What is the Fuss All About?

Barii Ayano, PhD* | October 14, 2013

1. Introduction

I just finished reading the latest book of Tesfaye Gebreab, “YeSidetegnaw Mastawesha”, over the weekend. I bought his previous two books. I feel guilty to read this one for free online. After I completed reading the book, my question is this: What is the Fuss All About? Why the Ethiopianists are mad at the content of the book? Even compared to Tesfaye’s books, this is not parallel to the “YeBurqa Zimita” in raising the complex issues of the Ethiopian Empire, as it related to the Oromo people. It is very basic, with very basic stories.

I am more perplexed with the attitudes of the Diaspora Amhara elites, who cry rivers to stop the publication of the book, than the contents of the book. I have not read any dramatic issues that I have not heard before. Actually, what is embodied in the book, including the part that deals with Caaltuu, is among the very basic stories we Oromos heard zillions of times. Not only we heard; many of us endured what Chaltu endured in the Ethiopian Empire school system. Unless the narrow Ethiopianists have turned themselves to deaf and blind, the discrimination against Oromo students was news less than a year ago at Addis Ababa University, Arat Kilo. Similarly, the same problem ensued at different universities across Ethiopia. I think they are cultured to hide everything.

2. Narrow Ethiopianism: Contrary to Freedom of Speech and Expression

The paradox of Ethiopianists’ thinking is mind boggling. On the one hand, they preach 24/7 they stand for all kinds of individual rights and declare that the democracy they dream for Ethiopia will be based on all-inclusive individual-rights that parallel the world best.  On the other hand, the same individuals turn around and chase individuals to the end of the world for writing basic satires to record what ensued and ensues in Ethiopia. Their relentless wars against Jawar Mohammed and now Tesfaye Gebreab are cases in point. Simplified, Ethiopianists have created their narrow version of every tenet that humans advanced for positive human interactions and collective peaceful coexistence. Individual rights also have completely different meaning for them.

They define unity as uniformity, conformity their dictation. They define democracy as exclusive club of Amhara elites and Amharanized elite’s version of narrow Ethiopianism.  They preach individuals’ rights as the basis for peaceful coexistence and democracy. Yet, they only endorse those who talk like them, write like them, and act (think) like them. If you cross these set lines, you don’t have individuals’ freedom of speech and expression. They control the way you practice your freedom. You get your freedom if they endorse you.

I think narrow Ethiopianists, who grew up under dictatorial culture and multitudes of hierarchy in every aspect of life, are culturally challenged and disabled to understand what unity, democracy and freedom of speech and expression real mean. The dictatorial culture controls their mindset and guides their understanding of everything. They don’t have a mindset (flexible mentality) to understand and acknowledge the suffering of others either. The sickness of the Ethiopian political culture stinks to high heaven.

3. Most Oromos Endured/Endure Caaltuus’ Predicaments

Tesfaye addressed in his book the basics of what Oromo students encountered and still encountering in Ethiopia. No part of it surprising. No part of it is an exaggerated fiction. No part of it can induce rage in Oromos; it might only activate our childhood bad memories. Many of us were Caalatuu’s shoes, and we have had many Caaltuu’s among our family and relatives. We have heard much more horror stories than what Caaltuu endured.

Tesfaye eloquently narrated very basic stories on how the garrison towns treat Oromos. Changing names by Amhara teachers or Amharanized relatives is not news either. Narrow Ethiopianists just need to look around them: the Amharanized Oromos among them. I personally know more than a dozen of people, who lost both their names and father names. Some Oromo brothers and sisters, who hail from the same fathers and mothers, have different fathers’ names. Why? For some of them, their fathers’ names were changed while registering in schools. For some Oromos, the change of their names and fathers did not even go past “yeQes timhir bet”. Instead of facing the ugly historical factors, narrow Ethiopianists want to hide it from us.

They don’t have thinking capacities to contemplate that Tesfaye’s writing does not teach Oromos anything new in this front. We lived it and still living the discrimination in garrison towns. Actually, the book may teach the Amhara elites and the pseudo Amharas few facts. If they have bones in them, they face and acknowledge the historical injustices, which are zillion times more horrid than what the book explains, in order to charter a better future.

