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Happy New Year for the New Ethiopia
By Abebe Gellaw (Meskerem 1, 2005 E.C.)
The ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus is credited as saying: “The only thing that is constant is change.” This simple but profound
statement is accepted as a universal truth. Those who have seriously grasped the meaning of life are always ready for change and challenge. While the majority of Ethiopians have been craving for drastic and radical changes to end their miseries under TPLF’s oppressive regime, the ruling elite appear to be resisting and frustrating change.
The just ended Ethiopian year (2004 E.C.) will undoubtedly go down in the annals of Ethiopian history as one of the most dramatic years ever. We have been witnessing great changes. Some of the most momentous events of the year have been etched in our memories including the extended search for the whereabouts of the late Prime Minister that was eventually concluded with his dramatic return from Brussels in a coffin. The man who terrorized Ethiopia for the last 21 years was finally humbled.
It was evident that none of his cronies, who were crying and wailing like newly orphaned kids on live TV, were prepared for such a “heartbreaking” turn of events. They seemed to forget that their master, whose brutality and ruthlessness was well-known across the world, was mortal like his victims. They were silent when he killed and tortured defenseless citizens, but they were wailing and crying when he died. Facing an uncertain future, many of these egotistic agents of oppression have obviously been crying for themselves rather than the fallen despot. They are simply scared of change.
The last quarter of the year has particularly been the most significant as Ethiopia has been undergoing a quiet revolution that can be attributed to an act of providence at a time when citizens have been fatigued with hopes and despairs. For the first time in memorable history, Ethiopians welcomed the New Year without a ruler at the helm of power. The death of Meles Zenawi, who dominated and dictated Ethiopia for the last 21 years, is a radical change. Ethiopia after Meles is a new country that needs to readjust and reconcile itself with the realities of the day.
The past year started with a series of arbitrary arrests and charges of terrorism against journalists, human rights defenders and dissidents. The late Prime Minister ordered the arrest of thousands of innocent Ethiopians across the country, including a large number of Oromo political activists, some of whom were charged with trumped-up terrorism offenses.
In 2004 gross human rights violations and abuses reached a new height. Almost every vocal dissent was convicted and labeled a “terrorist”. Meles defended the outrageous law by dismissing foreign critics such as Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International as bigots and racists.
Journalist Eskinder Nega and the up-and-coming political leader Andulalem Arage were arrested on September 14th, 2011 (Meskerem 3, 2004 E.C). Eskinder was manhandled and hauled by security agents in front of his son, Nafkot, who was born in jail prematurely. Despite international uproars, the late tyrant obstinately defended his shoddy terrorism law as the pinnacle of justice that would protect the government and people of Ethiopia from home-grown “terrorists” like Reeyot Alemu, Eskinder Nega and exiled dissidents whose crimes have been writing and speaking out against tyranny.
Though Eskinder and Reeyot were found guilty of being “terrorists” by Mr. Zenawi’s Kangaroo courts, both were honored with international journalism awards for their courage and commitment to freedom. In early May Eskider was awarded the 2012 PEN USA/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award. Collecting her husband’s prize in New York, Serkalem Fasil said that no prison and torture chamber would deter Eskider from fighting for freedom. It was in the same month that Reeyot was honored with the International Women Media Foundation’s 2012 Courage in Journalism Award.
The sense of despair that ordinary citizens were feeling in the face of mounting discontent under the boots of tyrants was epitomized with the self-immolation of Yenesew Gebre, a young teacher and activist in Tercha, Dawro Zone. Yenesew, who sacrificed himself for freedom on a fateful Friday 11/11/11 (Hedar 1, 2004) in Tercha, added a new momentum for the struggle against tyranny. Before setting himself alight, the brave teacher was quoted as saying: “‘I will not live in a country where there is no justice and freedom. I will sacrifice myself so that others will be set free.” Yenesew passed away but ignited the flame of freedom in the hearts of so many Ethiopians.
The poignant case of Alem Dechasa, who committed suicide after she was dragged and beaten in front of the Ethiopian Consulate in Beirut; the ethnic cleansing of tens of thousands Amharas from Guraferda, South-West Ethiopia; the rise of Ethiopian Muslims to defend their rights from government encroachment; the controversy surrounding Waldba Monastery, which has been threatened by TPLF’s sugar project, are a few among the many memorable events of the year.
