From: wolda002@umn.edu
Date: Tue Mar 17 2009 - 18:33:40 EST
Reversing the exodus from TPLF-created hell - By Robele Ababya
Posted By Admin On March 17, 2009 @ 11:08 am In Ethiopia | 4 Comments
Heinous crimes impossible to hide
The sovereignty of Ethiopia was sold barrel and stock by the TPLF even
while its war machines and that of its twin Stalinist Derg regime were
killing the children of poor peasants on both sides. The cessation of
Eritrea leaving Ethiopia landlocked was a done deal. Therefore, the
repressive TPLF regime and some elites on its payroll have no moral
authority to criticize supporters of external diplomatic intervention on
issues of universal human right which the ruling regime continues to
gravely abuse. It is ironic that the regime and its cronies lament about
the country they have mutilated and more of the same are in the cards of
these new breed of thugs employing Stalinist method of political control
and market economy which they dominate to feed their insatiable greedy
appetite.
The cardinal overarching issue is gross violation of basic human rights
under the despotic misrule of the racist regime of Meles ridding roughshod
on the civil liberties of Ethiopians. The exodus of able-bodied young
Ethiopians is testimony to the unbearable hell created by the regime. For
example, the departure in droves of especially Oromos in large numbers to
Yemen - the unlucky ones drowning in the Red Sea - is a painful example of
suffering in their motherland where their kin are languishing in jail in
their tens of thousands. The cold-blooded execution of student Wondimu
Damena at Gedo in Western Ethiopia is a gruesome example of wide-spread
oppression of the Oromo people known for their democratic tradition.
Notwithstanding my Pan African view so necessary in the 21st century, I
solicit my fellow Ethiopians to elevate further their condemnation of the
act of terror unleashed by the ruling Meles regime.
It was crystal clear from day one of the entry of TPLF to Addis Ababa on
that darkest day in the history of Ethiopia that a home-grown evil force
meant to destroy our motherland had set in. We are today vindicated by the
exclusive stance of the regime and colossal damage to life and property
inflicted on the Ethiopian people in the last 18 years. It is our duty as
citizens to remind ourselves and the international community again and
again of the heinous act perpetrated over these years. To not do so is
tantamount to dereliction of our inheritance and betrayal to the cause for
which our forebears had made invaluable sacrifices in the defence of our
territorial integrity and independence.
Breach of Constitution
Ethiopians have witnessed rampant breach by TPLF of its own so-called
constitution imposed on the people. All rights granted by this constitution
such as freedom of association, freedom of expression are completely denied
and other pillars of democracy including independent judiciary and
independent electoral commission are entirely subservient to the ruling
regime. Moreover the regime is the sole landlord in its serfdom where the
peasants constituting more than 85% of the Ethiopian people live in
bondage.
The icon Judge Birtukan has been stripped of her fundamental human rights
and thrown into the infamous Kaliti prison for no other reason than
speaking the truth. Her services as a brilliant and principled Judge are
locked up with her in the 4 square meters space of her cell. This is cruel
coupled with the manner in which she was roughed up by the ten thugs that
whisked her to the prison where she is being tortured psychologically and
physically. This prisoner of conscience represents the young generations,
members of her gender and all democrats in dire hunger for democracy and
equality in their homeland. But the young with no hope for decent job and
no right for critical thinking are migrating in droves to escape from the
hell in which they are suffering these atrocities.
TPLF’s development rhetoric
No citizen in his/her right mind will object to rational all round
development of his/her Motherland, Ethiopia. The issue is whether the
buildings and infrastructures of which the TPLF is boasting would not be
white elephants at some time in the near future. Time will show that most
of these facilities put in place in the absence of priorities based on
comprehensive and transparent cost-benefit analysis would soon prove costly
to the tax payer who would be asked to finance for maintenance and repair
of non-performing assets.
The high rise buildings lining roads in Addis Ababa serve to boost the
image of the repressive regime to external mentors. The question is what
they mean: to the women in the environ of Addis Ababa streaming to the City
carrying firewood for sale or domestic use on their back; to the peasants
transporting their produce to the market by donkeys; to families eating
once a day in shifts; to millions lacking medical treatment; to the young
sitting in ghettos behind the skylines lining the streets without hope of
finding decent jobs.
