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  staff3 9:21 AM on May 14, 2012 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  A note to President Obama.

  By Yilma Bekele

  Dear President Obama,

  I am sure you do not have time to read my letter nonetheless it gives me a certain amount of release from the pain I am feeling and the little chance of this letter getting to you fills my soul with great amount of joy and hope. I am an Ethiopian immigrant currently living in California. I came to your country to go to college. I am always grateful to the American people in general and the citizens of the State of Oregon in particular that supported me in fulfilling my dream. Their graciousness in welcoming me and their generosity in helping me with financial aid to finish my education will stay in my heart forever.   Upon finishing my education I have become a productive member of society and hopefully contributed my share in making your nation a beacon of light for all of mankind. I have been blessed enough to get married to a beautiful person and raise a family. I am glad to claim I am the personification of the American dream come true. I am not writing you to ask a favor for myself but I want to tell you about the dire situation regarding the homeland I left behind a long time ago. I want to give you an idea about my country Ethiopia and the horror faced by my people in the year two thousand twelve as the rest of humanity thrives.

  The source of this unbearable pain forced on my country is none other than the individual that shows up in every meeting the heads of the advanced industrialized countries attend to solve problems and plan the future. I am sure you have noticed him during picture sessions and dinner parties. He is the one who claims to represent Africa and is usually given the corner seat in the back to keep quiet and observe.
  His name is Meles Zenawi and his title is chairman of TPLF party and Prime Minster of Ethiopia. He has been in power for the last twenty years. It is not that he was elected to that position since free democratic elections are not allowed but he has managed to organize sham election and rigged voting not once but five times in a row. I will tell you a few things to give you an idea of how he manages to do that.

  1) Press: There is no free press in Ethiopia. There is only one local TV controlled by his party. The only radio-broadcasting unit is under his communications department. There are no independent newspapers in the country. The few that are allowed to exist are routinely harassed and their publishers and editors spend most of their time in his rubberstamp court. Today a few are in his dungeon accused of fabricated charges and plenty are forced out of the country. There is only one Internet provider and his outfit controls that. He uses Chinese technology to block any foreign TV or Radio broadcast and Internet sites. Your Voice of America broadcast is routinely jammed. Today there are more journalists and Independent Web sites outside the country than in our homeland. The Ethiopian people are kept in the dark by design.

  2) Political Party and Civic organizations: The dictator does not allow real independent political parties. On paper there are over eighty political parties in the country, but they are all the creations of the dictator. The few that dare to organize independently are subjected to harassment, imprisonment and even murder. His claim that there are no worthy opposition parties is a cruel joke. In Ethiopia being an opposition party leader is a death wish. We have lost many worthy leaders in the last twenty years. Independent labor unions, civic organizations and non-government affiliated associations are not allowed. If they dare to organize they are brought under government control within a short time.

  3) Administration: He has divided the country into what is known as Kilil. Kilil is a black version of Apartheid; the system the White South African set up to control black citizens. The individual appoints all Kilil administrators usually local lackeys for show purpose. His party and ethnic group controls the Army and Security service with all commanders’ hand picked from his ethnic group. Ninety nine percent of high-ranking military officials belong to the dictators ethnic group. The individual and his party inherited the dreaded Kebele system set up by the departing military dictatorship to control neighborhoods and enhanced its capability using modern means. Today the Kebele system is the eyes and ears of the TPLF party and is present in every household to terrorize and control.

  4) Economy: All land belongs to the state. The Ethiopian people are sharecroppers. When he took power twenty years ago facilitated by your State Department he created a congramolate called EFFORT controlled by his ethnic group. All major confiscated business and property were given to EFFORT and today it is the premier corporation in the country involved in banking, transportation, manufacturing, import export and the hospitality business. EFFORT is bigger than Ethiopia. Unable to grow the economy, ill prepared to unleash the creative potential of his people the dictator is currently selling our fertile and virgin land to foreign investors. This is despite the billions of aid dollars given by your country and Western Europe and the billions more written off the book from the IMF and World Bank. His sole purpose is to stay in power by bullying and enrich his ethnic group, family and friends.

