Achamyeleh Tamiru

Who is directly responsible for the mass sterilization of young Amhara women and how they have been sterilized?

It has been more than 12 years since we have heard the shocking news about the mass sterilization of young Amhara women after they were forced to use sterilizing contraceptives and/or ordered to take sterile contraceptives in the name of preventing pregnancy. This inhuman and barbarous cruelty by the fascist TPLF regime is a deliberately designed project to de-populate the Amhara people and eliminate the Amhara race from the earth’s surface. Seven years after this TPLF “project” has been implemented, most Amhara schools have started to become empty because there are no young children in most of the Amhara rural village.

After this tragic story has happened, I have been exploring how fascist weyyane has managed to sterilize young Amhara women. Here is the whole story that I come to learn from the inside sources I have at the Ministry of Heath. Under the Weyyane`s Ministry of Health, there is an agency called Pharmaceuticals Fund and Supply Agency (PFSA). PFSA was established in September 2007 by Weyyane`s Proclamation No. 553/2007. As a government agency, PFSA has been tasked with the role of administering every drug related issues in the country.

The first director of PSFA is a TPLF fighter called Hailesilassie Bihon. It is this gentleman called Hailesilassie Bihon who is the mastermind behind the mass sterilization of young Amhara women. Before he has been assigned to the director of PFSA, Haileselassie Bihon was the general manager of Ethiopia’s Drug Administration and Control Authority. During the period of Amharas mass death in Gojjam due to malaria, Haileselassie Bihon was the general manager of Ethiopia’s Drug Administration and Control Authority.

As part of TPLF`s Amhara genocidal politics, when there was a malaria outbreak in Gojjam in 1997/8, Haileselassie Bihon has deliberately stopped supplying anti-malarial drug to the Amharas sick with malaria. This systematic denial of medical aid, because of their ethnic category, has contributed to the Amharas mass death in Gojjam in 1998 due to an easily preventable and less fatal malaria.

During that time, there were concerned personalities who established anti-malaria associations as an NGOs to help patients bedridden with malaria, particularly in rural Gojjam, in western Ethiopia. However, Haileselassie Bihon has limited their operation with the pretext that no private health or pharmaceutical institution in Ethiopia has been granted a license to import or distribute antimalarial drugs. Because of this, the anti-malaria NGOs had limited outreach and impacts as compared to the potential they had.

After he become the director of PFSA, one of the first tasks Hailesilassie Bihon had in mind was to continue his genocidal mission against the Amharas by sending short acting drugs (depo-provera, pills, etc…) to what is now called Amhara region but long acting drugs to Tigray region. PFSA has branch offices all over the country.

One of the branch offices of PFSA in what is called Amhara Region is located in Bahir Dar. In 2007, for the so called Amhara region, Hailesilassie Bihon has deliberately sent short acting contraceptives(depo-provera, pills, etc…) to the Bahir Dar`s PFSA branch office with an order to the “Amhara Regional Health Bureau” to distribute the short acting to the zones and Woredas of the “region” as soon as possible. According my inside sources at the ministry of Health, the science behind short acting drugs is that they act in hormones and the usage of them for more than 4/5 times lead to infertility.

Left with no option, on the one hand, and because they have been forced by “Amhara Regional Health Bureau” to use them (for the Bureau has been dictated and given orders by Haileselassie Bihon to force every fertile women in the region use short actings) as family planning methods, on the other hand, young Amhara women had no choice than using the short actings more than 4/5 times to reduce the risk of an unplanned pregnancy. It is this genocidal project of TPLF led by Haileselassie Bihon that has resulted to the mass sterilization of young Amhara women for the last one decade or so.

Haileselassie Bihon was not alone when he designed the mass sterilizing project of young Amhara women. TPLF medics such as Dr. Ataklti Fisseha, the director of UNICEF Ethiopia, whose wife called Miheret Hiluf is/was a directorate at the Ministry of Health and Dr. Gebreegziabher, who is now working at the WHO-Ethiopia, have advised him how to run that “operation” and with great results.

After he finished ALL the damages he can cause on the Amharas, Hailesilassie Bihon has retired three years ago and he is currently the owner of the leading pharmaceutical wholesaling industry in the country that has a capital of over USD 300 million. He was able to build this massive amount of personal wealth with the return he got for the service he provided in sterilizing young Amhara women.

BBC News

Ethiopia’s surprise announcement that it will abide by a 2002 border ruling raises the prospect of a final end to what was Africa’s deadliest border war and peace with its long-time rival, Eritrea.

Tens of thousands of people were killed in the two-year conflict and Eritrea remains on a war footing, demanding that Ethiopia withdraws from the “occupied territory”.

How genuine is this peace offer?

It seems pretty genuine.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signalled in his inauguration speech in April that a major policy shift could be in the offing – he called on Eritrea to resolve their differences, saying the two neighbours were “not only intertwined in interests but also in blood”.

Now, the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) has announced it will fully accept and implement the peace deal that ended the war.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Mr Abiy said soldiers deployed to the contested town of Badme had experienced “psychological effects”, according to the state-linked Fana Broadcasting Corporate.

“We should end this suffering, and fully return to peace,” the prime minister is quoted as saying.

Ethiopia’s previous leaders always said they accepted the 2002 ruling but they never actually implemented it.

Mr Abiy’s announcement is especially significant as it comes after the release of thousands of jailed politicians, activists and protesters, including British citizen Andargachew Tsege who was being held on death row, and the promise of wider reforms.

What does Eritrea say?

Eritrea has not commented on Ethiopia’s announcement but Information Minister Yemane Gebre Meskel had previously told the BBC that relations could not be resolved until Ethiopia withdrew “from the occupied territories”.

“The ball is now in Eritrea’s court,” Tesfalem Araia from the BBC’s Tigrinya service says.

“Eritrea has been on a war footing and the justification for forced conscription into the army has been the conflict with Ethiopia,” he adds.

That forced conscription is the reason given by most of the thousands of Eritreans who flee the country, making the perilous journey to Europe.

Read more:

• The story behind Africa’s unfinished war
• Is this the man to change Ethiopia?
• Why has Ethiopia imposed a state of emergency?
• Has Eritrea’s migration problem been exaggerated?

What happens next?

Assuming that Eritrea accepts Ethiopia’s goodwill, the next step would be for officials from the Eritrea-Ethiopia Boundary Commission to physically demarcate the border.

Image copyrightBBC SPORT

Until now, this has been impossible because it is a military zone.

The main bone of contention is the town of Badme, the main focus of the war, but there are other disputed areas right along the border.

What’s happening in Badme?

Badme is a nondescript, heavily militarised small town with little or no social activity.

More than 1,000 people live there, with almost all their activities limited to military services, says the BBC’s Berihu Lilay, who visited the town in January.

He says he saw Eritrean and Ethiopian forces sitting in neat rows facing each other across the border, with just a few kilometres separating them.

Residents told our reporter they look forward to peace between the two nations.

Despite the strain, the 16-year standoff has not cut the ancient ties between the two border communities who both belong to the Tigrinya ethnic group, our reporter says.

A potential flashpoint, he says, which will need to be negotiated delicately, is the fate of a graveyard where thousands of Ethiopian soldiers, including top army leaders, who died in the conflict have been buried.

Why is it happening now?

It seems as though everything is changing pretty fast in Ethiopia, since Mr Abiy came to power.

Just a few months ago, a state of emergency was imposed following the resignation of Hailemariam Desalegn as prime minister. He said he was standing down in order to end months of anti-government protests, which had led to many deaths and arrests.

Image copyrightAFP

Since taking office, Mr Abiy has moved fast to spend the political capital he had earned after gaining the backing of the EPRDF to become prime minister.

Three months in, he has managed to get the ruling coalition to back his policies including the lifting of the state of emergency.

Being the leader of the Oromo People’s Democratic Organisation (OPDO), one of the four ethnic parties which make up the EPRDF coalition, provides him with a solid political base to implement his policies.

He has also in a short time managed to assert his authority and created excitement in the country about his leadership.

“There’s palpable optimism about Mr Abiy in the country,” says the BBC’s Emmanuel Igunza in Addis Ababa.

What else was announced?

Few would have predicted that the opening of the first Pizza Hut in Addis Ababa in April was an indicator that Ethiopia was opening up its state-controlled economy.

At the same time as the announcement was made about respecting the border ruling, the ruling coalition also said it had approved a policy to loosen the state’s grip in the energy, telecoms, logistics and aviation sectors to allow private domestic and foreign investment – another huge shock, with potentially massive implications.

Investors will be able to acquire a limited stake in Ethio Telecom, Ethiopian Airlines, Africa’s largest and most successful airline, Ethiopian Electric Power and Ethiopian Shipping and Logistics Services Enterprise.

Investments in the telecommunication sector could help improve mobile and internet services which have not seen the same rapid expansion as in the rest of the world.

Until now, a state firm has had a monopoly on internet access, which remains costly and slow.

Analysts see the liberalisation, however limited, as part of the government’s plan to rescue the economy, which had been one of the fastest-growing in Africa.

The Financial Times recently reported that China, Ethiopia’s biggest foreign investor, was scaling back investment in the face of rising foreign exchange shortages and government debt.

The IMF forecasts that Ethiopia will have 8.5% growth this year, down from a consistent 10% in the last decade.

Image copyrightREUTERS

Hallelujah Lulie, an analyst on Horn of Africa affairs observes: “As things stand now, there is a fine line between buying state enterprises and buying the state in Ethiopia. We don’t want a transition from an authoritarian state to a private tyranny. The decision to partially privatise some of the commanding heights is unwise to say the least.”

Despite these reservations, it seems as though there is a real chance that Ethiopia, Africa’s second-most populous country, could be about to change from a tightly-controlled state under the permanent threat of war, to a place where citizens may be able to enjoy more freedom on a number of different levels.

Nizar Manek John Bowker
6 June 2018

Gareth Jennings, London – IHS Jane’s Defence Weekly

Ethiopia has received from the United States a surplus Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, the US Embassy in Addis Ababa announced on 7 June.

The C-130E adds to one already donated by the US government in 2014 to aid airlift duties for the Ethiopian contingent fighting as part of the African Union (AU) Mission in Somalia force.

Want to read more? For analysis on this article and access to all our insight content, please enquire about our subscription options at　ihs.com/contact

By De Birhaner

New Premier of Ethiopia, Dr. Abiy Ahmed, has started to gradually consolidate power by replacing long serving “untouchable” head of the Ethiopian National Defence Force General Samora Yenus by Major General Seare Mekonen and the faceless Director General of the National Intelligence and Security Services (NISS), Getachew Assefa by Major General Adem Mohammed, who had served as the Head of the Ethiopian Air Force until yesterday.

Abiy is travelling to Uganda upon an official invitation of President Yoweri Museveni.

Getachew Assefa’s replacement is a major news item since his tenure was marked with an arbitrary abuse of power, when countless number of Ethiopian dissidents were killed, abducted, harassed, jailed and exiled. The NISS and the Defense Forces have also been accused of deep nepotism embedding the leadership of both institutions by ethnic Tigreans.

The new officials are not new but their reshuffle could likely give Abiy the leeway to better command and manage rather than the former entrenched leaders.

Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed has appointed Seare Mekonnen (Gen.) as the new Army Chief of Staff replacing Samora Yenus (Gen.).

Samora served as army Chief of Staff for the past 17 years after Tsadkan Gebretensae (Let. Gen.) left his position.

Abiy also restored the full honor and benefits of two army officials namely Alemshet Degiffe (Maj. Gen.) and Assamnew Tsige (Brig. Gen.) who were recently released from prison were convicted of conspiring to overthrow the constitutional order though violence.

Reporter

Date June 6, 2018

By Ermias Hailu

From its humble beginning on “የካቲት 11, 1967”, the Tigrayan People Liberation Front (TPLF) has evolved as the undisputed and formidable driving force behind the renaissance of Ethiopia. The TPLF won many bloody wars against its various rivals and came to power in 1991 as hard core of EPRDF coalition. Though, all of the three EPRDF coalition strategic partners (ANDM (from Amhara), OPDO (from Oromia) & SEPDM (from South)) were born, nurtured and grown out of the womb of TPLF, recent visible rifts within EPRDF could create instability and breakup of the coalition with huge risks and consequences to the peace and stability of Ethiopia. It looks ANDOM and OPDO are pushing for radical changes and liberalization of the Ethiopian political system, as they have been under pressure by the riots that have been going on at their respective regions, whereas the TPLF is resisting radical change. SEPDM looks sandwiched in between and is trying to narrow down and contain the rift.

In the meantime, Egypt and neo-colonialists funded rivals of EPRDF from diaspora have been launching intensive attack on the EPRDF for the last seven years (mainly starting from the start of the Great Ethiopian Renaissance Dam(GERD)) and are currently rewriting their tactical move toward complete annihilation or submission of the TPLF/EPRDF.

The purpose of this article is to forward some ideas that I believe will help the EPRDF member parties to resolve their differences in peaceful and timely manner. One important fact is that all EPRDF party members should understand that disagreement and rift among themselves will destroy all of them. None of them will be immune from the consequences of their failure to address their differences and shall be accountable for any subsequent instability in Ethiopia and Horn of Africa caused as a result. Hence, four of them should equally and responsibly play their respective part to avoid fall out and in transforming Ethiopia to a vibrant democracy and through that assure its sustainable peace and stability, and its fast-economic growth to lead the renaissance of Africa.

I was recently in Ethiopia and witnessed live the revolt in the streets of Oromia in person as well as the tension and nervousness among peace loving Ethiopians and the devastating and ugly face of the riots. I went to various regions of the country (Gondar, Tigray, Oromia, Addis Ababa, Awassa, the border between Ethiopia and Eritrea, etc.). I hid my Tigrayan identity while visiting Oromia and Amhara, as innocent Tigrayans were hunted (never happened in the history of Ethiopia) for their life thanks to the genocidal hate and poisonous propaganda sown by the various media outlets in diaspora who are funded by the enemies of Ethiopia.

I have strong conviction that EPRDF has to and will stay in power for years to come if it successfully develops and implements a “radical transformation strategy” on itself as soon as possible. I have branded the radical transformation strategy as “Rebirth Strategy”! The Rebirth Strategy is completely different to the “renewal and deep renewal” strategies that EPRDF have been trying to implement for some time without any visible result except the further deterioration of government services to the public, increasing greed and hyper corruption, and worsening instability of the country. Rebirth Strategy is about to be born again with regenerated and brand-new organs that will give the nation brand new values, culture, attitude, and spirit. It is about uprooting the growing greed, envy, deceit, and immoral tendencies of each Ethiopian and planting and nurturing selflessness, love, forgiveness, hope, resourcefulness, self-awareness, innovation, morality, purposefulness, hard work etc. on each citizen.

