Fwd: Ato Bulcha Demeksa, OFDM interview

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: tedla asfaw <yenenehe@yahoo.com>
Date: Jan 31, 2008 10:53 PM
Subject: Ato Bulcha Demeksa, OFDM interview
To: tedla.asfaw@gmail.com

Tedla Asfaw

Ato Elias Kifle short interview(Jan.31), fifteen
minutes, with Ato Bulcha Demeksa confirmed once again
what we have been hearing in the last few weeks
through VOA and German Amharic, this election
registration can be summarized as "Chase everyone and
register only TPLF/EPRDF candidates" which is
estimated according to their spokesperson Ato Tesfaye
Mengesha who is in charge of this "chase them" claims
to register about three million of TPLF candidates and
more than twenty million terrified and intimidated
registered/hostage voters.

What a mockery of election!! and Ato Bulcha Demekssa
when he was asked what step to take he said it is up
to the Ethiopian people and he is right and it is no
wonder the regime jammed VOA/Oromiffa/Amharic and
German Amharic has been jammed while this so called
election registration is going on.

The only information is the propaganda coming out from
TPLF about more than twenty million registered and the
extension of registration for more than a week.

I commend Ato Bulcha Demeksa for coming out at his own
risk on VOA and today on Ethiopian review Radio and
inform us about the worst situation our country finds
itself.

Our people have to say no to this "Chase what we do
not like and register TPLF/EPRDF candidates" and
should pay whatever sacrifice that comes with it.

The Diaspora Ethiopians have to expose this and  no
time to waste of talking about factions of oppositions
be it Kinijit or EPRP because TPLF/EPRDF had made it
clear that they will not allow anybody to participate
as candidate on this local election.

Ato Bulcha's OFDM has been a target in many of his
constituents and the new ARENA Party of Ato Gebru is
boycotting this election and as we know Kinijit is out
of this local election.

The millions who voted for Kinijit in 2005 should stay
home and that demands leadership and for that the
general Assembly of Kinijit is a must and no time to
waste.










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Jendayi Frazer cry Ethnic cleansing in Kenya !!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

Jendayi Frazer, USA Ambassador,  today in Addis Ababa declared that "ethnic cleansing is underway in the Kenyan rift valley". She reached to this conclusion after she talked to people who were forced to move from their homes to be relocated to their "tribal homeland", birth place.

 

"Pack and go before we finish you", this is what has been going on in the rift valley and we have seen similar  movement of humanity in the Kenyan slums in Nairobi by machete waving thugs of unemployed youths and what we saw on TV screen were poor young and old terrified and running for their lives.

 

The question is where to go?  Do they know other homes than these slums? I am not sure these poor victims may  have any place to go because many of them  know poverty and hardship in the slums of Nairobi they call home and are not aware of any "tribal homeland" to go for their safety.

 

Moreover, Jendayi Frazer accused politicians who gave such instruction on radio after the end of the cheated election and this is serious charge and those who are giving such orders should face justice and the party elites who are now pressured to talk seem have no control on the crisis and if it is getting worst the Kenyan army has to rule under martial law.

 

A stable and peaceful Kenya's image is now replaced by waves of humanity moving from one tribal region to the other and slums residents panicking to safe their lives but not sure where to go. 

 

Similar disaster was averted in Addis Ababa in 2005 when the ruling TPLF/EPRDF in Ethiopia applied such such scare tactics in public by bringing the "Interhawe factor" after it lost election in Addis Ababa  and thanks to the Addis Ababans it did not materialize,however,  we did not hear Jendayi Frazer accuse the politicians in Addis Ababa then like she did in Kenya today. 

Dr. Beyan Asoba, AFD is our future.

Tedla Asfaw

 

The Jan. 26 interview  Dr. Beyan Asoba, OLF spokesperson, with Elias Kifle posted on www.ethiopianreview.com  is a must for all Ethiopians to listen and the question of article 39, the reason for some opponents of the regime  not to participate on the Alliance for Freedom and Democracy(AFD) established more than two years ago in Holland did not come  on this interview which may surprise many.

 

However, Dr. Beyan stressed AFD as the basis for the future of Ethiopia and the regime in Ethiopia put as preconditions for those who are now challenging the regime peacefully to take a stand on AFD and on the last interviews the Kinijit delegates gave at the end of their tour in North America  they distanced themselves form AFD, understandably.

