Ethiopia : Woyineshet the Model girl

by Dimetros Birku
(borkena) Ethiopian Youth is not only a victim of minority ethnic based tyrannical regime. It is also a victim of global capitalist cultural conquest. A world view that nurture individualism, consumerism, greed, materialism and hedonism ,among other things, are being entrenched as social values in Ethiopia.

These challenges have combined to create unprecedented social malaise. Corruption is fast approaching to become a social value. Crime rate is on the rise compared to Ethiopia ‘s past. Prostitution, which is not by no means all about poverty, is on the rise. Addiction and alcoholism are on the rise. Despite stories of “economic growth,” Ethiopia is being consumed by those social malaise which obviously have economic and political implications.

The political project of the minority ethnic Tigray people’s Liberation Front (TPLF) with regard to the Youth is either to create a morally corrupted and unenlightened support base to echo propaganda related to “development,” which is supposedly a means with which the intent to build ethnic based power in all its forms is covered.

In fact, there is a narrative that some were enticed to join the ranks of the TPLF dominated ruling EPRDF not out of lack of knowledge about dictatorial nature of the regime in power but out of the conviction to struggle for democratic changes from within the ruling party, and of course with the anticipation that the party itself would evolve to an entity committed to principles of equality and democracy. It didn’t happen. The shock, seemingly, was not that there was no move along the path to democratization but that worsening,subtle and unsubtle, parochial power build up and outright repression came to be a pattern.

Account from those who left the party seem to confirm the notion that the ruling TPLF dominated EPRDF is all about ethnic supremacy and power build up with no intention to democratize Ethiopia. Folks like Ermias Legesse went into exile in the US and recounted first hand political experience within the regime in his new book, Ye Meles Trufatoch, a book which I have to read yet. Others like Habtamu Ayalew, who left the party earlier and whom the late Meles Zenawi is said to have hailed as insightful and visionary, decided to challenge undemocratic practices and apartheid like rule of TPLF at home by forming Youth Group Advocacy, Baleraey Wotatoch, which the regime began to see with a sense of enmity soon after its formation – perhaps a factor that convinced Habtamu to commence an outright political advocacy by joining Unity for Justice and Democracy (UDJ.) Now Habtamu, already tortured in Maekelawi, is in jail to face trumped up “terrorism” charges under the phony “anti-terrorism” legislation.

The anti-terrorism legislation took the level of repression to a new height. It fostered the project to repress the section of population that matters most: the Youth. Motive? To make politics, which is demanding human, constitutional and citizenship rights in the context of Ethiopia, sound like an act of terrorism. The only political involvement that is appreciated is to give a hand for repression under the cover of “developmental.”

The result of it all is not as intended. Yes, there are those who lend support to the regime either on grounds of ethnic affiliation or on grounds that they are reduced to be economically dependent on the regime in their very own country. And yes, there are those who are scared of being assertive and took refuge in pursuit of life styles that are perceived to be “cool,” those who live aspiration of hedonism and all those elements of cultural conquest projected “modern” and desirable. However, there are those who reject that and dared to stand up to resist repression.

Woyineshet the Model girl 

Woyinset Molla is a model girl – obviously not model in the sense of the fashion industry. she is the new “cool.” She is a model activist who defended her conscience. She is a model girl who is not distracted by any thing else and obsessed with what matters most freedom and her country. Not naive to give hand to the enslaving cultural conquest which comes in the form of “modernity.”

Not just that. Woyinshet practically rejected the reality that politics in Ethiopia is a dangerous business, what the regime wanted to project, not just for those getting involved in it but even for families. The regime is extremely unpredictable. Yet, she seem to have understood that silence in the face of repression has irreversible long term consequence for Ethiopia.

Woyinshet Molla is a very active member of Semayawi party, Amharic for Blue Party, relatively new opposition party in the country.

For about three years now every Friday, Ethiopian Muslims stage peaceful protest after their Friday prayer demanding for their constitutional right for freedom of religion be respected and the release of their incarcerated leaders. And they have paid in life for that too.

Yesterday was one of those days. They were interrupted in the middle of their prayers in the premises of The Grand Anwar Mosque, in Merkato neighborhood of Addis Ababa – where Woyinset Molla lives. Many were brutally beaten.

Woyineshet is not a Muslim. But she believes that the demands of Ethiopian Muslims is legal and constitutional. And she was not intimidated to show up in the middle of brutal attack against Ethiopian Muslims and show her solidarity. She was not assigned to do so by her party. She did it out of her own conviction to stand up for justice.

Already known for security forces for her unflinching stance against repression, a plain cloth Security who was reportedly videotaping the incident from a nearby building spotted Woyinshet close by the scene of incident. He did not take time to get her and attack her brutally. Apparently, other security forces had to give him a hand to attack Woyinshet and they did not leave her alone even after they unleashed brutal attack on her. She is jailed.

According to reports on Social Media, Woyinshet appeared in a closed court earlier today (it is not common for courts in Addis Ababa to hear cases on weekends). It is expected that TPLF government would charge Woyinshet, who is in fact a victim of state terror, with “terrorism.”

