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TPLF and the culture of violence

Posted on , Updated on by Yilma Bekele

TPLF and the culture of violence. By Yilma Bekele.
According to ESAT the FBI has foiled an attempt by the Ethiopian government to assassinate Ato Abebe Gelaw. Goosh Abera and his accomplices are under custody. Please note here I said the Ethiopian government since there seems to be no thin line between the TPLF party and the government. Why am I not surprised? I am not surprised because for the TPLF violence is sanctioned by the party leaders as a legitimate tool to achieve political, economic and military dominance.
The following weeks as we look closely at Goosh Abera and his criminal friends and the FBI presents a psychological profile of the alleged conspirators we are sure to find out certain telltale signs about TPLF and their bizarre psychopathic behavior. Individuals like Goosh are most probably equipped with basic rudimentary education if any and survive by their wit and ethnic fueled bravado. In Ethiopia they are known for carrying weapons conspicuously, brandishing them at will and revealing in their thuggish behavior. They are the kind that administers summary judgment on street corners, bars and clubs.
How was TPLF Chairman, the recently departed Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi able to achieve this goal in Ethiopia? The simple truth is by using violence to silence, intimidate, and eliminate his and the party’s actual or perceived enemies using any means necessary. You do not need to be a Sherlock Holmes to detect this pungent smell of gun powder around most Woyanes.
Mengistu Hailemariam prepared the perfect ground for TPLF to flourish. He has already disarmed the population, delegitimized the family system and used the lowest denominators to be in charge of the Kebeles. TPLF inherited a demoralized, confused and tired population to mold in its own image.
The first target of this terrorist organization was the educated citizen. The University was stripped of its most experienced and independent thinkers. By ’94 the University was a former ghost of itself. The political system was dealt in a harsh way. Professor Asrat was murdered in the most inhumane way possible. Teachers President Assefa Maru was shot against a wall execution style. Masses of independent publication owners, editors and reporters were brutally beaten, murdered, bankrupted, intimidated, exiled or killed even in exile. Bank employees were fired in masse, telecommunication workers were discarded teachers and their unions were digested even Chamber of Commerce was not immune from TPLF take over. One thread common to all is that none of them were acquired peacefully. Violence was the main calling card of the TPLF.
Every opportunity he got the sick dictator used to trash our country and our history and every opportunity they got his security department used to bully, intimidate and made to cower with fear. My dear fellow citizens, you know there is nothing new in what I am telling you. Some have witnessed it, plenty have experienced it and a vast majority would try not to think about it. The shame is unbearable.
One thing about TPLF is it is not a behind the curtain type of organization. It practically advertises every hit and all illegal acts. They use their criminal action to send a clear message to the citizen. That is why they insist that all are aware and versed on their mode of operation. They use their Television news, their newspapers and radio to send warning messages before they take action. When the unthinkable happens some are heard to say ‘he/she was warned but refused to listen-they deserve it!” You see the victim assumes the blame.
They have been systematically killing any and all emerging Ethiopians. They have goon squads that go around intimidating anybody they perceive to be a challenge. They use beating and flogging opponents to shame them in front of family, friends and a whole village. They use blackmail as a tool. They use the law to break the law. Meles used to amend the Constitution in a weekend. Even the Constitution is not worth any respect. Once you trash the Constitution what is on your way?
That is what the FBI s telling us. Their dirty deeds have arrived in America. Under Meles they were content in infiltrating our organizations such as Political Party support groups, Eders, Churches, Sport organization and disrupting from the inside. There is no Organization in North America that has not been a victim of TPLF insider disruption. They are crafty, relentless and completely understand our frame of mind. They exploit our ignorance, selfishness and greed to keep us in a daze.
The new TPLF leaders are a little bit reckless. I understand that too. It comes out of desperation. The group is under tremendous pressure. The late dictator I am afraid was a very selfish person. The sun revolved around him. When he left the light went dim. I do not think any social or military organization can take credit for the current upheaval. In my humble opinion the stink is coming from inside. I agree things are getting ripe on the outside and that could intensify the pressure inside the TPLF bowl. I am afraid the last CEO did not really care to what came after him. He was too busy surviving from day to day in this shark infested pond that he did not have the time and luxury to bother with outcome. He left an army with too many generals. Here in America there is a saying ‘all chiefs and no Indians.’ Debretsion, Bereket, Sebhat, Gebru, Abbay and a bunch of tin pot Generals are on their own trying to carve the biggest pie for themselves.
This desperate act of attempt to assassinate Ato Abebe here in the US is the work of a mad man. If the group was trying to send a message about the long arm of TPLF it is a very stupid and crazy gesture. We have been complaining about their disruptive activities in our midst but this mission of trying to kill is a little concerning. There is no question the FBI will get to the bottom of this incident. It should be treated as act of terrorism by a government and investigated to the full extent of the law and let the chips fall where they may.
I am sure the alleged conspirator will name names and tell us who gave the order for such criminal act. I doubt one individual will take it upon himself to take such mission. The Ethiopian Government under Dictator Meles routinely used to kill, rough up and intimidate its opponents in the African countries they are exiled to. The new guys are a little daring. Prime Minister Debretsion and security chief Workeneh Gebehu Should be interviewed about the work of their agents and made to take responsibility for their actions. We hope the US government will take the necessary action of baring all Ethiopian Government officials and family members from entering the country before everything is known about this conspiracy to commit crime in the US. We should demand the US government protect us from the monsters they have been coddling.
This definitely is not their first time committing crime here in the US. They have been using every legal and illegal means to harass, bankrupt and shut down Ethiopian Review Web site. They have employed what is known as denial of service attacks (DDoS Attack) to block ER and various Web sites, they have hired attorneys to intimidate ER publisher and are present in every of our Churches sawing dissent and negativity.
As Ethiopians in exile we should take the actions of these criminals seriously. It is true there is no criminal without the victim. Sometimes it is unfortunate things happen but you really can’t leave your door open and cry about being robbed do you? It is time we accept responsibility. The Ethiopian people that are facing the brunt of TPLF abuse should wake up and face their coward enemies. By now it should be clear silence is not the answer. The one year anniversary by our Muslim citizens is clear indication the regime does not listen to reason. The steadfastness of our Muslim brethren should be applauded and emulated by the rest of us. The call by our Orthodox church in exile for every one of us to safeguard our religion and our country is a timely reminder.
The fact that we have muscle now is a very empowering feeling. The cooperation between Ginbot7, Afar Front, anti Woyane activists in Tigrai, OLF, Patriotic Front and the formation of Ginbo7 Forces is the right direction considering the nature of TPLF. As I said before leveling the playing field is called for. That is one small step for our Fronts and one giant step for Ethiopia.
As for the Diaspora it is time we stop enriching the coffers of the evil regime. Any kind of involvement in their Ponzi scheme adds one day more to their life. As there is no little pregnancy there is no such thing as a little investment. It has to be a clean and complete break. This Abesha way of qualifying our illegal act is not good for our future. Your selfish action is hurting us and we ask you stop it. It is like MLK said ‘In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.’ It is something to think about.
We feel the pain and hurt of our friend Abebe and his family. He has never threatened those that have hounded him and his family from his beloved homeland. His only weapon is his pen and pencil and the power of reason to resolve contradictions. Exiling him was not enough. Now they want to kill him in cold blood. That is the only language they speak. They have killed so many but they are unable to understand their violence has not resolved any of the outstanding issues. Don’t they see it? Don’t they know there are a lot more Abebebes as there were plenty of Asrats, Assefas, Eskindirs, Reyots? When is this madness going to stop? When is our country going to be a citadel of peace and harmony instead of a poster child for famine and civil war?
You know what no one gives you your freedom. You have to snatch it from those that want to make you their slave. No oppressor has ever said enough, I am going to leave you alone here go in peace. No, every oppressor faced by human kind was compelled to relinquish power by force. Not reason but force. The French revolution, the American revolution, the Russian revolution, the Chinese revolution, the South African revolution are all examples of the citizens taking matters into his hands and forcing the oppressor to step aside. Woyane dogs are not going to wake up one morning and pack and leave. You and I have to push them out. That is the only proven way. Anything else invites more abuse.

Ring in Redress to All Humankind

Posted on , Updated on by Alemayehu G. Mariam

HR 2012 is gone. 2013 is on the way. Let us ring in redress to all humankind.

I wish a happy and prosperous new year to all of my readers throughout the world. To those who have unwearyingly followed my columns for nearly three hundred uninterrupted weeks, I wish to express my deep gratitude and appreciation. I am thankful for all of the support and encouragement I have received from my readers in Ethiopia and the Ethiopian Diaspora and others throughout the world.

I ask my readers to ring in the new year with a firm resolution to seek redress for human rights violations in Ethiopia, other parts of Africa and throughout the world. As Dr. Martin Luther King taught, “Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly…”

Let us bid farewell to the old year and greet the new one with the poetic words of Lord Alfred  Tennyson:

Ring out the old, ring in the new,…

Ring out the false, ring in the true.

Ring out the grief that saps the mind,…

Ring out the feud of rich and poor,

Ring in redress to all mankind.

Ring out a slowly dying cause,

And ancient forms of party strife;

Ring in the nobler modes of life,

With sweeter manners, purer laws…

Ring out false pride in place and blood,

The civic slander and the spite;

Ring in the love of truth and right,

Ring in the common love of good…

Ring out the thousand wars of old,

Ring in the thousand years of peace.

Ring in the valiant man and free,

The larger heart, the kindlier hand;

Ring out the darkness of the land,…

Ringing Out 2012

I thought I would ring out 2012 by extracting snippets from selected weekly commentaries I wrote during the year.

In January 2012, I wondered aloud if there will be an “African Spring” or “Ethiopian Tsedey (Spring)” in 2012.  I cryptically answered my own question taking cover in Albert Camus’ book “The Rebel”.  “What is a rebel?”, asked Camus. “A man who says no… A slave who has taken orders all his life suddenly decides that he cannot obey some new command. What does he mean by saying ‘no’? He means, for example, that ‘this has been going on too long,’ ‘up to this point yes, beyond it no’, ‘you are going too far,’ or, again, ‘there is a limit beyond which you shall not go.’ But from the moment that the rebel finds his voice — even though he says nothing but ‘no’ — he begins to desire and to judge. The rebel confronts an order of things which oppresses him with the insistence on a kind of right not to be oppressed beyond the limit that he can tolerate.”

Africa’s Spring will arrive when enough Africans including Ethiopians collectively resolve to rise up from the winter of their discontent and make glorious spring and summer by declaring, “No! Enough is Enough!”

In February 2012,  I pointed out the shame and humiliation in receiving a Chinese handout (“gift”) in the form of  a gleaming “African Union Hall” to 50 plus African countries who could not afford the measly $200 million needed to  build such a quintessentially symbolic continental edifice.  I christened it “African Beggars Union Hall”.

The Chinese Dragon is dancing the Watusi shuffle with African Hyenas. Things could not be better for the Dragon in Africa. In the middle of what once used to be the African Pride Land now stands a brand-spanking new hyenas’ den called the African Union Hall (AU). Every penny of the USD$200 million stately pleasure dome was paid for by China. It is said to be “China’s gift to Africa.” Sooner or later China has to come to terms with three simple questions: Can it afford to fasten its destiny to Africa’s dictators, genociders and despots? How long can China pretend to turn a blind eye to the misery of the African people suffering under ruthless dictatorships? Will there be a price to pay once the African dictators that China supported are forced out of power in a popular uprising? To update the old saying, “Beware of Chinese who bear gifts.”

In March 2012, I boldly predicted that Ethiopia will transition from dictatorship to democracy. But I also cautiously suggested that dissolution of the dictatorship in Ethiopia does not guarantee the birth of democracy. There is no phoenix of democracy that will rise gloriously from the trash heap of dictatorship. Birthing democracy will require a lot of collaborative hard work, massive amounts of creative problem solving and plenty of good luck and good will. A lot of heavy lifting needs to be done to propel Ethiopia from the abyss of dictatorship to the heights of democracy. It will be necessary to undertake a collective effort now to chart a clear course on how that long-suffering country will emerge from decades of dictatorship, without the benefit of any viable democratic political institutions, a functional political party system, a system of civil society institutions and an independent press to kindle a democratic renaissance.