 

Being a supporter of AFD is tantamount to  supporting a "terrorist OLF and ONLF" and will land you to jail and no wonder Kinijit is not falling to that trap and disassociate itself from AFD.

 

However as Dr. Beyan clearly articulated and I fully agree with AFD is for the future and I might add  Kinijit leaders who are peacefully organizing should not  say publicly  that they are for AFD and risk jail terms to end their peaceful struggle and such accusations was made against Ato Bulcha's party when he raised the plight of his constituency in the parliament and so far he escaped imprisonment and we do not know what to come next and no wonder that Dr. Beyan did not mention his name while he thanked Ato Seye for telling what he saw in the jails of Ethiopia and commended Ato Fekade for his piece "The prison speaks Oomifa "based on Ato Seye's account of the thousands of Oromos jailed accused of "member" or "supporter" of OLF.

 

The only one who can curse  AFD and at the same time negotiate with OLF and ONLF, members of AFD, is  the regime in power and the opposition in Ethiopia, Kinijit has to focus on mobilizing its supporters based on the spirit of May 2005 and as we know there was no question of AFD in 2005 and it is tactically  wise to distance from AFD to continue the peaceful struggle which surely scares the regime more than the guns of OLF and ONLF.

 

The other opponents of AFD, EPRP and others, however, should review their stand they took when AFD was established and try to work together in the spirit of AFD to bring an environment for Ethiopians where people can decide their future without the power of gun.

 

Our "fear" of OLF as an organization to diamante Ethiopia is too exaggerated and I quote Ato Seye Abraha, "there is no Ethiopia without Oromos" and more than four hundred years of intermarriage and assimilation can not be discarded by few extremes on both camps, OLF separatists or Ethiopian Nationalists.

 

Ethiopia and its existence is always held hostage by those who came to power by force and we saw it under Mengistu and we are now seeing it under Melese both rule us in the name of keeping Ethiopia "united' and scare us that if they leave the country will disintegrate.

 

The fact is that only Ethiopians full participation on their future freely will bring us hope and unite our people,remember Miazia 30/May 2005 millions rally in Addis Ababa dismantling  tons of propaganda by the regime you can call it whatever you want,  AFD is just "  Acceptance of this Fact without Delay"  and as Dr. Beyan clearly said it many times AFD is still open for all oppositions to join and accept the  will of Ethiopians, Oromos and non Oromos.

 

 

 

 

Fwd: Make-believe election in Ethiopia

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tedla Asfaw <tedla.asfaw@gmail.com>
Date: Jan 28, 2008 9:15 AM
Subject: Make-believe election in Ethiopia
To: "abe. gelaw. addis" <abe.gelaw.addis@blogger.com>

Tedla Asfaw

 

The news of more than fifteen million people registration for local election this spring in Ethiopia is coming through the TPLF/EPRDF's  media and the "loyal" opposition, the likes of Beyene, Merara and others in the parliament, are complaining  as usual and would like to participate to keep themselves paid.

 

Twenty percent of those "registered" are themselves candidates for election and should not doubt that ninety nine percent of them are TPLF/EPRDF's candidates and this is what you call  buying election before voting, indeed learning from May 2005,  and the purpose of such election with or without foreign observers is meaningless.

 

 

There will not be a repetition of May 2005 election in Ethiopia as long as TPLF/EPRDF is in power and that  means the "Kinijit" divided leadership has to come out with a fresh thinking to challenge this regime. It should start by encouraging those who "registered" to vote out of fear of reprisal by the regime not to go out and vote, stay home.

 

All the large gatherings of people for sport or other festivals should be exploited to denounce this make-believe election and rally the people to say no to TPLF/EPRDF's election and the Diaspora Ethiopians who care for their people should rally behind our people and expose this fake election for the world community.

 

Willingness to participate in a make-believe election out of fear is to give license for the regime to continue on its dangerous  track of absolute rule by terror and fear forever. The May/Miazia 30, 2005 public desire for change can now be matched by staying home and  not participating in this "I was forced to vote election for sale".

 

It is a time for the real opposition leaders to be tasted and get respect and the Kinijit leadership who got millions of vote on the May stolen election have to organize a public protest and the Ethiopian students have to take an active role as always and we have to expose the financiers of this regime, USA and UK,  that they are standing with the regime that criminalizes decent and protest and keep power forever by organizing fake election as we have been accustomed in the last days of Mengistu and the last sixteen years of Melese's TPLF.