In other words, the content of the book cannot incite rage in Oromos against the perpetuators of the crimes since it presents nothing new that Oromos never heard. It’s the denial of it; it is the lack of acknowledging the historical injustice that breeds rage. I am angry at those who banned the book from publication. Even more so, who the hell will trust those who operate with the feudal warlords’ mindset and still want to lie to us about the injustice we live through in Ethiopia? Who will trust those who hide facts about Oromos?

Oromos don’t need to read books to recall the injustice in Ethiopia against Oromos and other conquered people. Actually, the best reminders of the injustice are the pigheaded narrow Ethiopianists who panic fearing some truth will come out through some book and ban its publication. More importantly, it shows us that the narrow Ethiopianists do not have the agenda to change the ugly course of the past. Yet, they dare to talk about reconciliation. Alas! I forgot! they are culturally challenged to understand reconciliation.

Caaltuu’s aunt likes are living among the Diaspora Ethiopianists. It’s a simple fact that like the Amharanized garrison town residents, Oromos in the Ethiopianist camps severe everything Oromo to join the Ethiopianist camps. These include Afaan Oromo, Oromo music, Oromo culture, etc. It’s impossible to comprehend when they claim that they are “proud Ethiopianist Oromos”. Just like Caaltuu’s aunt in the book, they are ashamed of everything about the Oromo-self. There is nothing they show case their pride in being an Oromo. Rather, they should just claim “we are proud Amharanized Ethiopians” and live with it. If they try to embody some elements of the Oromo-self into Ethiopianism, they would earn some respect. They surrender everything to wear Amharanized-self, and surrender head-first at that.

*Barii teaches Economics and Finance at the USA Universities.

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Previous works of Dr. Barii on ayyaantuu.com:

8. Unity in Diversity vs. Disunity in Diversity in the Context of Ethiopia - Oct 11, 2013
7. Debunking the Illusions and Confusions of Narrow Ethiopianism (III) - Sept 29, 2013
6. Debunking the Illusions and Confusions of Narrow Ethiopianism (Part II) - Sept 11, 2013
5. Debunking the Illusions and Confusions of Narrow Ethiopianism (Part I) - Sept 8, 2013
4. Seife Nebelbal Radio interviews Dr. Bari Ayano - Aug 2, 2013
3. Ethiopia Ranks 121 out of 144 in Global Competitiveness - Oct 8, 2012
2. Oromia: The Role of National Identity in Nation Re-building - Mar 17, 2012
1. Ethiopia: The Futile GTP Propaganda Campaign in the Diaspora - Apr 13, 2011

=>ayyaantuu

STOP THE SUFFERING OROMO PEOPLE

By  Mekonenn Elalla Fekadu | October 14, 2013

Mekonenn Elalla

The tribal TPLF regime which spent 17 years of guerrilla fighting in jungle before coming to power in 1991 to govern the country for the last 22 years does not seem to have any concern or knowledge for the internationally accepted human right protocols leave aside to abide by the rules and regulations. By its very nature, TPLF is a jungle born tribal party which is incapable to administer Ethiopia in respect of contemporary, civilized thinking of governance. Its inadequacy to lead the country has proved itself in these 22 years when it induces the rule of jungle, force and terror to stay in power. Here after, no one expects TPLF to realize the importance of freedom and democracy to govern a sovereign country. If one thinks that the time is still early for this tribal regime to update itself and respect civilian rights, he or she must be the one who dreams the sun to rise on west and set in the east. No one is optimist to any form of positive change as long as this government is on power.

More than ever, today, the Oromo people which constitute the total population have become determined not to sustain any form of oppressions. Incarcerating and killing Oromos who ask their rights, administering severe corporal punishment on those who exercise their freedom of speech and press, exiling those who stand against any kind of partial or racist treatment, and persecuting Oromoscholars to flee the country are among the major administration policies of TPLF. In general, what the regime is committing against the Oromo people could be considered as an act of genocide. For the world surprise, those codes of crimes TPLF penalized in life or death sentence are undisputed human rights across the continents including Africa. Unfortunately, even if TPLF is not exercising it in reality, some of the charges that many Oromo people are being left in prisons are clearly stated as civil rights on the constitutional documents (papers) of the country. To TPLF shame and guilt, as if the country has two distinct constitutions and two classes of citizens, rules and regulations that deny the very rights of some are being implemented to liberate and empower others.