In April 2012 , I paid a special tribute to my personal hero Eskinder Nega, winner of the 2012 PEN Freedom to Write Award. Eskinder Nega (to me Eskinder Invictus) has been jailed as a “terrorist” by the powers that be in Ethiopia. But Eskinder is a hero’s hero. His cause was taken up by an army of world renowned journalists who have themselves suffered at the hands of dictatorships including Kenneth Best, founder of the Daily Observer (Liberia’s first independent daily); Lydia Cacho, arguably the most famous Mexican journalist; Akbar Ganji Faraj Sarkohi Iran’s foremost dissidents; Arun Shourie, one of India’s most renowned and controversial journalists and many others. Recently,  Carl Bernstein (one of the two journalists who exposed the Watergate scandal leading to the resignation of President Richard Nixon) and Liev Schreiber paid extraordinary homage to Eskinder Nega.  Bernstein said, “No honor can be greater than to read Eskinder Nega’s words. He is more than a symbol. He is the embodiment of the greatness of truth, of writing and reporting real truth, of persisting in truth and resisting the oppression of untruths,…”

Eskinder Nega is my special hero because he fought tyranny with nothing more than ideas and the truth. He slew falsehoods with the sword of truth. Armed only with a pen, Eskinder fought despair with hope; fear with courage; anger with reason; arrogance with humility; ignorance with knowledge; intolerance with forbearance; oppression with perseverance; doubt with trust and cruelty with compassion. I lack the words to express my deep pride and gratitude to Eskinder and his wife, journalist Serkalem Fasil (winner of the 2007 International Women’s Media Foundation “Courage in Journalism Award”), for their boundless courage and extraordinary sacrifices in the cause of press freedom in Ethiopia. It is said that history is written by the victor. When truth becomes the victor in Ethiopia, the names Eskinder Nega and Serkalem Fasil will be inscribed in the Hall of Fame for unfaltering courage and steadfast endurance in the face of Evil.

In May 2012, Abebe Gelaw, a young Ethiopian journalist stood up in the audience at the Food Security 2012  G8 Summit in Washington, D.C. and cried freedom. The late Meles Zenawi sat in catatonic silence as the young journalist shouted out: “Meles Zenawi is a dictator! Meles Zenawi is a dictator! Free Eskinder Nega! Free Political Prisoners! You are a dictator. You are committing crimes against humanity. Food is nothing without freedom! Meles has committed crimes against humanity! We Need Freedom! Freedom! Freedom!”

The “heckler’s veto” is one of the most precious rights of American citizens. The idea is really simple. It is always governments who abuse their power to silence their critics and those who disagree with them. With the “heckler’s veto”, the individual silences the government and the powerful. The tables are turned. Zenawi was silenced by Abebe! In that moment, Abebe gloriously realized the true meaning of the tagline of his website addisvoice.com – “A Voice of the Voiceless”. Ironically, the voice of the voiceless rendered speechless the man who had rendered millions voiceless!

In June 2012, I joyously witnessed the unity of Christian and Muslim religious leaders against those seeking to divide them. Hajj Mohamed Seid, a prominent Ethiopian Muslim leader in exile in Toronto, made an extraordinary statement that should be a lesson to all Ethiopians: “As you know Ethiopia is a country that has different religions. Ethiopia is a country where Muslims and followers of the Orthodox faith have lived and loved each other throughout recorded history.  Even in our lifetimes — 50 to 60 years — we have not seen Ethiopia in so much suffering and tribulation. Religion is a private choice, but country is a collective responsibility. If there is no country, there is no religion. It is only when we have a country that we find everything… They [the rulers in Ethiopia] have sold the land [to foreigners] and have kept the most arable land to themselves. The money from the sale is not in our country. It is in their pockets… Is there an Ethiopian generation left now? The students who enrolled in the universities are demoralized; their minds are afflicted chewing khat (a mild drug) and smoking cigarettes. They [the ruling regime] have destroyed a generation…

In July 2012, I held a private celebration on the occasion of the ninety-fourth birthday of  President Nelson Mandela. May he live long with gladness and good health! Madiba has been a great inspiration for me very much like Gandhi. Madiba and Gandhi were lawyers who spoke truth to power fearlessly. For Madiba, Gandhi, and Martin Luther King, true human rights advocacy was devoid of all political ambition. The politics of human rights is the politics of human dignity, not ideology, political partisanship or the pursuit of political office. The committed human rights advocate thrives on hopes and dreams of a better future, not the lust for political power or craving for status, position or privilege. I have been relentlessly “sermonizing” (as some affectionately refer to my weekly commentaries) on human rights in Ethiopia and against dictatorship for many years now. I have done so not because I believed my efforts will produce immediate political results or expected structural changes overnight. I stayed in for the long haul because I believe defending, advocating and writing about human rights and righting government wrongs is right, good and the moral thing to do.

In August 2012, I bade farewell to Meles Zenawi who passed away from an undisclosed illness. It was a difficult farewell to write. For over two hundred seventy five weeks, without missing a single week, I wrote long expository commentaries on the deeds and misdeeds of the man who was at the helm of power in Ethiopia for over two decades. Meles and I would have never crossed paths but for the massacres of 2005 in which some 200 unarmed protesters were shot dead in the streets and another 800 wounded by police and security officials under Meles’ personal command and control.

Meles was a man who had an appointment with destiny. Fate had chosen him to play a historic role in Ethiopia and beyond. He was one of the leaders of a rebel group that fought and defeated a brutal military dictatorship that had been in power for 17 years. In victory, Meles promised democracy, respect for democratic liberties and development. But as the years wore on, Meles became increasingly repressive, intolerant of criticism and in the end became as tyrannical as the tyrant he had replaced. In his last years, he created a police state reinforced by a massive security network of spies and surveillance technology. He criminalized press freedom and civil society institutions. He crushed dissent and all opposition. He spread fear and loathing that penetrated the remotest parts of the countryside.  For over 21 years, Meles clutched the scepter of power in his hands and cast away the sword of justice he held when he marched into the capital from the bush in 1991. Meles was feared, disliked and demonized by his adversaries. He was loved, admired, idealized and idolized by his supporters. In the end, Meles died a man who had absolute power which had corrupted him absolutely. In his relentless pursuit of absolute power, Meles missed his appointment with destiny to become a peerless and exemplary Ethiopian leader.

In September 2012, I explained why I supported President Obama’s re-election. I tried to make an honest case for supporting the President’s re-election despite deep disappointments over his human rights records in Africa in his first term.   Did President Obama deliver on the promises he made for Africa to promote good governance, democracy and human rights? Did he deliver on human rights in Ethiopia? No. Are Ethiopian Americans disappointed over the unfulfilled promises President Obama made in Accra, Ghana in 2009 and his Administration’s support for a dictatorship in Ethiopia? Yes. We remember when President Obama talked about the need to develop robust democratic institutions, uphold the rule of law and the necessity of maintaining open political space and protecting human rights in Africa. We all remember what he said:  “Africa does not need strong men but strong institutions.”  “Development depends on good governance.” “No nation will create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy.” Was he just saying these words or did he truly believe them? Truth be told,  what the President has done or not done to promote good governance, democracy and human rights in Ethiopia is no different than what we, the vast majority of Ethiopian Americans, have done or not done  to promote the same values in Ethiopia. That is the painful truth we must face.

In October 2012, I wrote about breast cancer awareness for Ethiopian women and men. There is a strange and confounding culture of secrecy and silence about certain kinds of illnesses among many Ethiopians in the country and those in the Diaspora. Among the two taboo diseases are cancer and HIV/AIDS. The rule seems to be hide the illness until death, even after death. We saw this regrettable practice in the recent passing of Meles Zenawi. Meles’ illness and cause of death remain a closely guarded state secret. It is widely believed that he died from brain cancer. This culture of secrecy and silence has contributed significantly to the needless deaths of thousands of Ethiopians. There is substantial anecdotal evidence that far too many Ethiopian women living in the U.S. have needlessly died from breast cancer because they failed or avoided to get regular breast cancer screening fearing a positive diagnosis. Secrecy and silence when it comes to breast cancer is a self-imposed death warrant!

In November 2012, I remembered. I remembered the hundreds of unarmed citizens murdered in the streets by police and security officials under the personal command and control of Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia on June 6-8 and November 1-4, 2005, following the Ethiopian parliamentary elections in May of that year. According to an official Inquiry Commission, “There was not a single protester who was armed with a gun or a hand grenade as reported by the government-controlled media that some of the protesters were armed with guns and bombs. [The shots fired by government forces] were not intended to disperse the crowd but to kill by targeting the head and chest of the protesters.” I also remembered Yenesew Gebre, a 29 year-old Ethiopian school teacher and human rights activist set himself ablaze outside a public meeting hall in the town of Tarcha located in Dawro Zone in Southern Ethiopia on 11/11/11. He died three days later from his injuries.  Before torching himself, Yenesew told a gathered  crowd outside of a meeting hall,  “In a country where there is no justice and no fair administration, where human rights are not respected, I will sacrifice myself so that these young people will be set free.”  I remembered why I was transformed from a cloistered armchair academic and hardboiled defense lawyer to a (com)passionate human rights advocate and defender.

In December 2012, I fiercely opposed the potential nomination of Susan Rice, the current U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. I argued that Rice has been waltzing (or should I say do-se-do-ing) with Africa’s slyest, slickest and meanest dictators for nearly two decades. Rice and other top U.S. officials knew or should have known a genocide was underway or in the making once RAF and interahamwe militia began killing people in the streets and neighborhoods on April 6, the day Rwandan President Juvenal Habyiarimana was assassinated. They were receiving reports from the U.N. mission in Rwanda; and their own intelligence pointed to unspeakable massacres taking place in Kigali and elsewhere in the country. Rice feigned ignorance of the ongoing genocide, but the irrefutable documentary evidence showed that Rice, her boss Anthony Lake and other high level U.S. officials knew from the very beginning (April 6, 1994)  that genocide was in the making in Rwanda. On September 2, 2012 at the funeral of Meles Zenawi in Addis Ababa and at a memorial service for Meles in New York City on October 27, 2012,  Rice delivered a eulogy that virtually canonized Meles. In her blind eulogy, Rice turned a blind eye to the thousands of Ethiopians who were victimized, imprisoned and killed by Meles Zenawi. Rice could not see the police state Meles had created. To literally add insult to injury, Rice called Meles’ opponents and critics “fools and idiots”. Truth be told, I was deeply offended by Rice’s hubristic remarks and her audacity, pomposity, nerve and insolence to insult and humiliate Ethiopians in their own country in such callous and contemptuious manner.  Ethiopians have been robbed of their dignity for 21 years. But I will be damned if any foreigner, however high or exalted, should feel free to demean, dehumanize and demonize my people as “fools and idoits”.  Recently, Rice explained: “I know I’m vilified for having said anything other than, ‘He [Meles] was a tyrant,’ … which would’ve been a little awkward, on behalf of the U.S. government and in front of all the mourning Ethiopians.” Rice has no qualms calling Ethiopians “fools and idiots” but she writhes in agony just thinking about calling Meles a tyrant?!? Some people just don’t get it!!!

In 1994, Rice was willfully blind to the genocide in Rwanda. In 2012, she was willfully blind to the long train of human rights abuses and atrocities in Ethiopia.

America does not need a friend and a buddy to African dictators as its Secretary of State. America does not need a Secretary of State with a heart of stone and tears of a crocodile. America does not need a “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil” Secretary of State.  America needs a Secretary of State who can tell the difference between human rights and  government wrongs!

Let us join hands to ring in redress to all mankind in 2013. Let us all work together for human rights for all and against all government wrongs!

Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam teaches political science at California State University, San Bernardino and is a practicing defense lawyer.