One may ask how can rebirth be achieved in EPRDF?  The starting point is that the aging EPRDF has to delete all its old mindsets (not easy but possible through effective and participative change management process) and has to come up with zero draft brand-new strategy that is acceptable to Ethiopians. EPRDF has to stop pushing its irrelevant ideologies, policies and values on the throat of Ethiopians.  Rather, it has to start with the dynamically changing needs, aspirations, and demands of Ethiopians and work backwards to develop relevant ideologies, policies and strategies. Today most of EPRDF members are obsessed with wealth creation through corruption, whereas, the born again EPRDF must have zero tolerance to corruption and be obsessed in meeting the dynamic needs of each Ethiopian citizen.

At the center of the new strategy should be establishing a true and equitable democratic Ethiopia that no longer kills, persecutes or arrests Ethiopians due to their political, religious views or other differences while assuring fast and sustainable renaissance of Ethiopia and playing a facilitating role in the renaissance of Africa. Rebirth Strategy requires unbiased strategic analysis of the current internal and external environment by challenging the status quo, identifying strategic issues and establishing brand new vision for the future, development of radical oriented strategy that uproots the old mindset and culture and replaces them with new ones. If we consider the new “Rebirth Strategy” as a new wine it would require a new wine skin (new blood/ reborn/transformed/regenerated mind set).

I would like to illustrate further the practical aspect of Rebirth Strategy using what happened in Ethiopian Airlines from the year 2000 to 2010 as a case study.

From 1991 to 2000, Ethiopian Airlines did not have a relevant, clearly communicated strategic direction and strategy, whereas its competitors from Africa, Middle East and Europe were getting stronger and stronger. As the result, the airline lost its competitiveness and was operationally loss making for two consecutive years (during 1999 and 2000). During the years from 1996 to 2000, Ethiopian Airlines was paralyzed, and was in an intensive care facing a life and death condition. In fact, experts in the aviation industry at the time included it among those airlines that will not make it to the 21st century.

In the Year 1999/2000, one of the young executives branded as “naive and arrogant” and his team conducted a detailed 30 years historical analysis and current and futuristic strategic analysis of the airline and developed various scenarios that could happen in the airline industry over the coming 20 years.  They also coined the following three core strategic directions for survival and sustainable growth of the Airline.

1. It is recommended that Ethiopian Airlines follow the path of very fast (profitable) growth by feeding on the growing and liberalized African market while strengthening its competitive position through joint venture /alliance with a reputable global airline or global airline groups, with the objective of becoming the biggest airline in Africa & one of the top 25 to 50 airlines in the world over, the next 15 to 20 years. However, fast & profitable growth requires that the airline to radically transform itself (to be born again) to offer a competitive service with cost leadership of at least 15% to 20% against its existing & upcoming competitors. (at that time Ethiopian Airlines was the 116^th airline from top world 200 airlines by revenue and the 6th airline from less than 10 top African Airlines)
2. The Airline has to transform itself from an Airline Service provider, which was focused at that time on providing passenger and limited freight transportation service, to Aviation Business Group that provides various aviation related services (this was a diversification strategy to deepen the foundation of the airline).
3. The Airline has to also address employees’ compensation & motivation issues timely & progressively. Otherwise, it will continue to lose skilled workforce & eventually this will result in its demise

In the year 2000, Ethiopian Airlines was aged being more than 50 years old, with demoralized employees, bitter conflict between management and labor union, shortage of cash, no clear strategic direction, aged aircraft, old culture and mindset, and aged internal processes and systems. Most of its top executive management were living in the past (Ethiopian Airlines pre-1991 glories) and fiercely resisted proposed change, making it too difficult to boldly champion the adoption of the above futuristic rebirth strategy (the then CEO ultimately resigned). However, the Board of Management at the time accepted the new vision and the following three radical change and fast profitable oriented coherent strategies were developed and implemented one after the other and have brought the Airline to where it is today.

(I)  Strategy for Year 2001 to 2005(doubled revenue from USD 250M to USD 500M)

(ii) Strategy for Year 2005 to 2010(doubled revenue from USD 500m to USD 1 billion)

(iii) Strategy for 2010 to 2025(brought the airline to #1 position in Africa)

Ethiopian Airlines has successfully transformed  itself and regained and sustained  its competitive advantage and has grown very fast( profitability), transformed to aviation business group( built the largest  Aviation Academy, Catering, Maintenance, and Cargo Business units  in Africa in addition to its passenger transportation business), has become a member of the  global Star Alliance and established multiple  joint ventures in Africa( currently the airline looks taking unnecessary risks by investing on multiple  small airlines  in Africa  instead of focusing on few  regional anchor points). The ultimate result is, Ethiopian Airlines is currently the biggest and best airline in Africa and among the top 50 airlines in the world.

The most important lesson from the Ethiopian Airlines case study is that if the Ethiopian government followed the advice of the then experienced top management of the Airline and did not support the new vision that was initiated by one of its inexperienced young executives, Ethiopian Airlines could have been history by now or it could have been a very small vulnerable and niche airline.

The recent decision of EPRDF to open Ethiopian Airlines for up to 49% private shareholding is the right move as it reduces the ownership risk of the government and raises fresh capital that could further fuel the fast growth of the airline. Mega global airlines could be attracted to invest and bring fresh technology and skill that will further sharpen and sustain Ethiopian Airlines competitive edge. Handle privatization project (starts from selecting the right consultant) with care to protect it from neocolonialists, that have been always unhappy on the success of the Airline. Ethiopian Airlines is the pioneer and model of renaissance for Ethiopia and Africa.

Let us come back to TPLF/EPRDF!

TPLF and EPRDF are currently living in their past glories and do not have a clear and relevant strategic direction and strategy to address the prevailing challenges and opportunities and to continue leading the renaissance of Ethiopia. That is why all the rhetoric of renewal, deep renewal, transformation, anti-corruption campaign etc. could not address what the people of Ethiopia have been demanding over the years.

After the split of its leadership in 2000, the TPLF became undemocratic and a collection of opportunist “yes men” around the late PM Meles and Tigrayans who had different views and independent thinking were rejected and persecuted (I am one of the victims). After the sudden death of PM Meles, both TPLF and EPRDF became brainless but TPLF has survived so far without its brain thanks to the unifying leaders such as Aboy Sibhat (I call him the soul of TPLF).

However, the blame goes to all aging leaders of TPLF for intimidating, demoralizing and persecuting those young Tigrayans that could have replaced them timely. In that aspect, they have discredited the innocent blood of our martyrs, and all the sacrifice the Tigrayan people (including themselves) have made over the last 44 years.

Fortunately, the God of Ethiopia has given us the right man at the right time: Dr. Abiy Ahmed! It is simply a miracle what he was able to achieve over the last two months for the people of Ethiopia! He is giving the country a new direction, has deflated the tension and hate, brought calm, stability, forgiveness, love, peace, unification among Ethiopians both from within and to diasporas. He released a number of high profile prisoners and effectively negotiated for the release of thousands of  prisoners from neighboring countries. I hope our ambassadors will follow his steps!

As a conclusion, I would like to advise and warn the TPLF the following:

• For the sake of the innocent blood of your comrades who shed their blood during the struggle (I personally lost three of my brothers), stop living in past glories and be ready for the rebirth and regeneration of TPLF/EPRDF under the leadership of Dr. Abbey Ahmed.

• Considering the growing impatience of the Ethiopian people towards TPLF/EPRDF for failing to deliver promised changes, the TPLF and EPRDF will be thrown to the trash can of history if they fail to reinvent themselves.

My advices to Dr. Abiy Ahmed and his comrades who are ready for radical change and making history are also as follows:

• EPRDF will not survive without re-birth and regeneration – Please continue to boldly champion the change by progressively putting the new wine into a new skin. You may be called inexperienced, naive, arrogant by the EPRDF aging generation but you should win your comrades through dialogue, transparency, understanding, love, patience and persistence. They are the most important stakeholders for your success not the Egypt funded various political groups and/or so-called activists from the diaspora.

• Widen the scope of EPRDF by integrating Somalia, Afar, Gambella and Benishangul Gumuz representative parties.

• Develop and implement three to five years radical transformation (rebirth) strategy for EPRDF and its member parties with a new vision, mission, values and goals and programs. Identify the need of Ethiopians and work backward.

• Give top priority to unify and rally all EPRDF members behind you. Your political legitimacy, weight and strength and effectiveness emanates from united and strong EPRDF not from the diaspora or from the popularity you have among Ethiopians. Take note that: The crowds that laid their clothes on the ground to welcome Jesus Christ as he triumphantly enters Jerusalem were easily misguided/manipulated within few days by their leaders and shouted for his crucification, while demanding for the release of the notorious prisoner Barabbas.

• Participate! Participate……. Participate………. Participate all key stakeholders- a critical success factor for effective change management.

• Widen the political space for the competition but be innocent as a dove and wise and discerning as a serpent. We have so called politicians /activists from the diaspora who are agents of strategic enemies of Ethiopia including Egypt who plan to destabilize and/or enslave Ethiopia at any cost.

• On the shortage of hard currency look for quick wins such as mobilizing  the diaspora and creating innovative incentives that compensate the difference in exchange rate between the official and parallel market ( reduced price condominiums, lands and duty free or reduced import tax  privileges could be offered as a reward to the Ethiopians in the diaspora once their remittance reward points reaches to a certain threshold similar to the airline loyalty  reward program).There should be also focus on tourism, minerals, precious stones, oil & gas exploration etc.,  to boost export revenue that will be used to fund strategic capital projects for sustainable development of the country.  Inhouse production of fertilizer, increasing the production of wheat (by changing the land policy and progressively avoiding subsides on imported wheat) and increased awareness on the use of inhouse manufactured goods also could reduce foreign currency requirement.  Over the last 27 years, EPRDF was blinded not to exploit the wealth underneath (to generate easier capital) because its agriculture led development strategy started with the assumption that the main resources the country have are only “land and cheap abundant labor”, which is completely not true. What about the uncolonized mindset that could transform Ethiopia and Africa? What about the unexplored wealth underground? What about the religious, historical, cultural and natural tourist attractions? What about the strategic location of Ethiopia?

• Continue with the fast growth strategy to position Ethiopia to lead the renaissance of Africa. Ultimately, Ethiopia’s renaissance will give birth to Africa’s renaissance which will also be the guarantee for sustenance of Ethiopian renaissance.

• Continue to build an effective and efficient lean military machine as deterrence to Egypt and its proxies that win war easily & quickly (if we are forced to defend ourselves/Please note that Ethiopia’s history is a history of defensive war and it shall continue to be so). Whether we like it or not Ethiopia sits on one of the most volatile, conflict and war prone strategic regions of the world. Egypt is the strategic enemy and rival of Ethiopia. When Egypt invaded Ethiopia in 1875, Egypt demanded to be given the exact region what the Italians later called Eritrea or continue with their invasion of Ethiopia. Emperor Yohannes rejected their demand and fought and defeated them until their government in Egypt was collapsed. Unfortunately, the Italians replaced the Egyptians and succeeded to curve out Eritrea. After the 2nd world war the UN decided to federate Eritrea with Ethiopia, though Egypt claimed Eritrea and strongly opposed the federation with Ethiopia. Thereafter, Egypt created the Eritrean People Liberation Front (EPLF) and funded the 30 years bitter war that caused untold death, destruction and suffering to the people of Ethiopia and succeeded to snatch Eritrea from Ethiopia to make it its de facto colony. Let me repeat it clear and loud again- Eritrea is the de facto colony of Egypt and a thorn in the flesh for Ethiopia. Do not expect lasting true peace between Ethiopia and Eritrea until the insecure President Isaias, who is the agent of Egypt, that transformed Eritrea to open air prison is judged by God. Allocate more budget to the military. Leverage on the geopolitical position and strategic location of Ethiopia and establish strategic cooperation with the superpowers that enables Ethiopia to build a military power that rivals Egypt. While most of the superpowers and the Middle East economic powers have established their military base at the door steps of Ethiopia can Ethiopia survive without strong army? The answer is a big no! When the late PM Meles came to power in 1991 on his first interview for the Ethiopian Television said “we Ethiopians do not need a big army, it is better we are recognized having big industry rather than a big army”. This was an innocent wish from a naive prime minister that was to be proven disastrously wrong after 8 years when Egypt backed Eritrea stabbed him from back and invaded Ethiopia. Contrary to what the Egyptians want us to believe that they do not need the GRED, the truth is that they badly need it as “free of charge reservoir” as far as their so called historic right is protected. All the money they have invested to create instability on Ethiopia is to enable them to arm twist the Ethiopian government to sign a water sharing agreement that legitimizes their “historic claim”. That is exactly what they did to Sudan decades ago and they want to repeat it with Ethiopia. PM Dr. Abiy beware of the Egyptians! They will try to deceive you directly or indirectly (through African Union, UN, superpowers, leaders of Middle East rich countries, etc. they know you have shortage of hard currency and they will offer you with strings attached) say no to their zero sum demands, like the late PM Meles who gave his precious life for his country.

• Build strategic security alliance with USA and Israel, while maintaining strategic economic alliance with China and maintaining good relationship with India, Middle East, Europe, Russia etc.

• Deepen the security alliance and economic integration with Sudan.

• The Algiers agreement with Eritrea was misguided and was a mistake (may be Ethiopia was cheated through the hidden hand of Egypt working through Algeria’s’ President who brokered the deal. I was surprised when I recently knew that Egypt and Algerians worked together to create the Eritrean People Liberation Front).

It should be the 1st stupid post war peace agreement in the world because “a defeated aggressor was appeased as if it was the victor”. TPLF and EPRDF have repetitively failed Ethiopians with regard to Eritrea as illustrated below and history will make them accountable for generations to come.

(i) The TPLF recognized the Eritrean case as colonial issue denying thousands of years history of Ethiopia

(ii) EPRDF supported the secession of Eritrea from Ethiopia without securing the Assab port and reduced Ethiopia to be the most populated country on earth without sea port

(iii) Disgracefully ended the costly border war in the year 2000 with huge cost to Ethiopia but no gain (I feel very angry about those Ethiopian soldiers who died during the in harry and unorderly withdrawal from Eritrea after the defeat of Eritrea)

(iv) Signed the most stupid post war agreement which did not bring peace and caused major economic, security damage to Ethiopia particularly to the people of Tigray

When is TPLF/EPRDF to apologize for all their mistakes on the issue of Eritrea?

What mistake should we expect next …. next? I hope you are not rushing to make again another concession without securing long lasting peace to the people of Tigray who have suffered the most during the last 20 + 17 years. Do not expect to reduce military expense as far Egypt continues its zero-sum game against Ethiopia and cost reduction does not justify rushed concession to President Isaias.

I hope Dr. Abiy to learn from history and never again to appease Shabia! Do not discredit the blood of hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians who died in the battle fields/mountains of Eretria from Emperor Yohannes to Emperor Haile Selassie, Derg to EPRDF time.

