Tedla Asfaw
Dr. Merara Gudina, the leader of Oromo National Congress(ONC) on Addis Dimts Radio( Nov. 22) said that together with his friends are trying their best to stop TPLF/EPRDF from being in power for long time that was declared to the public few years ago, do not dare life without TPLF. Dr. Merara said that TPLF/EPRDF wants "opposition" parties just to give it a touch of democracy for outsiders and it made it clear that power will never be shared with any one for years to come, forty plus years according the estimate.
According to Dr. Merara and his friends, they have no choice but to do their best while beaten and jailed to "organize" and ask support from the Ethiopian people. To that goal he said he is joining others on how to form a united front and challenge TPLF/EPRDF on the coming election in 2010.
On his interview he admitted that he and others like him have no choice except to do what he is doing now even if the outcome of any so called "election" is clear for him and his friends. This is what I do not understand or should have been a follow up question. Why people like him do not resign and let TPLF do whatever is doing than be a tool for the regime year after year in participating in fake elections ?
Dr. Merara and others like him in parliament are in business where they are sure will break even and never try to make any profit because they know that there will not be any profit but also sure that they will never lose money. However, for poor Ethiopians the politics of business is deadly beyond losing livelihood.
To survive in Ethiopia you have to become a registered TPLF voter and officially we were told that membership is now in tens of millions. New college graduates have no chance to get a job without being a member and survival depends on getting membership certificate.
If Dr. Merara and his friends chose to be paid for showing up in parliament, it will be hard for ordinary Ethiopians to follow them because they have no money to pay and without TPLF they themselves will be out of business. What we have in Ethiopia is a regime that officially declared to stay in power for many years to come and so called opposition parties like Merara's party who have nothing to give for the people they claimed representing but give a cover for the regime in power for times to come by participating in all fake elections.
This is the peaceful or the safe struggle Dr. Merara has chosen for the last eighteen years and willing to continue for the coming years. One thing must be also clear, however, to Dr. Merara that as long as he chose to be a cover for the regime he is not going to be free from the crimes committed by the regime he serves and willing to serve in future.
Monday 24 November 2008
Friday 21 November 2008
Re: Kemer Yousef returns home
Dear Toronto Star editor,
Who does not want to go home after twenty four years to visit a one hundred year old father and old mother ? No one, I myself have been out of Ethiopia the same time Kemer left his home country on foot, luckily I left by plane. However, the return of Kemer at the time when thousands of Oromos have been jailed and on top of that this week Amnesty International strong letter accusing Meles Zenawi for jailing Oromo professionals and demanding the whereabouts of many Oromos is not accidental. Kemer's visit is a well orchestrated propaganda for the unelected regime of Ethiopia and I can assure you that many Oromos will see him as a new cadre from Canada.
Interestingly, Mr. Kemer on John Godard piece on Toronto Star (November 18) accused the former Ethiopian regimes for being anti-Oromo, that is a big lie and the writer should not put such kind of slander for readers. The Mengistu regime killed,imprisoned and jailed all who challenged him to take power and for that all Ethiopians were victims and no Oromo was singled out. In fact there were Oromos who joined Mengistu and kill their political enemies,Oromos and others alike.
Kemer has chosen to join the current unelected regime for financial benefit while popular singers like Teddy Afro is languishing in jail for no crime other than singing for reconciliation and peace. Ethiopia has many Oromo heroes for that you just have to go and see the recent Beijing Olympics and the love these athletes have throughout Ethiopia and sadly Kemer Godard chose to serve the enemy of Oromos and all Ethiopians Meles Zenawi.
Tedla Asfaw
New York City
Who does not want to go home after twenty four years to visit a one hundred year old father and old mother ? No one, I myself have been out of Ethiopia the same time Kemer left his home country on foot, luckily I left by plane. However, the return of Kemer at the time when thousands of Oromos have been jailed and on top of that this week Amnesty International strong letter accusing Meles Zenawi for jailing Oromo professionals and demanding the whereabouts of many Oromos is not accidental. Kemer's visit is a well orchestrated propaganda for the unelected regime of Ethiopia and I can assure you that many Oromos will see him as a new cadre from Canada.
