“There are lies, lies and implausible lies,” to quote Meles Zenawi, the dictator-cum-economic spinmeister of Ethiopia. Last week, Zenawi told a snickering Parliament a story that is the equivalent of the proverbial bull that gave birth to a calf (or in Amharic “bere welede”): “We will be seeing an economic growth rate of 10.1 percent this year, while inflation will fall to 3.9 percent. This is the result of sound economic policy.” (Sorry, but this is the result of voodoo economics!)
For the past several years, Zenawi has been making hyperbolic claims of economic growth in Ethiopia based on fabricated and massaged GDP (gross domestic product) numbers, implying that the country is in a state of runaway economic development and the people’s standard of living is fast outstripping those living in the middle income countries. In March 2009, for instance, Zenawi’s bragged that he expected the Ethiopian economy to grow by 12.8 percent. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) disagreed in the same month stating that given the global economic crises Ethiopia could expect only about 6% economic growth. Zenawi dismissively countered those who pointed out the discrepancies: “We have differences with the international financial institutions when we predict our economic growth, but we usually agree on the economic growth statistics at the end of each year.” The questions remain: Did the Ethiopian economy grow by 12.8 percent in 2009/10? Could it be expected to grow by 10.1 per cent in 2010/11? Who is keeping track of the economic statistics?
The Central Statistics Agency (CSA) and the “National Accounts Department of the Ministry Finance and Economic Development” are the two institutions in Ethiopia that are responsible for keeping track of the statistical data and providing analysis on economic performance. But neither organization has the institutional capability to collect reliable and accurate economic data, let alone assemble complete and comprehensive data sets which could serve as empirical bases for economic prognostications. This fact was emphatically stated on March 24, 2010 in the official statement of Paul Mathieu, the IMF team leader who, after conducting an evaluation of the current half fiscal year economic performance of Ethiopia, said: “Statistics collection of the country requires transformations, and we advised the government to do that.” Translated from “diplomatese” into ordinary language, Mathieu’s statement makes it plain that the statistics and data generated and used by the regime to describe Ethiopia’s economic performance and make predictions are basically “cooked up.” The simple fact of the matter is that the statistics buttressing Zenawi’s exaggerated claims and projections of stratospheric economic growth, vanishing inflation and red-hot performance of key economic sectors originate from seriously flawed, massaged and deficient economic data cooked up in the kitchens of the two institutions for whom the IMF recently prescribed “transformations”.
Zenawi’s stated claims of multi-year runaway GDP growth taken at face value defy not only economic realities but also common sense. On March 4, 2009, the IMF reported that Ethiopia’s economic growth could slow to 6 percent in 2009 based on objective factors rooted in the global economic slowdown and specific trends in the critical foreign exchange earning sectors in Ethiopia such as coffee exports (with decreased demand and a 19 per cent decline in price), tourism and transportation, and depreciation of effective foreign exchange rates by 30 percent. The IMF also indicated that Ethiopia has the highest inflation rate (26%) in Africa outside Zimbabwe. In its April 2010 “Background Note: Ethiopia”, the U.S. State Department reported an average inflation rate (FY 2008-2009) of 36%. There is no IMF (or any other credible multilateral institution) year-end or any other report which indicates that Ethiopia could expect a 12.8 or 10.1 percent economic growth or a decline in inflation to 3.9 percent in 2009/10 or any other subsequent year. Indeed, IMF’s Mathieu stated on March 24, 2010 that “non-food inflation remains close to 20 percent, and has been rising in recent months.” The claim that “we usually agree on the economic growth statistics at the end of each year” is simply not true.
However, for a number of years Zenawi’s regime has been pulling a public relations sleight-of-hand by using the IMF as a front to channel its own preferred economic statistics to prove its economic prowess and unrivalled success to the world. For instance, IMF Country Report (Ethiopia) No. 08/264 (July 2008)[1], states: “Growth has averaged 11 percent since 2003/04, far exceeding the minimum target of 7 percent in the Program for Accelerated and Sustainable Development (PASDEP), that is estimated to be consistent with keeping the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) within reach.” On pp. 20-24 of this Report, the origin of the data indicating an 11 percent growth is not some independent data collection and analysis source but the very same Central Statistics Office which last month the IMF said needs massive “transformation”. The footnotes in the above-referenced pages state: “Sources: Ethiopian authorities; and IMF staff estimates and projections.” Similarly, the data source for “Financial Soundness Indicators for Banking” is identified as the “National Bank of Ethiopia; and IMF calculations.” In its official reports, the IMF simply accepts and incorporates at face value the data for GDP growth given to it by the Central Statistics Office (with its own staff estimates) and incorporates those figures in its own report without so much as qualifying it for completeness, accuracy or reliability.
In the above-referenced report, the IMF further presents GDP growth data given to it by Zenawi’s regime for 2005/06 at 11.6 percent and 11.4 percent for 2006/07. The IMF uses its own “estimates” (without fully disclosing its methodology given the fact that IMF staffers are allowed considerable latitude in incorporating country-specific circumstances in making estimates) to make additional GDP growth projections for 2007/08 at 8.4 percent, followed by 6.0 percent for 2008/09; 6.5 percent for 2009/10; 7.5 percent for 2010/11; 7.5 percent for 2011/12 and 7.5 for 2012/13. The discrepancy between the IMF’s and the regime’s estimates appears to reflect the IMF’s clear lack of confidence in the regime’s economic data and analysis.
