The November 2005 massacre of 193 Ethiopians by government forces is one of the darkest days in our ancient history. It was the final deathblow to any hope and reconciliation wished by all war and conflict weary Ethiopians. It was a day that the Ethiopian government decided to rule by any means necessary.
This was not the first time that the regime has used lethal force to settle differences. Here are some of the hallmarks of “single party” rule; the December 13 Gambella Massacre, [1] the Awasa killings of May 2002, [2] the ongoing war crimes in Somalia, the human rights abuse of our citizens in Ogaden, the illegal detention of thousands of citizens and the frequent flare-ups of ethnic conflicts.
In November 2005, all avenues of peaceful co-existence were sealed. The murder of a democratically elected parliament member is the ultimate fascist act. The regime entered a no turning point in its relationship with the Ethiopian people. It made it loud and clear that there is only one way and one way alone. It was step behind or step aside.
Rule by coercion and force is nothing new. We do not have to go far to cite an example. It is all around us. It will take generations for the ghosts of Colonel Mengistu, Idi Amin or Mobutu to leave our conscience.
The TPLF regime thus made a conscious effort to use the power of the ‘State’ to impose its rule. The last three years have brought further untold agony and suffering to all our friends and relatives.
On the other hand, November is also a special month. It is a month that opened a new avenue for oppressed people to redress their grievances in front of all of humanity.
This is the story of Chile the country, President Salvador Alliende the first democratically elected Socialist leader in the Americas, and General Augusto Pinochet leader of the Chilean Junta or Derg. On the morning of September 11, 1973, Salvador Alliende was violently ousted by Chile’s armed forces, led by General Pinochet. From 1973 to 1988 the General ruled Chile with an iron fist. His regime is known for its brutal repression, and for causing the disappearance or death of over 3000 Citizens and migration of thousands. He is quoted to have said: “Not a leaf moves in Chile if I don’t know about it”
Based on the provisions of his own Constitution, a referendum was held in 1988. The “No” vote that required presidential and parliamentary elections within a year won the day. He was forced to relinquish power within a year. As an insurance policy, the dictator had previously inserted provisions in the 1980 Constitution that granted the office of “Senator for life to all ex-presidents with at least six years in office.” Crafty fellow this Pinochet is. After the elections he was sworn as Senator for life. His official status gave him ‘immunity from prosecution’ thus protecting him from legal action.
This house of cards built so carefully fell apart on October 17, 1998, while the dictator was in the UK for medical treatment. Who is responsible for upsetting the apple cart? It was none other than a Spanish judge named Baltasar Garzon who charged the dictator with “systematic torture, murder, illegal detention and forced disappearances” and issued an arrest warrant. The British police were left with no choice except detain the General.
Global Policy Forum said: “The 1998 detention of former Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet in London and the subsequent legal proceedings against him marked one of the most important events in international law since Nuremberg.” [3]
It was the first time a former head of state was arrested for crimes committed while in office. The act pitted two opposing views. “…traditionalists argued that the maintenance of serene relations between states required the courts of one state to refrain from sitting in judgment over the highest officials of another; the modernists argued that no person was above the law where the most serious international crimes were involved.” [4]
It was gratifying that the British House of Lords based their decision to allow his extradition to Spain on the UN General Assembly resolution 39/46 of 10 December 1984 commonly referred to as ‘the 1984 convention outlawing torture’. According to the law lords, immunity was removed from crimes covered by the United Nations Convention Against Torture. They also said ‘that crimes against humanity could not be considered as the normal acts of a head of state.”
It was an important watershed in the war against injustice. The concept of “Universal jurisdiction” took center stage in combating these serial murderers hiding behind sovereignty. The British court decision opened the floodgates.
It gave rise to the establishment of the International Criminal Court. Solbodan Milosevic, Charles Taylor, Radovan Karadzic, were made to answer for their crimes. The current President of Sudan is trying to wiggle his way out to no avail.
The Pinochet case showed that no amount of rewriting of the Constitution will erase criminal acts committed using the power of the state. In the words of Mrs. Mary Robinson, the UN High Commissioner of Human Rights “torture is an international crime subject to universal jurisdiction.”
Interpreting the concept of sovereignty in a very narrow manner could lead to erroneous conclusions that will have grave consequences. The current Draft submitted by the government regarding NGO’s is based on false assumptions regarding sovereignty. According a senior adviser, “It is not repressive, because this is a matter that is between Ethiopia and foreigners, so foreigners have their domain, we have our domain. As a sovereign state which runs Ethiopia, we are designing our own law, and any foreigner who is ready to work in Ethiopia should come and see the law, and if it feels comfortable with the law, it can continue to work. If he does not feel comfortable, then we are not going to force them to work here.”
Unfortunate for them, that was yesterday. Today there is a new international situation confronting “Nation States.” The shift is towards “I am my brother’s keeper” and acceptance of the world as one small village. It is futile to think that forcing NGO’s not to report Human Right Abuses will make the problems go away. The abused are a living testimony. The result of this unjust system is chronic civil strife, food shortages, spiral inflation and migration of the young.
