By Yilma Bekele
This is not the first visit by a sitting US president to our continent. But this trip is very different. One of our own is coming to Africa as the leader of the most powerful nation.
As an African I am very happy. Mr. Obama is a very busy person. He is dealing with the worst economic downturn in his nations history, nuclear proliferation issues in Korea and Iran, the ongoing problem in the Middle East and the legacy of two wars he inherited from his predecessor. The fact that he found the time to stop over in Africa says a lot about where his heart is.
Again I am delighted he is honoring our continent with his presence. The choice of Ghana as his first stop to Africa says a lot about the President. Out of forty-seven countries in Africa why Ghana? Is it because it is the biggest, most populous, the richest, the most powerful, or the oldest? Why Ghana is a good question.
He could have traveled to Kenya the home of his father. He could have stopped in Ethiopia, the seat of African Union. Nigeria as the most populous black nation would have been good too. But President Obama chose Ghana.
He chose Ghana because according to a White House source “Ghana is an outpost of democracy and civil society in a volatile region.” Very simple and straight forward statement. In other words Ghana has a legitmate governement chosen by the people. Ghana is a beacon of bright light in our dark continent. President Obama is making a powerful statement regarding democracy, human right and the rule of law.
As an Ethiopian I was filled with conflicting emotions regarding his visit. I wanted him to come to Ethiopia. I know it is being selfish but it is the truth. As the founder of Africa Union and the seat of the Organization, Ethiopia should have been the logical venue for the President to share his vision for Africa.
We deserve such an honor because we are one of the oldest nation state in the world. Our country was in the forefront of the struggle of the African people to gain their freedom. Most liberation movements in Africa are indebted to Ethiopia for the generous help offered by our government and people. We helped in training freedom fighters, giving safe haven to those prosecuted for their beliefs and urged the UN to bring the cause of freedom to the forefront.
On the other hand I am very glad President Obama chose Ghana instead of my homeland. It is the right thing to do. To be frank I would have been disappointed if he had come to Addis. I would have considered him an enabler.
It would be looked at as coddling a military junta masquerading as an elected government. The lawlessness nature of the Ethiopian government has been recorded by reports such as US Department of State, Amnesty international, Human Rights Watch, Doctors without Frontiers, International Federation of Journalists, Education International and the most compelling witness of all; you the Ethiopian in the Diaspora.
You know how many rely on you to survive. You are aware of those being washed in the shores of Yemen. It is an open secret the abuse of young Ethiopian girls in the Middle East. You have heard of those who travel thru territories escorted into unknown lands, a few left behind during this dangerous trek to die alone while others are Caught and put in jail for trespassing. You are the best witness if you want to be.
Nairobi’s Daily Nation wrote “in skipping Kenya, the first African American president is signaling that he puts political values over ancestral allegiances.” I agree. Ethnic politics is very backward and destructive. It should be a thing of the past. When it comes to Ethiopia Mr. Obama was avoiding two negative characters he abhors. He is definitely not familiar with tribalism. Tribalism is primitive and so yesterday. Democracy and the rule of law is what he promised to uphold and it will be contrary to his principles to bestow such honor on a tyrannical regime as Ethiopia. Ghana is a perfect choice to enable positive character. It is a perfect reward to the achievement of our Ghanaian cousins.
I am sure his confidential report on Ethiopia includes such facts as:
• Government ownership of all land.
• Government monopoly of news media such as TV, Radio and Newspaper.
• Government ownership of communication media such as telephone, both land line and mobile and Internet service.
• Government practice of blocking web sites.
• Single ethnic group control of commercial enterprises such as insurance, transportation, construction, fertilizer, seeds and now coffee.
• Single ethnic group control of the military and internal security.
• The ruling party’s practice of creating clone parties and trade organizations.
• The ruling party’s use of death squads to get rid of opposition.
• Government act of exiling opponents by intimidation and physical violence.
