Where is Senator Obama?

Tedla Asfaw
The violence in Kenya following this week presidential election needs straight answer from the Democratic candidate of USA, Mr. Obama and a test for his foreign relationship credentials.

Moreover he is also respected in Kenya as their own because his father is a Kenyan and it will be
interesting to hear from him here and and in Kenya too.

Senator Obama is quite may be Kenya is not important in the presidential debate but for many people who questioned his international credential it would have been better if he comes out and take stand on what is going on in Kenya following the contested election.

Some of the candidate might only know Kenya as land of Safari and it is not at all important and the USA media have not shown so far any interest.

For those of us from Horn once again like the 2005 election of Ethiopia the region's hope for a model is gone and we are left with no alternative.

If peaceful election does not bring hope to our region we will be left out only with armed struggle and military coups as we have been accustomed for many years.

Victory for our people in 2008!!!





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Bhutto's Dynasty?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Today the Bhuttos are gathering to pick a successor for the late Benazir Bhutto according to BBC news hour and this is also compared by some to the Kennedy's, Bushes and Clinton's and however this comparison is not correct.

 

In USA no one  inherits power from their families rather elected to represent their party by the  Democrat or Republican caucuses. What we have seen in Bhutto's family in Pakistan is a feudal power transfer since the independence of Pakistan.

 

The possible inherits of the power are the nineteen year old son of Benazir  Bhutto, her husband or her sister and I am surprised the Pakistan Peoples Party(PPP) has no role to pick the leader of their party and how can an organization bring democracy to its people without electing democratically its own leader?.

 

Such transfer of power is now become a norm also in undemocratic countries and we saw it in Jordan and in Egypt the son of Mubarak is now groomed to rule Egypt. Such practice will give an ammunition for Islamic extremists to wage war in the name of Islam and the disenfranchised masses will be left out of the power game..

 

Without democratic institution and transparent deliberation within parties it is impossible to bring accountability and fight neptoism and corruption and people are going to worship leaders and that is bad for democracy.

 

On this first anniversary of Saddam Hussein execution nothing bright has come for the Islamic world and still most Islamic countries are run by dictators and that will not bring peace and stability in any region of the world and inherited power is neither different.

 

It is sad a woman who preaches democracy and accountability while alive her death is not hope for Pakistani democracy rather an excuse to keep Bhutto's legacy and the winners on all these will be the undemocratic forces led by Musharraf and Islamic extremists.. 

Does it matter, Dialogue or outrage for the Kinijit's sickness ??

Tedla Asfaw

 

I read Ato Fekada Shewaena's well written piece about the current predicament of Kinijit, once a very popular party getting the support of millions of Ethiopians, remember the "Miazia" 30/ May 2005 rally a week before the election  and now in a disarray fighting in two camps in Addis to secure "office" and name for KInijit "legally" posted on addisvoice.com.

 

The whole world knows that millions voted for CUDP/Kinijit and now TPLF is telling us that we must be stupid because there is no party called Kinijit and even those who got a seat for their safety in the "parliament" Ayele and Temesgen do not know which party they represent.

 

On top of that Hailu and Birtukan factions are not allowed to mobilize supporters while they have been given stages to destroy each other. We have now four Kinijit parties begging for recognition from TPLF and TPLF is now roaming Addis and many cities to win the local election for the coming spring and preparing to win the landslide victory for the so called "election 2008".

 

It does not matter who will get the certificate of recognition for Kinijit and this will not change the fact that TPLF will compete with the loyal oppositions led by Bulcha, Petros , Lidetu ,Ayele, Temesegen and you can add Hailu, Birtukan on this list and the so called fair and free election under TPLF is gone for good whether Kinijit remains undivided or not.

 

What Hailu and the other Fives have done after their release is destroying the Kinijit spirit by their examples we heard in their interviews and deeds. They might be educated people but not good leaders in any measurement you take.

 

The millions in Ethiopia who voted for Kinijit hoping  better future and that future no doubt is hijacked by TPLF and  failed leadership of Kinijit paving the way for another rule for TPLF dynasty, 2010--2015 and whether we engaged in dialogue or outrage it does not matter any more the damage has already been done.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dr. Birhanu Nega Vs. Bereket Simon on "Bravery Scale"

Tedla Asfaw

 

I read a short armed struggle account of EPRP and the role of Dr. Birhanu's contribution according to " Adal Isaw "not a real name posted on Aiga(Dec. 28) titled "EPRP and Dr. Birhanu Nega:"Like father,like son" which accuses Dr. Birhanu as cowardice and people like Berekit Simon an adviser of Melese Zenawi who was defeated soundly on May 2005 election as hero.

 

It would have been up to Bereket Simon to bring your allegation of cowardice on the debate and ask not to vote for Dr. Birhanu and other CUDs because they are not as "brave" as EPRDF/TPLF fighters and ask  for another five years.

 

The writer accusation of Dr. Birhanu being "a scary cat" was also pointed by others against Melese Zenawi and he was accused of never seen in war front and in fact run from battle field and it would have been relevant for your readers if you were "brave" enough to comment on that.

 

Dr. Birhanu on his book "Yenestanet Gohe Sikede" clearly put his role as a young person like many of us a desire for a change including an armed struggle and admitted that he did not participate in any battle and left for Sudan.However, Bereket Simon and other former EPRP officials join TPLF and now  reaping the fruit of their "bravery" for being more TPLFites than TPLF officials even if he and othes  lost an election and if that is also bravery it should be called "bravery of cheating"

 

 

The future of our country is on the hands of our people and those who accepted the verdict of our peope in the polling booths are the winners and let our people vote on who is a hero and a coward and killing innocents demonstrators on the streets of Addis Ababa while hiding in the Menelik Palace is surely not a heroic action.