Previous commentaries by the author are available at:

http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/

www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/ 

Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at:

http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

ሰብአዊ መብት ለሰብአዊያን

Posted on , Updated on by Alemayehu G. Mariam

ከፕሮፌሰር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም
ትርጉም ከነጻነት ለሃገሬ

በዓለም ዙርያ ያሉትን አንባቢዎቼን 2013 የደስታና የብልጽጋና ዓመት ይሁንላችሁ በማለት መልካም ምኞቴን እገልጻለሁ፡፡

ላለፉት ያልተቋረጡ 300 ሳምንታት ያህል ጦማሮቼን ለተከታተሉ ሁሉ፤ከልብ የመነጨ አክብሮቴንና ምስጋናዬን እገልጻለሁ፡፡ ከኢትዮጵያና ከዲያስፖራ ኢትዮጵያዊያን ለተቸረኝ ማበረታታት ምስጋናዬ ይድረስልኝ፡፡

አንባቢዎቼን፤ በኢትዮጵያና በዓለም ላይ ሁሉ የተደፈሩ ሰብአዊ መብቶችን ለሁሉም ሰብአዊ ፍጡራን እንዲዳረሱና እንዲከበሩ የመጠራሪያና የማንቂያ ደወል በአፍሪካና በዓለማቱ ሁሉ እንደውል እላለሁ፡፡ ዶክተር ማርቲን ሉተር ኪንግ አንዳሉት “በማይበጠስ የአንድነት ሰባዊ ሰንሰለት ተሳስረናል፡፡ በአንድ አይነት እጣ ፈንታ ተያይዘናል:: አንዱን በቀጥታ የሚያጠቃው ሌላውንም በተዘዋዋሪ ደግሞ አይተወውም፡፡

አንባቢዎቼን፤ በሎርድ አልፍሬድ ቴኒሰን የረቀቀ ለዛ ባለው ግጥም (“እንጠራራ፤ ለሰብአዊ ፍጡር ሁሉ”) አሮጌውን ዓመት በመሰናበት አዲሱን እንቀበል በማለት አጠይቃለሁ::

እንጠራራ፤ አሮጌውን አመት ለመሸኘት አዲሱን ለመቀበል

እንጠራራ፤ ሃሰትን ተገላግለን አውነትን ለማስገባት

እንጠራራ፤ ሃዘንና ትካዜን ከሕሊናችንን ለማስወገድ

እንጠራራ፤ በደሃና በሃብታም መሃል ያለዉን ቅራኔ ለመፍታት::

እንጠራራ፤ ለሰብአዊፍጡርሁሉአዲስስብእናእንተካለት::

እንጠራራ፤ የወደቀ ስራትን ለመሸኘት

ለመለወጥ ዘመን የሻረውን የፓርቲዎችን መናቆር

እንጠራራ የሕይወትን  ክቡርነት እናስመስክር

በጣፋጭ ባህል በንጹህ ሕግጋት::

እንጠራራ፤  አጉል ትምክህትን ለማጥፋት

በዜግነት ላይ ሀሜት ክፋትና እልህ እንዲወገድ

እንጠራራ፤  ፍቅርን ሃቅና እውነትን ለማስገባት

እንጠራራ፤ መልክምን ለመተግበር ለሁሉም በሚሆን መንገድ::

እንጠራራ፤ ያለፉትን ሺህ እልቂቶች ላለመድገም

እንጠራራ፤ ለቀጣዮቹ ሺህ ዓመታት ሰላም አንዲሰፍን

እንጠራራ፤ለነጻነት ወደሚያበቃን ጀግንነት

ለሩህሩህ ልብ፤ ለለጋሽ እጆች

እንጠራራ ጨለማ የዋጣትን ምድር ለማዳን::

2012ን ስንሸኘው: ባለፈው አመት ካቀረብክዋቸው ሳሚንታዊ  ጽሁፎቼ  ትንሽ  ቅንጣቢ በመውሰድ ነው::

በጃንዋሪ 2012 የአፍሪካ ስፕሪንግ አለያም ‹‹የኢትዮጵያ ጸደይ›› ይመጣ እንደሆነ በማለት አግራሞቴን ጎላ አድርጌ አሰምቼ ነበር፡፡

የራሴን ጥያቄ በአልበርት ካሙስ ‹‹ዘ ሪቤል›› (ተቃዋሚ) በተባለው መጽሃፍ ሚስጥራዊ ትርጉም ውስጥ ሆኜ  መልሼ ነበር፡፡ ተቃዋሚ ምንድን ነው? ሲል ጠየቀ ካሙስ………… ‹‹እምቢ የሚል ሰው ………ዕድሜውን ሙል እሺ ጌቶቼ፤ እሺ እመቤቶቼ ሲል የኖረ ሰው በድንገት ያንገሸግሸውና ዳግም ትእዛዝ አልቀበልም ብሎ እምቢ ይላል፡፡ እምቢ ሲልስ ምን ማለቱ ነው? የሚለውማ፤ ለምሳሌ ‹‹ይሄ ትእዛዝ በዛ፤ እስካሁን ድረስ እሺ ከእንግዲህ ግን አሻፈረኝ፤ መጠናችሁን አጣችሁ፤›› ወይም  ‹‹እሺ ለማለትና ለመቀበል በቃ ለማለትም ገደብ አለው:: እምቢተኛው የራሱን ድምጸ ውሳኔ ካገኘበት ጊዜ አንስቶ……. ከአሻፈረኝ ሌላ ቃል ባይወጣውም፤ መመኘትና መዳኘት ይጀምራል፡፡ እምቢተኛው የሚሰጠውን ትእዛዝ በመጋተር ሊቋቋመው ከሚችለው በላይ የሚጫንበትን ትእዛዝ ላለመቀበል ይወስናል፡፡›› የአፍሪካ ስፐሪንግ አፍሪካውያን ኢትዮጵያንም ጨምሮ፤ከተጫነባቸው የግፍ ጫና እንቅልፋቸው ነቅተው በብሩሁ ጸደይ  ተነቃቅተው ‹‹አሻፈረኝ! በቃ ማለት በቃ ነው!›› ማለት ሲችሉ ነው፡፡

በማርች 2012 ኢትዮጵያ ከዲክታተርሺፕ አገዛዝ ወደ ዴሞክራሲያዊ አስተዳደር ትሸጋገራለች ብዬ በድፍረት ተንብዬ ነበር፡፡. ከዚሁ ጋርም   የዲክተተርሺፕ ማብቃት፤ በኢትዮጵያ የዴሞክራሲን መወለድ አያረጋግጥም ብዬም ነበር፡፡ከሚገረሰሰው የበሰበሰ ዲክታተርሺፕ ሊፈለፈል የሚችል የዴሞክራሲ ዕውነታ ሊኖር አይችልም፡፡ ዴሞክራሲን ለማምጣት በርካታ የሕብረት አድካሚ ስራዎች ያስፈልጉታል፡፡ኢትዮጵያን ከተጫነባት የፈላጭ ቆራጭ ዲክታተርሺፕ አገዛዝ ለማላቀቅና ከግፈኞችን በደል ከማይጠግቡ የዓመጻ ልጆች ለማላቀቅ ብዙ ጉልበትና አንድነት መስማማት ይጠይቃል፡፡ይህን ለማድረግ ደግሞ ዴሞክራሲያዊ የፖለቲካ ተቋማት፤ተግባራዊነትን የሚያረጋግጥ የፖለቲካ ድርጅት፤የሲቪል ማሕበረሰብ ስርአት እና የብራሀን ፋና ወጊ የሆነ የነጻው ዴሞክራቲክ ፕሬስ ትንሳኤ የግድ አስፈላጊ ነው፡፡

በኤፕሪል 2012 ለጀግናዬና አልበገር ባዩ የፔን በነጻነት የመጻፍ ሽልማት አሸናፊ ለሆነው እስክንድር ነጋ አንድ ልዩ አክብሮት መግለጫ ጽፌ ነበር፡፡ እስክንድር ነጋ (ለኔ አይበገሬው እስክንድር ነጋ)ሽብርተኛ ተብሎ በኢትዮጵያ አለሁ በሚለው ገዢ መንግስት ለእስር ተዳርጓል፡፡ እስክንድር ግን የጀግኖች ጀግና ነው፡፡ የእስክንድር ለእስር መዳረግ በበርካታ ያገባናል በሚሉ ታዋቂ ጋዜጠኞች፤ በተመሳሳይ ስቃዩ በያሉበት የደረሰባቸው ኬነዝ ቤስት፤(የላይቤርያው ኢንድፔንዳንት ዴይሊ ጋዜጣ መስራች) ሊዲያ ካቾ፤ዝነኛው የሜክሲኮ ጋዜጠኛ፤ የኢራኩ እውቅ ተቃዋሚ፤አክባር ጋንጂ: ፋራጂ ሳርኮሂ፤በሕንዱ ታዋቂ አሩን ሹውሪ፤እና በበርካታ ሌሎች የእስሩ ተቃዋሚዎች ትኩረት ተሰጥቶታል፡፡ለኔ እስክንድር ልዩ ጀግናዬ ነው፤ ምክንያቱም፤ከሃሳብና ከእውነት ውጪ መሳርያ የሌለው ተሟጋች ነውና፡፡ ቅጥፈትን: በእውነት ስለት ብዕሩ ብቻ ሰየፈው:: ተስፋ መቁረጥን በተስፋ፤ፍርሃትን በድፍረት፤ ቁጣን በምክንያታዊነት፤ዕብሪትን በትህትና፤መሃይምነትን በዕውቀት፤አለመቻቻልን በትዕግስት፤ጥርጣሬን በዕምነት፤ ጭካኔን ደግሞ በርህራሄ እስክንድር ተዋጋው›፡፡ እስክንድር አልበገሬው!

በሜይ 2012  ላይ የጂ 8 የምግብ ዋስትና ስብሰባ በሚካሄድበት በዋሽንግቶን ዲ ሲ ወጣቱ ኢትዮጵያዊ ጋዜጠኛ አበበ ገላው ድምጹን ከፍ አድርጎ ነጻነት! እስክንድር ነጋ ይፈታ!  በማለት ድምጹን ከፍ አድርጎ ተናገረ!  ያለፈው መለስ ዜናዊ በዚያ በነበረበት ቦታ ላይ እንደተደገመባት ድመት አንገቱን ሰብሮ በዝምታ ወጣቱ ጋዜጠኛ፤ መለስ ዜናዊ ዲክታተር ነው ሲል ሰማው!  እስክንድር ነጋ ይፈታ! የፖለቲካ እስረኞች ይፈቱ! አንተ ዲክታተር ነህ መለስ! በማለት አበበ የተቃውሞ ጥሪውን አሰማ፡፡ አንተ በሰብአዊ ፍጡሮች ላይ ወንጀል ፈጽመሃል፤ ያለ ነጻነት ምግብ ዋጋ ቢስ ነው፤ የፖለቲካ እስረኞችን ልቀቅ! ነጻነት! ነጻነት! ነጻነት ያስፈልገናል! አለው፡፡ ለአሜሪካን ሕብረተሰብ የ‹‹ሄክለር ቬቶ›› በእጅጉ ክብር የሚያስገኝ መብት ነው፡፡ ሃሳቡ በጣም ቀላል ነው፡፡ምንግዜም መንግስታት ናቸው በሃሳባቸው የማይስማሙትንና ተቃዋሚዎቻቸውን ዝም ለማሰኘት ማፈኛ የሚያበጁ፡፡ ‹‹በሄክለር ቬቶ›› ደግሞ ግለሰቦች ጉልበተኛንና መንገስትን ዝም ጸጥ ማሰኘት ይችላሉ፡፡ ጠረጴዛው የግልብጥ ሆነ፡፡ መለስ ዜናዊ በአበበ ገላው ተለጉሞ ጸጥ እንዲል ተደረገ፡፡ አበበ ድሕረ  ገጽ መጠርያ ስሙ አዲስ ድምጽ ትርጉሙን በአግባቡ  አሳወቀበት ‹‹ድምጻቸው የታፈነባቸው ድምጽ››::

በጁን 2012 በሙስሊሙና በክርስቲያኑ የሃይሞነት መሪዎች ሊከፋፍሏቸው ባለሙት ላይ ባሳዩት ሕብረት ተገርሜ ነበር፡፡ በቶሮንቶ በስደት ላይ የሚገኙት፤ታዋቂው የሙስሊሙ እምነት ተከታዮች መሪ፤ ለሁሉም ኢትዮጵያዊ ትምህርት የሚሆን መልዕክት አስተላለፉ፡፡‹‹ እንደምታውቁት ኢትዮጵያ ብዙ እምነቶች የሚከበሩባት ሃገር ናት፡፡ኢትዮጵያ ፣ሙሊሙና የኦርቶዶክስ እምነት ተከታይ ክርስቲያኖች በፍቅር ተከባብረው የኖሩባት ሃገር ለመሆኗ ታሪክ ይመሰክራል፡፡ አሁን እንኳነ 50ና 60 ዓመታት ጊዜ ውስጥ በኛው ዘመን፤አንዳችም ሁከትና አለመግባባት በመሃላቸው አይተን አናውቅም፡፡ ማንኛውንም ነገር የምናገኘው ሃገር ሲኖረን ነው፡፡ ሃይመኖት የግል ምርጫ ነው፡፡ ሃገር ደግሞ የጋራችን ነው:: ሃገር ከሌለ ሃይማኖትም አይኖርም፡፡……..እነሱ…ገዢዎቹ የገሃሪቱን መሬት ለውጭ ሰዎች ለባዕዳን እየሸጡት ነው፡፡ ተራፊውን ለም መሬትም ለራሳቸው ይዘውታል፡፡ ከሽያጩም የተገኘው ገንዘብ በሃገራችን አይቀመጥም፤ በግል ኪሳቸውና በሌላም ቦታ ባላቸው ኪሳቸው ነው፡፡ለመሆኑ አሁን የተረፈ ኢትዮጵያዊ ትውልድ አለ? በዩኒቬርሲቲ ለመማር የሚመዘገቡትም ቢሆኑ ሞራላቸው በተስፋ ማጣት ተዳክሟል፤በጫት ተለክፏል፤በሲጋራ ሱስ ተበክለዋል፤፡ ገዢው መንግስት ትውልዱን አጥፍተውታል፡፡