She is reportedly seen with big stitched cut on the left side of her head and with broken and bandaged arm. Worse, ruling party cadres on social media are trying to dehumanize, by way of Scoffing, youth with a defiance spirit to repression and Woyinshet is not spared either. Ostensibly, it is meant to be part psychological component of repression. It does not seem to be productive, though.

What the regime totally forgot is that that repression could have undesired consequence. It can have the very opposite effect of silencing and depoliticizing the Youth. In fact, it is evident that the more the regime is deepening repression the more it is politicizing the youth. And there is the awareness that the intention of the regime is sinister in the long term.

For sure, they will face many millions of the likes of the model Woyinshet in the near future and in many forms actually. They still do not get it that it is unthinkable to sustain ethnic based aspiring supremacist regime.

Clueless Hailemariam and the British hand in Ethiopia

Holding supposedly highest political office and being virtually inconsequential is obviously frustrating, more so for people who expected change –so to speak. It is in that light that I gave a room for speculative interpretation to unelaborated recent status update from a facebook friend: “Obama is an American fraud.” Apparently, Obama seem to have mastery of how to handle the reality of being powerless,or at least not as powerful as he is supposed to be by virtue of the power of the office, while in “power.” His communication skills which earned him a reputation as an eloquent speaker could be part of the trick.

In the context of Ethiopian politics, current Ethiopian prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegne is not only powerless but also he seem to be totally clueless in how to handle the embarrassment of being inconsequential. Unruly impulsiveness, confusion, mimicry (of the former prime minister) and worst of all shallow understanding of issues characterize his public appearances.

It is reached to a point, apparently, that it becomes news when he is not impulsive and able to speak as a politician. It happened in what is said to be “public-private consultative meeting” in Addis Ababa, as reported by Addis Fortune, which was attended by Hailemariam Desalegne and his cabinet members. In that note, Addis Fortune wrote, in its July 6, 2014 online edition, the following under the tile “Face the Business”:

…In an unusually well attended meeting, with the entire cabinet of his administration in attendance, Hailemariam was seen being assertive and articulate [emphasis mine] in responding to all issues raised by chamber leaders and individual businessmen and women on Wednesday,July 2, 2014.

It’s public knowledge that normally Hailemariam is not assertive and articulate. To me,his problem is more than that. He is clueless on many issues of Ethiopian politics.
A few days ago, he had an interview with Emmanuel Igunza, BBC correspondent in Addis Ababa. A five minutes video clip of this interview, which is posted on BBC website, tells it all. Actually one of the question and his answer is worth quoting :

Emannuel: You said that there is a distinction between opposition and what you call terrorist elements. That law [Anti-terrorism law]has been criticized by the International Community for having a broad mandate …that is why the security forces have been accused of arbitrarily detaining example opposition figures.

Hailemariam: that is not true. What we did …We know this accusation would come.So we said let us copy from the British law. If you compare the British terrorist law and that of ours, it is almost similar

I very much doubt if Hailemariam even bothered to read British anti-terrorist law. He rather appeared to be as if he is memorizing a scripted text – much like a telemarketer-not like actively thinking prime minister. And from who else? Meles Zenawi uttered this same statement in the “parliament” in a response to critic against the anti-terrorist law.

In what seem to be a defensive comment,in the same interview with the BBC correspondent, to a question related to repression in Ethiopia, Hailemariam did try to give an impression that the “democratic modern process” is only twenty years young which is overused excuse even by the late Meles Zenawi. Even in the aftermath of the massacre which claimed the lives of well over 200 people in Addis Ababa in a matter of hours in 2005, one of the excuses was “Democracy is a process.” And clueless Hailemariam is reading that from the dead Meles.

Total repression is not a hallmark of starting point for democracy which Hailemariam is clueless about. More importantly, aspiring ethnic-supremacy which manifested itself in the form of creating wealth wealth both as a means and as an end, while controlling all key government structure, ranging from foreign affairs to defense and intelligence and what not, and while at the same time creating an illusion of giving the giving public service an appearance of mulch-ethnic public face to the extent of putting a ceremonial like Prime Minister and ceremonial president at the same time, to sustain real power behind stage and make inter-generational ethnic supremacy agenda absolute reality is in no way young democracy. it does not look like something that can grow into democracy. Hailemariam is also clueless about that too. As a matter of fact, right after the death of Meles Zenawi, the position of Prime minister was unconstitutionally chopped into three pieces in an apparent effort to put down discontent in the ruling coalition. However, TPLF took the slice that matters more.

Hailemariam was asked about skyrocketing price of Teff in the parliament about a year or so ago.Teff has always been a stable cereal crop in Ethiopia. But his reply was, “it is because people who have never tasted Teff, [and this is a reference to Ethiopia, not Teff consumption overseas] started to consume Teff.” Again, his response is literally what the late Meles Zenawi responded to parliamentarians except that Meles’ response was to a question related to sugar.

The British hand in Ethiopia 

Question is how did Hailemariam end up being prime minister? The death of the late prime minister Meles may appear to be full explanation for it but it is tricky. Yes, Hailemariam, unlike the anti-terrorism law, is not copied from current UK politics either.