Human Rights knows no boundaries and local laws enacted using kangaroo parliaments do not stand a chance in the court of International scrutiny. In August of 2000 the Supreme Court of Chile voted to strip Pinochet of “parliamentary immunity.” By December, the Chilean people overwhelmed the capacity of the judicial system to handle the cry of the victims.
Die hard Pinochet supporters used to defend him by claiming that he did not ‘steal’. How unfortunate that a ‘US Senate Permanent sub-Committee on Investigations pointed at Riggs Bank as a money launderer for the dictator and facilitated up to $28 million in stolen funds.[5] How ironic that his kleptomania landed him in hot water more than his thirst for blood. Al Capone was convicted for income tax evasion, go figure.
The BBC quotes a former prisoner of the dictator, a Mr. Navarrete, explaining his reason for supporting bringing Pinochet to justice as saying “…trial is a closure, our country is profoundly undemocratic because of things like this being swept under the carpet. But I do think he should be charged in court for what he did. This has nothing to do with vengeance. This has to do with justice.”
General Pinochet died before he was thrown into the slammer for crimes against humanity. But the point was well made that no one is above the law. His contribution in the assertion of ‘Universal jurisdiction’ paved the way for his future demented children to pay the price both for his and their sins.
The title of this article is from a proposal put forward by former President Lagos of Chile to help reconcile the victims of the coup and bring the executioners and tortures to justice. True justice will take some time but the journey has started.
I hope you saw the 10k races from Beijing. Both of them. It was our turn. It was a time to feel good about being an Ethiopian. The whole world was a witness to our unsurpassed endurance and generous manners. It was an emotional moment for Ethiopians around the globe. Wherever life has taken us to, we watched our coronation from Beijing. My phone was ringing off the hook. I got calls from as far away as Dubai and as close as my next-door neighbor. They all said ‘did you see that?’
First it was my beautiful little sisters Tirunesh and Elvan Abeylegesse who kept me riveted to my seat. Small, compact and strong as nail, and graceful at the same time. With her expression so serene, it looked like Tirunesh was out for an evening jog. She ended up setting a new world record. Ethiopians rejoiced all over the world. Our flag flew high, our spirits soared and for a few hours we felt good.
Then came the brothers. Familiar faces that come around every four years and raise our spirits. They don’t fail us. Quiet and dignified you know they mean business. The big smile from Haile is a signal that all is well. Kenenisa with his chiseled face and Sihine with his somber look are formidable competitors. Then started the race full of human color bunched together, watching each other following and looking for a little hole to squeeze thru. Our Eritrean brothers were setting the pace. Kenenisa was staying close; Haile was watching the rear while Sihine kept in the middle. The Kenyans were watching the Ethiopians and the Ethiopians were pushing the Eritreans. After the 5000 meters mark it was time to separate the boys from the men.
Kenenisa looked back. He signaled it is time. Haile started to surge forward. Before you know it he was leading the pack. He was increasing the pace. Kenenisa stayed where he was, Sihine came closer. The Kenyans knew something was up. Haile was relentless. He was taking them to their limit. He looks back making sure his younger brothers are keeping up. Reading their faces, exchanging glances, communicating. The three Ethiopians had their own virtual network with a robust firewall as formidable as the Great Wall. Haile the good shepherd gave the final signal and Kenenisa turned on the turbo. It was a scene to behold. Then Kenenisa and Sihine accelerated as if the race just started. We shouted, we screamed and we cried tears of joy. It feels so good to be number one!
I saw our potential when we work together. It was a testimony that when we are focused on a goal nobody equals an Ethiopian. It was not the first time. Our past is full of glory like last Wednesday and Sunday. When Italy tried to invade our country the first time Emperor Menilik summoned the nation to stand as one. Menilik marched north with all Ethiopians and dealt a heavy blow to the invading army. The Fascist wanted to revenge their humiliation and came back. Emperor Haile Sellasie gathered his people and stood up against an army that was far superior. For five years Ethiopian patriots fought back and did not allow the enemy a single day of peace. When our own homegrown fascist Derg was escorted out of our life, the Ethiopian people kept the peace and the faith in each other with no authority in sight. We were our brother’s keeper. Our unity is our only strength.
We thank our dear brothers and sisters for a job well done. We thank you for letting the world know that famine is not the only product coming out of our ancient kingdom. We know how to work together. We learn from big brother Haile that group reward is a precious as individual glory. We learn from Haile that our nation is bigger than an individual that sacrifice for the good of the many is a sign of deep love for one’s country.