በጁላይ 2012 የፕሬዜዳንት ማንዴላን 94ኛ ዓመት የልደት በዓላቸውን በግሌ የአከባበር ስርአት አድርጌ ነበር፡፡ በጤንነትና በደስታ ረጂም ተጨማሪ ዓመታት እመኝላቸዋለሁ፡፡ ማዲባ ልክ እንደጋንዲ ለኔ ዋነኛ መኩሪያ የመንፈሴ አነሳሥ ናቸው፡፡ ማዲባና ጋንዲ ካለአንዳች ፍርሃት ዕውነትን ለባለስልጣናት ሲያውጁ ነበር፡፡ ለማዲባ፤ ጋንዲ፤ ማርቲን ሉተር ኪነግ: እውነተኛ የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋች፤ የፖለቲካ ፍላጎት ጨርሶ የሌለበት ነው:: የሰብአዊ መብት ፖለቲካ የሰብአዊ ክብር ነው እንጂ የፖለቲካ ዘይቤ፤የፖለቲካ መጎዳኘትም፤አለያም የፖለቲካ ስልጣን ፍቅር አይደለም፡፡ ቁርጠኛ የሆነ የሰብአዊ መብት ጠበቃ፤ለተሸለ ተስፋና ሕልም እውነታ የቆመ ነው፡፡እኔ ለብዙ ዓመታት በኢትዮጵያ ሰብአዊ መብት ጉዳይና በፈላጭ ቆራጭ ገዢዎች ላይ በርካታ መሟገቻ ጦማሮች አቅርቤያለሁ:: ይህ ጥረቴ ደግሞ አፋጣኝ ፖለቲካዊ ለውጥ ወይም አፋጣኝ መዋቅራዊ ለውጥ እንደሚያስገኙ እገምተለሁ፡፡ ይህንንም ለረጂም ጊዜ በማድረግ የቆየሁበት ሰበብ፤ስለሰብአዊ መብት መሟገት፤ መከራከር፤ ጥብቅና መቆም የገዢዎችን ድክመት ይፋ ማውጣት ልክ ስለሆነና ጥሩና የሞርል ጉዳይም ስለሆነ ነው፡፡

በኦገስት 2012 ይፋ ባልሆነና ባልታወቀ ሕመም በሞት ለተለየን መለስ ዜናዊ ስንብት አደረኩ፡፡ ስንብት ለመፃፍ በጣም አስቸጋሪ ነበር፡፡ ለሁለት መቶ ሰባ አምስት ሳምንታት፤አንድም ሳምንት ሳይታለፍ፤ለሁለት አሰርት ዓመታት ኢትዮጵያን ሲገዛ በነበረው ሰው ላይ ያደረሰውን በደልና የፈጸመውን ግፍ በተመለከተ በማጋለጥ በርካታ ጦማሮች አቅርቤያለሁ፡፡ በ2005 ያ ሁሉ የዜጎች ጭፍጨፋ ባይፈጸምና 200 ንጹሃን ዜጎች በጠራራ ጠሃይ በጎዳና ላይ ለሞት ባይዳረጉ፤ ከ800 በላይ ቁስለኛ ባይደረጉ፤መለስ ዜናዊንና እኔን የሚያገናኘን ጉዳይ አይኖረም ነበር::  ዕጣ ፈንታ መለስ በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ታሪካዊ ሚና እንዲጫወት መርጦት ነበር፡፡ ለ17 ዓመታት ኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ዲክቴተር ሆኖ ሲገዛ የነበረ ውን ወታደራዊ ጁንታ አሸንፎ ከገቡት የቡድኑ መሪዎች አንዱ ነበር፡፡ በድል ወቅት መለስ ስለ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ተግባራዊነት ምሎ ተገዝቶ፤ ልማትን ለማፋጠንምና ሃገርን ለመገንባት ቃሉን ሰጥቶ ነበር፡፡ ግና ዓመታቱ እየጨመሩና እያለፉ ሲሄዱ ቁጥር መለስ ጨቋኝ እየሆነ፤ትዕግስቱ ቅጥ እያጣ፤ አምባገነናዊ ትምከተኛ እየሆነ፤ከተካው ገዢ የበለጠ ጨካኝና ጨቁአኝ እየሆነ መጣ፡፡ በመጨረሻዎቹ ዘመኑ ላይ ብዙ የደህንነት አባላት ካድሬዎች የሚታገዝ የፖለስ ስርአተ መንግስት ፈጠረ፡፡ ዜጎች እንዳይነቃነቁና በነጻ እንዳያስቡ ቁጥጥሩን አጠናከረ፡፡ የሲቪሉን ማህበረሰብ ተቋማትንና የነጻውን ፕሬስ አባላት መወንጀል ያዘ፡፡ በሃገሪቱ የሩቅ ገጠር ሳይቀር ዘልቀው በመግባት ሕዘቡ ላይ  የግፍ ጫናቸውን አራገፉበት፡፡ ከ21 ዓመታት በላይ መለስ ስልጣኑን የሙጢኝ ብሎ ከጫካው ይዞት የመጣውን የፍትሕን ሰይፍ በግሉና ለራሱ ብቻ ጨብጦ፤ለመበታተኛነት እያዋለው፤ ሃሳቡን የሚሞግቱትንና ተቃዋሚዎችን በማስፈራራትና በደጋፊዎቻቸው ላይ ውንጀላና መጉላላትን እያካሄደ ፍጹም አምባገነናዊ በመሆነ ኖረ፡፡ ስልጣንን ከምንም በላይ አድርጎ በማየት ዕድል ሰጥቶት የነበረውን ቀጠሮ ስቶ በኢትዮጵያ አቻ የሌለው መሪ ሊባል የሚችልበትን ቀጠሮ አፋለሰ፡፡

በሴፕቴምበር 2012 የፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማን ዳግም ምርጫ ለምን እንደደገፍኩት አስረዳሁ፡፡ በመጀመርያ የምርጫ ዐመታቸው በአፍሪክ ውስጥ ስለነበራቸው አመለካከትና እንቅስቃሴ የሰብአዊ መብት መደፈር ቅሬታ ቢኖረኝም፤የፕሬዜዳንቱን ድጋሚ ምርጫ የመደገፌን መነሾ በሚገባ ገልጫለሁ፡፡ ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ በገቡት ቃል መሰረት ለአፍሪካ መልካም አስተዳደር የሰብአዊ መብት መከበርን፤ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ሁኔታን አስገኝተዋል? በኢትዮጵያ የሰብአዊ መብት መከበርን አረጋግጠዋል? በጭራሽ! ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ በአክራ ጋና በገቡት ቃል መሰረት ምንም ባለማድረጋቸውና ቃላቸውን ባለመጠበቃቸው ኢትዮጵያዊያን አሜርካዊያን ቅር ተሰኝተዋል:: አስተዳደራቸውስ በኢትዮጵያ ላለው ዲክታተራዊ ገዢዎች ስለሚያደርገው ድጋፍስ፤ አዎን እናስታውሳለን ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ ያን የመሰለ ንግግር በማድረግ በአፍሪካ ውስጥ ጠንካራና ጤናማ አስተዳደር እንደሚያስፈልግ አድርገው እንደነበር፡፡ ሁላችንም ይህን አስመልክተው ምን እንዳሉ የምናስታውሰው ነው፡፡ ‹‹አፍሪካ ጡንቻማ መሪዎች አይደሉም የሚያስፈልጓት፤ የፈረጠመና መልካም አስተዳደራዊ ተቋም እንጂ›› ‹‹ልማት መሰረቱ መልካም አስተዳደር ነው›› ገዢዎች ኤኮኖሚውን የሚበዘብዙት ሃገር ጨርሶ ሊለማ አይችልም›› እነዚህን ቃላቶች ለይስሙላ ያሉዋቸው ናቸው ወይስ ከምር አምነውባቸው? ዕውነቱ መውጣት አለበት፤ ፕሬዜዳንቱ ያደረጉት አለያም ያላደረጉት መልካም አስተዳደርን፤ዴሞክራሲያዊ ስርአትን፤የሰብአዊ መብት መከበርን በኢትዮጵያ አለማስገኘቱ፤ እኛ እራሳችን ባለጉዳዮቹ በርካታ ቁጥር ያለን ኢትዮጵያዊያን አሜሪካውያን ያደረግነው አለያም ያላደረግነው ጋር የተለያየ አይደለም፡፡ ይሄ ነው የሚጎመዝዘው እውነትና መቀበልና ማመን ያለብን፡፡

በኦክቶበር 2012 ስለሴቶችና ጡት ካንሰር ጥንቃቄ በኢትዮጵያ አንድ ጦማር አቅርቤ ነበር፡፡ በሃገር ውስጥም ሆነ በዲያስፖራው ኢትዮጵያዊያን መሃል ስለ አንዳንድ በሽታዎች ሚስጥራዊነት ጎጂ ባሕል አለን፡፡ ሁለቱ በድብቅ የተከተቱ በሽታዎች ካንሰርና ኤች አይ ቪ ኤይድስ ናቸው፡፡ባህሉም በሽታዎቹን እስከመጨረሻው ድረስ: ከሞትም በኋላ ደመደብቅ ነው፡፡ ይህን አስከፊና አሳዛኝ ባህል በቅርቡ በመለስ ዜናዊ ሞት መስክረነዋል፡፡ የመለስ በሽታና የሞቱ መንስኤ ሚስጥራዊነቱ በጥብቅ የሚጠበቅ የሃገር ሚስጢር ሆኗል፡፡ በስፋት እንደሚታመነው የሞተው በአእምሮ ካንሰር ነው ይባላል፡፡ ይህ በሚስጢር የመያዝ ባህላችን በርካታ ኢትዮጵያዊያኖችን ለሕልፈተ ሞት ዳርጓል፡፡ ለምሳሌ በአሜሪካን ሃገር በጉልህ የሚታወቅና የታይ የሕመም መደበቅ ባህላችን በርካታ ወገኖቻችንን ለሞት ዳርጓል፤ በዚህም ሳቢያ ብዙዎች ቅድመ ምርመራ በማድረግ በጊዜው ሊደርሱበት የሚችሉትን በሽታቸውን በሚስጢር በመያዝና ቅድመ ምርመራውም የሚያስከትለውን ውጤት ለማወቅ ካለመፈለግና በመፈራት በርካቶች ለሞት ተዳርገዋል፡፡ ካንሰርን በተመለከተ ሚስጥር ማድረግን ቅድመ ምርመራን አለማድረግ በራስ ላይ የሞት ደረሰኝ እንደመቁረጥ ያለ ነው፡፡

በኖቬምበር 2012 ማስታወሻዬ፡፡ በጁን 6-8 እና በኖቬምበር 1-4 በመለስ ዜናዊ ቀጥተኛ ትእዛዝና ቁጥጥር በዚያው ዓመት በሜይ የተካሄደውን ፓርላማዊ ምርጫ አስመልክቶ መብትና ሕገመንግስት ይከበርልን በማለት ባዶ እጃቸውን አደባባይ የወጡትን ንጹሃን ዜጎች ጭፍጨፋና ግፋዊ ግድያ አስታወስኩ፡፡ ሕጋዊ ሆኖ የተመረጠው አጣሪ ኮሚሽን ይፋ ባደረገው ዘገባ ባቀረበው መሰረት ከሰላማዊ ሰልፈኞቹ መሃል የመንግስት ሚዲያ እንዳለው አንድም ሰው ጠመንጃም/ሽጉጥ አለያም የእጅ ቦንብ የያዘ አልነበረም፡፡ በመንግስት ወታደሮችና የደህንነት ሰዎች የተተኮሱት ጥይቶች ሰልፈኛውን ለመበተን ተብለው የታለሙ ሳይሆኑ ደረትና ጭንቅላት ላይ ለመግደል ተብለው የተተኮሱ ነበሩ፡፡ ‹‹በወቅቱ የ29 ዓመቱን ኢትዮጵያዊ መምህርና የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋችና በደቡብ ኢትዮጵያ በ11/11/11 እራሱን በእሳት አቃጥሎ የተሰዋውን የዳውሮ ዞን ነዋሪውን የኔሰው ገብሬንም አስታውሻለሁ፡፡ የኔ ሰው በደረሰበት ቃጠሎ ከሶስት ቀናት በኋላ በሆስፒታል ሕይወቱ አልፏል፡፡ በስብሰባው አዳራሽ በራፍ ላይ ለነበሩትም ያስተላለፈው መልዕክት ‹‹መልካም አስተዳደርና ፍትሕ በሌለበት ሃገር፤ ሰብአዊ መብት በማይከበርበት ሃገር፤ እነዚህ ወጣቶች ነጻ እንዲሆኑ እኔ እራሴን አቃጥላለሁ›› ነበር፡፡