 

Those who distract us from this struggle and focus on irrelevant issues concerning the division within Kinijit are those who have been benefiting from their association with the regime and are going to lose big time in a free and fair election.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Is there any hope for divided Kinijit leadership, maybe?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Is Los Angeles ready for Sat. Feb. 2 free entertainment , I am not sure if that includes food and drink ,  with Dr. Birhanu and artist Shambele Beleayneh and/or the next day Sunday with Engineer Hailu and his buddies by paying $30 entrance fee?

 

This is similar to the duel we saw few weeks ago in Seattle, Debebe against Hailu. Both groups claimed victory in Seattle and it seems to me here Dr. Birhanu's faction wanted to have a knock out using Shambele Belayneh's  music "launcher".

 

Let us assume that Dr. Birhanu wins by knock out, will this victory help his Kinijit faction? Not at all and in fact after touring earlier with the five visiting delegates, all except him back home,  the time of this gathering as suggested on yesterday's piece on www.kinijit.org is nothing more than being a hurdle for Hailu's faction and this will have a negative impression on Dr. Birhanu and his faction and many people who were not questioning him before will be reasoning to why he has not returned to Ethiopia beside bringing us another sequel to "Ye Nestnet Gohe Seikede" maybe is here to "sabotage" the touring calender of Engineer Hailu.

 

Will there be new developments  the Los Angeles Ethiopians will hear from Dr. Birhanu ? Hardly so,  Dr. Birhanu has used the air waves and all gatherings efficiently since he has started a "campaign" here in New York last September and it will be appropriate to give the opportunity for Eng. Hailu who has just recovered from illness to speak to the Ethiopian community without "free for all" distraction.

 

This petty action added with Judge Birtukan's, this week ,interview with "Imbilta" is not good news for Dr. Birhanu. On that interview which is posted on www.aigaforum.com she is not sure if and when Dr. Birhanu will join the struggle back home and according to her and other delegates their effort to organize would have benefited much from Dr. Birhanu's presence and the so called "scholarship"  could have been postponed for some other time.

 

It seems to me that Judge Birtukan is listening to her constituencies back home and her loyalty should be to the millions of Ethiopians and fellow elected delegates back home not to  those who would like to struggle by being absent from their constituencies.

 

It is also true that Eng. Hailu's current tour is just not to bring him any convert from polarized Diaspora Kinijit and it is time for him to go home and join the struggle. Both Eng. Hailu and Judge Birtukan have to convene the general meeting /congress of Kinijit and save themselves and the party.

 

Judge Birtukan has to trust those who are with her and whatever happened in the Diaspora in the last six months has to be put aside and start reconciling with those determined to sacrifice themselves for the noble cause of May 2005.

 

Kinijit leadership has one chance to correct its past mistakes and it will come out real strong ,however, if we continue on the misguided path of the Diaspora driven politics characterizeda by "madness" here in North America we will all lose and Ethiopians home have no choice but  to look for genuine leaders.

Let the Kinijit's general assemby decide the future!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

Judge Birtukan Medekssa on her interview with Capital confirmed that after the Kinijit's name has been given to Ayele Chamisso she is looking to find new name for her Kinijit faction to be registered as "legal party" with new name keeping the "Kinijit" spirit alive and continue the struggle.

 

It is difficult to know the millions', who voted for Kinijit, reaction to such name change or the Chamisso's faction who keep the Kinijit's name by losing the "finger symbol" to the "strong man" Lidetu Ayalew. I also read the ministry of information propaganda on the right and obligations of citizens to participate on the coming local election in the coming spring.

 

Will the new Birtukan's party I call it here "YeEthiopia Hizeb YeBirtukan party" or "Ethiopian People Orange Party" (EPOP)similar to the Kenyan People Orange Movement will take a joint stand with Ayeles' Kinijit on the coming election or will never see eye to eye .No one knows that and no wonder TPLF/EPRDF is trying to buy votes taking advantage of the confusion it created by denying the right to organize and assemble freely and controlling the media by even jamming VOA and German radios which are heard widely in Ethiopia is lecturing citizens their right and obligations.

