THE PRIME MISERY MET HUMILIATION IN LONDON
By Wondimu Mekonnen
Feb 25, 2003
Ironically, against all odds, the tyrant of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, who not only let down Ethiopia, but even his own region, Tigray, was invited to lecture on “New Partnership for Africa’s Development” (NEPAD) at the prestigious Royal Institute of International Affairs (RIIA). The moment we knew about the organisations of this unthinkable event through inside informants, “Ethiopians In The Diaspora for Human Rights and Democracy” began preparation to counter this treachery. Once the event was posted on RIIA website, “Ethiopians In The Diaspora for Human Rights and Democracy” made its intentions public and alerted all Ethiopians everywhere to rise protest against the invitation of the tyrant. (The Alert was posted on 17 February 2003). The number of e-mails and faxes that flooded into the institute took the unsuspecting institute staff. They have never encountered such an opposition in their entire existence since inception. One informed us that the mailbox was overloaded and they were unable to open their e-mail, as most of the messages went as word attachments. Now we learn that they were totally misled by some hired PR agents and cadres of Meles in London.
Then the eagerly awaited 24 February came. By four o’clock, St James Square was totally occupied by Ethiopian protestors from all walks of life. Police came on huge and powerful horses to contend the angry participants. The sound was totally defining. The peace of the surrounding area was totally wrecked by shouting and protesting Ethiopians. St James Square had never seen something like that. Passers by looked panicked since had never seen in the past such a noise taking place in such quite and prestigious corner of St James Square. Just about a mile down, there is Buckingham Palace. Queen Elisabeth herself must have been concerned about the noise at her backyard. However, Scotland Yard was only a couple of hundred meters away, therefore, it was easy to deploy as many police as they could if need be. That was clearly seen.
Among the demonstrators, there were faces from among friends of Ethiopia, human right groups and some journalists. Among the friends of Ethiopia who joined the protesters were the most familiar faces, Steve Sinnot and all his NUT staff. Amazingly, Steve met the tyrant earlier during the day, when Meles went to talk to the Parliamentary Committee at House of Commons. It was reported that Steve Sinnot confronted The Prime Misery introducing himself as the Deputy General Secretary of NUT, who is very much aware of the plight of sisterly organisation, Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA), which is a fellow member of Education International. Steve reminded the audience that ETA is an organisation whose President, Dr Taye Woldesemiate was unfairly detained and sentenced to 15 years, 6 years of which he served and finally came out due to the pressure of the international community. Its Deputy General Secretary, Assefa Maru was murdered and his killers are still at large. Gemoraw Kassa, the General Secretary, is in London in exile and now contemplating to return home. However, Steve Sinnot expressed trade unions’, human rights organisations’ and his own fear for safety of Gemoraw, given the gross violation of human rights that prevailed in the past in Ethiopia. Meles immediately fired back by saying, if there is no standing charge against Gemoraw, he is welcome home. Steve came straight where belonged, with us, the protesting voice of the Voiceless. The NUT staff stayed with us to the end.
Police was present in full riot gears. There were Police cars everywhere. For the first time, fully armed rapid reaction police force in black and Bulletproof attires were seen ready to bring any event under control. There were too many pushing and squabbling. Horses were used to keep about 700 roaming protestors behind barriers. The horses could not keep the people where they wanted them to stand. Therefore, more barriers and more police force were brought in to manage the unmanageable crowed.
While the most vibrant and scary demonstration was going on the outside, Ato Getachew Alemayehu, one of the movers and shakers of this vigil, managed to obtain entry ticket with the help of his close inside friends. Ato Getachew and some other friends went in with a letter of protest, took their seat and waited for the arrival of the Judas, the traitor. One observation Ato Getachew and our men made was, only about 20% of the audience represented members of the Institutes and invited non-Ethiopian guests. 80% of the audience were Embassy staff members including the cleaner, the dwindling in number TPLF supporters and all the “hoddams” in London, members of the so-called “Ethiopian National Consensus Forum – U.K.” All that hoopla was nothing but seriously a meeting of TPLF and its cadres and very few non-suspecting Englishmen.
Six police heavy armoured jeeps that were seen normally being used in Northern Ireland against possible IRA attack were brought in and used to block the passage between Chatham House and the adjacent building. The armoured and menacing police filled in every empty space. We realised that there was no way Meles would come like a hero through the front door. As expected, with heavy protection Meles and Seyoum were bundled into the hall hidden from the eyes of shouting and screaming crowed through the back door, like a criminal on a murder charge that is usually escorted to the court. Although we did not see the traitor, we knew what had exactly happened at that moment and we rocked the place with heavy scream – MURDERER! ARREST THE MURDERER! MELES IS WORSE THAN SADDAM! DOWN WITH THE MURDERER! MELES IS A TERRORIST…
Ato Abebaw Yigzaw, an elderly man who witnessed this humiliation of Meles said: “In Ethiopia this man lives in hiding. He hides himself from Ethiopians because he knows he has no friends. Going abroad did not make his life any better. He is forced to travel in hiding. He is not living a normal life but a life is of hide and seek.” What do you expect? Thieves do not have a face to show in the open. They have to hide themselves.