Interestingly, Mr. Kemer on John Godard piece on Toronto Star (November 18) accused the former Ethiopian regimes for being anti-Oromo, that is a big lie and the writer should not put such kind of slander for readers. The Mengistu regime killed,imprisoned and jailed all who challenged him to take power and for that all Ethiopians were victims and no Oromo was singled out. In fact there were Oromos who joined Mengistu and kill their political enemies,Oromos and others alike.
Kemer has chosen to join the current unelected regime for financial benefit while popular singers like Teddy Afro is languishing in jail for no crime other than singing for reconciliation and peace. Ethiopia has many Oromo heroes for that you just have to go and see the recent Beijing Olympics and the love these athletes have throughout Ethiopia and sadly Kemer Godard chose to serve the enemy of Oromos and all Ethiopians Meles Zenawi.
Tedla Asfaw
New York City
The free for all, Somali coast !!!
Tedla Asfaw
Al Shabab spokesman Sheik Abdirahman promised to rescue Saudi Arabia's oil tanker Sirius Star which has $100 m value hijacked by Somali gunmen docked at Harardhere on coast of Somalia since last Saturday. Secret negotiation is underway to rescue the ship and the price tag is going to be around $25 m a big profit in today's market for few days of job.
BBC reported for this year 90 vessels were hijacked so far and was paid $150 m . The hijackers of Sirius deal if it goes through will bring more Somalis to the booming business on Somalia coast. Many young gunmen are going to join this booming hijacking business until there is a legitimate Somalia where rules, both on land and sea will be preserved to give hope for these young Somalis.
Al Shabab or the hated government of Somalia in Mogadishu has no control of the Somali coast and the talk of fighting hijackers to retrieve the "Muslim Ship" is just a ploy by Al Shabab to get the support of Saudi dictatorship on the eventual collapse of the Mogadishu regime in the coming days or months.
The countries that are affected by the hijacking will support anybody in Somalia which will take action against the hijackers and care less on what is going on inside Somalia. However, Somalis politics have made it impossible to separate the sea from land and that is why Al Shabab is jumping and wanted to control the sea when the Mogadishu regime is cornered in Mogadishu and Baidoa with its TPLF/Ethiopia support.
The TPLF of Ethiopia has no sea control because it has already surrendered Ethiopia's coast to Isaias of Eritrea with no force to support its stooges in Mogadishu from sea. Ethiopia has been pushed from the sea thanks to the Arab dictators in collaboration of their western allies.
The talk in Cairo of the so called countries from the surrounding area does not include Ethiopia and the new owner of Ethiopia's coast, Isaias is not showing up maybe he is represented by his stooges from the Somalia side. Weak and poor Ethiopia, stripped of its sea coast is surrounded by countries that despise her for remaining independent while these same countries were under the rule of foreign powers for their long history.
I will not be surprised if these so called surrounding countries of Somalia take the slice of the Somali coast under their control with the help of West and China in the name of fighting piracy for the coming future and that is a big possibility and great danger.
Al Shabab spokesman Sheik Abdirahman promised to rescue Saudi Arabia's oil tanker Sirius Star which has $100 m value hijacked by Somali gunmen docked at Harardhere on coast of Somalia since last Saturday. Secret negotiation is underway to rescue the ship and the price tag is going to be around $25 m a big profit in today's market for few days of job.
BBC reported for this year 90 vessels were hijacked so far and was paid $150 m . The hijackers of Sirius deal if it goes through will bring more Somalis to the booming business on Somalia coast. Many young gunmen are going to join this booming hijacking business until there is a legitimate Somalia where rules, both on land and sea will be preserved to give hope for these young Somalis.
Al Shabab or the hated government of Somalia in Mogadishu has no control of the Somali coast and the talk of fighting hijackers to retrieve the "Muslim Ship" is just a ploy by Al Shabab to get the support of Saudi dictatorship on the eventual collapse of the Mogadishu regime in the coming days or months.
The countries that are affected by the hijacking will support anybody in Somalia which will take action against the hijackers and care less on what is going on inside Somalia. However, Somalis politics have made it impossible to separate the sea from land and that is why Al Shabab is jumping and wanted to control the sea when the Mogadishu regime is cornered in Mogadishu and Baidoa with its TPLF/Ethiopia support.
The TPLF of Ethiopia has no sea control because it has already surrendered Ethiopia's coast to Isaias of Eritrea with no force to support its stooges in Mogadishu from sea. Ethiopia has been pushed from the sea thanks to the Arab dictators in collaboration of their western allies.
