Hailemariam ambushed by protesters in New York

Tedla Asfaw

Hailemariam Desalegn less than 40 minutes speech at UN yesterday was neutralized by 180 minutes rally opposite to the building he stood to lie. More than 500 different types of press releases that exposed the TPLF/EPRDF crime were distributed to the public. Arab medias who happen to be there to cover the Syrian protesters denouncing Bashar covered our protest too. Many Eritreans who were calling for Isaias to go were shamefully defending Meles Zenawi as a man who gave "democracy" to Ethiopians. We educated these misinformed friends beside educating our Syrian compatriots who have no clue on what is going on in Ethiopia.

The "Trophy" on our mission was the incident that brought our Megaphone to blare on 1st Avenue and 47St across Dag Hammarskjold Plaza. It was 5:15pm, Tekeda Alemu came in direct contact with us with less than 20 meters separating us. The shout, "Tekeda Alemu Yewoyane Ashkir" demolished him and those surrounding him about ten TPLF cadres, Hailemariam Desalegen was not with them.

We were interviewed for about twenty minutes by freelance journalist who came from UN. We also sent our voice via ECADF Paltalk Room. Indeed we were the Voice of the Jailed, Abused and Terrorized People of Ethiopia. Hailemariam Desalegn and the regime he represented was exposed for the public and this should be registered as Ethiopian victory even if the crowd was not as big as the State Department rally on the same day in D.C. The Ethiopian huge flag and the well placed placards that exposed Meles Zenawi Terrorizing the people of Ethiopia attracted many people and gave us high visibility.

One of them says, Terrorist Friends, Zenawi of Ethiopia = Bashar of Syria = Saleh of Yemen

Well done New York !!!!

New York Ethiopian Activists

Why Eritrea is not begging for food?

By Tedla Asfaw

I hold Meles Zenawi’s regime accountable for the famine in Ethiopia. I argued on medias why our starved people are not covered on local as well as International medias like the coverage given to Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya and Mogadishu, Somalia. Meles Zenawi is trying to blame this famine on Al Shabab and Isaias, seems he succeeded in that. The starvation victims are mostly Somali and Ethiopians, many children. From watching foreign medias,however, this is the starvation of Somalia not Ethiopia.

Al Shabab controlled areas starved people are flocking to Mogadishu for aid and Shabab is forced/retreat from Mogadishu and the starving people under its control are fleeing to save their children. Eritrea which is mentioned among the countries which need aid by USAID and aid agencies is put in the same category as Al Shabab. How absurd ?

Isaias is accused by food aid agencies and by State Department for blocking aid to his country. We have not seen starving Eritreans crossing to neighboring countries for food like many in Ethiopia did and went to Dadaab refugee camp in Kenya. Ambassador Johnnie Carson should substantiate his accusation of Isaias denying food aid to his people. Mr. Carson at least should travel to neighboring countries bordering Eritrea and find out the starving Eritreans fleeing and Isaias security blocking them. Otherwise it is just joining the club of Meles Zenawi to condemn a regime who is not friendly to the West.There are many unfriendly nations which are feeding their people and why Eritrea is different unless there is another motive behind this, maybe orchestrating a regime change in Asmara ?

Isaias government self reliance if it is successful should be a lesson for Ethiopia that has been on food aid for almost two decades. It seems to me that the West are now accusing Eritrea for anything wrong in the Horn. Isaias can be accused like others in the Horn for being undemocratic but we never heard the West accusing Meles Zenawi for being undemocratic too. If you do not beg for food aid you should be commended not vilified.

If you take U2 singer Bono’s recent word from his appearance on CNN there is no starvation in Tigray, Ethiopia because of work done after the catastrophic draught of 1984-85, he wanted to emulate Meles Zenawi’s regime and do the same in Somalia. What Bono forget is Ethiopia is not only Tigray, we have more than five million people who need emergency food and he better asks Meles Zenawi why he failed to feed all Ethiopians after millions in food aid and money for the last two decades.

The truth of the matter why Tigray is not starved is because there is Safety Net, plenty of food donated by foreign agencies, under the control of government cadres.People in Tigray have to work in forestry and water conservation to get their food ration and small amount of money.If Isaias put such program without any outside help that is commendable and should all learn from Eritrea’s experience.

I can assure you that you can really find out which country is in business of begging among the countries led by “African breed “. Check out how much the ruler personal fortune is. The higher the wealth of the tyrant the worst the dictator and most likely the people, his subjects are looking for food aid. Eritrea and Isaias Afeworki might be on the bottom of this list.

Open Letter to Professor Jendayi Frazer !!!!!

Professor Jendayi Frazer

Department of Social and Decision Sciences
Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA

USA

Dear Professor/Ambassador Frazer,

I attached my piece on the "Land Grab" in Ethiopia I posted on Ethiopian websites which is the number one issue as that of human right in Ethiopia with this letter. The last time I talked to you on the phone was in 2005 when you were a guest on Straight Talk Africa program as U.S. Assistant Secretary for African Affairs under the Bush Administration.

You agreed with me then about the human right violation following the stolen election of 2005 by the Ethiopian regime. I can assure you that after five years that "election" is totally robbed by Meles Zenawi dictatorial regime by 99.6 percent "victory". Public rallies and the "Civil Societies" you alluded on your recent RT appearance is non existent and illegal in Ethiopia.

On Cross Talk, "Africa Grab" on RT on the weekend you endorsed most of the African tyrants except Zimbabwe. Did you hear Secretary Clinton speech on "neocolonialism" and African tyrants to listen to their people on her visit to Africa this month ? Who is right, you or Secretary Clinton. ? What Secretary Clinton got on her visit to Ethiopia is blackout and volcanic ash. Had Meles Zenawi was a democrat, Clinton could have stayed few days more to visit Ethiopian "Civil Societies". It was just a good excuse to run away from unpleasant dictator who got his legitimacy by taking photos with G8/G20 leaders.

Millions of Ethiopians are going to bed empty thanks to the "last decade development" under Meles Zenawi which you also endorsed on the RT program. I wonder if you had known going to bed empty. Families are feeding children in shift. This is what West financed and China/Eastern investment partner is doing to millions of Ethiopians. Beside Meles Zenawi and his close allies have billions of dollar in West/Asian banks. The 8.4 billion US dollar is just part of the story that was discovered under UNDP study. Ethiopia is robbed on day light by unaccountable regime. No Civil Society to cry for that !!!!

I did appreciate your stand in keeping African farmers on their land. Diaspora is mobilizing to denounce India and Saudi Arabia the major land grabbers in Ethiopia. For the so called "Civil Society" you alluded in Africa I can tell you honestly what we have in Ethiopia is "Terrorized society".

It is up to Ethiopians to rise up and overthrow the Meles' tyranny, I hope then we will talk about the role of Civil Society.

Yours,

Tedla Asfaw

New York City

.

Axis of Evils, Land Sellers and Buyers in Ethiopia !!!!

Tedla Asfaw

Ethiopia is an ancient country that was never colonized by foreign powers. Ethiopian kings and queens were so jealous of their country soil and water that they even ordered foreigners to wash their feet when they went back home after their stay as guests. This ancient country has been under "occupation" for two decades by unelected tyrants who are going from one corner of the world to the other asking foreigners to come and buy Ethiopian land for cheap dollar.

Arabnews has reported this week that the Foreign Minster/Land Minster of TPLF/EPRDF, Hailemariam Desalegne, has been busy in Saudi Arabia to bring in more Saudi cash. Saudi Star/Snake is the major land owner in Gambella. TPLF/EPRDF set 6 million hectares aside for foreigners and Hailemariam the land seller is proud of his new job title "Land Seller", full of smile. His boss Meles Zenawi said in public that we should "smile", not cry for land we lease to India what we should cry is for what we do not lease to India. Their slogan is bring the dollar you will have all the land and water you dreamed of and our foreign account will grow exponentially.

Moreover, the homegrown sellers has got a friend by the name Susan Payne, Emergent Asset Management. Susan Payne, the Chief Executive Officer of this company, this week on Canadian Broadcasting Corporation radio /CBC tried to repair the damage done by the Oakland Institute research which has got wide coverage in major news outlets. The report which is based on field survey can hardly be rebutted by Susan Payne.

Susan Payne try to tell us that foreign mechanized farm and sustainable agriculture goes hand in hand. If you ask Meles Zenawi and Hailemariam Desalegne there is no sustainable agriculture what they promised to do for our people is to turn them into daily laborers for foreign land owners. The agriculture minster Abera Deressa was quoted saying that we do not need to produce food since we will become Middle Income country in the next decade, and just buy food from world market.

For them they do not even know what the food price will be in the coming years. As is reported on CBC Radio price will increase by 180 percent in the coming decades and the Ethiopian farmers who are turned slave laborers for foreign land lords will never be able to buy food in foreign market because they do not earn enough money to do so.

As Susan Payne clearly said it is a good investment earning more than twenty percent in a year for those who are buying land with the help of companies like her. As food price increases so does the rate of return for those who sale and buy behind the back of poor farmers.

It is time for the people of Ethiopia to rise up and defeat all land buyers and sellers like the people of Madagascar in 2008. The proud people of Madagascar overthrow the regime who was posed to sale million hectare of their land for South Korea. In this land issue there are only two sides not the win win as advocated by Susan Payne. The Karuturi owner on record saying that he came to Gambella, Ethiopia to make money has nothing to do with the local community. In fact he boasted to ship his produce using our rivers directly to market. The locals are spectators on this robbery and the win win Susan Payne is just fairytale.