He just happened to be a servant in an ethnocentric political system which reminiscent of British Colonial Administration – even that of apartheid South Africa except that in the case of Ethiopia British involvement appear to be in disguise and only in the form of technical advisory and mentorship in how to divide and rule which the ruling Tigray People Liberation Front’s (TPLF) elites enjoyed since, at least, it was about to take state power more than 23 years ago by forging alliance with ethnic based rebel groups.

TPLF had even business in the UK and US at a time when it was operating as conventional guerrilla force – a fact confirmed by one of the founders of TPLF, Sebhat Nega, during his interview with VOA Amharic Service some years ago.

In fact, it is now more like public knowledge that the British are confidant to the regime in power in Ethiopia. And there seem to be some degree of awareness that UK is conspiring with and for the regime in power.

Soon after UK government delegates found out that their citizen of Ethiopian decent, Andargachew Tsige (who was abducted by Yemen and forcefully extradited to Ethiopia same day in violations of all international norms), is in the hands of the regime in Ethiopia ,some time in early July, and at a time when the public was expecting that the UK government would exercise their lobby power to protect the legal rights of their extradited citizen, there was news in the state controlled ERTA that UK vowed to renew £300 million in annual financial support to “Ethiopia.” Andargachew is still living torture -physical and mental.

In total contempt to the repressed peaceful struggle in Ethiopia, British Embassy in Addis Ababa called Ethiopian Opposition parties for a meeting to discuss the situation in the country (this you can find it on Sendek Amharic Newspapwer). And this was during the week the British disclosed that they learned about the abduction and extradition of Andargachew Tsige, if they did not learn well before that, in fact. Same week, members of Ethiopian opposition were arrested in what looked like fresh crackdown on the opposition in the name of alleged terror plot related to the abducted British national. Who the British Embassy is kidding, only the British Embassy know.

Erstwhile, Ethiopian opposition appear lured by this idea of diplomatic campaign “ to expose the level of repression in Ethiopia.” The thing is the British diplomats are not ignorant about what apartheid regime looks like. And they are not oblivious to existence of an apartheid like system in current Ethiopia.

My suspicion is that perhaps they even helped shape it. And they are probably thinking in terms of using it sometime in the future to safeguard their interest in Ethiopia and the region. And, of course, what matters to UK is not development or democracy in Ethiopia but its interest- long and short term interest. In what appears to be an excuse for their alliance with the regime in Ethiopia, they seem to radiate the idea that the opposition is weak. But the excuse that Ethiopian opposition is weak is lame, rather. What was the role of the British and the Americans when the opposition was solid back in 2005? Didn’t even they conspire to with regime to weaken the opposition Kinijit?

On a different note, What I don’t understand is why there is no friction, it is not apparent, between British (and western) interest and Chinese interest in Ethiopia. Or is it just to early for the friction to happen? UK (and other western powers too) is spending money in Ethiopia and apparently providing other forms of subtle support to the regime. The fight against terror cannot explain that. China is not spending money. It is rather making money in Ethiopia, including from what western powers spend in Ethiopia,from infrastructure development while providing technological support for repression ( I think that is paid too) to the regime in Ethiopia. And Woyane wants to project its treason as recognition for development and economic growth. Surely, it sounds naive to tell it like it is but the story is rather points to neglected reality: uncolonized Ethiopia is deeply neocolonized and Woyanne, a wealth political entity with firm grasp of power, is a reliable partner in that project.

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The article is published on www.borkena.com  (You may subscribe for daily updates)
The writer can be reached at dbirku@hotmail.com

Tenacious Andargachew Tsige shown on Ethiopian government TV

Probably, the last expression to expect on the face of someone who is subjected to over two weeks of unimaginable physical and emotional torture, someone who is still in the hands of his captors who already sentenced him to death in absentia, someone who is portrayed as a “terrorist” while he is the very victim of his captors horrific terror like repression, is smile.

When Andargache Tsige, an exiled Ethiopian with British citizenship before his abduction by Yemen security authorities and forced extradition to Ethiopia on June 23, 2014, is shown on Ethiopian government television, well there is no such thing as Ethiopian in the sense that everything is pretty much under total control of the ruling ethnic Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF), he managed to smile.

True, clear signs of physical and emotional exhaustion are there. In the video, the synchronization of the audio and video may be poorly performed- probably for reasons of cutting out materials that do not serve intended propaganda value. Besides, the person talking to Andargachew is not visible except that we see only handshakes.

For the regime, it is customary to hold prisoners in front of Camera and force them speak something of propaganda value without their actual consent. Dehumanizing political dissension with torture and forced disgraceful statement is very common for the TPLF led government yet what makes headline in the international media outlet is a story of “economic growth.” Even in that regards, there seem to be less interest to inquire as to why Ethiopia still remains to be the leading recipient of aid in Sub-Saharan Africa and as to millions and millions of Ethiopians struggle to feed themselves- often times with little success for many.

In any case, even in the not unexpected forced TV appearance, Andargachew does not seem to bear any signs of remorse for his resolve to bring about change for the better for his native country Ethiopia – the very thing that make him appear “terrorist” for the regime in power. And his tenacity in the face of torture is inspiring many Ethiopians.

All that he uttered in Amharic is that he is at peace with himself, he is exhausted and needs rest. It amounts to pure political nativity of higher degree or ignorance or both to think that political persuasion and convictions of conscience vanish like that.

