As an Ethiopian, reading this
article took me to many places and different times in my life. There is an
Ethiopian saying: " kebalish bale yibelTal"
literally - my husband is better than your husband. We have a ruthless dictator
that is forcing the people to knell down to his wishes by any means necessary.
And to every Ethiopians' clear knowledge he took this from his master - Essayas
Afewrki. Here, his Excellency sends his barking dog - a.k.a. Amanuel
Biedemariam, the ambassador, to lecture us on the unity of Ethiopians and
Eritreans.
As we all know the people of Eritrea are in the same boat as
we Ethiopians are. Just because he tells us about our struggle (I guess he
thinks we do not know it) we are expected to jump to his bark and come out to
demonstrate in defense of Essayas Afeworki! What a sham. The relation of Eritrea
and Ethiopia is being shaped up by the likes of Professor Tesfatsion
Medhanie from Germany.
Dear Mr. Amanuel Biedemariam,
Meles = Essayas
Both have to go.
According to AlertNet:
Alerting Humanitarians to Emergencies:
Eritrean media blames U.S. for U.N. sanctions
17 Feb 2010 14:05:30 GMT
Source: Reuters
"The U.N. Security Council accuses Asmara of providing funds
and weapons to Islamist insurgents in Somalia where violence has killed 21,000
since the beginning of 2007, and last December the council slapped sanctions on
Eritrea."
Further more:
"The resolution supported by 13 of the 15 council members was
designed to target the nation's leadership, imposing an arms embargo as well as
asset freezes and travel bans on individuals and firms to be designated by an
existing sanctions committee."
Why is Essayas campaigning this time? Well:
"To whip up conspiracy theories and conjure the image of CIA
sinister ploys allows (the President) to continue the nationalistic drive at a
time when the world has publicly arrayed itself against him," a senior diplomat
accredited to Eritrea told Reuters.
And:
"Remember, the sanctions were specifically designed not to
negatively affect the people of Eritrea," the diplomat said.
What do Eritreans say?
"There is a great irony to these protests," a young Eritrean,
who did not wish to be identified, told Reuters. "They are using the freedoms of
America to protest on behalf of Eritrea, which is great, but do these people
know if you hold a protest in Eritrea you can go to jail?"
UN did not make the sanction against the
Eritrean people; it is against the brutal rulers of Eritrea. I remember calling
for sanctions against Derg and now against Meles. I am for the sanction and I
want it to include against Meles. You are only barking because Essayas sent you.
Here is part of the article from the above paper:
Demonstrations abroad against the sanctions are due later in the month,
including in Washington where U.S.-based Eritreans and supporters will gather in
protest.
No respected journalist of
Ethiopia will honour Essayas because Essayas, like Meles is the number one enemy
of Ethiopia.
Dear editor: This respected web page is a newsroom and I do not expect it
to be a propaganda page for the likes of Essayas and Meles. They have more than
enough venue of their own. Let this be a place of the voices for the voiceless.
Thank you
Wellelaw Andenet
__________
Why March with Eritreans
Amanuel Biedemariam I
February 14, 2010
Every time Eritreans come across their Ethiopian counterpart, the
favorite statement of Ethiopians is that we are the same. We are brothers. Well,
here is your time to prove it!
Prove it by standing with your brothers and sisters. Prove it by standing for
justice. Prove it by showing your support and readiness for a new beginning; a
beginning towards mutual trust, cooperation, understanding and love for each
other for the good of the people in the region.
Every thing has a beginning. In the spring of 2009, Ethiopian journalists made
the initiative to visit Eritrea and to talk to President Isaias Afwerki, a
controversial figure in Ethiopian circles and returned with a different
attitude. They were determined to expose the Eritrean perspectives. They wanted
to tell Ethiopians that Eritrea was not the enemy but a true friend of Ethiopia.
That Eritrea seeks Ethiopian unity, peace, cooperation and partnership. These
journalists and others who took that journey sacrificed a great deal; they were
ridiculed and called traitors but they stood their grounds and pursued what they
felt was the right thing.
They are not ridiculed anymore. In fact, they are regarded very highly. The
price they paid and their determination paid off big time. The interview with
PIA was a success. It changed the way many viewed president Isaias and, as a
result, many Ethiopians are working with Eritreans now. The chance they took
became a platform for the stage we are in today, a stage where many are openly
saying “We want to march alongside our Eritrean brothers and sisters and express
our solidarity with them on the incoming world-wide demonstration against the
unjust UN imposed sanction slapped on Eritrea. In fact, we want to work with
Eritreans in many other fields of mutual concern” and are doing so.
Likewise, we, Eritreans, want to be a part of a new beginning, to leave the
history of hate and bloodshed behind-us and start anew. This demonstration is
the first occasion where Eritreans and Ethiopians are to stand together side by
side for a purpose in DC and tell the world that we are not enemies; and we will
never be. We are brothers and sisters capable to work together. We are united
for a purpose and that purpose is to live together side by side as partners; for
our successes and interests and not at the expense of each other. That is what
we are determined to achieve; what we are striving for and, that is what we want
to tell the world.