  Dear Mr. President, you might think what a coward people we are to allow such and individual to do us so much harm and accept it with silence. That is not so. We were not always that docile. The simple explanation I can offer you is that he came on the scene at a very unfortunate time for us. The twenty years of military dictatorship has sapped our strength to fight back. We were caught at a time when in the name of socialism our people and country had gone thru a very traumatic process. Our moral compass was left in disarray. No one was willing to continue the self-inflicted agony we experienced. The current dictator also showed up carrying an olive branch that promised to form an all-inclusive government. Your State Department was the premier facilitator of such transfer of power from the Military to the new liberators.

  Unfortunate for Ethiopia your country still is coddling and enabling the dictator. He is considered the front line in the fight against terrorism The Pentagon is pouring money and resources to train his army. He is given the green light to interfere in Somalia in the so-called war against terror. We pay the price. The US is not made safer with all the support given to the regime but the Ethiopian people are made insecure and hopeless. Today the Ethiopian people are migrating out of their homeland at an alarming rate. The young and able and the educated are leaving their country in search of a better tomorrow. Washington DC your capital is living proof of the flight of our people outwards.

  We ask you to intervene and stop this human catastrophe. We believe it is the right thing to do. It is the moral thing to do. Ethiopian Americans were in the forefront of your campaign for the presidency. We were filled with hope that you will intercede and help our motherland enter the twenty first century with dignity. It has not happened. Your State Department never fails to record and publish the crimes of the Ethiopian regime. The annual report is a very alarming detailed testimony of the nature of the illegal regime and the crimes it commits against its own people. Thanks to Wikileaks we are made conscious of the terrorist acts of the security department’s involvement in setting up explosives on its own citizens and blaming the opposition. Your Ambassador was part of the cover up of this crime. It is wrong.

  We would like to call your attention to the policy the US followed in the aftermath of the Second World War when it came to Europe. The US was instrumental in encouraging democratic forms of government. US aid was based on the rule of law. Sixty years later Europe enjoys the fruits of such progressive and forward-looking policy. We ask your administration follow the same principle when it comes to Africa. We deserve nothing less. We ask your administration stop coddling and enabling dictators, misfits and loathsome individuals from terrorizing their own people.
  The Ethiopian people are faced with a sad dilemma. How could they fight back against a terrorist regime armed and supported by a big power like your country? It is not a fair fight by any stretch of imagination. They find it confusing that on one hand you preach democracy and human rights while on the other hand you furnish the weapons and facilitate loans from World Bank and the IMF to the their tormentor. Wouldn’t you say the US would have a lasting and worthy relationship with a strong and democratic Ethiopia rather than a country always on the verge of civil war and a pitiful hand stretched begging for food and medicine?

  The Prime Minster is showing up at your dinner table next week. We all know he has nothing to contribute to such discussion. The country he has been leading for the last twenty years is beset with famine, double digit unemployment, runaway inflation and human misery in a large scale. He has no record to be proud of. He has no opposition to shame him. His presence at this gathering is unexplainable and undeserved. His single TV station and his sole Radio broadcast will present a different picture. They will use the occasion to bully the Ethiopian people. There is no other voice to set the record straight.

  We wish you would UN invitee or dis invite him. We know that will not happen. On the other hand we ask you use the occasion to make it clear to him that your constituents are not happy with his actions. We wish that you explain to him US aid goes hand in hand with the existence of the rule of law and respect for human rights. The American people are blessed to have such a caring and honorable person as a leader. You lead a very honorable and generous nation that has stood with Ethiopia in its time of need. We ask you to step forward and do the right thing at this critical moment in our history. We ask you to think of the eighty million Ethiopians that are made to suffer because on man and his ethnic based party is enabled by your country and others to run amok and brutalize. History will not look kindly at such abdication of responsibility.