All nations with embassies in Ethiopia are perfectly aware of the nature of the government. I am sure their reports back to their government is full of revelations of the atrocities committed by the regime. They all have their own interest when they assesss their relationship with our country. We are the only ones that can change the equation.
I am sure it is early enough to catch President Obama during his next visit to Africa. I am hopeful he will be met by a nation united under the umbrella of democracy and committed to the rule of law. Ethiopia will take its righteous place as the leader of Africa. It is up to each one of us to get involved and help steer the freedom train on the right track. Mr. Obama made a powerful statement. Are you going to sit there and talk about it or lift a finger and be part of the solution?
(The writer can be reached at [email protected])
18 thoughts on “President Obama goes to Africa”
Obama cares less about democracy. we should unite with EPPF and remove woyane by force.
this article is strange.
what about Prsident Obama going to Egypt, which has a dictator in cairo that ruled for many more years than dictator zenawi??
A wonderful analysis.
Berta,
Tekle
Thank you Ato Yilma.
Your constructive argument on how to bring about change in our country as well as your command of the English language are both commendable. Most of us dream about a day when Ethiopia is going to be a peaceful place, a truly democratic country like Ghana, South Africa, etc where a mother of a three year old baby girl won’t be put in jail by a gang of ignorant cowards who talk about the “rule of law”, but don’t actually know what it means and it is. Let us stop Woyane before it puts the final nail on the coffin of our old and historic nation. Let us contribute to the struggle for democracy and justice in Ethiopa.
Ke selamta gar,
Yigermal Tariku
Remember that President Obama is coming from the West. Therefore, it made perfect sense that his first stop in
Africa is in a West African country. Ghana is a very good choice becauase it is the home of ex UN Secretary Kofi Anan and that it is a relatively peacefull and quasi-democratic country, something that is missing in most countries in Africa.
my brother it is a great analysis keep up the good work.
A self contradictory statement. The writer wanted Mr.Obama to visit ethiopia as it is the oldest and historical country and at the same time the writer wanted the same person not to visit Ethiopia as it is governed by undemocratic government of minorities.
I would say that Mr. Obama suppose to visit Ethiopia before he goes to Ghona because the existing governmnet of Ethiopia needs both the eliquent speech of Mr. Obama and training of the 21st century democracy.
The author spews nonsense when he writes, “As the founder of Africa Union and the seat of the Organization, Ethiopia should have been the logical venue for the President to share his vision for Africa.”
This is one of the claims that has dwarfed Ethiopia for such a long time. Ethiopia is not “the founder of Africa Union”. Other hurtful claims include Ethiopia existed 3000 years and will reach its potential with Amharic as its lingua franca.
Change your ways before you talk about TPLF’s dictatorship.
You are the voice of our (Ethiopian) voiceless people. I am begging all diaspora to blog more and more in english like this one, call radio talk-shows & TV, call your legislators and so on. I wish I know good english.
The following part of your writing should be repeated million times:
“• Government ownership of all land.
• Government monopoly of news media such as TV, Radio and Newspaper.
• Government ownership of communication media such as telephone, both land line and mobile and Internet service.
• Government practice of blocking web sites.
• Single ethnic group control of commercial enterprises such as insurance, transportation, construction, fertilizer, seeds and now coffee.
• Single ethnic group control of the military and internal security.
• The ruling party’s practice of creating clone parties and trade organizations.
• The ruling party’s use of death squads to get rid of opposition.
• Government act of exiling opponents by intimidation and physical violence.”
These important points are missing in most writing about ethiopia for foreign readers.
Language knowledge is the best weapon to make a change peacfully.
Thank you for this terrific analysis. When the first time i heard, i was wondering that why he chose Ghana? now i know whey. Thank you for your outstanding analysis.
The writer is not only bereft of erudition, but dispays ignorance,too. While he is at liberty to be an opponent of EPDRF, what makes him think that Nigeria’s ruling party came to power by rigging votes? Then you see the writer making unsubstantiated statement such as EPDRF indulging in random and arbitrary killings. Let him cite one. The writer’s existence below the academic radar was made even more apparent by his ignorance of not realising the historical and emotional ties of Ghana and the United States which dates back to the era of slave trade and African emigration to America. Befoere, the writer attempts to write to websites which are being visited by men and women of intelect, the writer must dwell long hours preparing his case. What he has produced is a whole load of fotsam and jetsom. Anyway, one cannot expect more from a secondary school under-graduate!