Foreign land grabbers and the TPLF/EPRDF regime has to be defeated in all fronts. The media war has already started and it seems that they are on defensive. The next war is like that of Madagascar and that will be bloody. I urge people like Susan Payne not to be part of this war because they will never win it.

Ethiopian Festival in Washington DC, July 1st - 3rd

The first annual Ethiopian Heritage Festival will be held in Washington D.C. from July 1, to July 3, 2011. The Festival will be held at the majestic Georgetown University's multi-sport facility at 3700 O St. in Georgetown with free parking... [read more]

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Open letter to Prime Minster of India.

Dear Manmohan Singh, Prime Minster of India,

A friend forwarded to me a video clip of your address to the so called Ethiopian Parliament last week. The fake parliament you made a speech is 99.6 percent  filled by corrupt authoritarian regime supporters. The 2010 election was a stolen election and it is sad a leader of the largest democracy in the world went out of his way to endorse such a regime.

Your mission Prime Minster is to help your business community to make money. Indian companies are leasing  more than 300,000 hectare of land for a price of one Dollar per hectare. UNDP on this month study put Ethiopia as one of the corrupt countries in the world. More than 8.4 billion dollar is moving out of  Ethiopia stolen to be stashed in foreign banks. If you think Ethiopia is the most "stable country in Africa" it is for competing with China for our resources. As you well know foreign countries  were investing heavily in Libya after 2006 too and we all know where Libya is now.

The dictators always have friends when they have good time like Meles Zenawi and his friends at present. I hope you will be around when our people take back their country and establish open and transparent relationship with all foreign nations including India. India relationship with the current regime of Ethiopia is benefiting only Indian business people and the corrupt elites in Ethiopia.

I have respect for Indian democracy but I totally reject your endorsement of Meles Zenawi's  corrupt mafia regime.

Thanks,

Tedla Asfaw

New York City

We Can Not Feed Ourselves !!!!!

Tedla Asfaw

I watched Meles Zenawi's  one hour video of economics of importing, oil, sugar and wheat in Ethiopia. Wait a minute, Ethiopia can not produce sugar, oil and wheat ?. I am not talking about petroleum here I mean oil for food. As far as I am concerned even during Derg time, oil and sugar were produced in Ethiopia. In fact Ethiopians who studied in the then Soviet Union told me that they saw packets of "Wonji Sugar" with elephant mark produced in Wonji, Ethiopia in Russian markets. However, when they told their classmates about being the product of  Ethiopia no one believed them. Then high tech product maybe ?

When it comes to oil, I still remember going to nearby distributors that were selling sesame oil produced in Ethiopia. What happen now in Meles Zenawi  led Ethiopia ? Those who went for a short visit to Ethiopia informed us that they found stores filled with foreign oil and sugar among many imported food products. I wonder who buys them ?  We know a litre of edible oil here in USA at present is on average less than three dollar, one kg of sugar is less than two dollar, a kg of whole wheat more than two dollar.

Poor Ethiopia is now wasting its foreign currencies on buying sugar, oil and wheat on world market as we all know all these items were produced in our country before TPLF took over twenty yeas ago. On this week as TPLF celebrates its 20 years of rule Ethiopians are still talking about how and where to get basic food items. Lines for basic food items is now a national pastime for Ethiopians. I did not forget chewing "Chat".I suggest "Chat" to be considered in Ethiopia's Commodity Exchange to bring much needed revenue for the government. If it is exported like  lentils we will have foreign currency flight then. 

Mind you this discussion for the majority of our people is meaningless. Because practically they can not afford to buy imported sugar, oil and wheat . Meles Zenawi on his one hour lecture for business community told merchants to distribute these products with "reasonable price". The importer is the "government" most likely the EFFORT babies. 

Ethiopia's economy is now in total disaster. The proof for that is, it can not even feed its own people. Talk about  manufacturing based on  homegrown capital which is currently diverted to service sector for which the business community is accused for tax evasion and other crimes is absurd. The manufacturing sector is under the control of TPLF owned EFFORT and Sheik Al Amoudi of Saudi Arabia.The blame for capital not flowing to manufacturing sector is these two dinosaurs beside lack of transparency and rule of law.

The small business community in service sector is taking the example of TPLF's business empire, EFFORT. EFFORT totally control most of the manufacturing and service center of Ethiopia's economy. The book of EFFORT is closed for public and even to the people of Tigray in whose name it operates. Where does the the profit from EFFORT goes ? 

According to UNDP study 8.4 billion dollar went out of Ethiopia illegally in the last two decades. If you subtract the 2 billion dollar Meles alleged went out of real state developers he should at least admit the "6.4 billion" unaccounted belongs to EFFORT. In a country where there is no free press and  independent judiciary no investigation can be carried out to find the truth. It seems to me that the 2 billion dollar "income" from real state business is a well designed hypothesis forwarded by Meles Zenawi to suggest that "we" are all here together on the business of "fraud".

The bottom line is this, Ethiopian economy is driven not by visionaries to build the country and to alleviate from deep poverty our country has been known for many generations. We all know China brought more than 200 million  people out of poverty since it has become the manufacturing capital of the world in the last two decades alone. What did TPLF did in the last two decades ?

TPLF failed in the last twenty years managing our economy. The so called "Yelemate Mengiste" a Developmental State is now officially named "Asmechi Mengste", meaning Importing State. We might add to that Selling State which is in business of leasing up to 6 million hectares for foreign land grabbers on a dollar per hectare. Where is the book for all to see ?

Ethiopia's economy is so stupid that it is only a matter of time before it follows the Ziad Bares fate Meles quoted many times on his lecture. Yes many of Somali merchants who benefited from Ziad ruled Somalia are now in Dubai. I am sure  many of TPLF connected business people have home there too.

Meles Zenawi has confessed that his regime failed to bring bread and butter to our people. The high rises many of TPLF supporters see, we all see and touch have not changed the lives of millions even in Addis Ababa who go to bed every night hungry. The good advice I will give to Meles Zenawi is to step down this week after he makes a speech for his supporters on their 20 year of unfulfilled promises. Let him be the first ruler in Ethiopia to give power peacefully, why not ?

Shame on World Economic Forum on Africa 2011 !!!!

Tedla Asfaw

I was dismayed to hear that the next WEF on Africa will be held in Addis Ababa on May 2012. Surprisingly I got this news after I read  UNDP study this week on how  African  despots are stealing foreign aid and sending it "express" out of their countries. Ethiopia in the  last two decades according to the study 8.4 Billion Dollar is moved out of the country and stashed in foreign banks.

WEF on Africa is partnering with Meles Zenawi to show case his "economic development" for next May in Addis Ababa. Millions of Addis residents are living a miserable life behind high rises built by so called "investors". These same people have also huge wealth out of Ethiopia which is now documented by UNDP study. Ethiopians in the diaspora staged huge rallies against the criminal regime of Ethiopia last month in North America and Europe and  will mobilize the diaspora to denounce this shameful act by WEF.

Ethiopians at present suffering due 30 percent inflation, farmers are removed by foreign land grabbers who will acquire up to 6 million hectares of land sold by the regime for 1 dollar per hectare officially but at higher rate under the table.

Public rally in Ethiopia is illegal, the last one Ethiopians had six years ago more than two hundreds innocent people were killed in broad day light, no one was held accountable. Ethiopians are living in fear and without any freedom. In short Ethiopia is Saudi Arabia without oil, huge land and water potential to be sold for the benefit of the ruling mafia.

The uprising we witnessed in North Africa and Middle East surely is on its way to Addis Ababa. This week strike by taxi drivers is  the beginning of the Addis Tsunami which is dubbed as "Beka" meaning " Enough ".Those who promote tyranny in any form by organizing a conference the one planned by WEF in Addis Ababa next year will be judged by our people.   

 

Where is our EFFORT ?

Tedla Asfaw

I read a piece by Dr. Ghelawdeos Araia,  "Ethiopia's challenge is our challenge" forwarded by a friend. As we all know Ethiopia is an agricultural country, more than 80 percent of our people are farmers. If you hear our/TPLF experts which Ghelawdeos would like to call EPRDF are telling us that they would like to "industrialize Ethiopia" by selling large tracts of farm land to foreign investors, they claim  in few years time " we will be an industrialized nation". They even boast of buying imported foods with plenty of cash in our peoples pockets.
.
They claim that by selling huge tracts of land they will bring capital, knowledge and "convert" our people to "middle class". Foreign land grabbers as recently seen on www.farmlandgrab.org documentary both in English and French version  one hour and one and half hour respectively are proudly showing their land they acquired. The land is not a barren land as they claimed but it is a known sanctuary for wild life. The farmers that are kicked out of their land are nuisance for buyers and sellers. War on our farmers, on our natural forests and wild life has been declared by the current regime of Ethiopia. We have no choice but to fight as one farmer said on the documentary.

TPLF/EPRDF and foreign partners aim is to produce and make money by selling their products on world market. I wonder why Ghelawdeos avoid discussing this issue and divert the discussion by bringing the new emerging economies in China, India, Brazil etc and try to compare it with TPLF/EPRDF's  GTP.

Ethiopia is now led by thieves/Leboche  whose aim is to change everything to dollar and run away when their time is up. Sell it cheap for cash that is what they have been doing for the last five years after they were defeated on May 2005 election. The idea of every other ethnic group benefits from TPLF/EPRDF patronage system is partly true.