The tribal regime of TPLF that segregates citizens in race and language for preferential access of education, work and safe life has faced a strong reaction and opposition from Oromo people which make more than of the population count. This abundance put imminent threat to TPLF that it will be overwhelmed by number and power. This in turn brings a continuous persecution and a deliberate, systematic, or wanton infliction of physical or mental suffering for Oromo people regardless of sex, age and region across the country. The case of those 69 Oromo innocents who are suffering in prison not for any justified reason or crime but simply for being Oromo and asking their rights is a simple justification for TPLF’s aggression.

Since the onset of TPLF regime, the number of Oromo people put behind bars and racked at different places in Kality, Zeway, Shewarobit, and Diredawa is getting higher. Those 69 Oromo prisoners, who are collectively jailed under the command of the deceased Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, just a year and two months before his death, have faced a gruesome torture in their prison cells. These prisoners have neither been tried in front of any legal court nor have knowledge for what kind of transgression they committed to end up in prison. Recently, after being told to get a hearing on 6^th of July, suddenly they received a prolongation of date by four months on which they expressed their deep discontent and appealed to the office of the Prime Minister. However, their right to appeal for the PM office triggered the prison management’s anger and they become subjected for harsh and sever punishment from the authorities. These innocent prisoners put in a group, tied their hands and feet to endure a shocking revenge. Some of the hospital source have disclosed many of them have been left with sever physical injuries. Among those who have been tortured in inhumane manner, eight of them were critically injured and lost their conscious before taken to a hospital. According to eye witnesses, prior to their severe corporal punishment, those 69 prisoners were grouped in to three. These people have also testified that the walls and floors of those rooms where the prisoners savagely tortured were stained with blood and had been washed and cleaned for a day long.

In addition to this, Engineer Tesfahun Chemeda, who lost his life after a long time imprisonment and torture in Kality prison, is regrettable, unforgettable and unforgivable loss for us, Oromo people as a whole. This act of crime will never stop or pull back our struggle against TPLF regime; and we keep shouting to expose its offence against Oromos to the world wide nations. We will never surrender until a neutral body examines the cause of his death and we, as Oromo, and his beloved family get justice against the killers.

This crime and inhumane treatments of TPLF being administered on Oromo people is a part and parcel of a day to day gruesome acts of the regime against the nation and nationalities of Ethiopia. Therefore, the Oromo people calls every individual people of the country to feel and consider this oppression as a crime committed against his or her livelihood to stand together to pull out the already rotten government. When the Oromo people are attacked, Afar, Sidamo, Somalis, Wolitas, and other nation and nationalities should come forward reinforce the struggle since TPLF dictatorial rule and oppression is without exception. As the Oromo people committed and making life sacrifices to bring a revolutionary change, it calls other oppressed groups to join its struggle to eradicate the regime and to smash its racial and partial yoke the people have been carrying for the last 22 years.

=>ayyaantuu

Miseensotni EPRDF ji’a tokko keessatti baay’inaan 20,000 ol tahan miseensummaa fi hojii siyaasaa EPRDF keessaa bahuuf iyyannoo galfatan

Miseensotni EPRDF ji’a tokko keessatti baay’inaan 20,000 ol tahan miseensummaa fi hojii siyaasaa EPRDF keessaa bahuuf iyyannoo galchuu isaanii qabeenyi humna namaa HRM federaalaa saaxile