 

Judge Birtukan's frustration is understandable but the action she is taking now is unwise and it might cost her all the loves she got from many Ethiopians. From her "fact finding" mission talking to the Kinijit supporters in the Southern Ethiopia she might have heard first hand information what the people actually wants and I have not heard anyone talking about name changing or to go on dividing Kinijt in two irreconcilable camps.

 

What is a rush for getting new name? Is it may be to get a seat in the parliament with Lidetu Ayalew and if that is so why not join his party and maybe it is important to ask this question.What is Judge Birtukan Medekssa with new party will do differently than Ato Lidetu has been doing since he joined the parliament ?

 

We also heard on this interview that Engineer Hailu is going back to Ethiopia next month and why not wait and participate on the general assembly of Kinijit and abide by the decision. If we do otherwise we are going to be another Lidetu Ayalew and Ethiopians have no stomach for those who betray them on their difficult hours.

 

I do not want to put Judge Birtukan in any category with the known opportunist  like Lidetu Ayalew  after she spent two years in jail separated from her new born daughter and following her North America tour and moving speech she gave in Minneapolis end of last year.

 

You can do it sister, you have the power to convince the general assembly of Kinijit which way is the right way, yours or Hailu's way and by doing that we will remember you as one of those Ethiopians who put  their country first than their personal egos.

 

 

Who benefited from "'development" or "Limate" in Ethiopia?

Tedla Asfaw

 

I read a piece by Nestanet B. on the Jan. 19 Seye's gathering in Seattle, posted on www.ethiomedia.com , with the Ethiopian community and this one was not different than the  last D.C's meeting and I can say reading Nestanet's report, Seye encountered or was engaged  with many opposition groups in Ethiopian politics from the armed rebels of OLF and others who fought with and against  Seye in the past.

 

This time there was no gun. Seye and his opponents know very well that Ethiopia is in big trouble and those who are angry at Seye that he is not talking about "development" in Ethiopia got simple answer. Development which can not alleviate the poverty of millions of our people is not going to stop the anger and frustration of many and we all saw that in a voting booth in May 2005.

 

You can not convince me the so called development comes after May 2005 and in fact learning from its dismal failure to win the hearts and minds of voters, TPLF/EPRDF is now trying to buy votes and to continue to rule the country claiming winning the majority of the people in the coming spring local and the 2010 general election.

 

I remember meeting the Somali Ambassador to Ethiopia, Ambassador Farah, when we had a demonstration in front of UN building in New York against the human right violation and killing of innocents after the May 2005 election. Ambassador Farah after he received politely a note from me he told me that  he has been travelling to Ethiopia in the last ten years and the infrastructure development is amazing.

 

I did not disagree with him and ask him, can we not say the same to Saddam's Iraq or other dictators infrastructure development in their own country and I mind him that USA claimed that it invaded Iraq not to build  infrastructure but to "build democracy". We now know that is not true and it is also not true that a regime which can "build infrastructure" like TPLF/EPRDF should not be questioned  or held  accountable to the rule of law.

 

The TPLF supporters should learn from what is going on in Kenya too. Kenya the strongest country economically in the Horn is now in big trouble not for the lack of infrastructure development but the corruption and the inequality of its people.

 

We saw the Kenyan slum which is now turned in to the "killing fields" following last month's election and at a distance the rich are living in their comfort not worrying  about the killings in slums and today's Addis and other cities have large slums that voted against TPLF/EPRDF because they have not seen any development that changed their lives.

 

I heard professor Mesfin last week on Radio saying how it becomes hard for him to survive with the retirement money of Ethiopian 900 birr. Mind you how many Ethiopians are now living with a fraction of that money with their families while we see big hotels and recreation centers are built in Ethiopia which supporters of TPLF want us to recognize ignoring the deep poverty few yards from such development.

 

Where is the job for our young people? A regime which can not create jobs for its huge young population talking about development  monopolized by its own big companies is not different than feudal landlords who owned the land and make huge profit from it.

 

Yes, for TPLF/EPRDF supporters life is much better no doubt but for millions of our people life in any way is much worst than it was before TPLF/EPRDF and that is fact.

 

Ato Seye knows this very well and this economic hardship and the ongoing wars in Oromia and Ogaden and all political problems need to be addressed if we want to save our people including the infrastructure.

 

I can say that Ato Seye who came quietly in North America is doing much better Job in Diaspora than the Kinijit delegates that were received with jubilation and left us divided and hapless and I commend him for that. 