  Dear Mr. President, we are aware of what happened to dictator Gadaffi. We are witnessing the unfolding human misery in Syria. That is what is waiting Ethiopia if the regime continues its mal treatment of its won citizens. That is what we are trying to avoid from happening in Ethiopia. You can help us.
  Finally we are not asking you to fight our war. We are perfectly capable of doing the job ourselves. We are simply petitioning you not to stand with the dictator. Not to give him lethal aid and training to turn his fire on us. We know it is in your power to make a stop to this enabling activity. The children of Ezana, Tewodros, Yohanes, Minilik, Aba Jifar, Tona and many others are up to the task given the opportunity. We have taken care of our business for over three thousand years and there is no reason to think we will not rise up to the occasion now. Just give us a level playing field and Green Yellow and Red will fly high on our ancient mountains and fields.
  P.S.  We have a petition on line to be presented to your office along this letter. The Web address is as follows: http://www.gopetition.com/petitions/obama-stop-monster-zenawi-invitation.html

   

  
   

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  staff3 10:01 AM on May 7, 2012 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Fascism and Tigray People’s Libration Front’s obliteration of Ethiopia
  Tesfaye Z. Yigzaw May 04, 2012

  “The Italian fascist’s army bragged of return after half a century later-.” This is a story told by Ethiopian elders who defeated the Italian Fascist army. Since I heard the story as a little boy, I kept asking: How would it be doable for the Italian Fascist to come back in this day and age? I have been enthralled to the story for years, and thinking it would be a joke. No, it was not a shaggy dog story, it is real. This time the enemy is not from a distant land, neither it came by sea nor air; nonetheless, it was born and raised among the natives, who has a strong interest and attachments to the fascist ethos.  

  Before I attempt to elaborate this subject matter, let me start with few words. I was watching heartbreaking news about Alem Dechassa, a young lady who had been beaten up, and dragged on the street of Beirut by untamed man, ironically in front of the Ethiopian embassy. It is shame to TPLF, who is collecting foreign currency by selling out poor young ladies to the Arabs! Of course, TPLF has no conscious to be ashamed of. Indeed, its mission is to mortify Ethiopians. Sadly, Alem lost her life, leaving behind two children. Nevertheless, her ill treatments leading up to her death was disgraceful to Ethiopians, as well to all women around the world. A proud nation, nevertheless, Ethiopia lost its dignity in recent years because of incompetent, racist and belligerent group who has no moral decency to rule this multiethnic and culturally complex nation.

  While Alem’s story is still fresh in my mind, I read the mass evictions of Amharas from their habitats by an Ascari; the so called the president of southern nations and nationalities, a political appointee of Fascist regime of Tigray People’s Liberation Front. Subsequently, there have been the news about tearing down the Waldeba monastery and the killings of Moslems; these are not unusual crimes for TPLF who is continuing to perpetrate crimes against humanity in all scales against Ethiopians.

  A few years ago in one of my articles posted on online, I raised a question for a rumor I heard from one of TPLF’s former fighters. I quote: “As we joined TPLF, on the first day, we were told TPLF’s primary mission is to annihilate Amharas. But they (TPLF) had changed their strategies as we approached the victory.” I am sure few people may read my article, though I never received any comments for I was expected, at least from ex-TPLF members, who professed to be the changed men. Nevertheless, I found Ato G/Medihen Araya a genuine man. With his interview last year, he attested that TPLF’s manifesto has indeed expressly details the annihilation of Amharas. Certainly, this is an act of genocide, and it is Tigray People’s Libration Front’s unremitting practice even today.
  What is the reason for Tigray Peple’s Libration Front’s animosity against Amhara? To answer this question, one should examine the Fascist history. During Italian Fascist invasion of Ethiopia, Fascist army exclusively targeted Amharas and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church. The reason is simple; the two, though among other ethnic groups and religious institutions, played an important role for the unity of Ethiopia, and after all preserved the freedoms to the generations, which exalted the country being the only one not colonized by Europeans powers. The Fascist did aware that it was not possible to stay in control of the country, unless these two nucleuses of the country were destroyed. The Fascist also disseminated hate messages against Amharas and the Ethiopian Orthodox Church bent to divide the society into ethnic lines and religious groups. Though they were solely targeted the Amharas and the Ethiopian Orthodox church, the people irrespective of religion and ethnicity had united against the invading army, ultimately the enemy was defeated.
  Incidentally, I also met a man from Adewa exactly a year ago this month. Through our conversations, we discussed the predicaments in Ethiopia, the man conceded; “TPLF is just jealous about Amharas, and there is nothing more.” That raised my eyebrows, the man replied; “I meant, the Tigray elites lost their historical powerhouse to Amharas. An attack on Amharas is an act of retribution by TPLF.” I was dissatisfied with his answers. I went further; there should be more to it than mere jealousness. Certainly, the crimes TPLF committed against Amharas for years, and the destruction of Ethiopian Orthodox Church, subsequently the massacres TPLF carried out against other ethnic groups, and give away of lands to foreigners is beyond jealousness. This is unforeseen enemy in the history of the country, and it is in fact TPLF is employing a Fascist doctrine in Ethiopia. 