But the Somalis, Oromos, Amharas, etc  who  organized themselves under their ethnic umbrellas do not amass wealth like EFFORT whose name Ghelawdeos even failed to mention. EFFORT is the mafia who is behind the Grand Transaction Plan/GTP to extort the diaspora. Did Ghelawedeos forget Sibhat Nega interview on VOA Amharic, "EFFORT is the largest conglomerate in Ethiopia" proudly declared by him. How can we discuss "investment" by ignoring this truth ?

Ghelawdeos is telling us to seat down  and challenge TPLF/EPRDF. What challenge ? he better tells the mafia club that stealing as he calls it corruption even if  is common in the world you/ TPLF took it to the highest level. TPLF is even blackmailing the Ethiopian workers to give their monthly salary to build millennium dam. No other country does like that, this is beyond robbery. It is similar to "Mengistu's Enate Ager Tire" of workers giving their monthly salary. Inflation running high as much as 30 percent combined with  giving away monthly salary, is that not a fertile ground for mass upheaval ?

Ethiopia's challenge is indeed ours but the solution is to remove Meles Zenawi's led TPLF like the Egyptians, Tunisians did. Ghelawedeos is calling indirectly to support King Abdella "Freedom Initiative", that set aside 37 million dollar to shut opposition mouth in Saudi Arabia. In case of Ethiopia his recommendation is to join the GTP and pray for many years for Meles led TPLF to stay on power. If they started the dam they have to finish the job, is that the rallying cry for the 2015 Western sponsored election theater ?

The good thing in 2011 change is coming by popular uprising. Ethiopians will rise up to remove Meles' led TPLF and the other organized ethnic servants/Ashkers  will not  fight to defend TPLF. I invite you to go to www.tadias.com and hear what one pro TPLF Professor from New York says about his experience on GTP conference in Harlem, under the title, "Diaspora divided at GTP". It is a four minute video clip would not take your time. Were Ghelawedeos was on that conference to challenge just for curiosity ? His challenge, however, could not be as low as the professor on the video clip. How did he get the job ?

Bitweded Sultan Ali Mirah, the Voice of Ethiopian Unity !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


I would like to extend my condolence to the Afar community in the diaspora and to the people of Afar from Red Sea port of Asab to the highland of Desse and to the plains of Awash valley for the passing away of Bitweded Sultan Ali Mirah, the beloved leader of the Afar people and the Unity Voice of Ethiopia. I happen to learn about this wise and generous leader during the Imperial regime of Haile Selassie when Sultan Ali Mirah comes to his guest house in Addis Ababa  where I grew up.

Our local community/Eder sent its elderly representatives to talk to Sultan about his community where he has a guest house. Their journey saved our "Eder" thanks to the generous gift of Sultan. He donated them 10,000 Bir at that time the equivalent of $5,000 dollar. In a current rate more than 200,000 Bir, a lot of money.

Why I brought this story of kindness more than two decades ago is because I still remember it as if it is today. This generous man came into my heart when I was a high school boy where One Bir was precious, can buy you a lot of things. For our "Eder" it is like winning a Lotto. I have admired this man since then and I was sad to hear Derg try to kill him. Sultan was exiled by Derg for almost two decades. I was one of the luckiest to live and work in Dubti, Lower Awash Valley of Ethiopia,  in 1980s where I learned a lot and know  about the proud people of Afar.

Unless you live with the Afar people it  is not possible to know them. Afars are proud and gentle people. No wonder such people produced a giant like Bitweded Sultan Ali Mirah. I heard about him in Logia, Dubti, Serdo, Banda, Assaita, Afambo Bati, Desse and Asab that he was a kind man who lived his people life and worked his best to bring health and education to them.

Most of all he and the late professor Asrat Woldeyse commitment to United Ethiopia is unparalleled. They warned Ethiopians early on during  TPLF/Shabia rule of Ethiopia, Ethiopia should  remain united.  TPLF and Shabia waged war on the Afar people before Eritrean Referendum in 1990s to make sure that the people of Afar will not stand on their way. Many Afars were killed but the struggle of the people of Afar for united Ethiopia by Afars continued. The sold out like Mohamada Gas who was exiled in London and many others from America are now profiting from the blood of the Afar people by joining the Divide and Loot wing of TPLF in the name of the Afar people.

TPLF propagandists without any shame are sending their condolence on the passing away of Sultan Ali Mirah. We know that the vision of TPLF and Sultan Ali Mirah remains incompatible. Sultan was for Unity with Dignity, for tolerance, did not target any ethnic group for revenge. Two decades of Ethiopia under TPLF did a lot of damage on the people of Afar and the struggle to remain Ethiopian is a gift Bitweded Sultan Ali Mirah passed to the young generation of the proud people of Afar. Ethiopian Flag will always fly high on the Afar Desert.

A man I learned about his kindness as a teenager passed away but my admiration for him still intact. Whenever I see the Ethiopian flag waves high, Bitweded Sulatn Ali Mirah and the people of Afar comes to my mind. Let him rest in peace.

Open Letter to Howard University Administration !!!!

Dear The Howard University Administration,


I was saddened to hear the mistreatment of peaceful Ethiopian protesters by your security officers  on April 9 afternoon meeting on your campus. University Securities illegally removed Ethiopians who were asking questions in the hall. The officers do not understand the language of the meeting and surprised by their active role to identify who is who if that was indeed their role and take action on those peacefully standing to ask questions.

Is the role of the University Security  to side with one group in the meeting hall ? This is totally against freedom of speech and assembly. The security was following orders from the Ethiopian regime propagandists to take the illegal action. By allowing the meeting to continue while the fire alarm was blaring proves that the security is buying to the propagandists claim that this was not "fire" rather oppositions attempt to disrupt the meeting and on the way broke also the fire code of Washington D.C. That needs further investigation.

The Howard Security serving the interests of few while criminalizing the majority both inside and outside peaceful protest has tarnished the image of  the university. The late action to disperse the meeting by the University though commendable I say is too little too late. The Ethiopian Diaspora surrounding D.C. needs explanation for the bias role the Howard Security Officers played on the handling of the crisis they faced on April 9.

Thanks,

Tedla Asfaw

New York City

U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia

Tedla Asfaw



I read a comment on USA Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald E. Booth, interview by Ethiopian Journalist, Eskinder Nega, in Amharic, posted on websites. Ambassador Booth said that the  2010 so called election is accepted by the people of Ethiopia, the 99.6 percent win maybe the highest recorded in Africa. Can we call it  "Election Development", "Ye Limate Mircha " ? Is the Ambassador suggesting that  " popular " endorsement of the election by the rally Meles Zenawi organized in Addis Ababa following the fake election to condemn Human Right Watch  report  ? I hope not.

USA policy makers followed similar election endorsement after Mubarak's 80 percent win of the recent fake election. I do not want to waste the Ambassador's  time on what happened in 2011 in Egypt. If he is  trying to be a spokesman for Meles Zenawi he will be proven wrong soon. Ethiopians rejected Meles' regime in 2005 and no miracle is performed in the last five years for Meles and his mafia party to win the hearts and minds of Ethiopians by 99.6 percent like the Ambassador alleged on his interview.

USA Ambassadors in Ethiopia, some of them, are known for telling the truth when they retire from that position. I questioned former U.S. Ambassador to Ethiopia, Donald Yamamoto on  Straight Talk Africa during the Tunisian uprising and told him how he sabotaged the Ethiopian popular uprising in 2005 following the stolen election. He told us that he was working very hard for opposition leaders to be released behind the scene. USA Ambassadors in Ethiopia are representing their country interest not the interest of Ethiopians. Their interest is to keep their puppets as long  as it takes.

Ambassador Booth can only stay in Addis Ababa if he is acting like TPLF spokesman in public and behind the scene begging Meles Zenawi to take it easy not to embarrass USA. Obama is indeed not different from Bush when it comes to Ethiopia and so did their Ambassadors. For USA, Mubarak was an ally so did Saleh of Yemen and Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia.

Meles Zenawi and Saleh of Yemen are treated as poor allies while Saudi is American rich ally that can pay the masses to shut their mouth. America is not demanding   freedom in Saudi for not upsetting the Wahhabi rulers who are exporting many of their people to fight around the Muslim world " American injustice"  and their corrupt rule. Saleh of Yemen is killing American enemies so why should America care if he gunned down Yemenis demanding freedom like Tunisians and Egyptians..

Mr. Ambassador,  Meles Zenawi two decades  rule has never been by popular mandate but by brute force  until we Ethiopians rise up and overthrow him like Egyptians and Tunisians did, he will remain in power. I hope you witnessed the glimpse of what to come in Ethiopia on weekend. Thousands of Ethiopians this past weekend in D.C. and major cities in USA and Canada started popular Tsunami. The Tsunami that started in North America will vibrate across Atlantic and energize Ethiopians to start their overdue Revolution to sweep Meles and his mafia gangs from power.

Mr. Ambassador, by the way  Do you know that VOA is jammed in Ethiopia ? Why is tax payers money is wasted on the program that is jammed at this  time of budget austerity in USA  ?  Please do not waste tax payer money.If you have courage follow the German government example and demand answer publicly.

As I told  Ambassador Yamamoto,  Ethiopians will not be part of any fake elections sponsored by America no more. Freedom in Ethiopia comes only by popular uprising. Are you going to be with the people or Meles' security ? Please do not arm and finance our killers.

Boycotting the " Art Show" in Harlem, New York City !!!!

Tedla Asfaw



The Ethiopian  Rally on Saturday April 9 in front of the Adam Clayton Plaza in Harlem  is mainly to educate New Yorkers on what is going on the second floor, "Art Show".The letter we received from Ethiopian Mission in New York is not about "Art", it is a political gathering by the dictatorial regime of Ethiopia. Many things have been said about this regime by human right organizations and I am not going to waste time here. This is a continuation of the Art of Cheating, "election", "Growth" and " Investment"  in Ethiopia for the last two decades, now on its  high gear after TPLF was defeated by popular vote in 2005.

