Friday, July 10, 2009

Another Plea to My Fellow Ethiopians in the Diaspora

I am certain that Diaspora Ethiopians anywhere in the world are 100 percent in a better position to express their opinion freely than their counterparts in Ethiopia. And given the number of Ethiopian population, as compared to other African countries, I presume there are quite a good number of Ethiopian intellectuals in the Diaspora, who could be a voice to their compatriots, whose voice is suppressed in Ethiopia.

But a cursory look at various websites managed by Africans, makes me feel so embaressed about the very little information being posted by Ethiopian intellectuals revealing the very grim political and economic situation prevailing in Ethiopia. While there is an abundance of written materials, posted in websites managed by Africans about the human rights violations and corruption, even in samll countries like Ruwanda, Uganda, Kenya, Zambia, Malawi, Zimbabawe, etc., there are very few such revealing articles posted about Ethiopia at best and very contradictory, demotivating and divided (not targeted at the culprtit, the TPLF) at the worst.

It is true that woyane has a few fervent supporters, looters and killers, who are part of the status quo, belonging to the Tigre ethnic group, and paid writers, who work day and night, deligently, as thier full time job, to project woyane as a learning and changing party. These groups are at work, non stop, defending woyane/TPLF, at any cost, to avoid accountability.

The attitude of Ethiopian intellecuals in the Diaspora is extremely worrying. Either we have become the vctims of TPLF's divisive policy and strategy, or we have become so immature or selfish to notice the bigger picture of building a united and strong Ethiopia. For sure, individually, there are so many Ethiopian Diaspora intellecuals who could be leaders of Ethiopia, But when it comes to reality, we have to admit that, Ethiopia could only have one leader at a time. It looks like that the desire to become a leader or the most influential person, within the Diaspora intellectuals is blinding many from seeing the bigger picture and holding them from cooperating with each other to build a strong coalition.

Let me pose some questions to my fellow Ethiopian intellectuals in the Diaspora and leaders of the oposition in the Diaspora:

As intellectuals and opposition leaders, are we incapable of building consensus? Are we incapable of reconciling our differences and build a united front? Are we incapable of making compromises for the sake of the greater vision of building a democratic and united Ethiopia? For how long can we allow the suffering of millions of Ethiopians to continue under the yoke of Meles & Co.?

If we were united and were able to make a concerted effort to reveal the truth about the brutal dictatorship and ethnofaciscitic nature of the TPLF/Woyane, we would have been able to convey a very strong message to the Ethiopian pepole at home and abroad, and to the international community.

Our information and education campaign using the internet is so week and divided, with conflicting messages to would be supporters/sypathizers of the opposition camp. I think, many still feel confused and hopeless, not sure if any of their effort to reveal the truth, discrediting TPLF/Woyane, would matter or make a difference, in the face of such divided circumstances.

Ginbot 7 has declared that it would enage TPLF/Woyane using all kinds of mechanisms to force it step down, even using force, if necessary.

An intensive, strong and united front on the internet domain aginst TPLF's misinformation campaign is equally powerful in forcing TPLF down.

Dear Ethiopian Diaspora intellectuals, the time is right now, for you to play that decisive role in shortening the suffering of yor fellow Wthiopians. Informing the people!!! It is an equally effective tool in getting rid of the TPLF!!!

Friday, July 3, 2009

A Plea to My Fellow Ethiopians

A futile discussion is going in the cyber world about Meles Zenawi's departure from power. Aiga and the Ethiopian Reporter have made this discussion a fan fare. And other non pro-TPLF websites are also intertaining this discussion. I am very saddened by these developments. That is exactly what the TPLF thugs want us to engage ourselves in and waste our valuable time and distract our attention from the core issues that have to be dealt in Ethiopia.

As to me, the core issue is, the minority TPLF thugs are, in control of Ethiopia, and sucking it to its death. That is the issue every concerned Ethiopian has to hammer, deal with, and seek the solution for.

The TPLF thugs, Meles and Co. have ammassed millions of aid and tax dollars, their Tigrayan kins are in charge of every department and section in every government sector, while they only constitute 6% of the Ethiopian population. They are also controlling the "regions" from behind the scene. Much of developemtn resource is directed to Tigrayover the last 18 years of Woyane rule. Just compare the number of Ineternational Airports Tigray has, to the Southern or other regions. Tigray has Mekele, Aksum and Adowa Airports, besides the airstrip in Adigrat (totally four). Compare this to the South, an air strip in Arbaminch, and Awassa. And in Oromia, airstrips in Jimma, Nekempte, Dembidollo. And in Amhara one international airport in Bahirdar (much less sophisticated than the one in Mekele), and airstrips in Desse, Lalibella, and Gondar.

I leave the judgement to you Ethiopians. While Tigray has about 4 state of the art airports (with 6% of the the general Ethiopian population), the rest of the country (Oromia, Amhara, and South), with more than 75% of the population has only less than 10 airports. The physically huge Somali and Afar regions have negligible airports. Is this fair? Shouldn't we talk about this? Shouldn't Meles and Co. be held accountable to this gross injustice? Shouldn't every Ethiopian focus on exposing these injustices with emprical evidence in every sector of the Ethiopian polity/society?

All of us have at least a moral obligation to tell the truth, and make the Ethiopian people aware and make the judgement as to how the TPLF should be dealth with.

Meles and Co. have destroyed Ethiopia, thier hands are soaked with so many inocent Ethiopians' blood, and have accumulated wealth unheard of in Ethiopian political history, and will never, never, never, relinquish power in anyway (election or voluntary resignation) unless forced.

The discussion should be how should we force them to step down and hold them accountable!!! Any other futile discussion is allowing them to humilate the masses and destroy the country irriverisbly.

My fellow Ethiopians, I beg you all, to focus where focus is due.