There should not be any border demarcation without comprehensive peace agreement that could bring a lasting peace! The aggression of Eritrea in May,1998 was never caused by border dispute, it was caused by economic related disagreement between Shabia and EPRDF and President Isaias’s political ambition to directly or indirectly dominate and rule the horn of Africa. The good news is Shabia’s days are numbered as its “judgement cup is full” and its demise is soon. No compromise on Eritrea and be vigilant as president Isaias is armed and dangerous and his spies have already penetrated the Ethiopian government structure.

• President Kirr of South Sudan has failed his people and cooperated with Egypt to harm Ethiopia. He shall go soon!
• Do not forget the suffering of our brothers in Yemen, Ethiopia should play a role as neutral peace broker.
• Learn from the mistakes of President Morsi of Egypt and from President Gorbachev of the former USSR since both of them miserably failed while managing national changes.
• I have also included the link for four of my articles from last year as they are still relevant.

Least but not last, I would like to declare my strong conviction that God has given EPRDF a 2nd chance, as far as it is willing to be born again, and I would like to boldly restate the 1st ever message EPRDF repeatedly broadcasted on the Ethiopian radio 27 years ago to herald the rebirth of EPRDF as follows:

“የዘመናት የሕዝብ ብሶት የወለደዉ ጀግናዉ የኢሕዲግ ሰራዊት ደርግ ሲጠቀምበት የነበረዉን ሬድዮ ጣብያ ለሰፊዉ ህዝብ ጥቅም ተቆጣጥሮታል”

Chapter I for EPRDF is over, Chapter II begins under the leadership of Dr. Abiy Ahmed!

God Bless Ethiopia

God Bless TPLF/EPRDF! Amen!

https://www.zehabesha.com/seven-point-turn-around-strategy-to-bring-ethiopia-back-to-peace-and-stability/

http://aigaforum.com/article2016/Ethiopia-Eritrea-082416.htm

http://sudantribune.com/spip.php?article61983

https://www.zehabesha.com/why-is-the-ethiopian-government-silent-in-exposing-egypts-role-in-destabilizing-ethiopia/

Foreign Service: Ambassador Dr Markos Tekle – SBS Amharic

By Alemayehu G. Mariam

Celebrating the six-month anniversary of Abiy Ahmed’s service as prime minister

October 2, 2018 marks the six-month anniversary of the appointment of Abiy Ahmed as prime minister of Ethiopia.

Six months and one day ago, Ethiopia was on the brink of civil war.

On April 2, 2018, Abiy Ahmed literally came out of nowhere and saved Ethiopia.

I want to celebrate the six-month anniversary of H.E. Prime Minster Dr. Abiy Ahmed with a special song called “What a difference a day makes?”

What a difference a day made/Twenty-four little hours
Brought the sun and the flowers/ Where there used to be rain…/
Lord, what a difference a day makes/ There’s a rainbow before me
Skies above can’t be stormy/ Since that moment of bliss…/
What a difference a day made/And the difference is you/

What a difference 180 days have made in Ethiopia?

And the difference is Abiy Ahmed!

Abiy Ahmed our son, our brother, our uncle, our cousin, our friend.

He brought us the sun and flowers after 27 years of darkness and gloom.

He brought back the lost rainbow to our rainbow nation.

When the Forces of Darkness raised their swords and told him he is not strong enough to weather their storm, Abiy Ahmed told them, “I am the storm”.

When they did not believe him, he reassured them, “I am the calm in the eye of the storm.”

Today, the stormy skies over the Ethiopian rainbow nation have turned azure and we can see clearly over the horizon.

And what difference did Abiy Ahmed make in 180 days?

Abiy Ahmed made a difference not by changing Ethiopia but by changing the hearts and minds of Ethiopians.

Let me count the ways he has changed the lives of his people in such a short time:

Abiy Ahmed liberated our minds from the mental slavery of ethnic politics.

For 27 years, we lived through the darkness of an ethnic apartheid system. He  came along and told us straight up, there is no Oromo Ethiopia, Amhara Ethiopia, Tigray Ethiopia… There is Ethiopiawinet. There is Medemer, or all Ethiopians working together to make Ethiopia a shining city upon a hill. He often reminds us, “When we are alive, we are Ethiopians. When we die (and turn to dust) we become the land that is Ethiopia.”

Abiy Ahmed not only talked peace, he also walked us on the path to peaceful change.

For 27 years, we were pushed and shoved on the road to perdition, to war, to massacres and destruction.

Abiy Ahmed proved to us that the old idea of “power comes out of the barrel of the gun” is outdated, antiquated and passé. “Killing to remain in or to grab power is the politics of losers,” he proclaimed. Real winner do not kill, they heal. We have only one country and the only way we can solve our problems peacefully is through dialogue without mouths, not through the barrel of an AK-47.

Abiy Ahmed made us feel proud to be Ethiopians.

For 27 years, Ethiopiawinet was a crime, a badge of blame and shame. We were  forced to confess our tribal and ethnic affiliations just so we could never say, “We are Ethiopians when we are alive and become Ethiopia when we die.” They beat us up and put us down. They demonized, dehumanized, demoralized, ostracized and categorized us just because we wanted to be called Ethiopians. They turned us into the walking dead.

Today, Abiy Ahmed tells us to loudly proclaim, “When we are alive, we are Ethiopians. When we die (and turn to dust) we become the land that is Ethiopia.”

Today, we wear our Ethiopiawinet as a badge of fame, as a medallion of our pride in a country that had preserved its independence for over three thousand years.

Abiy Ahmed made us feel safe and secure.

For 27 years, we lived in a state of fear, terror and sleeplessness. We feared the midnight knock on the door and the swift street abduction at noon by faceless goons. We lived in an endless nightmare.

Today, Abiy Ahmed has set us free says free to dream and to achieve anything our heart desires for our country and ourselves because the sky is not the limit. We stand tall and walk in full confidence that our rights are secure because Abiy Ahmed is standing vigil for us around the clock.

Abiy Ahmed taught to love because it is the only way to live. Dying and hating isn’t much of a living.

For 27 years, we were taught to hate each other; to kill each other; to distrust each other; to scorn each other and to exact revenge and retribution on each other.

Hate is a very powerful force on our planet and is the source of untold misery, death and destruction. But hate is learned, although I have sometimes wondered if some people are born to hate or have made hate their religion. Mandela said, “People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.”

But Abiy Ahmed says love is not something we learn. It is in our DNA. It is the essence of being human and the ultimate proof of being alive. It exists in every cell of our body. All he is saying is let your love shine!

Abiy Ahmed taught us a powerful truth about true leadership and good governance for Ethiopia.

For 27 years, a gang of ignorant and arrogant fools thinking themselves wise and visionaries took us for a ride to the cleaners and left us penniless. They set up monkey courts to administer justice and instituted a police state they called “command post”.

Abiy Ahmed’s formula for good governance is simple: Ethiopia will rise up as a nation only when the power of love overcomes the love of power of those in power and those hungry and thirsty for power.

Abiy Ahmed taught us we cannot make progress unless we learn and practice to forgive and reconcile.

For 27 years, we were forced to believe that forgiveness and reconciliation is for the weak-kneed, faint-of-heart and the chicken-hearted. The strong and mighty never forgive. They crush and destroy those who oppose them. There are “us and them”. We must destroy them because they are our enemies.

Abiy Ahmed showed us there is a better way. We must not be driven by irrational fears to hate and make enemies of our countrymen and women. He subscribes to the old saying, “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” I also subscribe to another old saying, “Allow your enemies their space to hate, they will destroy themselves in the process.”

Abiy Ahmed reached out and touched everyone.

For 27 years, the Forces of Darkness hid from the people in their dungeons fabricating intrigues, scams, conspiracies and deadly games. Some of them would not even show their faces or be photographed knowing that one day they will be fugitives from justice.

Abiy Ahmed went into the countryside, the hamlets and towns to talk to the people. He listened to them and answered their questions. His answers are for the ages.

He scoured the Horn of Africa and the Middle East looking for our exiled brothers and sisters forgotten in the jails and prisons, found them and brought them home. He even travelled ten thousand miles to America to bring home the banished, the exiled, the defiant, the indefatigable and unconquerable. He even managed to bring home one native son who was presumed lost for 48 years.

For 27 years, the Forces of Darkness made a nation of 100 million voiceless and speechless. We could not even murmur. We were only allowed to cry.

In six months, Abiy Ahmed lifted every voice in our nation as our choirmaster leading us in harmony:

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us,
Sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us;
Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,
Let us march on till victory is won.

We shall march on to victory with Abiy Ahmed!

For 27 years, we were forced to practice the politics of separation, fragmentation and segregation and live in kilils that are the  human equivalent of apartheid South Africa’s “kraals” (enclosures for cattle or other livestock).

Abiy Ahmed showed us a new way to do our politics. He calls it Medemer. I wrote about it at length recently in an aptly titled commentary, “Medemer or Not Medemer, That is the Question for All Ethiopians!”

Medemer is our ultimate weapon: United we stand against the Forces of Darkness or divided we stumble and fall back into the darkness that covered us pole to pole for the past 27 years of tears.

Abiy Ahmed showed us how to win hearts and minds.

For 27 years, the Forces of Darkness broke our hearts and crushed our minds. They tried to create a society of stonehearted men and women in their own image. We long suffered unspeakable indignities under the thumbs of ignorant, arrogant and intolerant gangsters.

But Abiy Ahmed melted our hearts with his love, humility, gentleness, empathy, kindness and compassion. He visits the sick in the hospital, donates blood and rebuilds the crumbling mud houses of the poorest of the poor. He shows respect to the young and old, men and women, rich and poor alike.

He won our minds with his stunning eloquence, his breadth of knowledge, his impeccable logic and awesome strategic thinking. The words he speaks have the weight of gold. When Abiy Ahmed speaks, everybody listens!

Abiy Ahmed showed us the right way to deal with women. Respect. He knows first-hand that behind every great man, there is (are) a great woma(e)n. There would have been no Abiy Ahmed without his mother or Zinash Tayachew.

Abiy Ahmed showed us honesty is always the best policy.

For 27 years, we were smeared with lies, damned lies and statislies. I coined the word “liestruth” (lie is truth) to describe the deceit, deception, dishonesty, disinformation, distortion, evasion, fabrication, falsehood and fiction rolling off the assembly line at their Lie Factory.

Abiy Ahmed tells it like it is. He says what he means and means what he says. He tells us the truth whether we like it or not. There is no bull with Abiy Ahmed.

But the Forces of Darkness have a big problem: They can’t handle the truth Abiy Ahmed is laying on them. That simple truth is: GAME OVER!

So, they try to keep on playing their games of intrigue, conspiracy, death and destruction.

I almost forgot…

Abiy Ahmed has also done other things that have made a world of difference.

Let me count the ways Abiy Ahmed has made a difference in the Ethiopian political, social and economic landscape and the Horn of Africa.

Abiy Ahmed busted open the political space that had been welded shut over the past 27 years.

For the past 27 years, Ethiopia was famous for its closed political space and gross human rights violations.

Abiy Ahmed changed that in six months. He pleaded with opposition leaders in the country to freely organize for an internationally-monitored free and fair election in 2020. He invited opposition leaders abroad to return home and engage peacefully in the political process. He granted amnesty to those once deemed to be “terrorists”. He has laid the groundwork for true multiparty democracy. He emptied the prisons of political prisoners. He restored the people’s constitutional right to free expression, allowed opposition media to operate freely and even invited opposition media from the Diaspora to establish local offices.

The media today functions as a watchdog investigating and reporting on crimes and misconduct in public office. Access to the internet is available without control or censorship.

The people today enjoy their right to peaceful protest, to fly their own flags and carry their own symbols with impunity. But the  Forces of Darkness tried to take advantage of this freedom by bankrolling thugs to cause death and destruction.

Abiy Ahmed told us the truth about the last 27 years. He said the terrorists were actually those in power committing torture and all forms of crimes against humanity. He has removed officials known to have engaged in gross human rights violations, corruption and abuse of power.

Abiy Ahmed has ensured the primacy of the rule of law.

For the past 27 years, we had ethnic minority rule masquerading as the rule of law.

Abiy Ahmed has established a professional justice department that will pursue legal accountability against anyone engaged in criminal activity.

But unlike the past 27 years, there will be no collective punishment or mass persecution.

Every person who commits a crime will be held to account.

Abiy Ahmed showed his supreme commitment to the rule of law and due process when he was asked about the status of the investigation of the suspects accused of trying to assassinate him. He meticulously respected their right to a fair trial and presumption of innocence. He did not say a single word that could be interpreted as damaging to the defense of these suspects.

For 27 years, innocent people accused of “terrorism” were held in detention for long periods, denied the right to counsel and tortured to confess and sentenced to long prison terms in monkey courts.

It takes a great man to hold his peace against those who attempted to kill him when presented an opportunity to damn them.

Abiy Ahmed has undertaken systematic reform of the police, security and military forces.

For the past 27 years, these forces had been privatized to serve the economic and political interests of one group.

Abiy Ahmed is working hard to completely professionalize the country’s forces to be in the service of the whole nation. The days of gross abuses of human rights, street abductions, arbitrary detentions, torture and criminality are gone.

Abiy Ahmed brought us and our neighbors peace and unity.

For 27 years, we were denied the right to say our peace, and war in the name of peace was imposed upon us at the barrel of the gun or through the dragnet of a “command post”. The Forces of Darkness waged a savage war on our neighbors in the name of Ethiopia.

Abiy Ahmed has made a world of difference in the Horn of Africa. He successfully implemented his “Medemer” strategy to transform the Horn of Africa and beyond.

Abiy Ahmed worked with H.E. President Isaias Afeworki to end hostilities that had lingered on for 20 years and considered a “lost” and “impossible” case. They reopened the border and families separated by war are now united in brotherly and sisterly peace.

The two leaders succeeded by following Nelson Mandela’s maxim: “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.” Their partnership has wrapped the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea in a single garment of social, economic and political destiny.

I know Ethiopia and Eritrea will be one, one day at a time. That is what the people of Ethiopia and Eritrea want. It is up to the leaders to fulfill the dreams of their respective peoples.

Abiy Ahmed brought  South Sudan’s power contenders to the peace table.

He went to Somalia and told the Somali people that their peace and stability is Ethiopia’s peace and stability. He promptly established international air service to Somalia.

Abiy Ahmed has become the messenger of peace in the Horn and beyond.  Somalia, Eritrea and Djbouti are aboard the Abiy Ahmed Peace Train. He has even allayed the fears of Egypt worried about the construction of the dam over the Abay (Nile) River.

Abiy Ahmed has gone a long way to ensure the Horn region does not become the  battleground in global and regional geopolitics. He is leading the peace initiative with the contending regional powers and others to peacefully engage in the Horn of Africa.