The bottom line on the regime’s statistical claims of economic growth, financial soundness and the rest of it is that the figures are cooked up in the Central Statistics Office and fed to the IMF, which slavishly (with a wink, nod and a smile) parrots back to the world the same figures with some of its own “staff estimates and projections”. This is the extent of the economic statistical game that continues to be played before our eyes.[2]
On the other hand, with respect to inflation, the World Bank (Policy Research Working Paper 4969, June 2009), citing IMF data concluded, “One of the most affected countries is Ethiopia, which, with the exception of Zimbabwe and small island economies, has had the strongest acceleration in food price inflation during recent years. Average food prices rose by more than 34 percent in 2007/08, but annual inflation reached historical record growth of 91.7 percent in July 2008.” On March 17, 2010, the regime’s Central Statistics Office reported, “Except for cereals, all food components have shown a rise. The prices of fuel, construction materials, clothing and footwear, furniture and personal care (products) are on the rise.” What empirical evidence exists in the first half of 2010 to justify a prediction of a steep decline in inflation to 3.9 percent in 2010/11 or beyond?
All of the statistical fairy tales about the economy told in Parliament were a source of puzzlement and amusement for Mr. Bulcha Demekssa, the leader of the Oromo Federalist Democratic Party (OFDM) and former vice-minister of finance and senior official at various international institutions. Mr. Bulcha asked Zenawi in Parliament how such fantastic GDP figures could be achieved: “The prime minister and the government have repeatedly said Ethiopia has grown by 10 and 11 percent. The prime minister and Ethiopian economists know that it is a miracle for Ethiopia to grow by 11 percent. How is it that Ethiopia grew by 11 percent? We know that China, South-Korea are registering such economic growth. But we are confused how Ethiopia ’s economic is growing like these countries. Our unemployment and poverty is on the rise.” Zenawi’s response was characteristically evasive, and he denied any real discrepancies: “We have differences with the international financial institutions when we predict our economic growth, but we usually agree on the economic growth statistics at the end of each year.”
The answer to Mr. Bulcha’s question, of course, is obvious. Magic! All one needs to achieve an 11 percent growth is to invoke the GDP Spirits and recite to them the right incantations about “sustainable development”, “export-led growth” and “improved export revenue sector”. Then sprinkle a palmful of that fine IMF gold dust and command: “Shazam! Let there be economic growth of 10.1 percent! (or 12.8, does not matter any number will do). Abracadabra! Inflation, I command you to go down to 3.9 percent (or 1.1).” But the real “miracle” occurs when the magic wand is waived to deliver economic growth to a precise tenth of a percentage point such as 10.1 percent instead of merely 10.
All of the economic swagger and wind-bagging about unrivalled economic boom, prosperity and progress comes from a regime not known for its economic “literacy”. In an editorial published in the Economist magazine on November 7, 2006 in the context of the Starbucks coffee row, the magazine was graphic in its description of the regime: “The Ethiopian government, one of the most economically illiterate in the modern world, would do well to take Starbucks’s advice.”
But there is a more fundamental question to be answered: Could a nation’s economic health be reduced to a single statistical summation? Does GDP growth necessarily mean improved in standard of living? Zenawi says GDP is the only measure of economic performance that has universal acceptance, and he will continue to use it until a better measure comes up. As anyone with an elementary understanding of economics knows, GDP has little value in meaningfully understanding a country’s economic growth, development and prosperity. Its analytical and descriptive value has been thoroughly critiqued in the economic literature. Suffice it to say that to claim that an economy grew by an 10.1 percent is like saying “activity” on city streets increased by 10.1 per cent. The street “activity” without specificity as to crime, car accidents, pedestrian traffic or other events by itself is meaningless. Yet for the past few years, the regime has been trumpeting GDP numbers as some sort of fetish that definitively explains Ethiopia’s economic growth. The GDP numbers, for instance, tell us nothing about the enormous disparity in incomes between the rich and poor in Ethiopia. By overstating economic welfare, GDP calculations do not tell us the magnitude of environmental damage that is taking place. GDP is certainly not a measure of the sustainability of growth, a point repeatedly made in numerous IMF reports on Ethiopia.
Even if actual GDP growth in Ethiopia is 11 percent or more, it is a meaningless statistic when considered in light of the basic needs and well-being of the people. In the vital area of health, for instance, Ethiopia is in a state of absolute wretchedness. According to World Health Organization (WHO) (2006) data[3], to serve a population of 77 million people, there were 1,936 physicians (1doctor for 39,772 persons); 93 dentists (1: 828,000); 15,544 nurses and midwives (1: 4,985), 1,343 pharmacists (1: 57,334) and 18,652 community health workers (1: 4,128). Total expenditure on health as a percentage of gross domestic product was 5.9 per cent. General government expenditure on health as a percentage of total expenditure on health was 58.4 per cent, and private expenditures covered the balance of 41.6 percent. Hospital beds per 10,000 population was less than 25. Per capita expenditure on health was USD$3 at an average exchange rate. WHO’s minimum standard is 20 physicians per 100,000 population, and 100 nurses per 100,000 population. Such is the real matrix of Ethiopia’s 12.8 or 10.1 or whatever fictional GDP number that is pulled from thin air.