The death of former tyrant Meles Zenawi is by far the most significant event in the last two decades. The tyrant’s death marked the end of an era. Despite efforts to resist change, Ethiopia is definitely experiencing a revolution. The ruling elite that declared a two-week national mourning to grieve the loss of a tyrant is facing maddening chaos and crises, which has been compounded by the intense power struggle to fill the big void left by Meles Zenawi.
The widely condemned and reviled Meles regime is no more here. That in itself is a profound change that will definitely reset the future of Ethiopia despite the fact that the former dictator’s orphaned cronies have been making desperate efforts to salvage the system. But the tyrant’s personal rule is too complex to inherit and manage. The system is unraveling as the decapitated regime is still headless and clueless.
There are so many unknowns and uncertainties that necessitate the creation of a new system acceptable to all. Whatever they do, it is evident that the engine and brain of the complex ethno-apartheid system is dead and buried. So what is needed is a radical change that accommodates changing realities in the new Ethiopia.
Whatever happens, it is a great time for change. Ethiopians have to rise up in unison in defense of their dignity and rights. We should no longer allow oppressors to dictate our future. We need to seize on the opportune time for revolution to end dictatorship and oppression for good. Change is here for the new Ethiopia. Let us welcome it with open arms by making concerted efforts to dismantle what remains to be an ethno-fascist regime that has denied Ethiopia from taking its rightful place in history.
It is not enough to call Ethiopia a symbol of black liberation and freedom without freeing itself from the age-old oppression it has been facing. We have to define the change to come….As much as there is change; there is also inertia that comes in the form of resistance to change. Unless Ethiopians rise up in unison and completely remove those who resist change, another historic opportunity to make wrongs right will be wasted. It is high time to end the hegemony of the TPLF.
Let us not wait for change; let us make it happen. I wish my fellow Ethiopians a year full of grace and blessing.
Happy New Year for the New Ethiopia!
Thank you Abe. Happy New Year to you and your family too. I can’t agree more to all what you said. But I want to add that the Ethiopian people and histroy will remember you as one of the most courageous and thoughtful son of Ethiopia. You have already written your own history in the hearts and minds of the peace, freedom and justice loving people of Ethiopia and indeed the entire world. You have already written your own chapter in the histroy of the struggle of the Ethiopian people for freedom, justice and democracy. You will be remembered as an Ethiopian hero for generations and generations to come. The Ethiopian history in 2004 E.C. cannot be complete without you taking the center stage. May God bless you and your family with a long healthy, happy, and prosperous life. May God bless us all in this new year with freedom, democracy and justice in our country. Thank you Abe agan and we love you.
Thank you so much for your great message. Ethiopia is new, hopefully for the better.
Woven Abebe,
You reminded us what we forgot because we have been inundated with tragic after tragic one after another. We finally qqgained our senses and we feel the world around us. Ethiopia is the fountain and sources of our cultural and spiritual amenities that make us a distinct people. Our ancestors died for these higher values so that each generation enjoys the bastions of the unique heritages and sacrify what it takes to defend and maintain them and pass to generation that follow. You did this and exemplified the heroic deed in uncommon way. You made a history that the end of one period and the beginning of a new period of peace and prosperity. Ethiopians will begin to roam freely from corner to corner unrestricted. You are right, the stream flows forward enriching every creature and nature. Nothing will reverse history and time. Woyane / TPLF if behind us. Thank you for the heroic act and thank for defining the principles for which it was done. Very proud woven, yours. Happy New Year to you, family and all around you.
nothing good come out of this hyena….why don’t you leave him alone? He already passed away whether he was good or bad at least he showed the world who he is and for what purpose he created for, am not adoring him as perfect person but he is far better than you. He can distract while he is constructing, do not think leading country is just like writing an articles with out acknowledging original ideas as you do usually. therefore, please shut up leave Ethiopian people alone. Wish you positive mind for Ethiopian new year!