Mataan mootummaa wayyaanee Mallas Zeenaawwiin erga du’aan boqotee amanamtoota EPRDF kan tahan hedduumminaan ofitti amantamummaa dhabaa dhufuun isaanii beekamaa dha. Haalli kun daran jabaachaa kan dhufe hojjettootni siyaasaa EPRDF fi miseensotni EPRDF yeroo dheeraa yeroo amma miseensummaa of irraa haquu fi dirqama mootummaa wayyaaneen kennu galmaan geessisuu dhabuun jabaataa dhufee jira. Haalli kunis yeroodhaa gara yerootti dabalaa dhufuun ji’a tokko duwwaa keessatti miseensotni EPRDF kan tahan miseensummaa EPRDF of irraa haquuf Human resorce managment tti iyyannoo galchatan baay’inaan 20,000 ol tahuu HRM federaalaa saaxilee jira. Hojjettootni siyaasaa mootummaa wayyaanee baay’inaan hamma kana tahan ji’a tokko duwwaa keessatti duwwaa iyyannoo miseensummaa fi hojii siyaasaa irraa dhaabbachuuf iyyannoo galchuun isaanii hangafummaan bututa mootummaa wayyaanee fi jijjiirama walii galaa kan hubatan tahuu irraa tahuu HRM saaxilee jira. Mootummaan wayyaanee haala kanaan burkutaa’aa deemuun isaa yaaddoo miseensota EPRDF tahuu irraan qeerroon bilisummaa wareegama qaqqaalii kaffalee guutummaan bittinsuuf hojii jabaa haala yeroo kamuu ol baasuu isaa addeessa.

=>qeerroo

Tesfaye Gebreab Ye Gazetangaw Mastawashya

Dear DMV Oromo People, brothers and sisters and friends of Oromo people who are following the writer and journalist Tesfaye Gebreab situation. as you may all know, the Oromo community ofWashington DC is deeply heart broken by the sad news that is spreading across the social media for the past couple of weeks. It is very sad and heart breaking to know that one of our brother Tesfaye Gebreab has also become a victim of Oromophobia and lost the economic benefits that he should have gotten from his new book, "Ye Gazetangaw Mastawashya." He decided to share his Original copy of the book for free without any economic benefits after putting so many efforts and hard work; just to stick to his principles and to safeguard his moral integrity. 

 However, We the Qubee generation of Washington DC have managed to Organize a fundraising event at 811 Upshur St Nw, Washington, DC 20011, Oromo center on Friday October 18th 2013 at 7:00pm just to cover some of his losses. They offered him to publish his book excluding Chapter 7, and they agreed to pay him what they estimated around 35,000 to 40, 000 US dollars. However, Tesfaye refused to take the offer when they say he has to remove Chapter 7 of the book because it means bowing down to the immoral demands of the Oromophobians and advocates of practices of censorships. He could have agreed to publish the book without Chapter 7, collected his money and still released free copy of chapter 7 to his readers, but he did not want to do that because as a matter of principle it amounts to agree to the practice of censorship which is one of the oldest and ugliest means of hampering or obstructing the freedom of expression.

 They did not want to publish the story because, after all, it is the story of Oromo people, the people they have been oppressing and disrespecting since the creation of Ethiopian State. I do not have words to express my admiration to this writer and journalist. Nevertheless, by now most of you readers have understood that chapter 7 was not written to achieve some kind of grandiose evil intention as some Amharic Speaking Elites wanted to convince us. That story was narrated by one of our brother. That story was real and it really happened to one of Oromo girl named Chaltu Midhaqsa. What Tesfaye did was just write it in readable and presentable Amharic language and nothing more. That is our story. Most probably the most mitigated story because of so many social and political reasons. Where is Tesfaye’s evil intention to create conflicts in their “EmiyeEthiopia” then? Why Tesfaye has to be blamed because he simply writes what lifes look like for our people in their own cities like Horra Finfinee. However, we are not writing this post to question who should be really blamed for what happened, but rather to say thank you to Tesfaye Gebreab for making our voice heard and to Organize a fundraising that will somehow cover his lost benefits. it is mind boggling for someone to write a masterpiece and suddenly his hard work is not rewarding or even pay back the amount of money he has spent writing the book , so it is up us to let him know that his works and contribution to the Oromo society isn't easily forgotten. For those of you who couldn't make it on the listed day fundraising events you can drop by Oromo center at any time between Friday and Saturday and leave your supports with your name on it. Tesfaye made Oromo peoples voice heard, and we as a community have to return the favor...For more info contact Jafar Abafogi

All Oromo form USA, Europe, Australia  want to support Tefaye Gebreab.

