Blogger's Note:
This guest blog entry is by former Ambassador Imru Zelleke. Ambassador Imru served as Ethiopia's Ambassador and Minister Plenipotentiary to France and Germany during Emperor Haile Selassie's government.
FAREWELL 2013
Year’s
end thoughts.
A
year has passed leaving us with the nostalgia of things past, but also with the
distinct feeling that this year been a turning point in Ethiopia’s destiny. The
general lethargy prevailing over the mood of the Diaspora community, that had
found comfort, distraction and even amusement in devotional practice, the
restaurant/bar scene and gossipy rumours, has awaken with a surge of
patriotic fervour.
What
caused this high irruption and indignation was the loutish behaviour of the
Saudis towards the Ethiopian citizens who had migrated to their country in
search of some menial job which they could not get in their own land. Migration
of Ethiopians to Arab and other lands has been going on for forty years.
Beginning from our murderous revolution, which has denied the people of basic
human rights, confiscated their properties, abolished law and order executed
mass assassination and imprisonment of innocent unarmed citizens; then collapsed
disgracefully and surrendered the country to a regime of ethnic
servitude.
For
those of us who were lucky enough to find refuge in civilized countries where we
have lived in peace and freedom and even prospered, the sad fate of our unlucky
compatriots is not new. What is surprising is this sudden awareness or “prise de
conscience” and angry Diaspora manifestation against the Saudi Kingdom in
particular. Ethiopian refugees are spread all over the Arab lands thus the
selective indignation at the Saudis is rather bizarre, unless is it because of
their enormous wealth. Anyway, it has caused the creation of a Global Alliance
of the Diaspora to deal with the problem of Ethiopian immigrants. Most of the
immigrants in Saudi Arabia being already repatriated back home, it is sending a
fact finding mission to Yemen. However, sending an inquiry commission is a good
gesture, it denotes a serious commitment from the Diaspora regarding the fate of
Ethiopian immigrants. At least it might give some hope to those whose
conditions are desperate. I also hope that it will not fizzle out into some
publicity stunt, because it is a very grave problem that requires large amounts
of funds and sustained logistical support.
The
death of the venerable President Mandela and the contribution that Ethiopia has
made to the struggle against the white racist regime in South Africa was
discussed at length, and justly so. This gave occasion for some of
our intrepid reporters to resuscitate and interview Mengistu Haile Mariam and
some of his collaborators. Since Mengistu’s role in the Mandela history and his
opinion of the present TPLF regime is utterly irrelevant, one would have
thought that a subject of great interest, primarily for the young generation of
Ethiopians, would have been his own murderous history. How with US assistance he
arranged to hand-over the country to the TPLF, and himself escape with his
family and friends, betraying the Ethiopian Army and the country. This was one
of the most violent and horrific pages of Ethiopian history for which he is
accountable, and worth remembering for future generation. I
have a lot of respect for the valuable service that ESAT has given for the
Ethiopian people in opening a free access to information that is denied to them
by the present regime. Myself having had the opportunity to express my views on
ESAT, I am grateful for the chance given to me. However, I was deeply outraged
together with millions of Ethiopians, by the callous indifference shown by ESAT
for the enormous suffering and crimes committed by Mengistu against the
Ethiopian people. We all respect and aspire to a democratic Ethiopia where the
freedom of expression will be a fundamental tenet of its governance, we also
believe that freedom has also its limits when it is concerned with acts of
genocide and crimes against humanity. Unless of total amnesia, seventeen years
of lawless bloody mayhem and genocide cannot be ignored. A serious apology is in
order.
The
end of this year marks also the fortieth anniversary of the calamitous Ethiopian
Odyssey. Four decades of pain and pangs, of terror and persecution that still
continues. It should also be time to ponder over our lasting failure to bring
solace and peace to our people. I don’t think that it is a mysterious phenomenon
that impeaches our actions, but the lack of courage to face unpleasant
circumstances in their real context. The TPLF came to power by a long and
protracted struggle in the field by which they gained political power, and the
recognition of major foreign nations. The opposition for its part being totally
absent from the ground, was incapable to assume any role out of the debacle left
by the Mengistu regime. The only opportunity that was offered to the opposition
was the election of 2005 when it received a large public support, that was
forcibly shanghaied by the regime, and against which the opposition had nothing
to counter with. To add insult to injury the leaders of the
opposition were sent to prison, a measure that still continues to be practiced
against all opposition politicians, journalists and Human Rights activist .Yet,
in spite of its blatant violations of all democratic principles of governance,
international aid continued to flow in support of the regime. It was
Senator Barry Goldwater of the US who said that “Extremism in the
defense of liberty is no vice, moderation in the pursuit of justice is no
virtue”, which might describe the criteria lacking in the spirit of the
opposition and the cause of its chronic demise. Forty years of continuous
failure to form a coherent and effective political movement cannot be explained
otherwise.