The last week has been kind to our country. The famine is taking center stage. The whole world is made aware of our dire situation. We hope the food aid will come on time and save our people. We hope those in authority will acknowledge this human catastrophe and cooperate with the aid agencies. The resignation of Pervez Musharraf of Pakistan is another good news for our country. Mr. Musharraf came to power nine years ago after a military coup. The Bush administration crowned him as a fighter of terrorism and kept his regime supplied with arms and financial aid. Mr. Musharraf was the darling of the west but a despot at home. He ruled by decree, used State of Emergency to imprison and exile his opponents and destroyed the judiciary. Time run out on Mr. Musharraf when his opponents created a united front. His American benefactors left him high and dry. Mr. Bush wouldn’t even return his calls the last few days. He was given a choice of impeachment and public humiliation or quiet resignation and may be an exile to another country. He will be free for a while, but all those under him who did all the dirty work would have to answer to a court of law. Dictators have no heart. Their method of operation is use and discard. They negotiate a safe exit for themselves and their family. Their advisors, their partners in crime and their mouthpieces are left behind to face the music. In today’s small world the saying ‘you can run but you can’t hide’ is truer more than before. Our humble advice will be to ‘do the right thing’ and you would have no worry in the world. It is never too late.
Famine and hunger are two different things. We all fell hungry if me miss a meal or two. But famine is a different story. Famine is ‘when there is not enough food for a great number of people’. To mention a few of the infamous famines in human history there was the Decan Famine in Central India in 1630 where 2 million died, the famine of 1644 in China considered as one of the causes of the fall of the Ming Dynasty, the Bengal famine in 1942, the Biafran famine in 1960 and the 1983 Famine in Ethiopia. The Ethiopian famine of 1973 is not regarded as a major event. About 40 thousand died. During the ’83 famine close to 8 million were affected and about a million died. We are living witnesses of the two famines in our country.
Famine is a very cruel human condition. It is ugly and confronts our inner self with a picture that we are too scared to see. We turn our head. The picture of the mother with no milk for her baby, and her child too weak even to swallow is too much to take. The aid workers are very strong. They are being forced to play the role of god. It must be so difficult to determine who lives and who dies. It is a race to save a few knowing so many have no chance to survive. Famine is no laughing matter.
Is there famine in Ethiopia? The answer is an equivocal yes. No matter how you look at it today there is ‘not enough food to feed all Ethiopians.’ This is according to those whose job is to track down such disasters as famine (not enough food), contagious disease, and climate change other situations that demand global resources to avoid disaster. Yesterday, today even tomorrow people are dying in Ethiopia due to lack of food. A few months back UNICEF reported about 8 million to be considered in the hunger zone. Due to the strong worded denial by the government and some arm-twisting they were forced to water down their assessment. Unfortunately calling famine acute malnutrition is just a play on words, the victim does not care for the fancy definition.
GURAGE ZONE, Ethiopia, 25 June 2008 – Mubarek weighed barely 3.5 kg when he arrived at the Kuno Alimena Health Post in Ethiopia’s drought-affected Gurage Zone. His weight would be average for a newborn baby, but as a toddler, he weighs approximately one-third of what he should. His diagnosis is severe acute malnutrition.Still, Mubarek was lucky; his mother brought him to the weekly UNICEF-supported therapeutic feeding programme that has been set up to save the lives of severely malnourished children. He did not have medical complications that would require clinical treatment and was able to begin home-based care, receiving weekly rations of ready-to-use therapeutic foods. But Mubarek’s twin brother was not so fortunate. He died even before his mother could get help.
One recent morning, over 300 children and their families formed a wide arch across the compound of the Ropi Catholic Church here in Ethiopia’s Siraro District. They were waiting to receive their rations of life saving therapeutic milk (F-75). Consecutive failed rainy seasons, steep hikes in food prices and a lack of resources for prevention and response mechanisms are all having a devastating impact on children and families living in the drought-prone districts of Ethiopia. “We had nothing to eat after the corn crop failed,” said Dureti Degefi, one of the mothers at Ropi. “I am telling you our story because they say you will listen. My stomach is hungry. And my baby is sick. We need help.”
Hadero, Ethiopia — One by one, the children are placed on a scale hanging from a makeshift wooden stand.The mothers look pleadingly at the Doctors Without Borders aid worker, but he keeps his eyes on his clipboard, tallying the figures that determine whether each child is sick enough to eat today… In this African nation, about 10 million people, more than 12 percent of the population, are now in need of emergency food aid after a drought wiped out harvests. But because grain is now twice as expensive as a year ago – if it is available at all – there is not enough food in Ethiopia to feed everyone in need… Ethiopia’s foreign-funded welfare system, the Productive Safety Net Program, may get around the food shortage by simply handing out cash to some of its beneficiaries who need extra help this year due to the drought. But even with cash in hand, some worry whether there will be any food at all left to buy.
Clearly there is no point in gathering more facts and information. Those whose job is to raise the red flag during human catastrophe are begging, pleading and working day and night to save lives. There are all kinds of explanations for the reoccurrence of famine in Ethiopia. Some say it is because we were feudal while others blame the brand of socialism as practiced by the military regime that was not Ethiopian enough. Today we are stuck with the new and improved revolutionary democracy that is neither a philosophy nor a theory rather another cover for dictatorship by a chosen few. There is one thread that connects all three regimes and it is the absence of Democracy.
