U.S. aid to Ethiopia helps neither (CNN)
CNN by: Erin Burnett August 23, 2012
Here’s the bottom line: the United States gives a billion dollars a year in aid to a dictator, looks the other way on human rights, and China gets the prize.
CNN by: Erin Burnett August 23, 2012
Here’s the bottom line: the United States gives a billion dollars a year in aid to a dictator, looks the other way on human rights, and China gets the prize.
Urgent Press Release On Current Affairs
August 23, 2012 Finfinnee
Even if the death of the late PM of Ethiopia Meles Zenawi was rumoured months ago, the regimes media outlets have announced orchestrated news about his death only on 20th of August 2012. This is mainly due to the lengthy discussion and debates on unexpected succession conflict that is consuming the regime. Meles Zenawi was responsible for the terrible tragedies of human right abuse, torture, disappearance and death of thousands of innocent civilians in the past 21 years in Ethiopia, Nevertheless we feel sorry about his sudden death as any human being. It is uncontested public secret, except for his collaborators, that the rule of Meles Zenawi was authoritarian and fascistic. It is to be remembered that, we have issued a clear statement in April 2011 for the PM to resign for his responsibilities in the aforementioned crimes.
The past 21 years Ethiopia has indulged in terrible political, social and economic crisis. Despite issuing an attractive constitution, it is known that the regime implemented extreme version of Stalin and Lenin policy, where the three branch of government (Judiciary, Legislative and Executive) are merged to one entity under one individual. We have presented our concern and protest on several other areas of national issue. But none of our requests were materialized by the PM and his government.
Once again, we hereby ask the governing regime of EPRDF to act immediately to address our request chartered as follows:
1. All political prisoners of all background should be realised without any discrimination. Specially an estimated 25 thousands of Oromo’s imprisoned since 1991 should be released immediately and without any precondition.
2. Government should stop meddling in religious affairs and stop persecuting these who demanded their legitimate and constitutional right.
3. Recent proclamations concerning issues of “Terrorism or anti terror legislation”, Media and NGOs, which contradicts with the State constitution and seriously impedes human rights should be repealed immediately.
4. Long standing wars between the government and liberation fronts’ such as OLF, ONLF and others should be halted immediately. The government should initiate negotiations with all political parties and pave the way for peaceful settlement of major national issues.
5. The right to peaceful demonstration and association should be allowed as guaranteed in the Constitution. Other proclamations issued to restrict these rights should be revoked immediately.
6. The right to freedom of expression and association should also be guaranteed.
Qeerroo, the national youth movement for freedom and democracy (NYMFD), will continue its struggle until credible actions are taken to address the aforementioned requests.
The Oromo people and other oppressed nations of the Ethiopian empire should enhance their ongoing struggle to get their democratic and legitimate rights. Finally, we would like to underline that, our struggle continues until the repressive regime and its killing machine is gone for good.
Justice shall prevail.
Qeerroo: National Youth Movement for Freedom and Democracy (NYMFD)
August 23, 2012
Finfinnee
Gadaa.com August 22, 2012 at 1:26 pm ·
We, members of the Oromo Dialogue Forum (ODF), would like to extend our condolences to the family and relatives of the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi. The announcement of the death of Mr. Zenawi, who ruled Ethiopia for more than two decades, has triggered an outpouring of conflicting emotions by his friends and foes alike. He has been praised as a great leader by the former and maligned as a tyrant by the latter. We believe that the more constructive way of reacting to this development should be considering it as an opportune moment for reflection.
Prime Minister Meles Zenawi leaves behind a very conflicting legacy. He was a very clever politician on the international arena. While he worked hard to win friends abroad, and was seen more comfortable with foreigners, he shunned dialogue at home, was less accessible to Ethiopians, and rarely seen in public. He played a very prominent role and was praised on the international stage, but he remained a very divisive figure at home. He never attempted to solicit broad domestic support, and the one thing that mattered most to him was international legitimacy to buttress his domestic hold on power. Consequently, he bequeathed widespread violations of human rights, abuse of power, simmering internal conflicts arising from the divergent attitudes about the character of Ethiopia, compounded by increasing clashes with various religious groups. At the same time, Ethiopian troops are embroiled in the Somali imbroglio while tensions with Eritrea remain very much alive. Therefore, he leaves behind a leadership that is facing many internal and external challenges in the absence of his firm guidance.