  The elders were absolutely right; it was approximately fifty years since Italian Fascist defeated when TPLF came to power. The old enemy revived by surrogates sons and daughters, now it came back with vengeance. As evidenced from insiders, TPLF’s leaders, whose fathers, grandfathers or relatives were served as Ascris (servants or slaves) in Italian Fascist army. That would tell us a whole about their undertakings.
  Similarly, it is fair to say that TPLF’s discontents and detestations for Ethiopian leaders: Emperors Menelik II, Haile Sellasie I, and Tewodros II is clearly reflects its close attachment to Italian Fascist. Notable Menelic II and Haile Selassie I had fought the Italian Fascist army.

  TPLF is obviously an inherent enemy of Ethiopia. Its intention is to execute unfinished tasks of its masters, the Italian Fascist. Unlike the Italian fascist where the people rose up in unison to fight the enemy, this time the Ethiopians union have been undermined because the enemy looks like the natives and speaks their languages. Because of this, TPLF has gained a leeway to destroy Ethiopia and humiliate its people. Unlike Italian fascist that unable to divide people by ethnicity and religions, TPLF has succeeded, and by doing so able to stay on power. The reasons TPLF puts in practice the Italian Fascist doctrine by crafting ethnic divisions is to disunite the people, empower itself and ultimately destroy the culture and the country all together. Those who are ignorant of TPLF’s motives, instead of resisting have accepted and implemented ethnic divisions. Even some extremist groups went far by hiring their likes, a pseudo intellectual from Arab country to spread hate, among other things and have made a call to massacre Amharas.

  Dealing with ignorant and stupid individuals is extremely difficult than to deal with ignorant and illiterate persons. By its nature, TPLF is very stupid as well as an ignorant. For this reason it is unable to learn from its past mistakes, and has made it difficult for democratic forces to function in the country. There is some thing weird about TPLF; essentially it is practicing the Fascist doctrine, and it is also a brutal autocrat, on contrary it disagrees from the two by giving territorial lands and sea outlet to neighbors, while the later two wish to expand their territories.

  There has been an ongoing debate recently, whether the Amharas need to organize under its ethnic identity. Before I give my personal opinion, I would like to underline two scenarios:
  1. Two opposing combatants at warzone do not fire guns in a parallel fashions. They ought to fire towards their enemy’s targets. Similarly two boxing opponents positions themselves on opposite direction to sling the arms and knock down the opponents. Likewise, in politics the politician ought to orient themselves in opposite direction, and the stronger would win. In contemporary Ethiopia politics, except very few opposing forces, most are organized under the ethnic ploy of TPLF. Thus, they are not able to win over TPLF because they are firing their guns in a parallel fashions, not towards but away from their enemy.

  2. A man on fire has to stub out his blaze first before attempting to help extinguishing other person’s on fire. In this case Amharas are on fire for more than twenty years. Most Amharas are not in agreement with ethnic divisions, they have been opposing to organize under the ethnic lines. They have been fighting for Ethiopians to unite for freedom and democracy. Amharas assumed Ethiopia under TPLF still exist as a country, thus, the resent mass evictions from the South part of the country proves it otherwise. 