On November 3, 2007, the Economist magazine reported:
The fact is that for all the aid money and Chinese loans coming in, Ethiopia’s economy is neither growing fast enough nor producing enough jobs. The number of jobs created by flowers is insignificant beside an increase in population of about 2m a year, one of the fastest rates in Africa…. The government claims that the economy has been growing at an impressive 10% a year since 2003-04, but the real figure is probably more like 5-6%, which is little more than the average for sub-Saharan Africa. And even that modestly improved rate, with a small building boom in Addis Ababa, for instance, has led to the overheating of the economy, with inflation moving up to 19% earlier this year before the government took remedial action. The reasons for this economic crawl are not hard to find. Beyond the government-directed state, funded substantially by foreign aid, there is—almost uniquely in Africa—virtually no private-sector business at all.
The IMF estimates that in 2005-06 the share of private investment in the country was just 11%, nearly unchanged since Mr Zenawi took over in the early 1990s. That is partly a reflection of the fact that, despite some privatisation since the centralised Marxist days of the Derg, large areas of the economy remain government monopolies, closed off to private business. This is where Ethiopia misses out badly. Take telecoms. While the rest of Africa has been virtually transformed in just a few years by a revolution in mobile telephony, Ethiopia stumbles along with its inept and useless government-run services…. There is no official unemployment rate, but youth unemployment, some experts reckon, may be as high as 70%. All those graduates coming out of state-run universities will find it very hard to get jobs. The mood of the young is often restless and despairing; many dream of moving abroad…. Just as the government is slowing the pace of economic expansion for fear that individuals may accumulate wealth and independence, so it is failing to move fast enough from a one-party state to a modern, pluralist democracy. Again, the reason may be that it is afraid to.
The Heritage Foundation, the pre-eminent conservative American think tank echoes the Economist in its 2010 Index of Economic Freedom[4] concluded:
Ethiopia underperforms in many of the 10 economic freedoms. The business and investment regime is burdensome and opaque. The overall quality and efficiency of government services have been poor and are further undermined by weak rule of law and pervasive corruption. Monetary stability is hampered by state distortions in prices and interest rates, and trade freedom is hurt by high tariff and non-tariff barriers…. All imports must be channeled through Ethiopian nationals registered as official import or distribution agents with the Ministry of Trade and Industry. Foreign participation is prohibited in domestic banking, insurance and microcredit services, and several other activities…. Ethiopia ranks 126th out of 179 countries in Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index for 2008. Despite legal restrictions, officials have been accused of manipulating the privatization process, and state-owned and party-owned businesses receive preferential access to land leases and credit.
Zenawi is desperate to show economic development of epic proportions in Ethiopia after nearly 2 decades of clinging to power. The fact remains that despite the incredible claims of economic growth, tens of millions of people are starving and go without any health care. Millions of young people remain unemployed and trapped in hopelessness. There is no rule of law and human rights violations are widespread. Whether or not Zenawi’s regime has accomplished an economic feat with few rivals in modern history is not a matter of wishful thinking or public relations. It is a matter of evidence: accurate, complete, reliable and comprehensive statistical evidence that is systematically and carefully collected, analyzed and verified. Such evidence can not be invented, fabricated, manufactured, contrived, concocted or cut from whole cloth. Benjamin Disraeli, the 19th Century British prime minister said, “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” In Ethiopia today, we are witnessing all three!
[1] http://www.imf.org/external/pubs/ft/scr/2008/cr08264.pdf
[2] To see a consistent pattern of “economic gamesmanship”, see also IMF Country Report (Ethiopia) No. 07/247 (July, 2007); IMF Country Report (Ethiopia) No. 06/159 (May, 2006); IMF Country Report(Ethiopia) No. 05/25 (January, 2005) and other reports prior to these dates.
[3] http://www.afro.who.int/home/countries/fact_sheets/ethiopia.pdf
[4] http://www.heritage.org/Index/Country/ethiopia
Alemayehu G. Mariam, is a professor of political science at California State University, San Bernardino, and an attorney based in Los Angeles. He writes a regular blog on The Huffington Post, and his commentaries appear regularly on pambazuka.org, allafrica.com, newamericamedia.org and other sites.
I will admit, I am by no means an expert on the Ethiopian community. In fact, having been away from Ethiopia for over 27 years and growing up in Woodbridge Virginia in a time where there was only two other Ethiopians we knew that lived there, you can say that I have a lot to learn about our community. So take these words not as an authoritative statement but an observation I have made over the past two years as I have endeavored to narrow the chasm between me and my fellow Ethiopians.
If there is one phenomenon I have observed more than any other in these two years in my role of a community organizer is that of a natural tendency of many in our community to be suspicious. It doesn’t matter if a person is advancing a non-profit organization, a business, or a political message, the first inclination of most is to be suspicious of that man or woman. I have my theories for this occurrence ranging from a trauma that has yet to subside of the Derg to people who have come and gone in the past that have advocated a message only to grasp at power or chase fortune. While I am sure that there could be plenty of other reasons for our natural inclination to suspect everyone and everything, I have a high degree of confidence that the two factors mentioned above are the root cause of this problem… [MORE]
For those of us who are accustomed to Meles Zenawi’s propensity for lies, as well as his trademark boisterous rhetoric and empty bravado, his latest pre-election tantrums and deceptive shenanigans come as no surprise. The leader of the minority regime in Ethiopia, which suffers from delusions of grandeur, has never accepted responsibility for his actions and has always relied on its handlers to clean up his mess, provide it diplomatic, financial and political support as it evades its legal obligations, invades sovereign neighboring states, violates international law, reneges on Agreements it has signed, harasses and intimidates its political opponents, commits genocides and ethnic cleansing in Ethiopia etc. etc. . Today, Meles Zenawi and his cadres find themselves in yet another self created crisis-How can they win in the upcoming Ethiopian elections when the Ethiopian people have clearly spoken and rejected his regime?