The talk in Cairo of the so called countries from the surrounding area does not include Ethiopia and the new owner of Ethiopia's coast, Isaias is not showing up maybe he is represented by his stooges from the Somalia side. Weak and poor Ethiopia, stripped of its sea coast is surrounded by countries that despise her for remaining independent while these same countries were under the rule of foreign powers for their long history.
I will not be surprised if these so called surrounding countries of Somalia take the slice of the Somali coast under their control with the help of West and China in the name of fighting piracy for the coming future and that is a big possibility and great danger.
Monday 17 November 2008
Scapegoat for defeat in Somalia !!!
The TPLF supported Somali regime is now cornered like rat in Mogadishu and Baidoa and to distract us from this defeat terror is declared on the Oromo nationals and many respected Oromos from various fields more than two hundred are locked up in jail in the name of fighting terrorism.
This is not a coincidence and it is the same TPLF tactics we saw many times. Who will forget the Christmas invasion of Somalia almost three years ago in 2005. That year was the year TPLF was told by million of voters to pack and leave power and what we got was more killing and imprisonment of thirty thousands of people in various prisons and many still are languishing in jail and thousands exiled.
Tedla Asfaw
Here we come after three years of adventure in Somalia,TPLF is told by Somalis to go home and who is paying the price here ? The Oromos who are accused of being OLF members and sympathizers.. Ato Bultcha's led OFDM is peacefully challenging the regime and why is it now targeted ? This is just to divert us from the big event unfolding in our own eyes, the humiliation and defeat of TPLF in its own war far from home by Somalis.
We have also another diversionary story in the North of Ethiopia. Have you heard the killing of Shabia's forces by the Eritrean Afars who are fighting to take their land from Eritrea and join it with Djibouti? What a development, this story is circulated from the head quarter of the movement from Tigray's capital.
The battle in Somalia between Djibouti group, Asmara group, Al-Shabab and TPLF's groups will now widen and it will be fought in Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia and the major actors in these conflicts are Isaias, Meles and their puppets. What Meles doing now against the Oromo intellectuals and leaders is to strengthen his Oromo wing by going after those who challenged him peacefully in his own parliament. We all know what Meles did to the then president of Somali Region of Ethiopia after defeat in Ogaden.
This is not a coincidence and it is the same TPLF tactics we saw many times. Who will forget the Christmas invasion of Somalia almost three years ago in 2005. That year was the year TPLF was told by million of voters to pack and leave power and what we got was more killing and imprisonment of thirty thousands of people in various prisons and many still are languishing in jail and thousands exiled.
Tedla Asfaw
Here we come after three years of adventure in Somalia,TPLF is told by Somalis to go home and who is paying the price here ? The Oromos who are accused of being OLF members and sympathizers.. Ato Bultcha's led OFDM is peacefully challenging the regime and why is it now targeted ? This is just to divert us from the big event unfolding in our own eyes, the humiliation and defeat of TPLF in its own war far from home by Somalis.
We have also another diversionary story in the North of Ethiopia. Have you heard the killing of Shabia's forces by the Eritrean Afars who are fighting to take their land from Eritrea and join it with Djibouti? What a development, this story is circulated from the head quarter of the movement from Tigray's capital.
The battle in Somalia between Djibouti group, Asmara group, Al-Shabab and TPLF's groups will now widen and it will be fought in Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia and the major actors in these conflicts are Isaias, Meles and their puppets. What Meles doing now against the Oromo intellectuals and leaders is to strengthen his Oromo wing by going after those who challenged him peacefully in his own parliament. We all know what Meles did to the then president of Somali Region of Ethiopia after defeat in Ogaden.
