Journalism is not Terrorism: EFF

Electronic Freedom Foundation Calling on Ethiopia to Free Eskinder Nega

By Rainey Reitman | Electronic Freedom Foundation

Eskinder Nega, an award-winning journalist who has been imprisoned for over a year, appeared briefly in court to appeal the terrorism charges levied against him. Eskinder has unwaveringly denied the charges, maintaining that blogging about human rights abuses and democracy is not a form of terrorism. In July, Eskinder was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his reporting. In court this week, his appeal was cut short: according to one report EFF received from partners working on his case, Eskinder was not allowed to read his defense statement and the appeal was rescheduled to November 22. We are continuing to seek confirmation about the status of the trial. For now, we’re asking concerned individuals to join us in calling on the Ethiopian government to live up to the promises in their own Constitution and free Eskinder Nega.

While many journalists have either fled Ethiopia or been silenced by repressive policies, Eskinder Nega has become a national symbol for press freedom. Educated in the United States in the 1980s, Nega studied political science and economics at American University. He subsequently returned to Ethiopia where he has worked as a journalist for over twenty years. Nega founded 4 newspapers –all of which were shut down by the Ethiopian government –and has been jailed 9 times in the last two decades for his outspoken articles.

Upon his release from prison in 2007, Nega’s journalism license was revoked and he was banned from working on newspapers. He immediately turned to the Internet and began using blogs to speak out. Some of his work has been published on Ethiomedia, a blog that is inaccessible from inside Ethiopia.

Four years later in 2011, Nega was the recipient of the PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award. Peter Godwin, President on the PEN American Center, noted that Eskinder understood the risks of continuing to speak out publicly:

He went back into the breach knowing full well what the risks were for doing so. He had a number of other options. He grew up in the DC area. He could have left the country, but he chose to stay. He’d been arrested 6 or 7 times before, he’s had newspapers closed down. He’s really been hounded by the Ethiopian regime.

Birtukan Midekssa, a former federal judge and opposition leader in Ethiopia, says Nega has been unwavering even in the face of death threats from the police. Midekssa said: “At some point, they told him that, you know, they are tired of arresting him. And they said, this time around, we are not going to arrest you, we are going to kill you. Better stop it. But he can’t, you know. He can’t stop. That’s him.”

Already targeted by police, Eskinder Nega drew even more ire from the Ethiopian government when he continued to blog about the Arab Spring uprisings. Through articles like As Egypt and Yemen protest, wither Ethiopia’s opposition? and Egypt’s and General Tsadkan’s lesson to Ethiopian Generals, Nega discussed the implications of the pro-democracy movements in North Africa and the Middle East on Ethiopia. Nega was picked up by the police in February 2011. According to a harrowing account Nega wrote afterwards, he was interrogated at length about his journalism, and the police threatened to seek retribution against him if protests broke out in Ethiopia.

A few months later, he was arrested again. This time, Eskinder Nega was charged with terrorism.

Where are all the Newspapers? The Plight of Independent Press and Ethiopia’s Internet Access

To understand the risk –and importance—of Nega’s work, one must first understand the status of independent media in Ethiopia. TheEthiopian Constitution promises to uphold freedom of expression, stating: “Everyone has the right to freedom of expression without any interference. This right shall include freedom to seek, receive and impart information and ideas of all kinds, regardless of frontiers, either orally, in writing or in print, in the form of art, or through any media of his choice.” But Ethiopia has a dark history of shutting down newspapers and imprisoning journalists.

Immediately prior to the 1990s, there was no independent media to speak of in Ethiopia as the country struggled under a Communist regime and devastating famines. The early 1990s saw major political change in the country. Communism was ousted, a bicameral legislature and judicial system were created, and a new Constitution was written and enacted. Meles Zenawi, who would prove himself deeply aligned with U.S. interests, governed—initially as President, then as Prime Minister. While in some way Zenawi helped Ethiopia to recover after many difficult years of conflict and depravation, his government was marked by an intractable disrespect for human rights and press freedom.