=>oromoparliamentarians

Oromo Refugees Use Veil for Protection, Disguise

By Peri M. Klemm

The adoption of the veil among this group in Kenya’s refugee communities is a new thing, says Peri M. Klemm in this excerpt from “Veiling in Africa.” While there are many reasons for this push, Islam isn’t a motivation for covering up.

October 13, 2013 (WOMENSENEWS)– The adoption of the veil among Oromo refugees living in Eastleigh, Kenya, one the largest urban refugee communities in Africa, is a recent phenomenon.

Women feel increasing pressure to cover their heads and bodies in accordance with the practices of their Somali neighbors and fellow refugees. More and more, as instability and violence escalate, Oromo women are choosing to adopt full hair, head and body covering as a kind of urban camouflage with which to conceal their ethnicity. As one female resident acknowledged, “We grew up free but here we have to cover our faces.”

Yet, just five years ago, Oromo women in Eastleigh proudly wore their cultural dress in public. For refugees with little in the way of material heritage, women’s dress, hairstyles and jewelry have served not only as a vital marker of Oromo identity in their home country of Ethiopia but also as a fundamental assertion of Oromo nationalism in the diaspora.

In the West, the emblematic removal of the veil by Muslim women is a testament to a woman’s sense of empowerment and liberation. For Oromo women, I argue the opposite is true, as only through veiling do women feel free and secure. And while the phenomenon of veiling by Muslim women as a public display of modesty has become a metaphor in Western popular media for female subordination and gender asymmetry, especially post–Sept. 11, 2001, the Oromo example is one in which women veil to protect themselves from harassment, rape and imprisonment. That they feel so threatened is hardly a recommendation for veiling.

Yet whether it is viewed as empowering or repressive by the women themselves, they speak of this choice as a strategy. While women, as reflected in their decorated bodies, have always been viewed as those who create, reproduce and transmit traditional Oromo consciousness (Oromumaa), the wearing of abaya (a long, full dress), hijab (hair, neck, and torso cover) and niqab (facial veil) is a recent and temporary tactic by refugee women to outwardly guard their ethnic affiliation.

Varied Motivations

Dress has become a central, visual strategy within the Muslim refugee community in Eastleigh, where tensions between moderate Muslims and extremists have escalated since 2004. Women’s veiling is a recent condition that communicates the social, political and economic climate of Eastleigh today. It is therefore a newsworthy topic of discussion among friends, family and neighbors, who often note how a woman dresses in public.

Muslim Oromo women and men readily provided the following seven reasons for the increased use of the hijab and niqab by women during my fieldwork.

• Reason 1: To go to nightclubs and other non-Muslim spaces undetected, removing the hijab and abaya once inside to reveal a miniskirt or jeans. This explanation was most popular among unmarried women under 25 years of age. These young women have very little opportunity to meet publicly, hear new popular music, dance and enjoy the company of members of the opposite sex in other contexts.
• Reason 2: To appear in public like rich Somali women. One husband stated, “Somali refugees eat meat every day, drink tea with milk in it every day and their women dress smartly. Oromo women see the way they dress, the ornaments they wear and ask their husbands, ‘why not them?’ Husbands feel they can’t compete and lose pride.” In this sense, Somali dress reflects women’s economic goals. Women did not necessarily view hijab and abaya as a symbol of piety or its owner as any more religious than other women in their community. Instead, the abaya and hijab represented the luxurious, transnational fashions from countries like Saudi Arabia and Oman and gave the wearer a worldly, modern air.
• Reason 3: To appear to be the recipient of support from family and friends in Western countries and thus be subject to less harassment than those who don’t have a connection to outside assistance. Women perceived as Somali, for example, felt they would be less targeted by thieves, as their dress indicates that they have access to wealth and a larger community of support. In other words, Somali men might be more likely to step in and assist a woman who is publicly assaulted on the street or when gathering water or wood away from the camps.