The ruling party’s perception of a “terrorist” is bizarre. Political dissension is “terrorism” for the regime in power. Members of opposition parties are “terrorists,” journalists are “terrorists,” bloggers are “terrorists,” among others. In consequence, it has become virtually impossible to engage in opposition politics in Ethiopia. And in an attempt to escape repression, many are thinking in terms of armed struggle out of the conviction that the regime understands only armed rebellion. It is not untrue that many of the Tigray People’s Liberation Front officials – who control key structures of government – bluff the opposition and take a great pride with the guerrilla struggle for 17 years. Intended message is despise for opposition parties.

Andargachew was not captured in a battle field. As indicated above, Andargachew Tsige, secretary of Ginbot 7 movement for Democracy, Justice and Freedom, was abducted illegally by Yemen security forces. And he was forcefully extradited the same day in violation of international legal procedures of extradition.

There are rumors that he was flown to Ethiopia with a military aircraft. And this is one of the reasons why possible case of corruption on the part of Yemen security forces makes sense.
Apparently, the Ethiopian regime feared that Andargachew could be rescued, simply by legal procedures of extradition or other means through anticipated involvement of UK government , had he been allowed to stay a couple of days in Yemen. In fact, Yemeni authorities were acting as if Andargachew is not handed to Ethiopian authorities the same day. Ginbot 7 was negotiating with Yemeni authorities for about a week, according to Ginbot 7 statement, to avert extradition of Andargachew to Ethiopia.

If the extradition of Andargachew to Ethiopia was averted, it would mean a big political loss for the regime in Addis. So their rush to complete the abduction in a day by forcibly extraditing him to Ethiopia is understandable. What’s not understandable is the rush on the part of Yemeni security to bypass all the legal processes of extradition. How is that possible without a big corruption scandal?
The life of Andargachew is still in danger. The fact that he is shown on TV might have something to do with UK delegation discussion with Ethiopian officials.

It may be alright to suppose that UK government intelligence was totally oblivious about an enterprise to abduct one of its citizen in Yemen before, during or after the incident. But would it be alright to suppose that UK government can not influence at least to make the detention a little bearable – for example ending incommunicado detention of Andargachew, a visit by human rights group and regular visit by families and friends at home? It is not just Andargachew who is a British national. His wife and his children are UK nationals too. Forget altruism. UK need to give, at least, a meaning to the notion of citizenship.

Business matters more for UK than human rights

Martin Plaut pretends to be a friend to many Ethiopians. And he actually knows what the political Ethiopia looks like these days. Yet, the report he published on theguardian regarding the abduction  of Andargachew Tsige, British national of Ethiopian origin, by Yemen and hand over to Ethiopia sounds rather a disservice to me. It is less than even a mediocre report. Not surprisingly though.

The thing is there is no such thing as integrity in business. And journalism is increasingly turning out to be a business by way of being a propaganda tool for the big business - among other things.

And the business of countries like the US and UK is the interest of, long term or short term, of their business people who are regularly looking for a means to make a lucrative investment overseas. It's their business interest that matters most for them. It's their cultural interest that matters more. It is not human rights issue or democracy that matters most to them, if it matters to them at all. And these countries do business with the regime in Ethiopia in different areas including in the area of military training.  

Yet, we still seem to think they could actually help. I am not asking for an official stand on this matter. But at least we need to be aware of the situation in regards to their relation with the regime in Ethiopia and understand the reality. And what they are doing is actually consistent with the record they have on the issue of Ethiopia. No policy divergence or paradigm shift. At least since the London Conference before the fall of Derg regime they have been firmly standing behind the brutal regime in Ethiopia - a fact we seem to fail to understand or overlook - which has a lot to do with problem of political consciousness.

Yesterday, a BBC journalist was asking a beautiful Brazilian girl regarding a collapsed infrastructure. Her response remarkably demonstrate political consciousness. "We didn't want it . We want quality life, education, health, job..." She is aware that Brazilians are not getting redistribution in the form of social services and insane spending on prestige project like infrastructures has little or no meaning for the downtrodden people.  

By any means it is not an attempt to compare Brazil with Ethiopia. The story is about her political consciousness. It is a story so prevalent in the rest of Latin America.

Ethiopian Youth talk a lot about infrastructure development and economic growth. Yet, they seem to barely understand what it means to them or to the greater Ethiopian mass. They seem to be unaware about requirements of economic exploitation. 

Much of the infrastructure in Africa was developed during colonial era and the purpose was to facilitate exploitation. South Africa is most developed in that regard. Yet, South Africa still has one of the biggest slum in the world and it’s facing renewed popular discontent because of problems of redistribution, and as part of the quest to meaningful freedom.

Coming back to the point, if averting the extradition of Andargachew Tsige was in the interest of the UK in light of upholding democratic principle, human rights or otherwise, they would have done everything to avert the extradition. It appears that they were actually informed about the development while Andargachew was still in Yemen.

The reality is that the administration in Ethiopia matters more to the UK in a number of ways - a reason that explain omission of the duty of the UK government to stand up in protection of their citizen of Ethiopian origin, and a reason that explains their all-out support to the regime in Ethiopia -from financial to military training and what have you.