በዲሴምበር 2012 የሱዛን ራይስን የአሜሪካ የዉጭ ጉዳይ ሚኒስቴር ሹመትን በጥብቅ ተቃዉሜ ነበር፡፡ የወቅቱ የአሜሪካ የተባበሩት መንግስታት አምባሳደር፤ ከዘመነኞቹ የአፍሪካ ፈላጭ ቆራጭ ገዢዎች ጋር በሚፈጥሙት ግፍና በደል ሙዚቃ አብራቸው እስክስታዋን ሱዛን ራይስ ታቀልጠው ነበር፡፡ በኤፕሪል 6 በሩዋንዳ ተቀስቅሶ ያለውንና በሚሊሺያዎች የተነሳሳውን ኢንተርሃምዌ: ራይስና ሌሎችም የአሜሪካን ባለስልጣናት አስቀድመው አውቀውት ነበር፡፡ በሩዋንዳ ከሚገኘው የተባበሩት መንግስታት ቢሮ ስለ ጉዳዩ የእለት ተእለት መግለጫ ይደርሳቸው ነበር፡፡ በዚህም ባለስልጣኖቹ የዘር ማጥፋት ሂደት መጸነሱን አውቀውታል፡፡ በአዲስ አበባ በሴፕቴምበር 2 እና በኒውዮርክ በተካሄደው የመለስ ዜናዊ ሞት መታሰቢያ ስንብት ያቀረበችው  ከንቱ ውደሴ በእጅጉ አሳፋሪና ከአንድ የመንግስት ተወካይ ከፍተኛ ባለስልጣን የማይጠበቅ ነበር፡፡ ራይስ በመለስ ዜናዊ ቀጥተኛ ትእዛዝ ለሞት የተዳረጉትን ንጹሃን ዜጎች ከምንም አልቆጠረቻቸውም፡፡ በመለስ ትእዛዝ በወህኒ ሃሳባቸውን ስለገለጹና ሕዝብ ማወቅ ያለበትን ስላሳወቁ፤ የመንግስትን ሕጸጽ ይፋ ስላወጡ ብቻ ሕገመንግስታዊና ሰብአዊ መብታቸው ተገፎ ለወህኒ የተዳረጉትን ሁሉ ችላ ከማለት ባለፈ ትታቸዋለች፡፡ራይስ በሩዋንዳ የተፈጸመውን ግድያና ጭፍጨፋ ሆን ብላ ላለማየት አሁንም ካለፈ በኋላ ላለማስታወስ አይኗን ጨፍናለች፡፡ በኢትዮጵያም የተካሄደውንና እሁንም በመካሄድ ላይ ያለውን ጭፍጨፋ ግፍና በደል ግድያ እስራት እያወቀችና እየተረዳች አይኔን ግንባር ያድርገው ብላ ክዳለች፡፡ አሜሪካ ‹‹እያየሁ አላየሁም;; ‹‹እየሰማሁ አልሰማሁም›› ‹‹ብናገርም አልተነፈስኩም›› የሚል የዉጭ ጉዳይ ሚኒስቴር አያስፈልጋትም፡፡ አሜሪካ የሚያስፈልጋት የሃገር እስተዳዳር፤ በሰብአዊ መብትና በመንግስት ሕገወጥነት መሃል ያለውን ልዩነት የሚመለከትና የሚያውቅ የዉጭ ጉዳይ አስተዳዳሪ ነው የሚያስፈልጋት፡፡

እንጠራራ! ለሁሉም ሰብአዊ ፍጡራን ሰላምና ደህንነት በ2013፡፡ ሁላችንም ስለሰብአዊ መብት መከበርና የመንግስታትን እኩይ ተግባር በማጋለጥ ረገድ አብረን እንንቀሳቀስ!

ፕሮፌስር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም በካሊፎርኒያ ስቴት ዩኒቨርሲቲ ሳን በርናርዲኆ የፖሊቲካ ሳይንስ መምሀርና የህግ ጠበቃ ናችው።

*የተቶረገመው ጽሁፍ (translated from):  http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2012/12/29/ring_in_redress_to_all_humankind

(ይህን ጦማር ለሌሎችም ያካፍሉ::) ካሁን በፊት የቀረቡ የጸሃፊው ጦማሮችን  ለማግኘት እዚህ ይጫኑ::

http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic 

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

 

 

ሰብአዊ መብትና: መንግሥታዊ ግፊት በኢትዮጵያ (2012)

Posted on , Updated on by Alemayehu G. Mariam

ከፕሮፌሰር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም                                                                                                                     ትርጉም ከነጻነት ለሃገሬ

በዲሴምበር 2008 ላይ በኢትዮጵያ የ‹‹ለውጥ የሌሽ ዓመት›› በማለት እንጉርጉሮ መሰል መልእክት ጽፌ ነበር፡፡

2008 የ2007፤2006፤2005፤2004 ቅጂ ነበር… በየቀኑ ኢትዮጵያዊያን ሲነቁ ልክ እንደተሰበረ የሙዚቃ ሸክላ ባለፈው የሕይወት ስቃያቸው ድግግሞሽ መከራ ውስጥ በመዳከር ነበር የሚገኙት፡፡ እያንዳንዱ አዲስ ቀን ካለፈው የወረሰውን ይዞ ነበር የሚመጣው፡፡ ጫና፤ ማስፈራራት፤ ንቅዘት፤እስራት፤ ማጭበርበር… ጭካኔና የሰብአዊ መብት ገፈፋ… ከዚህ ክፉ ከሆነው የስቃይ፤ የጣረሞት ግርዶሽ፤ አዙሪት፤ የተስፋ እጦት፤ ውጣ ውረድ መከራ እንዴት እንደሚገላገሉ መንገዱን አያውቁትም፡፡ ስለዚህም ከዚህ መዓት ለመገላገል ያላቸው አንድ ተስፋ መጸለይ፤ መጸለይ፤ ደሞ መጸለይ ብቻ ነበር::

አሁን 2012 ዲሴምበር ነው::

ኢትዮጵያዊያኖች በ 2008፤ 2009፤ 2010፤ 2011፤ ከነበሩበት ሁኔታ አሁን የተሸለ ላይ ናቸው?

የጤፍ ዋጋ በ2008 ከነበረው ዋጋ ቀነሳል? አምና ከነበረው?

የምግብ ዘይት፤ የምርት ውጤቶች፤መሰረታዊ የምግብ አቅርቦት፤ ሥጋ፤ ዶሮ፤ እንቁላል፤ ቤት፤ ውሃ፤ መብራት፤ የምድጃ ጋዝ፤ ናፍጣ…..?

ዛሬ በኢትዮጵያ በ2008 ከነበሩት ድሆች ቁጥራቸው ጨምሯል? የባሰ ችጋር፤ ቤት አልባነት፤ ሥራ አጥነት፤ የጤና ችግር፤ አንስተኛ የትምህርት እድል ለወጣቶቹስ?

በ2008 ከነበረው ያነሰ ሙስና  አለ? ድብቅነት: ያነሰ ግልጽነት ተጠያቂነት በ2012 አለ?

በ2008 ከታየው የምርጫ ነጻነትና ፍትሃዊነት በ2012 አለ?

በ2008 ከነበሩት የፖለቲካ እስረኞች ቁጥር አሁን ቁጥራቸው የበዛ ይገኛሉ?

በ2008 ከነበረው የፕሬስ ነጻነት ያነሰ እና ካለፈው በጣም የበዙ ጋዜጠኞች በወህኒ ቤት በ2012 ይገኛሉ?

በ2012 ኢትዮጵያ ለዜጎቿ ምግብ አቅርቦት ከውጭ በሚቸር ምጽዋት ላይ በ2008 ከለመነችው የበለጠ ትጠይቃለች?

ኢትዮጵያ አሁንም በሰብአዊ መብት መድፈር  በተባበሩት መንግስታት የሰብአዊ መብት መዝገብ ላይ በመጨረሻው ደረጃ ላይ ነች? 

በ2012 የኢትዮጵያ መንግሥት የስርአት ግፊቶች ማስረጃዎች

አሁንም በተባባሰ ሁኔታ በኢትዮጵያ የሰብአዊ መብት ደፈራ ሁኔታ፤ በማያቋርጥ መልኩ በዋናነት ከሚጠቀሱ የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋቾችና እና ከሌሎች ከሚመለከታቸውና ከሚያሳስባቸው፤ አካላት ያለው አገዛዝ ውግዘቱ እየደረሰበት ነው፡፡ በ2012 ገዢው ፓርቲ፤ በባሰ ሁኔታ ከማይስማሙትና ከተቃዋሚዎች ጋር በመግባባትና መቻቻል ፈንታ በመታበት  ጨቋኝና አዳዲስ አመለካከቶችን ለመቀበል የማይሻ ሆኗል፡፡ ይሄ አገዛዝ የራሱን ሕገ መንግሥት መናድ፤ ውል የገባበትን ዓለም አቀፍ ድንጋጌዎች መጣስ እና ነቃፊዎቹ ላይ ተጸኖ ማድረጉን አላቆመም:: አንዳንድ ሰዎች መለስ ካለፈ በሆላ የተሻለ ሊሆን ይችላል ብለው ቢያስቡም፤ የተቃዋሚዎችን አንዳንድ ሃሳቦች መቀበል፤የሰብአዊ መብት ወንጀሉንም በመጠኑም ቢሆን ለማስመሰልና በማለባበስ፤ የመሻሻል ቀን ቢጠበቅም ከራስ ጸጉራቸው እስከ እግር ጥፍራቸው ድረስ ስብእናቸውን ወደ መለስ ግልባጭነት ለመለወጥ በሚጣጣሩት በኩል ያለው ሁኔታ፤ ‹‹ወይ ፍንክች ያባ ቢላ ልጅ›› ከመለስ መርህ ሌላ ብለዋል፡፡ በእውር ድንብራችንም ቢሆን የመለስን ራእይ  እንከተላለን፤ ማለትም 2013፤ 2014፤ 2015… ከ20012 ወይም ከ2008 አንዳችም ለውጥ አይኖርም ባይ ናቸው፡፡

በኢትዮጵያ የሚታየው ሥልጣንን መከታ ያደረገ ግፋዊ የሰብአዊ መብት መደፈር እንደሚያረጋግጠው እጅጉን የከፋ ለመሆኑ ማስረጃው በራሱ ይመሰክራል፡፡

የዩ ኤስ ስቴት ዲፓርትመንት የሰብአዊ መብት እንቅስቃሴ መንግስታዊ ድፍረት በኢትዮጵያ (ሜይ 2012) ድምዳሜ፡-

በኢትዮጵያ ጉልሁ የዜጎች ሰብአዊ መብት መደፈር 100 የፐለቲካ ተቃዋሚ አባላት፤ ንቁ የፖለቲካ ተሳታፊዎች፤ ጋዜጠኞች፤ ብሎግ አድራጊዎች በመንግስት ለእስር መዳረጋቸው ነው፡፡……. መንግሥት የፕሬስ ነጻነትን ገድቧል፤የእስርና የእንልት ፍርሃት ጋዜጠኞችን እራሳቸውን ሳንሱር እንዲያደርጉ አድርጓቸዋል፡፡ የችሮታና የማሕበረሰቦች አዋጅ (ሲ ኤስ ኦ ሕግ) መንግስታዊ ያለሆኑ ድርጅቶች እንቅስቃሴና ተግባርና ሌሎችም የሰብአዊ መብት መደፈር ድርጊቶች፤ስቃይን፤ድብደባን፤ጉስቁልናንና ማዋረድን፤በደህንነት ሰዎች መንገላታትን፤ሕይወትን የሚፈታተንና ለሞትም ሊያደርስ በሚችል የወህኒ ቤት ሁኔታ መታሰርን፤ ያለ ፍርድ ቤት ትእዛዝ መያዝንና ከእስርም በኋላ በማያልቅ ቀጠሮ መቸገርን፤ ሕገ ወጥና ማስረጃ ያለቀረበበት በሶማሌ ግዛት በሚካሄደው ግጭት ላይ በሚመሰረት መሰረተ ቢስ ክስ ለስቃይ መዳረግ፤የመሰብሰብ ነጻነትን፤ የማሕበራት መደራጀትን፤ ማገድ፤ የፖሊስ አባላትና አመራሩ፤የመስተዳድሮች፤ የፍትህ አካላት በሙስና መዘፈቅ…

ላይ ይገኛል ሲል  አተቶል:: 