In 1992, Ethiopia issued a Press Proclamation that, in addition to other restrictions on free expression, gave the government the ability to shut down publications that printed “false” information. Ethiopia became one of the leading countries in imprisoning journalists during the 1990s, trailing only Cuba and China.

In the lead up to the 2005 election, there was a brief period of improved journalistic freedom in Ethiopia. However, the aftermath of the controversial election brought a severe crack down on independent media. Even as clashes between government troops and protesters left dozens of civilians dead, law enforcement began a witch-hunt for journalists. Dozens of journalists were arrested and charged with serious crimes such as treason and even genocide. Some of these journalists faced decades in prison or even the death sentence.

The Committee to Protect Journalists described the crackdown:

Along with issuing its “wanted lists,” the government raided newsrooms, blocked newspapers from publishing, and expelled two foreign reporters, including a long-serving Associated Press correspondent. About a dozen exiled Ethiopian journalists were charged in absentia with treason. The U.S. government-funded Voice of America and Germany’s Deutsche Welle, which broadcast radio programs into Ethiopia in local languages, were targeted by smear campaigns in state media, endangering their local correspondents…Eight newspapers were shut as a result of criminal indictments and the jailing of their top journalists.

Many of the journalists who were not arrested fled the country or stopped reporting. The few newspapers that survived the purge increased their self-censorship.

Eskinder and his then-pregnant wife, Serkalem Fasil, a newspaper publisher, were both arrested during the 2005 crackdown on dissent. They each spent over a year in prison.

In Ethiopia today, journalism is still a dangerous occupation. In July 2009, the Ethiopian parliament passed the Anti-Terror Proclamation, a sweeping piece of “anti-terrorism” legislation that’s been used to imprison journalists and political dissidents. Amnesty International researcher Claire Beston, who was expelled from Ethiopia in August of last year, has criticized the application of the law, noting: “Since the law has been introduced, it’s been used more to prosecute opposition members and journalists than persons who might be committing so-called terrorist activities.”

Eskinder Nega criticized the anti-terrorism law just before he was arrested for violating it. In the article, Eskinder pointed to Debebe Eshetu, a famous actor, whose imprisonment under the anti-terrorism law Eskinder said “defies logic.”

The problems with press freedom in Ethiopia are compounded because the majority of the population can’t get to the open Internet, which might otherwise give them access to international news outlets.

Part of this is due to difficulties in accessing the Internet at all. Internet penetration in Ethiopia is among the lowest in all of sub-Saharan Africa. According to Open Net Initiative’s 2009 report, the majority of Internet access in the country occurs in Internet café, most of which are in the capital city. These cafes provide slow and unreliable service. As Nega noted in 2011, Internet access in Ethiopia is slow and cumbersome to use: “It is hard to sign in and out of a simple email window. Fast broadband Internet gave birth to the North African revolution, and now the revolution-phobic EPRDF-led Ethiopian government [Ethiopian People's Revolutionary Democratic Front] is struggling against fast internet access.”

But even Ethiopians who can get online often can’t reach independent, international news. The only telecommunications service provider for all of Ethiopia is the state-owned Ethiopian Telecommunications Corporation (Ethio-Telecom), which heavily censors access to the open Internet. Tests conducted by the Open Net Initiative in September 2012 showed that online political and news sites are heavily blocked within the country.

In June, EFF reported on recent increases in the censorship and surveillance practices in Ethiopia. Ethio-Telecom began deep packet inspection of all Internet traffic in the country, which engineers at the Tor Project discovered when Tor stopped working there in May of this year.

In the same month, the government of Ethiopia ratified the newTelecom Service Infringement Law. This law criminalizes online speech that may be construed as defamatory or terrorist, and holds the website or account owner liable even if the speech is posted as a comment by someone else on their website. Endalk, a prominent Ethiopian blogger, has wondered if this law could be “the most creative way of copying SOPA and PIPA.” The law also tries to squash competition of VOiP services and harshly punishes citizens for using or having in their possession any telecommunications equipment without prior permission from the government.