Kinijit with or without certificate ?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Ato Ayele Chamiso on his ten minutes interview with Ben of Ethiopiafirst on Jan. 18 said that he is ready to hand over the "golden ball " he caught, to the leader of Kinijt, Engineer Hailu, before it cleared the wall for the home run and made his Kinijt faction  beat the Temesgen's faction on the "Kinijit Series" this week.

 

This golden ball is the Kinijit certificate which might help to function "legally" in Ethiopia but from the recent experience of Ato Gebru Asrat's Arena party, certificate does not mean too much in TPLF/EPRDF's  Ethiopia.

 

Ato Ayele appealed to  Kinijit factions led by  Birtukan and Hailu to narrow their differences for the eventual ceremony of handling the golden ball and bring hope to the millions of Kinijit supporters and this is too little too late as we know recently Judge Birtukan on her interview with Capital ruled out working with Engineer Hailu.

 

Ato Ayele knows that very well and his call for narrowing differences is just tactical and he is going to organize a meeting and hand over the certificate to Engineer Hailu and he might be rewarded for doing that.

 

The question is what is after that? Will kinijit be allowed to mobilize its supporters to challenge the regime ? Can Kinijit call mass rally which surely will turn to anti TPLF/EPRDF and risk crack down which might land the leaders back to Kaliti ?

 

We are now back to situation way back before May 2005 where there were no free medias or debates on TV and hard to reach to the millions of Kinijt supporters. Kinijit will not be in any position to contest the coming spring local election without talking to its constituents.

 

Kinijit supporters loyalty to the Kinijit of 2005 will not be there and participation in the peaceful struggle has been dealt a serious blow thanks to the infighting of the leadership since September and that is a big problem .

 

The easy part is to get  the certificate of recognition and no one knows what that certificate is going to bring for the struggle because TPLF/EPRDF is not ready to play by the rules of free and fair election and that can only be achieved through the coordinated mass protest by those with Kinijit certificate and without certificate taking a huge risk by the leaders and the people. 

 

I am not sure Judge Birtukan  Medekssa and Engineer Hailu can coordinate such action and maybe one is working to undermine the other and come out as a winner by siding with the unelected regime and time will tell us which is the people's Kinijit, is it the one with certificate or without certificate?

 

Ethiopians right to listen to your radio, Mr. President

Tedla Asfaw

 

VOA Amharic, Oromiffa and German Amharic have been jammed in Ethiopia and callers from Ethiopia are calling and tell their frustration and it seems now VOA is looking for possible solution.

 

VOA is trying to put its programs on different airwaves at least five as we were informed on January 17 and ask for help from listeners in Ethiopia. The objective is to preempt the jamming and make it difficult to jam all the waves and we are going to find if this is going to beat the "Chinese" disruptive technology which is used by the Ethiopian government.

 

Listeners are encouraged to call and inform VOA which line is jammed and which one is clear and the cat and mouse game will go on for the near future. It is sad VOA's board is not coming open and give its ultimatum to the Ethiopian regime.

 

A regime that is jamming information sent from USA with tax payers money which happens to be an ally of USA fighting "terrorists" who are accused of fighting Western democracy among which freedom to hear is  ridiculous.

 

Is USA allowing free radios to Iraq and the Muslim world  and bill it to us as a long term strategy to fight terrorism in par with Bush answer to  "why they hate us ?".

 

Ethiopians do not hate USA Radio broadcasts  and in fact the only source of information and is very popular and by not coming hard on the regime the USA Administration is forcing the seventy million people to question the intent of USA administration and may be once again is time to ask another question, "Why Ethiopians hate the Bush Administration?".

 

The answer is clear Mr. President. We have been always a true friend of Americans and however some USA presidents failed Ethiopia many times. I remember President Carter arming Siad Barre in the 1970s to invade our country and now George Bush support the occupation of Somalia using the unelected regime of Ethiopia and look the other way when our peoples right to listen the VOA and  I want to raise the famous question you brought last time after 9/11. "why they hate us?".

 

You have one chance to get the hearts and minds of Ethiopians Mr. President before you leave office and do it, " A country like Ethiopia that is jamming radios can not be an ally on war on terror because such action will bring more Ethiopians to hate my administration and I want those in Addis Ababa to stop the jamming or else there will be a severe consequence".