Ethiopia under the current regime for the last two decades is a country that drove many educated people to exile because if you are not joining their "Art Show " you have no Right to Live in your own country. These same people are following the Ethiopian Diaspora they chase to "invest" his or her money to keep the ruling tribal elite for "infinity". On a recent interview TPLF/EPRDF Ambassador to United Nations,Tekeda Alemu, clearly told us politics is now a domain of the few elites and the masses have just to harvest the fruit of Meles Zenawi "Growth and Transformation".

Therefore booking the meeting as "Art Show" is not by accident it is how the regime operates, cheating all the way, call it Tomahawk cheating across Atlantic. The "Growth" and Transformation" in the next five years "contract" under TPLF/EPRDF is not new. There has been growth and transformation for the very few and  millions of Ethiopian lives,however, is getting worst day to day. Egyptians and Tunisians revolted not for piece of bread but for liberty. But, Ethiopian revolution first and foremost is going to be for  the right to feed oneself by putting all resources to our people. You can not build any democracy with empty belly or by food aid from West. Thirty years of subsidy by the West did not stop the Egypt revolution and it will not stop the coming Ethiopian revolution.

This "Growth and Transformation" has been going on for the very few and why it has now become a Diaspora Project is clear for all Ethiopians. Our people back home are living in empty belly and  fear. Ethiopians are forbidden to come out on street to show their grievances, a right to feed themselves and their children, live without fear.The West so called Aid to Ethiopia is to feed our people so that they will not revolt. Make no mistake Ethiopians have no less aspiration to  that of  Egyptians, Tunisians, Yemenis, Libyans and Bahrain for freedom. Poverty does not mean we have no aspiration for liberty. We showed to the whole world more than five years ago that our poverty is mainly a result of  unaccountable rulers  and real Growth and Transformation can only be achieved by empowering the Ethiopian people.

The supporters of this regime are now on mission to "empower" the Diaspora. Living  in a democracy we know what freedom is, without political freedom there is no economic freedom. First and foremost the right to freely express yourself, the right of free assembly and the right to vote for your representatives on all stages of government.

Ethiopia is now Saudi Arabia without oil. The rulers are for life unchallenged and even cross borders to squash any protest that will undermine their hold on power, Saudi did it this month by going to Bahrain destroying the popular uprising. The Ethiopian regime crossed to Somalia on Christmas 2006 and kill a  lot of Somalis on its two year occupation. The drum war against Eritrea at present is a continuation of that, destroy anything which threaten their hold to power. "Destroying" Diaspora, the voice of the voiceless Ethiopians, is the main agenda of the "Art Show".

Both these regimes are supported by USA previous and current administration. The West claims "national interest" in Persian Gulf and in Ethiopia they have a regime that contracted itself to the USA war to fight "Islamic Extremism" in Somalia . Eighty millions of Ethiopians do not deserve the freedom the Tunisians and Egyptians got by their popular uprising. The reason is Meles Zenawi is good for America even if it is bad for 80 million Ethiopians.

Like the Yemen people who are now more than a month on revolt they have to be slaughtered to keep the West backed Saleh on power as is called by Secretary of Defense, Bob Gates, in many occasions. West has national interest in Yemen and if that interest collides with the freedom of millions let it be. The value of freedom we dearly hold here in America is traded for  tyranny, fighting few  fringe "fanatics' who are flourishing under tyranny itself.

Make no mistake it is Saudi Arabia and Libya who exported fighters to fight USA in Iraq than any other country.Tyranny is not helping fighting  any extremism, it is a breeding ground for many fanatics. September 11 is a good example for that, Saudi extremists attacked the wrong target. We have been saying that the West siding with the totalitarian regime of Ethiopia for two decades is a bad investment like it was exposed in Egypt.

Ethiopians are demanding freedom like Egyptians, Tunisians, Yemenis,  Bahrain and Libyans. We have been calling on many times through writings and rallies. Our recent rally in New York last September at Columbia University denouncing  the presence of Meles Zenawi was a success and we reached to the Colombian Community that giving platform for human right abusers in this age is shameful and should be condemned by all.

The April 9 rally in Harlem will educate the the Harlem community why we should not give platform to  human right abusers. Had our people had such liberty no need for such rally.However, those who shut our people mouth in Ethiopia can not shut our mouth here because we are not afraid or intimidate by them.

The thousands who will come out this coming Saturday  in Harlem and throughout America cities including Canada each of us is carrying the voice of  hundred thousand of our people.We are proud of doing it. We will expose the "Growth and Transformation" fiasco in its true nature,  "Greed and Transaction", selling the land of our country and Ethiopians, cheap "Transaction" driven by total Greed by very few tribal elites. We will not be part of such "Art Show" !!!!!!

Humanitarian Bombing Mission Accomplished ?

Tedla Asfaw


President Obama has accomplished the "humanitarian bombing" that started a week ago on Libya  against "Gaddafi forces".  Gaddafi is still in power and the pickup warriors are moving unchallenged the Libyan desert from Benghazi to West and are knocking on  Gaddafi's birthplace, Surt. It will be bombed to rubles for giving  birth to Gaddafi the devil.

The famous George Bush speech from aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln under the banner of "Mission Accomplished" in May 2003 was made after George Bush toppled Saddam Hussein in six weeks spectacular air war followed by ground invasion and we know now that toppling Saddam was the easy part of the mission.

What is then is going to be Obama's tonight speech for Americans about "Mission Accomplished" ? If you heard his secretary of defense, Bob Gate, yes the mission to protect the people of Benghazi is now accomplished and no bird let alone Gaddafi's plane can fly now. The West air power had done its job and now time for the rebels to march to Tripoli.

Why not Obama wait until Gaddafi is toppled, captured or killed like George Bush did in Iraq ?. If you hear Bob Gates the answer is USA has no geopolitical interest in Libya, its interest is in Gulf area to protect the toppling of the Saudi Monarchy. In that sense the western mission is accomplished by diverting the attention from the Saudi occupation of Bahrain and the ongoing on crisis in Yemen where Bob Gates said USA has security interest.

Libya is the national interest of Europe and that is why Sarkozy was the main actor of this "humanitarian bombing" and the only leader who recognizes the Benghazi Transitional Council as a legitimate representative of the Libyan people. Wait a minute Obama has told Gaddafi to go too and how can he said mission accomplished ?

Here is Obama's credibility and some call it "USA prestige". If USA and the West stop this bombing short of toppling Gaddafi USA's prestige will be questioned and Americans will punish Obama for that if indeed Gaddafi survives until the 2012 election. We should not worry about that NATO will do the job and as Bob Gates said USA will help NATO by giving its "unique capability". Do not rule out especial commando right on Gadafi's bed room if he has any permanent bed room.

What Obama will not do as he said earlier is he will not send USA soldiers on a ground battle like George Bush did in Iraq. The commander in chief is now to declare "Mission Accomplished" tonight not from aircraft carrier from Libya Coast but from his  White House.

Obama is fighting a war for European interest and bombing civilians from air without discrimination is a crime by any measurement. Libyans are dying, children, women. Tripoli is now under siege where is the humanitarian corridor for food and medicine ? Death by Gaddafi or Death from NATO in the days ahead do not make any difference at all. The irony is that the death we see daily in Yemen perpetuated by Western supported killer, Saleh and the aborting of popular uprising in Bahrain by the Saudi soldiers is now ignored by the world media. Do not count Ivory Coast, that is not even a national interest of France that exploited it  since the colonial times. The Value of Ivorian lives is much lesser than the Libyan lives according to Sarkozy  value of  life index. Can we nominate Sarkozy for Nobel Peace/life Prize for his finding  and accomplishment ?

Indeed the Mission of derailing the popular revolt in North Africa and Middle East might be accomplished for now make no mistake the "humanitarian bombing" was never a mission of USA. Obama was a supporting actor and he will now drop that role not to jeopardize his reelection campaign in 2012. Another Noble Prize, maybe ?

Main Actor Sarkozy, Supporting Actor Obama !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


The weekend air attack led by French fighters followed by USA Tomahawk missile and the continuing  bombardment of Libya's Gaddafi is not a humanitarian intervention on the behalf of Libyans as was billed by United Nations resolution led by President Sarkozy of France. France is the only country who recognized the Benghazi disorganized fighters as a legitimate Libyan government, this speaks volume for what this mission is all about.

This is a war for a regime change  led by Sarkozy and Obama is a supporting fellow and promised not to send USA soldiers on the ground fight. But USA will do all the logistical work without which the French soldiers will not dare to touch Tripoli. Benghazi is now under the French control.

Obama knows that Americans have no appetite for another costly war therefore he is downplaying the USA role on this war, very short and limited. The poll by the FOX news this morning is a good reminder for Obama. More than sixty percent of Americans do not support this weekend war in Libya. This poll is a good indication that USA from its costly war in Afghanistan to topple Taliban who gave sanctuary for Osama Bin Laden and the Iraq war eight years ago to topple Saddam Hussein had cost America many lives and close to trillion dollar.

Americans do not support French led war. The French who took firm stand against the war to topple Saddam Hussein eight years ago are now leading a war to topple Gaddafi their Southern neighbor thinking that this will be a short war, a weekend war maybe. That might be one of the reasons this war started on this weekend before Obama travelled to South America,hoping that Gaddafi will leave before Obama returns.

