From the oil fields of Somali Region, to the diamond and copper fields of Gambelas, to the rich mineral deposits of the Great Awash lake region of Afar, to the mountain ranges, plains and tourist havens of Oromo land, the country of Ethiopia is undoubtedly blessed. However, Meles Zenawi and his ethnic group are in control and looting by force. The recent killing of nine Chinese oil drillers illustrated how the Tigreans exploiting the resources of the country without involving the native people frustrated Ethiopian Somalis. The heart of the problem is leadership crisis emanated from Federal Government and the Regional state.
From these blessings, however, much sorrow has flowed. During the military regime of Mengistu Hailemariam, most Ethiopians did not benefit from the country’s resources. Ethiopian economy was geared toward socialist mode of production. It was primarily focused on cultivating raw materials for export, and roads, health care, and other infrastructure were available only in areas where those materials were produced.
The end of Derg regime unleashed struggles for political control, social emancipation, and access to resources — struggles that, in turn, have degenerated into conflicts and internecine wars. Retarded in its development, unbridled in its lust for power, steeped in official corruption, chaotic in its political engineering, Ethiopian regime of Meles Zenawi and his cabinet are now sprinting toward total collapse.
The regime of Meles Zenawi is not drawing a lesson from the past African leaders who were overthrown, who were killed and who were jailed because of their mismanagement and corrupted system of governance. He is pushing the wrong button since he is managing and ruling by forces. His memory is very short and shallow. He is also thinking in bush style of saber rattling instead of dialogue and political consensus.
When Tigrean People Liberation Front took the power, everybody thought that they learned a valuable lesson from their past guerrilla warfare and they did not dare to impose their will on the people, but their acts reminded us that power has been historically corrupting human being unless they follow rule of law, democracy and justice. For example, we have witnessed in Somali Region that many Tigreans origin have got rich in overnight. We are talking about millionaires. In other words, the Tigreans are only given permission to invest in Oromo, Somali and Afar regions while the natives are forced to be exiled, to be jailed on fabricated history and to be killed on the pretext of being part of terrorism and against peace.
History has showed that in the post-colonial period, many African leaders have exerted dictatorial control over their societies. Through their undemocratic policies, they have spread dissatisfaction among the people, which has manifested over time in nationalistic feelings and even popular rebellions. These political tensions, in turn, have generated fierce conflicts over resource control. The same scenario is currently unfolding in Ethiopia. In every region of Ethiopia, insurgents are fighting to liberate their lands. The people are forced to take arms to fight for their survival. Meles Zenawi is one of the worst leaders in Horn of Africa. He is ruling with iron fist and is imposing his ephemeral power on the people of Somalis, Oromo, Afar and Gambelas while his own ethnic group is looting the resources of the regions of these oppressed nations.
Much of the blame for Ethiopians recent spiral of violence belongs to generations of opportunistic and venal Ethiopian leaders, who have done little to develop their societies and emancipate their peoples. The so-called ministers of Meles’s cabinet are handpicked by the Tigrean and they are only there to be used against other ethnic particularly Amhara ethnic group whom the Tigrean is considered as threat to their power. For instance, Minister of Tourism, Mohamed Dirir, is a token that insults Amhara ethnic to be chauvinist and settlers; on the contrary, Tigrean are the real settlers and oppressor in Ethiopia. Their schemes are geared to dividing and ruling in the name of ethnicity empowerment while they field in any position their own ethnic group, Tigrean and its servants. All the key positions of Federal government are filled with Tigrean; they are 3.5 millions, but they have five Ministers and 71 members in the parliament; however, Ethiopian Somalis are 4 to 5 millions, but they have only one Minister in the Federal government. He is a yes man to their myopic and narrow political manipulation. The same could be said in any region of Ethiopia.