Some people have the Midas touch (golden touch). Abiy Ahmed has the Peace Touch. Everything he touches turns to peace.

Abiy Ahmed has stabilized the economy.

For the past 27 years, the Forces of Darkness looted the country’s treasury. They used the country’s banks as their back pockets. He has stabilized the foreign exchange crises and arranged a $3 billion package from the United Arab Emirates. He has persuaded the International Monetary Fund to provide a substantial loan to Ethiopia. He has established a commission to look into privatization of certain state-run institutions and liberalize the economy with the aim of improving services through market competition. He has welcomed foreign investments and promised a one-stop shop to avoid delays.

For the past 27 years, we suffered under a regime that made Ethiopia its playground and plaything. They trashed the constitution and ruled by their whims and fancy stealing billions from public projects with impunity.

Abiy Ahmed has set in motion an open, accountable and transparent government. Ministers will be evaluated by parliamentary committees. Government agencies and offices are required to publish information on their activities on their websites. He told his ministers point blank that if they can’t cut the mustard, they will have to pack up and ship out. There is no nepotism and no cronyism. Get the job done right, or hit the road Jack and don’t you come back no more.

Abiy Ahmed is forging ahead with Ethiopia’s Cheetahs (young people). He has cleaned out his party of what some people call “dead wood”. In his speeches, he emphasizes the time is for Ethiopia’s young people to carry the mantle and lead Ethiopia to her destined greatness. He is telling Hippos (older generation) like me that we have a place. We can stand by the side of our young people and help them with our skills, knowledge and resources.

Abiy Ahmed brought harmony and understanding among factions of the two religions in Ethiopia. He helped bring healing to the Ethiopian Tewahedo Orthodox Church in the country and in the Diaspora. He also helped factions in the Islamic community come together and resolve their differences peacefully.

Abiy Ahmed is leading the construction crew to build the New Ethiopia upon the shining hill.

But he has a long and difficult road ahead of him.

He must first tear down the mud walls of the kilil-istans (ethnic homelands/ Bantustans) that have kept the people of Ethiopia corralled like cattle.

He has to purge the poison of ethnic hate from the body politic of Ethiopia.

He must build bridges to connect people that have been separated and segregated over the past 27 years.

But Abiy Ahmed is the only person who could do the job. That’s is a FACT!

He is the only man with the capability, integrity, morality, respectability, intentionality and personality to do it right.

Abiy Ahmed has done all these things and more in 180 days!

That leads me to ask an embarrassing question of myself.

Do we really deserve Abiy Ahmed?

I know I should not be asking this question, but I just have to even at the risk of offending some of my readers!

Do we really deserve Abiy Ahmed?

I mean shouldn’t he be the leader of the entire continent instead of just one country?

Shouldn’t he just take his place as Mandela’s successor and begin where Mandela left off?

Apparently, major international media think he has a greater destiny.

The Financial Times wrote Abiy Ahmed “may be the most popular politician in Africa” and calls him “Ethiopia’s Mandela”.

The New York Times says Abiy Ahmed is the “most closely watched leader in Africa.”

CNN has tried to explain “Why Ethiopians believe their new prime minister is a prophet.”

The Economist is trying to figure out why “Ethiopians are going wild for Abiy Ahmed.”

Al Jazeera wonders if Abiy Ahmed is the real thing: “Are Ethiopians blinded by Abiymania?”

Black Star News has declared, “Dr. Abiy Ahmed is a legitimate Nobel Peace Prize candidate.”

Herman Cohen, former U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs, tweeted: “For the first time in my professional life, I am nominating someone for the Nobel Peace Prize: Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. If he brings multiparty democracy to #Ethiopia, the entire Horn of Africa will be transformed for the better.”

Abiy Ahmed has been prime minister of Ethiopia for only 180 days TODAY! 

There is no African leader today who can hold a candle to Abiy Ahmed.

He is a breed apart. He is one of a kind, that one that comes once every century if a country is lucky.

That is why I believe Abiy Ahmed is the political leader of the greatest virtue Ethiopia has produced in living memory.

Last stop for the Forces of Darkness before they are consigned to the  trash bin of history

The meeting in Hawassa in the next couple of days will be the last chance for the Forces of Darkness to make a last stand and try for a comeback to power.

The general party meeting of the EPRDF in Hawassa this week is the last chance the Forces of Darkness have to return to power. They have as much chance to return to power as a snow ball in hell.

It will be a do or die moment for them.

Of course, they know it is GAME OVER for them. But that does not mean anything to them. They are like the three-legged cat trying to bury turd on a marble floor. The cat will keep on trying mindlessly as will the Forces of Darkness.

I told them it was GAME OVER in exacting terms in my December 2015 commentary.

But the Forces of Darkness are like the damned who have eyes but cannot see, have ears but cannot hear, have noses, but cannot smell; have hands, but cannot feel and have clay feet and cannot walk.

The Forces of Darkness are doomed to the trash bin of history.

In my March 2015 commentary, I prophesied the end of the Forces of Darkness in exacting detail. I told them they will soon be vacuumed and deposited in the dust bin of history.

That moment has arrived!

The only question is whether they will go out with a bang or a whimper.

Their predicament reminds of T.S. Eliot’s poem, “The Hollow Men”.

We are the hollow men/ We are the stuffed men
Leaning together/Headpiece filled with straw. Alas!
Our dried voices, when/ We whisper together
Are quiet and meaningless

…

The eyes are not here/There are no eyes here
In this valley of dying stars/In this hollow valley
This broken jaw of our lost kingdoms…

This is the way the world ends/ This is the way the world ends
This is the way the world ends/Not with a bang but a whimper.

So, will the end of the hollow men, stuffed men, the empty suits of the Forces of Darkness come with a bang or a whimper as the broken jaw of their lost kingdom vanishes into the fog of history?

Will they whisper their meaningless babble or talk sense?

Some say the Forces of Darkness will be on their best behavior in Hawassa because they know they have been licked. They will do anything to cut a deal on immunity.

If PM Abiy Ahmed could guarantee them immunity from prosecution for all of the crimes they have committed and let them slide on all of the billions they have stolen, they will anoint him as the Second Coming. But there a snowball’s chance in hell for that to happen.

Others say they will put the old Art. 39 bluster. They have been talking about going “their way” if they cannot get their way. Our way or the highway. Some would say, “Don’t let the door hit you on the backside.”

Based on the historical evidence, I expect the Forces of Darkness will do what they do best in Hawassa. They will attempt to:

Coordinate a terrorist attack to disrupt the party meeting.

Provoke a crisis in the proceedings by bringing as part of their delegation a criminal against humanity for whom an arrest warrant has been issued.

Pull tricks in the media to embarrass PM Abiy.

Undertake a media campaign to depict the party conference as rigged and unfair.

Create a scene on the debate floor to show to bring attention to themselves and show their constituents they are fighting for them.

Use procedural rules to delay, obstruct and distract and trivialize the proceedings.

Try to create a public image that the other three parties are ganging against them and they are objects of persecution.

Use every method of blackmail to force the other three parties to bend to their will.

Threaten, intimidate, buy off and otherwise coerce certain vulnerable members of the other parties to support them.

But here is my prophesy for the Forces of Darkness.

You gnash your teeth and bare your claws against a righteous leader.

Your wicked schemes and plots will fail completely.

Your day has come and like the grass that withers before the noonday sun, so you shall too.

Be forewarned not to draw your sword against Abiy Ahmed for it will bend and piece your own hearts.

Abiy Ahmed may stumble, but he will not fall, for there is an invisible power that upholds him with his hand.

We will refrain form anger and show you peace.

But as I have prophesied to you over the years, WE shall inherit the land and you shall inherit the wind.

ETHIOPIAWINET TODAY

ETHIOPIAWINET TOMORROW

ETHIOPIAWINET FOREVER!

The 177 voting members of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front backed Abiy, during the party’s long-delayed congress in the southern city of Hawassa, Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

ADDIS ABABA – Ethiopia’s ruling party on Friday re-elected Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed as chairman in a near-unanimous vote that underscored official support for his reform agenda, state-affiliated media reported.

The 177 voting members of the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) backed Abiy, along with his deputy Demeke Mekonnen, during the party’s long-delayed congress in the southern city of Hawassa, Fana Broadcasting Corporate reported.

“Abiy won 176 of the 177 votes, while Demeke received 149 votes,” the broadcaster said.

Abiy, 42, took office in April after the unprecedented resignation of his predecessor Hailemariam Desalegn.

Starting in late 2015, his administration was roiled by anti-government protests led by Ethiopia’s largest ethnic groups the Oromo and Amhara, who were angered by the heavy-handed rule of the EPRDF, which controls every seat in parliament and has targeted dissenters during its 27 years in power.

Since his inauguration, Abiy, an Oromo, has pursued an aggressive reform agenda that includes releasing jailed dissidents and journalists, making peace with arch-foe Eritrea and announcing the privatisation of key state-owned enterprises.

But ethnic clashes in the countryside and violence in the capital have raised fears of looming crises in Africa’s second most-populous country.

During Abiy’s first public appearance in the capital Addis Ababa, a grenade attack set off a stampede, killing two people and injuring scores.

Meanwhile, nearly one million people have been displaced after fighting between the Oromos and the Gedeo ethnic minority in Ethiopia’s south broke out shortly after Abiy took office.

Last month, clashes on the outskirts of the capital left at least 58 people dead, with those fleeing saying they were targeted by Oromo mobs because they are members of minority ethnic groups.

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Joint Submission to the UN Universal Periodic Review
33rd Session of the UPR Working Group Review

Download (PDF, 1.79MB)

By Tefera Dinberu

Over thirty years ago ideas of narrow nationalism were sown by Weyane that still plays a reactionary role to deter good governance from coming in Ethiopia. It did not have any dream of developing an Ethiopian state but rather the vision to reside on the demise of all Ethiopians. For Weyane, the concept of political organizations associated with people of Oromo, Amhara, Sidama, Wolaiyta, Gambella, Silte, Afar, Adare, Somali, etc. are tools used to advance conflicts. There is a great awakening today that Weyane never planned to resolve any national problems but to create and fan them so that Ethiopians would have unabated or recurring conflicts to so that it contiues to reign.

When people of Gondar were saying loud that the Oromo blood is their blood, OLF was drafting “Oromo Charter” and “Oromo Transitional State” by following the road map of their mentors. People can obviously see that Weyane did not like the spirit of unity blowing over Ethiopia and a few narrow nationalists are also directly or indirectly playing as mercenaries to fulfil its mission of anarchy. OLF politicians should have realized that disintegrating the country cannot bring about any advantage to any nationality or nation.

Although nationality questions revolve around some minority sectors in some parts of the world, especially where repression and backwardness hurts people, it has never been a means of development but a means to satisfy the lust of individual or group power mongers. Ethiopia is a nation where over 80 nationalities lived together, shared common histories and cultural values, fought common enemies and survived to date. People with common destinies would not have any vision other than advancing economic, political, social equality and justice. However, any sectarian thought hampers these common interests. It does not bring about prosperity and peace to the people but would rather be a means of conflicts and anarchy that enables foreign interests and agents to intervene and exploit the weakness.

Political and government structure based on ethnicity is an archaic thinking and can never build democracy but erodes it. The nature of ethnicity is to directly or indirectly prioritize the interest of a certain group over other groups; so, an ethnic organization is discriminatory by its nature. It is futile and outdated to make issues of nationality questions on this 21st century. On this 21st century, an educated person is supposed to understand that no one can stop social relationships by using racial cleavage; any people has the right to speak, write and read in its own language or any other language; any person has the right to choose what to worship and where to live, who to marry, where and how to earn one’s living. This is human right. By the same token, a nation like Ethiopia should have a national language, or as few national languages as possible since any language has the purpose of being a medium of communication but nothing else. A 21^st personality is supposed to know that a language can neither be ethnically inherited nor racially be identified. Everybody should have known that Amharic was not made a national language by a decree but came to being so by evolution from centuries of development.

Some Objective Facts

A professional study of a scholar indicated that Amharic and Argoba languages evolved from a common ancestral language that phased out through time as Amharic developed as a lingua franca (a language that is adopted as a common medium between speakers whose native languages are different). Another study by Addis Abeba University Ethiopian Languages Research Center indicated that Amharic evolved as a result of processes of pidginization and creolization. It is assumed to have served as a means of communication between mostly Cushitic speaking soldiers and Semitic speaking officers. In the course of time it became the mother tongue of the children of these soldiers; later peasants also started to speak Amharic. So, the Amhara people did not choose Amharic to be their language but they were called Amhara because history that created the language made them speak it and that is why the Amara people prefer to be identified as Ethiopians instead of an ethnic group. Although the people residing in the present day Menz, Yifat, Gojjam, Gondar, Wollo, etc., spoke Amharic since time immemorial, other indigenous languages, Geez, Sabaean, Aderie, Argoba, Agew, Afar (Adal), Hebrew, Arab, Omotic, Nilotic, Cushitic *including Oromo and other many local languages have contributed to the evolutionary making of Amharic itself. It took over a thousand years for Amharic to develop and eventually become a national language during the Zagwe dynasty. One should be mindful that the Zagwes had their own language but preferred Amharic since it was already in use by the larger people of the country.

In contrast to that, after the rise of Imam Ahmad Ibn Ibrahim al Ghazi (Gragn) and his massacre of the male Christian population, since the central state did not have the capacity to keep order and safety in the countryside, Oromo immigrants, by using a gada armed campaign, burnt villages, pillaged displaced indigenous. They forced indigenous people not only to speak Afan Oromo but to be Oromos through assimilation processes known as moogassa, Gudifecha, meedhicha, and harmoa-hodha (Etefa 43-48). They customarily celebrate a ritual known as buta (literally meaning looting) that denotes killing of enemies by men. The Burayu incident that took place last August was similar to typical a raid under gada military expedition. Although they neither created an empire nor destroyed the existing Ethiopian Empire, first they swarmed Bale; then they steadily destroyed kingdoms of Damot, Ganz, Bizama, Janjero, Sharka, Fatagar, Dawaro, Angota, etc. and spread to the whole country as far as Wellega and celebrated Tulu Welel as a symbol of their settlement; they established Gibe kingdoms (Jimma, Limmu-Enarya, Gumma, Gomma, and Gera in 1800-1830 by Mecha Oromoo tribe). The tenanted people were forced to make a covenant with the occupiers – to like what the Oromoos liked, to hate what Oromoos hated, to protect the interest of Oromoos, to believe in what they believed in, and to speak Afaan Oromoo. Oromization took place in the west, south, east, center, and north (Wallo) and previous inhabitants were persuaded or forced to accept Oromoo culture and even Oromoo names (Lewis 38). See “Comment on Melbaa Gada, Author of ‘Oromia, an Introduction to the History of the Oromoo People’. (By Tefera Dinberu)”.