The French knows that securing Benghazi is not their final objective. They are on a mission to topple Gaddafi within few weeks or month therefore they have to put their soldiers in thousands to do that job. After the bombardment of  the air defense and the tanks and other heavy machines they will try to launch an amphibious assault on Tripoli possibly in a dark.

This Libyan military adventure is a gift from Sarkozy to boost the moral of the French people to be seriously considered as a power in the world. French audience is expected to see their young soldiers in Tripoli finishing Gaddafi off. The victory will be displayed on TV for French and non French speaking Africans that France is indeed not a small guy in the town but a force to be reckoned with. The French  inferiority complex to Americans after USA toppled Saddam Hussein by spectacular air power is still fresh in many Europeans and indeed French mind. The French and Europeans who hated George Bush led war of  the coalition of the willing that  ended  after eight years of bloody conflict have someone like Obama as a follower on their mission to fight their war in Libya.

This time the stage is reversed and we have a new actor Sarkozy of France and Obama president of USA as a supporting actor to topple Gaddafi in short order. The coalition call themselves coalition for " humanitarian mission " to save the people of Benghazi from Gaddafi forces who were close to take over the city.

The weekend war however was conducted on the coasts of Libya did not include Benghazi, the French controlled city, this is not by accident. The mission is not humanitarian at all it is a regime change and will keep on bombarding Tripoli and its surroundings for eventual ground assault. The French led forces would  like to keep their causalities low for the  eventual assault therefore they need USA to do the heavy job from air.

The battle for Tripoli will be bloody as indicated from Gaddafi. Arming the rebels and recruiting fighters in 24/7 in Benghazi is underway. Arm is getting to Benghazi through Egypt while no arm is allowed to reach  Gaddafi. Gaddafi and his supporters have already opened up the arms depot to citizens to join the war against "crusaders" .

If the French ground forces are trapped in Tripoli it is the role of the supporting actor, Obama to conduct air attack if the conflict drags on as expected. There is a possibility of Somali type Apache down which will enrage the American public. Sarkozy's  miscalculation will be known in a week or two.

For Obama putting USA in supporting role is an opportunity his opponents will exploit in the year 2012 election. A man who took power on a platform of  change is  now a " Weak Bush", not as a leader but a follower that is unacceptable for his supporters too. Americans do not like a weak president. Bush was a man who can walk the talk what we have now is  a man who is not sure of himself. I am afraid his supporting actor role to topple Gaddafi is the worst move he made on his foreign policy so far. Who knows if things getting worst and lives of American soldiers are lost no one will forgive him. Bye Bye Obama !!!!

Pearl Square will survive Saudi's occupation !!!

Tedla Asfaw



The Gulf Cooperation Council, GCC, which came into existence in 1981 during the Iraq and Iran bloody war is a collection of eight small countries who are seating down on half of the world oil reserve. When Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait in 1991 claiming it as one of its provinces the GCC financed the liberation of Kuwait. That can be considered as one of its achievements in its 30 years beside financing the ten year war between Iraq and Iran, 1981-1991.

This time however the GCC  threatened by popular uprising in the Middle East and North Africa is lashing out and invaded one of its members, Bahrain, last Monday. Saudi sent more than one thousand of its "liberators"  to Bahrain. The popular uprising in Bahrain that call for freedom and accountability threatened all the GCC nations who are ruled  by corrupt  monarchs.

The Bahrain youth who camped at Pearl Square was under fire by Saudi soldiers last night. Bahrain is now under Saudi occupation like Kuwait in 1991 by Saddam Hussein, there is no difference at all. Saudi's are using helicopters, tanks to chase the protesters from Pearl Square and many were killed.

While the world is struggling to establish a No-Fly Zone over Libya's air space it seems the western powers have declared "No Protest Zone " in the GCC to safe guard the flow of oil. The Saudi invasion followed the recent Bob Gates Secretary of Defense of USA visit to Bahrain. Has USA given the green light for Saudi invasion ?, Sure !!!

The legitimate struggle of the people of Bahrain is now taken hostage to sectarian battle between Sunnis and Shias of the wider  Muslim world. Iran which is ruling its Shias by force is accused of supporting the Bahrain uprising by the majority Shias  calling for freedom and end of the Sunni monarchy. Iran rulers have nothing in common with popular uprising in Bahrain, the  struggle for freedom and accountability. Iranian rulers are killing and jailing protesters like the Sunni monarchs in Bahrain too.

In fact the Sunni Monarchs of the GCC and Iran Shia dictatorship have one thing in common. Both are unelected corrupt dictatorship who wanted to stay in power by using Shias VS Sunnis card beyond their border. The west who is calling for "freedom" in Iran is saying no to the people of Bahrain in fact  supporting the brutal crack down by their golden silence. No condemnation for the  loss of lives in Bahrain.

The battle for Bahrain is now the last battle of the Gulf monarchs before they are thrown out like Ben Ali of Tunisia and Mubarak of Egypt. Saudi Arabia should have been condemned like Gaddafi if there was justice in our world. Gaddafi is killing its own people to stay in power what Saudi is doing is killing other people to stay in power. When we condone  invasion for our own interest like  it shows that our world is not only suffering from natural catastrophes we are witnessing in Japan but also from man made moral  catastrophe.

The GCC should be called in its true name from its 30 years of survival. It is the" Gulf Corruption Council" that will do everything to keep the wealth of oil under the control of very few while the majority of the people do not deserve any dignity. The Saudi down payment of 37 billion to buy their people shows that these clubs of tyrants will do all, pay and kill to stay in power. They are the worst form of Gaddafi.

The people of Bahrain are paying a heavy price for standing for their rights while USA and Europeans as always looking for secure and cheap oil. The nuclear crisis in Japan will make oil the only best option for  the near future. World is now scared of nuclear  energy and those who control half of oil reserve the GCC nations have to be declared No Protest Zone.

Welcome to the GCC a club of few who are accountable to the rich nations of the world. The people of GCC will be paid or killed if they challenge the monarchs of the GCC. Three months of emergency is declared in Bahrain by Saudi occupation forces. All protests are forbidden and those who did not comply to the GCC tyrants will be dealt like they were dealt in Pearl Square last night from air and ground.

Pearl Square in Bahrain might be cleared from protesters using brute force but GCC led by Saudi Monarchy is now the number one enemy of the people of the Gulf nations and the struggle for freedom will continue. The talk of freedom by the west is truly exposed for what it is. It is about cheap oil controlled by tyrants who are killing people to keep their wealth and power.

Gaddafi must Leave who should stay ?

Tedla Asfaw


It has been one month  since Mubarak of Egypt forced to Leave following the Tahrir Popular Tsunami. Similar popular uprising has been going on in Yemen to remove the USA supported, self proclaimed,  Al Qaeda fighter Saleh who has been in power for more than three decades. Yemenis like Egyptians are pressing their demand for Saleh to go while Saleh is calling for more talks with the protesters. Similar call by Mubarak was ignored by Egyptians until he finally was kicked out one month ago.

United States Ambassador in Yemen is supporting Saleh's call for "dialogue". Street protests which was lately supported by American administration in Egypt is not good in Yemen. The reason is not only for Yemen but it also destabilizes the Saudi monarchy who is trying to buy the shias which consist of ten percent of the population with its surplus cash thanks to high oil price.

USA will not allow the Saudi monarch to be toppled by popular uprising for that it has  to fight the uprising out of Saudi's soil. Bahrain and Yemen both who have oppressed shias are danger for the Saudis. North of Yemen has been on armed revolt by shias who demand freedom and Saudi is siding with the Yemen tyrant to quash this rebellion out of fear of their own shias in the east of Saudi Arabia taking up arms.

The Saudi shias are calling today for the day of rage after the Friday prayer and if USA followed its wisdom in Yemen that is not good for the shias in Saudi Arabia, USA prefers "dialogue". Street protesters in Bahrain, Yemen and Saudi Arabia will topple the USA popped tyrants. It is better to buy time by unending dialogue sweetened by dollar like Saudi tried by down payment of 37 billion dollar. Can we call it, " No Protest Zone" like similar calls made to topple Gaddafi, "No Fly Zone".

While the media is concentrating on the "pickup revolution" of Libya the tyrants in Yemen, Bahrain and Saudi Arabia are portrayed as "good tyrants" who are not killing from air like Gaddafi but can do the job from the ground. What is the difference of gunning down protesters from air or land ?

Gaddafi  was told by Obama to Leave but is not going any where in fact digging for eventual showdown with the West. If Saleh is encouraged to stay why not Gaddafi ? Obama puts itself in a very awkward position. It seems to me only Sarkozy of France who recognized the Benghazi interim administration is doing something a little bit for now. Is there a relationship between Obama's call for Gaddafi to Leave and Sarkozy's recognition of anti Gaddafi administration. Sure one is talking the other is acting. MacDonald and French fries Sarkozy's style.

The pickup revolution of Libya is a disorganized military assault which is neither dialogue which USA supports in case of Yemen nor upheaval like Egypt and Tunisia which the West was forced to accept because defending the dying regime was impossible. Large desert of Libya will not be a picnic for France if it chooses to arm the anti Gaddafi opposition. All Libyans pro and anti Gaddafi say no to foreign forces and France  can only go as "liberator" by transforming the pickup revolution into a well organized desert war supported by air.

Europe has big interest in Libya because of its proximity and its oil resource. Oil under the control of the armed opposition will be protected from air and land to reach its European customer in short time. However, divided Libya will be another Somalia and it is possible especially Egypt will be sucked into this conflict on the way short circuiting the Tahrir uprising.