 

Well done!! George Bush and if there is a problem we will call VOA twenty four hours line and  will let you know and thank you for saving tax payers money and getting the love of Ethiopian you deserve, bravo George!!

Is Ethiomedia Editor unbiased?

Tedla Asfaw

 

Ethiomedia Editor Ato Abraha Belai's this week interview with Ben covered a lot of grounds and what I found it interesting is his call for the Diaspora Ethiopian media conference. Ato Abraha accused some websites  without giving names who are posting materials which damages the interest of Ethiopia.

 

Ato Abraha Belai condemned those sites that characterize the Ethiopian army in Somalia as "Woyane's" army who went on and congratulationg  those who dragged the dead  soldiers. However, he was not heard taking a clear stand on the Ethiopian army's involvement in Somalia and the innocent Somali lives lost.

 

Dirty things happen during war and journalists should expose both sides in the war and bring these realities to the readers as it is and let the people make their own judgment. We saw few articles from New York Times posted on Ethiomedia which accounts the atrocities committed by Ethiopian soldiers in Ogaden and we should have done a lot of work in exposing on what is going on in Somalia.

 

I remember there was an interview in Chicago Public Radio few months back with Dr. Birhanu Nega and the same day a prominent Somali was interviewed and I found that Ethiomedia only posted Dr. Birhanu's clip.

 

I emailed Ethiomedia editor that It was wrong not to post the Somali part because it was very informative on the crisis going in Somalia which highlights the escalation of war in the Horn and the personal account from inside sources which is hidden from mainstream media. This audio clip would have given listeners a wide perspective who visited www.ethiomedia.com.

 

Luckily some sites put the whole audio clip from the Chicago Public Radio and we learned a lot from it and were it not for other sites we would not have gotten that information. Of course the media conference helps to set the standards for putting all the relevant information for the public to sort it out but media outlets should not also pick what they want  us to read or hear.

Day Light Robbery in Ethiopian National Bank

Tedla Asfaw

 

On January 15 VOA Amharic had interviewed Ato Isayas from Fortune Magazine in Addis Ababa on the editorial they wrote about the hundreds of millions of dollars worth "gold" kept under the National Bank protection that was discovered to be fools gold.

 

The cheating has been going on for the last two years while the country was immersed in the political turmoil and the time was ripe to steal and loot and this made me  believe that this is not ordinary crime may be "political crime".

 

The so called "investigation" now is focusing on individuals who got license to sale for the government and  I do not believe we will get to the bottom of it in a country where there is no investigative journalism and the production, buying and selling is dominated by the government.

 

Do we not have technology to detect gold from other metals? Where is the control mechanism and why this happened after the 2005 election?  These are legitimate questions which will be asked and an inquiry commission is a must at higher level even if it is not independent.

 

The Parliament should establish an inquiry commission and debate about it to find the truth. The people representatives from the Ethiopian gold region should talk to the people there and explain how resources from their region end up in thieves pocket instead of spending it on infrastructure development. Is it not  that article 39 supposed to be, political and economical self determination ?

 

This is what we call it in Ethiopia "Ye Leba Gereger Le Kemagna Yamechale", "Thieves profit from anarchy" and I hope those Ethiopians who are good in investigation can jump on this big theft and expose all behind these day light robbery.

 

I thank the Fortune Magazine for bringing this out and press as much as they can to tell the whole story and no doubt this story will be picked by foreign medias including the Ethiopian Diaspora and it will not go away.

 

If you have a National Bank who can not tell gold from other metals and what does it say about the national establishments of the country, health,education and army etc and all the talk about "Limate", development remains empty rhetoric and people will lose hope in anything government does.

 

 

Right for free assembly is an immediate cause to rally behind!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

On the weekend Ethiopian Review(ER) interviewed Weizero Birtukan  Medeksa's Kinijt faction on their activities in Ethiopia and she informed us about "organizing" supporters out of Addis and the same has been said from Seattle Eng. Hailu's Kinijit  transmitted live by ER yesterday.

 

Kinijit as we all know could not organize its supporters in Addis because the regime did not recognize it as an organization and I wonder how this "right" has been given out of Addis. Is this because the regime believes still it has a solid "support"of the rural people or Kinijit has a "power" to challenge the ban on assembly out of Addis?

 

If that is the case why not move Kinijits' office out of Addis and rekindle the struggle? I do not believe that is the case because one of the founders of "Arena", Weizero  Adaneche on her interview with Reporter confirmed that the regime put all the obstacles on their party not to function as alternative for TPLF which she said is not supported by people of Tigray.