  These two contradicting and opposing views are outlined for Amharas to make a choice of freedom. I personally believe the consortium of people under ethnic lines to form organizations is not only unobtrusive, it is uncivilized. It is bad for the country, and above all for economy and a political discipline the nation wishes to establish.
  I wish the opposing forces in Ethiopia discontinue organizing under ethnic lines, but establish a democratic and centralized organization to coordinate and lead a struggle for speeding up the fall of TPLF. TPLF fears the most the unity of Ethiopians, and tries its best not to see any form of organizations by Amharas or forge alliances of democratic forces. Since there is no justice in the country, Amharas must defend its rights by all means available on its disposals. However, at the end, the struggle has no alternatives other than establish a true democracy, freedom and justice to every citizen in the country.  Finally, from now on to those who call Amharas in a derogatory term or such as neftegna, we should reciprocate by calling them Ascaris (slave of Italian Fascist).

  
   
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  staff3 10:24 AM on May 4, 2012 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Milestone or tombstone? EPRP’s 40 years of struggle
  By Obo Arada Shawl

  May 1, 2012

  Introduction
  Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Party (EPRP) was formally founded on a week long underground conference April 2 – 9, 1972. Four decades have elapsed since that time. Is this a milestone or a tombstone? That is everybody’s inquiry.

  By milestone, I mean a significant point in political development and by tombstone (with small letter t); I am referring to a tombstone where geographically Tombstone is a town in Southern east Arizona. The place of Tombstone is where a 30 second gunfight was carried out for the possession of silver mining. Tombstone is now a historical museum in Arizona. Who can say EPRP deserves a milestone (landmark political history in Ethiopia and Eritrea) or a museum like Tombstone in Arizona, please stand up!

  I hope this article will answer at least the basic questions whether EPRP deserves a milepost in the modern Eathiopian history or a tombstone with no epitaph.

  At any time in history & cultureβ, of people, questions of unity, sovereignty and peace of a country comes up frequently. The case of Ethiopia or Eritrea is no exception to these concepts. I stand witness to the political history as well as culture of both countries of Eritrea and Ethiopia aka ኤትዮጵያ- Eathiopia

  What was EPRP’s position on Unity, sovereignty (democracy) and Peace? Who were its members and supporters? What were the mission and vision of EPRP? Did the Party have political philosophy/ideology? Above all did the Party have a plan of action? Last but not least, does the Party still exist?

  I would like to answer the above questions albeit briefly within the framework of my personal and societal obligation and not political affiliation.
  EPRP’s position on Unity, Democracy and Peace
  Everyman’s approach towards understanding the above concepts could not be uniform; some elements of EPRP were anti intellectual while the Party’s real position was anti elitism. There is a real difference between these two concepts. The former concept of intellectual is about reason while the latter elite relates about the status of individuals in society. For this reason, there were lots of row among Ethiopian and Eritrean college students during the Revolutionary struggle. Political history reveals that Eritrean college professors and students freely interchange elitism with nationalism. They have avoided philosophy – the basis for reasoning. That may be irrelevant with today’s selfish generation but it was not with the selfless generation of the 60s, 70s and 80s.
  What is Unity?
  Among leaders of EPRP, unity is sought from diversity. For this reason, the Party was popular. It is a fact that the Ethiopian Student Movement that culminated in the formation of EPRP emerged victorious simply for its diversity not only on issues of personality but also with ideas and issues of the day.

  Diversity was not only symbolic as in ritual or heroes but also in values as well. Even during the Third phaseз of EPRP’s struggle, it is documented that EPRP was for diversity. Debteraw once wrote “we have said vive la difference.” He wrote this even when the Party was driven out of Tigrai province. So unity in EPRP’s parlance is beyond words. It has essence and substance.

  What about democracy? The core venue of EPRP was democracy. Its symbol, its slogan and its rhetoric was/is democracy and/or DEMOCRACIA. That is, small d for its members and capital D for its associates and supporters. Before the world raises the slogan of democracy to signify for individuals and as well as for communities. EPRP was way ahead of the concept and its future significance. In actual fact, I know no organization in Africa’s liberation movements that sacrificed for or rallied around democracy so much. I would tend to think these days that EPRP (d) is a microcosm of the Party element despite many allegations and innuendoes. Capital letter D or small letter d is no alien concepts for those who really understand and follow the nature of EPRP. It is no different than saying WE and ME interchangeably.