Through law and practice, through intimidation and arrest, the Ethiopian government has looked to choke off free expression at every corner. It is no wonder than Eskinder Nega is one of the few outspoken journalists still operating inside Ethiopia.

Eskinder’s Current Conditions

While we are unable to receive direct reports from Eskinder about his current physical conditions, our knowledge of the prison system in Ethiopia leaves us gravely concerned.

A country report about Ethiopia produced by the U.S. Department of State, noted:

Prison and pretrial detention center conditions remained harsh and in some cases life threatening. Severe overcrowding was common, especially in sleeping quarters. The government provided approximately eight birr ($0.46) per prisoner per day for food, water, and health care…Medical care was unreliable in federal prisons and almost nonexistent in regional prisons. Water shortages caused unhygienic conditions, and most prisons lacked appropriate sanitary facilities.

Wikileaks published a diplomatic cable that was called “Inside Ethiopia’s jails” that is far more graphic than the State Department’s annual report. The cable, based on reports from several recently released prisoners, detailed extreme deprivation, including:

“Abuses reported include being blindfolded and hung by the wrists for several hours, bound by chains and beaten, held in solitary confinement for several days to weeks or months, subjected to mental torture such as harassment and humiliation, forced to stand for over 16 hours, and having heavy objects hung from one’s genitalia (males).”

Even though the cables noted that much of the torture occurred in police station detentions, the threat of torture in the Kaliti Prison (where Eskinder is being held) is still possible. We are deeply concerned about the physical condition of Eskinder.

Freeing Eskinder Nega (and Helping All of Ethiopia’s Imprisoned Journalists)

Freeing Eskinder Nega will help preserve a vital voice for independent journalism in a country that hungers for access to truthful news coverage. It will also serve as inspiration for activists working to free other imprisoned journalists in this country.

The Ethiopian government has released journalists in the past—including Eskinder, several times. Earlier this year, it released and pardoned Swedish journalists Johan Persson and Martin Schibbye after substantial international pressure. And in August, Temesghen Desalegn, editor of a leading independent weekly newspaper in Ethiopia, was released and cleared of the criminal charges against him. So we know that activist efforts – including international pressure – can be persuasive to the Ethiopian government. If nothing else, continued international attention can help ensure Eskinder Nega’s safety as he continues to appeal his case.

Here’s how you can get involved:
• Sign PEN American Center’s petition, which automatically an email to Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and Minister of Justice Berhanu Hailu.
• Send appeals by mail to Ethiopian officials and their local Ethiopian Embassy or Consulate.
• Tell your friends on Facebook and Twitter. Suggested Tweet:
Journalism is not terrorism. Join @PenAmerican and @EFF in fighting to #FreeEskinder Nega. http://www.pen.org/page.php/prmID/2226

We’re also going to be changing the EFF Twitter profile image to show a #FreeEskinder banner leading up to Eskinder’s next appeal. We hope you’ll do the same to your own online accounts by using the image located here.

The United States has deep ties with Ethiopia, which is a major military alley for our country in sub-Saharan Africa. EFF is writing an open letter to the US State Department to urge them to speak out on Eskinder’s case to Hailemariam Desalegn, Ethiopia’s new Prime Minister. As the Washington Post stated, Eskinder’s case is “a source of tension and embarrassment to the Obama administration,” whose new Africa strategy makes democracy promotion the number one priority.

We’ll be watching Eskinder’s case closely in the coming months. Follow us on social media and sign up for our newsletter to stay up to date on the campaign.

Follow EFF

Journalism is not terrorism. Join @PenAmerican and @EFF in fighting to free #EskinderNega https://eff.org/r.a7qY

What is the purpose of a government?

By Magn Nyang (PhD)

The purpose of government is to provide a system in which individuals give portion of their freedom in order to pursue needs and wants without the fears that are inherent in a state of anarchy.