I don’t get it why always someone come to rescue us , to speak for us, to help us etc.We don’t have to forget Obama is a president of USA and US will always do anything to defend her national interest.The national interest of US can not be implemented without grabing of countries Oil, Money,controling the political elite of countres etc.This all can be done if the countries have selfish,weak,corapted leaders.Does it make sense to think Obama can be different from all former Presiednts of USA.This can be only a suside for any American president to change the rule of the game.My fellow African don’t make yourself a fool by assuming Obama can change things which are unchangable.See the fact on the ground ..the more we have strong and Democratical goverment the less the western goverments and entities grab our Diamond, Gold, Oil all natural resources,,with out forgeting the new wolf China.I better be realist than optimist.
Ths `analysis` is a joke. The writer is trying hard to conform his personal belives and wishes with the interest of the US politics. In doing so the writer deliberately chose to ignore the fact that the US stands close behind many tyrants in Africa. And to vindicate hismeslf he forgot that the president goes to Egypt to brush his shoulders with Mubarak the worst dictator in Africa…
Good for you sir! What a great `analysis`.
Is a half-black and a half-white person considered as “one of our own”? The words “one of our own…” have, to some people, a racist connotation.
Generally, Obama’s visit to Africa is not going to solve Ethiopia’s problems or the problems of the rest of the African states. It does not mean “one of our own” is always good for his own – us. In fact, it is “one of our own” – Meles Seitanawi who has been destroying our country. It was “one of our own” – Mengistu Haile Mariam who terrorized so many innocent Ethiopians and finally left when he was threatened by a formidable force from the north.
Therefore, “one of our own” can be one of our worst enemies as the Bible warns us: “…a man’s enemies will be the members of his own household.” (Matthew 10:36)
So, when Obama, our half brother, visits Africa, we should not expect that he will address the human rights violation issues in Africa, especially in Ethiopia; he will simply ignore it as his State-Secretary, Madam Clinton, in her visit to China, said nothing about the human rights violations in that communist country.
The TPLF house of cards is unraveling and the day of reckoning is approaching very fast. No more TPLF lies can delay the looming day of reckoning any more and Washington and other Western capitals are also running out of the benefit of the doubt they have been so generously offering the TPLF ringleader Meles.
Given the disturbing signals he is getting from his Western enablers, TPLF ringleader Meles seems to be getting that his sun is setting. The fact that such megalomaniac and power loving devil as terrorist Meles is even talking about relinquishing his power – whether he meant it or not – shows in and off itself the big trouble TPLF is in and tells us that its very survival and immediate future is in grave danger. Remember that Meles talks about the so called ‘his considering of resignation’ only to foreign journalists in English. That statement about resignation has never passed Meles’s lips in Amharic nor Tigrigna in any way, shape or form at least publicly. Even at his well scripted and stage managed press conference it is only foreign journalists who are allowed to ask the question about the ‘consideration of resignation’. Even his own cadres masquerading as government and private media journalists are not allowed to ask that same question even in English. Put in other words, it is not in the list of pre-prepared questions handed to them by Meles’s office to ask him back at his stage managed press conference. No need to say that as always his constituency is not the Ethiopian people and not even the Adwa town electorates who willy-nilly have been forced to vote for Meles. That is why he wouldn’t speak about his intentions – serious or duplicity – to them in Amharic nor Tigrigna. His constituencies are a few state department junior officials in Washington, D.C. and what more – yes, a handful of officials in Western capitals. He just needs to speak to his Western enablers only in English and we all know that Meles cannot stay in power even for a day without the generous support of these enablers.