The ‘vocal’ Diaspora is simply saying that development in the 21st
century should be driven by compassionate regimes subordinate to the rule
of law and passion to listen to the voice of the people they serve. The
totalitarian regime of Meles is not one of them.
Addis Ababa is an oasis of luxury and extravagance for the few rich in the
high echelon of the TPLF regime; it is an enclave of misery for the
overwhelming majority of its citizens.
Heinous crimes and misrules such as briefly brought up in the forgoing
paragraphs constitute a mirror in which the TPLF leaders and their cohorts
can see their ugly faces. The ruling regime stands accused for the sellout
of vital national interest; it has lost all trust and moral authority to
speak for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Ethiopia.
Support of external powers
The TPLF regime had its field day of glory for the last 18 years with the
support of fund and support flowing from Western democratic leaders
hoodwinked by deceit of the pathological liar Meles at the helm of his
exclusive and racist regime driven by intrigues of the few in his
kleptocracy. The tyrant has enjoyed red carpet treatment at a previous G8
meeting sitting at the high table with powerful leaders of the
industrialized world feasting on sumptuous food and sipping select wine and
champagne - shockingly after security forces under his command had executed
hundreds of protesting unarmed civilians protesting the daylight robbery of
votes cast in the historic election of 15 May 2005, which election dealt a
heavy blow to the repressive regime.
It is ironic that Prime Minister Gordon Brown has invited the tyrant Meles
to the G20 meeting slated to be held in April in the United Kingdom. This
invitation is taking place at this time when: Judge Birtukan Midekssa is in
jail for speaking the truth which the Ethiopian people are entitled to
know; Teddy Afro is in jail for his clarion call for peace and
reconciliation; thousands of political prisoners mainly of Oromo ethnic
origin are languishing in jail; all pillars of democracy are still under
the complete control of the Meles regime in violation of its own
constitution.
Appeal to Western democracies
The ruling regime has guns with its fingers on the trigger to shoot and
kill innocent protesters as it did in the aftermath of the historic
election of 15 May 2005; it has filthy and congested prisons in which
political prisoners suffer; it has direct budget support to pamper its
security forces committing heinous crimes; it has a rubber stamp parliament
to pass laws such as the NGO Act to kill the growth of civil societies.
On the other hand Ethiopians in the Diaspora are with the power of their
pen expressing objection to any direct support that would be construed by
the regime as approval of its reprehensible actions.
It is enviable that jails for political prisoners are no more thinkable in
the USA and Europe. This is a phenomenal achievement we want to emulate.
The relatively new International Criminal Court of which Meles is scared is
another wonderful invention for guaranteeing respect for basic human rights
and the rule of law.
What the Ethiopian people are seeking in earnest is democracy. The appeal
to the democracies of the industrialized world is to stop double standards
and take us along as equal partners in fundamental human values that would
be held sacrosanct in the 21st century.
Challenge for us in the opposition camp
Ethiopia is at least one large prison camp if not hell to; hundreds of
millions of peasants comprising 85% of the Ethiopian population living in
serfdom; millions of the young generations without hope for decent jobs and
exposure to rigorous educational standards that would prepare them for
tomorrow; intellectuals and students in tertiary institutions where
academic freedom is denied; the overwhelming majority of Ethiopian hungry
citizens suffering the brunt of soaring prices of basic necessities.
No wonder then that people seek for exit from this hell. But this exodus
must be reversed and the urgency to do so must heighten. This requires our
unity in the opposition camp.
In the immortal words of Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam “Ethiopians
united, can not be defeated”. Let us pool our resources and march to
victory. Our victory through united struggle will be written in glory in
the annals of the history of Ethiopia.
Let us all dream of bright and glorious days of exodus back to our homeland
to build a strong and democratic Ethiopia together with our fellow
citizens.
LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!
Robele Ababya (robele_ababya@yahoo.com
Article printed from Abugida Ethiopian American Information Center:
http://www.abugidainfo.com
URL to article: http://www.abugidainfo.com/?p=8140