In an anarchic system, individuals must protect and provide completely for themselves, and those with greater power are able to offend those with lesser power without consequence. In a system of government, the freedom to acquire and offend at will is subjugated to the will of the governed; and, in return, the governed are better able to produce without fear of loss.

Therefore, at its most basic level, the purpose of government is to protect the people from threats, both within and out.

Government also ensures justice within the nation. Meaning, the law must be fair, unbiased, and logical, provides a basic system of defense against enemies of the state, and provides education, infrastructure, and health facilities. The most fundamental ofhuman needs which includes education, food, health facilities are satisfied through the policy of governance. Government provides infrastructure so that these needs are met.

Some naïve Ethiopians are foolishly praising the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) for providing education, infrastructure, and health facilities. The EPRDF is expected to provide all these services to Ethiopians. In fact, EPRDF is required to provide more services than it has provided thus far. I, personally, do not see the logic of praising a government when it is minimally doing only what it is supposed to do. Instead of congratulating a dictatorial government, we, Ethiopians, should be asking about human right issues. Where are our freedom, equality, and liberty?

In 21 years, the EPRDF not only failed to move Ethiopians toward self sufficiency, it has managed to effectively reduce Ethiopians to nothing, but recipients of foreign donations. For the past 21 years, the EPRDF did not only block us from realizing our dreams of freedom, equal rights and self-determination for all, it also subjected us to decades of subjugation and exploitation.

Over the years, I have also heard some EPRDF officials and their supporters say that “Ethiopians are not yet ripe for democracy/freedom.” They say that it will take more time to prepare them or to get them ripped.

If one accepts this assumption, democracy/freedom will never be achieved in Ethiopia; for one cannot arrive at the maturity for democracy/freedom without having already acquired it; one must be free to learn how to make use of one’s powers freely and usefully. One can achieve reason only through one’s own experiences, and one must be free to undertake them. To accept the principle that freedom is worthless for those under one’s control and that one has to sit idle to let his rulers rule forever, is an infringement on the right of God himself, who has created man to be free.

All men have rights to be free and equal, and governments are instituted among men to secure these rights. The government in Ethiopia has become illegitimate for it continues to block Ethiopians from achieving their freedom and equality. Thus, when a government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right, it is the duty of the people to abolish it and institute new government.

Dr. Magn Nyang can be reached at magnnyang@yahoo.com

ESAT ABETOKICAW WAZANA KOMNGIER

OLF on Death of Zenewi

Death of Zenewi should be transmitted to the death of TPLF

OLF Press release:

The Death of Melese Zenewi should be transmitted into the death of TPLF rule of minority domination and exploitation in Ethiopia

The death of the tyrant who has been terrorizing the Ethiopian people for the last 21 years is indeed good news. But we are saddened for his natural departure without facing justice for the thousands Ethiopian who were murdered by his orders. However, it’s incremental step for the demise of minority hegemony in Ethiopia. But, it is not a time for jubilation at all. The struggle for freedom and justice in Ethiopia must be intensified until the minority hegemony in Ethiopia is replaced with true freedom, democracy and rule of law where the Ethiopian peoples’ will choice their leaders without fear of intimidation, arrest, torture and extra judicial killing. The struggle against woyane dictatorial regime will continue until all Ethiopian peoples’ freely exercise their God given rights of self determination in their affairs.

The Oromo Liberation Front (The OLF) calls upon all Ethiopian people irrespective of regions and religions, opposition forces, and Ethiopian defense forces to stand together in dismantling woyyanne minority regime, and contribute for the establishment of true freedom and democracy in Ethiopia
The OLF also calls up on International community to stand with Ethiopian peoples in their effort to establish genuine freedom, democracy, and rule of law in Ethiopian. The OLF believes standing with tyrannical minority rule for temporary benefit will have a negative consequence for long and lasting relation with Ethiopian peoples. Once again, we call upon western powers to stand with Ethiopian peoples, not with TPLF/ EPRDF/ minority rule which is on the verge to collapse.