The planned elections seem more designed for the consumption of US Congress and world opinion than for the Ethiopian people. With the exception of the US State Department and those who are “clearing the deck” to give Meles Zenawi and his mercenary regime yet another “victory” in the upcoming May 2010 elections, the people of Ethiopia know that the elections will be neither free nor fair. As opposed to the 2005 elections when Meles and his thugs stole the votes, massacred over 200 people on the streets of Addis Ababa and detained over 40,000 people across the country for voting the regime out of office, this time around, the tactics have changed. Meles Zenawi, the street smart Prime Minister and his handlers have come up with a brand new bag of tricks…designed to hoodwink the Ethiopian people and criminalize dissent.
The pre-2010 election preparations include the detention and killing of potential opponents, as well as harassments and intimidations of candidates and their supporters. Many who were eligible and ran in the 2005 elections have been kept abroad by an assortment of legal devices and physical threats. Meles Zenawi uses racial slurs and bigotry to put his opponents on the defensive…every one has his tactics. During Ethiopia’s last elections in 2005, Meles Zenawi branded the Ethiopian oppositions and its major challenger, the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), a replica of Interahamwe, and accused them of inciting the violence that erupted after the 2005 elections.
While its handlers concoct excuses for the mercenary regime, Meles Zenawi has taken to the air waves to justify his repressive regime. This foul mouthed and cocky mercenary is heard, once again, making racist and bigoted remarks as he continues to brow-beat his opponents into submission. I am not surprised. I have stated all along that Meles Zenawi was a street smart, genocidal, flip flopping, erratic, bigot and racist and that his regime´s ethnic based policies will eventually destroy Ethiopia, socially, economically and politically. His racist bigotry and ethnocentricity is a matter of public record and well known to the peoples of the Horn region. Allow me to explain.
Bigot and racist
At the height of the Eritrean Ethiopian border conflict, exposing his bigotry and racist attitude, in July 1998, at the height of the Eritrea Ethiopia border conflict ordered the massive and inhumane deportations of over 80,000 Eritreans and Ethiopians of Eritrean origin from Ethiopia, by saying:
“…The Ethiopian government has the unrestricted right to expel any foreigner from the country for any reason whatsoever. Any foreigner, whether Eritrean, Japanese, etc., lives in Ethiopia because of the goodwill of the government. If the Ethiopian government says ´Go, because we don’t like the color of your eyes,’ they have to leave…”
The African Union, US and European Addis based “diplomats”, “political analysts”, “experts” etc. remained silent as thousands of sick, old, young, and men, women and children, religious leaders, etc. were forced to cross through mine-infested borders because Meles Zenawi did not like the “color of their eyes”. It was a clear violation of international law, but his handlers looked the other way and some even justified his actions and made excuses for him.
So it comes as no surprise that he would use such foul language again to get what he wants. Meles Zenawi is a shameless repeat offender. Today it is African Americans who are being insulted by this racist bigot. It was at a meeting with foreign correspondents on 19 March 2010 that Meles Zenawi made these comments about the Voice of America:
“…We have been convinced for many years now, that in many respects the VOA Amharic service has copied the worst practices of radio stations such as Radio Mill Collins of Rwanda in its wanton disregard of minimum ethics of journalism and engaging in destabilising propaganda…We have from time to time provided piles and piles of evidence to concerned US authorities about it. We have from time to time been promised that they would do something about it. But we have not seen anything being done about it to correct it. Indeed we know, if we shall say, blue blooded Americans being booted out from the VOA if and when they try to correct this violation…”
So who are the blue-blooded Americans-is it only white Americans? Is he saying that President Barack Obama, as a Kenyan-American is not a “real American”? Is he implying that African Americans are not “real Americans”? Are Ethiopian-Americans not “real Americans”? If Johnnie Carson wants to make light of the issue, that is his prerogative. It will only embolden the foul mouthed Meles Zenawi to push the envelope even further. Who will he insult next?
By the way, this blue blooded person that he is referring to is, Jennifer Parmelee, who is today Senior Spokesperson for World food USA. Parmelee is associated with Meles Zenawi´s cousin who also happens to be the brother in law of Samuel Assefa, the Ethiopian Ambassador to the United States. The minority regime may have used Parmelee to influence VoA reporting, that would not be a surprise. Corruption and cronyism, it´s the way Meles Zenawi´s regime conducts all its domestic and international affairs.
Ethnocentric
A recent report by an Ethiopian group illustrates what I have been saying all along. According to a recent report by an Ethiopian research team, “the current military of Meles Zenawi´s regime is totally dominated by one ethnic group where by some 95% of the top brass of the military emanate from the Tigrayan ethnic group representing about 6% of the population”. Not only are they from Tigray, they are also card carrying members of the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF).
There should be no surprises there, as I have previously stated that real power in Ethiopia was efectively in the hands of 7 Tigrayans. As a matter of fact, the most influential, important and key Ministries in Ethiopia are directly and fully controlled, run, supervised and monitored by these 7 Tigrayans: Meles Zenawi, Samora Younis, Abay Tsehaye, Mulugeta Alemseged, Newaye-Kiristos Gebre-Ab, Seyoum Mesfin and last but not least, Bereket Simon, a de facto Tigrayan.