This
year was also the 100th anniversary of the passing of the
beloved national hero Emperor Menilik II. His memory should remind us of the
best patriotic character of our cultures and traditions. Recommended reading by
Tekle Tsadik Mokria, Paulos Gnogno, Professor Sergewu H. Sellassie, etc.
Ethiopia is not a Paper Tiger created by some fiction, it is a nation built by
sweat and blood, with thousand years of heroic defence of its independence.
Unfortunately, of late, her destiny had fallen into the hands of an alienated
generation that has destroyed its great heritage with nothing to replace it. The
rebirth of the nation will demand a lot of soul searching and a return to those
basic values of our own. We are not Europeans, Asians, Arabs or others,
throughout millennia of interactions we have evolved our own civilization and
way of life. Our traditional manners and morals are second to
none.
The
fermenting affairs of the Diaspora never cease to distract us with new subjects
and events. A formation of a Transition Government has been announced
by a Transition Council who counts amongst its members a member of the former
Imperial Crown, a high official of the Derg and sundry people of undetermined
background. It would be interesting to know what this new government will be,
and from where to where the transition will proceed. Whatever the case
organizations created in the Diaspora, more than often, have a resonant name
containing little substance. Therefore, it is wiser to check the personal
history of the people in the leadership, and avoid embarrassments running after
a ghost.
On
the bread and butter side a lot of development projects are implemented in
Ethiopia; in fact the amount of money involved is simply staggering. Foreign
investors seem to have found a worthwhile environment for their business in
Ethiopia, in spite of serious comments made concerning the viability and
sustainability of a development dependent on foreign aid and deficit
financing. China announced recently a 16.5 Billion project financing
program, that may involve the influx of maybe a million Chinese citizens? In the
meantime the same amount of money or more, is to have taken the high road out of
Ethiopia. Having become foreigners in their own country, but for a very small
minority, the Ethiopian people are estranged from all these
developments.
To
crown the year with unique originality the TPLF regime has put under arrest the
Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, an event that has not happened in
the 1600 years of the Church History, but maybe once. I guess that the regime
has taken this action out of a profound sense of fairness, to balance
its own outrageous behaviour against our Muslim community.
It could also be out of the profound paranoia and apprehension that things are
getting out of control. Monopoly of power captured by a mafia ethnic cabal,
dominated by pervasive corruption and inefficiency, that have little respect
even for their own keen have doubtful permanency.
After
many years of reflection a matter for which I have yet to find a rationale is
our relations with Eritrea and Somalia. Years of bloody conflicts, misery and
mayhem have brought neither peace nor freedom to anyone. We all have a good and
industrious population, we each have abundant natural resources, and we have no
external enemies. We had the opportunity and the time to build reasonably stable
and progressive societies. Yet, we have failed our people and our countries. If
we look at the progress that China has accomplished in the last three decades,
ours conclusion would be comparable to marching backward during the same amount
of time. Characteristic of our peculiarity the heroes of Eritrean independence
Woldab Woldemariam and Issayas Afwerki are both Tigrean while the many TPLF
leaders are Eritrean. Cost accounting resulting from their conflicts
and contentions, millions in human losses, displacement and all round
misery that still continues to keep our people in a quagmire of poverty,
ignorance and backwardness. Yet, there are more Somalis living in Addis Ababa
than in Mogadiscio, more Eritreans living in Addis than in Asmara. With some
common sense in their leadership the Countries of the Horn could have realized
an advanced and prosperous community that could have been an asset to World
peace and stability.
Personally
I have faith in our people and that they will overcome the obstacles that
constrain their growth, and will emerge healthy and strong nations in the near
future.
Let’s
do it!!!
I
wish all a Very Happy and Prosperous New Year.
ETHIOPIA
LEZELALEM TINOUR.
Imru
Zelleke
December
2013.