The only way to settle the crises stemming from these simultaneous internal and external challenges, we believe, is by convening an inclusive National Convention in order to reform and build a new and democratic state on the basis of equal citizenship, a state that reflects the diversity of its peoples, safeguards their equality, unity, welfare, fundamental human rights, and sovereignty. Such a national convention provides the opportunity to hammer out a compromise on the character of the state, deliberate on how it should be governed, and arrive at a common national purpose, the precondition for the diverse peoples of Ethiopia to live together in harmony, peace, dignity, and justice. We believe this noble vision is achievable provided that all concerned display the willingness to jettison the deep-seated political culture of wanting to impose one’s preferred positions, and uphold the principle of accommodation and common solutions.
In particular, we call upon the TPLF/EPRDF to stop deceiving itself that it can impose its will by force and single-handedly solve Ethiopia’s multifaceted problems and challenges. We also call upon those who wish to restore the order of yesteryears to realize that the danger inherent in such an undertaking would only lead to further violence and bloodshed.
The political crisis in Ethiopia today is not just an ideological one; it is neither a preference between democracy and dictatorship, nor a choice between poverty and development. Ethiopia’s ills run deeper. At its core is the way successive rulers have treated the peoples of Ethiopia as only subjects with obligations to the state, instead of citizens with rights. The problem is rooted in a lack of societal consensus on the character and ownership of the Ethiopian state. The specter of armed struggle, repression, secrecy, and political conflict will not end until, and unless, this lack of legitimacy of state power in Ethiopia is addressed. This entails not only reasonably meeting the aspirations of the oppressed nationalities but also the desire to maintain the country’s unity. And we believe dialogue offers the best route out of the crises. Vengeance invites vengeance, and the cycle will continue without end. To break this vicious cycle of violence that had besieged us for many years, we should start a new era of negotiated settlement and bring about a peaceful resolution to our common problems. There cannot be unilateral solutions, military or civil, to our political problems either by the opposition or the government.
This is why we wish to kick start a dialogue involving all political groups, including the ruling party, culminating in the convening of a National Convention in order to chart a clear path towards state transformation and a democratic future by laying the groundwork for the emergence and consolidation of institutions of a truly democratic system that warrant and enjoy the respect of all of Ethiopia’s diverse peoples. Only the building of credible, neutral, and competent state institutions that inspire the confidence of all parties, can guarantee the holding of free and fair elections, leading to forging a more modern, unified, federal, developed, and democratic state that is owned and defended by all its constituents.
The political heirs of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi can lay him to rest in peace by heeding to the clarion call for national dialogue and consensus. His admirers in the international community can also best do justice to his legacy by supporting such a process of inclusiveness for a genuinely and sustainably stable and prosperous Ethiopia.
Oromo Dialogue Forum
August 22, 2012
Media Contacts:
Lencho Lata
Lencho Bati,
Dr. Dima Nogo
Dr. Bayan Asoba,
Qunnamtiif : waltajjiim@gmail.com
The Gulele Post Added by Jawar on August 22, 2012.
Today, as Meles’ family, friends and supporters cry over his death, I wipe for my good friend Nasir Abdo, whom Meles took away from me. I am not going to rejoice Meles’ death, I am just going to mourn my best friend!
I leave you with Nasir Abdo’s favorite song, Usmayyoo Mussaa’s “Sodaa Lubbuu”. Usmayyoo sings about his unwillingness to leave the country out of fear. As he declared, he stayed behind while many left, and after 8 years of incarceration without any charge he was ultimately tortured to death, never flinching from the cause of freedom.
Sodaa lubbuu tiyyaa jedhee
Biyyaa bahee,
Garbaa ceehe
Hin jiraadhuu kan bir tahe
Biyyaa fi biyyee toorattii
Lafaafi aanaa koo keessattii
Haqaa falmachuudhaa murtiin