While Amharic grew into a national language through the long process of Ethiopian nation building just like other nations, through this historical period, other languages like Cushitic Agew, and Belew dwindled as Oromo language expanded comparatively in a shorter and recent time in the indigenous Ethiopians who lost most of their identities to the Oromo expansionists through Gada military campaign. Gada phased out when the era of expansion stopped and migrant Oromos started settlements and its administrative part was replaced by religious and other rules. For example, the Ghibe states that were formed in the 19^th century did not use gada as an administration system. In later days, gada culture is known for its rituals associated with circumcision when a man reaches 36-40 years old.

Personalities that introduced Kubee to Oromo people could not see that ge’ez was spoken in Cushitic courts of Ethiopia since over 2000 years ago, and that adding Affan Oromo to the Ethiopian national language with geez alphabet could help the unity of the nation.

Anyone who does not see the difference between Amharic speaking elites and the ever-oppressed Amara people needs to be re-educated on the stratification of our society. One has to know how Otto Von Bismarck in Germany, king of Sardinia in Italy, Peter the Great in Russia, and many feudal dictators in other countries of the world built nations through classical military unification or reunification. After rulers like Emperor Caleb (518-527), Amda-tsion(1314-1344), Zara-Yaqob (1434-1468), Gragn (1529-1543), Emperor Tewodros (1855-1868) started reunification of Ethiopia that was decentralized during zemenemesafint; Emperor Yohannis tried to build on and Emperor Menelik who made the last re-unification was successful to deter partial colonial expansion and preserve the present Ethiopia. If that reunification was not accomplished, identities of the present ethnic groups could have been altered and colonialists could have split territories according to their interests where current rhetoric could not have existed at all. However, it was the Ethiopian flag that was used as a symbol of unity against enemies since our ancestors that accepted the tricolor as a gift of God and inherited us this free nation.

While the Ethiopian ruling class used Ge’ez and then Amharic as a national language, likewise, Ethiopian rulers, including the Cushitic Hindeque (Candace) royal dynasty that believed in Christianity since the birth of Jesus Christ used Ge’ez language. Yeju Oromo state leaders of the 18^th -19^th century from Gandar also used Ge’ez and Amharic as mediums.  Ethiopian Christian tradition covered part of the Sudan, the Horn of Africa, and Saudi Arabia. Ethiopia was open to different faith followers and foreigners like Arabs too. It was the first country in the world to accept Muslim immigrants, or first Hegira, during the life time of Prophet Mohammed. Living testimonies in Adulis, Yeha, Aksum, and remains of Marib dam in Yemen and others testify that. Ethiopian literature goes at least as far back as 2000 B.C. The Ethiopian Yared composed the first three types of chants in the world – Ge’ez, Izil, and Araray more than a thousand years before William Shakespeare and Leonardo da Vinci were born. Any Ethiopian should have been proud of belonging to such historically rich nation.

What is surprising to hear is a professor of the 21^st century branding the Ethiopian language as an instrument of oppression and Amara nation as an oppressive ruling class. However, the class that rather existed in any group including Amara, Oromo, Afar, Wolaiyta, Tigre, etc., in denominations like chiqa-shum, naftagna, balabat, kawona (Wolayta), qoro (Oromoo), makabantu (Afar), and others made up the oppressive feudal system. Class is a group of people with superior social, political, and economic status. Ethnicity has never been a class in the world. To identify Amara as a class, Amaras must be superior in all the three aspects. But since these did not identify Amara alone at any time, rebellion of oppressed peasants in different Amara regions of Gojjam, Wollo, and Gondar took place for decades and it was the starvation of Amara along with Tigre that brought about the 1974 revolution and downfall of the monarch, head of the feudal system. In no time did the Amharic language lift up the standard of living of poor Gondere’s, Gojjames, Menzes, Bulgies, Welloyes, and others. They speak Amharic but remain the poorest people in underdeveloped parts of the country. It is very wrong to condemn Amharic or Amhara people due to their association with Ethiopian nation building as nation building did not exist without preserving it from foreign occupiers by paying blood and bones. Ethiopian troops had to use the medium of the state; and all Ethiopians played equal role in making Ethiopia. Now the question is how to build a democratic system and take the people out of all abyss of poverty.

The other sectarian outlook is that OLF and its proponents identify Addis Ababa with Oromia. A recent statement of Oromo organizations puts Addis Ababa as Oromian land. What surprised many farsighted Ethiopians is that some  reputed and educated Oromo personalities inclined to that view point. These elites should have understood that for over 100 years Addis Abeba was and still is a capital city, the seat of the Ethiopian state leaders, center of business and national economy, residence of low and high ranking federal military officials, tradesmen, state employees including regional representatives from all sectors of Ethiopia. It was structured as one of the Ethiopian provinces.  People from all corners of Ethiopia lived in it, contributed to its development by running business and paying taxes; bore and raised children and buried their dead in the city. Addis Abeba also used to serve as a city state before Oromiya regional state was formed in 1991. Encyclopedia Britannica states the nature of cities like Addis Ababa, “City-state, a political system consisting of an independent city having sovereignty over contiguous territory and serving as a centre and leader of political, economic, and cultural life.”

“Finance and Governance of Capital Cities in Federal Systems”, that conducts international financial structure study of cities has made a series of studies on Abuja, Addis Ababa, Canberra, Delhi, Mexico, and Washington DC categorized them as federal districts and identified their common role as follows:

– National seat of government not under jurisdiction of any one state/province

– Extent of federal control ranges from Abuja (tightly controlled by federal    government) to Canberra (largely an autonomous city-state)

– Issues of local democratic and accountability deficit

– Limited fiscal autonomy

– Direct access to federal funds

– Combine local and state functions

So, the nationalists contradict this worldwide known fact.

Conclusion

Ethnic nationalism is incompatible with democracy. That concept of nationalism favors power mongering that emanate from tribal identification of a people in the lust for power devoid of any farsighted vision of peace and prosperity that can come from a united people that in turn can develop a great nation. Such outlooks fan nationalism that directly or indirectly deny coherence in diversity and deter political organizations from coming to common terms on common issues. So, intellectuals of the 21^st century are supposed to be unprejudiced, humanist, and pragmatists with the vision of seeing Ethiopians in the pace of the whole planet.

Since Ethiopia is one of the oldest countries in the whole world, it is very rich in the history of internal conflicts over resources; especially when there is poverty and poor government, even the same people in small villages fight against each other over springs, water wells, grazing grass or farmlands, etc. Of course expansionists and internal power mongers used religion and language to divide people, but cultural differences had never become problems among the common people anywhere in Ethiopia. Out of this centuries old history, local skirmishes that used to take place in our society, people have many good and bad things to recite. However, as our late African leader, Nelson Mandela, said, we should not worry about the past but about the future. We cannot live in the past; so instead of developing one or another type of condemnation of past deeds, leaving all the past to history, we need to think and rethink about what our people need. As current politicians condemn chauvinism, discrimination, bigotry, inequality, and injustices, and all types of repression, they should work to eradicate these and to enshrine the people with equality and justice instead of planting newer types of discrimination, inequality, injustice, and chauvinism.

Any people would like to live in peace and harmony with any other people in its neighbors and would rather like to advance a better standard of living. No people essentially hate any other people, nor their languages. So, if the common problem is poverty and lack of good governance, the objective of genuine politicians should have been to come together and make alliances in order to combat and resolve these problems and build democracy and technology. The Weyane dictatorship existed for 27 years because its life was based on the division of the people. Most politicians became demagogues trying to stubbornly adhere to their absurd old dreams of getting chairs somewhere in the state structure in isolation from the rest, others dreamt of authority in a utopian ideal Platonic state. Weyane has never been a state that stood for any morality, ethics, or values. It has not cared to qualify any qualities or standards of state leadership since it did not have any national interest; it orchestrated conflicts and terrorism on the people it claimed to administer. It usurped the nation for over 27 years and remained still unsatisfied in its greed. It is the shortsightedness of our politicians that helped the brutal regime to stay on state power for so long. We need to contest such persisting poverty of philosophy.

Social or political differences are natural; but democracy is a means to manage differences where different sectors of the people constitute to form a common government. No society should cult and rely on strong politicians but on strong popular organizations and strong government where balance of power is used to keep all dictatorial elements at bay. Cult is excessive admiration like believing in personalities due to feeling of exaltation rather than objective things they do on the ground. Trends of personality cult can end up in making one a dictator. In a federal democratic form of government repelling forces are contained in an equilibrium by a balance of power in the state structure. Therefore, opposition parties should harmoniously lead the nation of all Ethiopian people for equality, justice, prosperity, harmony and peace. Harmony among opposition groups entices harmony of the people that can be realized under federalism. No one would like a form of chauvinism to be replaced by another chauvinism.  A political organization that does not work in harmony with other Ethiopian opposition organizations for common objectives cannot demonstrate to the people that it can be part of a federal system of state leadership and hence cannot get support not only among other groups but even from the people it assumes to represent. In other words a party that does not respect other major or minor groups cannot be free from chauvinism and hence from neo-hegemony or dictatorship that is obstacle to a peaceful relationship and hence democratic leadership.

We should learn from South Sudan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Syria, and other countries to avoid any chaos and rather build a “United States of Ethiopia”. Strong leadership emanates from strong partnership. If this is realized, it will deter not only local dictatorship but also foreign foragers.

• The concept of chauvinism must be replaced by pride since any society has its own pride based on its values.
• And any manifestation of hate must be changed into love and heroism that advances common pride and common values.
• Political organizations with denomination of “Front” must revise their program and change the expression and idea; because that sense puts part or the rest of the people in a confrontational state that can be unfriendly.
• So, Article 39 of the constitution of EPRDF needs revision as it lets a regional state to see itself as separate from the whole in terms of economic, social and political developments; it and creates suspicion in any national decision of the country; so it is very difficult to keep the unity of the people and build a great country based on reliable democracy; instead of that, a democratic atmosphere in which political parties compete on how to better satisfy interests of the Ethiopian people must be created.

So, although political organizations may hold different plans as to how to advance democracy, economic and social developments, they must have a common vision that all people dream of peace, prosperity, equality, and justice – similar to the American dream – democracy, rights, liberty, opportunity and equality.

Tefera Dinberu

By Tariku Beyene

For the last few years, Mr. Tsegaye Ararssa enjoyed spreading highly inflammatory tantrums pretending that he was a world-class scholar with a PhD from the prestigious Melbourne Law School. But what he was doing was appealing to machete-rattling hate groups and mobs until his facade and masks fell apart. He is now shaking in his boots in Melbourne where he is seeking asylum.

Following recent revelations that “Doctor” Tsegaye Ararssa was faking his academic credentials and title that he claimed to have received from Melbourne Law School, some of his fanatic social media followers are now busy with their campaign on his behalf that lighted up Facebook and Twitter.

The campaign, “We are all Dr. Tsegaye Ararssa” was aimed at countering the serious allegations of flagrant deception the “doctor” is facing. Nonetheless, the online effort has proved to be futile as the University of Melbourne issued a statement about Mr. Ararssa. Anyone, can confirm this by contacting the university, as I did.

Curious about the real cause of the scandal, I reached out to the university. The university emailed me the same statement that spread on social media. The statement reads: “Thank you for contacting the University of Melbourne with your concerns.  We take them seriously and are considering them further in accordance with the University’s governance framework.

“At this time we can confirm that Tsegaye Ararssa has not completed his doctoral studies and has not received a doctorate from the University of Melbourne.

“Mr Ararssa is not an employee of the University of Melbourne. All students of the University must comply with our Student Conduct policy, which can be found at: https://policy.unimelb.edu.au/MPF1324”

In fact the statement has clearly stated that Mr. Ararssa did not complete his doctoral studies. It turned out that he dropped out three years ago and never returned after failing to fulfill the requirements to rap up his studies in order to earn a PhD.

The university also noted that he has not received a doctorate degree from its law school. Another claim that the university has refuted is that he is an employee of the university, contrary his repeated claims.

Apparently, Mr. Ararssa is facing further scrutinies and investigations as a group of Ethiopians in Australia have filed multiple complaints over his hateful and divisive messages that are being linked to violent ethnic attacks in Ethiopia.

Mr. Ararssa first declared that he successfully completed his doctoral studies at the University of Melbourne in December 2015. Jawar, another polarizing hate preacher, posted a congratulatory message on December 6, 2015 which was widely shared. “Congratulations to our own Tsegaye Ararssa who successfully completed his PhD at Melbourne Law School. I am eagerly awaiting to read his dissertation titled “Presenting Absence: The Figure of the Oromo in the Constitution of Ethiopia.”

In January 2016, Mr. Ararssa appeared on ESAT with Sisay Agena and repeated the now discredited lies that he received his doctoral degree from Melbourne Law School and claimed that he was also lecturing at the school.

Despite the fact that his fanatic followers are still calling him “doctor”, he has not yet apologized for his fraudulent and deceptive activities. Instead of doing the right thing, the shameless man tries to preach about morality and ethics. In a recent social media post, he wrote about false narrations, inconvenient truth, tales and myths.

Speaking of inconvenient truth, why is Mr. Ararssa living a big lie? Why can’t he confront the inconvenient truth? The only time he tried to address his own scandal was on social media. However, the hate preacher was vague and cryptic.

“Tsegaye Ararssa should not be a subject of discussion of any sort let alone a site of political point scoring. We need to beware of the tactic of distraction,” he wrote.

The fake doctor had even the audacity to transfer his own scandal to the “people” that every lunatic hate preacher desires to own like a herd of cattle. “Since 2015, every time our adversaries lose the argument on the political agenda of the time, they discuss the personalities involved in this debate, mainly to silence us, to vilify the cause we stand for, and to humiliate the people whose cause we ‘represent’–the people they are increasingly acting and speaking against,” he lamented.

If anyone pretends to be what he is not, the personality matters before the message. A dishonorable man should not try to define the fate of millions of many vulnerable people. Mr. Tsegaye’s contribution to the Burayu massacre is hard to ignore. Hate preachers are as guilty as the brutes agitated by messages from someone like Mr. Ararssa who seems to have an influence on organized mobs.

Mr. Ararssa doesn’t lack knowledge. The one thing that he failed to get is a PhD. His project to earn a PhD started over 16 years ago. He joined a PhD program at the University of Amsterdam in 2003. But he dropped out after a few years. He gave conflicting reasons why he pulled out of the race. In 2011, he joined the University of Melbourne. The Melbourne Law School is known for its strict standard and rigor. If one falls below the expected standard, they are out.

According informed sources, Mr. Ararssa was wasting a lot of time preaching hatred and missed critical deadlines. He also had serious issues with his professors. Apparently, the university pulled the plug on him and showed him the door for his poor performance and failing to meet the requirements to earn a PhD. As a matter of fact, anyone can start a marathon, but they cannot declare themselves a champion after pulling out in midway.

