For the past 20 years, the Ethiopian people have suffered from repressive political governance and a socioeconomic architecture that has enabled a minority-ethnic based leftist political party, the Tigray Peoples’ Liberation Front, to dominate the national economy by merging ethnicity, party and state. The consequence of this merger is that, despite massive foreign aid estimated at $30 billion since 1991, and $3 billion per year, the latest Oxford University Multidimensional governance index showed that Ethiopia, along with Niger, is among the poorest countries in Sub-Saharan Africa. Ninety (90) percent of the population is poor; there are 5 million orphans; 70 percent of Ethiopian youth is unemployed; an estimated 7 million Ethiopians depend on international emergency food aid to survive.
The national economy is dominated by party owned and endowed enterprises. Corruption is rampant at the highest levels of the regime. Inequality is on the rise. Ethiopian economists estimate that growing inequality is a consequence of economic and other asset concentration into the hands of a few and at the exclusion of the majority. Land, the primary source of livelihood for the vast majority of the Ethiopian people, is owned by the state. The ruling party has used its power to lease millions of acres of farmlands to foreign investors to produce food and related products for rich markets. This phenomenon deprives local communities and the country from achieving food self-sufficiency and security. At the same time, prices of basic necessities, including food, continue to rise, and to overcome the food inflation the government has frequently emptied its weak reserves. In illustrating the magnitude of the problem, Ethiopian social scientists estimate that, in Addis Ababa where 5 million people live, only about 100,000 have the means to eat three meals a day. For most, a single meal has become a luxury.
Ethiopia continues to suffer from the absence of the rule of law, independent judiciary, free press, strong civil society and opposition, participation of civil society in policy and decision-making and vibrant private sector. The United States Department of State 2010 Country Report on Human Rights and Practices documented that Mr. Meles Zenawi’s government continued to carry out “Unlawful killings, torture, beating, abuse and mistreatment of detainees and opposition supporters by security forces, often acting with impunity; poor prison conditions ; arbitrary arrest and detention, particularly of sympathizers of members of opposition groups detention without charge and lengthy pretrial detention; use of excessive force by security services..” International Human Rights Watch groups including Human Rights Watch and Genocide Watch have repeatedly documented and condemned the gross violation of human rights, war crimes and even genocide perpetrated by the regime of Meles Zenawi. The recent draft Senate Bill sponsored by two prominent US Senators confirms these atrocities.
These gross human rights violations are an affront to humanity and we believe the American people will not remain silent about these abuses by the Ethiopian government. In the 2010 parliamentary elections, violation of human rights and the absence of a fair and free election process in Ethiopia allowed the ruling minority clique to claim that it won by 99.6%. In 2005, Mr. Meles Zenawi’s government made the election a total sham; imprisoned thousands of innocent Ethiopians and the entire leadership of the major opposition party; and killed more than 200 peaceful protestors. Today, the only women leader of a major opposition party, Ms. Birtukan Midekssa, is in jail with no end in sight for her release.
Under Mr. Meles Zenawi’s single party rule, Ethiopia continues to lose its educated human capital. He and his government are singularly responsible for the country’s massive brain drain. The educational system is totally ethnicized and politicized; more than 40 highly educated academics were expelled from Addis Ababa University; and thousands of others who remain in the country silenced. The Ethiopian Prime Minister is anemic to academic and intellectual freedom.
In light of the above, we members of Ethiopian American Civic groups, Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and Ethiopian American Civic Advocacy Council, are stunned that Columbia University has invited Mr. Meles Zenawi, an individual that many foreign observers characterize as “authoritarian” and Ethiopians call “dictator” to speak at the University. While we appreciate the University’s reasoning of sponsoring and debating with controversial figures, we believe that inviting Mr. Meles Zenawi gives him and his repressive government legitimacy to continue repressive, ethnic-based and exclusive socioeconomic and political policies and programs. For these reason, we urge alumni, students, the board of trustees and management of the University not to honor a repressive Prime Minister and the government he leads legitimacy. Instead, we call on the university to stand on the side of the Ethiopian people.
