From: Sophia Tesfamariam (sophia_tesfamariam@hotmail.com)
Date: Fri Nov 06 2009 - 06:12:09 EST
The DDDs and their handlers are back…
Sophia Tesfamariam
In the Diaspora there are individuals who have managed to associate themselves with international NGOs in order to curry favor on their behalf for a few crumbs here and there. About 8 years ago they made their appearance on cyberspace and it was then that I baptized them the Ds. They appeared in cyberspace at the end of the Eritrea Ethiopia war and seem to pop up every time the belligerent minority regime in Ethiopia found itself in plagued by one of its numerous self created economic, political and military quagmires. In an article, "Bereket Habte Selassie-Head of Eritrea’s Quisling League"[i], published on 1 October 2007 I had written the following:
"…Every country has its own “Quisling League” and Eritrea is no different. As a matter of fact, members of Eritrea’s Quisling League (EQL), like most other quislings, are motivated by fame and fortune. The most senior member of the group is Bereket Habte Selassie. The EQL is an unlikely alliance of arrogant, condescending, opportunist, pompous, and self-righteous individuals who live off the suffering of others. They have formed a smorgasbord of alphabet groups made up of dubious individuals with sordid records and pasts. They first made their appearances in cyberspace at about the time the Eritrea Ethiopia ceasefire agreement was signed. At that time I labeled them the Ds-as in defeatists, distracters, detractors and disgruntled diplomats and Meles Zenawi’s errand boys. Since then, their futile attempts to disassociate themselves from the agendas of the minority regime in Ethiopia and its handlers have proved to be an unsustainable political joke…"
Their hate filled vilification campaign against the Government and people of Eritrea culminated in the summer of 2000 with the appearance, in cyberspace, of the group calling itself "Eritrean Academics and Professionals". A letter written by the group to the President of Eritrea was mysteriously published in the Ethiopian government’s website before it was even delivered to him. This group, which came to be known as the Berlin 13, included individuals like Paulos Tesfagiorgis, Assefaw Tekeste, Bereket Habte Selassie, Araya Debessay, and Dawit Mesfin. All but Bereket Habte Selassie went to Eritrea to meet with the President of Eritrea soon afterwards. After they returned, their anti-government rhetoric moved into fast gear.
That summer also saw the mushrooming of several cyber groups carrying the "human rights" and "democracy" mantras. The Ds continued to hold secret meetings and refused to let the Eritrean Diaspora in on their activities. Unbeknownst to ordinary Eritreans at that time, there was a plot hatched during the Eritrea Ethiopia border conflict and it was fast unraveling, threatening to expose the plotters and their handlers. They were working against time…their job was to get the support of the Eritreans in the Diaspora and to turn them against the Government of Eritrea. Soon afterwards, things became crystal clear. On 24 May 2001, on Eritrea's 10th Independence Anniversary, 15 members of the Eritrean government (now known as the G-15) decided to post an "Open Letter" on a couple of Eritrean “opposition” websites. After the G-15, dubbed “reformers” by the western media, posted their letter online, there were a series of "dramatic" staged events, happening almost on cue, designed to make it look like there was a "popular uprising" and growing opposition to the Government in Eritrea.
One of the officials rescinded his signature and three of the government officials, signatories to the “Open Letter” were outside of the country when it was posted. Of those outside the country, Haile Menkorios who was employed by Kofi Annan at the United Nations, and Mesfin Hagos and Adhanom Ghebremariam joined with some members of the Berlin 13 to form the cyber party known as EPLF-DP or selfi sidi. After a while, the party split. It was bound to happen. Other than greed and hunger for power, the individuals that made up these groups had nothing in common and some were barely on speaking terms. EPLF-DP was eventually forced to change its name.
That was a good move. There was no way they could live up to the principles enshrined in EPLF and they only used the name to garner support and ride in its illustrious coattails. The splinter groups joined other individuals to form yet other groups and so on and so on. I lost track of their numbers and alphabet soup acronyms. At one time, these one and two man organizations mushroomed in cyberspace to about 35. When they splintered and mushroomed into multiple Astroturf groups, I couldn’t keep up with their many pre-naps, odd marriages and inevitable breakups, so to make it easier on us, I dubbed them the Eritrean Quislings League (EQL).
Those of us who have read Eva Golinger’s book ‘Chavez Code” will appreciate why I call them staged events. One of the "dramatic events" was the staged Asmara University students' "uprising". Eritreans were being asked to believe that Asmara University students who had refused to attend classes during the Eritrea Ethiopia war and had wanted to join their compatriots on the frontlines were now refusing to participate in a summer work program because the “pay was not enough”. The Asmara University protests were led by Semere Kesete, who was detained in an Asmara jail until he escaped and made his way to Ethiopia and then to Sweden to join one of the “opposition” groups financed by the regime in Ethiopia.
