By Yilma Bekele
“The misguided extremist Diasporas have been cheering up for the last couple of days. You know why? Hillary Clinton will not visit Ethiopia during her trip to Africa. Hmm! Who cares if the N**** administration ignores Ethiopia?!” Aigaforum.com
U.S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is visiting Africa. She is on a seven-nation tour that includes Kenya, South Africa, Angola, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nigeria, Liberia and Cape Verde. If you notice Ethiopia is not included. Why isn’t Ethiopia included is a good question.
Ethiopia is the seat of African Union. Ethiopia is the second most populated country in Africa. Ethiopia is one of the oldest Nation State in the world. Ethiopia is known for staying independent while most of the planet was colonized by European powers.
We Ethiopians were sad when President Obama choose Ghana as his first stop to showcase his commitment to democracy and the rule of law on our continent. We were happy for Ghana; nevertheless we were disappointed we were not accorded such honor. His Secretary of State bypassed our old kingdom and choose Kenya as the first leg of her African tour.
It is not just another humiliation to be shrugged off. We feel slighted. In diplomatic circles it is seen as a major put down. It is a loud and clear statement by President Obama’s administration that our country is not worthy of positive attention.
The reason Ethiopia is totally ignored is not because our country is not important in both continental and international affairs. It is not because we are poor and backward. It is not because we are not strong. The only reason we are considered not worthy of attention is because we have a government structure that is undemocratic, illegal and seen as a pariah in civilized circles.
The TPLF regime is the reason for our humiliation. Both President Obama and his Secretary of State were not willing to be seen associating with a dictatorial regime. They were not willing to bestow such honor on a regime that views it s citizens as sub humans to be bullied and abused.
How did the regime responded to such a loud statement by the US government? Did the TPLF regime saw the slight as an opportunity to question their policy on human rights and good governance? Did it make them pause and see the wrong road they are traveling? Was it a cause of discussion among the ruling party to see what can be done to remedy the ugly situation?
None of the above is the answer. The mouth piece of the TPLF regime choose to sink so law that it is even shameful to repeat what was said and written. It is unspeakable. TPLF is Aiga Forum. Aiga Forum is TPLF. What Aiga Forum published on it website is beyond reprehensible. It is ugly and it is not Ethiopian. I repeat it with sadness and a very heavy heart. I quote Aiga Forum because all civilized people should see TPLF’s ugliness. The Ethiopian people have been the recipient of such verbal and physical humiliation by the TPLF regime for the last eighteen years. Following is what Aiga Forum published on its web site.
“The misguided extremist Diasporas have been cheering up for the last couple of days. You know why? Hillary Clinton will not visit Ethiopia during her trip to Africa. Hmm! Who cares if the N**** administration ignores Ethiopia?!” Aigaforum.com
To use such ugly and despicable term to describe the President of the United States is madness in its extreme state. To describe a universally loved, respected administration as such is beyond insanity. To use that word on a fellow black person is incomprehensible. Even to think in such terms about the leader of the free world is very sick. It is a loaded word that has been used as a putdown on our African American brethren.
We Ethiopians are not cheering Mrs. Clinton’s non-visit to our homeland. We are saddened. We know how to differentiate between our dear nation and the government. We are torn between our love for our homeland and the ramifications of a visit that will bestow legitimacy on an illegal regime.
The publishers of Aiga Forum and their cousins in Ethiopia are so used to insulting us, putting us down and humiliating us that they thought nothing of it when they heaped their insult on our brother. We might be cruel with each other, we might have gone astray the last few years and done some shameful things to each other but we want the world to know that we are god fearing, neighbor loving and loyal people. We are saddened, ashamed and deeply disturbed by the sick statement uttered by our fellow Ethiopians. We wish it was never said, but we want the world to understand what our country is going thru at this very moment under the tyranny of the TPLF regime. We ask for forgiveness.