by god when we die.Long live Ethiopia and death to TPLF:Its the peopel of Ethiopia aginest TPLF:

  15. Can we not fool ourselves? When are we going to take care our problem without seeking a mercy from Western…. It is good to expose Melese crime at the same time we should know and learn from long history Western or American don’t care what is going on in that part of the world. They know each crime committed by these thugs; the whole democracy or human right is a BS. The western cares about one thing, one thing only their interest. They don’t care how many people die or killed, as long as their interest is served…

  17. ABRHAM # 11,
    Am sorry my friend, but your English is so so so trrible. For Heaven’s sake, Please refrain from writing. Do not make us lough as such. Plus, do not write in Capital letters. It means you are deafening people with your noise.

  18. Mr. Abrham,

    You tempted me to respond to you. And this is my last comment here. I guess you are an ONLF? for me personally, TPLF = OLF = ONLF = EPLF.

    I am not interested in the details of all. I am not going to call names because I am civilized and do not believe in name calling.

    But one, you all Ethiopians think the same stupid way. Whether you are Oromo = Gurage = amhara = Tigrie == …. I do not see any difference. I see you all attacking me and calling my name. It is everywhere the same. On Friday, there was Tigrean festival something in USA. They showed Meles picture and I said, can you remove the picture? wow, I cannot tell you what they did to me. They said, Belo, Belo, Kitelo, awtsayaho, belo, belo, belo, … all them attacked me. They did not want to hear a single word that opposes Meles. And you doing the same here the same and you are even attacking every Tigreans here, I do not know what you can do real time?, you are doing the same for me. It is english,… but you are saying belew, belew, Tigrie, leba, stole our money, thief, thug, mafia, mafiosis, woyane, woyane, woyane, Meles, Meles, belew, regetew, belew, woyane alekeletet, hulet kene kerew, seweste kerew, alekelet, nefaw woyane tigrie, …. it is quiet amazing me. Having lived in different culures, socieites, having met many wonderful people in my life who are not Ethiopians at all in anyway. When I see Ethiopans behave like primitive communal society, I am very very sad. Ethiopia has along away. It is not just Meles. Everyone is Meles in Ethiopia. There is not respect and this applies to every Ethiopians regardless ethnic, tribe or religion. Ethiopians are the same. You are all backward people. It is even so hard to help Ethiopia because it is hard to teach people like you guys. There is lustral water ( Machelet ) or Tebel in Ethiopia which you take to be humble. Most of you are riding on a devils horse and you riding on a devil’s horse will neither benefit oromo nor ogadenis nor amhara nor tigrie nor bahre negashians. If you keep on riding on the devil’s horse, you will keep Ethiopia hungry, famished, and begging for ever.

    I close my comment by prayer:

    Father in Heavens, let you Kingdom come.
    You will be done on earth as it is done in the heavens.
    Today give me my daily bread.
    Forgive me my sins as I forgive those sin against me.

    Save me from temptation and protect me from evil.

    Glory, majesty, power, honour are yous now and foreve, Amen.

    Almighty God:

    You are omnipotent, omniscience, omnipresent. You have created the heavens and earth. Nothing is impossible for you and nothing is hidden from you.

    I ask you God to dwell in my heart; Make my tongue holy.
    Make my ears holy. My eyes holy. Make my brain holy. Make my hand holy. Make my legs holy. Give me the power of the holy spirit; give me the Wisdom of the holy spirit. Give me the knowledge of the holy spirit. Let me wear the holy spirit like my clothes. Let me wear the holy spirit like my shoes. Let me eat the holy spirit like my food. Let me drink the holy spirit like my water. Make me drunk of the holy spirit so that I can push the mountains by the power of the holy spirit and I can change the ugly heart, face of Ethiopia.

    I ask you God to consecrate all those who have hatred in their heart. God , reveal to them, hatred is a rust that corrode and destroy the human body like rust corrodes and destroy an iron. Let them know there is nothing good in hate than in love.

    Haleluia, Amen! Amen!

  19. Gezaee-Halfi Mengedi,
    You are inconsistent my friend. I don’t even think you know yourself. One day you seem focused, sane and stand for Democracy, the next day, you are insane like members of TPLF and support the Hitler of Ethiopia.

  20. Hello, I’m a Ugandan and I’ve been reading this blog today and comments. The comments in particular sadden me.

    It saddens me to realise that the very SAME NONSENSE that has troubled Uganda for many decades is troubling Ethiopia. It saddens me to see Ethiopians too blame all their troubles on tribal lines, rebel-groups turned governments, international donors.

    It especially troubles me that the comments on every single article posted here degenerate to X tribe versus Y tribe. Z tribe is trying to control Q tribe… I’ve heard this all before in Uganda, Rwanda, Kenya, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, the list is endless. I thought that Ethiopia being an older society, it would different — I thought the discussion would be healthier but no, the same small-minded BS.

    But it especially saddens me that nobody here has talked about why Africans (Ethiopians, Somalis, Ugandans, Malawians) need AID in the first place? Nobody has asked themselves how we can graduate our populations from subsistence farming which is the REAL cause of starvation.

    If our people continue to rely on small plots of land to eat, OF COURSE they’ll starve when the rains fail.

    Instead of looking at the source of the problem, our conversations descend into tribalism and rebel-group-turned-political-party blame games.

    Oh Africa. Sad, sad, sad. We all need to grow up.

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