Mr. Abebe,
Almost all your articles narrate about a change. But which change are you talking about? Are you dreaming to bring a system which subjugates all ethnic groups like the feudal system or the so-called nationalist and oppressive derg system? You have never told us clearly what you are planning as a way forward. Are you going to wage a war with Eritrea in order to annex it with Ethiopia forcefully because of your pompous nationalism? Are you going to stop Grand Rennaisance Dam to appease Egypt to finance your proxy war against our motherland? Please tell us your latent and hidden agenda for Ethiopia.
As a renowned journalist, you know more than me about Ethiopian ancient and contemporary history. Can you please tell me which kingdom was perfect and how much did it achieve economically, politically and socially? Relatively, our current administration achieved what cannot be achieved in a century without any exaggeration. If we continue with this trend, we will achieve middle income status in 2025. Do you have a better vision than this for Ethiopia? You may be another hero to be remebered in the anals of Ethiopian history like our hero and late prime Minister Meles Zenawi. He is currently at the top of all our previous leaders because of his achievements. You can have a fire of zeal in your belly to excel him and then we can lionize you more than our current hero Meles Zanawi. You have to earn it and you don’t have to be jealous and irritated because he was recognized in Ethiopia and all over the world with the exception of you and your likes.
We hear so many debates among opposition parties around the world in democratic countries, but I have never heard of such a rage, hatred and animosity among the parties. You hate the ruling party in Ethiopia, which is composed of many consituent parties which represent various regions and ethnic groups. Also you try to mislead your audience and constituencies by advocating that Ethiopia is governed by only TPLF or Tigreans. Your main goal is to alienate all Ethiopian people from Tigreans by portaying them as oppressors. You are trying to revive our old wounds of feudal system of monarchy and sowing the seed of discord, violence, and hatred which might result in civil wars that are similar to those which took place in Yogoslavia and Rwanda. Unfortunately, that is not going to happen in Ethiopia because our people are very wise and they can not be manipulated to achieve your ill-conceived end-game. Our people also do not want any radical change such as Arab Spring that took place in undemocratic countries like Tunisia, Libya or Egypt which did not advance the interests of their people because Ethiopia is a democratic country which embarked in a dramatic growth, transformation and developmental system which targetd in getting rid of poverty and promotes the interest of all Ethiopians and continues to register double digit growth for the last eight years. Whether you like it or not bread and butter or economy is a big factor in any election or contest between opposition party and an incumbent party.
Our people are better off with EPRDF since it took office and they have no confidence at all in opposition parties which play word games, destabilize our country and which are not tested and whose program is ambiguous. Shouting change! Change! Change! on top of your vocal cord zillion times will not bring a change and will not convince our people. You are so behind in assessing the hearts and minds of our people and they know your ulterior motives very well. If you are really committed to work for our people, please don’t advocate violence, don’t hurl an insult at our leaders, rather act like a statesman, work your way up to convince us and earn our vote and respect. Some of your old boys club might admire your guts and confrontation with our leaders, but it does not get you any acceptance by our grassroots and general public because you are very detached from prevailing reality in Ethiopia. Our leaders are are not perfect, but they are working very hard day in and day out while you are compaigning against national interest of Ethiopia and Ethiopians with all your power. You will not achieve anything except you can raise funds and live lavish life in overseas by making speeches among your likes and writing such divisive and derogatory articles.
As we enter into this Ethiopian New Year, I wish all opposition groups to come to their senses to work with our elected government amicably, promote peace and reconciliation and support all development efforts. I am very happy for ONLF for seizing a golden opportunity to make peace with Ethiopian government. It is not a sign of a weakness, but it is a sign of maturity. As a result, ONLF can play a constructive role in Somali region and the rest of Ethiopia to achieve better paradigm shift which benefits all of us. We pray that this new year will bring all stakeholders to a reconciliation table to resolve all differences in order to get into the business of all Ethiopians. May it be a year of peace, reconciliation, unity, prosperity and greater achievements for Ethiopia more than ever before!!!
Happy new years!!!!!!! I was missing you. Now you made my holyday!
Thanks!!!!! and yes ‘Ethiopia forward’!!!!!!!!!!
Great Abebe!