Similarly, after the people asked the Government to close the so-called "Independent Press" who turned out to be not so independent after all, some owners of the "Independent Press", managed to escape to the United States, Sweden and Canada. They are now all recipients of the Human Rights Hellman grants, not sure what they were being rewarded for. Eritreans in the Diaspora became suspicious when Semere Taezaz and Milkeas Mehreteab were brought to the United States, just days after the horrific events of September 11. Turns out they were issued US visas in the Sudan and immediately brought to the United States. Independent press my foot!
Their disdain and contempt for the people of Eritrea was evident from day one as they circled the wagons to defend the coup plotters and their associates and the regime in Ethiopia. These cyber-dictators were hell bent on silencing the Eritrean Diaspora; they wanted absolute control over the "dialogues" and the "conversations". The globetrotting mercenaries would hold conferences, seminars and workshops all over the United States and Europe to sway Eritrean public opinion. When all their efforts failed, they resorted to intimidations and harassments. 8 years later, the attention and fame seekers are back and their agenda remains the same…to bleed Eritrea...more.
A Washington insider and a close associate of mine forwarded an invitation to a Conference that is being sponsored by the European External Policy Advisors (EEPA), a group that has adopted the Eritrean Quislings League (EQL) and provided it with various forums in the past, through which it has conducted its anti-Eritrea activities. Just a few months ago, Eritreans in the Diaspora were made aware of a vicious campaign spearheaded by Mehret Ghebreyesus and Florian Gisele, her newly found confidante and a EEPA associate. She spearheaded a petition drive that was actively promoted by Gisele . According to her emails, the petition was supported by European media groups and NGOs. Whaat is lacked was Eritrean popular support. It was a desperate last ditch effort to prevent Eritrea from receiving developmental and humanitarian aid from the European Union. An excerpt from an email circulated by Ghebreyesus and Gisele showed their un-democratic stance and exposed their duplicitous attitudes. Here is an excerpt from that email sent by Mehret Ghebreyesus on 21 February 2009:
"…We have been doing a lot of internal work for this package not to be given without any conditions…most Eritreans believe that to protest against aid money is depriving our people from badly needed food and other assistance. The fact is that the government uses such funds only to strengthen its security apparatus and may be feeding the youth in the trenches so that it can stay in power indefinitely…there is a good chance that they [European Union] will re-consider if a big number of Eritreans protest. You will see once you go to the site that pro-government voices are by far more than those opposing the package…"
As a newcomer to the Eritrean political scene, Mehret obviously does not know much about Eritrea, or the peoples struggle for independence. She also knows very little if anything, about the youth in Eritrea and the tremendous work they are doing to develop their beloved nation. Fortunately, her treachery was exposed and the European Union chose to ignore her immature ploys. Mehret ought to know better, pro-government voices or not, no self respecting Eritrean would ever call for the starvation of Eritrea's youth-no matter what. That is a call made only by Eritrea's worst enemies-even ordinary Ethiopians wouldn't make that call. Anyway, let us go back to the subject at hand.
The EEPA is continuing with its anti-Eritrea campaign and this time it is sponsoring a Conference curiously titled "Joining up EU and US policy towards Eritrea and the Horn for the Promotion of Democracy and Human Rights", and it is scheduled for 9-10 November 2009. I am not sure what they mean by "joining up EU and US policy towards Eritrea. Somehow they have elevated themselves to the status of "policymakers" for the region. Judging from what Mehret wrote in her paper "Eritrean Political and Human Rights Crisis - The U.S. Perspective" dated 8 March 2008, and posted on the EEPA site, her campaign against the Eritrean people and government during the Bush Administrations in Washington, by her own admission had failed. Let us take a look at what she wrote then:
"…Besides the US Department of State, numerous meetings and discussions have been held with NGOs such as the National Endowment for Democracy, The International Republican Institute, and the Center for International Strategic Studies. Several rounds of appeals to the US Congress - both the Senate and the House were approached for legislative support against the atrocities in Eritrea…Unfortunately, although it is difficult to quantify the results of our efforts, we do not feel like any major break through in either tangible political or material support nor a concrete action against the Eritrean government has been registered…"
So what is it that EEPA, the EQL and Mehret want this time around? It can't be anything good for Eritrea…that is for sure. What is it that they think they can accomplish without the support of the Eritrean people? But since their objective is not to allow the Eritrean people to choose, these cyber dictators can only want one thing-money and power. Typical of the post colonial elite…
Despite what the title says, no other country in the Horn is on the table for discussion, except Eritrea. I found it interesting that all the panelists were either relatives of the detainees in Eritrea or members of the discredited group known as the Berlin 13. There is one Ethiopian on the panel and yet not a single Ertirean that is not associated with the EQL. Interesting indeed… Who is behind this latest extravaganza? European media and NGO groups who want to dictate their will on the Government and people of Eritrea? I think it is pretty obvious…
If we take a look at the guest list and compare it to the Berlin 13 membership and the many other "human rights", "religious freedom" and "democracy", the over three-dozen cyber Astroturf groups formed after 2000, it is easy to see that it is the same Ds. There is a saying in Tigrinya that goes something like this “wecho integelbeTkayo wecho”, no changes and no surprises there.
