During the past five years, the Woyanne ruling junta has systematically taken over the Ethiopian Sports Federation in North America (ESFNA) through bribery and other scheme. As a result, the organization has become a tool for the ruling party and a source of embarrassment for the Ethiopian community in N. America. This year concerned members of ESFNA have started to take measures to take back their organization. They came up with a set of measures, including 1) hire an independent CPA to audit ESFNA finances, 2) invite Judge Birtukan Mideksa, a former prisoner of conscience, the first Ethiopian woman to head a major political party, and a prominent judge who fought to assert the independence of the judiciary in Ethiopia, as a guest of honor at the next annual event.
As expected, the individuals who have sold out ESFNA to Woyanne have violently opposed both plans. Apparently, having Birtukan, a person whom Woyanne tried to humiliate, as a guest of honor is unacceptable to the Woyanne servants. So after the majority of the board voted in favor of inviting Birtukan, they forced the chairman to try to invalidate the vote. They also threatened to physically attack board members who proposed the plan. The spineless chairman’s action angered the board members and many walked out in protest. A few hours later, Ethiopian Review reported what had transpired at the board meeting.
The Woyanne servants (ashkeroch) led by Eyaya Arega and Fassil Abebe went on a propaganda offensive to try to defuse the public anger that was caused by their attempt to void the board’s vote. Their action also opened the Pandora’s Box. The media has started to shine light on ESFNA. What is now being uncovered is appalling. Eyaya and gang not only sold ESFNA to Woyanne for crumbs, they have also made the organization their personal cash cow at the expense of the 27 teams that make up the association. (Ethiopian Review is continuing to investigate the corruption inside ESFNA.)
The heat is on
The ESFNA teams are considering to withdraw their association, and the next annual event that is scheduled to be held in Atlanta in July 2011 is facing an imminent boycott. The looming threat of losing ESFNA prompted Woyanne propaganda chief Berket Simon to intervene directly on behalf of his agents by publishing a 5-page attack piece on his recently launched web site, Ethiochannel.net.et (click here [or here] to read) and laugh.
[Update: Ethiochannel web site has crashed after Ethiopian Review posted this piece.We have saved Bereket’s article just in case, and it can be accessed or here.]