The above is a joint statement by Advocacy for Ethiopia (AFE) and Ethiopian American Civic Advocacy (EACA). Contact: [email protected]
I have been getting a lot of email from Ethiopian-Americans who are very upset that Columbia University has invited Prime Minister Meles Zenawi to speak this coming Wednesday, like this one:
Most of the professors who come across him, in most cases are neutralized or transformed as his advocates. So far, you are the only one standing clear, so the Ethiopian people need one intellectual friend like you to make their case. Please don’t be afraid and help our people and speak up.
I am both moved and extremely uncomfortable. The Ethiopian diaspora critics of Meles are upset about the support for Meles coming from Professors Sachs and Stiglitz at Columbia (note: I hear from critics in the diaspora, because its nearly impossible to be a critic from inside Ethiopia). I have criticized the Meles regime here and here (2nd one joint with Laura). But it should not be up to the faranji to conduct the debate. None of us know enough or have enough at stake to get it right.
But I am happy to give the opposition a platform in this blog, without necessarily endorsing any one viewpoint, individual, or movement. Nor do I imply that any one I quote is necessarily representing a majority of Ethiopians. I have previously given space on the blog to a supporter of Meles.
So what are the issues? The Columbia student newspaper noted how Columbia’s original speech announcement had a laudatory bio of Meles (since removed), further outraging the Ethiopian opposition.
Under the seasoned governmental leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi … Ethiopia has made and continues to make progresses in many areas including in education, transportation, health and energy.
Electoral manipulations, harassment, intimidation,beatings, political imprisonments and the withholding of humanitarianaid for any who do not support Meles ‘ethnic-based EPRDF party, have effectively closed all political space to any opposing groups. The criminalization of dissent, advanced through new repressive laws regarding civil society and vague antiterrorism laws that could make nearly anyone guilty, have further silenced the people and the media.
Columbia University has the right to invite whomever they choose, but yet, such an invitation will only be misused to further elevate a dictator who is oppressing the people of Ethiopia.
Political science professor Alemayehu Mariam wrote an open letter to Columbia president Lee Bollinger on the Huffington Post:
There is widespread belief among Ethiopian Americans that Mr. Zenawi’s invitation to speak …necessarily implies the University’s endorsement and support of Mr. Zenawi’s views, policies and actions in Ethiopia. I am writing to request your office to issue an official statement clarifying your position concerning Mr. Zenawi as you so eloquently did when Mahmood Ahmadinejad of Iran spoke on your campus on September 24, 2007.
Professor Mariam cites some of the credentials of Meles Zenawi to get the Ahmadinejad treatment:
In 2005, security forces under the personal command and control of Mr. Zenawi massacred 193 unarmed protesters and inflicted severe gunshot wounds on 763 others…
In December 2008, Mr. Zenawi arrested and reinstated a life sentence on Birtukan Midekssa, the only woman political party leader in Ethiopian history. He kept her under extreme conditions in prison.
The government enacted harsh legislation that criminalized coverage of vaguely defined “terrorist” activities, and used administrative restrictions, criminal prosecutions, and imprisonments to induce self-censorship… The government has had a longstanding practice of bringing trumped-up criminal cases against critical journalists, leaving the charges unresolved for years as a means of intimidating the defendants… Ethiopia as the only country in sub-Saharan Africa with ‘consistent’ and ‘substantial’ filtering of web sites…
Even it’s not up to the faranji to debate Ethiopia’s politics, we can all certainly comment on what support is given to each side by our governments, our aid agencies, and our universities.
What do you think of Columbia’s invitation to Meles? Should President Bollinger issue the “Ahmadinejad” disclaimer requested by the critics?