As if Ethiopia has a shortage of qualified and capable sons and daughters, the key and most important government posts are held by Tigrayans. The Prime Minister is Tigrayan, so is the Foreign Minister, Chief of Police, Chief of Staff, Chief of Security, Mayor of Addis Abeba (even though he was voted out of office), Minister of Federal Affairs and his Deputy, even the Patriarch of the Orthodox Church is Tigrayan. In the diplomatic arena, most important Ambassadorial posts are held by Tigrayans or are deliberately staffed by hand picked Tigrayan cadres to act as de facto Ambassadors.
Moreover, Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF) members and their families control the transportation, manufacturing and several other industries in Ethiopia. Tigray region is also the single highest beneficiary of the massive aid and loan guarantees that is being given to Ethiopia by the IMF, World Bank and international donors. Schools, colleges, roads, airports, factories, and other infrastructure projects are carried out in the Tigray state while the rest of Ethiopia is ignored, and massive debts are incurred, in the name of the Ethiopian people. Let us take a look at the Tigrayans who are at the helm today:
1. Meles Zenawi, the Tigrayan Prime Minister, serves as Commander in Chief of the Ethiopian Armed Forces with the Tigrayan General Samora Younis as his Chief of Staff, and has absolute control of the Ethiopian army.
2. Abay Tsehaye, founding member of TPLF, is the Public Organization and Participation Advisor to the Prime Minister with the Rank of Minister, and according to the new consolidated structure, he controls, monitors, supervises and runs the so-called Ministry of Federal Affairs.
3. Mulugeta Alemseged, a senior member of the TPLF, is the National Security Affairs Advisor with the Rank of Minister and he controls, monitors, supervises and runs the entire police and security apparatus in Ethiopia.
4. Newaye-Kiristos Gebre-Ab, a Tigrayan from Meles’ village of Adwa, is the Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister with the Rank of Minister and he controls, monitors, supervises and runs all Ministeries associated with economic matters, in particular the Ministries of Finance, Revenue, Trade and Industry, Transportation, Mines and Energy etc. etc.
5. Seyoum Mesfin, another Tigrayan, is the Minister of Foreign Affairs. Because he is a trusted Meles disciple, there was no need to create a “Foreign Policy Advisor position with the Rank of a Minister” in the Prime Minister’s Office. It should be recalled that Seyoum Mesfin served as TPLF’s Foreign Minister for 14 years and has been in the same position since Meles Zenawi´s clique took over power in Ethiopia in 1991.
6. Bereket Simon, (listed as an Amhara), but more TPLF than TPLF itself, is the Public Relations Advisor to the Prime Minister with the Rank of Minister. He controls, monitors, supervises and runs the Ministry of Information.
It is not hard to see that all power has been solidified and consolidated in the hands of Tigrayans, hence my assertion that Ethiopia is ruled by a minority clique. This “supra” body completely dominated by the Tigrayan clique, under the guise of “Advisors with Ranks of Ministers”, is now ruling Ethiopia with an even tighter and ruthless iron fist, and is pursuing the policies of kill, imprison, intimidate, vilify etc, so that it can remain in power, by any means necessary. As for the Ethiopian Afar, Gurage, Hadiya and Somali, whilst they may hold high positions in the Ethiopian Government, they are all controlled, monitored, supervised and run by Tigrayans.
The new form of Apartheid taking hold in Ethiopia has systematically alienated and deprived the Ethiopian people equal rights, but most importantly its divide and rule ethnic policy has rendered the people of Ethiopia hopeless and helpless. But don´t expect Meles Zenawi to feel sorry for them, or take offence if others call out his faults. The cocky foul mouthed street smart Prime Minister has no qualms about biting the hands that feed him. When asked about the imprisonment of Ms. Birtukan Medeska, the street smart Prime Minister retorted:
“…It may sound strange that terrorists who have been taken to court found guilty in a court of law have been characterised as political prisoners by the US which was the country which introduced the world to the concept of enemy combatants who are expected to live in legal limbo in perpetuity. But that is life; I think the French say, “C´est la Vie.” That is how we characterize it…”
Meles Zenawi ought to know; after all, Ethiopia is where some of the so-called “black sites,” part of a C.I.A. network of clandestine overseas prisons are found. Meles is telling his handlers that they do not have the moral or legal authority to question his actions as their´s is the same, or worse. I´ll say he has been a good student, and he seems to be applying the lessons learned quite well. They ought to be proud of their creation.
Ethiopia has a street smart, vote-rigging, genocidal, foul mouthed, racist and bigot for a Prime Minister and the US and the international community have a street smart, vote rigging, genocidal, foul mouthed, racist and bigot as their “staunch ally” in the Horn.
Well, I say…you reap what you sow!
The rule of law must prevail over the law of the jungle!
I will commence a hunger strike in front of the White House to get President Obama or someone from his administration to acknowledge Birtukan Mideksa as a prisoner of conscious and to call for her immediate release from wrongful imprisonment. Fighting for democracy and freedom have always been traditional American values and I will fight for these values for my Ethiopian brothers and sisters. Please join me in the hunger strike which will commence on May 3rd 2010. We can’t save the World but we can certainly do our part. – Chris Flaherty
Watch below the video of Chris Flaherty’s speech at the Horn of Africa Conference in the Washington Metro Area on April 11, 2010:
“The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and conveniences, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.”
