Tedla Asfaw
Ato Girma Kassa wrote in Amharic on ethiomedia.com questioning the targetting of Teddy Afro a popular singer by the Ethiopian regime if it is a vendetta for his popular songs which rallies Ethiopian to unite against all kinds of divisiions.
Ato Girma Kassa brought two of Teddy's famous songs which are widely listened by all Ethiopians and we might add also his new song "Ha Le Luia" a religious song just released before he was sent to jail.The release of "Ha Le Luia'" in this holy month of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church followers is also a cry for justice which is going to be on every Ethiopians mind while we celebrate Easter this Sunday and we should speak our mind in churches without any fear and call for immediate release of Teddy Afro.
The Ethiopian tyrant Melese Zenawi after his miserable election fiasco these past weeks and the massacre in Mogadishu's mosque is in deep trouble from inside and outside and he has to flex his muscle somehow to show that he is in control by picking on the most loved son of Ethiopia.
The jailing of Teddy Afro has also similarities with the late professor Asrat who was known for telling the truth in face while many so called oppositions were dancing with Melese Zenawi. Who will forget him as the only voice who questioned the separation of Eritrea after TPLF captured Addis Ababa in 1991?
Neither professor Asrat nor Teddy Afro were or are career politicians but patriots who defend their country and people while many were and are scared to do so and our people loved them and for that you have to see what happened in court house yesterday.
"Teddy is innocent", that was the cry of thousands of supporters who converged to court to give their support for Teddy Afro and we saw tens of thousands similar support for the late professor Asrart while he was dragged to court to face false accusations of "overthrowing" a regime by force seventeen years ago
TPLF can not accuse Teddy of overthrowing the regime by armed rebellion like professor Asrat and rather accused him for killing homeless person by car in 2006 to send him for long time jail. We do not forget singer like Solomon Tekalegne known for his anti-TPLF songs who knelt and ask for forgiveness. Neither do we forget the Kinijit leadership who signed a letter of apology for TPLF. What is Teddy Afro has to apologize for?
The regime's timing of this theater is to divert us from the current boycotted local election and the indiscriminate killing of more than hundreds innocent Somalis last week in Mogadishu. Many Addis Ababeans ignored the election theater, however, many did not ignore the court circus played in TPLF's court and showed up to face beating and risking jail for breaking the "law" of TPLF.
The question is are we going to allow the regime to send Teddy Afro for long term jail like it did professor Asrat and release him after his health deteriorates? Not this time and the battle has already begun.
Ethiopians should protest in all venues to expose what this accusation is all about. It is not about justice for the Innocent homeless who was killed by car accident two years ago but locking up all who are symbols of our country. This is the continuation of persecuting all who stand and song for unity which TPLF has been allergic and currently suffering from and seems near to its death.