General Kamal Galchu

Chairman of the OLF

German NGO pulls out of Ethiopia in protest of repression

Named after the German Nobel Prize winner for Literature, the Heinrich Böll Foundation is an NGO promoting democracy and human rights. It is leaving Ethiopia in protest against restrictions on its activities.

“The closure of the office in Ethiopia is a sign of protest by the foundation against the ongoing restrictions on civil rights.

200 people were killed in Ethiopia while protesting against ballot-rigging in 2005 and freedom of speech” said a statement released by the Heinrich Böll Foundation explaining why they had closed their office in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The organization’s chairwoman Barbara Unmüßig and the country director Patrick Berg said it had become impossible for the organization to work for democracy, gender equality and sustainable development under existing circumstances. They were referring to the law on NGOs passed in 2009 which is known as the “Charities and Societies Proclamation” and restricts freedom of press, expression and assembly.

The law that worsens human rights

This “NGO law” severely curtails the activities of nongovernmental organizations and human rights groups. It is targets not just foreign groups, but also Ethiopia’s two largest human rights organizations.

According to the rights group Amnesty international, the Ethiopian Human Rights Council (HRCO), which has been active since 1991, had its bank account frozen under this law. Nine of its twelve offices have been closed and 85 percent of its staff laid off.

The women’s rights organization Ethiopian Women Lawyers Organization (EWLA) was forced to lay off 75 percent of its staff and assets worth $595,000 (468,000 euros) were frozen. Previously, the organization was able to give free legal assistance to some 20,000 women, nowadays it is barely able to function, says Amnesty international.

Germany’s Heinrich Böll Foundation, which is affiliated to the Greens Party, had been trying for three years to get a bilateral agreement signed with the Ethiopian government which have would granted it more room for manoeuvre than it would have been accorded under the NGO law. But such efforts were in vain.

Appeal at ministerial level in vain

They even tried to raise the issue with the Ethiopian government through the offices of German Development minister Dirk Niebel while he was on a visit to Addis Ababa, but that also yielded no results.

“We realized that we cannot pursue our mission and we can no longer support our local partners of several years,” Patrick Berg told DW.

Berg said “NGO law” was part of a system of repression and symbolic of deterioration in human rights that had spread through the country since the elections in 2005. 200 people were killed in demonstrations against ballot-rigging in that poll.

Official Ethiopian government spokesman Bereket Simon was quoted by German’s news agency DPA as saying the government would be “delighted if the Heinrich Böll Foundation would continue its work in Ethiopia.”

The departure of the Heinrich Böll Foundation leaves the Friedrich Ebert Foundation as the only remaining German think tank in Ethiopia.

ESAT Daliy News-Amsterdam Nov. 12 2012 Ethiopia

ESAT WAZANA KUMNGER BY ABEA TOKICHAWE.ETHIOPIA

ESAT: Ethiopia poltical leaders & Activists on Yenesew Gebre by Tamagn Beyene

The Obama victory versus fake change in Ethiopia - By Robel Abaya

Bravo to both rivals for the White House

I begin this piece with my sincere congratulations to President Obama on his clear victory over his rival Governor Mitt Romney. I do so despite my repeatedly expressed vehement objection to the inaction of his Administration to stop gruesome human rights violations in Ethiopia on the excuse of giving priority to the US security interest.

I would also like to express my admiration for the Governor for graciously conceding defeat in his moving speech underlining that country comes first and calling on congressional leaders to cooperate at this critical time. It is remarkable that the President spoke to the Governor and said “We may have battled fiercely, but it’s only because we love this country deeply and we care so strongly about its future”.

That was a sign of civility and responsibility at their best. The fiercely fought campaign to win the White House culminated in peace, sending a strongmessage to the whole world that democracy works as long as people freelyparticipate in very large numbers in the affairs of their country as was the case in the US Election 2012.

Above all I congratulate the American people with admiration for the stunning progress that they have made in showing for the second time to the world at large that it is only merit and competence that matter for ascending to the highest office in the land.