This is a quote from my biggest hero since childhood, Martin Luther King Jr. It was his movement that inspired me to make films documenting the pursuit of democracy and freedom on a World scale. My recent film, Migration of Beauty documents the historical events that led up to the tragic massacre of some 200 unarmed civilians during the 2005 Ethiopian elections. Out of this storm of tragedy rose one of the most promising leaders for Ethiopia’s future, BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA. Shortly after announcing her bid to run against the ruling party in the 2010 elections she was arrested and imprisoned, effectively eliminating any possibility of the ruling party, the EPRDF to lose the election.
Birtukan Mideksa has been declared a “PRISONER OF CONSCIOUS” by Amnesty International and shares the same status as imprisoned Burmese dissident AUNG SAN SUU KYI. President Obama has made a public statement affirming Aung San Suu Kyi’s status as a prisoner of conscious and called for her release. To date, President Obama or the U.S. State Department have not made any such statements concerning the plight of Birtukan Mideksa supposedly because of vested U.S. interest in the Horn of Africa. The Obama Administration is demonstrating their willingness to appease Meles Zenawi and his EPRDF ruling party for the sake fighting the war on terror, trading off the freedom of an entire nation of people.
For a long time, relations between Eritreans and Ethiopians were antagonistic, combative, competitive and aggressive. Our relation is unique in the fact that we love each other, enjoy each other’s company and, there is a genuine affection for each other. There has always been a respect and love for one another. We have always managed to work and coexist even when situations were at the height of intense conflicts during war times.
However, there is also a love-hate relationship; there is a scar and a history of bloodshed that span for decades. We have paid dearly with countless lives, millions displaced with untold loss, damage and destruction of property. We have squandered opportunities to raise the level and the standard of living for our peoples. We have lost tremendous amount of time without fruitful exchange of ideas that can better the way we live. We have simply wasted valuable time, resources and energy by channeling our energies into unproductive and negative ways.
After the war broke out in 1998, many lost the friendships that lasted for decades before. People argued at work, in their neighborhood and with their friends with hostility. That went-on until the election of 2005. In my view, that is when Ethiopian views started to shift. Because, all of a sudden, Eritrea became less important on their discussions for the future of Ethiopia were suddenly on the table. Soon after the election, the situation in Ethiopia started to tighten. After seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, many Ethiopians were shocked to find the light destroyed and the tunnel filled with smoke to the point that they can no longer see any light.
Right then, the world witnessed the history of Ethiopia unfolding. TPLF dangled some meat for all-to-think that they can have a piece of it, and when the crowed became hungry took-away the meat and, sent the crowd home disappointed and hopeless. That is what happened to the millions, which took to the streets with the hopes of bringing a lasting change for Ethiopia. From there, the situation worsened. Meles started killing people on the streets and placed those who can threaten his power in jail, indiscriminately.
Since then, Ethiopian attitude started to gradually-shift on how they viewed Eritrea as a nation, the people and the government of Eritrea. Many Ethiopians started to look at Eritrea as a viable option to help them on their struggle against the tyrannical regime in Ethiopia. However, the Diaspora-Ethiopian-community believed that they could get help from their US and European friends to pressure Meles and the TPLF. However, after countless hearings, extensive lobbying, demonstrations and other campaigns, the best it yielded was a congressional resolution that failed on the Senate. Ethiopians grew extremely frustrated as a result. They lost the ability to decent in Ethiopia and, when they fled to countries such as Kenya, Sudan and Djibouti they were handed back to Ethiopia by force.
As a result, the idea of working with Eritrea started to grow and became the new reality that Ethiopians needed to come to terms with. Some went to Eritrea from the US and other places to explore and came away feeling good about their trips. These individuals took a risk and paid a price. They were, ridiculed as agents of Shaebia, traitors and so on but they kept on going back for more. One of those trailblazers is Ato Demise Belete, who deserves praise for taking chances and for daring to take the step.
From 2006 until 2008, Ethiopians mulled the idea, flirted with the idea and started experimenting with the idea of working with Eritrea. Suddenly working with Eritrea started to enter into the conversation of mainstream Ethiopia as a major topic of discussion. This signaled a shift on attitude that Ethiopians no longer see Eritrea as threat.
At that moment, two bright individuals decided to conduct an interview with President Isaias by traveling to Eritrea. In preparation to that interview, they decided to engage Ethiopians and asked the question: “If you were to ask any question to President Isaias Afwerki, what would you ask”? The people gave Ethiopianreview.com (ER) the answers in the form of questions to President Isaias. ER made the answers public for all to see. By opening dialogue, these two individuals put hard issues on the table and gave people a chance to discuss it. Suddenly, nothing was a taboo regarding Eritrean and Ethiopian issues.
These two individuals are Ato Sileshi Tilahun and Ato Elias Kifle. They deserve tremendous praise for their vision, guts and for daring to ask all the questions on their mind and in the minds of millions of Ethiopians around the world. They asked President Isaias candidly. There were no limits on what they can ask. It was frank and the most candid exchange between journalists and a president I have ever witnessed. President Isaias gave honest answers, and in the process, he changed the minds of many and, they started to see Eritrea differently.
What that interview did, is crack a mountain. It opened a new path. It opened a channel of communication and gave assurance at the highest level; clarified Eritrean positions; empowered Ethiopians by giving them a new channel on their effort to challenge the TPLF gang. It also gave Ethiopians freedom to engage with Eritreans and to find ways that we can work together for mutual interest and benefit. It is from that interview onwards that Eritreans and Ethiopians started to seek partnerships with each other in meaningful ways.