The Arabs have been cheated by their corrupt rulers to focus on issues outside their borders, Middle East and Afghanistan for years. Egyptians have to empower themselves before empowering their neighbors. Egypt army as it promised has to finish the transition period and go to its barrack. It is only democratically elected government that can decide on policies related to its neighbor.

Libya's pickup revolution has already failed and it will not have any life without outside military involvement. The Arab tyrants wants this crisis to divert attention from their own and  discourage their people from not going to streets. Had the Libyans not resorted to warfare on pickup truck and blame black Africans for their problem they would have got many support like the Egyptians and Tunisians. Blame themselves for their military assault on vast desert with no logistical preparation. This is also a result of 42 years of ethnic division perpetuated by Gaddafi and lack of a well disciplined army like that of Egypt and to some extent in Tunisia.

Nonviolent struggle !!

Tedla Asfaw

Yesterday I was on pro TPLF Paltalk room, Civility Room, in the morning where I heard views of the people who wanted to keep TPLF/EPRDF, the majority, and those of us who wanted change, close to two hundred people attended. A woman, Ogadeni/Ethiopian, with fluent Amharic, described her feeling like some of us why Meles has to go. She described the barbaric atrocity of Ogadenis suffer under Meles security forces. I challenged Meles Zenawi and his Western supporters to recognize before it is too late the right of Ethiopians to assemble freely and what we heard from Meles supporters is not at all encouraging. I also called for the army not to shoot protesters. Will President Obama be with the side of the Ethiopian people ? Time will tell that.

Any kind of gathering is illegal for Meles supporters because rallies in a "Developmental State" like Ethiopia will distract people from developmental path. Jawar Mohamed's piece today on non violent struggle articulated in detail how the non violent struggle should be coordinated and sustained to topple dictators. Meles Zenawi's regime surely is ready to lock up young non Tigreans in mass to preempt this non violent struggle and also to divide people, Tigrans VS others. I wish Jawar commented what we should do in such scenario. His analysis of non violent struggle and what we heard from Eyasu Alemayehu, EPRP leadership, in ECADF Room more than one thousand attendants, yesterday afternoon, is almost identical. Most of us who need change, the young and old, are now speaking in one voice that itself is a victory for our struggle.

The likes of Seye, Lidetu, both Hailus, Merara are hurdles for such struggle in fact will be used by Meles Zenawi. I totally agree with Eyasu Alemayehu the irrelevance of these people and their organizations for non violent struggle, Enough is Enough/Beka. AEUP, UDJP and MEDREK's past record on peaceful struggle to challenge the regime is None and has become even a joke in Western circles, to expect different now is not at all helpful. We have not heard different either rather than preparing for the coming fake election in 2015. I will appreciate in the future Jawar's view on the so called "Election Advocates " who are supported by the West to take the pressure from their ally Meles Zenawi. What Eyasu called them, Fire Brigades of TPLF, "Esate Adega".

My disagreement with Jawar on his recent DW short interview has now rested for good. It was not a personal attack rather questioning his tactic and strategy for a regime change based on a short interview he gave. I and many of us now clearly see the difference between Jawar and Lidetu Ayalew. Jawar is indeed for regime change while the so called legal oppositions in Ethiopia are for Election Business without any regime change. Meles will allow these "oppositions/leaders" to get few seats to bring back the parliament of 2005-2010. However, Ethiopia's problem will not be tackled from ten minutes speech in the name of our people by the very few. Those speeches fell on deaf ear and TPLF/EPRDF ruled as if they were not there. The current "opposition" leaders have also lost any legitimacy in the eye of our people. Leaders who are scared of bringing their supporters out for any cause are not to be called leaders at all. No one is waiting for 2015 fake election, we have to mobilize our people for Right to Assemble and Speak Now !!!!!

Re: Open letter to Russian TV in USA

Dear RT USA producers,


I was watching RT USA news at 11am EST this morning. The RT journalist had discussion with a Libyan expatriate. The journalist was asking his guest about "black" mercenaries who are gunning down Libyans. His guest explained to him this is not black VS white but criminals who are supporting Gadaffi.

RT journalist is repeating what we heard from Al Jazeera English accusing "black mercenaries from Africa " killing for Gadaffi. Blacks from Sub Sahara Africa are paraded on live TV accused of being mercenaries. Such labelling of Blacks have now put all Black Africans in great danger in fact many are killed.

I heard family members who went out to buy food beaten up and dragged to be killed by Libyan mobs in Benghazi and Tripoli. To be black in Libya is a death sentence that is unacceptable. Responsible journalist should refrain from labelling "black" as mercenaries. Today on BBC Worldhaveyoursay program the Ghanaian foreign minster was asked by Ghanaians whose lives are endangered never come out to buy food for their families fearing beating and killing in Tripoli.

I am asking RT like I asked Al Jazeera not to inflame the situation by accusing the black race as mercenaries. I challenge you to accuse the mercenaries from East Europe, Tunisia, Algeria and Egypt to label as "Whites". The fact of the matter is South Libya is inhabited by black people who are Libyans. Are you taking away their citizenship ? Are they considered as Libyans or only refereed as blacks ? This is indeed double tragedy for all black daily laborers from sub Sahara Africa who are treated as less than human. What a shame if this uprising  ended by dividing Libyans by ethnicity and color that Gadaffi used effectively to rule for 42 years.

I  wrote two days ago to  human right organizations pleading on behalf of fellow black Africans who are left on their own while the rest of the world is picking up their own people. African countries except Ghana are doing nothing. Shame on them too.

Thanks,

Tedla Asfaw

New York City

Ugly racism in the Libya uprising live on TV !!!

Tedla Asfaw


The ugly face of racism once again show its face on world stage in the week long  uprising to topple Muammar Gadaffi. Reports are coming suggesting foreign "mercenaries" fighting for Muammar Gadaffi, most of them black Africans. We watched on Al Jazeera a black man beaten up and dragged to his death. On this confusion many countries, Europeans, Americans and Asians  are taking their own citizens out of Libya by air, sea and land. Where is the African Union ?

Most workers are seen crossing Libya to Egypt or Tunisia but we never saw anyone going to South, Niger, Chad or Sudan for that  matter to Algeria. Most of the  media coverage is on what is going on in the East which is now free from Gadaffi's control. Why not we see  black Africans running for their safety ? As we heard it from DW Amharic today most of them are hiding in their houses because it is dangerous for blacks to come out because they are considered by most Libyans as mercenaries.

This indeed is very tragic. Most of Ethiopians are refugees in Libya.Ethiopian women working as maids currently are under the care of the households they live seems they are safe for now. That as well is not guaranteed.Due to public pressure they might be pushed to face street justice including rape..

The passport displayed on Al Jazeera includes many passports carried by Ethiopians. From DW interview we heard most of them were dragged from their apartments beaten up and showed to the world as  mercenaries. We also heard many Ethiopians killed by angry mob in Benghazi.

Muammar Gadafi haters are taking revenge on black Africans for money Gadafi threw  for many African dictators. The mob attacked and killed many Africans including Ethiopians for being only black. This is not acceptable and we have to alert Human Right, and Amnesty International to investigate all  who are paraded as "mercenaries" on Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera should also tone  down unconfirmed report and endanger black Africans at this dangerous moment. Ethiopians have no representative government who cares for our refugees. If in fact Ethiopia sends mercenaries Meles Zenawi  will never admit it because it will accelerate his own downfall.

However, Ethiopians in Diaspora have responsibility to represent fellow Ethiopians at this deadly moment and rally behind them, they are crying for help. We know no one is in charge of Libya right now.It is street rule until all settled down I am afraid this uprising will take the lives of many black Africans including  many Ethiopians. If there are "mercenaries" it seems to me now they are only black Africans, that is absurd. Gadaffi's money can buy a lot of mercenaries, black,white, brown and yellow. Who is now flying Gadaffis plane and helicopters, are they also black Africans ?

Muammar Gadaffi is ready to take Libya down with him, unfortunately, many black Africans who are caught in this mess will go down with him. Their death is only because for being black in a wrong country. The tragedy is most of them left their country for safety and faced detention and racism in Libya.Most who were in detention their situation  might even be worst. We have obligation to speak on their behalf by sharing any information we got about them.

The lynching and killing that is going on against black Africans in Libya will sure further divide the Arabs from the rest of Africa. The Arab League should speak against racist killing and accusations.They should sanction and condemn not only Gadaffi but also all who are killing black Africans. President Obama who urged  African Union to play its role to  stop the killing in Libya should be informed  also that black Africans are  a target of racist killing in Libya by Libyans mob.

Jawar Mohammed as a defender of Meles Zenawi ?

Tedla Asfaw

I heard Jawar Mohammed with Lidetu Ayalew and Dr. Hailu Araya discussing on DW, Feb 20, the role of opposition parties in TPLF ruled Ethiopia.I totally disagree with Jawar accusing the oppositions for not using the "narrow opening" given by TPLF. Where is the right of our people for free assembly, speech ? Is Jawar blaming Ethiopians for shutting their mouth too ? It is really sad defending TPLF at this moment of popular uprising in North Africa, East Africa and Middle East, when the masses rise up breaking decades of fear to topple tyrants and be in charge of their own destiny.

It is too little too late to beg Meles Zenawi as Jawar did. The mass uprising is the only option. We are not waiting for the next fake election in 2015 as suggested by Jawar. He is trying to defend the dying regime of Meles Zenawi that will soon be dumped to the dustbin of history like Ben Ali, Mubarak soon Muammar Gadaffi the butcher of Benghazi who is now on the genocide mission to take down Libya with him. Only few cry for the demise of Meles Zenawi. Jawar is on this camp unfortunately. Muammar Gadaffi will have also some who cry for him,however, the Libyans liberation is not far and Ethiopians are not far too. We can and we will !!!!