The TPLF parachute has been punctured. But the TPLF does not seem to have come to grips with the reality. TPLF is still in the state of denial but at its own peril. One of the reasons they are choosing to stay in the state of denial is empty bravado emanating from simple stupidity. The second might be the reality has not sunk in yet and it might take some time. The third and may be the major reason is they are dumbfounded and do not know what to do. Meles rendered the TPLF useless without him. As Sebhat said recently Meles died after buring the TPLF. They do not have any clue, none whatsoever, how to get out of this mess they find themselves in. They have just chosen to freeze the time in their head and stay in the state of denial while they are in a free fall because the parachute has already been punctured. They will soon find themselves hitting the ground breaking down into irredeemable fine pieces. The damage has already been done and no number of DPMs can save them. HD, Girma, Abba Dula, Kuma, Addisu, Demeke, Bereket, Arkebe, Abay, Seyoum, Sebhat, Berhane, Tewdros, Azeb, Samora, Getachew, none of them can save the TPLF from its final resting grave it is heading to. Did you think all that wailing of the TPLF a couple of weeks ago was for Meles? No, it was for themselves. In the heart of their hearts they know THE GAME IS OVER
Alemu, I have some questions for you. Were you on this planet in May 2005? Did you hear about the general elections in Ethiopia in May 2005? Did you hear about the election results especially in Addis and how it ended? If you have not heard, I have a news for you. The TPLF/EPRDF lost 100% in Addis Ababa and other parts of the country except in Tigray where the opposition activies where almost non-existent. As the whole world witnessed over and over again the 2005 elections have been the only relatively free and fair elections conducted since the TPLF came to power. If elections are what to go by to find people’s choices, the Ethiopian people rejected the TPLF/EPRDF 100% and embraced the opposition 100%. When the Ethiopian people felt that they were free to make their choices without fear of reprisal from the TPLF, they let the whole world know that they catagorically reject the TPLF/EPRDF. Meles himself admitted this fact in public, qouting Meles himself: Be Addis Ababa meto be meto bezirera teshenifenal. What happened in Addis Ababa was simply replicated throughout the country save Tigray but Meles single handedly annulled the results and choices of the Ethiopian people. That is the truth and no amount of spinning can alter it. This is the data based fact I am talking about. So much about your unsustantiated assertion pulling your own facts out of the thin air. If you want a genuine discussion, you need to support it with acceptable data.
Dere, let me honestly answer your questions. I was in Ethiopia during May 2005 general election and voted for CUD during that election. I also heard about the election results with different claims and counter claims. As our Prime Minister Meles admitted and as the results were posted at each Kebele, EPRDF lost Addis Ababa 100%. But, that does not prove that the opposition won in other parts of the country. The raw data and statistic reported by the election commission confirmed that the opposition party did not win in the country side which constitutes 85% of the population. But, the opposition tried to mislead Ethiopians by propagating that they won by landslide and they continued to complain that the votes were rigged. Neither of us can verify and substantiate that allegation beyond reasonable doubt.
Both the opposition and the ruling party are bound to the rules and regulations of Election Commision. However, the opposition did not want to accept the announced results and resorted to instigating violence instead of taking seats in the parliament, governing the cities they won, and negotiating power sharing deals. People who came out to street because of the call of the opposition party confronted the law enforcement and 7 policemen died as a result. In the meantime, the police also used maximum force to make the situation under control and 193 people were unnecessarily killed by ill-fated vision of the opposition. It was similar to Marikana violence at platinum Mining of South Africa in August 2012 whereby some police officers were killed and the police used maximum force and killed 34 strikers.
In the case of 2005 elction, however, the killing was unintended result on the side of the government whereas it was deliberately calculated game on the part of the opposition to blackmail the ruling party, to get pressure from foreign countries and to make the country ungovernable like Somalia to take a chance to come to power through illegal means. Even if we assume that votes were rigged in the country side as suggested by the opposition, it does not give a leagl ground or legitimacy for the opposition to commit the crimes they have done during 2005 election season. They should have entered the parliament, they should have governed the cities they won and they should have shared some cabinet positions and they should have demonstrated their abilities to govern the country peacefully in order to further the interests of all Ethiopians.