 

The right to organize in Ethiopia is only if you are baptized and blessed by TPLF/EPRDF otherwise you are an outcast and "Arena" which might have many followers in Tigray is not allowed to function freely and the weekend Kinijit factions allegations of "organizing" people out of Addis Ababa is suspicious at best.

 

Well, you might go and talk to representatives of Kinijit out of Addis  and  that is OK! and we are going to see if Kinijit factions can call a general assembly to put pressure on the regime and if we see the case of "Arena" they might be allowed to get "certificates of recognition" under different names but will not be allowed to function freely and organize their constituency for the coming spring local election.

 

The divided Kinijit leadership and new comers like "Arena" can work on this immediate problem by making a joint appearance and call for a demonstration in the coming weeks. If these is not allowed they have to start civil disobedience by mobilizing students and workers through out the country.

 

The spring local "election" is out of question and our people have to boycott it and TPLF/EPRDF does not need to make believe election because there is no one to watch it this time.

 

Seye's Whole Experience!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

I read Adal Isaw's piece regarding last week three hours meeting of Ato Seye with the Ethiopian community posted on www.aigaforum.com  about which I have not seen so far any audio or transcript except  few minutes of summary on German Amharic and possibly next week by "Nesanet Le Ethiopia Radio" if they kept their promise and so far I have not heard anything about this meeting from VOA Amharic.

 

However, I read two papers from Dr. Kiros and Dr. Tekola and both applauded Seye for being straight forward and share his experience. Adal Isaw's piece is mainly focusing on the Badme war and he disagreed with Seye for suggesting not to be "subordinated" to the commander in chief and going all the way and "occupy" Eritrea.

 

From what I know so far Seye's aim was to remove Isayas from power and not to occupy Eritrea like TPLF/EPRDFis doing now in Somalia and Seye totally opposing it..  Seye surely is against Ethiopian army involvement in Somalia and deeply saddened, of course as a military man, and like most of us Ethiopian soldiers dragged in streets and does not see any national interest served by sacrificing our people there.

 

Regarding the Badme war Seye led ten years ago things would have been different now had Isayas  been thrown. At least Somali insurgent leaders would not find any hideout or their "Torabora". The power struggle which led to the purge of Seye and other TPLF members would have been concluded differently and may be Melese and his cliques would be out of power this time. Seye as a leader of EPRDF would have been different than Melese, hard to say.

 

The Badme and Somalia situations should not be singled out to judge Seye as the writer did. We should see the whole experience of Seye as TPLF fighter, on power position ,in jail and after he is out of jail and what he has learned so far.

 

I believe like so many others who were there in D.C last week Seye  did what he believed was right then and accept resopnisbilty and move on. Badme war is part of Seye and to be honest we are now where we were before Badme war and the war drum is beating on both sides and many Ethiopians asked why did we pay thousands of lives to be where we stared before the war and as the writer you should blame equally the commander in chief and asked him to resign if we had democracy in Ethiopia.

 

Eritrea is ruled by "one man for life" /Atse Isayas and Ethiopia is ruled by unelected and unpopular party and that is what we have to talk and avoiding these will not help us to resolve our problems. Until Ethiopians and Eritreans exercise their right to live in accountable  and elected government all kinds of wars in our name whether for occupation or regime change will neither bring peace nor stability in our region and it seems to me that Seye has learned this and  now embarking on a new "non military" mission to help our country and we should  welcome him.

Can we make Seattle to be the First "Kinijit" Primary??

Last night, on New Hampshire Primary, here in USA we watched a thriller. Obama was predicted to win in early polls and when the sun sets things start to change and before we go to bed Clinton won in a narrow margin and her supporters were excited, "the come back kid" .

After this excitement this morning I saw an Ad. for the coming meeting in Seattle for "Kinijit" one in Jan. 12 with Ato Debebe and Jan. 13 with Eng. Hailu. The closeness of the day whether it is accidental or by design I do not know.

However, most Ethiopians will go to one of the meetings and few will go to both meetings if the
meeting area is close. It is going to be a show down between these two Kinijit factions, Ato Debebe representing one faction and Eng. Hailu representing his faction.

Seattle could make history by bringing both Hailu and Debebe in one hall like last week in D.C when Seye came to address the divided Ethiopian community.