This is what Amartya Sen (Nobel Prize winner in Economics) have to say after studying the issue of famine. In a paper titled ‘Democracy as a universal value’ he wrote “the remarkable fact that, in the terrible history of famines in the world, no substantial famine has ever occurred in any independent and democratic country with a relatively free press. We cannot find exceptions to this rule, no matter where we look… we have to look at the connection between political and civil rights, on the one hand, and the prevention of major economic disasters, on the other. Political and civil rights give people the opportunity to draw attention forcefully to general needs and to demand appropriate public action. The response of a government to the acute suffering of its people often depends on the pressure that is put on it. The exercise of political rights (such as voting, criticizing, protesting, and the like) can make a real difference to the political incentives that operate on a government.’
The Time interview with the Prime Minister was a little bewildering. His government is arguing that the International aid organizations are lying about the dire need of his own people.
Question: Why the dispute with UNICEF (which announced 6 million at risk and 125,00 children with severe acute malnutrition, a figure revised to 4.6 million and 75,000 after the government protested) over the scale of the problem?
Prime Minister: Because their assessment was patently false. I do not think there was ill intention on their part. But every country is competing for emergency resources, and the more gruesome the picture [you present], the better chance you have of receiving a large share of those resources.
There is definitely a major disconnect here. Isn’t UNICEF asking for donations to help Ethiopians in danger of dying due to lack of food and medicine? What brought about the question of ‘ill intentions’ when begging for Ethiopia. Is the PM saying UNICEF exaggerated the number under imminent danger and lied about it to get more for Ethiopia? But that is good news for Ethiopians. It means their needs will be met. Shouldn’t the PM invite UNICEF director for a lavish state dinner? UNICEF is caught between its commitment to report facts with evidence and its responsibility as a guest of the Ethiopian government that approves its license to operate. That is what is called a rock and a hard place. We would just like to remind UNICEF folks that their responsibility is to the truth and the welfare of the individual human being not to governments. UNICEF should always report the truth and assume guardianship of the faces and stories of those who are silenced by hunger. The regime’s denial of the existence of the problem is a cause for alarm. As the PM said there is a shortage of food set aside for emergencies, one would think the government would work hard to get a bigger share. The regime is more interested in saving face rather than admitting its people are dying. It is willing to trade off the lives of thousands rather than coming to terms with its failed polices. The Ethiopian regime has a blind side when it comes to the needs of its citizens.
On the other hand it is not farfetched to think that the regime is definitely clueless when it comes to its subjects. The absence of basic press freedom is a major suspect in this total blindness by the regime. A free and vibrant press is vital for decision makers to understand and know the heart beat of the citizen. Closed societies commit major blunders and cause pain to their citizens because they have no interaction with the citizen. Thus the absence of press freedom in Ethiopia is a major cause of these constant missteps by the minority regime.
In computer speak they call it GIGO. It stands for garbage in garbage out. A computer will unquestioningly process the most nonsensical of input data and produce nonsensical output. The same with decision makers saddled with faulty, incomplete, or imprecise data they come up with wrong and imperfect solutions that cause harm and agony to their people. Arresting moneychangers to curb inflation is a good example.
The clueless nature of the regime is well recorded. To mention a few we remember the disaster of the ‘calculated risk’ where the people rejected the TPLF regime during the famous 2005 general election, the war with Eritrea which was claimed to be unlikely and impossible but drained the treasury and sacrificed thousands of citizens, the invasion of Somalia now dragging for years with no end in sight and the 12% growth that is now replaced by double digit inflation and famine with no foreign reserve to buy necessities.
Liberation movements that find themselves upgraded to government level usually go through a growing process. Some are lucky and mature and produce good leaders (ANC and Solidarity in Poland). As time goes they learn the art of balancing the different demands of a complex society. Others end up being a curse on their society (TPLF, MPLA, Khmer Rouge). The little ragtag army with a single mission of overthrowing the dictator finds it difficult to transform itself to be legitimate power contender during time of peace. The elite leaders surround themselves with weak underlings and find themselves operating in their own fantasyland. The Palace, the timid Parliament, a few controlled meetings and photo op. with foreign leaders becomes their virtual reality. Any disagreement is raised to enemy level. It becomes us against them. Incidents are overblown to mean high danger. Action replaces reserved contemplation of a situation. Contempt to ones adversary and disregard of the law becomes common. They say Nero was playing the mandolin while Rome was burning. That is madness taken to its highest level.
When there are disasters in the west, the head of state visits the region and promises help and encourage their people to rebuild the area back to health. The leaders get involved on the ground by visiting aid centers and roll their sleeves at times and do symbolic acts. That is the response of a democratically elected leader. I doubt our leaders have seen feeding centers or talked to mothers carrying their dying child, fathers burying their sons and daughters and aid workers exhausted and numb. They seem to forget it is the taxpayer that makes three meals a day served by an army of servants possible. It is a most shameful act to undermine the death of a single human being. It is the height of indifference to fight over the definition of ‘famine and malnutrition.’ Showing a little concern and remorse for ones action that is causing all this man made disaster is a better and humane response to such catastrophe.