  So much so, the party’s main political organ was named locally democracy – ዴሞክራሲያ DEMOCRACIA – ዲሞክራሲያ. Actually, EPRP and its members have “cried” so to speak for 40 years. Thanks to its members and associates that they made it possible for the word to become a household word in Eathiopia. Historical documents reveal that EPRP’s milestone for democracy goes back half a century ago. Its martyred members and supporters deserve a shaped tombstone engraved with a plaque, pillar, cross, tablet, shrine, obelisk, memorial or any other inscription written as “remember me for D and d”- showing unity in diversity.

  What about peace? Why was it necessary for EPRP to coalesce around peace? Peace is the only valuable asset for any body or community to survive and prosper. Without peace, Eathiopia couldn’t have survived for millennia. And so the Eathiopian Student Movement asked the then Ethiopian Imperial government to bring peace to Bale, Godjam and above all to Eritrea. Eritrea has been separated from Ethiopia for sixty years and it has made an impact at least politically among progressive student activists. There was a need to negotiate for peace with Eritreans. One of EPRP’s hall of fame was the struggle for peace in Eritrea. EPRP has never advocated for war in Eritrea. As I have repeatedly argued that EPRP’s also known as EPRA was a አንቂ – self-defense army.

  EPRP’s members honestly believed that Eritrea would not cede from Ethiopia provided peace and democracy prevailed. A Referendum could have solved the Eritrean case. See my article on Referendum on Imblta dated …

  Who were the supporters of EPRP? Who were/are its members? It is impossible to document members and associate members of the Party. The only way to find out is when and if peace and democracy reigns in Eathiopia. Although the party functions clandestinely, its members and associates relate through its party, army and mass organizations such as workers union, women, teachers, traders and professionals and the Youth. As long as there is a slogan for democracy and peace, everyone and everybody in Eathiopia relates to EPRP. That is the glue upon which the Party survives against all odds.

  As far as communication and relationship are concerned, I have come to realize that the Party members, leaders and others communicate in their daily lives in the following manner.
  • EPRP members communicate Heart to Heart
  • EPRP leaders communicate Head to Head
  • EPRP supporters communicate Soul to Soul

  What about it mission and vision? I personally believed that the Party’s vision would be one Flag, one Fidel and many freedoms. Now, we have two flags, different alphabets and few freedoms. EPRP’s mission was to distribute land to the tillers, make the bureaucracy efficient and to honor national bourgeois. That meant three thronged fight anti-feudalism; anti-bureaucracy and anti-imperialism i.e. both imperialism of America and Soviet Union – was time honored struggle. Whether this time honored struggle is obvious to the common man is another question. But the Party’s vision for hardworking and discipline was clear. Eathiopians inside the country and abroad are seen to work hard though for the wrong reason. The current governments of Eritrea and Ethiopia push for cash value. EPRP used to advocate for Education for the value of education is inculcated in May Day which means that the value of work will translate into the love of humanity and prosperity. EPRP’s mission and vision go hand in hand.

  How about its philosophy or ideology? It was well known among the student movement who galvanized the Ethiopian Revolution to follow philosophy. What do we mean by philosophy? Ethiopian University students at that time used to believe in the philosophy of poverty whereas the Eritreans laurel themselves in the poverty of philosophy. For Eritrean students philosophy was meant to get more information about the world, their birth place and themselves whereas for Ethiopian students, philosophy was meant to be useful to help them understand the things they already know and to understand them better than previous eras. Eritreans were looking to natural/social sciences and above all for colonial history. Unfortunately, Ethiopian history on colonialism was bitter to swallow.

  The Adwa case was a point of reference. Unless and otherwise Eritreans and Ethiopians namely the MI (Meles & Issais) partners and their followers resolve their differences on this issue, it will continue to add fuel like that of Badme for generations to come. Adwa III should take precedence over Adwa I and Adwa IIµ.