Dimetros Birku

borkena website

www.borkena.com

The Master Plan is only an immediate cause

Crackdown on recent students movement left Ethiopians in a state of shock. Nothing can justify, targeted, arbitrary and brutal killings.

Besides the tragic nature of the killings and the sense of shock, what do we make of it? On face value and on the part of TPLF government, it simply seem to be an act of intimidation by flexing its tyrannical muscles. Yet, in light of the political nature of TPLF, it would be tantamount to naivety to think that TPLF is unaware that the death of civilians and students on that magnitude, in fact what Ethiopia witnessed in 2005 was worse, is likely to foster radicalism. The thing is the ruling party seem to like the sense of ethnic based radicalism in so far as it is not out of control and measured for it is in the interest of the power game of TPLF. To read more click here

Ethiopia : Understand the hijack for what it is ; a selfless act

News of hijacked Ethiopian Airlines plane bound to Rome broke yesterday. Hijack is not something very strange even in the aviation history of Ethiopian Airlines. Perhaps what is strange, not just in Ethiopian aviation history but also in the aviation history of commercial flights, is a hijack carried out by a co-pilot.

Why would a thirty-one years old guy with prestigious job and unrivaled benefit package in the country venture into hijacking a plane he is co-piloting – thereby risking his career and all his future? The issue appeared ludicrous for some ; a case of insanity for others.

Hogwash and frivolous ridicule and politically motivated judgements aside, addressing the above question does not even need stretching ones imagination; nor it is a brainer. Probably,all it needs is understanding the political reality in Ethiopia.

And what is the political reality in Ethiopia? Read more...

Ethiopian Christmas

Source- theforsakenchildren

(Borkena) Tomorrow is one of the biggest days in Ethiopia. Known locally as Gena (ገና), Ethiopian Christmas is one of the most colourful holidays in the country. Never heard of a different Christmas day?! Of course, there is for those  who celebrate in the traditions of Orthodox Churches. Apparently, the erstwhile day of Christmas day even within Catholic religious tradition is contested by Catholic pope emeritus Benedict XVI as he seem to believe that Anno Domini is based on miscalculations by Dionysius Exiguus. For Benedict XVI, the accurate birth of Jesus Christ predates the day which is conventionally celebrated in the West and within the Catholic traditions.

In any case, Ethiopian Christmas falls on January 7 of Gregorian calendar which corresponds to Thahisas 29, 28 when it is a Leap Year (Zemene Yohannes), of the Ethiopian calendar. Thahisas corresponds to December but unlike December, Thahisas is only the fourth months of the Ethiopian year which begins in September. Read more...

Identity Politics and Neo-radical Oromo Activism

Neo-radical Oromo activist bloc, if it is a block yet, is in a celebratory mood for its kill of two birds with a single stone.

For one thing, they successfully engaged the politicised section of population – of course including activists who seem to consider themselves or aspire to be “liberal activists” –in the discussion of what looks on the surface like identity politics. Squarely, what that means is agenda setting outside of their radical political opposition quarter.

For the other thing, and concomitantly, they exploited the reactions they caused and social media coverage they managed to create as an input in itself in manufacturing an even stronger radical movement with not so radical name “Oromo first”– which they are, apparently, exploiting both as a means and an end.

TPLF on its part seized the moment to create the impression of commitment to ideological partnership with radical ethnic movement.

Allusion to cancellation of Teddy Afro’s concert as a success story does not make much sense precisely because Teddy’s concert was barely an issue from the perspective of the neo-radical movement, I believe. Whether the concert was an opportunity seized to put neo-radical agenda in the limelight or whether the concert itself is something staged through nexus of radical elements from within the government (including government itself) and Marketing people who could influence Bedele management on the one hand and the neo-radical movement from abroad on the other is something that needs to be investigated.Read more ...

Toronto Ice storm

Toronto Ice storm brought about exciting and not so exciting experiences.

For people who love to admire nature, experiencing real 'Ice tree' was a joy. Of course, learning to set your own pace and  walk slowly is another experience, I think.

On the other hand, power outage put even the very solitary practices we do at home through the use of internet - which now sound more like traditional practices- into jeopardy.  In was standing in the way between loneliness and artificial forms of fighting loneliness ; having a chat with someone on social media .

Reading or writing barely possible in the dark, one has to learn to pause in the dark with candle lights and realize the reality that even with incredible advancement in science and technology, man could still be at the mercy of Nature!

More pictures coming on www.borkena.com

Herman Cohen Proposes “mutually face saving solutions” to Ethio-Eritrea problem

•”Mutually face saving solutions”
•“Eritrean leadership fears Islamic militancy as much as any other country in the Horn of Africa region”
•“UN Security Council should terminate sanctions imposed in 2009 by UNSC resolution 1907”
•“Ethiopia offer to accept a symbolic initial takeover by Eritrea of territory awarded by the EEBC”

By Dimetros Birku
(Borkena) Herman Cohen, former assistant secretary of state for Africa, seem to be making a case for normalization of relations not just between Eritrea and Ethiopia but also between Eritrea and the international community.

In an article published on the African Argument, Cohen painted a roadmap that depicts as to how both objectives could be achieved.

