By Bito
Dear Blen Tamirat Layne,
I read your open letter to the ‘Government of Ethiopia’ requesting the release of your father Ato Tamirat Layne, who was the vice chairman of the ruling Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Democratic Party (EPRDF), prime minister and, later, deputy prime minister and minister of defense. I read your letter on Ben’s Ethiopiafirst web. First of all let me tell you that I lack words to express my sadness and sympathy to Ethiopian children like you and children elsewhere on our earth who miss their parents due to unjust and unlawful measures taken by bad and unpopular governments. Although I have no personal relationship or intimacy with your dad, I have some information about him. When EPRDF (the party your dad was co-leading as the second top man only to Meles Zenawi) came to power in 1991 through armed warfare against the then Ethiopian national armed forces I was living in Addis Ababa and have been there when your dad was in power. And I was there in Addis when your dad was arrested also.
Your letter really impressed me and took my heart when I read it. I understand how it feels to miss one’s dad, especially at your age. But your letter also motivated me to send you this short response to leave a message for you and other young Ethiopians, the new generation, who will take over the country. I want to leave you a message that you will carry on with you throughout your life.
Dear Blen, let me mention that you and your little sister are not the only kids who miss their dad or family member in that country, but you are only two of tens of thousands of Ethiopian children who lost their dads, moms or other family members in similar way as you did. The same brutal and unlawful system took the dads and moms of many children from homes and separated them from their beloved kids. Few of those dads and moms have been fortunate enough to be allowed to go back home after years of unjust and illegal languish in prison. The second group of victims is still in prison like your dad and their children are always looking forward to seeing them at home one day exactly like you do. No one knows what their final fate could be. It is in the hands of dictators. Still there are other third groups that are so unlucky and are missed forever. These unfortunate ones have been killed by the system in one way or the other (some were killed in intentional killing, others through brutal mishandling) and their children always ask for and about their dads or moms for ever. And all the family and friends remain sad with no hope of one day seeing each other.
Finally there is the fourth group of victims. These ones are simply taken from home or work place or anywhere in the street, thrown to some unknown corner (usually hidden underground facilities or remote rural military facilities, all of which are not official prisons but covert detention facilities), and are missed for indefinite terms. Their where abouts and howabout are not known. Their children ask about them, but no family member has the answer. They are dead or alive, no one knows. They will come back home or they will not, no one can tell. Is it not very sad?
Let me tell you one story here. My uncle is one of group four victims. Ever since he was taken from home in Wollega in June of 1992, when your dad was in command, I and my families have never heard about him. No one knows whether he is alive or killed. He is missing and missing for indefinite time. When he was abducted, he was only a year’s groom and his wife was pregnant. That child was borne after some three months and is now a 17 year old boy. Ever since he managed to ask questions, Gadisa has been asking about his dad. He asks who his dad is, where his dad is and when his dad will come home. He has never seen his dad and neither has his dad seen him. Additionally, I have a close friend and blood relative that falls in group three above. He was taken from field in rural farming neighborhood, detained in concentration camp for some days, and killed and thrown away about a year after we missed my uncle. The killers did not allow us to conduct respectful funeral although they reluctantly permitted us to take his body after two days. I have several friends who belong to groups one and two.
As a result of this fact your dad is not the only political prisoner in Ethiopia. As you know he is only one of tens of thousands of political prisoners who are suffering in various covert and overt prisons and detention centers in different parts of Ethiopia. Consequently, you and your sister are also not the children who miss their father, but you are only two on many such Ethiopian children. In the same way such kinds of unjustly detaining dads and moms, and leaving children sad is not something started by the current government of Ethiopia. Rather, it has been a common practice of governments in Ethiopia ever since governments started in Ethiopia and Ethiopia was established as a nation. People have always been suffering under every government in Ethiopia although the intensity and target group might vary. It is unfortunate that your dad is one target under this government. But I must say and, I hope, you would agree that you might be in a better situation than many other Ethiopian children who share similar fate with you in several ways. Many of the children whose dads or moms are missing do not get any or sufficient support for living and school. Many of the prisoners are in worse conditions than your dad is in being held in worse places under much worse situations. The manner in which most political prisoners are handled and treated in that country involves various agonies including torture and physical abuse. Furthermore, many children and family cannot visit their arrested family and still many others lost their families forever. Don’t you think you are fortunate some how?
Additionally, please allow me to mention one fact. Your dad was ones a top political leader and the top executive officer of the Ethiopian government when he was part of the EPRDF-led government from 1991 to his arrest. With the capacity he held he was only second in command both in the ruling EPRDF party and the national government next to Meles Zenawi and he, by implication, was the second man in charge of every thing that happened in the country that time. Consequently, we must believe that during that time he was also doing the same thing that Ethiopian leaders do. I am going to open a can of worms.
When your dad was in government power with the second most powerful authority in Ethiopia, human right violations were the same at highest level as they are today. Unlawful detention of citizens merely on suspicious basis, missing and extrajudicial killings were common practices throughout the country especially in Oromia, Somali and the south. Genocide and crimes against humanity as a strategy to silence political dissent and abolish the people’s struggle for their right committed against the Ethiopian peoples and especially the Oromo were so extensive practice of his government and his party. All prison facilities in the country during his time were as full to their maximum capacities as they are today and your dad just joined some of his own prisoners later. But it is fortunate that he is in a better situation where there is fair treatment and handling, visitations by family, media and international institutions.
Coming back to my point, there is logical and credible conclusion that he was not only part of the brutal EPRDF regime, but also the top responsible person for things that happened in the country when he was in power. The problem is human being does not feel that he is doing wrong to the other until such time when he himself becomes a victim comes. I do not have sufficient evidence to comment on the issue of “Liking Sugar” and inappropriate use of power in which the Meles Zenawi group charged your dad. “Sugar Liking” was the term the Meles group used before it developed “MUSINA” as a standard term.
Please be informed that I am not intending to charge or incriminate your father because this is not the right place for that. I understand how it feels to be a direct victim or a family of victim especially victim’s child like you. I am writing this because I understand what that means. Let me ask you one question. I know you both were too young when your dad was in power. But can you now guess that there were people who were treated by your dad directly or indirectly in the same or worse manner he is being treated now by others? Yes or no?
Let me ask the last question and that brings me to my message. Do you think that such acts of arresting each other should continue or we should stop it some where and establish a free and democratic system where we do not arrest or attack each other for political reasons? Should we advance politics of fear and suspicion or we should compromise our political differences and work out to design equitable politico-economic system that benefits every one? Should we keep on attacking each other turn by turn and promote a politics of revenge or should we come to political reconciliation and create a system in which governments serve the people and are held accountable for their deeds. The choice is for you – the new generation.
You have made no mistake in asking for the release of your dad. Every body has to. But, as you understand, even if your dad is released there will still be other dads and moms remaining in prison. Would you still be concerned for other Ethiopian children and keep on asking for the release of their dads and moms? Further, will you intend to join thousands of other children who miss their parents or family in the same way and unite on this outstanding cause of the question for justice or you will be selfish enough to keep silent once you get your own answer? Even if your dad is released, what is the guarantee that he will not be taken back to prison or that your other family member will not get the same fate as far as the system is there in place? Moreover, don’t you think that you, one day when you grow up, may face similar chance and be arrested like your dad and your kids will miss you like you do now as far as the system doesn’t change. Let us work together to end this system that arrests dads, moms or uncles and ensure that it will never come back.