We need to march in unity to change perceptions. For centuries the West were
relaxed because they can take for granted the fact that we will kill one another
for no reason. We will march to change that. We need to show the enemies of our
people that we can be smart and stand united in order to challenge their evil
ways. We need to march to set example to others that peace is the way. But most
importantly, we need to march to set a good example for future generations. We
need to be the first, so we can say; we are amongst those who marched first for
unity, for peace, cooperation between Eritreans and Ethiopians for a new
beginning.
We need to march together because we have a much bigger fish to fry. To get rid
of a despot, a master of genocides, a thief and a mercenary. To put in jail a
person responsible for so much bloodshed, destruction and displacement of
millions; and a criminal whose murderous troops shot at point-blank and killed
many youngsters who dared to stand up for freedom. We need to stand together and
to march in unity to tell our detractors propping-up despots is not acceptable
and their ways are hurting the future of our people and killing progress.
Because if we don’t, they will think and believe, they are doing well by abusing
our peoples. And unfortunately, the people they care most are the handful that
are benefiting at the expense of millions while the millions are condemned for
handouts. We are marching to break that cycle.
We need to march to annul the illegal, immoral and UNjust sanction imposed on
Eritrea:
Firstly, because as Samuel Johnson English author, critic, & lexicographer once
said “An injustice anywhere is an injustice everywhere”! They sanctioned Eritrea
unjustly because they have a bully pulpit, ownership of a defunct world body,
the UN. Meles, who is a party to the mischief, has been directly responsible for
the arms and the bloodshed in Somalia. Eritrea is in no way capable of shipping
arms or providing any other logistical support when the US is controlling the
Indian Ocean, the land and air and anything in between. Furthermore, Eritrea
doesn’t have the resources. What Eritrea did is stand for justice for the Somali
people by asking the world community to allow them to resolve their issues
without outside meddling. Eritrea took a moral stand just as many Arab states do
on Israel by not recognizing Israel so long as the Palestinian issue remains
unresolved.
The UN had absolutely no evidence to back up US and Meles Zenawi’s claims about
Eritrea’s support for armed groups in Somalia. South African Ambassador to the
United Nations Dumisani Kumalo, who served as chairman of the U.N. Security
Council's Somalia sanctions committee, speaking of Somalia, said that 80% of
ammunition available at the Somali arms markets was supplied by TFG and Meles
Zenawi's troops. Kumalo also said that the committee had received details of
some 25 military flights sent by Meles Zenawi into Somalia and knew that Meles
Zenawi's troops had brought military equipment into the country to arm "friendly
clans." The UN Envoy for Somalia Ahmedou Ould-Abdallah also said that there was
no evidence to prove the allegations made against Eritrea are correct.
The US does not care about the Somalis’ well being, because if it did, it
wouldn’t have supported Meles in his quest for Somali blood. If the US truly was
for justice, human rights and the rule of law, it would have supported the
Somali freedom fighters instead of encouraging and abating the Meles’ and
Museveni’s to help create mayhem in that lawless land. But, then again, who
exonerated the US? We all know the US is a party to the conflict as well. I
guess “Might is right” as the saying goes.
Secondly, the sanctions intended goal is to boost Meles Zenawi, weaken Eritrea
(the only country standing on his ways) and render Ethiopians at the mercy of
Meles Zenawi for decades without any serious challenge to his reign. Is that
what you want? A murderous thief who is selling Ethiopia to individuals,
entities and countries that will not have the best interest Ethiopia. He is
selling Ethiopia piece by piece with the hopes that his investors will keep him
in power in order to maintain their investments. Therefore to lose focus at this
point is irresponsible. We need to march together to stop this madness.
Thirdly, we need to march because success means the defeat of Meles Zenawi and
his gang. One of the intended goals of the sanction is to reverse the momentum
that is ready to engulf the Ethiopian nation; the undercurrent that has been
building due to hatred of the detested Meles’s regime. It is by far the most
crucial moment in the history of Ethiopian struggle. This is a moment that will
define history. Because if Meles is allowed to win, the bloodshed will continue
for a long time because, the change his masters seek are dangerous and will mire
the region into bloody conflicts worse than what we are witnessing in Somalia.
Conclusion
This is a time when Ethiopians need to take a firm and clear stand and decide
whether they want Meles and the TPLF gang gone. There is no need for those who
take a hesitant position and fearful to show that they are working with Eritrea
because they are afraid of a backlash. No need for those who want to stay in the
background afraid to be in a weaker position if Eritrea loses. No need for those
who want to put themselves in a favorable position by taking the middle ground
in order to switch sides when convenient ala Hailu Shawel. These people or
groups have no stand and can not lead. Do you want Weyane gone? Then take a
stand. Show the people of Ethiopia that you can stand against Woyanne and lead.
------
awetnayu@hotmail.com