Seventeen years is along time to produce tangible results. The regime has tried everything to bring peace and prosperity to our country. It has failed. It is obvious most of the solutions are not working. What does it take for the leaders to see that the situation is beyond repair? That a new approach is urgently needed? That no matter how one tries it is impossible to fit a square inside a circle. There are plenty of Ethiopians who have excelled in the professions they have chosen. I am sure a vast majority will be more than thrilled to contribute to make their country a better place. A relationship based on equality and mutual benefit will bring out the best in all of us. The so-called ‘revolutionary democracy’ of change by decree is a tired formula. It is so yesterday, it is beyond laughable. Democracy, individual freedom and equal justice under the law is a must to bring any fundamental change. Without democracy and accountability change is impossible. Without a democratic form of government, famine and disease will be with us for a long time to come. Those of us who live outside have a responsibility to get involved and pressure the regime to be responsive to its people. A few hours a month is all it takes. There are plenty of dedicated groups and individuals trying to be the voice of the silenced. I am sure there is a group near where you live. Find your group, get involved and make a difference. May the all almighty give strength to those unfortunate Ethiopians who are bearing the burden of our indifference and our weakness in times of their need.
The discussion is centered on the word ‘enemy’. It is not a simple word. Once a certain person or group has been identified as an enemy further action is called for. You have to get rid of your enemy. Getting rid of the enemy takes many forms. Lately we have been spending a lot of time and resources coming to grips with these two questions.
Before we go further I believe the whole discussion is a monumental waste of time and it is highly possible that the question has been raised by the Woyane forces to deflect our attention away from the task at hand of building a robust and united front to confront their crumbling system. As good Ethiopians schooled in the art of self-destruction we are too eager to wallow in this debate. I agree with Professor Alemayehu when he said ‘we have met the enemy’.
As we all know setting the agenda is the first order of business in any meeting. The agenda determines the outcome of the discussion. The agenda determines the tone of the meeting. Thus bringing the question of ‘enemy’ in the forefront of the debate regarding the ‘minority regime’ relegates the question of ‘what to do about it’ to the back. The discussion centers on this ‘philosophical’ question rather than the practical aspect of tackling the problem.
I will leave the definition of what to call the minority regime to the Ethiopian people whether at home or away from home. I am more interested in the actions of the regime since it ascended to power seventeen years ago. We will judge it by its actions rather than its pronouncements. In order not to be accused of bias and ‘hidden’ ethnic hatred I will rely on evidence by third party observers.
Woyane abuse of its power and authority started the day it assumed power. The first order of business was to implement the so called ‘ethnic based’ Federalism and the formation of ‘Kilil’. Every Ethiopian was forced to identify himself /herself as a member of a certain tribe rather than a citizen of a Sovereign Nation State. Populations were moved from one corner of the country to another to create artificial division and poison the atmosphere of unity and oneness that has taken many years to construct. The only beneficiary of this was the minority Woyane cadre that assumed the role of a baby sitter to the weak Kilil administrations they set up.
The yearly ‘Country Report on Human Right Practices’ printed by the US Department of State reads like some horror story fiction rather than a true report on the actions of a government in this day and age. The recurring words in every report is ‘extra judicial killings, rape, torture, forceful displacement of civilians and other ugly language. Following is extensive excerpts from sources revealing the ugly side of the minority government as seen by various concerned groups.
On Monday September 7, 1993 a large crowd of believers had gathered at Adebabay Eyesus, in the city of Gonder. Security forces who were trying to arrest Abba Amiha Eyesus, a hermit, opened fire on the crowd. The Ethiopian Human Rights Council has so far verified 18 deaths and 17 wounded. Large numbers of persons are still detained in Bahta Prison, the Palace, Police stations and other places. Even if Aba Amiha Eyesus had violated any law, there were better ways of apprehending him. To look for him in a crowd of thousands of people who had gathered to pray and cause such harm to many is irresponsible. Human Right Watch 1993
The Massacre At Jarso Wereda (Harerghe): IFLO has alleged that on September 5, 1993 EPRDF forces opened fire at a gathering of peasants when the people failed to meet their demands to produce certain wanted individuals. The result is 26 persons killed and 12 wounded. The names of those killed and wounded are listed below. Seven of the 26 killed are women.