It is not Ethiopian Somalis that are governing Somali State, but a certain Tigrean , Abay Tsaye, who has the power to change the so-called President. Seven Presidents have been removed in the last sixteen years. In the same vein, Somali Region President, Abdillahi Hassen, who is the worst leader that somali regional state has known, is nominated because he married to a Tigrean lady. He does not have any a clue how to manage state let alone to express his opinion on public arena except echoing the statement of Meles, Sebhate and Abay Tsaye; the worse of Somali Region is the quotas style of sharing power. Former Minister of Federal of regional state, Abay Tsaye, has promulgated that Somali Region’s president should be from Ogaden clan, the Vice President must be an Issa clan and the speaker has to be an Isaaq; this is truly antiquity system of governance. In the 21 century, one can not share power through genetics, but it should be by merit. Somali Region is inhabited by many clans who live peacefully and share power for century.
Further, Ethiopian Somalis, Oromos, Afars and Gambelas do not have the right to manage its own regional state. Thousand of people of those regions are jailed, executed or forced to flee their land. The recent wave of killing in Somali Region is another form of stifling the rights of people. Meles ‘s happy triggered soldiers are prohibited food , raped women, strangulated elderly, and burnt villages in the name of fighting terrorism.
An elderly Ethiopian Somali lamented, “When Amhara was in the power seat, they limited themselves in the politics, but the Tigrean does not allow us anything; they loot the resources, they kill our children, they rape our women and they destroy the social fabric of Ethiopian-ness. It will take a generation to overcome their barbaric acts.”
On the election of 2005, the token Minister, Dirir and his thugs went to Somali Region and opposed that Kinijit could not be allowed to compete to any seat. To add insult to injury, four Ethiopian Somali parties were instructed to stay home in the election days and did not participate . Dirir and a few opportunists were giving money to the leaders of the parties and jailed some of them that questioned their acts. For instance, Western Somali Party leader, the brother of a well respected former Ethiopian Somali Politician Peter Roble, was harassed not to think about involving in the election. He was told that EPRDF is the only party in Ethiopia. This echoes the old one party style of Soviet Republic. Dirir and his gang fielded only EPRDF loyal members to take part in the election since they were implementing the order given to them by the TPLF thugs.
Moreover, the expansion of corporate dominance has accentuated the steady descent into near economic strangulation and political chaos. Many transnational corporations have acted as economic predators in Ethiopia, gobbling up national resources, distorting national economic policies, exploiting and changing labor relations, committing environmental despoliation, violating sovereignties, and manipulating government and the media. In order to ensure uninterrupted access to resources, TNCs have also supported repressive corrupted leaders such as Meles Zenawi and his warlords, and guerrilla fighters, thus serving as catalysts for lethal conflict and impeding prospects for development and peace.
In addition, the West has supported Meles and his kind of leaders by calling them “The new breed of African Leader”; however, the reality is far from it. Meles Zenawi and his thugs based upon one and only one party system is maiming and killing Ethiopian people.
At the advent of the new millennium, Ethiopia is hurting badly. Most parts of the country are embroiled in ethnic conflicts, violent wars for political and resource control, and cross-border conflicts. The opposition groups are in full geared to unseat Meles Zenawi’s regime and the biggest problem of this turmoil is the crisis of leadership in the Federal government and regional state. The current regime did not want to make operational what it couches in the constitution. On the contrary, a certain token Ministers and regional state official are implementing the instructions that are given by the Tigrean ethnic who are in the power seat. For example, for the first time in the Somali Region history, a Tigrean person is nominated in the security position. This shows how much woyanes people are violating the new constitution that they pretend Ethiopian people have endorsed.
In conclusion, the exploitation has resulted in serious environmental damage, developmental neglect, human-rights abuses, economic oppression, and inequitable resource allocation. These abuses, and the need for redress, are at the heart of the conflict in Ethiopia. In recent months, calls for emancipation by rebels of every region have grown louder. The only lasting solution is to redress the injustice and implement rule of law when all Ethiopian are permitted to participate in the process of power sharing. Western World should enforce rule of law, democracy and other form social equities in Ethiopia.