Seeming Religious Affiliations

• Reason 4: To garner support from the more militant mosques which provide alms for the poor and free or inexpensive education for children.
• Reason 5: To appear to embrace a nascent religious fanaticism, especially at times of crisis. This was viewed as a good and a bad thing by different individuals, but all agreed that moderate Muslims such as Shaykh Mohammed Rashad and Shaykh Bakri Saphalo, who advocated for a religious foundation in Oromo heritage, are today publicly denounced by radical Muslim sects in a campaign against moderate Islam. Women want to disassociate from the more moderate movements.
• Reason 6: To dress fashionably and to be modern in accordance with their Islamic belief. When I surveyed Somali and Oromo acquaintances on Facebook in August 2011 who either had lived in Eastleigh or had relatives there, most responded that it is the Islamic way of life to dress modern in abaya and hijab.
• And reason 7: To provide protection from Ethiopian agents. Government officials are thought to disguise themselves as civilians and kill or kidnap refugees who are viewed as anti-Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front and as Oromo Liberation Front supporters. Some Oromo feel that infiltrators are in Eastleigh in order to play one group of Oromo against another, to gather information for the government and to repress Oromo Liberation Front sympathizers and their family members.

The fact that Oromo informants did not mention Islam as the reason for their choice to veil suggests that this fundamental garment equated with Islamic conviction in the non-Muslim world needs further consideration within the African context. The veil is a powerful symbol of disguise that allows Oromo women to blend in, become Somali, appear wealthy and escape persecution. In this sense, veiling is a potent means of survival at this moment.

This essay is excerpted from “Veiling in Africa,” edited by Elisha P. Renne. Available from Indiana University Press. Copyright 2013.

Peri M. Klemm is an associate professor of art history at California State University, Northridge. Elisha P. Renne is a professor in the department of anthropology and the department for Afroamerican and African Studies at the University of Michigan. She is author of “The Politics of Polio in Northern Nigeria” (IUP, 2010).

=>ayyaantuu

Can a Democracy Trickle down in Africa?

Yaadasaa Dafa | October 12, 2013

Yaadasaa Dafa

Can a Democracy trickle down the pipe line of the African states’ governmental apparatus when the dictators of African nations declare to follow the Democratic governing system?  I wish it could be that simple, but practical experiences after experiences had proved to the contrary.  This could be fundamentally due to their undemocratic nature and means they contrived and captured their respective country’s central governments. Once they succeed to overthrow the previous regimes with power of the gun, they often declare to be a better, and the only democratically oriented governing system, as opposed to the previous regimes. But in reality, it will be the beginning of yet another subjugation and government corruption system for the people of that nation under the tribal self proclaimed supremacy, or hegemony of the dictator’s tribe who happen to climb unto the power of the country. It is true that when they just appear on power, such dictators will swear in all the preludes of the Democracy so as to gain the internal as well as the international agencies support for their governments.

When changes of government occurs in majority of the African Nations, people often witness and conclude that the era of wrong imprisonment, mistreatment, and violation of basic human rights is over for that African nation. But as soon as it appears to these dictators that they have consolidated their power in running the country, they suddenly suffer memory loss or sever amnesia of their previous promises/claims to their people, but to the contrary, strengthen their spies and secret services agents, polish their power abusing techniques so as to manipulate and circumvent the established law and order of their developing nations, including all the Democratic principles known to other Democratic Nations of the world. Sooner, these dictators prove to the whole peace loving Nations of the World  that the Democratic principle they are proclaiming is just a trade mark, and what a marvelous conundrum and means of justifying their regime’s corruptions and abuses of power can the pseudo claims of Democracy serve, and be enjoyed at the expenses of the majority of their respective Nation’s!!!! To this end we do have abundant practical examples of regimes of Africa nations robbing their own people in the day light, while swearing to be following principles of Democracy!!!!!