የሁማን ራይትስ ዎች ድምዳሜ

የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት ሃሳብን በነጻ የመግለጽን የማህበራትን በነጻ የመደራጀትን፤የመሰብሰብን፤መከልከልን በባሰ ሁኔታ ቀጥሎበታል፡፡በ2011 በመቶ የሚቆጠሩ ኢትዮጵያዊያን ከሕግ ውጪ ተይዘው በወህኒ ይገኛሉ፤እስካሁንም ድረስ በስቃይና በሚጎዳ እስር ውስጥ ስቃያቸው እንዳለ ነው፡፡ሴፕቴምበር 2011 ድረስና ከዚያም በኋላ፤ የኦሮሞ ተወላጆችን በገፍ ማሰር፤የተቃዋሚውን የኦሮሞ ነጻ አውጪ ድርጅትን አባላት ጨምሮ በማርች ጋዜጠኞችን፤የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲ አባላትን፤ከጁን እስከ ሴፕቴምበር ድረስ አፈናውን በማጠናከር የጸረ ሽብርተኛ አዋጅን መሳርያ በማድረግ ብዙዎች ለግፍ ወህኒ ተዳርገዋል፡፡

የፍሪደም ሃውስ ድምዳሜ:

የፖለቲካ መብትንና የሲቪል ማሕበረሰቡን መብት በመድፈር ረገድ አሁን ኢትዮጵያ በ2012 በዓለም አሁንም ዝቅ ብላ 6ትገኛለች:: በኢትዮጵያ ያለው የፖለቲካ ሕይወት አሁንም በአቶ መለስ ዜናዊ ከ1995 ጀምሮ እስከ ህልፈታቸው ድረስ ይመራ በነበረው በገዢው ፓርቲ ኢ ፒ አር ዲ ኤፍ መዳፍ ስር ነው፡፡ የሜይ 2011 የፌዴራልና የክልል ምርጫዎች፤በጥብቅ በኢ ፒ አር ዲ ኤፍ ቁጥጥር ስር ነበረ:: ገዢውን ፓርቲ ያልደገፉ መራጮች ዛቻና ማስፈራሪያ ይደረግባቸውና ገዢውን ፓርቲ እንዲመርጡ ይገደዱ ነበር፡፡ የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ስብሰባ በደህነነቶችና በፖሊስ ሃይል ይበተኑና መሪዎችም በቁጥጥር ስር ይውሉ ነበር፡፡ ኢ ፒ አር ዲ ኤፍ የጸረ ሽብርተኝነት አዋጁን፤ተቃዋሚዎችንና የነጻው ፕሬስ አባላትን ለማሰርና ለማንገላታት የሚጠቀምበት መሳርያ ነው፡፡ ፓርላማው በርካታ ተቃዋሚዎችን ሽብርተኞች በማለት የተቃዋሚዎችንም ዘገባ የሚያትሙትን የነጻው ፕሬስ አባላት በሽብርተኝነት ፈርጇል፡፡ ለእስር ዳርጓል፤ ለስደት አብቅቷል፡፡ ሚዲያው የተያዘው በመንግስትና መበንግስት ቁጥጥር በሚንቀሳቀሱ ጣቢያዎችና ሰራተኞቻቸው ሕትመቶችና የመንግስት ተቀጣሪ ሰራተኞች ነው፡፡ በ2009 የወጣው የመንግስታዊ ያልሆኑ መጽዋች ድርጅቶች ሕግ ድርጅቶቹ በሰብአዊ መብት ጉዳይና በፖለቲካ የፋይናንስ አርድታ ላይ እንዳይንቀሳቀሱ አግዷቸዋል፡፡ ማንኛውም ሃገራዊ ድርጅትም ከውጪ ለጋሽ ድርጅቶች ሊያገኝ የሚገባውን መጠን ገድቦታል፡፡ ይህም ሕግ መንግስታዊ ያልሆኑ ድርጅቶችን እንዳይንቀሳቀሱ ግዑዝ አድርጓቸዋል፡፡ የፍትሕ አካሉ ለይስሙላ ነጻ ነው ይባላል፤ ውሳኔውም በአብዛኛው መንግስታዊ ሃሳብን ብቻ የሚደግፍ ነው፡፡

አምነስቲ ኢንተርናሽናል ‹‹የኢትዮጵያ መንግሥት የመለስን መተካት እንደ አለፈው ማረሚያና ማስተካከያ በመውሰድ ካለፈው በተለየ ሁኔታ፤በመንቀሳቀስ ተቃዋሚ የሆነን ማንንም ከመያዝና ማንም ለእስር እንዳይደረግ›› መሆን አንዳለበት ገልጻል፡፡ 

የማጣራያ ባለሙያዎች የሆኑትና በተባበሩት መንግስታት የሰብአዊ መብት ካውንስል እውቅናና ይሁንታ የተሰጣቸው ልዩ ራፖርተ ማዕና ኪያይ በ2012 ይፋ የውግዘት መግለጫ በማውጣት ገዢው ፓርቲ የጅምላ ክስ በጸረ ሽብርተኝነት አዋጁ በመታገዝና አዋጁን ለራሱ በሚጠቅም መልኩ መጠቀሚያ በማድረግ፤ ነጻነትን በመግፈፍ፤ በሚያሳዝንና  በዓይነ ደረቅነት፤ቀጣይ እንዲሆን እያደረገ፤ የሰብአዊ መብትን መድፈሩን ቀጥሎበታል፡፡ በሰላማዊ መንገድ የመሰብሰብና የሙያ ማሕበራት መደራጀት ልዩ የተባበሩት መንግስታት ባለሙያ ራፖርተር፤ ሲደመድም፡-

በአሁኑ ወቅት በኢትዮጵያ ባሉ ማሕበራት ላይ ታላቅ ችግር በመፍጠር እንቅስቃሴያቸውን እያገደ ያለው፤ በሃገሪቱ ላይ የተጫነው የጸረሽብር አዋጅ ነው፡፡ ገዢው መንግስት በሁሉም ዘርፍ ያሉትን በተለይም የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋቾችን እንቅስቃሴ የነጻነት ዋስትና ሊሰጥ የግድ ነው፡፡

የተባበሩት መንግሥታት በጸረሽብርና ሰብአዊ መብት ድንጋጌ ልዩ ራፖርተር ቤን ኤመርሰን፤  ሲናገሩ የጸረሽብርተኝነቱ አዋጅ ለመጉጃነት ሊውል ስለማይገባ በኢትዮጵያ የወንጀለኛ መቅጫ ሕግ ላይ የዓለም አቀፉን የሰብአዊ መብት ድንጋጌ የማይጥስና በተቃርኖ የማይጓዝ መሆኑ ሊረጋገጥ ተገቢ ነው ብለዋል፡፡

ማርግሬት ስካግያ፤ የተባበሩት መንግስታት የሰብአዊ መብት ድፍረት መከላከያ ራፖርተር  ጋዜጠኞች፤ ብሎገርስ፤እና ሌሎችም ስለሰብአዊ መብት መከበር የሚሟገቱ ገና ለገና ሃሳባቸው ከኢትዮጵያ መንግስት አስተሳሰብና አካሄድ ጋር ስለማይስማማ ብቻ ጫና ሊፈጠርባቸው አይገባም ብለዋል፡፡

ገብሪየላ ናውል የተባበሩት መንግስታት በዳኞችና በጠበቆች ነጻነት ልዩ ራፐርቱዋር በወንጀል ፍርድ ሂደት ተከሳሾች ማስረጃ በማያጠራጥር መልኩ እስካልቀረበባቸውና ወንጀለኛነታቸው እስክላተረጋገጠባቸው ድረስ በኢትዮጵያ ሕገ መንግስት ላይ በሰፈረው አይነት ንጽህናቸው በተግባር ሊረጋገጥላቸው ተገቢ ነው::  እንዲሁም ተከሳሾች የሕግ ጠበቃቸውን ከችሎት ቀጠሯቸው አስቀድሞ የማነጋገር መብታቸው ሊጠበቅና የመከላከያ ሃሳባቸውን ለማቅረብ እንዲችሉ ሊመቻችላቸው ይገባል:: 

16 የአውሮፓ ፓርላማ አባላት በዲሴምበር 18/2012 አንድ ግልጽ ደብዳቤ ለጠቅላይ ሚኒስትር ኃይለማርያም ደሳለኝ አቅርበዋል፡፡ ደብዳቤውም ጋዜጠኛና ብሎገር እስክንድር ነጋ በእስር መንገላታቱን የሚያሳስብ ነበር›› በደብዳቤያቸው ላይ ሲፅፉ የፓርላማ አባላቱ አንዳሉት የአቶ ሃእለማርአም መንግስት ኢትዮጵያ በፈረመችውና ልታከብረውም ቃል በገባችው በዓለም አቀፍ ድንጋጌው እንደሰፈረው በአርቲክል 19 ላይ በተቀመጠው መሰረት፤ኢትዮጵያ ቃሏን ማክበርና ለሕጉም ተገዢ የመሆን የአባልነት ግዴታ አስገንዝበዋል፡፡ 

ገዢው መንግሥት በሃይማኖት ተቋማት ላይ የሚያካሂደውን ሕገ ወጥ ጣልቃ ገብነት መተው፤ ጉዳዩን ለባለቤቶቹ መልቀቅ አለበት

የኢትዮጵያ ሕገመንግስት አንቀፅ 11 ‹‹የሃይሞኖትንና የመንግስትን ልዩነት›› በሚገባ አስቀምጧል፡፡ የኢትዮጵያ መንግሥት ዓለማዊ መንግሥት ለመሆኑ ዋስትና ስለሚሰጠው ‹‹ሃይማኖታዊ መንግሥት የለም››:: አርቲክል 27 ማንም ሰው በፍላጎቱና በምርጫው ያሻውንና ይሆነኛል ያለውን ሃይሞነት የመከተል መብቱ በራሱ ፈቃድ ላይ የተመሰረተና ማንም በጫናና በእዝ ሊያሳምነው እንደማይችል በግልጽ ሰፍሯል፡፡ በግልጽ የተቀመጠውን የሃይሞነት ተቋማትንና አማኞቹን የዜግነት ነጻነት  በኢትዮጵያ ያለው ገዢ መንግሥት በሙስሊም አማኞች ላይ ሕጉን በሚጥስ መልኩ የራሳቸውን የሃይሞኖት መሪዎች በነጻ እንዳይመርጡ ጣልቃ በመግባት ችግር ፈጥሮባቸዋል፡፡ የራሱን ሕገመንግስትም እያፈረሰው ነው፡፡ እንደ አሜሪካው የሃይሞኖት ነጻነት ኮሚሽን በኮንግሬስና በአሜሪካ ፕሬዜዳንት የተዋቀረ ነጻ አካል በዓለም አቀፍ ደረጃ የሃይሞኖትን ነጻነት የሚቆጣጠር ሲገመግም: –

ከጁላይ 2011 ጀምሮ የኢትዮጵያ መንግሥት በሙስሊም አማኝ ዜጎች ላይ በተለምዶ ለዘመናት ሲከተሉት የነበረውን ሱፊ የእስልምና እምነት አል-አባሽ በተባለው የአስልምና እምነት ሊተካባቸው እያስገደደ ነው፡፡ መንግስት በሌላ በኩልም የእስልምና ጉዳዮች ከፍተኛ ካውንስል ምርጫ በራሱ ሰዎች ለመሙላት ምርጫ አካሂዷል፡፡ ቀደም ሲል እንደነጻ አካል ሆኖ ሲያገለግል የነበረው  አሁን እንደመንግስት ተቋም ሆኖ በመንቀሳቀስ ላይ ነው፡፡ አሁን ሽብርተኛ ተብሎ መፈረጅ መያዝ ለእስርም መዳረጉ መንግስት የኢትዮጵያን ሙስሊም አማኞች ለመቆጣጠር ያደረገው ሲሆን፤ ድርጊቱ በሃገሪቱ ላይ ያለውን የሃይማኖት ነጻነት መገደብ በግልጽ ያሳያል፡፡ በሃገሪቱ በመላ የሙስሊም አማኞች ሰላማዊ ተቃውሟቸውን በሚያሰሙበት ጊዜ በመያዝ ላይ ናቸው:: በኦክቶበር 29 የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት 29 ተሟጋቾች በሽብርተኝነት ስምና የእስልምና መንግስት ለማቋቋም በሚል ማስረጃ ያለተሰጠበት ሰበብ አስሯል፡፡

ገዢው አስተዳደር የራሱን ሕገመንግሥትና ዓለምአቀፋዊ ሕጋዊ ግዴታዎችን በማክበሩና በመተግበሩ ረገድ መታመን መቻልና የሙስሊሙን ሕብረተሰብ እምነታቸውን በነጻነት እንዲከተሉ ጣልቃ ገብነቱን ሊያቆም ይገባል፡፡ ከተቃውሞው ሰላማዊ እንቅስቃሴ ጋር በተያያዘ በሕገወጥ መንገድ የተያዙትና የሃይሞነት እምነታዊ ነጻነታቸው ተገፎ ለእስር የተዳረጉት ሁሉም በነጻ መለቀቅ አለባቸው፡፡ 