  What was the plan of action?
  EPRP members have organized themselves to narrow this gap by thinking philosophically. It was done meticulously step by step to identify their class enemy ማንቃት – Mankat, get them organized – ማደራጀት Maderajet and empower ማስታጠቅ – Mastatek – people with resources. Their opponents such as EPLF and TPLF worked backwards. They armed their people before they educate them. While Meison, another arch enemy of EPRP confused the Eathiopian populace by rearranging the steps as staggered as first, second and third, the Party of EPRP would carry simultaneously its mission.

  Meison’s mission was without purpose, it was as if changing people to bricks. EPRP’s act was purposefully done. That is to say there was some goal they all have in mind. In other words, the difference between Meison and EPRP was philosophical between Means and Ends. EPRP’s thinking was always in the Means not in the Ends. የትም ፍጪው ዱቄቱን አምጪው – did/does not reverberate with EPRP.

  The ideology of EPRP was common experience and common sense. In order to assess EPRP’s struggle for Revolutionary change, one needs a sustained reflection and reasoning. A three-hours reading per day was a requirement to become a full member of EPRP. While the reading materials mostly reflect that of Leftist literature, there was no restriction not to read other books of interest. It is no wonder that the party was rigid as it could be. E pluribus Unum meaning many uniting into one (out of many one) as in EPRP d and D.

  Does the Party Exist?
  The question is perhaps the single most relevant one for both Eritreans and Ethiopians. But for me, it is one of the dumpiest questions I have so far encountered in my urban life.

  By urban life, I mean those sections of the population who lived or travelled along the five routes that radiate from Addis Ababa.

  That is the main arterial roads going from
  1. AA to Asmara via Wolo and Tigrai
  2. AA to Asmara via Godjam and Gondar.
  3. AA to Kurmuk via Wellega.
  4. AA to Gambella via Illubabor.
  5. AA to the main arterial networks going from Addis Ababa to the rest of the country, south, south east, south  west and east to Assab.

  The inhabitants who live along these routes definitely know the government and business sectors. The power of the government officials and cash of the merchants play a heavy handed role for the consumers. In other words, they are at the mercy of government officials for their lives and services. Under these towns no one was a citizen or a consumer in the real sense of the word. Whoever demands for public or private service, the government police and courts are right after them.

  I don’t believe these injustices and corruption has changed neither during the Derg nor under the TPLF regimes for these sectors of the economy. Those who ask for the rights of consumers or for any other citizens right, they were labeled as anarchists, anti-revolution, secessionist or members of EPRP.

  What about those who live abroad who want to return to their home countries but could not? They are basically EPRP at heart. That is, their desire for personal freedom and social justice is the same as that of EPRP.

  Urban development in Eathiopia has taken place along the roads.  This trend has not changed much. It is possible even today that the urban population knows or hears about the Party of DEMOCRACIA as the word democracy has penetrated deep into the psychic of all urban dwellers. Thanks to the sacrifice of EPRP members and supporters. The survival of EPRP is equivalent to the flourishing of democracy in Eathiopia.

  Conclusion
  Two years after the formal foundation of EPRP in April 1972, the Portuguese dictatorial regime who ruled for fifty years has collapsed. On that year the American President Richard Nixon resigned. It was a bad omen for the Empire of Ethiopia. Nationalists came to power everywhere and Marxist began to shore up for power. The spirit of democratic value was enshrined among the members of EPRP. Democracy was neither a luxury nor a Western concept as was envisaged by the opponents of EPRP. Democracy has a universal value. That was neither Russian nor American. It was Eathiopian too. The exchange of prize between Wallelign and Zewge Fanta was a case in point.

  To concretize it, we have stated that EPRP has a vision, a mission, and a goal and a plan of action, what’s needed is a resource or budget to implement it.

  Fortunately or unfortunately, EPRP are those who sacrifice their land, property, and their lives to the cause of the Eathiopian Revolution. The Eathiopian Revolution is a continuum. It is a human race for peace not prosperity as the current Meles government attempt to portray a distorted picture of Eathiopian realty.

  But who leads this Eway Revolution of Ethiopia. Obviously, it has started 40 years ago and it is still continue to the present day. The journey will end in 2013 as predicted.