Security forces killed and injured numerous persons while forcibly dispersing several demonstrations during the year (see Sections 1.c., 1.d., and 2.b.). On April 12, police forcibly dispersed a demonstration by students from Addis Ababa University (AAU); one female student was killed, and 50 persons were hospitalized for injuries (see Sections 1.c. and 2.b.). The demonstrations continued, and on April 17, police shot into a crowd of demonstrators after the demonstrations became violent (see Sections 1.c. and 2.b.). The official reports indicated that at least 31 persons were killed; however, there were credible reports that the actual numbers were significantly higher. No action was taken against the police by year’s end. In April the body of an Oromo Mekelle University student was discovered on a riverbank outside the city 1 day after the student participated in a peaceful protest against the use of force by police at AAU. The perpetrators remained unknown, and there was no reported investigation into the case at year’s end. – US State Department Report 2001
On May 8, authorities arrested Berhanu Nega and Mesfin Woldemariam, two prominent academics and human rights activists; 3 weeks later, they were charged with inciting the AAU students to riot during an April 8 panel discussion on human rights and academic freedom that was organized by the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (EHRCO) and with organizing a clandestine political party, the Ethiopian Democratic League (EDL).
1999 ETA president Taye Woldesemayat was convicted of treason and alleged involvement in an underground terrorist organization and sentenced to 15 years in jail (see Section 6.a.). -Human Rights Watch 2005
Following the December 2003 massacre of some 400 Anuak civilians in a Gambella town by mobs and soldiers, the military launched a series of attacks on Anuak villages that destroyed well over 1000 homes and left several dozen villagers dead. In numerous smaller incidents, soldiers have severely beaten and sometimes killed Anuak men they encounter along roads or in sweeps of Anuak villages. These abuses have forced several thousand Anuak civilians to flee their homes for camps across the Sudanese border, while others have sought refuge with friends or family in the relative safety of Gamble’s larger towns.
8th June 2005: Epode’s heavily armed forces deployed in the streets of Addis Ababa massacre at least 42 innocent civilians for taking part in a demonstration demanding the respect of the outcome of the elections in the country. Most of the dead had gunshots to the head and hundreds were wounded while thousands were abducted and sent to remote military prison camps. –Abbay Media
8th June 2005: Business owners, taxi and mini-bus drivers take strike action to protest over the ruling party’s alleged massive election fraud and its fierce violations of human rights. The streets of Addis Ababa under the intimidating control of the Pelf’s armed forces. The government places opposition leaders under house arrest.
9th June 2005: Amnesty International issues a press release saying that ‘over 1,500 students and other demonstrators are at risk of torture [and] further arrests are reportedly continuing in Addis Ababa and in other towns where student demonstrations took place’. The organization condemns the excessive use of force by the police, who it says ‘used live ammunition against peaceful protestors’. The excessive and indiscriminate use of force is in contravention of international laws. – Amnesty International 2008
Amnesty International on Tuesday accused Ethiopian troops in Somalia of killing civilians and committing atrocities, including slitting people’s throats, gouging out eyes and gang-raping women.
With all due respect this is the regime we are discussing here. It was given a clear slate to write on. This is the story as recorded by foreign observers. It is the tip of the iceberg. This is our starting point when we contemplate the definition of enemy.
We will always remember Dr. Asrat Woldeyes whose only crime was love for his country. Dr. Asrat was repeatedly hounded by Woyane tugs and confined to a small hospital room with armed guards outside. He was charged with the usual ‘armed conspiracy against the government’ and spent three and half years in Kerchele where he was ‘denied books and writing materials and other prisoners were punished if they spoke to him.’ The harsh prison conditions, stress and inhuman treatment by the authorities should never be forgotten. For every Dr. Asrat there are thousand other who are name less but nevertheless children of Ethiopia victimized by the regime.
We can include the many journalists who have been forced into exile, and those who are surviving under constant terror and harassment into the mix. We will remember those who have drowned in the ocean while trying to flee from the house of horror. We remember Ato Bisrat Abdi of Dessie who was savagely beaten by Woyane tugs just a week ago his crime being a member of Andenet. We as a people have paid a heavy price, are paying a heavy price in our unending quest for freedom and a yearning to build a strong and prosperous Ethiopia.
When the discussion centers on whether the regime is a friend or foe it is not an idle intellectual exercise. Those thousands of victims of the regime in its attempt to cling to power under any circumstances are real. They have family that loved and cared for them. They are not ordinary criminals but rather freedom fighters who sacrificed their lives so the rest of us can live free. No amount of self-righteousness will justify killing so a few can impose their form of democracy on all others.
I believe it is up to the minority regime to ask for forgiveness and join the civilized world where people are held responsible for their actions. It is not up to the victim to beg the victimizer and turn a blind eye to wards his crime. The victim might forgive but that does not mean he will forget. We do not hate because we are cursed by some ‘mindset’ that is clouding our judgment. We are forced to hate because some have refused to mend their ways of criminal behavior and continue to self deny their destructive action. Hate is a negative state of thought. But it is also a perfectly understandable manifestation when one is clubbed for seventeen years. No use to blame the victim for being outraged, it is a whole lot better to somehow reform or get rid of the victimizer.