Woyanne mission of manipulating Ethiopians fom Wolqait and Tegede failed miserably in Columbus, Ohio.
Two Woyanne officials — Ato Ferede Yeshiwondim, Administrator of Wolqait, and Ato Tsegaye Asamamaw, a Tigray region security representative — who called for a meeting on Saturday, August 18, 2007, in Columbus, Ohio, failed to reach their goal of dividing the people of Wolqait and Tegede.
After an hour of diatribe and exaggerated statistical report on developments on the region, the participants turned the focus on the most dire and urgent issues of freedom and democracy in their homeland.
Almost all the participants including those who support Woyanne repeatedly expressed their dismay at the officials who tried to ignore the human rights and freedom concerns of the Wolqait Tegede people.
The participants expressed their opposition to article 39 and the demarcation of their land to be withing the Tigray Region on the basis of language and demanded their lands to be reunited with Gonder.
The participants also stressed that the most urgent issue for the people of Wolqait-Tegede, as it is for the rest of Ethiopians, is respect of human rights and democratization the country, and that they will not blindly fall into the TPLF trap of “investment and development” designed hold the people hostage to their oppressive policies of divide and rule.
The participants demanded the release of political prisoners who languishing in Woyanne concentration camps. Moreover, they reminded Woyanne to stop giving away lands to Sudan that rightly belong to Ethiopia.
Ato Tsegaye Asimamaw, the Woyanne security agents, denied and dodged many of the questions and concerns raised by the participants.
The two Woyanne officials attempted to explain that everything is peaceful, stable and that there is no problem of political prisoners.
Even though the meeting organizers attempted to give more time and opportunity to their supporters and shut down the dissenting voices, the participants used the advantage to forward their opinions. To the surprise of the dissenting Ethiopians and even to the officials, many of their supporters expressed their opposition to what the Woyanne is doing to the people of Wolqait and Tegede.
A press statement and other supporting documents from the community organizers of the dissenting Ethiopians will shortly be released to the public.
ASMARA (AFP) — Nimbly peeling a spiky cactus fruit, eight-year-old Kibrab offers its sweet orange flesh to a sharp-suited young Eritrean.
It is “beles” time in Asmara — the annual return of Eritrea’s scattered diaspora and harvest time for the prickly pears they are named after.
Collected from the steep mountainsides surrounding the capital Asmara, the wild cactus crop provides a welcome cash injection for poor families.
Even more than the beles fruit, the 70,000 “beles” visiting from overseas also bring a vital economic boost, which according to some estimates amounts to half of Eritrea’s gross domestic product.
“We ‘beles’ Eritreans come every year around July and August, the same time as the beles fruit are ready, so we get called the same,” said a 28-year-old Eritrean-British businessman, who asked not to be named, who has lived in London since leaving as a child.
“It’s a positive name, because our relatives here know we bring help for the rest of the year.”
Remittances from some 850,000 Eritreans living abroad — a fifth of the country’s 4.2 million population — have a major impact in a country with an annual gross national income per capital of only 220 dollars (160 euros), according to 2005 World Bank figures.
Many fled Eritrea’s devastating 30-year liberation war against Ethiopia, helping fund it from abroad. Eritrea achieved independence in 1993, but is still recovering from a subsequent, bitter 1998-2000 border war with Ethiopia.
Cash from remittances is vital for the government, too, which takes a two-percent cut of all income earned by Eritreans overseas — technically a voluntary fee but widely enforced through community pressure.
“It’s something we have to do if we want to come back to visit,” said Michael who, like many, left for the United States more than 20 years ago after he was wounded fighting against Ethiopia.
“There’s a duty not only to help our family, but that we — who have the dollars and economic freedom of the West — should use that to help Eritrea.”
State-run media heap praise on diaspora donations, lauding them as “contributions to the national development” and support for the families of those killed fighting for Eritrea.
