Ethiopia’s genocidal regime led by the Woyanne junta has a new propaganda strategy. Here it is: After conducting a fake election in May 2010 and claimed to have won 99.6 percent of the seats in parliament, its propaganda chief Bereket Simon paid a bunch of people 50 birr per person to stage a protest rally against the opposition parties and international human rights organizations. Those who were victimized and robbed of their votes had been prevented from protesting. The consequence of staging a protest against the Woyanne junta is mass arrest, torture and death as witnessed in 2005. The victimizers and genociders (Woyannes) have the right to protest against the very same people they are victimizing. In line with this new propaganda strategy, yesterday, while pro-democracy protesters (who would have been jailed and tortured if they were in Ethiopia) went to Columbia University to confront Meles, Woyanne-hired supporters were there also to “demonstrate” their support for Meles. They were chanting “we love you Meles!” “Good Job Meles!” It was an embarrassing spectacle. Watch the video below.
Today’s event at Columbia University was a huge disaster for Woyanne. In having Meles Zenawi invited to the University to give keynote address on African leadership, his supporters intended to revive his image that has been soiled with the blood of innocent Ethiopians and fraudulent elections. Instead, the Columbia invitation helped expose not only Meles, but also his backers, including a couple of American professors who like to kiss up to third world dictators.
(Left: Meles supporters holding Woyanne flag at Columbia)
As Ethiopians prepared to march to Columbia, the Woyanne-occupied Ethiopian mission in New York had worked full time to get as many supporters of Meles Zenawi as they could. They even had Solomon Tekalign flown all the way from Atlanta. Their effort did not bear fruit. In fact, it compounded the problem since no more than a couple of hodams participated in the pro-Meles demonstration, exposing his narrow support base. There were about 50 demonstrators, and 48 of them were Tigreans. It is reported that some of them were security guards who flew with Meles from Addis Ababa.
The fact that 99 percent of the pro-Meles demonstrators today were Tigreans doesn’t mean that all Tigreans support Woyanne. There might be more than 50 Tigreans who joined us at the anti-Woyanne demonstration, and some of the protest organizers themselves are Tigreans. What it shows is that Meles has no real support outside of the Tigrean ethnic group. Even among Tigreans, his support seems to be narrow. And hodams are not willing to show their face at a pro-Woyanne event after the August 3 Woyanne-sponsored demonstration fearing that their photos will be plastered all over the Internet again (see here).
To make up for their lack of number, the pro-Meles demonstrators brought a bunch of drums and were singing Tigrigna songs until they were drowned out by the over 700 pro-democracy protesters on the other side of the street.
The photo on the left shows Dr Awash Teklehaimanot (red tie) trying to relax near the Columbia campus after what turned out to be a disastrous day for them. Awash is thought to be the person who has worked behind the scene to have Columbia invite Meles. (More about Awash here)
Earlier, a Woyanne who was taunting and showing his middle finger to the protesters as he passed by in his car left with some water bottler marks.
A large number of Ogadenis joined their fellow Ethiopians at the demonstration. Ogaden is one of Ethiopia’s regions where the Meles regime has been committing genocide.
Some Eritreans carrying Eritrean flags also joined the protesters in a show of solidarity. They were cheerfully greeted.
What we have seen today is an encouraging development in the fight to save Ethiopia from the Woyanne cancer. Unity in action is producing result.
Ethiopia’s genocidal despot gave a short speech today at Columbia University, which was followed by 20 minutes of questions and answers. The whole program took less than 1 hour.
The University’s president, Lee Bollinger, did not show up at the meeting. Instead, following opening remarks by Provost Claude Steele, Meles was introduced by Prof. Joseph Stiglitz (read more about Stiglitz here).
The discredited professor, as expected, talked about Meles Zenawis’ achievements before inviting him to speak. But even Stiglitz was too timid to talk about Meles today. His remarks lasted only 2 minutes.
The meeting was attended by less than 50 individuals, while over 700 Ethiopians protested outside the University campus.
6:30 PM – The demonstration at Columbia against the despot in Ethiopia is now over. The protesters are dispersing. Today’s demonstration has been exceedingly successful in that it has educated Columbia University and others about Zenawi’s dictatorship and the devastation it has caused in Ethiopia, exposed the two professors who are cheerleaders to African tyrants, and brought together several Ethiopians for action. Let’s get prepared for more actions that will defeat and destroy the Woyanne junta.
5:15 PM – Woyanne supporters stage a counter demonstration. Columbia Spectator has reported that Meles’ speech lasted 20 minutes. Read here.
4:50 PM – Hundreds of Ethiopians are currently holding a protest rally at Columbia University in New York where Meles Zenawi is invited to speak. Across the street, about 50 Woyanne supporters accompanied by Solomon Qindibu Tekalign are singing Tigrigna songs in support of Meles.
