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Dear Professor Al-Mariam:
Greetings and best wishes as you celebrate thanksgiving, christmas, new
year and perhaps add some Ethiopian Christmas and Timkat on you way.
First things First! Defend your people and then talk about Good Governance!
The time is to defend your blessed people from external invasion. This
is no boggy man, there is a real Jihad and Alaqueda at Ethiopia's door
knocking!
What is your response and mine is the real question!
I read with interest your article about the Jihadists and the many adjectives
you used to classify them. I love your passion but feel it is
a little misplaced in the current context. 1. Yes, there is a man by the
name Colonel Huseine Dahir who invaded
Ethiopia in 1977 and made it all the way to Awash Valley and the outskirts
of Nazareth. You might be a young man and not fondly remember this. But,
my family who live in Diredawa and Harar were massacred.
Sure enough at that time too, we had young people like you, who said
oh! no. This is not our war this is Mengistu's fabrication. So, the
youth under the banner of the Ethiopian Peoples Revolutionary Party (EPRP)
literally led the enemy into our homes and villages. My family
told me some of these youths were our neighbors. The then Asmara Alqaeda
or ELF kept the 3rd Brigade of Harar busy while Colonel Huseine- today's
Jihadist Dhir was busy massacring my people. The pictue is the same today.
Asmara is lining up with Mogadishu against our people. Do we learn any
lesson here? Read young Demis of 7 years of age advise at our recent May
14, 2005 Conference at George Washington University Law School for reference
sited below.
Now, this criminal colonel is very clever and has converted himself into
a Sheikh. Imagine, a communist Mulah. What a contradiction. So,
today like he did during the time of General Said Bare under whose leadership
he invaded Ethiopia, the Colonel is declaring Jihad against
Ethiopia, against the very religion he pretends he upholds, where the
Prophet Mohammad, blessed be His name, admonished all His followers "Never
to declare Jihad against Ethiopians, the just ones as he calls us then
who gave refuge to his first followers or the First Hegira.
So, in your language, the Colonel or the Jihadist does not even know
his religion. Why, because he is not a true Muslim in the first place.
Now back to your call about Freedom, Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia.
I can sing some of your songs, but to be true to you, No American has
given or supported Ethiopia's freedom at any time in history. Read the
history of the American National Security Operations, their first practice
zone is Ethiopia in the Kagnew Sahelqa Station in Asmara. True to form,
Mengistu demobilized the most highly successful 3rd Brigade in Harar where
they are known by the Somalis as the Lions of the Ogaden, because Alqaeda
in Asmare in its initial form of ELF was busy engaging the Ethiopian Army
and the Jihadist Colonel found the Eastern Brigade open and he demolished
many lives and properties, to which my own families testify to date.
Do we need Good Governance in Ethiopia? Oh! Yes, but not American Good
Governance, where you pay your congressman to do your job in the first
place and you have to lobby him or her to remind them to do their job.
Since you are an excellent lobbyist, you understand what I mean as one
of the most successful campaigns of HR 5680 failed perhaps you guys did
not pay enough as your competitors.
Should all political prisoners be free? Oh, yes. Here again, America
is not the country that makes that happen. It is our own Judicial
system or alternative traditional system of democracy of peace making
and amnesty.
Was Excessive force used to quell the demonstrations after the elections?
Oh, yes but here again, the two reports say so, and the Carter,
African Union, EU Report say so. What can be done, follow the rule and
ensure those who committed the crime come to justice. How? In Ethiopia
and not in US Congress.
I admire your eloquence and I said so at the American University Law
School at the end of one of your brilliant lectures. Here again, I wish
you could do those lectures in Ethiopia both in Court, the Menelik Palace
and Kaliti Prisons, when these leaders come out they understand what Christ
Smith's Africa Expert- Gregory Simpkins said so passionately at the same
meeting that " the Mandela Legacy demands forgiveness and reconciliation
and not retribution.
Is the Somali fiasco a bogy man as you claim. No way. This is the same
man with track record of demolishing so many lives all the way to
Nazareth in the early 1977. Oh! yes, he is an old man now, but he has
all the Middle East boggy Jihadists behind him. To start with the
Alqaeda from Asmara, Egypt, Libya, Syria and Iran.
You do not think this is a clear impending danger, then go and visit
your people in Harar, Ogaden and come back and report your evidence based
report.
Now, to your most articulate passion of changing Meles Zenawi and your
assessment of His or His party's leadership. Here again, you have a lot
going for you, as he does not seem bothered to respond to you.
We all believe Democracy is about election. Ask Gore, Kerry and more
recently Allen of Virginia, they will all tell you they won. But the
record shows otherwise. Let us have another election and finalize once
for all if all of us agree, the Ethiopian People are wise and can
choose their leaders.
After all 90% of them, better than any recorded electorates turned out
at the last election. Given the chance they will do it again. I
personally like you and admire you and I read all your articles.
Please appreciate that I am not against you nor defending what you are
trying to explore. I merely responding to you as I have never seen
others giving you response and you seem to seek one from our last conversation.
Can Ethiopia do better? Oh! yes, and always. We need to give alternative
ideas. A ground of us organized a half a day conference at the
George Washington University Law School just one day before the Ethiopian
Election, where we invited different American and Ethiopian Political
groups that included UEDF and Ethiopian Ambasador Kassahun Ayele, you
can read the report on www.Tecolahagos.com for your reference.
We had two young Ethiopians aged 7 and 11 speaking at this conference.
I remember, young Demis of 7 years speaking by quoting a famous Ethiopian
quote for the day...."Wise people learn from the mistakes of others,
Clever ones from their own and fools will continue to repeat the same
mistake over and over and live in ignorance, poverty and misery"...