It may be hard for those who are as yet not aware of the relationship between Meles on the one hand, and Professors Jeffrey Sachs and Joseph Stiglitz on the other hand, to imagine that two renowned scholars from a prestigious university could create a strong bond to a cold-blooded dictator-turning-totalitarian. For those who are still incredulous and are looking for hard evidence, we have compiled this body of evidence, letting Sachs’ and Stiglitz’s own words speak for themselves:
Jeffrey Sachs on the Ethiopian dictator
1. A Sachs speech
Some excerpts from this speech: “Your Excellencies: our wonderful host Prime Minister Meles”… and: “When I meet with Prime Minister Meles and President Museveni I feel like I am attending a development seminar. They are ingenious, deeply knowledgeable, and bold.” [full text]
Here, Sachs measures Meles up against the lowest possible bar: “Meles Zenawi, the prime minister of Ethiopia, has the most insightful, indeed ingenious, ideas about rural development of any leader in that country’s modern history.” [full text]
4. Sachs’ speech as Meles was accepting the Yara award, cited verbatim by a blogger named Weichegud [see here and here]
This is what Sachs says in the midst of the 2005 killings: “Prime Minister, you have distinguished yourself as a one of our World’s most brilliant leaders. I have often said that our many hours of discussion together are among the most scintillating that I have spent on the topics of economic development. I invariably leave our meetings enriched, informed, and encouraged about Ethiopia’s prospects. Moreover, I know fully that you are deeply committed to peace, development, and the success of your country.” And: “Third, I am here to pay my respects to those who have lost their lives in the struggle for democracy, both the fighters for freedom who toppled a despicable regime 14 years ago, and also the dozens of students and innocent bystanders who tragically and unnecessarily lost their lives several weeks ago when they were shot by security forces during protests in the nation’s capital. There is no excuse for such loss of life; security forces must be equipped with non-lethal means for riot and crowd control. And our students anywhere are our future. ” And further: “I especially admire, Mr. Prime Minister, your deep commitment to Ethiopia’s rural communities and to Ethiopia’s Green Revolution, the very commitment that we recognize today with this award.” And: “Ethiopia is a much divided society, as shown by the recent contested elections and the controversies that swirl around them. Political divisions are natural, indeed healthy. They are part and parcel of democracy. But the hate and distrust that are on view in Ethiopia’s multi-ethnic society are beyond normal. They are social ills that need mending. Few countries in the world have been able to make multi-ethnic societies work peacefully for all. Grievances and distrust in Ethiopia are deep and have deep historic roots. Many of the attacks on the current government reflect revanchist sentiments from an earlier era of Imperial domination of a former elite. But others reflect real and deep grievances about the present day. Still others are simply a byproduct of the suffering of extreme poverty.”
In communications after the speech, Sachs further elaborates: “The fact that security forces have shot again into the crowds is not acceptable. Aside from the heated charges and counter-charges of who has done what to whom and who has or has not provoked the violence, the government and its security forces should have been much better prepared with non-lethal means to control unhappy crowds.” And “The opposition leaders too should have been speaking out much more to keep their own followers peaceful and unarmed. There are many reports that people in the crowds fired upon the police. I do not know whether those reports are accurate, and as far as I know there has been no independent assessment to date. […] Undoubtedly, though, there is responsibility required on all sides in a tense confrontation such as this, and more that both government and opposition can and should be doing much more to secure the peace.”
Sachs continues: “I will also note for you that I receive many heartfelt assertions that accuse some of the opposition leaders of stoking violence and ethnic hatred. It appears that some of the spiraling unrest is partly, and dangerously, ethnically motivated on both sides. It is also widely believed that there are revanchists from the Mengistu era stoking some of the unrest.”