Before I move on to the next section, I just want to emphasize that the phrase “fair and free election” is absent in the lexicon of the corrupt TPLF regime, which is still ruling by the gun in breach of its own constitution stipulating freedom of expression and rule of law. The regime blatantly lied to the whole world in claiming 99.6% ‘victory’ in election 2010 and stole the first ever democratic election of 2005 in which it suffered convincing defeat so much so it was humiliated and angered as to send the victors to prison.

Obama victory speech; sham power transfer shame in Ethiopia

President Obama began his speech with: “Tonight, more than 200 years after a former colony won the right to determine its own destiny, the task of perfecting our union moves forward.” He went to say “It moves forward because of you. It moves forward because you reaffirmed the spirit that has triumphed over war and depression, the spirit that has lifted this country from the depths of despair to the great heights of hope, the belief that while each of us will pursue our own individual dreams, we are an American family and we rise or fall together as one nation and as one people.”

The Ethiopian people have crushed several external wars of aggression among which those by Italy, Turkey, and Egypt are prominent. This they did at great sacrifice in human lives and injuries not to mention colossal damage to property and enduring the scourge of famine in order to safeguard their independence. In the last 21 years however the spirit of patriotism has been weakened by the TPLF regime distorting history. The belief of which President Obama spoke for his country is dying in Ethiopia under the TPLF.

This is a time of political crises, economic decline and biting poverty in a divided Ethiopia along ethnic and religious lines deliberately pursued by the brutal TPLF/EPRDF ruling regime. I thought that both the opposition and the misruling regime can draw lesson from the following three excerpts from President Obama’s victory speech in order to rectify their serious weaknesses before it is too late to avert impending national catastrophe. Note: The highlights in the excerpts are mine meant to emphasis the points I wanted to make:

1. “We believe in a generous America, in a compassionate America, in a tolerant America, open to the dreams of an immigrant’s daughter who studies in our schools and pledges to our flag. To the young boy on the south side of Chicago who sees a life beyond the nearest street corner. To the furniture worker’s child in North Carolina who wants to become a doctor or a scientist, an engineer or an entrepreneur, a diplomat or even a president – that’s the future we hope for. That’s the vision we share. That’s where we need to go – forward. That’s where we need to go.

2. Now, we will disagree, sometimes fiercely, about how to get there. As it has for more than two centuries, progress will come in fits and starts. It’s not always a straight line. It’s not always a smooth path. By itself, the recognition that we have common hopes and dreams won’t end all the gridlock or solve all our problems or substitute for the painstaking work of building consensus and making the difficult compromises needed to move this country forward. But that common bond is where we must begin.”

My comment: The TPLF is hell-bent on breaking common bond that kept the culturally diverse Ethiopian people together; to my utter dismay, some opposition forces with hidden agenda of secession are making it easy for the brutal regime to exploit the pernicious situation.

3. “And when we go through tough times, when we make big decisions as a country, it necessarily stirs passions, stirs up controversy. That won’t change after tonight, and it shouldn’t. These arguments we have are a mark of our liberty. We can never forget that as we speak people in distant nations are risking their lives right now just for a chance to argue about the issues that matter, the chance to cast their ballots like we did today.”

My comment: The highlighted statement is so true and wholly applicable to the worsening dire situation of grave violation of constitutional right of protests in Ethiopia being perpetrated by the repressive ruling regime even as the President was making his victory speech.

All the above (1,2,3) provide a classic example of a visionary leader that seeks the consent of the people to lead them where they want to go with full understanding of present difficulties and the promise of good times to come. It is in sharp contrast to the pernicious contemptuous decree of “no change” issued by the TPLF top leaders and echoed by the EPRDF Prime Minister, Haile Mariam Desalegn, stressing that the legacy of his late “Great Leader” Zenawi shall stay intact undiminished for implementation in full!