For example take Zimbabwe where the Movement for Democratic Change Zimbabwe (MDCZ) led by Tsvangrai was suppressed by Zanu PF of Robert Mugabe for several years and yet this opposition party never turned ugly like Ethioipian opposition groups. Besides, the experience of Tsvangrai and other MDCZ party memebers was very well recognized within Zimbabwe, but they never fled to overseas and resort to fighting against their motherland. In our case, the saddest thing is that the members of opposition do not have coherent strategy and policy to lead our country and yet they don’t even agree on issues at their leadership levels. That resulted in the disintegration of popular CUD party into splinter groups which rendered them almost uneffective during 2010 election season. As you agree with me, our opposition groups always like forming a coalition or merger only when the election season approaches, but not because they have serious conviction on issues that benefit the country and Ethiopians. Their goal is only to remove EPRDF and achieve power. The problem is we don’t know them very well and there is fear of the unknown. They should have narrowed that gap through active participation in the governance of the major cities which they won by election in 2005. So the outcome of 2010 for opposition party was almost negligible not because the political space was narrowed by the government, but mainly by their own poor preparation and disorganization.
They need to approach the grassroots from country side up to cities and must have strong organization and cadres who compete with the ruling party. They could not do that very well. Besides, Ethiopian people punished the opposition party because they disappointed them by disregarding their votes by refusing to take up elected office and parliament and almost creating a crisis sistuation in the country. So they did not want the same scenario to be repeated. I was also one the Ethiopians who regreted voting for the opposition in 2005 and switched my party affiliation to the ruling party. The current government is doing its level best to promote the interest of our country and people in all aspects. We gained respect around the world because of their multifacted developmental approaches which showed positive results from time to time. I know very well that poverty is still prevalent in Ethiopia, but it show a declining trend every year as the country registers double digit economic growth for the last several years. This fact was verified by African development Bank, ECA, World Bank, IMF, etc., which are not manipulated by Ethiopian government.
On the contrary, the opposition party has distanced itself from Ethiopian people running away to overseas and enjoying comfortable life and waging war against the interest of the country and campaigning against the country around the world to stop funding sources for our developmental projects like our age-old enemies such as Egypt. How do you think Ethiopians see any foreign or terrorist agression and those who deter developing Grand Renaissance DAM on the Nile? As Ethiopian history shows us time and again, all Ethiopians are united against their enemies who destabilze their territorial integrity, create havoc and derail development efforts of the government. So it is wise for all opposition to take a high road of peace, democracy and justice without contradicting them and work with the people and government of Ethiopia and strengthen their institutions starting from grassroots level. Ethiopia is not under similar condition like Menstu Haile Mariam who was brutal, Paria, and has no good relationship with major economies of the world. We have a great deplomatic, economic and people to people relationship with our current government. So the opposition cannot expect isolation of Ethiopia by any major country. So it is not easy for them to win power through the jungle war and their wishful thinking. And there is no good reason to go to jungle because all democratic rights are protected as long as they play within the limits and framework of the constitution of Ethiopia. So please let us not take our differences as personal and rather let us capitalize on things that unite us in order to contribute to our country positively without being instruments of foreign elements who want us to be a failed state. May God bless Ethiopia and all Ethiopians who care about Ethiopia and Ethiopians!!!
Death is evidently arrives unannounced to everyone…. Meles passing is a huge tragedy but it was also an eye opener to see how all Ethiopian at home came together to build and work what Meles has started. They are committed to build the country unlike and carry their broken hearts and translated into building the nation unlike you bunch of losers who are working slaving yourself to USA, Canada or Europe for minimum wages and keep yapping here…. Why do not you go back and do some constructive work to benefits your people, families at home. I can not stand how stupid you all are in thinking Meles death means Ethiopian still have thousands of Meles… We all are sadden for the good he has done but his legacy will remain in the history of Ethiopia. However, you looser just keep winning on line without doing anything. I bet you do not even work or able to assist your own families at home. If you can not work, produce or do something productive let the reset of Beautiful sons and daughters of Ethiopia work and get out of the way looser…. Happy New Year for devoted Ethiopian… UNITY IS THE KEY FOR THE SUCESS, PROSPERITY OF ANY NATION. AND MELES PLANTED THE SEEDS. MAY YOU REST IN PEACE…