The moral and material International support obtained during the length of stay of such regimes on the power, often obtained under the presumptions of undertaking legal and institutional reform are frequently sent to the banks in the most safer foreign lands such as Switzerland, or utilized purposefully  to consolidate their power by dismantling the established state apparatus and replacing it by their own sectarian/tribal  controlled institutions. More rapidly,  there will be no public institution — the military, judiciary, civil service and regulatory agencies — outside the control of these dictators and their surrogates. Military assistance is one of the plan regularly targeted to be among the major programs sponsored by the Foreign powers to be misused for their own inhumane agendas. Judicial independence will be something alien to them.  The appointment, training, promotion, transfer, and tenure of the civil servants are subject to heavy-handed manipulation by these regimes to subvert the legal system of their countries to serve the political and economic interests of those in power. There will be no safeguard against arbitrary decisions by such government officials. In effect, the regime will have the absolute power to pass any legislation, to enforce or ignore any of the procedural status. In other words, such dictators will appoint themselves to be the kings of that Nation for life. As we have seen and heard on the news, in many African countries, the dictators do control their Nation’s electoral boards so that no other citizen will have the chance even to challenge them, let alone winning the election and forming another administrations. The World have witnessed what had taken place just within this half of a century in African Nations such as Zimbabwe, Ethiopia, Kenya, and the list goes on. In the case of Ethiopia, the following dealings are the daily living facts for the hard working proud Ethiopian people.

Short Review of the relationship between OPDO and its creators/founders:

…..” The President of the Oromia Regional State by then, Abadula Gemeda (real name: Menase Wolde Giorgis), has accepted to hand a villa back to the State in response to an appeal by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.   The former minister Junedin Sado yielded a plot of land he owned but did not use.   Other officials in the EPRDF (governing coalition) and the TPLF (the regime’s hard core), however, have declined to follow the example, stating that they had paid with blood for all they own today.  Executives in the ANDM such as Addisu Legese (the owner of the Papyrus Hotel in Bahar Dar), Bereket Simon (road haulage) and Tefera Walwa (refuse collection) preferred to remain silent on the matter. Meanwhile, Abadula Gemeda has attributed land to President Girma Woldegiorgis at Alem Gena, near Addis Ababa, where the expropriated peasants are complaining that they have not been paid any compensation.   Source: The Indian Ocean Newsletter, The book and the corruption January 29th, 2009 Right after a book, published by insider, exposes corruption scandals, Aba Dula Gemeda (real name: Menase Wolde Giorgis), president of the Oromia regional state has donated his villa to the Oromo People’s Democratic Organization (OPDO). OPDO is one of TPLF affiliates created by Meles Zenawi mainly from the captives or POWs of the Derg army during the war aiming at controlling and subjugate the Oromo’s.

According to a book by an insider journalist and a writer close to the ruling party, Tesfaye Gebreab, Aba Dula Gemeda was unable to disclose his income source, to OPDO executives, of building a villa that worth 700,000 ET. Birr. “The issue was brought to the late Meles Zenawi” The book reads, “We can’t touch Aba Dula as we don’t have any loyal person [from OPDO] to replace him. ” Zenawi responded.   The puppet president of the Oromia Region, Aba Dula Gemeda, who faced another challenge, had donated his villa to OPDO sometimes ago, according to the weekly reporter, Amharic news paper. The news paper also commented on Mr. Junedin Saddo, by then, a senior OPDO member and minister of science and technology who donated his embezzled plot of land in Adama to his party. “Junedin didn’t say anything about his 3 million Birr worth villa at Letafo.”   The paper said, OPDO is accumulating wealth embezzled from the poor by its leaders.   Several sources are unfolding that the looting and suffering of citizens has continues in the last two decades and half of TPLF’s rule.   Government’s anti-corruption efforts are meant to destroy political foes than the loyal corrupts like Aba dula Gemeda. To that end an anti-corruption commission has been formed in Ethiopia since 2001. By then former prime minister, Tamerat Layne and defense minister, Seye Abraha were victim of dubious corruption charges who served 12 and 6 years respectively in prison.

According to Transparency International, Ethiopia is still classified as one of the most corrupt states in the world, as close circle of people in power are looting the nation. The anti-corruption commission itself has proved to be the most corrupt organ of TPLF’s regime. It is very difficult to abandon corruption so long as Meles Zenawi himself is benefiting from it. A recent report indicates that the late Meles Zenawi’s wife, Azeb Mesfin has rented her modern building to state owned telecommunication for 60 million birr.   News obtained from Indian Ocean Newsletter exposes the late Meles Zenawi’s top men are accumulating wealth at the expense of the majority poor. TPLF top people, including Azeb Mesfin, are owning and running dozens of multi-billion companies. All reporters link the systemic and structural nature of corruption with ethno-centric minority rule. One cannot reasonably expect to root out corruption by a one-party, one-man dictatorship setting up a fake anti-corruption commission. It is simply meant to paying lip-service to the cause of good governance to deceive donor countries.   To end up corruptions and sufferings of the Ethiopian nation, people must join hand and fight the root cause of these miseries which is the TPLF regime. Two decades and half in power, but the people in “Ethiopia” have transited from bad to worst in enduring government imposed miseries.  It is true that “TPLF cannot be reformed; same as the apartheid, it should be abolished.”