Tahrir Square spirit turns to Bahrain's Death Square !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


The Bahrain Sunni minority tribal regime sent its tribal killers last night to shoot and kill protesters at Pearl Square which is in fact nothing like its name but a Death Square. The youth of Bahrain who are calling for freedom and end of  discrimination for a majority of Shias by a minority Sunni Monarchy were  motivated by the Tahrir Square uprising. They peacefully gathered,children, women, young and old for another peaceful night.

Bahrain sent  its security forces which are recruited from foreign nationals to keep the two hundred years Monarchy alive into deadly rampage similar to the Tiananmen Square killing in China in the 1980s. These were not peoples army like Egypt or Tunisia who hold on their guns and never fired to the people. Bahrain security forces are hired killers loyal to the King and the king who is billed as a reformer by the West is now naked for all to see that he  is just another oil crazed tyrant who care less for human life.

Bahrain is the home of US navy that  controls the flow of oil in that region. The  wider Arab public once again learnt that USA cares less for freedom than cheap oil and base to secure its own national interest. The American Journalist from ABC who was beaten up last night at the Pearl Square described the brutality of the security forces and we will soon  be hearing from USA the usual call for peaceful rally,protecting journalists  but not a call for accountability. We would like to hear from now on for Obama condemning the Bahrain security forces and call not to shoot again like he demanded from Egyptian army.

The doctor from the hospital was describing the ammunition that were used to kill four of the people and injured hundreds of them on BBC. The bullets once entered body will be broken into tiny pieces to cause maximum damages. We would like to know who gave the order to use such ammunition on peaceful innocents ?

The barbaric nature of the minority tribal regime use of force in Pearl/Death Square in Bahrain is similar to the minority regime of Meles Zenawi atrocity in 2005 after it lost election in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The ammunition then was given by USA and more than 200 of our people lost their lives by close range shooting. We saw the pictures of those killed and the pictures are still fresh in our mind.

The Bahrain Monarchy has lost whatever legitimacy it claims from now on. The  popular revolt by the  masses will continue until the people get freedom. The Popular Tsunami that started in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Libya  crossing  Bahrain and will go to Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Monarchy across the border might be behind the brutal tactic used by Bahrain because of fear of similar uprising by the Shias in its own country.

The freedom train will not stop until it reaches its goal. Arabs deserve to live in dignity. Clinging to power claiming divinity, fake election will be the thing of the past. Freedom is not an American or European value it is human value. We all would like to choose our own leaders and decide to choose our own friends.

Ethiopia's Ethnic Prison will be destroyed by popular multi ethnic uprising !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


I read an article on Daily Nation, Wednesday Feb.16, 2011 titled "Ethiopia's bold ethnic-based policies ended decades of bitter conflicts". For those who closely follow Ethiopia, ethnic conflicts in Eastern and Southern Ethiopia of Ogaden and Oromia region in fact have increased since TPLF/EPRDF consolidated its power in mid 1990s.

In the  honeymoon years of early 1990s OLF the Oromo Liberation Front and ONLF the Ogaden National Liberation Front were part of the transition process in writing the constitution without popular participation that legalized ethnic federalism including cessation the first of its kind in Africa. The ruling TPLF which claims to represent the Tigray region knows very well that power only comes by controlling  the rich natural resources of South Ethiopia. It has exclusively exploited these resources by organizing the TPLF ethnic wings like OPDO, ANDM, etc. These clients of TPLF have no popular support as it was proven on the stolen election of 2005 and 2010.

When OLF and ONLF challenged the TPLF regime in mid 1990s what they got was not ethnic empowerment the piece on this article claimed but ethnic total war on them and the people they claim represent. The  Oromos and Somalis who do not subscribe to the TPLF ethnic domination were killed and imprisoned. The testimony for this ethnic barbarism can be found by visiting the largest Oromo and Somali's refugees all over the world.

TPLF/EPRDF ethnic based federalism is a way of ruling diverse countries like Ethiopia by building suspicion walls among people while the new rulers who are above any region/Kilil can exploit the rich natural resources of our country to enrich themselves. Fascist Italy tried it on its five year occupation of Ethiopia in the 1930s.Moreover, the two decades of such ethnic federalism brought us the few connected TPLFites  who claim to represent the people of Tigray  from Zero to tons of Wealth.

Foreign aid which is pumped to Ethiopia  around two billion a year did not make any miracle for our people. More than ten million people are still on food aid. Hunger is the only thing which has no ethnic component in present day Ethiopia. It is an equalizer in all ethnic regions. The multi ethnic capital of Ethiopia Addis Ababa's population is now tripling because of hunger,rural poverty and displacement of farmers whose land is sold to foreign landlords as a source of fast cash for TPLF, The  Lord of Ethnic Federalism. Addis which is  a show case for our rich and famous ethnic rulers and those who come for false hope are living side by side. The homeless and beggars who are in hundreds of thousands hardly to miss for any visitor including the writer. They are multi ethnic casualties of  ethnic federalism partly.

Make no mistake on the early years of ethnic federalism many poor Amharas were killed by TPLF ethnic wings and forced to leave the land their ancestors lived for centuries. TPLF/EPRDF had ignited its Hutu VS  Tutsis war way before the Rwanda genocide. However, the Ethiopian people were not part of this war and ethnic cleansing on the level of Yugoslavia  had failed to materialize.

This article rosy picture of ethnic federalism under TPLF/EPRDF has  wisely avoided who the real power holder on the present day so called Federal Ethiopia. Power is on the hands of few people, TPLF who claim to represent the people of Tigray. The  rest is pure ethnic cosmetics. The May 2005 election had given its verdict on this  failed policy of ethnic federalism because it is neither ethnic nor federalism. It is power and resources for the very few and the people they claim representing are not even a beneficiary of this accumulation of power and wealth.

Ethiopia is a home of nations and nationalities and their aspiration to empower themselves in united Ethiopia has been hijacked since 1991. The million people march in May 2005 in Addis Ababa  had made it clear for all that fifteen years of ethnic federalism experiment was rejected. Since then however Ethiopia is a prison for all those who want to rule themselves and empower their people in a free and transparent election. It is only in a country where people are free to assemble, speak and write can empower themselves by voting for accountable regime. Ethnic based federalism will be put for referendum in a democracy and what we have to do first,however, is remove the ethnic warlords from Ethiopia by multi ethnic mass uprising. Yes we can and we will !!!!

Egypt uprising is our model to bring down Ethiopia's Mubarak !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


This is another number 11 for most of the world but it is Feb. 11, 2011 that brought the Western financed 30 year dictatorship of Hoseni Mubarak to its knee. At this moment I am joining Egyptians in celebration and I tell them that I am proud of them. The mass uprising that started eighteen days ago and the determination of the youth of Egypt spending day and night at Tahrir Square not  giving  its number one demand the resignation of Hoseni  Mubarak is realized today after it was dashed last night by Hoseni Mubarak empty pride that drove many Egyptians angry to come back for another day of protest and defiance.

However, the 20 second statement more than one hour ago by the Vice President about the resignation of Hoseni Mubarak  and hand over power to  the army sent millions throughout Egypt in huge celebration. Not only Egyptians many Africans and Middle Eastern countries which are now suffering under Western financed tyranny celebrate with them. They are learning from Egypt youth experience  and will bring popular revolt to their own countries.

My country Ethiopia is a good candidate for that. We have twenty years of Western financed tyranny run by Meles Zenawi and Ethiopians who match in number with Egyptians but far behind in their developmental stage by any measurement can topple Ethiopia's Mubarak, Meles Zenawi  in short order. The time we spent  lobbying  on Western streets and embassies have brought us only contempt.

Egyptians did it by breaking their fear and fortunately they have an army that did not stand on their way. Ethiopians have no national army comparable to Egypt. The top army officers are standing for their tribal loyalty and they are not going to help us topple Meles Zenawi brutal regime the worst form of Mubarak.

My hope is we can get huge faction of the army which are more than ninety percent of the army  to stand with millions of our people when the uprising started any day and time. The poor soldiers have no interest defending this regime and we should work with them at all levels. These are poor young people who took the job for a living.

The armed nationalist groups like OLF and ONLF have responsibility not to exploit such uprising for their own narrow goals. The good thing is we are hearing from OLF high officials that what they want is to be part of a transition to prepare our people for free and fair election. Free United Ethiopia will not be anti nations and nationalities like TPLF is preaching.

As I write this piece Egyptians are celebrating for the first time without any fear and they know that there is a long way to go until they establish a government which is accountable to them not to foreign interests. One thing is true they will never be silenced again by brute force like they were for the last 30 years.

The next battle is the battle of ideas and I am sure that Egypt with seven thousand years civilization can overcome their recent fifty years or more dictatorship which retarded their growth and shine like their ancestors. Ethiopia which has more than three thousand years of civilization which failed to join the modern age under tyrannical regimes will learn from Egypt and get their freedom in the year of freedom, 2011. Ethiopia's Mubarak has to go by mass uprising !!!!

Ethiopian Asylum Seekers in Oslo, Norway !!!

Prime Minster of Norway,


Dear Prime Minster,

I grew up in Addis Ababa and had contact with the Norwegian missionary in my neighborhood. I still remember the service the Norwegian missionaries  gave to our neighborhood in the 1970s before the 1974 Ethiopian revolution.However, I had not a chance  to visit Norway when I was a student in Belgium, 1985-1987 to see how Norwegians live and what made them kind to fellow human beings.