Educated or not, Mr. Ararssa is certified to be good at spreading venom and inciting ethnic violence. For that matter, inciting violence needs no diploma. It is obvious that his toxic rants are dangerous not only to the poor people being displaced and killed because of ethnic conflicts but also to himself. The severe consequences of inciting bloody conflicts, in a country where ethnic relations is extremely delicate, must not be underestimated.

Anyone should not argue with Mr. Ararssa before he stops telling lies to himself. As the saying goes, never argue with someone who believes their own fat lies. His grandiose delusions is certainly worsening. He definitely needs help as he is a danger to himself as his illusions about his greatness are totally shattered.

October 5, 2018

T.Goshu

Given the very ongoing critical struggle for the realization/establishment of a fundamentally democratic and prosperous society for the first time in our political history, Dr Abyie is much better than his comrades in relative terms to serve as a leader!!! And we should be glad about it and we need to firmly stand with his very vision, agenda and policy he intends to advance.
But, the way do it cannot and should not be submissive which is of course very self-dehumanizing. We have to engage ourselves in a very serious and genuine political dialogue and discussion not as yes or uncritical subjects but as demanding and critical citizens!!! I strongly argue it is because of the terrible lack of this kind of political mentality that we make ourselves victims of highly jargonized and sensational political statements and rhetoric.
I want to argue that to my understanding, the outcome of the Hawasa Conference is neither surprising nor unexpected as he (the PM) has been and being seen by almost all the four members of the ruling front (EPRDF), including TPLF as the best savior and factor of the continuation of the political power of EPRDF by taking a reform that could paint EPRDF with kind of illuminating or bright political image than ever.
This conference was very successful in this perspective and it is not a bad thing as such. The question is to what extent it can turn out itself to be the genuine and decisive force for the realization of a fundamental democratic change in the country of more than ninety million population?
The very notion that TPLF could be the destructive force during the Conference was highly/foolishly subjective or exaggerated by most of us. TPLF is not simply a collection of foolish ethno-centric politicians. It knows very well how to survive in a very difficult if not dangerous political environment, and it did it. And that is the very clear case we have observed during the Conference.
Believe or not, despite the fact that we have tried to make arguments and views that the purpose and outcome of the Conference would be extraordinarily historic, that is not what has been reflected in the process and in the outcome of the Conference.
I know we my argue that as the devil is in the details, let’s wait and see. Yes, this makes sense if it is done with great caution and genuine follow up. The very statement or concluding summary of the Conference is not really different from the very day-to-day highly vague and generalized political rhetoric we have been hearing and reading for the last few months.
I hope some meaningfully analytical, objective, critical, and developmental (incremental) explanations of critical and timely issues may surface sooner, not later.
I also strongly argue and believe that it is the duties and responsibilities of good citizens to engage in critical and productive discussions and comments on this very political juncture of our country. We cannot afford to remain spectators and receivers of highly unqualified and unsubstantiated political rhetoric and promise here after.
Yes, we should go beyond making noises and flooding streets with highly emotional and disorganized way of doing politics.
Yes, we desperately need to be very careful and wise not to be victims of a very shot-lived political relief (amusement) which has been one of the greatest weaknesses of ours for a long period of our political history.
We have to be seriously mindful or constantly remind ourselves that we are far and far away from the realization of a political system that should be a very source of mutual happiness as this concept is quite different from amusement (temporary (short-lived) relief as we have come through for the last few months and we seem continue to be so.
To my understanding, this conference and its concluding statement ignites more questions than answers as it intentionally or otherwise left out very pivotal or indispensable political issues and socio-economic challenges. That is why I want to underscore that all genuinely concerned fellow Ethiopians in general and intellectuals in particular have to show that they are willing and capable of challenging and helping politicians who might and may not either willing or able to go beyond their highly jargonized and emotion -appeal or emotion- driven political rhetoric but walk a very slow and confusing walk.
Agree or disagree, it seems that EPRDF is so worried about how to become the “outshining” force of change by foolishly or cynically claiming the success of the ongoing change and to become victorious in the upcoming election .It says that the opposition forces have to play their role using a political space available. It did not answer at least in general terms the question of what? , how? Who? When? Where? And how?
To my understanding, trying to continue the political domination of EPRDF in the name of serious and deep reform is not going to work at all. It is good for the country and for itself (EPRDF) to engage with all concerned and viable opposition political forces and civil organizations in a genuine and truly participatory dialogue and mutual understanding. It is then and only then that the political rhetoric of participatory political system or political space can become true. Electing a relatively willing and capable individuals is great. But, as long as these individuals are captives of the very political culture and disciplinary system of EPRDF as well as ethno-centrism, there is no way for them to register a success story of establishing a free and democratic society.
I do not believe that whatever EPRDF may claim to be the leading force of bringing about a just and truly democratic system, it will not be true without a very wide and thoroughly active engagement of all relatively viable and genuine opposition political forces and civil societies. And we still do not see or sense any meaningful and viable interest from the ruling party. And I do not believe it (EPRDF) will take this front of political willingness and engagement seriously and courageously because it very well knows that this is not in its own political interest of presenting itself as the leading force of the reform . Engaging in a serious and consequential political dialogue and discourse with opposing forces requires (demands) the willingness and determination to sacrifice one’s own interest for the sake of national interest and peoples’ well-being . Does EPRDF have this kind of patriotic nature and courage? I do not think so. Unfortunately!

by Zekarias Ezra

History is replete with accounts of deceased political parties. It is a reminder that not every political party lasts forever.

In US, there was once a party called the Federalist Party, led by Alexander Hamilton, who pushed for a national bank and a federal tax system. Although his ideas lived on, the party eventually died out after developing a reputation as an elitist cadre that cared more

about the interests of its New England base.

Other political parties die when stricken by the ‘strong leader disease’. TPLF and EPRDF have been led by a ‘strong leader, Meles Zenawi. Say whatever you want to say about him, the guy had a formidable political skill just like many strong leaders of the past and the present. (Deceitful Master: The Truth about Ethiopia´s Meles Zenawi). On some scores, the same can be said of Col. Mengistu. They both organized their parties in unitary structures, with power being centralized in ‘high commands’. TPLF (EPRDF) was a one family run party.

After the passing of Meles, his party, which was already suffering from the ‘strong leader’ disease, could not grasp the reality of Ethiopia and found itself in one crisis after another. The endless ‘gimgema’ did not help it cure the disease.

We shall say it for the umpteenth time. ‘Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. That, my friend, has been the lot of TPLF.

If power were a prescription drug, it would come with a long list of known side effects. It can intoxicate. It can corrupt. Now studies are showing it can even cause brain damage.

The historian Henry Adams described power, allegorically of course as “a sort of tumor that ends by killing the victim’s sympathies. Dacher Keltner, a psychology professor at UC Berkeley, found in studies spanning two decades, that the study subjects under the influence of power, acted as if they had suffered a traumatic brain injury—becoming more impulsive, less risk-aware, and, crucially, less adept at seeing things from other people’s point of view. Sounds TPLF.

Sukhvinder Obhi, a neuroscientist at McMaster University, in Ontario, reported in his findings that power, in fact, impairs a specific neural process, “mirroring,” that may be a cornerstone of empathy.

The TPLF/EPRDF old guard suffering from this ‘power paradox’ condition could not correctly diagnose the realty on the ground.  In all their ‘gimegemas’ they didn’t appear chastened or remorseful. Nor did they seem defiant or smug or even insincere. They looked disoriented, like a jet-lagged space traveler just arrived from Planet Dedebit.

In the end, they were beaten on their own game by their own sycophants quickly turned reformists. Didn’t Col. Mengistu tell us ‘Abiyot Lejochuan Tibelalech’?  That was in display in Hawassa. The members were having a good laugh at the expense of TPLF Chairman. He garnered, so we are told, 15 votes to 176 of Dr. Abiy. If this not a ‘dead party’, I don’t know what is.

Supporters should mourn the death of their party. The rest of Ethiopia should celebrate on the sure passing of TPLF while anticipating the coming to pass of EPRDF come 2020. Ethiopia Free at Last!

By Mesay Kebede (Prof)

Ethnic tensions and violent clashes and subsequent displacements of people in some regions of Ethiopia and around Addis Ababa have set off alarmist, if not distraught, reactions among political analysts, activists, and ordinary people. While for some these tragic events reveal the weakness of Abiy’s government and the fragile nature of the reforms he introduced, for others they put into question the very survival of Ethiopia as a united nation. Still others blame Abiy and his government for not taking the necessary measures to stop the spread of violence, even though many of these violent disturbances were, so they say, inevitable once groups known for their extremist and aggressive ideologies were invited back into the country.

I must admit that I was taken aback by these reactions. It is one thing to raise the alarm and vigorously denounce these violent events; it is quite another to construe them as events that should not have happened or could have been avoided. To the extent that any deep-going social change has supporters and opponents, both nonviolent oppositions and violent conflicts are inevitable. The question is not whether they will be violent clashes, but whether they can be contained to the minimum. All the more reason for adopting this approach is that, not long ago, when clashes between protesters and the Woyanne government were routinely occurring, many observers did not hesitate to describe the future of Ethiopia as bleak, if not doomed. Moreover, the common perception was that TPLF’s policy of divide-and-rule had planted tensions in many places that are bound to explode as soon as it loses its grip on the country.

The fact that the predicted extensive catastrophes did not take place should make us more appreciative of the relative peace of the country, even as it is undergoing critical changes. Not only serious reforms that bring together ethnic groups by reducing tensions are implemented, but also they take place in a legal framework that saves the country from resorting to a revolutionary upheaval. Recourse to revolution would have been fatal for the country, given its fragmentation along ethnic lines. The dissent within the previous OPDO that brought about the Lemma group to leadership position and Abiy to premiership can be labelled as salvational in view of the likelihood of civil wars if the Woyanne regime had to be removed unconstitutionally.

What all this means is that if we are serious about building a diverse and democratic Ethiopia, we must be ready for a highly challenging task. And we cannot be ready unless we begin by accepting the inevitability of difficult bumps on the road to democratic governance. Once repression is discarded as a means to deal with political opponents, there remains the hard and patient way of working to generate consensus. The fact that repression is legitimately used only when it is clearly and legally established that a specific group has infringed existing laws may create the perception that the government is weak. The bare truth, however, is that such a belief emanates from a misconception on what it takes to build a democratic state. In the same vein, it is tempting to blame Abiy and the government for inviting extremist groups, but this view misses that it is little democratic to ban groups that opted for armed struggle when we know that their option was mainly caused by the lack of the possibility of peaceful protests and free elections, and that they themselves openly renounced the use of force.

The core issue here is that we fail to ask the right question if we misconceive the social dynamics that takes place in Ethiopia subsequent to the rise of Abiy. An essential part of the complaint concerning stability, violent clashes, and displacements of people come from those who, having lost their hegemonic position, see no other way out than through the overthrow of Abiy. It is logical to assume that these people are the direct or indirect instigators of the conflicts. Vis-à-vis the political reality created by Abiy, they and their supporters are literally floating in the air, because they clearly see that their discourses and interests cannot fit into that reality. As a result, they can neither be with Abiy nor go on his left or right. Their only chance is violent disturbance and chaos so that they would appear as the party that will restore order and peace. Naturally, among their supporters, we find secessionist groups: for them too, chaos is conducive to the realization of their secessionist agenda, since the collapse of the central government will give them free rein to turn the ethnic fragmentation into separate states.

As to competing political groups with moderate views, their problem is Abiy in that he is too big to the point of covering the entire political space. Consequently, these groups try to create new spaces for them by moving on the right or left of Abiy. Unfortunately, the quagmire here is that left and right politics run the risk of wrecking the unity of the country, with all the dire consequences that such an outcome would entail. Indeed, the first cannot avoid questioning the present ethnic demarcations of regions; the latter cannot but restore some form of ethnic dominance. In both cases, it is hardly possible to prevent dissatisfaction and the danger of civil war. In other words, the space taken up by Abiy is large because, in addition to holding in each of his hands one of the twin problems of Ethiopia, namely, ethnic demarcation and national unity, he is engaged in the task of pulling them together.

To say that the political cards have been so shuffled by the reformist stature of Abiy that political parties have yet to find a credible place in the political spectrum is to point out the looming danger. Indeed, one thing is sure: the attempt to move to left or right compels political parties competing against the renovated EPRDF to espouse extremist political agendas, given the space covered by Abiy. Even moderate opposition groups are drawn to extremism, as shown by the recent spectacle of Oromo moderate political parties siding with more radical groups in their assessment of the violent clashes in some towns around Addis Ababa. In other words, the unintended consequence of the rise of Abiy is the danger that opposing Oromo groups (perhaps Somali groups as well) could be sucked into extremism just to find their niche in the political arena.

That is why I believe that a returnee leader of the EPRP, Mersha Yousef, expressed a sensible stand (an extremely rare quality for the organization) when he said in an interview to Addis Admass: “We are not at present preoccupied by the election. Even if the objective of any political party is to come to power by means of election, we want to do some prior work . . . . In particular, we will strongly work to prevent the reversal of the initiated change . . . . We support this change because it is good for the country” (loosely translated). Put otherwise, the best that political parties concerned with the welfare of the country can do is to protect and support the ongoing change so as to put it on a firmer foundation. Only after this job is done does it become safe and expedient to engage in the competition for power.

Some such position is obviously attentive to the numerous dangers threatening the peace and integrity of the country. It calls for parties to rally behind Abiy by putting aside differences as well as political ambitions for the higher good of the country. What is at stake is the crucial need to consolidate, before anything else, the democratic process and gains. This does not mean that we should give carte blanche to Abiy and his government. The simple truth is that Abiy needs the democratic forces of the country as much as they need him. Our focus must be on the progress of democratization: we must make sure that the country is moving forward by educating, organizing, and mobilizing popular forces as well as by keeping open and feeding on the democratic debate. The goal of this work is to create parties that are stronger and more representative and capable of proposing viable alternative policies. These actions provide what is needed to pursue the democratic progressions by keeping enough pressure on Abiy and his government.

Messay Kebede

https://udayton.academia.edu/MessayKebede

Tadesse Walle (PhD), London

6 October 2018

Here is the argument: TPLF, ethno- centric political entity from its inception, has gravely attempted to dismantle Ethiopia against the will of Ethiopians, tried to unmake, rewrite the Ethiopian inclusive identity and integrity; resurrect ethnic enclaves, entities with untold fables against the Ethiopian state and its people.  It’s continued and relentless effort to deconstruct, decentre the centre and divide its people on ethno -linguistic basis is incompatible with demotic, civic, liberal values of this 21^st century and the current wave of change spearheaded by PM Abiy and team Lemma. At the time of writing my piece, TPLF is still committed to its obsolete view of revolutionary democracy,   its ethnic driven rhetoric and irrational doctrine is utterly inconsistent with post- modern, rationale, civic and liberal values. Conventional logic demands TPLF to ban itself as the alternative is unsustainable, sham and stain to Ethiopian history.