There is yet another “recombine” by the EQL and a group was formed in January 2009 and calls itself Citizens for Democratic Rights in Eritrea (CDRiE). Just like the Berlin 13, this group was formed by "invitation only". Let us take a look at what they had to say in their 22 January 2009 statement:
"…we approached more like-minded and highly committed Eritreans for peaceful change in Eritrea. The response for this initiative encouraged us to continue our work incessantly. Through regular skype-meetings and teleconferences, we succeeded to lay foundations for our nascent worldwide civic movement under the leadership of a Provisional Coordinating Committee (PCC). Its members were Professor Araya Debessay (USA), Berhane Ghebrengus (USA), Dr. Yebio Woldemariam (USA), Abdulrahman Sayed (UK), Suleiman A. Hussein (UK), Tzedal Yohannes (UK) and Habtom Yohannes (The Netherlands)..."
While most of the listed are familiar to Eritreans in the Diaspora, there are a couple of people that need introduction. Tsedal Yohannes is the sister of Aster Yohannes, the wife of Petros Solomon, member of the group known as the G15. Abdulrahman Sayed I am told has never supported the independence of Eritrea and is a proponent of the "federalism with Ethiopia" school of thought... or is it thoughtless.
Anyway, let us take a look at the line up of the usual culprits who will be participating in the EEPA Conference, which despite what they want to call it, promises to be nothing more than another Eritrea bashing session on other people's money… the EEPA’s money.
Here is the dubious line up:
· Bereket Habte Selassie, head of the EQL and member of the Berlin 13. He is said to have “regretted” Eritrea’s independence.
· Paulos Tesfagiorgis-member of the Berlin 13, another NGO parasite who makes frequent visits to Ethiopia and is a recipient of NED funds and more.
· Kassahoun Checole-member of the Berlin 13
· Dawit Mesfin-member of the Berlin 13
· Selam Kidane- member of the two-person bankrupt organization known as Release Eritrea, a member of the “unholy” UK Christian cartel who want to impose their version of Christianity on Eritrea.
· Noel Joseph-a relative to one of the detainees in Eritrea (Petros Solomon's nephew)
· Daniel Mekonnen Rezene-founder of the Eritrean Movement for Democracy and Human Rights is one of the 400 students sent for higher education to South Africa by the Government of Eritrea. He is said to have been recruited by Paulos Tesfagiorgis and Dan Connell, who have visited his group in South Africa and have provided funds for their anti-Eritrea activities. It should be recalled that Daniel Mekonnen and his group are also the “proud” recipients of funds from the National Endowment for Democracy and the US State Department.
· Gaim Kibreab-a NGO parasite who has yet to earn his living honestly
· Mehret Gebreyesus-member of a cyber political party with no known constituency, even though she has claims it has 300 members. With 50,000 Eritreans in the US and about the same number or more in Europe, over 100000 elsewhere in Australia and the Middle East, that 300 do not represent the people of Eritrea-inside Eritrea or the Diaspora . It is a “friends and family” party.
The most recent campaign by the EEPA and the EQL involved the European Union's decision to provide development assistance to Eritrea, an issue the EQL vehemently opposed and recklessly campaigned against, as they hypocritically feigned concern for the well being of the people of Eritrea. The European Union chose to ignore their self serving pleas and awarded Eritrea the $122 million dollars as planned. To boost their sagging morale and breathe life into a dead and rejected movement against the government and people of Eritrea, the EEPA is now sponsoring a conference whose agenda is as transparent as its participants.
As for the EEPA, it too does not represent the European Union or the people of Europe. As for the Ds, their modus operandi hasn’t changed and we can smell their greedy, self aggrandizing, selfish, “fund seeking” ploys a mile away.
[i] http://www.americanchronicle.com/articles/view/39115
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