5. Sachs’ book, “The End of Poverty” [full text]
In this book, Sachs remarks: “My ardent hopes for Africa are fueled by the powerful and visionary leadership that I have seen in abundance throughout the continent, in contrast to the typical uninformed American view about Africa’s governance. In particular, I would like to thank Africa’s new generation of democratic leaders who are pointing the way, including […] Prime Minister Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.” , and: “I visited and worked in many places with good governments that were struggling mightily against the odds. Botswana, Ethiopia, Ghana, Malawi […] all have better governance than might have been expected given the burdens of extreme poverty, illiteracy, lack of financial resources […]” And: “The prime minister made a powerful and insightful presentation about Ethiopia’s potential to expand food production, and thereby to overcome pervasive hunger. …”
Joseph Stiglitz on the Ethiopian dictator
6. An op-ed Stiglitz wrote for the New York Times [full text]
Excerpt from this article: “Ethiopia also receives a lot of aid from Western countries, partly because they feel the government uses it in ways that benefit the vast majority of the citizens.“, and: “Meles’ overthrow of Mengistu not only ended the Red Terror, but also centuries of domination by the Amharas. Power was devolved toward the regions, and a most unusual constitutional provision, giving regions rights to withdraw, ensured that the center would not abuse its powers.”
7. Stiglitz’s book, “Globalisation and its Discontents”
(See longer excerpts here; a a summary version also written for the Atlantic )
In his book, Stiglitz dedicates a many pages long segment to Meles and Ethiopia. Among other things, he states: “A doctor by training, Meles had formally studied economics because he knew that to bring his country out of centuries of poverty would require nothing less than economic transformation, and he demonstrated a knowledge of economics—and indeed a creativity—that would have put him at the head of any of my university classes. He showed a deeper understanding of economic principles—and certainly greater knowledge of the circumstances in this country—than many of the international economic bureaucrats that I had to deal with in the succeeding three years. Meles combined these intellectual attributes with personal integrity: no one doubted his honesty and there were few accusations of corruption within his government. His political opponents came mostly from the long-dominant groups around the capital who had lost political power with his accession, and they raised questions about his commitment to democratic principles. However, he was not an old-fashioned autocrat. Both he and the government were generally committed to a process of decentralisation, bringing government closer to the people and ensuring that the centre did not lose touch with the separate regions. The new constitution even gave each region the right to vote democratically to secede, ensuring that the political elites in the capital city, whoever they might be, could not risk ignoring the concerns of ordinary citizens in every part of the country, or that one part of the country could not impose its views on the rest.”
8. Peter Gill on the Stiglitz-Meles relationship in the book “Famine and Foreigners
(See longer excerpts here). Anintriguing account which illustrates the deep backing Meles had from Stiglitz, strongly influencing Meles hand in policy negotiations, and an illustration of their tight bond, based on a common “enemy”, the IMF, and based on Stiglitz’s intellectual delight and titillation with Meles’ way of thinking and articulating himself.
When many of us learned about Columbia University’s invitation to dictator Meles Zenawi to give a keynote address on “leadership,” it was not difficult to figure out who were behind it — Sachs and Stiglitz, two American professors who exhibit passionate affection toward some of the world’s despicable tyrants, particularly Ethiopia’s bloodthirsty dictator Meles Zenawi. As it turned out, it was these two professors who have convinced Columbia’s president Lee Bollinger to extend the invitation to Meles.
But that is not the whole story. How did these two professors come to know Meles Zenawi? The answer is Prof. Awash Teklehaimanot, who works for Columbia University as Director of Malaria and NTD Program, and also for Meles Zenawi’s regime as Director of the Center for National Health Development in Ethiopia.
Before Prof. Awash’s friends and relatives — Woyannes — came to power, malaria had almost been eradicated from Ethiopia through the efforts of Ethiopian Malaria Prevention Center. When Woyannes came to power, they dismantled the Center and took every thing to Tigray. A few years later, Ethiopia was hit with Malaria epidemic that killed tens of thousands of people. Malaria continues to be one the deadliest diseases in Ethiopia.
Prof. Awash holds the title “Director of the Center for National Health Development in Ethiopia,” however, every foreign assistance he manages to obtain in the name of Ethiopia goes to Tigray.