ሁሉም የፖለቲካ እስረኞች ይፈቱ

ሰፋ ባለ አመለካከት በአሁኑ ጊዜ በኢትዮጵያ ሁለት አይነት የፖለቲካ እስረኞች ይገኛሉ፡፡ የሕሊና እስረኞች አሉ፤ በገዛ ሕሊናቸው  የታሰሩ ደሞ አሉ፡፡ የሕሊና እሰረኞቹ የታሰሩበት ሰበብ የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲ መሪዎች እና ጋዜጠኞች በመሆናቸው የነው፡፡ ምንም አይነት ሕግ አልጣሱም ደንብ አላፈረሱም፡፡ የፈጸሙት ነገር ቢኖር ለሕሊናም ሆነ ለደንቡ ትክክል የሆነውን ብቻ ነው፡፡ ስለዕውነት መስክረዋል ዕውነትን ተናግረዋል፡፡ ለባለስልጣናትም እውነቱን ተናግረዋል፡፡ ፍትሕ ሲጓደል ተሟግተዋል፡፡ ስለነጻነት፤ ስለዴሞክራሲ፤ ስለሰብአዊ መብት መከበር፤የሕይወታቸውን ከፍተኛ ዋጋ በመሰዋት፤በነፍሳቸውና በነጻነታቸው ተሟግተው ጠብቀዋል፡፡ በአንዲት የብዕር ጠብታ ነጻ ሊሆኑ ይችላሉ፡፡

በገዛ ሕሊናቸው የታሰሩት ደግሞ በሰብአዊ ፍጡር ላይ ከፍተኛውን ወንጀል በመፈጸማቸው፤ ይህንንም ሲያከናውኑ በመሃይምነት በመመራት የራሳቸውን ሕሊና ስተው ነው፡፡ እነዚህ እስረኞች በስልጣን የእ ንቅልፍ ኪኒን ደንዝዘውና ራሳቸውን ስተው ነው የሚገኙት፡፡ በአንድ ዕለት ለፍርድና በሕግ  የበላይነት ተጠያቂ መሆናቸው እያባነናቸው ከራሳቸው ጋር በሙግትና ፍርሃት ላይ ናቸው፡፡ አንድ ቀን ሌሎችን በዳኙበት ሁኔታ ለፍርድ ቀርበው እንደሚፈረድባቸው ያውቃሉ፡፡ በሰፈሩት ቁና አንድ ቀን መሰፈር አይቀሬ ነው::

በራሳቸው ሕሊና የታሰሩት የሕሊና እስረኞችን ቢለቁና ነጻነታቸውን ቢመልሱላቸው እነሱም ይፈታል ነጻም ይወጣሉ፡፡ አንድ ብቸኛ መዳኛቸው ይሄው ብቻ ነው፡፡ በተቃራኒው ደግሞ የጋንዲን አደገኛውን ማስጠንቀቂያ መቀበል ነው፡፡ ‹‹ገዳዮችና ጨካኝ አምባገነኖች ነበሩ፤ ለጊዜውም የማይደፈሩ መስለው ነበር፤ በመጨረሻው ግን ዕጣ ፈንታቸው መውደቅ ነው፡፡—ምንግዜም መውደቃቸው አይቀሬ ነው:: ስለዚህ አስቡ!›› 

የሕትመት ውጤቶችን ማፈኑ ይብቃ

ናፖሊዮን ቦናባርት ‹‹ከሺ ጥይቶች ይበልጥ የሚያስፈሩት አራት የተቃዋሚ ጋዜጠኞት ናቸው ይል ነበር:: (ወይም ከሺ ጦረኛ 4 ጋዜጠኛ ይፈራል::) ይህ አባባል በኢትዮጵያ ላለው ገዢ ቡድን ትክክለኛ መልእክት ነው፡፡ ባለፈው ሳምንት 3 በእስር ወህኒ ቤት ያሉና አንድ ተገፍቶ ከሃገሩ የተሰደደ አራት ጋዜጠኞች፤ የ2012 ን እጅጉን የተከበረውን ሄልማን/ሄሜት የሚባለውን ሽልማት ተሸላሚ ሆነዋል፡፡ ‹‹በዓለም እጅጉን በከፋ ሁኔታ ታፍኖ ያለውን  የመናገር ነጻነትን እውን ለማድረግ ያደረጉትን ጥረት እውቅና በመስጠት ነው የተከበሩት፡፡ ተሸላሚዎቹም፤ እስክንድር ነጋ በግል የሚታገል ጋዜጠኛ ብሎገርና የ2012 የኢንተርናሽናል ፔን ተሸላሚ፤ በሃገሪቱ ካሉት ጥቂት እንስት ጋዜጠኞች አንዷ የሆነችውና በጥንካሬና በአልበገር በይነት  የዓለም አቀፍ የሴቶች ሚዲያ ተሸላሚዋ ርዕዮት ዓለሙ፤ ውብሸት ታዬ በመንግስት ጫና የፈረሰው የሳምንታዊው የአውራምባ ታይምስ ጋዜጣ ኤዲተር፤ በመንግስት ጫና የፈረሰውና አሁን በኢንተር ኔት ስራውን የቀጠለው የአዲስ ነገር ጋዜጣው መስፍን ነጋሽ ናቸው፡፡ እነዚህ የሚዲያ ጀግኖች ለዚህ ታላቅ ሽልማት የበቁት ከተለያየ ሃገር ከቀረቡ 41 ጸሃፊዎች፤ ጋዜጠኞች ጋር ነው በማለት ሁማን ራይትስ ዎች ሲዘግብ:-

የእነዚህ 4 የታሰሩና ለስደት የተዳረጉ ጋዜጠኞች አርአያነት በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ያለውን የነጻ ጋዜጠኝነት አልበገር ባይነትና  አደጋውን ያሳያል፡፡ በነጻ ሃሳብን መግለጽ እንደ ክፉ ደዌ በሚቆጠርበት ዕውቀትና ነጻነት እንደጦር በሚፈሩ አምባገነኖች በምትመራ ሃገር ውስጥ አደጋውና ስቃዩ የሚያሳየው ለነጻነት በቆሙና መስዋዕት ለመሆን በቆረጡ ላይ የሚያስከፍለውን መራር አበሳና ዋጋ ነው፡፡ ገዢው መንግስት በነዚህ በተሸላሚዎቹ ለስራቸውና ለቆሙለት ዓላማቸው ተግባራዊ አለመሆን ምን ያህል ጫና እንደተደረገባቸውና ነጻ እስትንፋስ ሳይቀር ሊታገድ በሚሞከርበት የማያዛልቅ ጀብደኝነት የተቃጣባቸውን እንግልት እስራትና መከራ የሚያሳይ ነው፡፡እነዚህ ተሸላሚዎች በኢትዮጵያ እየኖሩ እራሳቸውን ሳንሱር በማድረግ የቻሉትን ያህል ለመተንፈስ የሚሞክሩትንና ግፍና መከራው ሲበዛባቸው ሃገርን ጥሎ በመሰደድ በእስራት የተንገላቱትን  ሁሉ የሚወክሉ ናቸው፡፡

ሁሉም ዲክታተሮችና ፈላጭ ቆራጭ ገዢዎች የነጻውን ፕሬስ የማስተማርና የማንቃት የማደራጀትና ለፍትሕ ለነጻነት መቆም ለዴሞክራሲ መታገልን እጅጉን ይፈሩታል፡፡ የሚዲያዎቹን ንብረትነት በግላቸው በመቆጣጠርና የነሱን ቱልቱላ ብቻ እንዲያስተላልፉ ሕሊናቸውን ለጊዜያዊ ጥቅምና ለራስ ወዳድነት ባሳደሩ ፓሮት ጋዜጠኞች ስለሚታገዙና የሃሳብን በነጻ መንሸራሸር ስላገዱ በዚህ ልክፍታቸው የሕዝቡን ልብና ህሊና ያሸነፉ ይመስላቸዋል፡፡ ይሄ ደሞ የቅዠት ምኞት ነው፡፡ ናፖሊዮን እንዳለው ‹‹ጋዜጠኛ ቁማርተኛ ነው፡፡ ገሳጭ ነው፡፡መካሪና የሃሳብ አጋሪ ነው፡፡ የነገስታት እንደራሴ ነው፡፡ የሕዝብ መምህር ነው›› ልክ እንደናፖሊዮን ፍርሃት የኢትዮጵያ እውቀት አልባ ዲካታተር ገዢዎችም ፍርሃት፤ የነጻው ፕሬስ የማስተማር ሃይል ነው፡፡—-ማስተማር፤ ኢንፎርሜሽን ባለቤት ማድረግ፤ማስረዳት፤ ማሳወቅ፤ ሕዝቡን የዕውቀት ባለቤት ማድረግን፡፡….. የነጻው ፕሬስ፤ ገዢዎች የሚፈጽሙትን ደባና ቅጥ ያጣ ድርጊታቸውን፤ በሕዝቡ ላይ የሚያሳድሩትና መከራ፤ በማጋለጥ ተጠያቂ እንደሚያደርጋቸውና የሕዝብ አጋርነቱን በሚገባ ስለሚረዱ ነው ፍርሃታቸው፡፡ ገዢዎቹ የኢትዮጵያ ባለስልጣናትም  እንደ ናፖሊዮን ነጻ የፕሬስ ሰዎችን፤ ማሰቃየት፤ ማሰር፤ ሳንሱር ማድረግ፤በመሳርያ ማስጨነቅን ስራዬ ብለው ተያይዘውታል፡፡ ሕዝቡን ማለቂያ የሌላቸው በሚመስሉ በሆዳቸው በሚያስቡ ሕሊና ቢስ የደህንነት አባላት በመክበብ፤በመግደል በማሰር የፖለቲካ ተቃዋሚዎቻቸውን ለእስር በመዳረግ፤ በሰላማዊ መንገድ መብታቸውን ለማስከበር በባዶ እጃቸው የወጡ ዜጎችን ኢላማ እያደረጉ በመግደል ዘለአለማዊ መሆን የሚቻል ይመስላቸዋል፡፡ የነጻው ፕሬስ አባላት የሚያስተምሩት የሚያሳውቁት፤ የነጻነትን ጥቅም የሚገልጡት ለተወሰነ ማሕበረሰብ ሳይሆን ለገዢው መንግስትና በገዢው መንግስት ቁጥጥር ስር ለዋሉትም ጭምር ነው፡፡ እሱም ገዢው ፓርቲ ጥፋቱን ሲረዳውና የሚያስከትልበትን ተጠያቂነት፤ የኔ በሚላቸውም አገልጋዮቹ ሳይቀር ለምን? ማለት እንደሚጀመር ሲረዳው ከፍርሃቱ የተነሳ የነጻውን ፕሬስ አባላት ለግፍና መከራ መዳረጉን ያጠናክራል፡፡ እነዚህ ተሸላሚዎችም የዚህ መከራና ጫና ፍትህ እጦት ሰለባ ናቸው፡፡

ሁሉም ለእስር የተዳረጉ የነጻው ፕሬስ አባላት አሁኑኑ ሊፈቱ ይገባል::

“ሠላማዊ ለውጥን  የሚያግዱ በቁጣ የሚቀሰቀስ አመጽን ያስነሳሉ::” ጆን ኤፍ ኬነዲ

==========

ፕሮፌስር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም በካሊፎርኒያ ስቴት ዩኒቨርሲቲ ሳን በርናርዲኆ የፖሊቲካ ሳይንስ መምሀርና የህግ ጠበቃ ናችው።

*የተቶረገመው ጽሁፍ (translated from):   http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2012/12/23/ethiopia_2012_human_rights_and_government_wrongs

(ይህን ጦማር ለሌሎችም ያካፍሉ::) ካሁን በፊት የቀረቡ የጸሃፊው ጦማሮችን  ለማግኘት እዚህ ይጫኑ:: http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

Ethiopia 2012: Human Rights and Government Wrongs

Posted on , Updated on by Alemayehu G. Mariam

Another Groundhog Year

In December 2008, I wrote a weekly commentary lamenting the fact that 2008 was “Groundhog Year” in Ethiopia:

It was a repetition of 2007, 2006, 2005, 2004… Everyday millions of Ethiopians woke up only to find themselves trapped in a time loop where their lives replayed like a broken record. Each “new” day is the same as the one before it: Repression, intimidation, corruption, incarceration, deception, brutalization and human rights violation… They have no idea how to get out of this awful cycle of misery, agony, despair and tribulation. So, they pray and pray and pray and pray… for deliverance from Evil!