No question, Meles has used sophistry to his advantage very effectively in his dealings with his Western enablers and exploited their generous benefit of the doubt extended to him for too long. Obviously, his enablers seem, though belatedly, to understand that the path and turns and twists packed with lies taken by Meles is not only taking the country to a deadend but also it is very disastrous and putting the country on the precipice from which it would be very difficult to back out. If these constituencies of sophist Meles run out of the overextended benefit of the doubt they so generously gave Meles, he will lose his only constituencies and that will be the end of the TPLF. Meles has been in power for 18 long years and cannot keep misplacing the blames on the Derg/Amhara for everything that goes wrong in Ethiopia today. For that matter, there is nothing that is going right in Ethiopia today. In fact, what is going on very well in Ethiopia today is a systematic and flagrant state terrorism against the Ethiopian people by the TPLF terrorist militia.
Even however systematic and sophisticated the terrorism perpetuated by Meles and his TPLF terrorist militia against the Ethiopian people is, it cannot save Meles and his culprits when the day of reckoning comes up.
There is no one who is better placed to see the looming danger on the TPLF than Meles and that might be why he is forced to leave his options open by even entertaining the question of ‘his consideration of resignation’ by foreign journalists. If it weren’t for the closing in noose on the terrorist TPLF, Meles would have kicked out these foreign journalists soon after they raised the question by revoking their credentials and visas as he did to many who ask tough and fair questions as dictated by their profession.
‘Smart’ Meles who is well known for leaving behind his friends in danger and escape unscathed is once again ‘considering’ leaving them behind in danger at this very last minute after staying at the helm for over 30 years. He is also well known for using and abusing his followers all of whom with no exception are unsophisticated, unsuspecting and gullible and all of whom are willfully blinded out of ethnic loyalty and because they get crumbs that fall off Meles’s and cronies’ mouths. He is leaving the scene in the name of ‘resignation’ while his dunderheads are staying behind in danger wondering why their paramount ringleader is relinquishing power ‘willfully’. Some of his gullible followers are even trying to collect petition signatures from the rest of fellow gullible followers to ‘beg’ Meles to stay in power. Unlike their ringleader Meles, these gullible followers cannot see the looming danger and without understanding the issue they try to ‘beg’ him to stay in power. The choice is becoming crystal clearer to Meles by the day. It is either staying in power until the last minute and burn in the looming fire or escape in time to a safe place in the name of ‘resignation’. As Meles himself said very recently,’ …I will leave one way or the other. I will leave lock, stock and barrel; no ifs, no buts.’ No question, we know that he will leave. No question, we know that he will leave lock, stock and barrel. No question, we know that there will be no ifs and no buts. However, the question for which we do not know the answer yet is which way – leaving the scene by burning in the catching up fire (one way) or leaving before the TPLF’s doomsday (the other way). The choice is his and we will find out the answer very soon.
Deribew
I have read some of the comments posted as response to By Yilma Bekele. Our mistakes are not only repeated but also never been recognized. NO one including GOD never set you free. Every ethiopian has two choices: either you fight and earn your freedom or you complain. I voted for Obama to see a
black president not to help Ethiopia.
I am glad that Obama will not visit Ethiopia – to me it would have been misinterpreted as the current regime as legitimately elected government. The thugs have been clinching the power well over 18 years, we perfected begging – the renowned beggar (Nazi-we) was even sent to represent Africa on G8 (G-whatever)
AfroAltaVista
America is all about interests. Where the US interests are met, then you will see Americans flocking there. What I am hoping for is that Obama starts an American policy that will let Africans deal with their politics alone without the pressure of Neo-colonialists and Greedy Businessmen hunting for Gold, Coltan, and selling weapons to Blacks. Welcome to Ghana , Obama.
Boston MA USA
I think what you said contradicts a lot. I personally as Ethiopian I do not appreciate what you are saying about Ethiopia. You are an Ethiopian and the fact that you are saying this makes me believe that you are not a patriotic person. If you are opposing the government I think you should post relevant information. So we can actually understand the whole situation. I honestly do not think this is a smart thing to do.