“Beles” time brings a cosmopolitan touch to Asmara’s Independence Avenue as young returnees speak in accents carried from elsewhere in Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America. They mingle in the Bar Royal drinking coffee and beer and showing off the latest fashions from their adopted homelands.
But unlike older generations — who remember firsthand the sacrifices of the bloody liberation war — many younger “beles” say they are growing more distant from Eritrea, raising concern that remittances could drop off in the future.
“It is understandable that the longer people are away, the more links fade,” said a 26-year-old Eritrean-German, who also declined to give his name, visiting Asmara for the second time.
“I am proud of my roots, but I don’t have much in common with family here. I find it hard to imagine what my life would be like if I had had to fight, or even just do national service like people here.”
Asmara makes massive efforts to drum up patriotic support amongst the diaspora, promoting international youth festivals and organising “get to know your country” tours around famous battlefields or tourist sites.
Last April, hundreds of young Eritreans from 10 countries met in the English city of Portsmouth for a “youth movement” conference of Eritrea’s only political party, the People’s Front for Democracy and Justice (PFDJ).
But some say they are uncomfortable at supporting a regime regularly criticised by rights groups for an iron-grip control they say involves arresting critics, persecuting religious minorities and closing independent media.
Even as the diaspora returns on holiday, Eritreans continue to leave the country — many illegally — risking jail or worse to sneak across the dangerous border into Sudan to begin their own desperate search to earn money that many send back home.
Some stay in Sudan, others aim for North America — where the US-based Eritrean community is estimated at between 500,000 and 750,000 — or risk the sea crossing to Italy and Europe. From there, many then head for Germany, Sweden or Britain, where Eritreans last year topped the list of nationalities seeking asylum.
Yemane Gebremeskel, director of Eritrean President Issaias Afeworki’s office, argues it is only a “few individuals” skipping military service, who are therefore “not bona fide asylum seekers in the first place.”
“Migration is not more than a few hundred a year and does not compare in anyway with the reverse annual flow — for temporary stay or repatriation — of our citizens from the diaspora,” Yemane said in a recent interview on a government website.
Those who have returned vow their support for their native country and its redevelopment after years of war.
“People may leave to a new life elsewhere, but we fought so long for freedom that our hearts remain in Eritrea,” said Michael.
Addis Ababa (ENA) – The Ministry of Justice said Ethiopian President Girma Woldegiorgis approved the pardon plea of other 31 members and leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD).Some 38 of the 71 members and leaders of CUD, who signed on June 22 and June 25,2007 on the pardon plea letter, which was sent to the Prime Minster and looked in to by the Ethiopian Board of Pardon, were freed on July 20,2007.
The Board did not look in to the cases of the remaining 33 detainees since they did not fulfill the necessary requirement, the ministry said.
However, the Board on August 9, 2007 met and examined the cases of 31 of the 33 detainees.
Applying for pardon and being convicted and sentenced for the crime were the main requirements set by the Board to look in to the pardon request, the Ministry said.
The Ministry further said that the Board learnt that the prisoners had admitted that their attempt to change the constitutional system through force, following the unrest occurred following the May2005 national election, was mistaken.
In addition to collectively and individually taking responsibility for the blunder, the leaders and members of the CUD have agreed to discharge their responsibilities through respecting and abiding by constitutionally organized governmental institutions.
The Board also learnt that the members and leaders of CUD forwarded their plea for the Ethiopian government and people to grant them pardon, in accordance with the country’s culture, by considering that they regretted their wrong deeds.
The Board, in accordance with the pardon procedure no 395/1996 E.C accepted the pardon plea forwarded by the detainees.
Accordingly, President Girma on Friday (August 17, 2007) approved the recommendation forwarded by the Board to grant full pardon for the CUD leaders and members. The full pardon enables the prisoneers to enjoy their full public rights particularly the right to elect and be elected, which had previosuly been stripped off by the court.