3:47 PM – A large crowd of protesters have now gathered at 115th and Broadway. Their number is increasing as more Ethiopians are arriving by train and cars. Columbia students with ID card are allowed to enter the campus and they are staging their own protest against the despot in front of Lerner Hall near Ronne Arledge Auditorium.
2:30 PM – The first bus that left DC has arrived in New York. Three other buses from the DC Metro Area and 2 buses from Boston will arrive at Columbia in the next few minutes. About 50 Woyanne supporters are already there to support their boss. We have been informed that some of them are Ethiopian Airlines staff and security guards who flew with him from Addis Ababa. The Woyanne-controlled Ethiopian mission at the U.S. has been sending out instructions to supporters of the regime through out eastern U.S. to come to Columbia.
12:52 PM – Freedom riders head to New York to join the protest against Meles Zenawi at Columbia University. … more update in a few minutes.
The University’s media center told Ethiopian Review that the event will not be broadcast live today, but a video will be posted online in a couple of days.
12:20 PM – One of the 4 large buses that is taking protesters to New York has stopped for break in Delaware. Here Ethiopians pose for photos during the break.
11:05 AM – Ethiopian protesters inside a bus heading to New York’s Columbia University from Washington DC to confront fascist dictator Meles Zenawi. More update shortly…
10:35 AM – The buses that left DC and Virginia are now arriving in Delaware. Prof. Bhagwati of Columbia University sent this message today:
Congratulations to Professor Vestal whose track record on Human Rights, especially in Ethiopia, is praiseworthy. It is good that he has also spoken out.
He endorses (as I did) the idea that Universities should be free to invite even tyrants to their campuses but that this must be accompanied by tough debate with them on their abusive record, rather than by encomiums to them drafted by academic entrepreneurs with personal agendas.
Aside from removing such inappropriate “sucking up” and offensive material from his website, and investigating how it got there so he does not get snookered again, I think that it is enough for President Bollinger (who is a champion of liberal values) to avoid appearing at the event. [Many academics on campus happened to strongly disagree with him when he himself attended the talk and strongly condemned the President of Iran, leading to unfortunate divisions on campus.]
Warm good wishes,
Professor Bhagwati
University Professor, Economics and Law
9:20 AM – Three buses full of protesters have already left the DC Metro Area and are heading to New York to confront Ethiopia’s brutal dictator Meles Zenawi today. A fourth bus is about to leave. Some Ethiopians are driving their own cars and taking train. Columbia University, where Meles will be speaking, is bracing for a large protest rally… more update and photos in a few minutes
Ethiopian Review sources in Addis Ababa are reporting that Meles Zenawi’s Woyanne junta has blocked Columbia Spectator from being accessed in Ethiopia’s capital.
We have independently verified the report with multiple sources. In Bahr Dar and a few other cities, however, the web site can be accessed.
Columbia Spectator has taken a strong editorial position against Meles Zenawi’s human rights records, and posted a number of reports that are critical of University’s invitation to the despot.
Several Ethiopians used the opportunity provided by Columbia Spectator to voice their opinion (see here).
Blocking web sites is not new to the Meles regime. All major Ethiopian news web sites, including EthiopianReview.com, are blocked in Ethiopia, and since May 2010, Voice of America, DW (German Voice), and ESAT broadcasts have been jammed with a jamming station that was built by China at the cost of $250 million.
It’s ironic that as Columbia University prepares to host Meles Zenawi today, a web site that is run by Columbia student is being blocked in Ethiopia.
Columbia University has announced today that Ethiopia’s dictator Meles Zenawi is still scheduled to speak Wednesday at 4 PM, but the speech has been moved to a smaller venue, according to Columbia Spectator.
The University did not explain the reason for moving the venue from the stately Low Rotunda (see here) to the class-room-like Roone Arledge Auditorium (see here).
At least 3 buses will take off from Washington DC and Boston on Wednesday morning heading for New York carrying protesters. Others are planing to take train, plane and their own cars.
For more information or to assist the organizers by making financial donations, visit:
Bus 1 (from Virginia) 8:00 am Southern Towers Depart from the parking lot at Southern Towers (in front of the Seven Eleven Store), Alexandria, VA
Bus 2 (from DC) 8:00 am Kidist Mariam Church, Departs from the parking lot at Kidist Mariam Church, Washington, DC.
For the bus leaving from Boston, call 617-785-5495
Facebook is also being used to mobilize protesters. A Facebook page that was setup by 2 Columbia students sent out 1,019 invitations so far (see here).
Ethiopian Review will report tomorrow’s activities live from Columbia University. Stay tuned.
10:35 AM – The buses that left DC and Virginia are now arriving in Delaware. Prof. Bhagwati of Columbia University sent this message today: