Ethiopia, unity with diversity.

Tedla Asfaw


The celebration of nations and nationalities day under TPLF/EPRDF for the fourth time went as usual back home and here in government organized celebration. "Nations and nationalities are using their constitutional right, developing their kilil/region as it fits their need. Colleges, universities, schools, clinics etc. are mushrooming everywhere thanks to the right of nations and nationalities for self determination including secession enshrined on the article 39 of the Constitution".

At the same time there are nationalistic movements like OLF and ONLF who are battling the regime in Ethiopia who they accused for renegading article 39 and involving on their affairs and  regions not benefiting their people but TPLF and its affiliated nationalities.

What I am commenting following here is about the scenario when the above all pro nations and nationalities forces were united and the only people left alone according to Andargatchew Tsige's book "Ye Amaraw Tigel Keyete Wedete"," The Amharas people struggle from where to where" that was written in Amharic seventeen years ago when TPLF and its collaborating nationalist forces, including OLF and ONLF, were enjoying the fruit of their struggle after toppling Derg in 1991.

Ato Andargachew was crying for fellow Amharas who were left on cold, no one to take care of them. He went back on time to Emperor Tewodros who had a good chance to "unite Amharas" and build a foundation for Amhara Nationalism but failed because of Tewodros adventure to extend his power to other nations and nationalities in Ethiopia. Ato Andargatcehew ignored the patriotic death of Tewodros as immaterial. What he forgot was Tewodros died fighting the British Empire and his death robbed the British any dream they had to  subjugate our people. Such disregard from the person who cried for united Amhara organization like that of Andargatchew Tsige and accused Emperor Tewodros for missing the opportunity, using the British industrial revolution to develop Amhara region and bring a strong Amhara Nationalism is indeed suspicious to the very least.

King Menelik who followed Tewodros also failed to bring the Amhara Nationalism. In fact according to Andargatchew, Menelik succeeded in his  campaign to expand his control deep in to south by war and conquer. Menelik brought with him other nations and nationalities to join and brought Ethiopian Nationalism in the process destroying the Amhara Nationalism according to Andargatchew, Amharic name meaning Unite Them.

Ato Andargatchew is not denying the Ethiopia people shining history of dying for Ethiopia in the Adwa battle nor on the five year armed struggle to eject the fascist forces from Ethiopia. Members of all nationalities died on all the battle fronts to defend Ethiopia and that is what I call Ethiopian Nationalism we all share.

The argument that there is no Ethiopian Nationalism because we do not share common language or culture is absurd. Ethiopian Nationalism is deep in Ethiopia which has thousands of years of history and that is the reason why our country remain the only few countries in the world never colonized by foreigners.

We should not feel sad like the writer for people identifying  with Ethiopian Nationalism and consider them  out of touch of the reality in Ethiopia according to Ato Andargatchew piece. As he mentioned on his writings there were Ethiopian People Democratic Movement (EPDM) and All Amhara People Organization (AAPO) led by late professor Asrat Wodleyeses who accepted the reality of nations and nationalities in Ethiopia and started forming an Amhara movement.

Professor Asrat led AAPO was formed not answering Andargatchw's cry for Amhara Nationalism rather to save lives. There is no line written on Andagrgatchew piece on the numbers of Amharas who were murdered viciously in many parts of Ethiopia by the armed nationalities for being on the wrong place and primarily for being Amharas. How could a man who claim deeply caring for Amharas forgetting  such barbarism carried out by armed nationalities to start ethnic war while Andargatchew was going back in time to tell us the wrongs of our Emperors and kings who robbed us Amhara Nationalism ?

Leaders who care for Amharas formed AAPO and saved lives while many elites accused them for submitting to the doctrine of nations and nationalities by forgetting the cause of Ethiopia. For the late Asrat Woldeyese saving lives was his priority and indeed succeeded by establishing AAPO.

The armed nations and nationalities leaders knew very well that some one is watching their ethnic cleansing and many of us rally behind AAPO to save lives while Andargatchew is looking the other way having good time with the new nations and nationalities dictate on poor Amharas, deliberately avoided on his writing. His call for all Amharas  to reject Ethiopian Nationalism, come and develop Amhara kilil created by TPLF/EPRDF by taking away former Gonder and Wello regions into larger Tigrai Kilil.

Ato Andargatchew accused the Derg dictatorship for keeping the Haile Selasaes' time provincial regions, fourteen of them. The Gonder, Gojam, Wello and Shoa division he said has hurt the cause of united Amhara. From this statement it seems that Andrgatchew accepts the former provinces should come as an Amhara Kilil to develop strong Amhara Nationalism why then kept quiet when these provinces were redrawn ?  The philosophy of Derg was based on class, it does not differentiate between nations and nationalities, unrealistic to establish an Amhara nation as a foundation of Amhara nationalism. To its credit however Derg formed the Institutes of Nations and Nationalities chaired by Yugoslavia educated Ashargere Yegletu to establish autonomous regions for the people to develop their languages and cultures and there was not a single line commenting on this project for what it was.

The Badme war ten years ago have shuttered the propaganda of there is no Ethiopian Nationalism by TPLF/EPRDF. Our people rose under one flag speaking their own languages to defend their common home, Ethiopia from Shabia's aggression. The multi ethnic Addis Ababeans rejected TPLF/EPRDF five years ago on national election rallying under Kinijit.

Andargatchew a man who cried for Amhara Nationalism seventeen years ago have written another book "Nestaneten Yemayeawek Nesta Aweche", "Liberator who does not know freedom" in Amharic which I did not read. I am sure on this writing he might have accepted that Ethiopian Nationalism is superior to all types of nationalism in Ethiopia.


As one of the founders of Ginbot7, Andargatchew Tsaige, it is natural for us to read what he wrote in the past that concern us. I read the "Amharaw Tigel Keyete Wedete" after seventeen years it was written  to know if the current thinking of Ginbot7 towards armed liberation movements like OLF and ONLF  is different from what one of its founders wrote seventeen years ago.

The ONLF and OLF supporters in the diaspora who are calling for "colonial" Ethiopia to go to hell are still taking some line from Andargtatcew Tsige , there is no Ethiopian Nationalism. There has not any organization fighting to bring Amhara Nationalism, however, Ethiopian Nationalism is still here with no common language but one mission to keep Ethiopia as one country empowering her nations and nationalities, seventy of them.

Eighty Seven Minutes with AEUP leader

Tedla Asfaw

Eng. Hailu Shawel on Civility Room, eighty seven minutes interview on Dec. 5 , came to my attention this week and I had a chance to follow it thanks to the link forwarded to us here on EEDN.

Last weekend moreover I heard on a pal-talk room that Eng. Hailu accepted Article 39 of the TPLF Constitution but no one wrote any piece about it and I understand now that the source of the "acceptance" of Article 39 was the interview I heard on the Civility Room.

A Somali friend asked what Eng. Hailu and his party's stand regarding Article 39  on the last minutes and there was a brief and pointed answer given by Eng. Hailu. He said, he views Article 39 as a combination of two parts and his answer is based on that distinction.

The part of the Article 39 which empowers nations and nationalities in all  rights political,economical and cultural is the right he and his party fully support. However, the right for nations and nationalities to go and declare their own independence whenever they choose is not acceptable to his party.

He also said such right has negative repercussion for present nationalities relationship in building trust taken into account our diversified people. He also brought the cost of forming new boundaries by instigating unending conflicts and such right will bring only disaster for the whole people.

For those who accuse AEUP as force to bring the Mengistu days of Unity by all means or the recent Article 39 accusation all are wrong and  I commend the Somali friend for bringing this question which is now trying to resolve itself on battle field and for which lot of blood is spilled as we speak by ONLF and TPLF in all out war to control Ogaden.

I am not surprised why this interview was not an issue here in the diaspora  like the recent hand shake of Hailu with Meles on many of opposition websites because they could not find tabloid type news to slander Eng. Hailu. One plain truth I heard from Eng. Hailu is that there are many doubters in Addis Ababa for his position similar to the Diaspora opposition against him. He believes as things settle down and the hand shake circus ends people will see all for what it is. Here in diaspora too we are now calm and seeing all our alternatives beyond insulting each other.

However, the rural masses except Somalia and Gambella region are being  mobilized by initiative from people and the march to repeat the May 2005 Kinijit victory is on way according to him.

The next months are not smooth and may be deadly too but there is no alternative to it. Let us organize our people and lead them by courage. As Derege Demissie told us on his recent book about his late hero dad, "Ye Meri Feri Enji Ye Hizeb Feri Yeleweme", Leaders can be coward but not the followers. We witnessed that five years ago in our own eye. We can repeat that if brave leaders come to the plate.

                                   

                                   

Opinion that is formed by misinformation !!

Tedla Asfaw


I read an Amharic piece based on the written survey done to find out what Ethiopians think of the current political situation in their country. There were questions about the ruling regime TPLF/EPRDF, its leader Meles Zenawi and selected opposition groups, OLF  Medrek, EPPF, Ginbot7 and surprisingly the biggest tested opposition party, AEUP is absent from the list of opposition parties on this survey.

The query should have to put the AEUP as one of the opposition groups and however it did not and this shows the bias nature of those who claim to be an independent  survey. However, putting it might not make a difference as we see what the 281 people who gave their opinion on Eng. Hailu Shawel, the AEUP leader.

Two hundred twenty four consider him as a traitor while eight support him for his  bold move to sign a Code of Conduct with the ruling regime while forty nine have no opinion. On the paper it was suggested that out of these, forty nine  people, many are against him too. We might reach to same conclusion if we follow the opinion of many Ethiopians from Ethiopian opposition websites and paltalk rooms, the majority of whom are denouncing AEUP leader as a sale out.

On recent article in Amharic on www.ethiolion.com, Aemero Dagnechaew wrote something new without many not giving much attention to his piece. He claims that Eng. Hailu agreed with TPLF/EPRDF on list of campaign/election issues not to be raised during the election campaign or debates. The land deal Meles signed with Sudan, the investment deal Meles signed with foreigners to give our land on long lease and the government monopoly of all businesses under EFFORT are the untouchable issues for the coming election. This is the mother of all liesto isolate the biggest opposition party, AEUP,  here in the diaspora. I want to tell the writer that not only the above issues are central rallying cry for our people, without them there is no AEUP different  from TPLF/EPRDF.

AEUP leader Eng. Hailu's interview wth Andenet Raido host Yoseph last Sunday however could have changed the opinion of most of those who have negative opinion about him. I encourage those who made the survey to make a follow up interview if hey can. Opinion can be formed with misinformation and the Seattle might be such a case.

We have seen here in America on the health debate how twisted information can anger many people. The government is going to pick your doctor, there is a socialist system of health care, quality of health care is the things of past were some among many that confused the real issue behind the health crisis in America. After all this false propaganda,however, the real debate has now begun.

AEUP is  peoples party and I can agree with Eng. Hailu Shawel that this is the biggest opposition party in Ethiopia which has wide popular support. Its supporters are reorganizing themselves using the window of opportunity opened with the signing of the Code of Conduct and the negotiation is still going on until all the hurdles are removed  in the coming months to make our people voice once again heard like that of  May 2005.

Eng. Hailu also said that participating on the coming election is conditional. AEUP's priority now is to open its zone offices and give support for locals who are taking the initiative using their scare resources to organize and recruit their representatives. AEUP has long experience of working with the people and those of us in diaspora who have close family members at least should ask our family members on what is going on in their communities.

Empowering our people in the coming months and put them in a strong position to be heard once again is another test AEUP willing to take. Yes, the outcome might be another killing and imprisonment, let it be as long as you believe in peaceful struggle that is a price they have to pay.

Here in diaspora  many of us who are wishing good things for our people and country should stand with our people at their  difficult time. We do not ask Ethiopians back home  like Meles Zenawi said recently on his interview of "Keenkelfu Yeneka Hizeb" people who wake up from long hibernation, to do things from distance which we will not do if  we were there, rather do their best to live in freedom and in a free country,to be able to choose their leaders and make them accountable. Above all there is no one above law and no one either will go to jail for expressing his or her views in any form.

Those in Seattle who gave their opinion are not our enemies even if some of us do not agree with them. We all will work together to make sure that we will have a strong and democratic Ethiopia to be  developed using our huge natural and human resources rather than auction our country for foreign profiteers and foreign expertise under the cover of tyranny.

 

Welcome home Dr. Negasso Gidada and we are still waiting for Seye Abraha's arrival !!!

Tedla Asfaw




Ato Shiferaw Jarso, the Minster of Water Resources in Ethiopia, on the Ethiopian Civility Paltlak Room interview today, was answering unrelated question to the day's topic to satisfy his listeners. He said Seye Abraha and his friends struggle fruit, Article 39 of the TPLF/EPRDF Constitution is here to stay no matter "Seye" and his friend Dr. Negasso denounced it last Thursday and join the UDJP party led by charismatic leader, Birtukan Medeksa,  who has been jailed for almost a year now.

Ato Shifereaw focus on Seye was interesting. Maybe Ato Shiferaw believes that the Hidar 1987 EC imposed constitution is  Seye's TPLFmade  and other players like his OLF was not relevant. It was Dr. Negasso Gidado/OLF who apologized for his role and ask forgiveness from the Ethiopian people and Ato Shiferaw focus should remain so.

Dr. Negasso change of heart is from his own experience and what I hear from Ato Shiferew Jarso is just pure propaganda. He said that the people thanks to the sacrifice of Seye and his friends/TPLF, Ethiopian people are enjoying the fruit of article 39. The lives of Ethiopian people have changed beyond anyone imagination and those old and and new who would like to take this "peoples victory" are day dreamers.

Seye and Negasso he said, have democratic rights to join any party of their choice but their influence is limited and TPLF/EPRDF learning form past mistakes and the defeat of 2005 he will be peoples choice by wide margin and Seye and Negsso joining a unitary party, UDJP is irrelevant to the Ethiopian people.


This is the first time I heard from TPLF/EPRDF commenting on this recent development and the Diaspora as always  is divided on the Negasso and Seye's new role as UDJP for the struggle. It is hard to see the impact of such move in a country where there is no free press and media. My position on this issue does not confirm to  many here even if I see some expressing their views close to mine.

When the news broke out the same day I send my position to  EEDN. I commend Dr. Negsso Gidada for his sincere apology and if I am not wrong he is the first one from the Victors of Menelik Palace in 1991 to make such very honest apology. He denounced the heart of the TPLF/EPRDF policy of building Kilil and the reason for it is the last fifteen years of impact in our country.

Unlike Shifereaw Jarrso's  claim today that article 39 promotes development, Dr. Negasso as a president had a chance to talk to the people directly that this policy of building wall has been negative to ethnic group relationship, unnecessary contest for resources and in some areas innocent blood spilled which Ato Shifferaw never mentions when he glorify article 39 and warn all of us that the people will "rise up if you take article 39 ".

However, Ethiopians gave referendum on TPLF/EPRDF on May 2005 and the main victim of that day was of course Article 39. Similar to todays warning by Ato Shiferaw Jarso, TPLF boss Meles Zenawi called for ethnic solidarity after his defeat in 2005 and he got none. Dr. Negasso Gidada has now joined Ethiopian people five years late and he is welcome, his contribution to the struggle will be valuable on national and international level.

The TPLF Oromo Cadres like Shifferaw Jarso are still living in past and try to scare our people that "they  are coming to take your right to live in your kilil". Dr Negasso Gidada who has large followers in Dombi Dollo, Wolllega and millions of his country men who heard his apology are behind him one hundred percent.

However, Seye Abraha who was mentioned by Ato Shiferaw Jarso did not apologize for  his role on imposing the TPLF/his Constitution and it is up to the public to put pressure on him to speak up or stay , "Yetaweke Sewe" prominent person and write a book as he promised.

No one asking Seye Abraha to "Hisab Mawerarede" /accountability for crimes he or others participated and that is only possible where we have a government elected by people. The demand now is very limited in scope. The TPLF Constitution that is imposed on our people was the biggest mistake of his life and accordingly he should apologize for our people before he joins UDJP.

Some who challenged this notion that this is the business of UDJP, I say the apology is for the Ethiopian people not for a single party. A party who is struggling for Unity, Democracy, Justice (UDJ) should bring anyone to  its fold but can not be above country  and should demand official apology from Ato Seye for his anti-unity role fifteen years ago that is enshrined on article 39 of the TPLF Constitution.

Voiceless planet Earth VS voiceless Ethiopians !!!

Good Morning friend,


Nice to meet you yesterday at the reception in Manhattan. Your  expertise  in environment is overlapping to my interest as well. I am actively  involved in the Diaspora Ethiopian community which is growing in U.S.A and in areas like Washington D.C. is estimated to be more than half million and here in NY Metropolitan area we do not have accurate figure but it might be close to twenty thousands. As you know politics and environment are inseparable. The voice of our people back home can only be heard by those who are free to express it and  unfortunately our people are voiceless like the planet Earth.

My back ground is Ag. Engineering, working in soil and water management for five years in the world driest and difficult terrain in Awash Valley of Ethiopia. This is the the home of Lucy/Denkinish and the area of great interest for paleontologists and geologists alike. An active volcano is an attraction also for tourists and recent studies show that there is a new ocean born in that part of Ethiopia.

Knowing this part of Ethiopia what I care most is for the Afar people who have lead a nomadic life for thousands of years. Their livelihood is now threatened by the current government and foreign landlords who are planting sugarcane for bio fuel. Upstream where the Awash River forms a lake, Koka , it has turned green because of chemicals dumped to the rivers and streams, mostly from government owned leather factories and cash cropping flower farms grown using fertilizers.

After I saw a documentary from Al Jazerra English, I wrote a piece "Koka Turns Green" which is posted on many Ethiopian websites. You can go to www.addisvoice.com and check my AV blog on the left side. I wrote few pieces related with environment and current political situation in Ethiopia.

Recently on the World Talk Radio program  I challenged an American professor from NJ  who acted as sales man for  Ethiopia," a land of investment" disregarding the big issue of land in Ethiopia which is controlled by the government. Land is now sold/leased to Saudi Arabia, India, China and many poor farmers are displaced to hand over land on a long lease agreement up to ninety years for foreigners with cash, stimulating tyranny on the way.

The rural agriculture which supports more than eighty percent of our people is threatened by conglomerates in collusion with unelected, tyrannical government of Ethiopia which has USA's full support as an ally on "terror" and China which is looking for land and resources to satisfy its appetite wherever it gets.

It is sad the West is supporting a regime that ruled people by force,currently up to 14 millions of them on food aid, out of which six millions would die if donations is not coming on time. Paradoxically, the previous communist regime of Mengistu Haile Mariam was accused for the famine of 1984 while the current rulers are rewarded for just doing the same.

The voice of our people, Ethiopian diaspora, are organizing a demo at Copenhagen, Denmark next month on the climate conference to denounce the presence of Meles Zenawi representing Africa where his record should have put him out of business in a democratic country.

We call all who care for mother Earth to show sympathy and care for fellow human being too. Westerners have ignored our call for transparency and accountability highlighting the human right and environmental record to no avail, but we will keep just doing that. Ethiopians from all over Europe will demand once again to recognize Ethiopia as a failed country in human and environmental measurement, and the person who is responsible for that Meles Zenawi should not be allowed to get a platform as a responsible person on world stage.

Ethiopia has been a disaster under Meles Zenawi for the last nineteen years and it is time to stand with our people as we are trying to stand with mother Earth. After all Earth without people  is not Earth to care for.

                                                                                    Thanks,

                                                                                   Tedla Asfaw

Five Days, Five Months and Five Years (555) !!!!

Tedla Asfaw



The number 555 is a number which has to be seen closely after Eng. Hailu Shawel's now famous handshake with the tyrant of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi about which many things have been said including the angle of  bow. However, President Obama might have beaten Eng. Hailu on that battle on his  famous handshake with the Japanese Royal by few degrees angle of bow.

When it comes to the substance of the handshake that cemented the " Code of Conduct"  for the coming "election"let  me say that only the  gesture by Meles Zenawi for his hated adversary  has changed our politics for good or bad back home and here in the diaspora.

Moreover, the battle in the diaspora that was sparked  by this famous handshake is now raging on Internet and pal talk rooms. Ethiopian websites and pal talks are now the battleground pitting former friends against each other added with die hard TPLF worshippers who seem elated beyond control. One thing for sure is that forgetting the angle of bow the picture of Meles with Hailu handshaking has changed our politics here dramatically.

On this battle, all the combatants wanted to score a point. The now famous, "it is  5/five days noise" by Eng. Hailu is  quoted widely as a rallying  cry to separate him and his party from his diaspora supporters. TPLF or Woyane supporters publicly are rooting for Eng. Hailu's led party, AEUP as they were rooting for Lidetu's party after he surrendered on the crackdown of May 2005 to save his life and enter parliament, finishing his term for being a polite listener on most of Meles Zenawi's lectures for the last five years..

The next Five Months/5 is going to be critical for the coming "election" if AEUP can reach to its constituencies freely as was promised on the agreement with TPLF. As we heard on the weekend on AEUP radio, its organizers from Tigray, Illubabor, Afar are ready to establish the broken contact with  their constituencies using the handshake as a cover. If that succeeded, the five months window of opportunity will change the political landscape of Ethiopia for the next Five Years/5 and maybe as a milestone for Ethiopian politics to be remembered for future..

The Medrek party leaders back home will also be on the bandwagon very soon if outsiders/Fernjis help them  find face saving formula. Some of their leaders in North America are fund raising, of course ,to participate on the" election "as they have done for the last two decades. The current stalemate with the ruling party is not about substance but positioning and selling themselves as better and strong party to "challenge" TPLF for public.

TPLF knows and worked with most of the current leaders of Medrek. The separate negotiation they requested after it was rejected by TPLF, their supporters in the diaspora,however,  have found a new enemy called "Enjerawe Hailu" and the insult and vilification is now at full speed and asking many of us what could be the motive behind all this ?

In any case if Medrek follows its "supporters" call here and go on  attacking AEUP and its leaders as sell out, the first question they will get from the public is where they have been for the last nineteen years ? Were not they working for the same policy of TPLF they seem now  new and why do the Ethiopian people believe them that they are different than Meles Zenawi's TPLF led EPRDF ?

It is also true most of noise against Eng. Hailu's AEUP is coming from Ginbot7supporters even if their leaders do not attack AEUP and its leader directly. They know that is not going to help them here in the diaspora because  Ginbot7 is not believing TPLF will give power peacefully except armed rebellion then they  should not make alliance of any kind with Medrek, the born again peaceful movement that will give excuse for TPLF to lock them up.

The victory news which Ginbot7 promised are now heard from east, the ONLF scoring victory over TPLF/Ethiopian soldiers and EPPF fighters annihilation of TPLF on the northern front. No doubt, this kind of real or make believe battle will be with us for the coming five months and Gibot7 has to focus participating, than reporting, on the joint military attack with OLF, ONLF, EPPF and  guaranteeing another liberation, similar to the TPLF victory in 1991.

What our people can not and should not do is to be  bystanders and let armed rulers or oppositions decide their future. The May 2005 verdict is still fresh in our peoples mind that people power can defeat armed thugs. The power of people is still a force that will send shiver to TPLF and all armed groups who care less for public opinion and in fact afraid of it very much.

The choice our people have is from two devils, the known armed tyrants and the future liberators. AEUP has chosen to play with the known. Ethiopians know from the recent local election experience that the  ruling party is not only with guns but also with sacks of money to buy and coerce voters. Farmers are under the mercy of TPLF cadres so do workers.

We remember also the TPLF "supporters" rally on the eve of the May 2005 election. The thousands they come out coerced as supporters of TPLF/EPRDF in fact voted for Kinijit and no buying of vote will make our people vote for the current regime this time too in a fair and free election because the majority of our people lives have getting much worst than it was five years ago.

Will TPLF cheat the voting ? Surely, Will  it win ?  Not in a free and fair election ? Can we be idle ? Hell no !!! That is the message of  Five Days, Five Months and Five Years, 555, Give me Five !!!

The forgotten people of Ethiopia !!!

Tedla Asfaw
We learned in school to love our king, King Haile Selassie, "Tsehaui Negusse", the shining king. . When the king was deposed by "Korartu Mere", strongman, Mengistu Hailemariam many of our people kept quiet and in fact when the king was driven away from his palace by old Volkswagen,crowds of Yong people were taunting him "Leba", thief, and nothing has been the same since that time.

Almost four decades, Ethiopia is without elected leaders and under one man dictatorship. For the first time in our history five years ago more than twenty five million people went out and voted for a party to lead them. The Ethiopian people used the window of opportunity to express themselves and influence their leaders by calling "Tebaberu Weyeme Tesebaberu", unite or perish. They got all of them, the unity that defeated TPLF overwhelmingly and later on jailed and "freed" leaders to destroy themselves. That part of our history is now played again in the month of November 2009.

This time our people are voiceless and no one bother to ask them what is good for them. TPLF boss who published "Bonaprtism" in the Badme war ten years ago to defeat its opponents is now succeeded in co authoring, "A code of Conduct" to destroy its opponents and remain the supreme leader for the next five years.

The wise leader, "Biltu Mereyachene", Meles Zenawi, is also free to sale our land for foreigners and the man who promised to feed our people three times a day is telling our people that we do not need to farm. Farming is now the business of foreign countries and our people are promised to feed themselves by selling their labor for these big foreign companies or be on food aid from donor countries for years to come.

The question now is when is our poor people to be heard. Not any kind of peaceful political dialogue will empower our people if more than 80 percent of Ethiopians live on rural land controlled and owned by TPLF. If TPLF cadres are making decisions on the land our people kept in their blood and sweat why do we believe this will change by getting whatever number of seats allotted to them in the TPLF parliament.

The next five months promise of "debate" that ignored the masses or left them under TPLF control will not bring any change to our people. The May 15, 2005 victory of our people can not be replicated this time because Meles Zenawi, co author, "Code of Conduct" has already delivered a win for TPLF in 2010 "election".

Politics without popular participation is an exercise to keep tyranny forever. Ethiopians are dying slowly by famine and poverty. Our country death is accelerating by our own political fragmentation too. If our people have their say, they will demand total liberty or death. Of course they will not ask five more years for the regime that destroyed them for two decades to stay in power.

Derartu Tulu answered for Ethiopian flag superbly in New York City!!!

Tedla Asfaw


The 40th New York City Marathon on this cloudy Sunday started and ended with grace. Derartu Tulu after escaping the entanglement of feet on the start of the run which victimized one woman and another Kenyan to withdraw before the completion of the run was a great escape for Derartu  ending with victory.

The defending Champion and the three time winner of New York City Marathon, Paula Radcliffe,  was the favorite and no wonder Derartu was running close to her sometimes looking for eye contact to see if she is OK ! Ethiopian politeness and respect which you can not teach it in school.

Derartu Tulu, the two times Olympic gold medalist in 10 thousand meters and the one time winner of London Marathon, run in the five boroughs of New York City with grace and beauty. It seems she has a job to finish and no sign of panic, a sign of true champion. As an eighteen years old cruising on the final lap of the 10,000m in Barcelona Olympic in 1992 beating the South African girl she became the first African woman to win a gold medal in Olympics.

In 1992 back home then when our national flag was considered as a rug by the ruling TPLF and those collaborating rebels and the pride of being Ethiopian was at low level Derartu Tulu wrapped herself with an Ethiopian flag and gave us hope and since then I have fallen in love with this beautiful girl and now the mother of two children.

On the 20th mile, Manhattan,  Derartu Tulu waved to the huge Ethiopian flag and kept on her mission, to win the New York City Marathon and be the first Ethiopian woman. After Paula left behind it was the Russian woman who run with Derartu and the master of the 10K sprinted at the right moment to take over the Russian and  French and be the Queen of New York City by finishing in 2:28:54.

Interviewed after the win she said  she is not yet finished and she is coming back. We are all proud of Derartu Tulu for giving us hope at our difficult  time and running with grace and beauty and you are the true Queen of New York City. I would like also to congratulate Meb Keflegzi for winning the men's marathon and be the first since the American won in 1980s.

The care Derartu Tulu showed to the defending champion at the end of the race shows who she is, a champion who loves, respects others. Her love for her flag is unmatchable. The wave at the 20th mile for the green, yellow and orange, Ethiopian flag  is the wave for all Ethiopians all over the wold who watched her on television. Derartu indeed the beautiful Queen of New York City on the 40th Marathon has always been Ethiopian Queen for almost two decades.

We love you Derartu and your beautiful family, see you next year to set a new record for women like the Ethiopian T. Jiffar did for men's marathon in 2001.

Sales men for China and Ethiopia on World Focus Radio !!!

Tedla Asfaw

World Focus Radio host Martin Savidge  talked with Professor Philip LeBel and Ato Ermyas Amelga a"businessman" from Addis Ababa yesterday on his weekly radio program about "Entrepreneurship in Ethiopia" which was aired on blogtalkradio live (Oct. 29)

I had commented earlier on his blog and requested if I can participate on the program. Since the program was not  listeners call  I had not a chance to question his guests how can entrepreneurship develops where the unelected regime in power is controlling all the resources, land and all cash generating crops and minerals.


"  We can't discuss about one cash crop, coffee, without                                                       seeing the big picture of farming in Ethiopia. Land is owned
  by the unelected government, Ethiopian farmers are now
  tenants of the ruling regime TPLF led by Meles Zenawi and
  his company EFFORT established by stolen aid money twenty
  five years ago.

  Large tracts of land have been also leased for foreign
  countries or are converted to crops that produce bio energy.
  When it comes to the small farms of coffee the regime wants
  to discourage farmers to abandon planting coffee to turn it
  into large scale coffee farms and it is amazing to see that
  USAID is part of this project at the expense of poor
  farmers.

  Some farmers switch to other crops like Kat a narcotic crop
  to support their families. Large areas of Teff farms
  surrounding Addis Ababa also turned by government to flower
  farm for European markets by those connected with the
  regime.

  No wonder we are now where we were twenty five years ago
  and famine is threatening millions of lives again.

  In general Ethiopia is run by unaccountable regime who
  cares less for its people and profit at their expenses. The
  crisis we witnessed in coffee farms just a tiny fraction of
  our overall land policy crisis in Ethiopia.

  The least we Ethiopians in the diaspora do is to stop the
  Starbucks and others exploit our people with collaboration
  with unelected regime in Ethiopia. Those like your guest
  from Ethiopia today are only interested in making money at
  the poor farmers expense. We saw on Market Makers program
  recently that Eleni Gebremedhin working hard on behalf of
  the regime to collect each sack of coffee to the government
  stores to be shipped to profit her company called GUNA.

  The Bonga and Harar I see on your program has not changed a
  bit since I saw it more than twenty years ago. Where does
  the tax revenue go ? Surely used on the race of our rich
  tyrants to catch up with the world rich and famous. Ethiopia
  needs real change, democratic and accountable government,
  until then we say no to Starbucks, no to flower farm and no
  to misguided USAID ".

  I appreciate the host for reading the first paragraph of my comment on the program for which the professor replied by accusing Dr. Birhanu for his "harsh" call for overthrowing the Ethiopian regime similar to my "harsh" comment.

The Professor also looks like the spokes person for Chinese companies and I am not surprised for ignoring the question of accountability and the rule of law in Ethiopia raised by the host. The Professor is promoting development at the expense of everything , set to establish a New China in Ethiopia.

The Ethiopian"businessman" from Addis, Ato Ermias, is also acting like  sales man for TPLF and he was careful choosing his words. Overall, both the Professor ant the TPLF cadre in Ethiopia should be ashamed of themselves for ignoring the real issue of millions of our people struggling  to get a piece of bread daily and tell us about rosy economic opportunity for those connected with the regime, the TPLF cadres and the Chinese accomplishment in Ethiopia.

 

Agree to disagree !!

Tedla Asfaw


We should agree to disagree and refrain from unwarranted  attack  like the one on Tekle, Editor of ECADF, by Dr. Getachew Reda on his Oct. 27 piece posted on his website. Why Tekle's "admiration" of Shabia is an issue when our people is suffering in all corners while TPLF and Shabia soldiers facing each other peacefully, maybe admiring each other ?

TPLF and Shabia can love and hate each other, why should it be a problem for Tekle ?  Can we function and think free from these evil forces who brought us to the current mess we are in ? How can someone be an admirer of Shabia as Dr. Getachew Reda accused  Tekle at this time when the whole world knows who Isaias' Shabia is ?

I have known closely Tekle for the last two yeas and I haven't seen anything which suggest that he is someone to be equated with Abraha Yaye who showed up in Asmara in the Badme war a decade ago  and later on went to give support for TPLF after its defeat in 2005 election.

If Tekle supports Ginbot 7 that is his right and  if we do not accept individuals  freely associating themselves with organizations they choose , how is that going to help the creation of free and democratic Ethiopia ?  I do not see Ginbot7 as an enemy and that in no way make me an admirer of Shabia.

Young Ethiopians like Tekle should be encouraged to do what they have been doing out of love for their country. I do not see what economic benefit such people are getting sacrificing their time and resources. Unfair attack is not helpful at all. The one who are benefiting from such attack are only the anti-Ethiopia forces led by Shabia and TPLF.

Millionaires were born out of Ethiopia's famine !!!

Tedla Asfaw



Ato Gebre Medin Araya's, " Tigray Betelate Eje Mewdekena  Yasketelew Mezez"  part one and two, fourteen pages in Amharic is a timely piece on this  25th anniversary of the famine in our country Ethiopia. Sadly, another  famine is unfolding at this very moment and those who want to make money out of it are well organized as usual. "Sewe Berasu Sanba Endayetefense Newe" interview of Ato  Asgede who wrote two books recently about TPLF and was  one  of the eleven founders of TPLF  also exposed what he knows about the current situation in Tigrai, famine and politics.

Ato Asgede on his  recent interview with Reporter identified many places in Tigrai  that has been exposed to drought. However, the regions suffering from drought in Ethiopia currently, BBC and other foreign medias showed Tigrai as non drought area. This is not a surprise and deliberately a misinformation campaign by TPLF. These foreign medias got their information from the regime in power and take it without checking other resources.

This false information is purposely designed to misinform the Ethiopian people as Tigrai Region/Kilil as beneficiary of the development plan on Tigrai for the last nineteen years. The propaganda of other regions in Ethiopia  to learn from Tigrai was deliberately orchestrated to isolate the people of Tigrai from other Ethiopians.

Ato Gebremedhin  on his educating piece , I recommend all to read, exposed how TPLF benefited from the famine of 1984 to build its money empire which later  culminated as EFFORT. The one hundred million dollar handed over to Meles Zenawi and Sebhat Nega by Bob Gildoff, the organizer of live aid,  in Sudan  needs further investigation. It is a big robbery unknown for many of us especially to those who donated their money after they saw the heartbreaking video of a child seating on his dead mother body.

The one hundred million dollar is now on Meles Zenawi and Sebhat Nega's  foreign account according to Ato Gebremedhin and we have the right to ask  Bob Geldof what he knows. We know  this money had not reached to the dying and starving people on whose name the money was collected.

The tons of food shipped to  Sudan port had also  ended up  for sale in Middle East and somewhere else and  it will be very hard to track  what happened . However, by exposing such criminal activities of TPLF we can alert  foreign donors not to hand over their aid to be controlled by TPLF and its  Sudan collaborators. We know that Sudan port is the port chosen by TPLF to unload foods and other donated materials for the starving people this time.

Famine has been a gold mine for TPLF bosses. Their wealth back home and in foreign countries is at the expense of dead children  women and the elderly.  It is time to bring these  criminals to justice. There is no statue of limitations on such crime.

 

Famine and accountability!!

Tedla Asfaw

My country  Ethiopia is preparing for a make-believe election on this coming summer. Drought as always is threatening our people and any layman can ask how comes a Western supported regime of Meles Zenawi could not feed its people ? We were told by the regime and its supporters that the Ethiopia economy has been growing double digit for the last ten years. Today's BBC headline news (Oct.22) was not different than the one we heard twenty five years ago for which the former dictator Mengsitu Halilemariam was accused by the West. Why we have not hold the current dictator, Meles Zenawi to the same standard ?

What is "economic growth" that could not feed its people ? Why do we waste resources in the fake election ? Our luck of feeding ourselves is partly because of failed land policy, accountability  and the brain drain of the educated masses for the luck of freedom in their own country.

If Ethiopians failed to feed their own and every other five or ten years are debating with donor nations for the accuracy of the number of the starving, six million or ten million then we should be categorized as failed state and be done accordingly.

However, the starving and the million other proud Ethiopians whose life has gone worst for the last eighteen years under Meles Zenawi's unaccountable, apartheid rule have no choice except call for "our regime" to be our best spokes person to beg for food aid without any shame.

If there was decency a regime that can not feed its people should go and let an accountable administration took over to solve the equation of  famine and accountability once an for all. Otherwise the next cycle of famine, call for food aid and the debate on the number of the starving will be  who we are as a people and a country. That is shame !!!


.

                                                                                                                    

                                                                                                                

Fwd: EFFORT VS Gebru/Seye's Medrek ????

Dear Getachew Reda,



I read your piece you wrote to Professor Tecola Hagos  supporting my short piece,  " Medrek, the last Hope of Kilil Politics" on www.ethiolion.com. I am delighted to see debate raging on  Internet on the issue of Medrek and your involvement on this to educate all of us is appreciated.

I sent a note to Professor Tecola Hagos on issues I did not cover while I wrote that piece and was interested to get a feedback after pro TPLF, Aiga pose a question to Gebru Asrat the architect of Medrek, his position on EFFORT. Who is the owner of EFFORT Mr. Gebru Asrat and Aiga demanded immediate answer on public.

I posted the note I sent to Professor Tecola Hagos as follows hoping he will reply to me to "correct my position " on  Medrek and convince the wider public why Medrek is different from EPRDF and  Arena from TPLF.

On Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 8:57 AM, Tedla Asfaw <tedla.asfaw@gmail.com> wrote: to Professor Tecola Hagos

I want you to inform me if  Gebru/Seye have different position than that of  Sebhat Nega on the issue of " EFFORT ".  Is the "Leulawente" of Gebru Arena's party accepts that EFFORT is owned by the "People of Tigray". What is the similarity and difference between Gebru/Seye and Sebaht/Meles, and what is the position of the Tigrayan elites on the hot issue of EFFORT which comes out as on open querry on Aiga front page for Gebru Asrat the Medrek organization Chief ? Power comes through money and whoever controls the purse is going to dictate  politics of poor Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Vote for us you will be paid. Is that maybe what Dr. Negaso Gidada is compalining about "No Level Field" or is he promised to get some by joining Gebru's Medrek who has big share of EFFORT ?

                                                                                                                                              Be Akiberot,

                                                                                                                                  Tedla Asfaw

Medrek, the last hope of Kilil Politics in Ethiopia !!!

Tedla Asfaw



The TPLF known loyalists, Beyene Petros, Merara Gudina, Negasso Gidada and others  will never retire from political circus until their master Meles Zenawi is forced out of the political stage by peoples revolt or "Yegodan Newte". Well if you do not subscribe to kilil politics and force TPLF from  power, Ethiopia will brake apart like the former Soviet Union or Yugoslavia according to the current chairman of Medrek, Dr. Merara Gudina.

The TPLF "kilil" is an arbitrary drawn line that has no legitimacy in the Ethiopians eye and we are not going to be scared by what will happen after the demise of TPLF and its servants. The real force behind Medrek, However,  is Gebru Asrat, Arena party leader who is preparing himself to be the first  Sovereign Tigray Republic leader after the "disintegration" of Ethiopia.

 So called  "prominent" individuals like Dr. Negasso Gidada and Seye Abraha are known Kilil politics defenders who failed from Meles' favor on personal agendas. They wanted to replace TPLF by Arena, EPRDF by Medrek. Professor Mesfin Woldemariam on VOA Amharic yesterday denounced few  UDJP members and leaders  like Giizachgew Sheferaw who is the vice president of Medrek  for abandoning their party principle of Unity, Democracy  and Justice to the Kilil lords of Gebru, Seye, Merara, Beyene, Bulcha etc.

There is no difference between the current tribal warlords and the one who are conspiring to replace it by using  poor Ethiopians "vote".  TPLF did not ask the support of Ethiopians to topple Mengistu Hailemariam and is right for not asking the peoples vote to stay on power. TPLF is expected to rule for many years as reward to its sacrifice. It has also been true that TPLF will not allow anyone or organization who has not endorsed the Kilil politics to come to power in a free and fair election.

The cry of "no level field" we heard from Dr. Negasso Gidada recently travelling to Dembidollo his birthplace by talking to few people is not about "no level field" it is about "no field". People are not allowed to speak, organize freely and those who are allowed to speak their opinion are only those who bought the philosophy of  Kilil.

Ethiopians in Dombidolo and other places what they demand is real freedom to choose their representatives and condemn all who have been conspiring with  TPLF for more than two decades including Negasso Gidadda who is now complaining about no level field that has been true for more than twenty years including his time as a President of Ethiopia. People over there might have told Negasso that he is part of the problem too.

The option our people have is to reject both TPLF/EPRDF and its clone Arena/Medrek. Let them organize their election circus paid by donor nations. We know the divide and rule of Kilil politics is on its last breath and it is up to us to deny them the remaining available Oxygen by saying no to Kilil Politics and rejecting their election circus this coming summer.

Stop the torture of our sisters immediately !!!

Tedla Asfaw


Ethiopian young women who traveled to Middle East and Gulf Nations working as maids have increased dramatically for the last two decades. These young women abuse has also increased dramatically, some of them end up dead, rapped and tortured and the video clip of  Al Jazerra's TV, less than five minutes, this week showed one young woman tortured on  boiling water by her female boss/master.

The victim body was totally burned and it seems the lady did not receive adequate medical care. Without Al Jazerra's professional investigative journalism we would never have known about the suffering of this sister. There are many sisters who are suffering as we speak and it is time for our community to stand with the victims.

Organized protest should start immediately against those countries who allowed this abuse by not taking  legal actions against the perpetrators of this crime. This morning I spent few minutes with the media representative of United Arab Emirates(UAE) in Washington DC on telephone to inform her what I saw on  Al Jazerra's clip that is posted on many Ethiopian websites.

The UAE media representative unfortunately has not seen the clip. However, she was disturbed by what I told her. A woman/master  doing to another woman/slave  who is under total control reminded us the day of slavery which is still fresh in some Arab countries household. They hate towards Ethiopian women most of them  Christians might have made things even worst.

Moreover, some of these Arab countries are also "buying" our best women and men athletes to run for them. Our big athletes are also running for big prize in these Arab countries. All of them have responsibly to use their star power to come out and speak against the abuse of Ethiopian women which is rampant in the Arab land.

The diaspora Ethiopians power to expose this crime and call for justice can make big difference and I urge every Ethiopian to come out and protest by calling and writing to the UAE embassies all over the world immediately. For those who are in USA they can call 202-243-2448, media representative of UAE, and registered their anger and call for those who did the crime to be punished .

 

Call for Defiance !!!

Tedla Asfaw



The so called  spineless oppositions are begging TPLF  to participate on the coming election theater on the summer of 2010. They are now forming  two groups one led by Medrek and the other by Ayele's Kinijit and its subsidiaries to  win the heart and mind of TPLF. Ayele claims everything is OK in Ethiopia and what we have to do is just to show up on the election day well behaved and dressed and the other group calls for the stage set up to be changed to attract poor Ethiopians for the  coming coronation of Meles Zenawi as the unchallenged ruler of Ethiopia until death.

Some here from the diaspora also jump to this theater. One  new group called Ethiopian Democratic Hibrehizb Unity Movement (EDHUM) is suggesting  on its sixteen page "election manifesto" that participating on the coming election is a  must for our people because the alternative is death.

EDHUM argues that the farmers will lose their land if they are not registered to vote so do the government employees. Forget about going to higher education or to travel aboard all will depend on showing your election registration card. Overall it said if you do not vote you are dead.

While the so called oppositions to TPLF are asking what is good for them EDHUM is warning us what will happen to the masses if they do not come out and vote. TPLF cares for the turnout because it wants to show to the wold that this is another miracle like the double digit economic growth.

Those of us who see this whole as a circus  should come out and foil this circus by mobilizing the masses in the known gathering places like churches, mosques and schools. We have to tell people that the only way to get freedom is by sacrifice and it is time to reject TPLF and its all collaborators by saying NO !!  to the make believe election of summer 2010.

The fake oppositions and organization like EDHUM are only worried for their own survival not about the well being of the masses whose lives are getting worst day by day for the  last two decades. Had our parents followed cowardice advice and accept the mighty Italy seventy years ago  we all could have spoken Italian by now.

Yes an organized resistance is very important and let us use the modern technology to our advantage  and reach to our people to say no to Meles Zenawi and his collaborators. The dark city of Addis Ababa besides exposing our people for hardships have also given us opportunity to shout death to TPLF and its collaborators.  Does TPLF see in our dark neighborhood too ?

Patriot Shaleka Atanew Wase

I followed the late Shaleka Aranew Wasse memorial audio posted on Assimba website. I send my condolence on comment I  posted on Debteraw the moment I heard his passing away. It is indeed sad such a brave man sacrifice is not recognized by the so called opposition medias in the diaspora.

The truth of the matter is our shortsightedness and selfishness in the business of politics. We divided ourselves so too Ethiopian heroes among ourselves. Rather than honor them as Ethiopia's heroes we  own them and exploit them for our own narrow political interest.

I am not surprised to see patriotic fathers like Shaleka Atanew victimized on his death too. However, his patriotic story will be told thanks to his sons and all who know him very well. I have no doubt that a huge volume will come out soon to teach future generations the sacrifice paid to defend Ethiopia by ordianry people.

For those of who are in business of informing our people it is appropriate to tell the story of our heroes dead or alive without any prejudice.

                                                                                                                Ethiopia Heroes are Our Treasure !!!

                                                                                                                      Tedla Asfaw

The 2016 Olympics !!

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tedla Asfaw <tedla.asfaw@gmail.com>
Date: Fri, Oct 2, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Subject: The 2016 Olympics !!
To: worldhaveyoursay@bbc.co.uk


Here is a result and it is not a shocker at all. The Obamas and Oprah are good team, they might have few converts on their lobbying for Chicago for 2016. Make no mistake this is not lobbying for USA. I remember when Atlanta hosts Olympics in the 1980s many New Yorkers even do not know if the Olympics was that close to them.

Rio is not about one state, it is about the whole South America and they are going to take the Olympic 2016. It is not surprise for me and many New Yorkers even do not know if there is such competition. We are now in baseball season and every one is rooting for its own team here in USA. Chicagoan have also their own team and I do not think 2016 is in their mind.

The Obamas will accept their defeat and I am not going to cry for them. Go Rio !!, Go Brazil, Go South America !!!

                                                                                                                                                                                                                    Tedla Asfaw

                                                                    

Time to act !!!!

Dear Ye Hagere Lijoche,

I have been following  the conspiracy and the final deal to hand over our land to Sudan by Meles Zenawi and Beshir of Sudan. I followed few minutes ago Dr. Fisha Abebe on German Amharic today informing the Ethiopian people on the final plan of TPLF. As he said our people are given final warning by TPLF to give the land to Sudan settlers. How can the brave sons and daughters of Tewodros give their own to enemy and cry ? This is not our tradition and we have to find ways how to be with those braves who will never give their land no matter what. What is your immediate plan for this month ? One strong protest to remind Obama the future time bomb buried by Meles and TPLFwill help. Standing as always with our braves who will be fighting and shed their blood to keep the land that has been always Ethiopia's.


                                                              

                                                                   Thanks,

                                                                Tedla Asfaw

The freedom torch from London arrived in Pittsburgh !!!!

Tedla Asfaw


Ethiopians protest at G20 gathering at Pittsburgh was live covered on ECADF yesterday afternoon and as far as I remember it is the fist live coverage on Internet of Ethiopians protest. The noisy crowd draw the attentions of local and foreign medias and this morning one of the local news papers reported about the protest. Major news media however concentrated on the anarchist battle with the police. Today there will be a big crowd of the Ethiopian North American Battalion who came to Pittsburgh as far as the west of USA and Canada.

The well disciplined and attractive Ethiopian protesters carry a lot of placards among many the most visible one was  Meles and Beshir's photo  with their victims bone on the background. It was creative and put the spotlight on Meles the darling of the west and Beshir the economic and military ally of China.

The talk of China signing to build dams in Ethiopia or the USA official found no ongoing genocide in Sudan is a known diversionary tactics not to held accountable these two butchers in Africa. it is all about greed and self interest which closed the eyes of most of the G20 members and the masses have to come out and expose this double standard in all avenues. Ethiopian protesters deserve Gold for exposing this crime and capture the attention of wide media.

Similar to the April G20 London protest this year the Ethiopian protest has reached to the ears of the rich and the powerful nations. The false promise of free election and human right training as has been used in the past is now recycled again to buy time and divide the momentum for real change in our country.

Who will forget the mass upheaval following the stolen election of May 2005 and the role played by USA and UK officials in Addis Ababa to buy time for Meles Zenawi and divide the opposition ? The upheaval in Addis five years ago was much bigger than this year election protest by Iranians. The only difference is that there were no USA and UK officials in Tehran to sabotage the upheavals.

The USA and UK administrations have to know one thing. Ethiopians do not need their help to change a government by their vote. A change we need from them is not to help the unelected killers, financially and militarily. Our people do not engage a war with both USA and UK and there is no reason to wage war indirectly on our people.

That was the message in April in London and that was the message in Pittsburgh yesterday and today. Obama has now replaced Bush so do Brown replacing Blair.However, the policy of these administrations hardly changes. The promising word of Obama on the Ghanaian Parliament last summer  has yet to be realized.

What we see in Ethiopia is the old way of staying in power until death or driven from power by gun. If change of administration is good for USA and UK I want to assure the allies of Meles that Ethiopians showed their desire five years ago only to get an "F" thanks to the USA and UK embassies in Addis Ababa to keep the man they chose for us.

Here is what happened last night on the G20 dinner in Pittsburgh. The awkward greeting of Azeb the wife of Meles  with the Obamas as reported by blogger most probably is a good opportunity for Obama wisely to share his wisdom. My brother and sister, twenty years in power is enough and probably has stressed your family and it is time to quit. It is not late to take such advice if there is anyone listening.

Meles and Mengistu, sounding, acting and ending the same way !!!

Tedla Asfaw


The man who has been in power for almost two decades, Meles Zenawi , seems to stay in power until he is forced out of power like his predecessor Mengistu Halilemariam. Meles Zenawi should thank Mengistu for handed him over millions of captive people who were terrorized and oppositions divided among themselves.

For the last eighteen years under Meles this equation hasn't changed. People have been terrorized and oppositions divided among themselves under Meles Zenawi.  The only change maybe, Mengistu's name is still be exploited by Meles like we heard him yesterday on news conference. The so called "oppositions" to  Meles' TPLF led by Seye and Gebru were accused of working under Mengistu's order to bring back the Workers Party of Ethiopia (WPE).

What a joke !! In fact Meles has been following on Mengistu's foot steps. Mengistu was liquidating his enemies as anti-Ethiopia secessionists while Meles is killing and terrorizing his opponents as anti-constitution and Dergists. Both wanted to stay in power by all means including making fake elections.

The fact of the matter is both believe Ethiopia will disappear if they are forced out of power. That is why Meles and his blind supporters spread their propaganda of keeping their prime minster to "finish" the job he started. They are pretty sure that Meles will win the coming fake election on landslide.

 Mengistu Hailemariam's  name which has been exploited very well in TPLF's jungle is now used once again to keep Meles in power for the coming years. Have we heard the Afghanistan leader Karazai using the coming back of Taliban to accuse his opponent in this week election ? Not at all, in fact the west is now accusing Karazi  who came to power with their guns for fraud election.

Why is then Meles bringing the name of Mengsitu Haliemariam to accuse his "opponents" ? Is Mengistu worst than Taliban when it comes to the western interest ? The tactic of Hutu VS Hutu which came to the attention of western supporters of the regime in the 2005 election was very embarrassing and a new tactic has to be formulated. However, bringing back Mengistu is a sign of desperation.

The 2010 fake election according to Meles Zenawi is between the bogey man Mengistu Hailemariam  supporters who are now organizing themselves under the banner of Mederek and TPLF a party of "development" and "stability". The terrorized masses will be told about the brutality of Mengistu Hailemariam more than two decades ago and the "freedom" and the stability of Ethiopia under Meles Zenawi.

The negative repercussion of the Kilil administration as a ticking time bomb for future conflicts according to the international group study brought also the anger of Meles Zenawi on his news conference yesterday and accused the international agency who prepared the report. The Mengistu followers are coming to take your right of living if you wish together under Ethiopia  or go your own way, independent Kilil,  that was guaranteed under the article 39 of the Ethiopian Constitution will be the rallying cry for Meles' fake election this summer.

We all know Ethiopia under Mengistu's  tyranny in the name of Ethiopian unity did much good to the ascending of Meles to his throne. If Ethiopians had succeeded in establishing a transitional popular government after the fall of King Haile Selasse following the Yekatit Yehizebe Ametse/revolution  more than four decades ago there wouldn't have been Mengistu and Meles to come to power..

The political problem we had more than four decades ago still hunt us. There is no united opposition to challenge Meles and his gangs. No wonder then revoking Mengistu's name which has served Meles very well  still is used to get sympathy from the western supporters of the regime to label the "opposition" as the hated Mengistu followers.

Forty years has passed but we are still here nothing has changed and the hope of peaceful transfer of power is not in vocabulary of the tyrants. For some Meles is on the path of the Romanian dictator, Nicolae Ceaucescu, who was executed in 1989. However, most likely his fate might be like of his  predecessor Mengistu Hailemariam who is sounding, acting and most likeley end the same way.

The earth is not flat for our politicians

Tedla Asfaw


In early 1980s an Algerian female student I met in Belgium told me what she was told as a student in her native country about Ethiopians. " Ethiopians have been educated in school as the earth is flat" and  she questioned me if it is true. I explained to her that on my study before elementary school, Yeneta/teacher indeed told us that earth is flat with no limit.

In 2000 there was a book written by Thomas Friedman titled the earth is flat. However, there is a big difference between Yeneta's and Thomas flat earth. Yeneta's flat earth is beyond human knowledge while Thomas flat earth celebrates human technological development in the last twenty years.

Since 2000 China has been the dominant manufacturing giant while India became the brain power of the world. This flat world however turns into valleys and mountain  in the Middle East and Africa. For the last eighteen years Ethiopia under TPLF turns into the valley of disaster.

TPLF is boasting  the expansion of education at the same time educated Ethiopians who can make a big difference in educating the next generation have been in exiled in large number.  The  "educated people" back home let alone compete in the flat world they have not improved the life of their own people and our country is still known as a beggar nation.

The diaspora educated Ethiopians young and old have competed with the Chinese, Indians and others, have a success story to be told. When China and India excel Ethiopia under TPLF is waging an ethnic warfare to tear apart the fabric of our people by ethnic cleansing our only university.

The educators who were chased two decades ago are now educating many scientists in foreign country including some who are now leading us in manufacturing and information technology. As Mao destroyed the educated class in his cultural revolution ours made their own cultural revolution.

The TPLF cultural revolution has also taken a lesson from South Africa's apartheid, bantustaization/kilil and building a valley and wall among people. The fruits of knowledge from the flatness of the earth is under the control of TPLF with the help of the Chinese technology. Internet is filtered and our people are not benefiting at all from the information technology.

TPLF has also the strategy of building the Silicon Valley and Bangalore in its own kilil for future dominance. Large numbers of students sent to foreign country are recruited based on ethnicity. Some can succeed and most however are not ready for competition in many institutions where people are judged by their research not by their political inclinations.

The brain potential of Ethiopians in higher institutions transcends ethnicity. We have first class students and teachers of various ethnic backgrounds if they had a chance to make Ethiopia the next China and India combined. We can not say however  the same for our politicians. The diaspora politicians like their counter parts in Ethiopia are miserable and they are living in mountains and valleys.

They never see the earth as flat and always look up or down. Grab power or die fighting for it without thinking horizontally and learn from each other. The masses showed their wisdom in preparing a flat landscape for leaders to take charge. Ethiopian politicians have failed our people for the last four decades.

Year is changing but our politicians never change. Where is the potential of our leaders that we saw in science and technology in the diaspora and how comes we do not have tens or hundreds of politicians who think horizontally to charter our fate together ? Yes indeed the earth has been flattened in the last twenty years except Ethiopian politicians back home and here in diaspora who are still living in the vertical world.

Greed behind the building of dams in Ethiopia !!!

Tedla Asfaw

 

I  worked on Awash River for five years from 1980-1985. As you well know the Awash River is regulated by the Koka Dam that is now silted up and is living day to day, producing little electrical power. The Awash River and the impact of the Koka Dam to the million or so Afar people who depend on it is well studied and we have also five decades of facts on the ground.

The Afar nomads use the river as a grazing and watering spot for their animals. In a dry season when the river is not flooding as is regularly done by those who operate the dam they have to take their herds to high lands looking for grass and water. Unlike the Oromo basin people the Afar people do not plant crops except in a very few cases.

The current dam in construction, Gibe 3, some advocates of river development said it did not take care of the downstream inhabitants and the environmental impact assessment is not done properly. From the government side we hear that all is done on a transparent manner and those who financed the project accept the project and construction is underway to be completed in few years if all goes well.

It seems there is politics behind all this. Meles Zenawi who has been in power by force since 1991 is a darling of the west. If this is a regime who is not favored by the west such project will be rotten on a  design stage let alone be financed. The goal of the Ethiopia regime is to get cash by selling all resources of the country, land, water etc.

Currently the regime is busy leasing agricultural lands for cash. It illegally handed over huge amount of land in the west which is about 30,000 sq km to the butcher of Darfur, Omar Al-Beshir. The Chinese, Koreans and the Arabs are leasing huge lands to produce their own crop and no wonder this regime ignores all costs including human lives to make money.

This is pure greed and has nothing to do with developing our country. Moreover, all these are happening with the help of American and European administrations. The Gibe 3 project symbolically is under Ethiopian Electric Power,however, the real people behind are those who controlled all businesses in Ethiopia, the Endowment Fund  For Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT).

EFFORT is everything when it comes to money. The greed to make money has turned also the Koka Lake in to green by way of selling flowers to European markets. Inhabitants are dying drinking poisoned lake as reported on recent Aljazera program.  If you tell me nobody knows this, you are kidding me, it is corruption unparalleled in Ethiopia's history with the help of west disguised as development strategy.

 

The question here is not why we are building dams but who is profiting from it ? Where political legitimacy is lacking or  legitimacy by buying votes on open market, in the name of election, is orchestrated our natural resources will be a curse on us similar to oil curse of oil exporting African countries.

Bulcha Demeksa, getting and thinking old !!!

Tedla Asfaw



 Obo Bulcha Demeksa the head of the Oromo Federal Democratic Movement (OFDM) who served the Imperial Regime of Ethiopia, has long experience working for international organizations, currently a member of the TPLF parliament is sharing his wisdom. For Obo Bulcha the future of Ethiopian politics has to revolve around "Kilil" and each kilil has to be represented by party or parties who represent their nationalities. Oromo for Oromo's , Amhara for Amhara's, Tigray for Tigreayans etc.

Multi ethnic parties are non existent for  Bulcha and  Kinijit who participated on the May election and won all the seat in Addis Ababa/Finfine according to  Bulcha is an "Amhara" party. He said, "The multi ethnic vote Kinijit got in Addis Ababa is a vote against TPLF". A man who worked in many African countries if his expertise has been incorporated by now the whole Africa's political map has to be redrawn according to the TPLF Kilil which  Bulcha has been supporting for the last eighteen years.

Ato Bulcha's problem with Meles is for non-Oromos coming to parliament representing Oromo. "The OPDO is not true Oromo". Yes OPDO is not supported by many Oromos because they are not standing to empower the Oromo people rather used by TPLF to ignite war among many ethnic groups who have been living together for centuries and for which Obo Bulcha accused  TPLF on its own parliament in the past for the loss of lives and properties.

The scary thing,however, is Obo Bulcha does not believe non-Oromos can stand for  Oromo cause. He does not believe that the millions who lived intermarried for centuries have a right to choose any party that can stand for their interest. Dividing people purely on  language basis disregarding the fact on the ground is going to bring disaster to our people.

I have no problem with ethnic organizations but if I have to live with their dictate that is a problem. The majority ethnic group dictating on minorities or others who do not buy to their ideology is not different than  TPLF minority and its local surrogates abusing our people in their kilil for the last eighteen years.

If one ethnic organization is not allowed to campaign on other Kilil because that is not his kilil is against the right of citizens which  Bulcha would like to build on "Federal Ethiopia". Labelling Kinijit as an Amhara organization is also an insult to other nationalities who worked and died carrying a banner of Kinijit, freedom, individual and groups rights.

Obo Bulcha Demeksa concern for the Oromos is understandable and commendable,however, he failed to learn  from eighteen years of experience working with TPLF tribal Federalism. The elites of Ethiopia underestimate the masses and do not learn from their futile mistakes ignoring common bondage that hold Ethiopians together and keep on calling for Rwanda type division. Understandably if Obama asked Ato Bulcha expertise on how to be effective as "opposition" in Ethiopia the answer might be donation of many buses to bus nationalities to their  own "kilil" and return some of them representing their Kilil to form a "Federal Ethiopia". No one will pay for such adventure.

Reaction to Obama's speech in Accra, Ghana

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Tedla Asfaw <tedla.asfaw@gmail.com>
Date: Wed, Jul 15, 2009 at 3:26 PM
Subject: Reaction to Obama's speech
To: info@ecadforum.com, editor@abbaymedia.com, EMF Media <media.emf@gmail.com>, freefromtplf@aol.com, tsegaye@debteraw.com, quatero_webmaster@hotmail.com, ethiolion@ethiolion.com, EthioSun <info@ethiosun.com>, Addisu Abebe <aabebe@voanews.com>, yenenehe@yahoo.com, Gmail <eliaskifle@gmail.com>


Dear AV Readers,

Today July 15 on Straight Talk Africa I had an opportunity to call and comment. After I applaud Obama for his speech I added we should have to find a mechanism to retrieve Africa's loot accumulated on foreign banks. We have to set up a mechanism on how to retrieve the loot. I mentioned Ethiopia under Meles' TPLF where millions of dollars  have been looted for the last eighteen years. You can go to www.voanews.com/english/africa/straighttalkafrica.cfm. My call was on the second half of the program around the forty five minutes.

                                                                                                          Thanks,

                                                                                                             Tedla Asfaw

                                                                                                                   

Crisis in Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Tedla Asfaw


I followed Adissu Abebe of VOA Amharic(July 9 ) program few minutes ago which shed me some light on the current crisis in Ethiopian Orthodox church. The problem in our church since TPLF has come to power is not new in fact it will be enough just to look around here in North America. Churches are built every other month according to their loyalty to this Bishop or that Bishop or this Priest or that Priest.

Otherwise how can poor community like Ethiopia afford many churches way higher than other well established communities in North America. I have stopped going to our church here in New York because I do not want to identify myself as a follower of this or that. Why should I spend my time when I know deep in my heart that we are gathering while holding anger and hate towards someone who is standing there to "pray".

The crisis in the church is identical to the crisis we faced in May 2005 during and after election. Our people demand unity, "Tebaberu woyeme Tesebaberu" to forge Kinijit to challenge TPLF. The Orthodox Christians get along very well with other Christians and Muslims while the Abuna paulose led church is poisoning the atmosphere and has brought tension between religious groups.

Back home our people stayed together, however, here in the Diaspora we are part of the problem by financing number of churches associated with corrupt bishops and priests.

Ethiopia has good people but not good leaders in  politics, economics and social activities. I hope the next generation of leaders will be good to their people.

                                           

                                         

                                                                                                           

Medal for genocide organizer !!!!

Tedla Asfaw



Paul Kagame of Rwanda is giving a medal for Meles Zenawi this weekend. Other recipients of the National Liberation Medal of Rwanda for  fighting "Against Genocide" are the late Julius Nyerere  of Tanzania and Museveni of Uganda. Mixing Meles Zenawi with the late Julius Nyerere is an insult for whole Africa. The likes of Yoweri Museveni's nomination for this award is questionable too but what I vehemently object is the association of Melese Zenawi with"fight against genocide".

Does Paul Kagame follows the ongoing genocide in Africa ? Did he follow the Genocide Watch recent report to bring Meles Zenawi for crimes he committed against the Anuak and the Ogaden Somalis in Ethiopia ? What is the medal of Paul Kagame says to the victims of the genocidal crime of Meles Zenawi ?

How can a person who himself was the victim of the genocide insult others ? Paul Kagame can give any medal for Meles Zenawi but giving him a medal for fighting "against genocide" is a direct insult to the Ethiopian genocide victim families who are  residing in foreign lands including some here in North America.

I can say straight to Paul Kagame on his face that yours genocide is not different than ours. You lost million of innocents for being from wrong ethnic group and in Ethiopia we lost thousands for not confirming to Meles' tribal philosophy. The difference is only in the quantity of victims and for some like Kagame who was on the receiving end of  genocide to come and  dishonor our losses is indeed  a tragedy.

Ethiopians cried for the victims of the Rwanda genocide. We could not believe our eyes when neighbors killed their neighbors. The dictator Melese Zenawi who is to be awarded the National Liberation Medal of Rwanda similarly called for one neighbor to rise against the other when he was defeated in 2005 election even in the capital city of Ethiopia. He officially agitated for "interhawe" which ashamed all including his western supporters.

Genocide is a big crime which has international repercussion and that is why many who participated on the Rwanda genocide are charged for their crimes. Dictators like Al-Beshir of Sudan have been recently indicted on International Criminal Court for genocide in Darfur. The day Meles Zenawi faces this international court is not far. Giving a medal for Meles Zenawi as a "fighter against genocide" will not help him from being indicted for genocide.

Part one, TPLF's Election Debate Drama !!!

Tedla Asfaw

Space available for rent, so much sq feet for so much dollar, and you can contact us at this number. In fact similar advertisement was posted on TPLF Ethio tube to attract new buyers of "Democracy Space" and we all know when it comes to business space it is one hundred percent controlled by Endowment Fund for Rehabilitation of Tigray (EFFORT).

Some of the bidders/opponents  were encouraged by the 2005 openness of this "democratic space bid" and since then, however, this  space is only "allowed" on few sq meters area of the the TPLF parliament building in Addis Ababa. Out of the parliament building, the Ethiopian people are not allowed to gather or speak on any matters that concern them, Zero Space.

Ethiopian politics like the economy is now hundred percent owned and run by TPLF and this staged debate of politics on Ethiopian TV is a reality show. The staged drama is made for for USA, UK and other Western  observers who will be allowed to monitor the "election 2010" in Ethiopia. Hey !!! Look debate is going on for all who believed in "peaceful struggle" and come on join this drama before time is running out.

The vote, however, has already been casted in rural Ethiopia way before anyone embarks on a mission to "monitor election 2010". EFFORT has already paid the rural poor masses to be  member of TPLF/EPRDF and forced the poor opposition party out of business. In the city, government employees as well EFFORT controlled businesses have already bought the vote to be displayed publicly at the presence of the International monitors who come to witness the coronation of Mels Zenawi's TPLF  for the next five years  in power.

The TPLF security will be armed with Iranian type security motor bicycles to chase all trouble makers in the coming June 2010 landslide victory. Shooting on head will be discouraged  while high speed chase of young people on the streets of Addis might bring larger causality for lack of proper training on riding the bikes. How about getting help from Iran ?.

We should also expect the "Shabia supported" oppositions like that of Ginbot7 trying to make another coup similar like that of Ginbot 8 this year to sabotage the coronation of TPLF. How about organizing our people not to be part of this coming circus ? A common front against TPLF made election drama should start early on all fronts.

The real opponents of the TPLF should make a call for Ethiopians to stay away from the election drama and  punish those who are forcing our people  to vote for TPLF. The TPLF cadres wherever they are should not be allowed to imprison, beat or kill anyone who is boycotting this fake election.

Citizens have to say no to all kind of intimidation by TPLF in schools, churches and mosques whenever they gather. Ethiopians have to boycott EFFORT the company that is bribing our people to keep TPLF forever on power. The staged one hour TV "debate" drama series be also boycotted..

The UDJP and AEUP parties should come out early on this game and make it clear that they will not be part of any TV made propaganda by TPLF. A call for unconditional release of Judge Birukan should be the number one priority of UDJP. MEDREk platform led by Gebru and Seye is also part of secret TPLF orchestrated drama to be boycotted.

The Ethiopian people  problem is not  lack of paid space to talk politics, it is a lack of real space for discussion and tackle all our problems including the right to be governed by our choice. Without free media, assembly all the rest is a circus TV reality show and we will boycott all these for what it is, to keep TPLF and EFFORT for years on power.

Create, win and write about war !!!

Tedla Asfaw

I read a story from "Ethiopia Zare" about the recent book "The Ethiopian Revolution: War in the Horn of Africa" by Gebru Tareke posted on ethiomedia. This morning I also read the book review by TPLF General Tsadkan posted on Aiga.

Tsadekan's view is the Tigray nationalist view which many of us do not agree. Professor Gebru, a Tigrayan EPRP fighter himself was ridiculed by Tsadekan. If Tsadekan has anything to say why not he writes his version of the armed struggle to topple Derg and beat back Shabia ?

However,  Tsadekan do not consider the Badme war of the late 1980s to be briefly covered by Gebru on his recent book. Why ? The war that took hundreds of thousands of lives both in Ethiopia and Eritrea is not a TPLF led war and should be ignored.Period !!! A war that brought all Ethiopians including the hated Derg officers to beat back Shabia needs to be written by someone. For Tsadekan only exclusive "Tigrayan" victory without anyone help  is the war to be told . "Bravery and war engineering is only the domain of TPLF" and books has to be written to confirm to this Tsadekan's/TPLFdoctrine. No wonder TPLF banned armed struggle in Ethiopia after it controlled power because there are no "brave people" to conduct such war on the land of Ethiopia.

What does Tsadekan says about the defeat of TPLF in Somalia ? What is going on in Ogaden desert ? What is going on in Welkait ?

Ethiopians need another Badme to unite our people and defeat TPLF  once and for all. Tsadekan can join his buddies for this coming battle.

                                                                                                                            ,

                                                                                                                     

President Obama can empower Africans

Tedla Asfaw



Professor George Ayittey of American University, President of Free African Foundation on his recent research on African leaders on Straight Talk Africa on June 17, 2009 he told us that  since independence out of  208 African leaders only twenty nine can be considered as "good leaders".

Ethiopia's king Haile Selasse, Jomo Kenyata, Anwar Sadat are among the twenty nine good leaders Professor Ayittey found out on his research. I haven't read his book but from his brief remark he came to his conclusion based on what these leaders did to their people while they were on power.

The likes of Museveni of Uganda, Isaias of Eritrea and Meles of Ethiopia did not make the cut while Nelson Mandela of South Africa is one of such leaders according to Professor Ayittey a Ghanaian by birth. He also hoped other African leaders to learn from recent Ghanaian  election and called  Obama to make a significant difference on democratization of Africa when he visited his birth country Ghana next month by endorsing free press and media as a foundation for democratization of Africa.

Professor Ayittey said that Ghanaians success is a result of vibrant media. "The independent media is a vanguard for democratization and if Obama follows on that and help independent media to flourish in Africa that is much worth than the billions of dollars USA spent to establish a rule of law and accountable government in Africa".

The mercenary media which is now promoted in the name of  free media in Ethiopia by TPLF is a non starter. The free press and the few hours of television debate before  May 2005 election helped our people vote overwhelmingly for Kinijit. TPLF has learned from opening the media for its opponents and we are now ruled not only by "dark media" but also by dark nights even in the capital.

The rulers in Ethiopia by denying their people the right to listen to different views are spending much of their time in talking  to foreign medias. Meles Zenawi may be the first one among  current African rulers for giving many interviews. He even lobby African leaders to speak on their behalf on the recent G20 meeting in London.

A man who would like to speak for himself and other Africans is scared of giving its opponents free air time since he was defeated badly four years ago. In fact Ethiopia's Melese  is one of the worst jailers of journalists and if anyone would like to do research I will assume Meles Zenawi will also be on top for making himself available for foreign medias who have bought to the "development miracle" in Ethiopia since Meles came to power in 1991.

We saw the power of free media recently when TPLF warlord Sebhat Nega appeared on VOA Amharic which is dubbed as "TimKehetenoche Berete" by TPLF. VOA Amharic and Afan Oromo was jammed many times for doing its job, informing the public.For many of us Ato Sebehat Nega's interview with Addissu Abebe  did more in exposing the regime in thirty minutes than what has been written about TPLF for the last eighteen years.

The masses in Ethiopia who have no information to who Sebehat Nega is except the propaganda by TPLF media learned that this person and other TPLF clique are here to stay until they are forced out of office by popular uprising, "Yehezebe Kuta". Ethiopians who are not allowed to gather to express their views has been seen by Sebhat Nega as people who endorse the regime, "Yaltekota Hizeb".

We know all along that in a free media, press and  assembly  TPLF will not stay one night let alone rule for eighteen years. Whatever help we get from Obama to empower our people is welcome . A call for independent media and press in Africa is a gift to Africa from Ghanaians and Obama.

Unforgettable Agazzi Crimes !!!

Tedla Asfaw

It came to attention of the Diaspora Ethiopians that at Howard University Blackburn Auditorium at 3pm on June 20, 2009  there will be a film show by the ethno fascist regime of Ethiopia likely with the presence of one of the warlords, Sebhat Nega.  The military operation of Agazzi that broke the jail in Mekele, Tigray during the Derg controlled Ethiopia more than two decades ago  freed many rebels has now become  a recruiting film for the regime that has been in power by killing thousands of Ethiopians for more than eighteen years with the help of Agazzi killing squads.

Similar operation on a wider scale was conducted to wipe the Ogaden Somalis, the Anewake in Gambella among others which is the basis for the Genocide Watch to hold Meles Zenawi accountable for its crime recently. Surprisingly the regime that did not allow any free media back home is exploiting the Howard Campus to show its celebrated and  famous Operation.

However, we would like the Howard Community to know that that members of Agazzi shot and killed more than two hundred  Addis Ababeans for protesting the stolen election of 2005 four years ago. While we are remembering the fallen victims in our community it is shame that celebration is going on in the Blackburn Auditorium this coming Saturday afternoon.

While supporters of the apartheid regime celebrate their Agazzi heroes we would like to inform the Howard Community that the peace loving Ethiopians would expose the crime perpetuated by Agazzi and hold them accountable and bring all members of Agazzi who killed the innocents on broad day light by the order of the warlord Meles Zenawi  to face justice.