The chronicle of Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) informs us that it was founded in 1974 by a group of individuals including Meles Zenawi, the late Prime Minister of Ethiopia. Its true vision was made clear in its Manifesto in 1976 (infamously known as   Dedebit Manifesto). The Manifesto of TPLF, calls for the establishment of the “Republic of Greater Tigray” and made its primary objective to secede from Ethiopia, form an independent Tigray state.  The Manifesto appears to have been written with an ostentatious strategy for the secession of Tigray from the rest of Ethiopian state without substantive consideration of its own historical legacy and irrefutable facts in writing the Ethiopian history for centuries. Accordingly, the plan involved two main steps: one, re demarcating Tigray’s borders to expand the then, province’s borders within Ethiopia, and acquire coastal lands from the then Eritrean part of Ethiopia.  Ultimately since 1991, the EPRDF, in essence, TPLF, had taken several actions that appear to have adhered to the plans set by TPLF’s Manifesto in 1976. This action of TPLF is consistent to the entire conspiracy, plot and myth against the Ethiopian unity and integrity.

Accordingly, one of its missions was “accomplished” in 1991 when regions from Gondar and Wollo had been incorporated into Tigray. The first Chapter of this ethnic irredentism, territorial appropriation was accomplished by TPLF by crafting pseudo and bogus legal platform.

From its inception, the Front claimed with impunity, an extended territory for Tigray, curving a mass of land beyond its historical borders. This in fact is to the irony of the devout sons and daughters of Tigray, pioneers of Ethiopian identity and integrity; who paid incalculable sacrifices in writing greater Ethiopian history with their blood. This futile endeavour of creating ethno- centric states that could neither feed nor defend themselves, for the last 27 years has been against the history, extraordinary narratives of ordinary Tigryans and its outstanding leaders such as   Ras Alula Abanega, Emperor Johannes the IV and others.

Richard Pankhurst, the well-known Ethiopian historian claims, “The founding of the Aksumite state, and civilisation, which may have taken place as early as 300Bc, was an important development in Ethiopian history” Pankhurst, further states, “The language spoken in Aksum was probably Geez, also referred to in Europe as Ethiopic”[1] (underlined for emphasis), which is anti-thesis to TPLF’s unpalatable theory and practice.

The land of Tigray where Emperor Yohannes IV- was born, sacrificed his life in defending the Ethiopian territorial integrity, during the battle of Metema; Ras Alula Abanega, and others who ensured the Ethiopian sovereignty in the horn of Africa by warding off the encroaching attempts of the Islamic Mahdists, Italians and Anglo-Egyptian armies while Europe scrambled for Africa, remain the bulwark of Ethiopian unity and integrity. This is paradoxically proved to be opposite to TPLF’s mischief, and duplicity.  Judging by its actions, TPLF has no parallel in Ethiopian history, except those with fascist facades that lost their war in the battle of Adwa, where TPLF was hatched and nurtured to the irony of ordinary Tigrean’s narrative who wrote Ethiopian history with their blood. By doing so TPLF stood against the vibrant historical narratives of the People of Tigray. Logic demands TPLF and its cohorts should go, they have nothing to offer but chaos and revolutionary mayhem.  TPLF as a catalytic agent chose to concoct Article 39 of the “Ethiopian” constitution with a view to “legitimately” divide and rule

the Ethiopian people and ultimately secede when and if it wishes. Article 39, of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia Constitution reads, “Every Nation, Nationality and People in Ethiopia has an unconditional right to self-determination, including the right to secession” Such maxims may have their own caveats, historical and political roots which I am not dealing for now.  However, TPLF used such a contested tenet, with no context, as a prescription in order to pursue its concealed agenda to remotely apply and redress its own sham 1976 Manifesto.

As soon as the TPLF assumed its political power in 1991, it established the Endowment Fund for the Rehabilitation of Tigray (“EFORT”), conglomerates of business companies mainly based in Tigray, chaired by TPLF affiliates and its hierarchy. Through this EFFORT package, though not the only, TPLF managed to divert large quantities of Ethiopian resources, millions of capital and international aid to Tigray, with a view to consolidate its political, economic power at the expense of all Ethiopians. TPLF, by manipulating the Ethiopian economy for its own end, is now the economic power house. Its common sense, that this resource is currently used in financing organisations bent to reverse the existing change. Hope, it is not a question of IF but WHEN, all these companies are legally accountable to the rightful owners:  Ethiopians including Tigriyans with the exception of TPLF affiliates.

TPLF, as an adversary to the Ethiopian whole, its handling of the Ethio- Eritrean affairs left Ethiopia as a country and its one hundred million people landlocked, with no legitimate access to the sea. No leader, no party that history records, had worked or would work against the fundamental interest of its own people. There is no nostalgia about Eritrean secession now; the critic here is the weird   position of TPLF under Zenawi.

Typical and true to its anti-Ethiopian stance, TPLF,  continued to sabotage the Ethiopian – Sudanese border in favour of Sudan including by concealing , holding back, legitimate information from the Ethiopian people. Once again this is a territory, where the devout sons and daughters of Ethiopia including Tigrians shed their bloods, led by emperor Yohnnes the IV in order to save the Ethiopian territorial state from Mahadists.

TPLF’s destruction, annihilation of the Ethiopian state has no parallel in the Ethiopian history except the Italian fascists who conspired to rip to pieces the African, black people’s icon –Ethiopia, from every corner of the land: common-sense has to prevail, TPLF should go.

As ethnic division and suffering continued unabated, the Amahara has been identified targeted, vilified and demonised by TPLF and its satellite groups.  The Zenawi ethnic rhetoric identified the Amahara with Ethiopian unity and identity. He took malicious, horrible actions against the Amhara including ethnic cleansing (in Wolqait, Arsi Gambella and other parts of the country). TPLF’s  fabricated myths,   began to  rewrite history including calling bad names against the Amhara and the Oromo, particularly after the OLF’s seasonal marriage with the  TPLF which  collapsed  with a disaster in 1992; though  after all these years of continued suffering by the TPLF; OLF appears to have aligned  AGAIN with “ የቀን ጂቦች “,  failing to be a credible and  reliable  ally to the existing wave of  change.

TPLF’s   inflammatory rhetoric, historical lies, disinformation was geared against the Amahara in an attempt to diminish, degrade and caricature the history and everyday life of  the Amhara including banning Amhara lecturers from Universities and other governmental structures.  TPLF shamelessly, tried to reduce the Amhara by providing bogus census (no majority), distorted historical facts including against Ethiopian heroes who sacrificed their lives for Ethiopian causes; the Amhara had no choice but to organise itself.

Against this background the All Amhara People’s organisation (AAPO) was formed in 1993 by its selfless leader Professor Asrat Woldeyes. The organisation’s bylaw specified that its objective was to oppose the ethnic myths of TPLF (የሳት አደጋ መከላከል   ), deter the ethnic division of the country and also challenge the systematic massacre of the Amhara, identified with Ethiopian unity and identity. The Amhara, its Ethiopian history, culture, language, vibrant leaders have been tarnished including Menilik II who brought fame not only to Ethiopia but to Africa and the black people all over the world.

The APPO led by Professor Asrat was able to organise a challenging force both in the county and abroad, demanded the integrity of Ethiopia maintained and opposed the secession of Eritrea. For Zenawi, the secession of Eritrea was a forgone conclusion as this was his “learned view?” and commitment including at the time of the 1998-2000 war with Eritrea.

In a short period of time AAPO was able to organise and galvanise a considerable force which could potentially wreck the ethno centric regime of Ethiopia. However, TPLF for fear of his growing power and influence amongst Ethiopians, not only the Amhara , TPLF decided to imprison Professor Asrat Woldeyes on phony and dubious charges –  according to Amnesty international.  He was initially arrested in June 1994 and imprisoned for a period of two years and extended for five years on same charges with bogus and concocted evidence. In 1996, he was subjected to a new circus trial, repeatedly adjourned for no apparent reason with a view to keep him in prison, indefinitely and was never legally released.

His life in prison was torturous, subjected to inhumane and degrading treatment. Following the deterioration of his health, he was allowed to go abroad on Christmas day in 1998 and was flown to London (stayed three days in London) and then to Houston where he was welcomed and comforted by AAPO support groups in Europe and the USA, Ethiopian dignitaries and foreigners from all walks of life including those who appreciated his rare talent as a surgeon. Sadly, he died on the 14 May 1999 whilst in Houston, Texas, and buried in Ethiopia in the same year.

Here again, I am not intending to narrate the achievements or limitations  of the  AAPO , at least for now , what I am  intending to show in  these paragraphs is how  the cowards of  TPLF worked relentlessly to wreck the Amhara and its organisation. TPLF was intimidated by Professor Asrat Woldeye’s   charisma and the growing influence in the West; hence, they did everything in their power to finish him.  TPLF tired hard not to give space for genuine democracy, popular parties unless for satellite parties.   As TPLF continued its tyranny as a minority, it was totally unsettled with forces who claim Ethiopian unity integrity. For fear of its existence, it initiated and nurtured mayhem, destruction, killing and indefinite dentation against those who stood for one Ethiopia and genuine democracy. Those who stood for free speech, free press, human rights protection and liberties have been marginalised, outraised, chased and led to prison.   The catalogue of those who suffered in detention, torture and faced untimely death is untold; Professor Asrat was one of them.

Thus, taking into account the very doctrine TPLF stands for (revolutionary mayhem) to this day and its practice in the last 27 years and so, TPLF stands inconsistent with the Ethiopian paradigm and the current change; TPLF has nothing to offer: it is incompatible with the paradigm of undivided Ethiopia and certainly not with  መደመር (medemer).

As this conflict-ridden, schismatic policy of TPLF continued undiminished in different forms, Ethiopia has become a Pandora Box, where nations for secession have been hatched and nurtured. The recent phenomena surrounding the Ethiopian Somali region, Ogden is typical to this scenario; if it were not for Prime Minister Abiy and his leadership, the ultimate end would have been a different outcome, taking into account the apparent sabotage of TPLF behind the plot. The hallmark of this practice, determination and direction by Abiy and team Lemma is consistent with their early pledges to the Ethiopian people: vision for Ethiopia, political pluralism, socio – economic inclusiveness, civic and inclusive identity.

As matters stand now, the word FINFINE for Addis Ababa connotes and have its own caveats; Addis Ababa, the capital city of Ethiopia, the city of all Ethiopians irrespective of this or that ethnic group, the historical, political centre of Africans and where regional, international institutions flourish, appears to have been targeted by some ethno-centric groups including the OLF who got their wicked tuitions and practice from TPLF.  The group appears to have endorsed TPLF’s out-dated route, ethno-centric federal structure and drive for Addis Ababa ownership. The substance of the script    , the nature and tone of the language said it all.  As TPLF, the OLF is on the wrong side of history, majority and ordinary Oromos identify themselves with Ethiopia irrespective ultra-nationalists rhetoric.

In addressing their message, the groups relied on some aspects of the current Ethiopian constitution, under “Article 49” which includes ‘… Addis Ababa shall be the capital city of the Federal State….. The residents of Addis Ababa shall have a full measure of self-government….and ….Oromia’s interest in Addis Ababa … regarding social services ….natural resources …shall be determined by law’.  (underlined for emphasis). It is public knowledge that this TPLF tailored , ethnic based so called constitution has lots of problems, gaps, inconsistences and silent on many issues  that matter to all Ethiopians , though not my theme for now. However, even taking as it is, there is nothing “determined by law “ in accordance to the cited constitution. The core issue, according to the constitution is that …’ Addis shall have a full measure of self – government.’… that Addis is a self-governing entity accountable to the Federal State ‘  which doesn’t surrender Addis to any ethno- centric interpretation , even by the standard of the constitution. The alleged claim, as is it appears is unlawful and unfair.

In that deliberation there were allegations of “Oromo identity attack”.  Clearly there are now unprecedented, unprovoked attacks of the Oromo, the Amahra and other social /ethnic groups in the country, one must be cognizant of the causes of these attack and stand with the change loving people of Ethiopians to contain this. Safeguarding the   identity of the Oromo and other groups is and must be the duty of all Ethiopians. Fellow Oromos have died for the survival of Ethiopia, remain to play an important role in the continued identity of Ethiopia, as has been seen in recent attempts in saving lake Tana , stating, አባይ ኬኛ፤ ኢትዮጲያ ኬኛ. This, I believe is the historical and contemporary place of the Oromo, irrespective of ethno-centrists  bogus claim.

Ethno- centrists appears to have been biased with their own ahistorical myth, unable or did not want to entertain shared Ethiopians history and identity. Failed to grasp that inhabitants of Addis since the foundation of Addis and beyond have always been Ethiopians, throughout time and space. One cannot undo the ሰርገኛ ጤፍ analogy of the Ethiopian identity which includes the Oromo.  There is no as such Oromo or Amhara identity for Addis or any possession rights to this or that ethnic group. To think otherwise appears oblivious and at best idiotic – sadly, one may not fix idiocy.

Addis Ababa, like the cities of Paris, London or Rome should and must be free to flourish for all Ethiopians, whilst amending the corrupted practice of not paying compensation to individual land owners of Addis irrespective of their ethnic origin; surly, this cannot and should not be an excuse to invoke group/ national rights on the city of Addis or any part of the country.

Addis, the centre of Ethiopian universe, culture, art, music and literature, should remain the collective identity of all Ethiopians. The capital should remain beyond and above the realms of petty jurisdictions cascaded by those who failed to learn from the beauty of its collective and inclusive identity. Addis’s dignified statuesque reigns beyond and above the realms of this or that ethnic group. The whole, as usual is greater that the mechanical sums of this or that ethnic group. Ethiopia is greater than any ethnic enclave, greater than the Amahra , the Oromo or  any other ethnic enclave per se forget the realms of Zenawi and his cohorts.  Inward looking ethno – centric vision for Addis is incompatible to its international image, no way no near to its sparkly international and regional standing which all Ethiopians enjoy.

The voices and the voiceless of Addis are  all civic and liberal ,  not an  ethnic enclave , it has always been a melting pot where all cultural , ethnic groups dislodge their ethnic past  and become citizens of Addis with pride and by extension , Ethiopians. They feel equal, there is nothing unequal, equal to all including to foreigners.  To limit Addis or force Addis to reflect this or that ethnic group is to reduce and diminish its inclusive and civic identity.  One would also note that this is the legacy of TPLF, whose core principles, rhetorical doctrine of ethnic based federal structure is all about: ethnic fragmentation the core of its value.   Its   ethno- xenophobic view ultimately calls for ethnic irredentism as has been manifested by Tigray regional state, incorporating parts of Gondar and Wollo.  This phenomena evidenced in Addis may not be the last as long as ethno -centric card is played by the state and Article 39 is upheld. It is time to ditch article 39; it is open for opposition and viable parities to grab it – make their case for the Ethiopian people.