Wednesday 12 November 2008
Fwd: Time with Andenet in London by Wondemu Mekonen
| Brother Wondemu eloquently reported what he witnessed in London Ethiopians engagement with Andenet party, read it on www.ethomedia.com, you can also hear audio on www.abbaymedia.com for the event. It is true as Wondemu said Birtukan is a likable Lady for those who met her and for many like myself who followed her on USA trip in the past. I am not in any position accusing her for what she is doing now but if I were there in London I might say few words and ask some questions. Some individuals who claim to support Andenet here in the Diaspora are engaging on attacking opposition leaders like Eng. Hailu who is in fact pursuing the same "peaceful struggle" while they shut their mouth when TPLF is jailing the OFDM leadership in the name of terrorism at this moment. If Birtukan remains quite when leaders from OFDM are jailed, is that going to help the peaceful struggle ? Why Andent until now did not organize a peaceful rally in Addis Ababa and major cities to challenge TPLF and chose what I call a "Hotel Politics" without engaging the public except few we recently witnessed in some parts of Ethiopia far from international media. Is it not to embarrass TPLF in front of its financiers and be the victim of its security forces? Peaceful struggle without the public participation is hardly any struggle and I wish to see Birtukan lead such peaceful rally. The Burma opposition leader who is now under house arrest for many years is for challenging the Burmese junta on peaceful rally and if Birtukan does not want to take such risk then TPLF will stay in power for many years to come by organizing fake election. Thanks, Tedla Asfaw |
Thursday 6 November 2008
Bravo London !!
| I followed this week protest in London (Ginbot 7 Radio) in front of the TPLF Embassy on the third anniversary of the killing of hundreds of our citizens by the TPLF killing squads for voting TPLF out of office. While many of us were swept by Obama fever you guys reminded us that without the sixties struggle for the right to vote in America almost 44 years ago the 44th president of America would not have ended by voting for the first Black to the White House. I hope it would not take us that long for Ethiopians/Africans to choose their leaders and sadly most of Africa is just like America more than 44 years ago. We can not vote and challenge our black masters camouflaging themselves as ethnic or national liberators. Sadly, Tedla Asfaw |
Wednesday 5 November 2008
The New Era in American Democracy !!!
Tedla Asfaw
After forty four years blacks had been given a chance to vote by the Lyndon Johnson Administration, the forty fourth president of the USA was elected yesterday by winning more than sixty percent of the white vote. This is indeed historical by any measurement for the whole humanity. America fulfilled Martin Luther King's dream for people to be judged by their Character than the Color of their skin.
Character overcome fear, prejudice and defeated skin color by 52 percent to 47 percent margin. The world has never seen such celebration from east coast to west coast of United States by citizens of all colors celebrating as one people without a single racial incident and that says much about the new America, America indeed the beautiful.
Barack Obama's, the forty four president of United States, portrait flashing on the giant screen last night in Times Square, New York in the middle of the forty three white male presidents among which twelve of them owned slaves is one of the milestone in America and in fact world history. In this planet earth there is no place where you could find respect for black race including our own Africa . Blacks are facing insults, beating and killing for exercising their right to vote in any kind of elections by their own "black masters" who have low expectations for their own black people.
The monkey chant in European stadiums and the street attack by white supremacists on European streets and the Asian countries prejudice against black people is all known and Americans by putting a black person as their leader has now challenged the world to show respect for fellow black people wherever they are.
I have no doubt, however, it is only in America blacks can reach to the highest office through democratic election living as members of the minority community. This could not have been possible in Europe and you should not even think in Asia and that is what Americans did last night and we are all proud to call ourselves Americans.
After forty four years blacks had been given a chance to vote by the Lyndon Johnson Administration, the forty fourth president of the USA was elected yesterday by winning more than sixty percent of the white vote. This is indeed historical by any measurement for the whole humanity. America fulfilled Martin Luther King's dream for people to be judged by their Character than the Color of their skin.
Character overcome fear, prejudice and defeated skin color by 52 percent to 47 percent margin. The world has never seen such celebration from east coast to west coast of United States by citizens of all colors celebrating as one people without a single racial incident and that says much about the new America, America indeed the beautiful.
Barack Obama's, the forty four president of United States, portrait flashing on the giant screen last night in Times Square, New York in the middle of the forty three white male presidents among which twelve of them owned slaves is one of the milestone in America and in fact world history. In this planet earth there is no place where you could find respect for black race including our own Africa . Blacks are facing insults, beating and killing for exercising their right to vote in any kind of elections by their own "black masters" who have low expectations for their own black people.
The monkey chant in European stadiums and the street attack by white supremacists on European streets and the Asian countries prejudice against black people is all known and Americans by putting a black person as their leader has now challenged the world to show respect for fellow black people wherever they are.
I have no doubt, however, it is only in America blacks can reach to the highest office through democratic election living as members of the minority community. This could not have been possible in Europe and you should not even think in Asia and that is what Americans did last night and we are all proud to call ourselves Americans.
Monday 3 November 2008
Obama is a Ben Carson of Politics
Tedla Asfaw
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