I have been granted political asylum in United States since 1989 but never went back to Ethiopia after the fall of the military dictatorship of Mengistu Hailemariam. Ethiopia under Meles Zenawi in fact break a record for sending the young educated people out of Ethiopia for the lack of basic freedom, right to assemble, write and speak. We can say without any exaggeration that Ethiopia is a country not to return to but to run away from for  most of the young educated people.

The news of Ethiopian asylum seekers who fled the Meles Zenawi regime threatened by your government to be sent back to Ethiopia is incomprehensible to most of us who are following it closely. Ethiopians have staged a hunger strike on harsh weather condition in Oslo and I am afraid lives might be lost unless you intervene kindly. Norway is an old friend of Ethiopia and I want you to give the asylum seekers legal protection.

I want to assure you that the estimated one million refugees in the diaspora will go back to Ethiopia when our people get back their dignity after they remove Meles Zenawi 's led ethnofascist dictatorial regime that has been financed by the West including Norway for the last two decades.

Regimes  come and go what will remain is the historical relationship between the good people of Norway and the Ethiopian people. Ethiopians love their country and have never stopped worrying about their people and try to help our people struggle by informing the people of the Western countries. The last week Munich Ethiopians protest  estimated to be more than one thousand is one of the recent effort by the Ethiopian diaspora

The sad reality is the Western leaders took our shyness as a sign of endorsement of their failed policy towards our country. If it takes our personal sacrifice to get your policy review we will be doing it and Ethiopians in Oslo are doing it right now, lives will be lost on the process. Liberty and freedom demand that unfortunately.


Sincerely,

Tedla Asfaw

 USA

Is Tahrir Square closer to Munich for German Amharic ?

Tedla Asfaw

I followed today's German and VOA Amharic both did not mention about the huge rally organized in Munich by Ethiopians more than one thousand of them to denounce Meles Zenawi. Was it not news worthy for the DW people ? Or is it censored by the German government.

Both German and VOA covered widely the huge rally in Cairo as it should be but ignored the rally especially  DW in its own backyard. VOA Amharic correspondent in Germany also failed to ignore one of the biggest demo in Europe on Saturday Feb. 5. Is it for lack of information about the rally ?

Can VOA do the same for the coming rally in D.C. this coming Monday  and just ignore it due to pressure from the State Department ?

German government if it is indeed in business of controlling the news it did not like then we should organize a rally to denounce its  undemocratic behavior with the tax payers money.

I hope VOA will cover the coming rally and give some explanation why it ignored the Munich huge rally. The good news is this news is covered by ESAT and now has become a motivation force for our young to repeat the Tahrir Square in Addis Ababa.

I congratulate all who came out as one waving different flags but united to remove Meles Zenawi to take back Ethiopia our common motherland. This rally has much in a common with a rally in New York City in September 2010. Joint rally by all is a way forward. The issue is one and the same get our country back to debate our future freely without anyone acting like a police. The days of Meles Zenawi is numbered we have to remain united in action.

Mubarak unleash his thugs and supporters to take over Tahrir Square !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


As I am writing this piece I am Watching Al Jazerra English on line and what I am witnessing right now is sadly will be remembered as a time and day Egyptians popular revolt was sabotaged by Mubarak's  thugs and supporters. The huge million people rally we witnessed yesterday that was peaceful Tsunami of People who said no to Mubarak's three decades of tyranny was not at all satisfied by his last night speech, not going for another election , set up in motion for "orderly transfer" and "free and fair " election in next fall in September.

Mubarak's "patriotic" words, "I am a soldier and I fought for this country and I will only die in Egypt "seems a line that mobilized his supporters. Some even say they are only just patriotic not even Mubarak supporters. I am not sure about that. The peaceful mass uprising participants were attacked by Mubarak's supporters, stone were flying even we saw people with camels charging and knocking down people children, women and the elderly.

Is this stability the West was calling for ? It is indeed a sad morning for all of us who were following the week long uprising throughout Egypt and especially the huge crowd of at Tahrir Square day and night, women, children, young and old. There was no single incident and those who happened to be out today to say that they are not at all going until Mubarak step down were  attacked.

As of now we have not heard from President Obama. One retired Egyptian General was begging Al Jazzera English to contact the Obama office and to let the president condemn this escalation and possible bloodbath. The army up to now is trying to separate the pro Mubarak from anti-Mubarak. It failed to defend the defenseless people like it did defend the Mubarak palace from angry crowd who were to march to his palace yesterday.

The Pro Mubarak groups are knocking everyone on the way to take over the Tahrir Square. Rocks are flying and I wonder how many people are going to be injured and even killed. The peaceful uprising is now turned into bloodshed by Mubarak thugs. If the West has any credibility left it is this time to call for Mubarak to step down because he has divided Egypt and responsible for the coming Instability in Egypt. Egypt is now under military rule who swear not to fire to people but witnessing innocent people knocked down close to their tanks by thugs.

The fact of the matter is among the pro Mubarak supporters there were polices joining the rally to punish the anti-Mubarak supporters. The battle to takeover the Tahrir Square is still underway as of this moment. One thing which will remain for all pro democracy supporters of the Egyptian uprising all over the world is Mubarak has survived this uprising because of the West standing with him.

America will go to war to topple a dictator like  Saddam Hussein but it also stands with their man like Mubarak who worked for their interest at the expense of their people. it is sad but a reality. I wonder how many people in Egypt for that matter in the Arab world turns into  anti-America by President Obama inaction. His flowery words about  freedom and democracy will be known for what it is but the spirit of Tahrir Square will energize all of us who are struggling to topple western supported tyranny in our own country.

Save Ethiopian Refugees in Cairo !!!!

 Ambassador Shoukry,

 Washington, D.C.

Dear Ambassador,

The first time I saw you was yesterday on ABC program. I know you will be very busy this time because of the ongoing crisis in Egypt and my email might not be too important to reach to your attention. But I do believe that as your neighbor and an Ethiopian residing  in New York I was convinced to write this note.

Few minutes ago I heard the sad situation of fellow Ethiopian refugees residing in Cairo. Women and children are huddling together and with the help of Egyptian neighbors are surviving gangs and rapists at present. We are hearing also women are raped and some are kidnapped. Their call to UN was not helpful at all because no one was in office.

Who is going to help our people when even in peaceful time their own so called "Embassy of Ethiopia" never take care of Ethiopians. It is only you who can make a difference for the  poor Ethiopians who are crying and begging for help. You know the neighborhood of Cairo where poor refugees mostly reside.

I have confidence you will do the right thing and give protection for the abandoned Ethiopians in Cairo at this dangerous time.

Sincerely,


Tedla Asfaw

Walking, protesting like Egyptians in 2008!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

I watched a brave woman(Aljazerra April 6) on the street of Cairo saying no to Mubarak's tyranny supporting the stay home strike called by Egyptian workers who are now living on a  USA $2 per day and  can not afford to buy bread for their families due to high inflation.

 

The stay home strike that  was called by workers and later on communicated to students and the masses  on Internet by bloggers was a success.The streets of Cairo were quiet except few protesters that were matched in number with armed security personnel who were seen beating women, children and old people.

 

The government of Egypt claimed the "illegal" strike was a failure and most people went to their normal business,however, we saw empty streets in Cairo and we know the strike was  a success and did send a message and shock wave  to Mubarak that his days are numbered. 

 

The people who were on the streets were angered by the regime for not allowing them to protest and vent their frustration peacefully. We all know that country like Egypt and Ethiopia who are the staunch supporters of the "war on terrorr" are good in terrorizing their citizens and locking opponents first fabricate charges later and convict them for long term prison.

 

Moreover, this protest is coming before the Municipal election in Egypt this week and the regime has already locked up opposition supporters like the Muslim Brotherhood who have wide support in the poor neighborhoods that won substantial seat before.

 

The Muslim Brotherhood has boycotted this coming election because the regime has already learned from its previous mistakes and fielded many of its candidates to take the municipal seat and it seems to me that Mubarak and Melese Zenawi are following the same script in conducting "fair and free election".

 

Both regimes deny the right to protest and accuse the protesters as outlaws who wanted to destabilize their countries. Both wanted to rule forever. Mubarak wanted to transfer power to his son and Melese is not sure when to transfer power and the closest one maybe his wife, Emebete Azeb. The possible alternative is to initiate a debate within TPLF  not "to waste the brain power of our beloved leader, Melese Zenawi" is to make him a president of Ethiopia by amending the TPLF's Constitution in his own parliament.

 

The economic hardship of about 40% of Egyptians who live below poverty line is a good testament for the failed Mubarak tyranny and this can be said the same if not more for Ethiopia  where food price is sky rocketing and Melese Zenawi who blame the economic growth of China and India together with home merchants for inflating prices.

 

The west including Saudi can help subsidize food in Egypt and avoid the mass uprising which is surely to come. Ethiopia is already benefiting from the USA subsidized wheat and the question is for how long? As  we see the war in Iraq and the recession in USA is not encouraging to put hope on the handout from USA.

 

The seventy million Egyptians and  seventy million Ethiopians have been ruled for their long history by autocrats  supported by west and the recent talk of "democracy and freedom" by Bush and Condi remains empty rhetoric and the people of Egypt has taken a lead by going out on the streets and demand  their democracy and freedom this past week,.

 

Ethiopians should do no less. We have to follow the Egyptian example and call a stay home strike and boycott the government organized  make-believe election  for this month. We know their is sacrifice to be paid and we also know millions of our people have no dignified life to live for.