It is December 2012. Are Ethiopians better off today than they were in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011? 

Does bread (teff) cost more today than it did in 2008…, a year ago? Cooking oil, produce, basic staples, beef, poultry, housing, water, electricity, household fuel, gasoline…?

Are there more poor people in Ethiopia today than there were in 2008? More hunger, homelessness, unemployment, less health care, fewer educational opportunities for young people?

Is there more corruption and secrecy and less transparency and accountability in December 2012 than in December 2008?

Are elections more free and fair in 2012 than in 2008?

Are there more political prisoners today than in 2008?

Is there less press freedom and are more journalists in prison today than in 2008?

Is Ethiopia more dependent on international handouts for its daily bread today than it was in 2008?

Is there more environmental pollution, habitat destruction, forced human displacement and land grabbing in Ethiopia today than 2008?

Is Ethiopia today still at the very bottom of the U.N. Human Development Index?

The Evidence on Government Wrongs in Ethiopia in 2012

Human rights violations in Ethiopia continue to draw sharp and sustained condemnation from all of the major international human rights organizations and other legal bodies. In 2012, the ruling regime in that country has become intensely repressive and arrogantly intolerant of all dissent and opposition. The regime continues to trash its own Constitution, sneer at its international legal obligations and thumb its nose at its critics. Though some incorrigible optimists hoped a post-Meles regime would open up the political space, reach out to opposition elements and at least engage in human rights window dressing, the nauseating litany of those who are falling head over heels to fit into Meles’ shoes has been “there will be no change. We will (blindly) follow Meles’ vision…” In other words, 2013, 2014, 2015… will be no better than 2012 or 2008.

The evidence of sustained and massive official human rights violations in Ethiopia is overwhelming and irrefutable. Let the evidence speak for itself.

The U.S. State Department Country Reports on Human Rights Practices in Ethiopia (May 2012) concluded:

The most significant human rights problems [in Ethiopia] included the government’s arrest of more than 100 opposition political figures, activists, journalists, and bloggers… The government restricted freedom of the press, and fear of harassment and arrest led journalists to practice self-censorship. The Charities and Societies Proclamation (CSO law) continued to impose severe restrictions on civil society and nongovernmental organization (NGO) activities… Other human rights problems included torture, beating, abuse, and mistreatment of detainees by security forces; harsh and at times life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; detention without charge and lengthy pretrial detention; infringement on citizens’ privacy rights, including illegal searches; allegations of abuses in connection with the continued low-level conflict in parts of the Somali region; restrictions on freedom of assembly, association, and movement; police, administrative, and judicial corruption…

Human Rights Watch concluded: 

Ethiopian authorities continued to severely restrict basic rights of freedom of expression, association, and assembly. Hundreds of Ethiopians in 2011 were arbitrarily arrested and detained and remain at risk of torture and ill-treatment. Attacks on political opposition and dissent persisted throughout 2011, with mass arrests of ethnic Oromo, including members of the Oromo political opposition in March, and a wider crackdown with arrests of journalists and opposition politicians from June to September 2011. The restrictive Anti-Terrorism Proclamation (adopted in 2009) has been used to justify arrests of both journalists and members of the political opposition…

Freedom House concluded:

Ethiopia is ranked Not Free in Freedom in the World 2012, with a score of 6 for both political rights and civil liberties.  Political life in Ethiopia is dominated by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF), which was led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi from 1995 until his death in August 2012. May 2011 federal and regional elections were tightly controlled by the EPRDF; voters were threatened if they did not support the ruling party, and opposition meetings were broken up while leaders were threatened or detained.  The EPRDF routinely utilizes the country’s anti-terrorism laws to target opposition leaders and the media.  Parliament has declared much of the opposition to be terrorist groups and has targeted journalists who cover any opposition activity.  Media is dominated by state-owned broadcasters and government-oriented newspapers.  A 2009 law greatly restricts NGO activity in the country by prohibiting work in the area of human and political rights and limiting the amount of international funding any organization may receive.  This law has neutered the NGO sector in the country.  The judiciary is independent in name only, with judgments that rarely deviate from government policy.

Amnesty International urged that the “government of Ethiopia should see the succession of Meles as an opportunity to break with the past and end the practice of arresting anyone and everyone who criticizes the government.”

A group of U.N. Special Rapporteurs (an independent group of investigating experts authorized by the United Nations Human Rights Council) in 2012 issued public statements condemning the ruling regime for its indiscriminate use of the so-called anti-terrorism law to suppress a broad range of freedoms and for flagrantly perpetuating and sanctioning human rights violations.

Maina Kiai, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, concluded, “The resort to anti-terrorism legislation is one of the many obstacles faced by associations today in Ethiopia. The Government must ensure protection across all areas involving the work of associations, especially in relation to human rights issues.”

Ben Emmerson, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on counter-terrorism and human rights warned that “the anti-terrorism provisions should not be abused and need to be clearly defined in Ethiopian criminal law to ensure that they do not go counter to internationally guaranteed human rights.”

Frank La Rue, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression stated that “Journalists play a crucial role in promoting accountability of public officials by investigating and informing the public about human rights violations. They should not face criminal proceedings for carrying out their legitimate work, let alone be severely punished.”

Margaret Sekaggya, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on human rights defenders criticized that “journalists, bloggers and others advocating for increased respect for human rights should not be subject to pressure for the mere fact that their views are not in alignment with those of the Government [of Ethiopia].”

Gabriela Knaul, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers argued that  “Defendants in a criminal process should be considered as innocent until proven guilty as enshrined in the Constitution of Ethiopia… And it is crucial that defendants have access to a lawyer during the pre-trial stage to safeguard their right to prepare their legal defence.”

On December 18, 2012, 16 members of the European Parliament issued a public letter to Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn “expressing grave concern over the continued detention of journalist and blogger Eskinder Nega”. In the letter, the members reminded Desalegn to comply with his “government’s obligation to respect the right to freedom of expression as established under customary international law and codified in Article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which Ethiopia is a party.”

The Regime Must Cease and Desist All Unlawful Interference in the Exercise of Religious Freedom

Article 11 of the Ethiopian Constitution  mandates “separation of state and religion” to ensure that the “Ethiopian State is a secular state” and that “no state religion” is established. Article 27 prohibits “coercion by force or any other means, which would impair his freedom to have or to adopt a religion or belief of his choice.”

Despite clear legal obligations to respect the religious liberties of citizens, the ruling regime in Ethiopia has played fast and loose with the rights of Muslim citizens to select their own religious and spiritual leaders. According to the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, an independent body constituted by the Congress and the President of the United States to monitor religious freedom worldwide:

Since July 2011, the Ethiopian government has sought to impose the al-Ahbash Islamic sect on the country’s Muslim community, a community that traditionally has practiced the Sufi form of Islam.   The government also has manipulated the election of the new leaders of the Ethiopia Islamic Affairs Supreme Council (EIASC).  Previously viewed as an independent body, EIASC is now viewed as a government-controlled institution.  The arrests, terrorism charges and takeover of EIASC signify a troubling escalation in the government’s attempts to control Ethiopia’s Muslim community and provide further evidence of a decline in religious freedom in Ethiopia. Muslims throughout Ethiopia have been arrested during peaceful protests: On October 29, the Ethiopia government charged 29 protestors with terrorism and attempting to establish an Islamic state.

The regime must conform its conduct to the requirements of its Constitution and international legal obligations and cease and desist interference in the free exercise of religion of Muslim citizens. All citizens unlawfully arrested and detained in connection with the peaceful protest of unlawful deprivation of religious liberty must be released forthwith.

All Political Prisoners Must be Released

The number of political prisoners has yet to be fully documented in Ethiopia today. While human rights organizations have focused on multiple dozens of high profile political prisoners, there are in fact tens of thousands of ordinary Ethiopians who are held in detention because of their beliefs, open opposition or refusal to support the ruling regime. All political prisoners must be released immediately.

In a broader sense, there are two types of political prisoners in Ethiopia today. There are prisoners of conscience  and prisoners-of-their-own-consciences. The prisoners of conscience are imprisoned because they are dissidents, opposition party leaders and journalists. They have done no legal or moral wrong. In fact, they have done what is morally and legally right. They have told the truth. They have spoken truth to power. They have stood up to injustice. They have defended freedom, democracy and human rights by paying the ultimate price with their lives and liberties. They can be set free by the stroke of the pen.

The prisoners-of-their-own-consciences became prisoners by committing crimes against humanity in the first degree with the lesser included offenses of the crimes of ignorance, arrogance and  petulance. These prisoners are numbed by the opiate of power. They live in fear and anxiety of being held accountable any given day. They dread the day the wrath of the people will be visited upon them. They know with certainty that they will one day be judged by the very scales they have used to judge others.

The prisoners-in-their-own-conscience can free the prisoners of conscience and thereby free themselves. That is their only salvation. In the alternative, let them heed Gandhi’s dire warning: “There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time they seem invincible, but in the end they always fall—think of it always.”

Stop Repressing the Press

Napoleon Bonaparte said, “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.” That rings true for the ruling regime in Ethiopia. Last week three imprisoned and one exiled Ethiopian journalists received the prestigious Hellman/Hammett Award for 2012 “in recognition of their efforts to promote free expression in Ethiopia, one of the world’s most restricted media environments”. The recipients included Eskinder Nega, an independent journalist and blogger and recipient of the 2012 PEN International freedom to Write Award;  Reeyot Alemu, one of the few Ethiopian female journalists associated with the officially shuttered weekly newspaper Feteh and recipient of the 2012 International Women’s Media Courage in Journalism Award; Woubshet Taye, editor of the officially shuttered weekly newspaper Awramba Times and Mesfin Negash of Addis Neger Online, another weekly officially shuttered before going online. The four were among a diverse group of 41 writers and journalists from 19 countries to receive the Hellman/Hammett Award.According to Human Rights Watch:

The four jailed and exiled journalists exemplify the courage and dire situation of independent journalism in Ethiopia today. Their ordeals illustrate the price of speaking freely in a country where free speech is no longer tolerated.  The journalistic work and liberty of the four Ethiopian award-winners has been suppressed by the Ethiopian government in its efforts to restrict free speech and peaceful dissent, clamp down on independent media, and limit access to and use of the internet. They represent a much larger group of journalists in Ethiopia forced to self-censor, face prosecution, or flee the country.

All dictators and tyrants in history have feared the enlightening powers of the independent press. Total control of the media remains the wicked obsession of all modern day dictators who believe that by controlling the flow of information, they can control the hearts and minds of their citizens.  But that is only wishful thinking. As Napoleon realized, “a journalist is a grumbler, a censurer, a giver of advice, a regent of sovereigns and a tutor of nations.” Like Napoleon, the greatest fear of the dictators in Ethiopia is the “tutoring” aspect of the press — teaching, informing, enlightening and empowering the people with knowledge. They understand the power of the independent press to effectively countercheck their tyrannical rule and hold him accountable before the people. Like Napoleon, they have spared no effort to harass, jail, censor and muzzle journalists for criticizing and exposing their criminality, use of a vast network of spies to terrorize Ethiopian society, shining the light of truth on their military and policy failures, condemning their indiscriminate massacres of unarmed citizen protesters in the streets and for killing, jailing and persecuting their  political opponents.

All imprisoned journalists must be released immediately.

“Those who make peaceful change impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.” JFK

Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam teaches political science at California State University, San Bernardino and is a practicing defense lawyer.

Previous commentaries by the author are available at:

http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/

www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/ 

Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at:

http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

 

Genes reveal grain of truth to Queen of Sheba story

Posted on , Updated on by Negash

By Hannah Krakauer  |  New Scientist

The genomes of Ethiopian people hold echoes of the meeting between a legendary king and queen.

queen of sheba

 

About 3000 years ago, the Queen of Sheba purportedly travelled from what is now Ethiopia to meet King Solomon in Israel. Ethiopian folklore even tells of a child between the pair. But that’s just a story, right?

Perhaps not entirely. Luca Pagani of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in Hinxton, UK, examined samples of Ethiopian genomes and noticed that some individuals had components of both African and non-African lineages. Delving deeper, Pagani and his colleagues discovered that the non-African genetic components had much more in common with people living in Syria and around the eastern Mediterranean than in the nearer Arabian peninsula. What’s more, the gene flow probably took place around 3000 years ago.

The finding is backed by linguistic research, which shows that one of the four language families of Ethiopia migrated from the same region about 3000 years ago. “Middle Eastern language came to Ethiopia along with Middle Eastern genes,” Pagani says. “And that is when the Queen of Sheba legend is supposed to have happened.”

The meeting between the queen and Solomon remains a story, but the populations they came from did meet around that time, says Pagani.