Recounting the circumstances under which UNSC resolution 1907 was passed by the United Nations Security Council which apparently made Eritrea appear a pariah State, Cohen argues that the situation is no longer there and the “UN Security Council should terminate sanctions imposed in 2009 by UNSC resolution 1907.”  Read more...

AU at 50: no achievement to celebrate but idea

A $3.5 million festivity to mark the fiftieth anniversary of the African Union, amid hours of power blackout in Addis Ababa, might not sound much. Beyond the fifty years mark and the celebration about it, who can afford to avoid a quest for meaning as to what the African Union means to Africans, and as to what it has achieved in its fifty years of existence? These are continental questions.

OAU, the predecessor of the African Union, came into being in May 1963 for which Kwame Nkruma of Ghana, Sekou Tore of Guinea, Modibo Kaitha of Mali and Emperor Haile Sellasie of Ethiopia are specially credited( you may refer to General History of Africa vol.VIII to learn more on that).

Theoretically, the organization was meant to be an expression of, it seemed so at least, desire  and commitment for freedom. It was an expression of assertion of rights and freedoms for Africans. An expression of desire to liberate a continent with exceptional experiences of unfreedom and exploitation. It was an assertion, and celebration at the same time, of the African identity.Accordingly,the organization was fundamentally meant for fighting colonialism in all its forms and promote best practices and actions to foster gradual unity of African states.

Fifty years later, we ask, what is it that the organization has changed along the lines it was meant to change? Or do we just consider the change from OAU to AU a change? Oddly enough, the declaration that changed the name OAU to African Union was made at Sirte, a city which was to be razed by NATO airstrike with a pretext of “humanitarian intervention” a little over a decade after the Sirte Decleration.The “humanitarian intervention” turned out to be utter destruction involving loss of civilian lives .As the air strike in Libya intensified, heads of states gathered in Addis some time in April 2011. The African leaders condemned the air strike and accused UN security council of “double standard.” Yet, the message echoed through the condemnation of the airstrike was how weak the African Union is. The signal is that the African Union was unable to do a more practical action.

Had the African Union built capacity to resolve intra-state and inter-state conflict and/or dispute (btw, conflict resolution was one of the main objective of the organization upon establishment), it could have acted much earlier than the “humanitarian intervention” which means, among other things, that it could have denied a fertile ground for “humanitarian intervention.” Well, Intervention might not have been avoidable, but Africans could have understood the motive of the intervention more clearly- and the clarity could have helped in building understanding as to what the real challenge that Africa facing.

Another recent example of intervention in Africa is the case of Coted’Ivore. Again, AU could have resolved this conflict. Unfortunately, we had to witness a situation where by a European power had to send paratroopers and humiliate an African head of state and “resolve” the situation in the way they like. Cote d’Ivore was another failure for AU.

If we move a little further back in time, we have the genocide in Rwanda – another remarkable example of failure of the organization and an important evidence to substantiate the point that conflict resolution and emergency response capacity of the organization is so weak. still a litter further back in time, we had the crisis in Somalia which is not resolved for good to date, which represents another failure story of the organization.And I am not sure if the organization is sincerely thinking in terms of building the capacity it needs to resolve possible conflicts of similar nature in the future.

Promoting integration among African states was one of the principal rationale for the formation of African Union. As it turns out, it happened to be one of the failure areas of the organization. Far from integration, some African countries even seem to be in what looks like a gradual process of disintegration. In many parts of Africa,there appears to be a solid ground for an ideology of disintegration: ethnic politics. What else could be the fate of countries which are in the hands of politicians that hold ethnic politics tight?

A case in point, at the time of the establishment of Organization of African Unity Ethiopia certainly did have political problems but there was no indication,what so ever,for the existence of a potentially explosive political tension on the basis of ethnicity. Yet, while there is much talk about what Ethiopia achieved in terms of infrastructure development, a project hugely funded by global lending institutions and state actors (much of which is to be payed back with interest),and economic growth, many seem to forget whether the infrastructure development or economic growth means anything if there is a possibility for the country to slip into ethnic based violence. 


Ethnic ideology and ethnic politics undermine,so to speak, the very principle that the African Union stands for since the time of its establishment. It is really outrageous that the organization and many African leadership did not take a firm stand to condemn the ideology of ethnic politics in Ethiopia and elsewhere in Africa.

Countries like Rwanda learned the danger of ethnic violence, in a hard way, and were determined to discourage ethnic sentiment,constitutionally, not to manifest itself in a form of political party or any other destructive forms. In Kenya, constitutional provision bans ethnic based political organizations. Yet, even the constitutional measure did not help tackle ethnic based violence totally as Kenya had to experience one of the worst ethnic violence in its history in recent years.

In a stark difference, constitutional provisions in Ethiopia encourage ethnic sentiment and majority of the 80 plus political parties in the country are organized on the basis of ethnicity. The ruling party itself is a coalition of parties organized on the basis of ethnicity. The Federal structure is organized on the basis of ethnicity. The trend in Ethiopian politics is clearly against the desired norm of the African Unity. Clearly, ethnic based political ideology and administrative structure represents an impediment to promote integration which is what the African Union seeks to achieve. It rather promotes conflict and violence.  Yet, the organization does not seem to act on that, and probably not even discussing it. The talk with regard to Ethiopia is “economic growth” and how the late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was “intelligent” and “visionary” leader. The destructive power of his legacy of ethnic politics is conveniently ignored by African leaders and the African Union.