According to Ato Getachew’s report, when Meles and his minister, were smuggled in, one could read panic and horror on their faces. “yetetqosebat dikula meslo neber alu”. Neither of them nor the Institute expected such a hostile crowed would turn out to shake the earth with a booming protest voice.
Meles’s entire talk could be summarised as follows, according to one of our men who went in. If the developed world doesn’t provide with adequate help for African Governments, many people are going to be more impoverished. This poor people would immigrate to Europe and America to seek better life. That is a recipe for more refugees and terrorists. Poverty creates refugees and terrorists. Therefore, if Europe and America do not want refugees and terrorists on their doorsteps, they should pump resources to finance regimes like Meles to control the people. Pure logic.
During the question and answer time, our man, Ato Getachew Alemayehu got a chance to tell the traitor what was wrong with his government. In a country where there is no justice, democracy, famine and starvation, talking about NEPAD doesn’t mean anything. Talking about New Partnership for Africa’s Development to a man with an empty stomach doesn’t make sense. Before you talk of Africa, bring first your house in order.
In the mean time, the protestors were giving the hardest time to the heavily present police force. People are so angry because a bag of rotten tomatoes and tens of baskets of eggs were brought along to make such a nice reception for the Prime Misery. Unfortunately, the demonstrators were denied a chance to greet their Prime Misery with colour.
What makes this huge protest special is, for the first time in the history of Ethiopian demonstration in London OLF supporters came out in bulk in the open and joined the mainstream protestors in condemning Meles, the tyrant and traitor. With them was Ogaden Liberation Front. This shows that only united we can stand against suppression. Any way, as people mixed up, it was not possible to distinguish who was what. Simply speaking, it was a nightmare for the police though we exactly knew what we were doing.
The slogans were piercing:
Meles cannot speak for Africa!
Meles cannot represent Ethiopia!
Shame on you for inviting Meles!
Shame on you for inviting a dictator!
Shame on you for inviting a murderer!
Meles is a traitor!
Meles is a national disgrace for Africa!
Down with Meles and his company!
Down with Meles and his party!
Arrest Meles!
Meles is a terrorist!
Meles is worse than Saddam!
Shifting to Amaric:
Meles lEba new!
Meles geday new!
Meles inquan leAfrica lemenderum alhonem!
Meles banda new!
We also had something for “hodams” like Yalew, Zelalem, Admasu and Co.
yebanda ida hodu new!
yebanda ida! (lead voice)
hodu! (together)
yebanda ida!
Hodu!
yebanda ida!
hodu!
yebanda ida!
Hodu!
banda! (lead voice)
agerun yekeda! (together)
banda!
Wegenun yekeda!
banda ager yelewum!
banda hod inji wegen yelewum!
At the end, Meles could not stay the whole night there. He had to come out! Protestors exactly knew when he was going to be brought out. The moment the Police started building up police jeep and human barrier at the passage between Chatham House and the adjacent building so that no one could pass through, we knew the traitor was going to be smuggled out just the way he was smuggled in. Screams and swears rocked the place once more. No one could hear what the other is saying. Simply speaking it was out of this world to describe. Totally nervous police and security men bundled the TPLF tribalist tyrant and Foreign Minister once more through the back door, out of the site of the angry protestors, shoved them into a van or a car of some sort and sped to disappear into the dark from that dreadful place.
Just as we were about to disperse, an information came. The tyrant was planning to hold a dinner party at the Embassy next evening for his treacherous groups of yes men and the hired foreign PR agents. We were not quite sure, but few people were assigned to go and make sure they wouldn’t dine in peace. Therefore, on 25 February 2003, another smaller vigil was organised and on the 11th hour permission was obtained from the Police. Recalling their nightmare on the previous day, heavy police force came and stood between the protestors and the Embassy. The tyrant leader did not come until 8 o’clock. When he came, just like the other day, he again hid himself and entered the embassy through the back door. Once in, they shut the window curtains and disappeared. The protestors continued wrecking the peace of the surrounding area by shouting and demanding the release of political prisoners, justice for the murdered, to stop persecuting teachers, journalists and human rights activists. Later, just as he went in hidden, he came out hidden and sped into the darkness.
Meles’s life is not life, but a hell. Wherever he went, his dirty action is going to haunt him. Unless he returns immediately, Ethiopians have vowed to follow him wherever he went and give him the worst nightmare.
-end
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