Please learn from each other exhorted Young Demes of 7 Years of age.
My own daughter Abigail Beali at 11 admonished the speakers by quoting
from a wise African saying....
…..”An educated mind prepared to dialogue with potential adversaries
is the most powerful weapon and tool to make sustainable change that is
based on cultural and economic convergence for win-win synergistic partnership….”
Young Abigail encouraged the participants to dialogue for change.
So, let us not mix up the issues.
Yes, we want democracy and good governance in Ethiopia, but Security
and Peace precedes Good Governance. When we are at war- First Things First,
we defend our country, then we have a chance to bicker or argue or parlamentarize
or debate. So, I say first thing, first let us defend our holy land and
covenant with out people. Please read on my perspective and vision from
the attached articles
for your review.
Here is the conference summary for your information and I have added my
earlier paper for your information.
*********************
PRESS RELEASE
DIASPORA DIALOGUE IV ON GOOD GOVERNANCE AND ETHIOPIAN NATIONAL ELECTION
2005
BY: ETHIOPIAN AMERICAN CONSTITUENCY FOUNDATION.
----------------------------------
The Ethiopian American Constituency Foundation held a successful half
a day conference on Saturday, 14 May 2005 between 12:00 and 20:00 hrs
at the George Washington University Law School Moot Courtroom, 2000 H
Street NW, Washington DC.
The purpose of the conference was to initiate dialogue on Good
Governance, Millennium Development Goals by exploring Global Governance
over
time from stakeholders’ perspective with a focus on the role of
the
Diaspora,political parties and US-Africa policies, etc.
The conference was opened by two young Ethiopian Americans, Menelik
Demis Belete (7 years old, first grade student) and Abigail Belai
Habte-Jesus, (11 years old, fifth grade students). Both youths were clad
in
their classical Ethiopian dress and gave key advice by quoting Ethiopian
and African proverbs.
……”Wise people learn from the mistakes of others, clever
ones from
their own,
and fools continue to repeat the same mistakes over and over again and
live in ignorance, poverty and abject misery…” Young Menelik
exhorted
the conference participants to learn from each other.
…..”An educated mind prepared to dialogue with potential adversaries
is
the most powerful weapon and tool to make sustainable change that is
based on cultural and economic convergence for win-win synergistic
partnership….” Young Abigail encouraged the participants to
dialogue for
change.
The meeting was opened by an interesting session entitled Governance
in Africa/Ethiopia- Past, Present and Future 0utlook, with speakers
focusing on Global Governance, Governance in African and Ethiopian setting
as well as US-Africa policy on good governance with a focus on
Millennium Challenge Account and Global Millennium Development Goals,
etc.
The conference opened by the welcome and introduction of Dr Belai
Habte-Jesus, Overview of EACF by Tamrat Medhin, chair of EACF and the
goals and future of EACF by Ms Mariam Fikre, Executive Director of EACF.
A
very interesting and historical slide show on the Return of the Axum
Obelisk was made by Andrew Laurence a member of the Conference Organizing
Team and president of Ethiopian American Cultural Center.
T
he first session was led by Dr Belai Habte-Jesus (Conference Chair),
with power point presentation of the Role of Stakeholders in the
Shifting Paradigm of Good Governance.
This was followed by the second session with a panel on Governance in
Africa /Ethiopia and US/Africa Policy, Past, Present and Future
Outlook. The panelists included Ambassador David Shinn, Ambassador Kasahun
Ayele, Ambassador Koby Koomson and Professor Alem Ante Gebre-Sellassie
who
made very pertinent points on the historical development of governance
in Africa with a focus on Ethiopia and the current elections.
The third session was on the State of Ethiopia: Addressing
development indices and progress with Millennium DevelopmentGoals. This
panel was
led by Dr Gezahegne Bekele, Ms Fana Aragaw.
The fourth session was on the role and responsibilities of the
Diaspora. The panelists included Mr. Tamrat Medhin, Mr. Shlomo Bacharach
and
Ms Yodit Beyene where they addressed current and future role of the
Diaspora at their adopted home here in the US and Africa.
The fifth session was on Future Ethiopian Government- roles and
responsibilities. The representatives of the key contending parties, i.e.
EPRDF, CUD and UEDF were invited. However, only the UEDF was represented
by Ayalsew Dessie who made a passionate plea for change by identifying
the key critical issues on the current elections. He then responded to
questions from the audience which was complemented by the Community
Counselor of the Ethiopian Embassy where a lively discussion took place.
As the only representatives present he was given the opportunity to
respond to specific set questions on what his party will do in the first
one hundred days if elected and addressed competently some of the key
challenges of the country.
The sixth session was on future Diaspora Dialogue sessions and the
role of EACF in identifying youth leadership and identifying issues for
the next 20 years to galvanize the Diaspora on new immigrant and host
community issues.
This was a very interesting conference, first of its kind where key
contending parties such as the representatives of the Government of
Ethiopia and main opposition groups sat side by side on a panel and
undertook a very lively and informative dialogue with the community. We
believe this is an excellent example the current politicians at home in
Ethiopia could learn from as they await election results and make
arrangements to form a new viable government.
EACF is planning to host a series of Diaspora Dialogue sessions post
election to address US- Africa policies, by inviting key policy makers,
advocates and representatives of the Diaspora (New Immigrants and Host
Communities) to address the pressing challenges of the community.
Currently, EACF is actively engaged in the dialogue with Business and
Professional Groups by leading a task force on “Little Ethiopia-Millennium
Village” where hearing testimony was made by Tamrat Medhin and Andrew
Laurence of EACF and Ethiopian American Cultural Center at the recent
Council meeting of the District of Columbia.
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