The three hours meeting in D.C was exemplary. Do we believe Eng. Hailu and Ato Debebe are enemies never to talk to each other? Not at all, they might have differences like Hilary and Obama but the final goal is to give leadership to the Ethiopian peoples struggle.

Ethiopians are following the USA election closely and they will ask all of us one question. Is that true may be Democracy and Election is foreign to Africans and we have to "grow slowly"?

However, this question once and for all was answered on Miazia/May 2005 in Addis Ababa and even foreigners stop lecturing us about "growing slowly".

We have a well disciplined people in Ethiopia waiting for leadership and we have to come to this challenge and let Seattle be its birth place.

Jendayi Frazer, a friend of cheaters !!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

Jendayi Frazer, USA diplomat,  once again stood with the cheaters in Kenya like she did in May 2005 with the Ethiopian regime who stole election by killing protesters in the streets of Addis Ababa who went out for their voices to be heard.

 

Mr. Raila Odinga the opposition leader called off the planned street protest to pressure the regime to step down and the peoples vote to be respected after he talked to Jendayi Frazer of USA. Similar pressure was exerted by the USA Ambassadors to sabotage Ethiopians right to protest by organizing a meeting with the opposition leaders and we now know that was a big blunder by opposition leaders and they now regret it.

 

The Kenyan opposition pressured to call off street protest and go to Kibakli's court by Jendayi Frazer is unjust and the millions who voted against Kibaki know that very well and Kenyans opposition are going to repeat what Ethiopians opposition did almost three years ago.

 

By equating public protest with violence our peoples right to protest is denied and that is good news for African dictators. Denying this right will open a door for armed rebellion and that is why many army officers and young activists are now joining armed resistance in all the corners of Ethiopia.

 

Jendayi Frazer is also equating the right to raise arms to defend once interest as "terrorism" and I wonder what right she is prescribing for millions whose vote are stolen in Kenya,Ethiopia and somewhere else to do.

 

Are we going to ask USA to "liberate us" from tyranny? That is not an  option if your country has no natural resources like Iraq and on top of that USA military will be stretched doing all these "liberation" with tax payers money because there is not enough money to liberate all of us.

 

The shortsighted USA foreign policy in the Horn of Africa by standing with the known killers and human right abusers of the region will only  force our people to fight for freedom. Jendayi Frazer is working for her country's interest and she care less about freedom and what she achieved on her Kenya's visit  is "quite" Kenya to do business for foreigners.

 

Mwai Kibaki will be in power until he turns eighty years old and the Kenyan people anger that cost 500 people lives will be forgotten soon and tourists will flock to Kenya, that is what Jendayi Frazer will call it freedom and democracy, African style.

Ato Seye Abrha deserves to be heard

Tedla Asfaw

 

The ethiopianreview.com Ato Elias Kifle is suggesting to boycott the meeting of Ato Seye Abraha with the Ethiopian Community next week and this effort similar to the boycott he organized against Engineer Hailu's gathering will fail miserably.

 

Ato Elias accused Ato Seye Abraha for his role as a senior TPLF fighter before he was purged from TPLF after the military victory he led in the Badme war ten years ago with a trumpeted charge of corruption by Melese Zenawi and  spent six years in jail.

 

While in jail he  witnessed what his former buddies were doing to Ethiopia and its citizens and told  Ethiopians on VOA and German Amharic Radio the truth after he was released and wanted to serve his people for the remaining of his life.

 

Here in the Diaspora we did not throw a frenzy celebration for his coming and it is understandable but it is not acceptable to reject him like Ato Elias suggested as enemy of Ethiopia. Seye has a lot to say even if we by now we know his stand on the current stalemate of Ethiopian politics he deserves to be heard.

 

The Ethiopian people are now at crossroads and we can not put our hope on one party like "Kinijit" which has now four owners and the best way to move is learn form our mistakes and move, heroes and heroin will be born on the way and nobody is born with those qualities.

 

Seye is a man of experience and will be a mistake if we push him not to serve his country by denying him a platform and encourage him to lead a comfortable life in exile  similar to most of us and becomes irrelevant.

 

Ato Seye might not be "hero" for Ato Elias Kifle and some, that judgment should be left for each and one of us who are capable to make  as for me even if I did not welcome him on the airport I will be glad to hear and see him man to man.