Conclusion

It is true that change often scares people. As we all know, change could be fruitful, achievable, and a goal to aim for purposefully. But change is also one of the human observable facts that is misused and habitually abused standard for African Nation’s governance.  As we have witnessed practically over and over again in different parts of the African nations’ experiences, the coup de’etas in the government will entitle the dictator and his surrogates to rule and exploit that African Nation for centuries by appointing each-other to the highest post of the country: Case in point; the present shenanigan of Prime Minister ship in Ethiopia. Furthermore, the inferences of the Ethiopian kings makers the Ethiopian Orthodox Churches present also another scenario of democracy being on the slippery slope in Ethiopia. Therefore, we cannot assure ourselves, let alone the readers, that Democracy can trickle down the pipe line of the African states’ governmental apparatus when the dictators of the Africa Nations often declare to follow the pseudo/fake Democratic governing system!!!! It could be an excellent trade mark for soliciting donations from others, but the citizens do know the true reality.

Yaadasaa Dafa

=>ayyaantuu

Africa: More Harsh Words for the Hague At African Union Meeting

The head of the 54-member African Union has said Kenya cannot afford distractions from The Hague. AU leaders are meeting in Ethiopia to discuss the perceived neocolonial biases of the International Criminal Court.

Disillusionment has grown within Africa over the International Criminal Court (ICC). At a two-day extraordinary session of the AU, leaders of several nations accused The Hague of singling out Africans, and demanded that the ICC - the world's first permanent court to try genocide, war crimes and crimes against humanity - drop proceedings against Kenya's leadership.

"The security situation in Kenya remains fragile," said Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, the chairwoman of the AU Commission, referring to a recent terrorist attack at a Nairobi shopping mall. "We should therefore not allow Kenya to slide back for any reason ... This requires the undivided attention of its leadership."

African countries account for 34 of the 122 parties to the Rome Statute, the ICC's founding treaty, which took effect on July 1, 2002. A mass pull-out from the court, which some countries have demanded, could seriously damage the institution.

'The entire Africa'

The ICC charged Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Deputy President William Ruto with crimes against humanity after postelection violence in late 2007 and early 2008 led to the deaths of more than 1,000 people and the displacement of 600,000. Ruto's trial opened in The Hague on September 10, and Uhuru's trial is set to commence on November 12.

The leaders called for a postponement, arguing that their country takes precedence, especially in the wake of a terrorist attack on a shopping mall in the capital, Nairobi that left at least 67 dead. It would appear that many in Africa agree.

"This is not just about Kenya, but definitely about the entire Africa," said Ethiopian Prime Minister and AU Chairman Hailemariam Desalegn. "Our goal is not and should not be a crusade against ICC but a solemn call for the organization to take Africa's concerns seriously," he added. "It is very unfortunate that the court has continued to operate in complete disregard of the concerns that we have expressed."

Not unanimous

The ICC has issued indictments over conflicts in nine countries, all in Africa. AU diplomats say that the court - an independent body and not part of the United Nations system - has turned a blind eye to other parts of the world. The ICC has convicted only one man: an African warlord.

Some, however, see the benefit of an independent international body. Former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, from Ghana, said a pull-out would give Africa a "badge of shame."

In an opinion article, anti-apartheid icon and Nobel peace laureate Desmond Tutu compared ICC opponents to Nazis seeking to evade justice. He also argued that the number of African cases before the court merely reflects on the dismal record of many of the continent's governments.

AU officials have said they would suggest a permanent consultative body to work with the UN Security Council on concerns regarding the ICC.

=>allafrica