The Way forward: Abiy-mania and the regime in change:

As stated above, TPLF is incompatible with the new changes:  ethno – centrism is mutually exclusive to civic, liberal, demotic values and political pluralism.  TPLF affiliates should resolve, come in terms with the Ethiopian people and with the people of Tigray. The people of Tigray deserve better.   TPLF’s claim, that TPLF and the people of Tigray are one and the same is just an absolute nonsense, deceit, an insult to ordinary followers. Party and People are two different entities, though such a bogus claim is trailed by TPLF.   This is a futile attempt to continue its pretences, deception, well and beyond its 27 years of misrule, tyranny. The people of Tigray remain, the bulwark of the Ethiopian identity both in the past (forget the time spent under TPLF) and in the future. Tigray is as old as the Ethiopian entity, as opposed to TPLF’s footing in the early 70’s with distorted Marxist dogma. Therefore, TPLF should give way to the new generation of Tigray with civic and inclusive identity; resurrect the realms of its distant past including that of Yohannes the IV, Ras Alula Abanega and others.

It is not too late, though late, to say enough is enough and leave the stage for the on-going well – rounded transformation, radical changes led by PM Abiy and team Lemma. TPLF should know, the more it stays in power it is a liability to EPRDF itself or for any coalition that works in the interest of all Ethiopians with civic and inclusive identity.

Think about this, the entire doctrine of TPLF from day one of its foundation, with little or no exception had worked against the fundamental interest of Ethiopians.  It has worked against common values, shared culture, shared and collective identity of all Ethiopians. This has left Ethiopians divided, where they cannot live and work comfortably; confront each other as strangers, aliens and immigrants in their own country. Sadly, those groups who recklessly and irresponsibly caused this damage, appears to have shamelessly continued their sabotage against the new change.     Those, ordained with TPLF’s terrible ideology, still plot in one or in a different form to deter the on-going change, but should think hard and think fast in order to change for the better or make a choice to sanction themselves; take notice, the alternative is utterly inconsistent, sham and indefensible unless in TPLF’s Kangaroo courts – which I believe is a bygone conclusion.

It was refreshing to hear PM Abiy’s speech, when he likened the Ethiopian people with ሰርገኛ ጤፍ .  Literally ሰርገኛ ጤፍ    is a mix of light and brown Teff (ጤፍ )   in its nature, not man made. Such mixture cannot be detached, separated one from the other, when cooked for food or preserved. This metaphoric insight, perception of the PM, with a subtle sociological explanation, underpins, addresses the social construct of the Ethiopian people from every corner of the land.  ሰርገኛ ጤፍ     is indivisible, inseparable; it is blended in one, both in form and content. This analogy says it all.

Young PM in one of his notable speeches also highlighted that we are all Ethiopians both dead and alive. We live as Ethiopians and die as Ethiopians.  One would compare this with what was acclaimed by TPLF’s tribal chief, “The Tigreans had Axum, but what could that mean to the Gurague? The Agew had Lalibela, but what could that mean to the Oromo? The Gonderes had castles, but what could that mean to the Wolaitai?” ( Zenawi of TPLF).

It is not only PM, Abiy, one would take into account the speeches of young and vibrant Lemma Megerssa who said it all in one word – Ethiopia is my “ዕፅ” ….medication, painkiller …. Here you go back to history, Ethiopians irrespective of this or that ethnic group died and lived together, fought all wars  together, blood was split, bones scattered for common goal:  saving Ethiopia and Ethiopians  – as Ethiopia has always been and remain ( for those who accept Ethiopia)  to be “ዕፅ  for every Ethiopian, irrespective of this or that ethno-linguistic enclave.  Ethiopians died  together for a common cause under the banner of one flag – an Ethiopian symbol,   honouring it,  and not  discrediting, shaming the Ethiopian flag like Zenawi of TPLF, “”The flag is just a piece of rag.” (This was in an interview given to state media). Is flag just a piece of rag for any nation, for you as a reader?

In present day Ethiopia, the end goal appears to be in sight, though needs everybody’s input, with these young and vibrant leaders, social engineers, the agenda is set to call for genuine democracy in line with the doctrine of Abraham Lincoln – “the government of the people, by the people, for the people” under the rule of law in which justice, fairness and equality will flourish for all Ethiopians and not for this or that ethnic group. A grand vision which majority of Ethiopians celebrate: credit goes to PM Abiy, team Lemma, Demeke and Gedu.

Against this promising background, we are still witnessing, though not surprised, a group of schismatic entities, individuals who conspire 24/7 to wreck the on-going all-inclusive change by violent means including the June 2018 bomb blast during a pro Prime Minister rally at Addis Ababa’s Mesqel Square. The massacre and brutal attack in Burayu, Gambella, Ogaden, Benshangul regions; ethnic cleansing in Wolqait and Raya…the list goes on … is repulsive and disgusting, using the PM’s languages, those who are engaged in these are “losers”. True, losers will never win.

These groups appear to wage double standard: on one had they claim to be part of መደመር ( medemer) and on the other hand they conspire day and night in order to wreck the current change. It must be loud and clear:  their action equals to   terrorist activities  as they are still bombing , shooting , inciting violence in one or in  different form, and some of them did not hide their intention: they said they are against the change and are prepared to take us back to 1991. Some of them pursue double standard: telling us that they are there for change but conspire at same time, failing to grasp, “You cannot eat your cake and have it, too”.

It is also imperative to note, such groups will continue to conspire as long as they have the means and the space to carry out their hostile, futile schema; it is time if not late, the means, the resources they treasure in all forms is  sanctioned unlawful  and the  space they operate , manipulate is denied. The resources, the capital, they had looted should and must be returned to their legal owners, Ethiopia and Ethiopians.

From these and similar scenarios in the past, all those concerned will learn and learn fast to avert such a Machiavellian, treacherous activities from groups who conspire to reverse the change for once and for all. Here is bare logic, such groups, individuals have demonstrated that they are incompatible, irreconcilable with  the current democratic and civic  change, hostile to መደመር  , hence, reason should and must prevail; such groups be outlawed , the guilty party pay the price in a court of law and allow the current change finish its course.

Should you need to contact me, you may use tadessez@hotmail.com

[1] Richard Pankhurst, The Ethiopians,2001,P22

by Yohannes Gebeyehu

Neoliberal-ism as political economy at the risk of oversimplification implies a political economy governed and guided by demand and supply (market). It subscribes to market fundamentalism. Any political thought that aspires to build a neo-liberal political economy in Ethiopia is of no use particularly because the market led by demand and supply as defined in the neo-liberal vocabulary successfully fails to understand the Ethiopian context on the ground. Ethiopia’s political economy for much of its existence had been guided by traditional feudalism and command economy both of which discouraged market. The Feudalistic and command economy holds the backward economy to its grave. A backward agrarian economy that has for years produced for subsistence. That has for years produce no surplus for market. The smallest thing that surpluses individual consumption lacks demand (will plus ability to buy). Therefore, market was not available in real sense of the term for centuries. The existing ones were absolutely imperfect, lacks institutions to operate fully and properly. Professor Alemayehu Geda in providing us with an over view of the market and growth process in Ethiopia articulates that the Imperial regime was based upon the landed gentry, the Derg was bent on the destruction of the private sector and markets and officially, the EPRDF has reinstated the market and endorsed the private sector. That illustrates the recent resurgence and/ or emergence of the market for it to be a leading institution in the political economy as neo-liberalists would like to have.

Alemayehu Geda argues that growth in Ethiopia is largely determined by political economy factors, climatic risks, the strength and efficiency of institutions, the quality of public policies, and risks related to war and property rights. Product and input markets are found to be not only thin but inflexible. Combined with the unstable political environment, this has greatly limited both the potential for long run growth and the sustainability of individual growth episodes. At the same time, Alemayehu’s analysis suggests a potentially powerful role for Ethiopia’s long and unique history, operating through the continuity provided by a few key public sector institutions. In the absence of such continuity – and notwithstanding the manifest inefficiencies of these institutions in other respects – the growth record may well have been worse than observed, he argued.Alemayehu’s and likeminded economists’ call for robust institutions is tantamount to a call for the government to intervene until at least strong market comes into existence.

One can therefore, summarize the foundation of political economy in a third world economy like ours as the absence of market in both real and absolute terms, when they exist, they are pervasively imperfect and are not supported by proper institutions. There should therefore be an entity called a government that should take the responsibility to create market (Demand and Supply) where there is no market, and an entity called a government that establishes institutions for the proper functioning of the market that may exist.
The government intervene to curb or avoid what Adam Smith called ‘‘the businessman’s conspiracy against the public’’- which is monopoly-ism and the tendency to charge prices higher than what the production costs would dictate. Therefore, the government intervene through anti-monopoly legislation so that it can actually reduce unproductive activities and raise outputs through greater competition.

In a country like ours demand and supply needs to be created through active government intervention. The government should be involved in the construction of roads and other important infrastructures that are important to connect demand with supply. The government should work in providing farmers with market information that their supply be transported to the place where there is a demand to their product. The government has the responsibility to make accessible supplies to demands through road and information accessibility. In such a way, the government by creating the platform for the coming together of supplies and demands creates market. The government solves the problem of absence of market.

Market is imperfect even if it is created due to conventional and non-conventional reasons. Conventional reasons like the imperfection of the market to capture private and social costs/benefits. The market cannot also provide the public with public goods like road, street lightening, social service, social capital. The market is also imperfect due to information asymmetry and market distortion and unemployment. The government is vital to create competitive market.

The market is also inefficient requiring government intervention for at least reducing inefficiency. Stieglitz warns against three types of market inefficiencies. The product mix (Dynamic) inefficiency, exchange (allocate) inefficiency and production inefficiency are the three types of inefficiencies identified with Stieglitz. By product mix inefficiency, he means when the market produces too much of one good and too little of other goods creating artificial supply and demand which would results in deflation and inflation. Exchange inefficiency is when some products do not reach to individuals who want them. This can illustrate the drought in Ethiopia. Ethiopia is not short of production of consumer goods. But due to the fact that some products do not reach to individuals who want them results in inflation or sometimes absolute scarcity. Production inefficiency is when production is far inside the production possibilities curve resulting in supply constraint which in turn results in inflation. Any proper and prudent guidance from the government is utmost important in doing away with those market inefficiencies.

Markets cannot operate in a vacuum. It needs a free arbiter to regulate demand and supply. It needs a legal framework to sign a contract and state apparatus to enforce those contracts. The government should provide the market with what Stieglitz calls institutional infrastructure consisting of a legal and contract system which represents a set of rules of the game for the market to operate properly, a set of property rights, physical infrastructure including financial services and telecommunications and intellectual infrastructure through education, research and development (R&D), and technology.
The government needs to fill market failures resulted from traditional market failures happening as a result of negative externalities and the need for public goods which the market more often than not decline to provide. The government is also required to fill market failure resulted from lack of concentration on innovation and technology development, information imperfection, absence of markets and their imperfection when they exist as is reflected in unemployment, monopolistic situations and so on.
Market has limitations in maintaining equitable, sustainable and human centred development. Market does not care about egregious conditions of the poor, homeless, minorities. It does not worry about local and global environmental degradations and it generally neglects human resources developments.

Government is also essential to make markets function more effectively in developing countries and markets like ours where markets function poorly for lack of institutions, social norms and human behaviour, this means governments should introduce and enforce appropriate property rights and legal norms.

What is more is real world market is not simply the function of supply and demand but its proper functioning is conditioned by social, political and institutional factors. White analyzes the four major political factors as the politics of state involvement, market organization, market structure and social embeddedness. 

The Social, political and institutional factors that are elucidated by White are particularly resonates and important to Ethiopia’s political economy. This is true because the political economy of Ethiopia is responsible for lifting up the poor from the bog of poverty, is responsible forbuilding, operating and ultimately transferring robust market institutions to the private sector,responsible for building physical, virtual and institutional infrastructures. 
The Ethiopian state is involved in different ways like taking over production in the public sector, providing key inputs such as energy to private firms, purchasing agricultural products from the primarily producers, providing public goods and services, making market function perfectly through law enforcement, institution building, shaping social norms and human behaviour; creating market where there is no market. The state should build social embeddedness in markets. Markets are embedded in the wider values of society and institutions. If the wider values of society and institutions are corrupt, the market will be corrupt. Market agents are not necessarily guided by profit maximization/self interest-instead they may be guided by culture, tradition and fairness or otherwise.
They government should also see to it that the market structure is competitive and the market organization avoids any room for certain powerful agents like rent seekers who tend to exploit the market to their advantage at the expense of the weaker agents and consumers.

The government in its effort to realize the above pivotal role should provide the market with what Stiglitze calls ‘Infrastructure’ consisting of institutional infrastructure, physical infrastructure and intellectual infrastructure.

Abdur Rahman Alfa Shaban

The latest batch of ex-rebels returning to Ethiopia from Eritrea are the Tigray People’s Democratic Movement (TPDM). Over 2,000 of them are reported to have returned home on Tuesday.

Leadership of the TPDM held talks with the Eritrean government in Asmara in late August. they agreed to return home to pursue peaceful political struggle.

The group was formed in 2001 shortly after the two countries fought a costly border war which led to deaths of tens of thousands of people. The ensuing years were of a standoff between them.

All that changed in July 2018 when Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed signed a peace deal with Eritrean president Isaias Afwerki to end the “no peace, no war” situation.

Before the peace deal, both countries accused each other of harbouring anti-peace elements claims that each part rejected in same measure.

Other former groups based in Eritrea that have returned home include the Patriotic Ginbot 7 fighters, soldiers of the Oromo Liberation Front, OLF. In each case, Asmara hosted peace talks between the rebels and Addis Ababa.

Ethiopia govt, key opposition parties agree to restructure armed operations

In August 2018, Ethiopian Prime Minister’s office said he had instituted a project office to oversee the implementation of an agreement with former rebel groups.

Its creation according to Abiy’s chief of staff, was necessitated after the government reached an agreement with key opposition parties. There were no further details of the particular parties involved.

The agreement covers disarmament, demobilization & reintegration of former fighters. PM Abiy appointed Tesfaye Yegezu to lead the Project Office (under the PM’s Office) tasked to coordinate this effort, a tweet from the chief of staff read in part.

Since his coming into office in April 2018, Abiy has led a multi-sectoral reform of Ethiopia’s government machinery. Key planks of the reforms have included unbanning rebel groups as terrorist organizations.