How many have perished in Dedesa, Showa Robit, Bilate, Bir Sheleko, Zeway, Sendafa and numerous other camps. Auschwitz Birkenau, Treblinka, and Dachau were just names of places. The horror did not come out till late. Let us not dismiss criminal behavior as a simple matter of police action. Remember if we have properly dealt with the crimes of the Derg we would not be having this discussion today. The next government would have understood that there is a price to pay for illegal action. No amount of sophistry will save the Woyane regime from the harsh judgment of the Ethiopian people. Life is a learning process. I believe we are learning and our hope is the next time around will be a forward progress and a time of renewal. It is up to each one of us to contribute towards this noble cause.
Please refer to the following documents to have an in depth understanding of the criminal regime:
· http://hrw.org/reports/2005/ethiopia0305/
· http://www.abbaymedia.com/Remembering_Victims_of_June_2005.htm
· http://www.ethiopians.com/rep06.html
· http://www.state.gov/g/drl/rls/hrrpt/2001/af/8372.htm
· http://www.asylumlaw.org/docs/ethiopia/usdos00_ethiopia_cr.pdf
· http://www.frontlinedefenders.org/node/1139
· http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/jun/12/ethiopia.humanbehaviour
· http://www.iht.com/articles/2008/05/06/africa/somalia.php
The New Yorker magazine had a very interesting /tasteless/ hateful/ satirical, cover on its current issue. Everybody has an opinion about it. As they say in the New Yorker, it is the talk of the town. It is a sneaky way of getting attention, if you ask me. Mr. Obama was not amused. His response to the New Yorker gives us an insight into how he approaches the world.
He can sue the New Yorker for defamation and other charges his lawyers can concoct. He can ignore the insult to himself and to his wife, and if you really want to blow it out of proportion you can include the insult to blacks and all Muslims. He can shrug it off. He choose to shrug it off.
The New Yorker editors are lucky. They have the freedom to print what they believe is in good taste and satirical even at the expense of offending quiet a few folks. The law protects them. Mr. Obama neither today as a candidate, nor tomorrow as the President can stop their press because he does not like what they are writing about him. A sure sign of a civilized society.
We cannot say the same thing about the editors of Asqual, Menilik, Satenaw, Ethiop and other independent newspapers in Ethiopia. They were closed because some in authority did not like the content of the newspapers. The editors were imprisoned for exercising their right to inform. Their property was confiscated and they were fined large amount of money as punishment for publishing their honest opinion. You can also look at the bright side. Some of their fellow editors and publishers have died under mysterious circumstances while others have escaped out of the country in the cover of darkness. A few are not safe in the neighboring countries. One has to cross the ocean to escape from the Agazi Special Forces designed for revenge and coercion.
Mr. Obama exhibited his leadership quality and the responsibility that come with it. Mr. Obama could have used the occasion to rally his forces and go against the New Yorker and its editors. He could have called on blacks and Muslims to show their righteous indignation. He could have exploited the issue for his own narrow gains. He did none of this. Creating division between people is not good leadership quality. A leader unites people and galvanizes them to aim higher and reach farther. Mr. Obama showed his confidence on his fellow citizen’s ability to make his own sound judgment.
On the other hand the Ethiopian government under the leadership of Ato Meles Zenawi follows a different approach towards ‘freedom of the press’. The Ethiopian government believes the news should be regulated and filtered before it reaches the consumer. Since coming to power the government has enacted various laws and regulations to control the flow of information. It allows a few so-called media outlets as long as they agree to submit to strict guidelines and accept the authority of party cadres to have the final say. Working outside these parameters brings out swift and harsh punishment.
Thus in today’s Ethiopia the news business is the sole property of the one party state. There are no independent Television stations. There are no independent radio stations. There are no independent Internet service providers. There are no independent phone companies. The very few independent newspapers and periodicals operate under the constant strain of immanent closure or jail for perceived digressions.
The Ethiopian government very well knows knowledge is power. It is willing to trade the curse of famines and poverty rather than having a well-informed and conscious citizen. The government spends millions on technology to jam short wave radio broadcasts from the US and Germany. It invests large amounts of money to block Ethiopian web sites based outside the country. The regime wastes taxpayer’s money on eavesdropping on telephone conversation of its citizens.
Foreign technology to achieve all this control is not cheap. It has to be paid in cash and in foreign currency. It requires skilled people to operate and maintain this machinery. They have to be trained. They have to be paid for their services. It is a big investment.
It is a choice the government is willing to make. Is it better to invest on fiber optic lines to wire the country and use the new technology of World Wide Web to teach our children? To have one computer in every classroom so they could participate and listen to free lectures from MIT, Stanford or Berkeley. So the farmer can visually learn better methods, improved hygiene, and price quotes from afar. There is limited resource. The money can be used for jamming signals or buying computer. The choice is between investing in buying foreign advanced armaments, invading a neighbor, garrisoning thousands of solders in a hostile territory and protect them, feed them and transport them or train health officers to go to villages and administer medicine. The choice is between blackmailing businessmen to contribute for building a cadre training school or galvanizing all Ethiopians inside and outside to contribute to build a technology center to teach our children and prepare them for new century.