  The Heavenly Stars have existed to hover over Eathiopia since the beginning of life on Earth. One can see with a naked eye. No one needs a telescope or a microscope in the land of Adam and Eve. One needs to synchronize the heart and the mind. The mind for the microscope and the heart for the telescope – that is the Eathiopian way or the EPRP way.

  PostScript
  What’s more interesting is the fact that the Stars gave us direction as to how to relate and follow them with our heart via DOB.
  Where is Tupac? That is the question for African American
  Where is Haile Sellasie I? That is the question for Ras Tefferians.
  Where is Debteraw? That question was asked by Getachew Redda of Semay. There was no follow up though. May be Getachew is looking up in the sky. But I know that DEBTERAW IS NOT DEAD. He is here on Earth. Our mission is to find him before aliens find him. He belongs to the Human race. He is ours.

  The search for DEBTERAW is the key to reconciliation and for maintenance of the Peace Machine. DEBTERAW represents rebel with a cause, arts & culture; philosophy/religion; compassion/passion; and above all courage to bring freedom to “d” and “D” and justice to all humanity. Let us immortalize him. 

  TRUTH WILL

  For questions and comments
  woldetewolde@yahoo.com

  
   
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  staff3 10:29 AM on April 27, 2012 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Interview with W/O Gennet Girma 

  Ondarossa Radio

  
   
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  staff3 9:04 AM on April 22, 2012 Permalink | Log in to leave a Comment  

  Reporters Without Borders creates mirror of radio station’s blocked website

  Published on Wednesday 4 April 2012. Updated on Tuesday 3 April 2012.
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  Reporters Without Borders has today launched a mirror site of radio La Voix de Djibouti’s website, http://lavoixdedjibouti.com, in order to help circumvent the government’s censorship and allow the population to have access to a news sources to which it is being denied.

  The media freedom organization invites Internet users to go to http://lavoixdedjibouti.rsf.org in order to access an exact copy of the original site.

  “As this is a country without media freedom, where only government propaganda is tolerated, we think it is crucial to help the population to gain access to other news sources,” Reporters Without Borders said. “While it is true that the level of Internet use is still low in Djibouti, it is not negligible, and use of social networks in particular is growing. The population will now be able to read critical news bulletins online.”

  A Europe-based exile radio station that supports the opposition Renewal and Development Movement (MRD), La Voix de Djibouti began by broadcasting on the short wave and then switched to being a web radio but the authorities have blocked access to its website from within Djibouti.

  More information about freedom of information in Djibouti

  Read the latest Reporters Without Borders press releases about this country

  Reporters Without Borders creates mirror sites to combat censorship

  So that independent news websites that are targeted by cyber-attacks and government blocking can continue posting information online, Reporters Without Borders has started mirroring sites. The first sites to be mirrored were those of the Chechen magazine Dosh and the Sri Lankan online newspaper Lanka-e News. The organization has also been urging Internet users all over the world to create more mirrors of these sites in a chain of solidarity.

  Mirror sites can be used to circumvent blocking by governments. Although the government of Djibouti is blocking access to La Voix de Djibouti’s site, http://lavoixdedjibouti.com, by blocking the site domain name or the hosting server’s IP address, Internet users can still access the Reporters Without Borders mirror site, http://lavoixdedjibouti.rsf.org, because it is hosted on another server with another domain name.

  The mirror site will be regularly and automatically updated with all the new content posted on the original site. If the mirror is itself later also blocked, the creation of further mirror sites together with a regularly updated list of these mirrors will continue to render the blocking ineffective in what is known as a Streisand effect.

  Reporters Without Borders urges Internet users who want to help combat censorship and have the ability to host a site on a web server to follow suit. Send the URL of the mirror site you have created to wefightcensorship [at] rsf.org. The next mirroring operations launched by Reporters Without Borders will be reported on the @RSF_RWB and @RSFNet Twitter accounts with the #RSFmirror hashtag.

  http://en.rsf.org/djibouti-reporters-without-borders-creates-04-04-2012,42238.html