As a loyal and prominent member of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (Woyanne), Prof. Awash also works to promote Meles Zenawi’s agenda in the U.S. academia by introducing him to the likes of Prof. Sachs, who is his long-time mentor. The current Minister of Health in Ethiopia and politburo member of the ruling Tigray People Liberation Front, Tewodros Adhanom, was Awash’s student. When ever Meles goes to New York, one of the few Ethiopians he meets with is Awash Teklehaimanot. The other one is his investment adviser Kassahun (Kassy) Kebede, Managing Partner of Panton Capital Group, LLC (more about this guy another time).
Awash Teklehaimanot also worked behind the scene to arrange former president Clinton’s August 2008 visit to Ethiopia.
In 2004, Awash arranged a visit by Columbia University president Lee Bollinger to visit Tigray.
[Columbia President Lee Bollinger (center) visited the village of Abraha Astebha in the Tigray region of Northern Ethiopia in July, 2004, along with Earth Institute health expert Awash Teklehaimanot (far left) and members of the Hunger Task Force of the United Nations Millennium Project. Jean Magnano Bollinger, President Bollinger’s wife, is standing to his left. Second to his right is Dr. Mitiku Haile, President of Ethiopia’s Mekelle University and a soil expert.]
Awash did not take Bollinger for a visit to southern, western or any other region during their stay in Ethiopia.
The Woyanne junta has many individuals through out the U.S. who work behind the scene to promote Meles Zenawi’s ethnic apartheid program in Ethiopia where every thing is controlled by one ethnic group.
It is up to Ethiopians to expose these bigots so we can challenge and confront them where ever they are in order to minimize the damages they are doing in Ethiopia.
Please post in the comment section below any further info you have about this Woyanne aparthied professor and others like him.
Selling away Ethiopia’s fertile lands piece by piece to foreigners is one of Meles Zenawi’s methods of looting the country. The money he receives in hard currency leaves the country while the people of Ethiopia are stuck with agreements that do not benefit the country. The foreigners must be told in clear terms that any agreement they sign with Meles will be void as soon as he is thrown out of power. — Editor’s Note
INDIA — Punjab-based farmers, who are known for feeding the country, now want to try their hands offshore, with a group of progressive farmers all set to acquire 50,000 hectares of farm land on lease in Ethiopia for growing high-value cash crops, including pulses and maize.
“We will be inking a deal with the Ethiopia government next month for getting at least 50,000 hectares of area for growing crops like pulses and maize, which will be exported to India and Europe,” Confederation of Potato Seed Farmers President, Mr Sukhjit Singh Bhatti, told PTI here.
Mr Bhatti will lead a delegation of 16 interested potato growers from Punjab to carry out farming in Ethiopia.
What encouraged these potato growers to try their hand at farming overseas was land availability at almost throwaway rates, duty free imports of capital goods and the zero duty on farm exports offered by Ethiopia.
“Unlike here, most of the agricultural land is with the Ethiopian government and it has offered us to acquire land on lease for a period ranging between 25 to 40 years at a nominal rate, which works out to Rs 400 per acre per annum in Indian currency. Moreover, we will not have to pay for the first five years of our operations,” he said.
Furthermore, the cropping pattern in Ethiopia is not that intense as it is in Punjab. “With less pressure on land there (Ethiopia), the soil will be suitable for growing pulses, maize and other cash crops,” he said, adding, “These crops will be exported to India and Europe.”
The Ethiopian government has also assured that it will not levy any duty on the import of machinery like farm implements and export of agricultural commodities. (Sources: (Deccan Chronicle, ENA)
Ethiopians are organizing a protest rally asking Columbia University to disinvite genocidal dictator Meles Zenawi. The protest organizers urge every one to join the demonstration on Sept. 22, 2010, at 2 PM. Place: Columbia University, Broadway and 116th Street, New York City. Please send the poster below to every one you know. To register for a bus ride from the DC area to New York, click here or call one of these numbers: 301-326-7649 (Ethiopian Civic groups); 301-526-7436 (Netsanet Le Ethiopia Radio); 240-472-4439 (Addis Dimts Radio) and 202-462-0556 (UDJ-DC).