Human rights issue is another area where the African Union failed to act in a meaningful way. Despite “The African Charter on Human and People’s Rights” which was agreed up on in Nairobi in 1981, human rights violation is a rampant problem in Africa. The seat of the African Union, inter alia, witnessed massacre of well over 200 civilians in 2005. Recently, there was another massacre involving labour relations in Marikana South Africa- a massacre which looks like one of those massacres in colonial Africa (Sharpville comes to mind). The list can go on and on. No signs of improvement.

In the economic front, no significant economic success story for which the African Union played a catalyst role. Economic growth for many African states is like a mirage. Many African countries are sinking in debt. The African Union does not still have the political leverage to campaign against loans with strings from lending institutions. Poverty still remains an outstanding challenge in the continent.Negative trade balance is persistent. Likelihood of Africa to take an active role in the global economy, as the AU aspires to, is appearing more like pursuing the wind. What more evidence can capture the failure in the economic realm than the mere fact that well over half of the budgetary spending of the organization is reliant on donations from other institutions like the European Union?  Why is it that more than fifty-four African states failed to fully support the organization? And is it not the case that the economic influence of donors from other parts of the world could spill over to other areas as well?

Lastly, how decolonized is Africa? Whether one is to turn to politics, economy, culture, social realm or other aspects of Africa societies,there emerges a picture that depicts not only that decolonization of Africa is essentially incomplete but also a new and subtle form of neo-colonialism is on the rise. And sadly,a section of the African elite, knowingly or unknowingly, is giving a hand to the new “neo-colonization” process. Domination and conquest is deepening. Worse, it is being taken for what it is not. It is considered as empowerment, for many.

Very unfortunately, the section of population that is being conquered primarily is the very section of population with tremendous potential –the Youth – to liberate Africa in the real sense of the term and in all its forms. Politics is not decolonized. The economy is not decolonized. Culture is even more colonized, it seems so, than it was the case in colonial Africa. Colonization has got a new face in “globalization.” What concert steps has the African Union taken at least to minimize the impacts of the new form of conquest is a question perhaps the organization could hardly answer. The African Union is not playing a leadership role to influence change by way of averting challenges that Africa is facing. It is not mobilizing African leadership to focus on where it matters most to change Africa for the better. Simply, its existence is nominal.

What are we then celebrating? The African Union then is still, to a great extent, an idea rather than a prudent continental entity. It is an idea to be pursued with vigor. Why is it the case that the African youth is used as “change makers” for a world view and for the part of the world that is thinking in terms of continuity of domination and exploitation of Africa? What is the AU doing in terms of fighting cultural conquest which is crucially important to achieve better results in other areas of interest to the African Union? African Union needs to forget unfounded complacency about its virtually useless 50 years of existence. In that sense, the $3,5 festival was essentially a waste of resource. The essence of African Union lies in the idea and objectives of it- which are not yet achieved.

@dimetros
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This article was  originally posted on borkena website on May 29,2013

Renowned Ethiopian historian dies at 78

May 25, 2013 (Borkena) Taddesse Tamrat, one of the most prominent Ethiopian scholar and authority in medieval history of Ethiopia, dies at the age of 78. Professor Taddesse Tamrat was among the early and few Ethiopian faculty members of the department of history.
The department of history at Addis Ababa University was established in 1961 and most of the staff at the time of its establishment were expatriates. Available online records about the department of history indicate that Taddesse Tamerat was one of the scholars who helped Ethiopianize the department and has a tremendous contribution for the scholarly reputation of the department. As well, Taddesse Tamrat did help in the formation of Institute of Ethiopian Studies.

Tadesse Tamrat mainly focused in the study of medieval Ethiopia. His research work “Church and State in Ethiopia” is much acclaimed among scholars in Europe and Africa alike.

Some scholars have published review of his book in academic journals published in reputable European Universities.

Charles F. Beckingham, in the Journal of African History, Vol. 15 No. 1 , 1974 pp.137-40, had this to say about the monograph:

This important book offers the reader much more than the title might suggest, for it examines most aspects of the Ethiopian state and the Ethiopian church from the supposed restoration of the supposedly Solomonic dynasty to the eve of the Muslim invasion [Ahmed Gragne] in the sixteenth century.

…No one interested in any aspect of the medieval Ethiopian history, whether political, administrative, ecclesiastical, military, ethnic or cultural will find Dr. Taddesse Tamrat’s monograph unrewarding…”

Without a doubt, the monograph he produced is a lasting and significant contribution in the study of Ethiopian history. Indeed, it is a great loss to Ethiopia.
Professor Taddesse Tamrat was receiving treatment in a Chicago hospital and passed away last Tuesday,according to sources in social media.

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 The news was first published on Borkena website
 

Andualem and Eskinder: Court ruling and its implication

If the court ruling againstEskinger Nega and Andualem Aragie shocked anyone from the opposition quarter or not even from the opposition quarter, it only suggests ignorance about the real nature of TPLF and how government institutions function under TPLF.