Many may fail to see the importance of the interview. However, the interview created a shift on attitude and is changing the way we see each other. It has given all an option to work towards a common goal. It took the hostility away thus freeing people from anger and resentments they harbored for years. It lifted some of the burden so we can resume a life free from aggression and anger. That is true leadership at work.
From that point on, like-minded-people, from both sides decided to seek each other in an effort to work together. We have worked diligently to establish a working relationship in an effort to galvanize and bring Eritreans and Ethiopians together towards common goals and objectives. When the UNjust sanction 1907 came, many Ethiopians took a principled stand and decided to support Eritreans on their march. The TPLF wanted to sell that solidarity position as if Eritrea is seeking support from Ethiopians because Eritrea is desperate. The reality is, however, the channel of communication and the working-relationship started way before the sanction was on the picture.
The March and what it Meant
After the UNjust sanction measure passed, Eritreans went on full gear to stand against it. There was a limited time from the time Eritreans decided to march until of Feb 22. The decision to invite our Ethiopian sisters and brothers was unanimous. We invited them to give a voice of solidarity and they accepted. We did not seek numbers. All we asked was for representatives from various Horn of African communities to come and give their voice of solidarity.
They came and marched with us blanketed by a colorful Ethiopian flag. It looked and felt natural. Those who were there had the conviction and determination to stand with Eritreans confidently. After the march, they stood on the podium in front of the State Department and gave their voices of solidarity.
All those individuals that stood on the podium took a major step that will have a lasting impact on future relations. They deserve a big kudos for their efforts and sacrifices. The event turned out to be a historic moment in the new era of Eritrean Ethiopian understanding. There is no doubt that whatever relation grows from now on will come from that moment. There are many people worth mentioning however, for the sake of time, I will mention a true dynamo. Ethiopia is lucky to have him; a Community Organizer Extraordinaire Ato. Neamin Zeleke. He deserves tremendous praise and admiration for his determination, vision, bravery, brilliance and doggedness.
This is what the march achieved:
* Eritreans felt good to see Ethiopians in their midst. This is the first time in my life that I witnessed Eritreans and Ethiopians in an important event walking together in support of each other. It was historic and surreal.
* It was joyful to see the reaction of Eritreans as they welcomed their Ethiopian brothers and sisters because it was sincere.
* It showed that we do not have to fight and that we can work together.
* It introduced Ethiopians to Eritrean communities first-hand and, enabled them to see how Eritrean communities operate, in person.
* For the first time, Eritreans and Ethiopians have a legitimate way to reach out for one another using channels they can work with. In other words, a Weyane agent cannot claim to be Eritrean and fool any one because we have a legitimate link. For example, when the decision was-made to set this conference, Ethiopians knew whom to contact. That is important, because it streamlines the process. From now on, all we have to do is build on it.
* It gave the cancer of the Horn of Africa, Meles Zenawi and the TPLF gangs, many sleepless nights because Ethiopians are controlling their agenda and working with Eritreans openly.
The march was symbolic. It was a groundbreaking ceremony. It was a sign of a new day for Eritreans and Ethiopians. It was a moment that Ethiopians shed the past in an effort to move forward. It was also significant because it sent a message to all Ethiopians around the world that, they are welcome by Eritreans everywhere. It was simply magnificent and surreal to witness how Eritreans cheered all those who stood on the podium regardless of what language they used to address them.
The key, President Isaias said Eritreans and Ethiopians needed to talk to each other and work-together. Well, it must be clear to all Ethiopians by now; it is not just President Isaias who welcomed Ethiopians, but thousands of Eritreans welcomed Ethiopians indeed; and those that marched are a reflection of the entire Eritrean nation.
What next?
If the march was a groundbreaking ceremony, it means that we need to build a foundation. We need to build a foundation from concrete, steel and all the sturdy materials that make a foundation solid to the point that nothing can shake it loose.
That foundation needs to be principled and simple. It needs to embrace PEACE as a core- value. We need to embrace the idea of my-brothers-keeper. That means we need to stand for one another, not against each other. We need to refocus on what matters the most to us. That means kids and mothers that suffered for decades, helplessly. We need to make a commitment to support each other. We need to work to rebuild our social and physical infrastructures. We need to build our schools, hospitals and reservoirs. In, simple terms, we need to focus on the bread and butter issues and nothing else. Therefore, we must learn to cooperate in every arena: as sovereign nations, as people, as friends and as neighbors. Now that we have established a link based on people-to-people, we can expand into other areas; but first, let us get rid of the mercenary thug in Menelik Palace.
However, while the possibilities to work for the greater good are there, we cannot underestimate the threats. We need to be aware, know what the threats are, identify them, and be ready to challenge them. The threats are:
* There are many actors with varied interests keen on keeping the status-quo. They are not interested about the people as long as they can benefit by gaining power, influence and money ala Meles Zenawi and his cronies
* There are nations, including the major powers that have a much bigger ambitious agendas. Unfortunately, their interest never-aligns with the interest of the people in the region.
* Some of the threats are-based on our weaknesses, lack of understanding, ethnic and religious tendencies and egos.
* The combinations of these forces can work together all at the same time.
Unfortunately, the people in the Horn of Africa are facing all 4 threats all the time. A combination of greedy individuals, such as Meles, led and financed by superpowers with their own agendas; and the people from the Horn of Africa that are susceptible to division based on race, religion, ethnicity, stubbornness and egos.