It is all about leadership. It is all about priorities. It is all about investing for the future. It is all about where our country will be in the next five, ten, twenty years. Ethiopia at peace with itself and its neighbors and leading East Africa in technology, education and healthcare or Ethiopia the perpetual sick, weak, irrelevant and on welfare. We as individuals have a choice to make too. Are we the lucky ones going to get involved in our country’s affairs as a positive force or sit back and watch the disintegration? Are we going to be part of the problem or roll our sleeves and contribute however small it might look? To care and act on it is a very fulfilling. To be indifferent does nobody good. It is difficult to hide from one’s conscious. You know nobody can do it as good as you. Well?
I like Mr. Obama’s way. It is better to trust the wisdom and sensibility of my fellow citizen to make what he believes is the right choice after being exposed to all kind of news and views. As the saying goes ‘ye shall learn the truth, and the truth shall set ye free!”
It is an old saying. What it means is bad or illegal acts committed in the past are liable to cause problems today. In other words, there is no escaping the past. Sooner or later the day of reckoning will come. In Amharic we have the same saying ‘be seferut kuna yeseferu’.
What brought this is the news of the arrival of International Criminal Court (ICC) Deputy Prosecutor Mrs. Fatou Bensouda in Addis. Apparently there is report of imminent indictment against Sudan’s President Omar al-Bashir regarding his crimes in Darfur.
Sudan’s name comes from the Arabic “bilad al-sudan”, or land of the blacks. Sudan is a very big country in terms of size. It is slightly more than one-quarter the size of the US. Our dear friend al- Bashir is one of those tin pot dictators that litter our continent. It was in 1989 he took power as Chairman of Sudan’s Revolutionary Command Council (RCC) and served as chief of state, chairman of RCC, prime minister and minister of defense. It is a situation of ‘le ras sekorsu ayasansu’. In the good old tradition of African despots he got legitimacy by organizing a national election and winning 86.5% of the popular vote. Al-Bashir is not very greedy it seems. Normally African despots like 99.9%.
Al-Bashir is the same individual that suspended all political parties upon assuming power as a military leader. He also introduced the Islamic Sharia legal code on a national level. This was an affront to the southern Christians and others. In 1998 he wrote and adapted a new constitution. In 1999 he passed a law allowing limited political association but made sure that it was a ‘castrated opposition’. It did not last long. In December of 1999 he drove his tank to the parliament and ousted his friend and mentor Hassan al-Turabi who was the speaker of parliament.
So much for tolerance and limited democracy. Sudan is internationally known for its civil war between the southern half and Islamic North. The conflict has been going on for the last twenty years. Our own Emperor has worked very hard to bring the warring factions together. The conflict has caused millions to be ‘displaced, starved, and deprived of education and health care’. Much progress was made throughout 2003, and in early 2004 al-Bashir agreed to grant autonomy to the south for six years, split the country’s oil revenues with the southern provinces, and allow the southerners to vote in a referendum of independence at the end of the six-year period. al-Bashir has managed to break the agreement on several occasions.
As the situation in the South was somewhat stabilizing, another conflict broke out in Northern Darfur on the western part of the country. Since 2004 a pro-government militia called Janjawweed has been a carrying out a policy of wholesale massacre and collective punishment against the local population. According to Amnesty International, Human Right Watch the government has facilitated the killing of between 200,000 and 300,000 civilians and the displacement of more than 1 million people.
This is the situation that has brought the International Criminal Court to get involved in this high stake poker game. The action by the prosecutor, Luis Moreno-Ocampo of Argentina, will mark the first time that the tribunal in The Hague charges a sitting head of state with such crimes, and represents a major step by the court to implicate the highest levels of the Sudanese government for the atrocities in Darfur. The African Union is crying foul and invoking all kinds of obscure phrases such as sovereignty, internal affairs and the untouchability of a sitting head of state. Crocodile tears if you ask me. Each and every one of them is afraid the precedent set by such far-reaching action.
We in Ethiopia are very much exited about such a development. The crimes being committed in the Ogaden against our fellow citizens have been amply recorded by a host of International organizations and displaced persons languishing in Kenya and elsewhere. We call upon the ICC to look into the human catastrophe-taking place in Ogaden, Gambella, Gondar and Southern Ethiopia.
We are in agreement with the principle that no one is above the law. That no government is immune from prosecution. That massacre of civilians, deliberate acts of starvation and acts of collective punishment of peaceful UN armed civilians is cause for indictment and those who commit such crimes should answer to a court of law. We are hopeful that al-Basher and his associates will be made to answer for their hideous acts and the Sudanese people will find solace in knowing that ‘the chickens are coming home to roost’. I am sure Professor Al is paying close attention to this development. We feel empowered.
The New Yorker magazine had a very interesting /tasteless/ hateful/ satirical, cover on its current issue. Everybody has an opinion about it. As they say in the New Yorker, it is the talk of the town. It is a sneaky way of getting attention, if you ask me. Mr. Obama was not amused. His response to the New Yorker gives us an insight into how he approaches the world.