The President concluded his speech by articulating the bonds or attributes that made America exceptional – holding together “the most diverse nation on earth”. These are belief in shared destiny; acceptance of “certain obligations to one another and to future generations; “the freedom which so many Americans have fought for and died for come with responsibilities as well as rights. The President said that “And among those are love and charity and duty and patriotism.”

I believe we can seize this future together because we are not as divided as our politics suggests. We’re not as cynical as the pundits believe. We are greater than the sum of our individual ambitions, and we remain more than a collection of red states and blue states. We are and forever will be the United States of America.

And together with your help and God’s grace we will continue our journey forward and remind the world just why it is that we live in the greatest nation on Earth.

Thank you, America. God bless you. God bless the United States”.

President Obama positively mentioned God thrice in his speech in sharp contrast to the Christian Prime Minister Haile Mariam Desalegn in his acceptance speech of his assignment at the rubber stamp Parliament; he extolled his late “Great Leader” to the level of deity in that speech most probably prepared by the atheist secretary of the party – the avowed foe of religion hailing from Sirte where Orthodox Tewahido Orthodox Christians are victims of mockery and witch hunt in full view of the government. It is saddening that the Prime Minister overlooked the age-old tradition of mentioning God in his closing speech or therein elsewhere – for that matter in a country where 96% of the people are pious Christians or Muslims

 Those in glass houses

Comparing two epochs before and after 1974: Ethiopia was going through rapid economic growth before the 1974 Revolution as acclaimed by the international community. Agriculture was burgeoning and farm produce was being exported. Agro-industry was mushrooming. Ethiopia was creditworthy. This growth phenomenon inspired pundits that the country was on take-off stage to land on the first rung of the economic ladder according to the then available criteria. The principle of self-reliance was taking center-stage; entrepreneurs were migrating from cities to the country side to undertake agricultural development with a view to becoming the breadbasket of the Middle East. Educated Ethiopians at tertiary institution abroad rushed home and zealously participated in the development of their country.

Master plans were made for the development of cities during the Imperial regime. These included modernization of Addis Ababa, Awassa and Bar Dar among others. Emperor Haile Selassie was pondering taking the political capital to Awassa.

Alas, the drought of 1973/74 that hit two provinces in the north dashed progress; it became reason for the outbreak of the 1974 Revolution – from which peaceful change ensued at first until it was hijacked by the notorious military junta spearheaded by Mengistu Hailemariam.

Emperor Haile Selassie was dethroned in the aftermath of the Revolution. Somalia’s renegade tyrant Ziade Barre soon invaded Ethiopia by taking advantage of internal strife in the country and forgetting that Ethiopia fought at the United Nations for the independence of Somalia.

The period of TPLF misrule (1991 to date) stands accused, inter alia, for: leaving Ethiopia landlocked; its unprecedented sellout of vital national interests and gross violation of basic human rights documented by the international community; unaccounted capital flight to the tune of US$ 25 billion; nauseating corruption in; unprecedented level of exodus of political and economic refugees often victims of death and arrests on their journey; forced repatriation to face danger at home; sponsored migration of manpower in search of greener pasture.

So as the old adage goes those in glass houses should not throw stones. The crimes and treason of the TPLF regime by far exceed those of the Derg regime. In other words, the brutal hypocrite TPLF/EPRDF leaders lack moral authority to shift blame on what they call remnants of previous regimes for criticizing thier drastic failures.

In conclusion

I fully subscribe to this famous quotation by Thomas Jefferson “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.–That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”.

And, based on the immortal words of Jefferson:-

·         I justify my argument that the TPLF regime did not derive its power from the consent of the Ethiopian people. Therefore all political prisoners Andualem, Eskinder, Reeyot et al must be released unconditionally without delay; that all restrictions on freedom of expression be lifted; political parties including MEDREK, AEUP et al are regarded as partners rather than enemies publicly declared as such by the late tyrant Zenawi; and

·         I sense in President Obama’s speech that he will revisit the policy of his Administration on Ethiopia. His slated visit to Burma reinforces my hope.

LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!!

rababya@gmail.com