In addition, one of the biggest problems we have, as people, is that we fail to communicate with each other genuinely. We lack understanding on how the PR works and how they use it on us. That is the number one weapon for information, disinformation and PR propaganda manipulations.
They have organized mechanisms, think tanks and various institutes to get as to talk about their agendas constantly. They use radio programs they fund through individuals. You can call him Niguse or Rezene, whoever. These people are easy to manipulate cheap. The TPLF gang uses the same tactics to attack the new relation between Eritreans and Ethiopians. However, people have tuned out the TPLF gang because everything they claim is exaggeration, misleading, fabrication, deceitful, condescending and outright lies. And they have learned, effective and aggressive ways to lobby their message- through.
Leading up to the march, TPLF did all that it can to discredit the Ethiopian marchers and the event but failed. After seeing the traction of the new Eritrean-Ethiopian relation, it has gone full force to try to own the issue and stop the momentum. They organized a conference and Meles said that he is willing to talk to President Isaias fully knowing well that it won’t happen.
Here is the kicker. In order to take attention away from this conference, TPLF sent a group, ostensibly in the name of “Opposition” from Ethiopia and they are holding a conference in Seattle as we speak. Here is what is funny. There is an election scheduled to take place in Ethiopia next month and these people are in Seattle campaigning to what end? And not to be outdone; they are featuring Ms. Birtukan Medeksa in their website as if she is there in person. The irony is, these people cannot and do not mention her name while in Ethiopia but they are trying to use her name in Seattle? That shows their total lack of integrity! While that is an attempt to create division and water-down the impact of this conference, it is also a sign of their desperation.
Ethiopians have taken control of their issues and messages. They are doing it on their own time and their way. Weizero Birtukan is here in spirit, and if she were here today, she will not be in Seattle; she will be here to address this group and expose the Weyane duplicity.
Concluding remarks
Our work just begun and we are on the right track. Over the last year, we have accomplished a lot. From the accomplishments, the most satisfying achievement is the fact that we have partners. We know when we want to deal with Ethiopians where to go and vice versa. That will help to streamline our collective messages and propel the relationship to a new height.
For decades, we grew apart and developed unneeded animosity. We all have take responsibility and take part of the blame. But what is sad is we have a lot that unites us. I have used this quote from Dr. Haile Mezghebe in the past and I will use it again because it is very relevant. We need to hear this repeatedly so it can sink in because it will make a difference.
He said, paraphrasing, {when I went to school, I learned how my teachers worked on issues. If there are 10 issues on the table and they disagreed on all nine but agreed on one issue; they set aside the nine and worked on- the-one issue they agreed on and worked up-words from there. To the contrary, while agreeing on all nine issues if we disagree on one issue, that one issue will tear-us-apart and become a major source of conflict.}That is powerful statement.
We have more reasons for unity that any issue that could create a wedge. There should be no hurdle to strengthen our relationship. I personally do not see any issues that could stop us from achieving the highest-form of friendship, partnership and neighborly relation.
The only issue that some Ethiopians dangle is the issue of access to the sea. However, Eritreans want Ethiopians to the have access to the sea as well. Eritreans want Ethiopia to be a successful nation. As President Isaias stated, Eritrea wants a united Ethiopia that is successful. The only impediment to improving the lives of millions of Ethiopians and Eritreans is not lack of access to the sea; it is the emotional barriers, lack of imagination and unwillingness to accept the reality; otherwise, there is no limit to what we could achieve as long as there is respect for territorial integrity and national sovereignty.
Therefore, our focus needs be to work together for the sake of peace and to bring a lasting change for the people of the Horn of Africa. Otherwise, we will continue on the same path, and exacerbate the current problems.
This is a question that we must ask; does any one think that, what is taking place in Somalia would continue if Somalis, Ethiopians, Eritreans and others from the region stood united and stood against it consistently? The answer is, No!
US policy in Africa will not change. That is something we need to accept as reality. For evidence, review the Senate Armed Services Committee March 9, 2010 hearing on Africom. Listen to all the recent comments by various US officials, and most importantly, look-back at the events that unfolded during the climate conference in Copenhagen between President Obama, President Sarkozy and Meles.
The only way US policy will change is if we are united. We have to be able to stand for each other. We have to be a unit to have a voice. That is how we can bring change we can believe in. That is how we can bring respect and sanity back to our people. That is how we can earn respect and demand accountability from politicians.
If we see unjustified incrimination on our Somali brothers today and you failed to stand up today, it will happen to you tomorrow. To do that, we have to overlook the baggage we carried for decades and look forward. We are all in the same boat regardless of where we come from. Therefore, we need to make a personal commitment to make sure that we are committed to the wellbeing of each other, for the safety, growth and wellbeing of our people.
There is a saying in Eritrea and it goes like this. “Firdi Guana Keinan Yu Metakosi.” What that means is when a stranger judges, it is always bent or twisted and creates fights amongst brothers. That means we have to look for indigenous solutions. To achieve that, we need to learn to trust each other by working through legitimate channels, by making a commitment for peace and each other.
As an Eritrean, I am glad and proud to know that my people and government are committed to the ideals I expressed.
I would like to make it clear that all the comments are my comments.
I sincerely thank the organizers of the event for doing a great job and for overcoming challenges. I would like to thank and congratulate Ato Neamin for doing a great job.
(The above was delivered at the recent Horn of Africa Conference on Good Governance that was held in the Washington Metro Area. Ato Amanuel Biedemariam can be reached at [email protected])