If we have not yet reached to the point to believe and profess, in meaningful way, the fact that TPLF is into ravaging Ethiopia (subtly and unsubtly) while building its ethnic base rather than standing for justice, then that represents not only a case of bias and indifference but also it gives a significant clue as to where we really stand in relation to truth, justice and the cause of Ethiopia.  In fact, in light of numerous repressive measures ranging from an outright massacres in towns to genocidal moves in the south west and south eastern parts of Ethiopia which are all recorded by reputable human rights organizations for well over a decade now, even those who tend to distance themselves from politics should have declared TPLF enemy of justice long time ago. For some “neutrality” is a cover for a subtle support.

Logically, if the government is dictatorial, then there is little or no chance for government institutions to be democratic. Independence and impartiality of courts is unthinkable. In the case of Ethiopia, TPLF dictation transcends governance structures and encompasses the realm of religion as religious institutions are made subservient to TPLF agenda. It’s a different totalitarian model for a number of reasons. The intervention in religious affairs met a moderate resistance only from Ethiopian Muslims. For the record, Ethiopian Muslims are consistently and seriously, in relative terms compared to the rest of the population, resisting TPLF’s agenda of domesticating Islam in Ethiopia in a way to serve TPLF agenda.

Speaking of dictatorship, the Chinese leadership, which TPLF leadership pretends to emulate, has never been implicated or criticized for  parochial ethnic supremacy  or ethnic chauvinism agenda.  Other former Asian dictatorial governments were not aspiring ethnic chauvinists too. The rhetoric of “developmental state” was not staged against the backdrop of ethnic supremacy agenda. Nor ethnic supremacy agenda was embedded in policies and policy implementation strategies in a way to serve ethnic supremacy agenda. TPLF is fundamentally different.

When we talk about TPLF, we are talking about a political group and government at the same time which is aggressively pursuing ethnic-supremacy agenda- at times taking unimaginably brutal measures . One can cite numerous points that speak volumes about their aspiration of ethnic-supremacy. Programs aired in the state run television in their first ten years as government contain valuable information for anyone with interest to study  their ethnic supremacy agenda.  As guerrilla forces, they have clearly demonstrated in their manifesto as to what they are fighting against. Assumption of government power following the fall of the military government provided TPLF with the opportunity to pursue ethnic chauvinism  agenda thorough policy measures that foster TPLF as a single dominant military,economic  and political power in Ethiopia.

The most cunning point about pursuit of this agenda is that much of it was achieved through the use of other ethnic based political organizations which they formed, in fact, directly or indirectly immediately before or after assuming state power.For a political novice, for a naïve, for an ostentatious commentator, for an opportunist and for state actors who are doing this or that business with TPLF government, the country is “governed” by coalition party -‘EPRDF” and that the ruling party has just “imperfections.” This brutal government machinery knows no economic sanctions from donor countries- sanctions like what Myanmar or Zimbabwe experienced while it is far more worse in its dictatorial nature. It was not even meaningfully challenged with “tied-aid.”

While TPLF exploits ethnic based political parties to repress in the ethnically instituted federal regions in different forms, the strategy employed in the jurisdictions outside of ethnic based federal regions is a combination of  “legal” and outright repression. Federal governance institutions including courts serve the purpose. In consequence, TPLF successfully managed to make  peaceful struggle virtually impossible in the country. On top of that, there is a huge investments in social practices that could effectively enervate the nationalistic and political spirit of the youth which is far worse than De-politicization. Tendency of longing for change which is  or which should rather be a common attribute of young minds does not seem to be the case for a considerably  big portion of Ethiopian youth.  No question that depoliticized youth in a country where there is no rule of law and accountability and in country with huge political mess amounts to big trouble. It represents not just unfriendly future  but also impending slavery like unfreedoms. In such a situation the onus of awakening rests on the shoulder of visionary opposition party leaders and the press.

The whole world including TPLF know that the practices that journalists and opposition party officials, against whom the court ruled today and who are now behind bars to serves insane prison terms, were engaged in had nothing, what so ever, to do with “terrorist” acts. So far there is no official policy elsewhere in the world that equates political dissension or activism with “terrorism.” Needless to say, the purpose was not just to challenge people like Andualem or Eskinder. It rather sounds like a psychological game against citizens with a tendency to engage in political activism and citizens with the intent to assert rights and freedoms.  TPLF  dared to legitimize repressions of this nature with the rhetoric of “development.” If there was a rejection of “development model” that does not give a room for democratization process and assertion of rights and freedoms on the part of the principal donors to TPLF regime, it would have been  reflected, among other things, in the form of imposing sanction in development aid. There was not. TPLF is getting more aggressive. The court ruling is a manifestation of that. TPLF is telling Ethiopians : “Yes, this government is dictator. what are you going to do about it.?”

If TPLF, through the courts, could do what it has done to Eskinder and Andualen whose incarceration is pretty much known to activists at the international stage, can anyone  imagine as to what had happened and as to what is happening to other dissenting voices in the country? How many more are in the torture chambers without even the chance to appear in the sham courts, if that means anything at all?
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