The prisoners were provided certificate that confirms they were granted pardon by proclamation number 395/1996 E.C. and were released from prison on August 18, 2007, the Ministry said.
(Reuters) – Addis Ababa: Ethiopian Airlines hopes to tap surging growth in China and India by opening new flights aimed at making Addis Ababa their gateway to Africa, chief executive Girma Wake said.
“Even one per cent of that market is huge. We will expand our routes into China and India and also the frequency of our flights,” he said in a recent interview.
Ethiopian Airlines is one of a trio of African carriers along with South African Airways and Kenya Airways spearheading change in Africa’s growing airline industry with modern planes and solid safety records.
Girma said Ethiopian was considering raising its weekly flights to China to 14 from 11. “Four years ago we were operating one flight every other week,” he said. “I am sure that within a year it will probably be twice a day, 14 flights a week.”
Emerging markets
Girma, 64, predicted Africa’s airlines would increasingly look to the Far East, rather than Europe and the US, as engines for future growth.
“India and China will have a lot of traffic to Africa in the future. They are investing more in Africa and their people are getting richer. Now they will look for tourism,” Girma said.
Ethiopian Airlines operates 10 flights a week to New Delhi and Mumbai.
The state-owned carrier, which flies to 28 destinations in Africa, forecast last week a 106 per cent rise in 2007-08 pre-tax profits to 448 million birr ($49.3 million).
Revenues and profits are rising despite stiff competition from wealthy, Gulf-based carriers such as Emirates, which are expanding aggressively in the region and even drawing pilots away from African airlines.
The ‘brain drain’ afflicting most business sectors in Ethiopia had left its mark on the airline, but Girma said the carrier has taken steps to alleviate the problem by raising wages and banking on the desire of employees to stay at home.
“We lost maybe 10-12 pilots to Gulf carriers over the last three years,” Girma said. “But we are improving. In the last year, we have lost only one.”
Despite this, Girma remains a solid supporter of Ethiopia’s ‘open skies’ policy, which has seen foreign carriers enter its market.
He said in the last two years several airlines had started flying to Ethiopia, including Emirates, British Airways, KLM and Turkish Airlines.
“Despite their entry, our [revenue] growth has been in the region of 20-25 percent. Small African carriers should learn that there are very few African countries whose home traffic is big enough,” Girma said.
Ethiopian civic and media groups in Washington DC are organizing a public gathering today, August 18, to honor and express appreciation to members of the former Kinijit International Leadership.
Several Ethiopian civic and media groups are sponsoring this special event which is scheduled for Saturday, August 18, 2007, at the Unification Church in Washington DC, starting at 3 PM.
The Kinijit International Leadership (K.I.L.) had been operating on behalf of the leaders of the Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (Kinijit) until they were released from jail on July 20 last months after 21 months of incarceration.
Although the K.I.L. faced persistent leadership crisis caused by the disgraced former chairman, it was able to accomplish a few but crucial tasks.
One of the K.I.L. major accomplishments is creating international awareness for the plight of the jailed leaders, which contributed to securing their freedom.
K.I.L. was able to do that while its former chairman was busy stealing money from the organization and later on airing a radio broadcast calling some of the top officials of the K.I.L. ‘Woyanne agents.’
Under the leadership of Ato Andargachew Tsige, the head of organizational affairs, K.I.L. was also able to help facilitate the democratization of Kinijit chapters around the world and the creation of several new chapters. As a result, currently there are over 50 Kinijit support chapters in North America, Europe and Africa.
Considering the enormously difficult conditions under which the K.I.L. operated, it is a remarkable achievement, and Ethiopians around the world owe them a heartfelt thank you for keeping the Kinijit movement alive.
The groups that are involved in organizing the event include Ethiopian Review, Netsanet Le Ethiopia Radio, Addis Dimits Radio, Mebt Radio, Ethiopian Current Affairs Forum, Tegbar League and Kinijit DC Metro. More groups are expected to sponsor the event.
