The fiasco and folly of Anglo-American proxy rule in Ethiopia

By Seifu Tsegaye Demmissie | June 20, 2008

The Anglo-American masterminded neo-colonial design for Ethiopia has been implemented with their selective crowning of Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia. As their favorite candidate, they hailed and tried to sell Meles Zenawi as one of the new brand of African leaders. Their neo-colonial designs are shrouded with economic development, political reform and democracy to deceive the wider public and consolidate their proxy rule in the country. They allowed controlled and manipulable opposition to enhance their image. Many well meaning Ethiopians had been tricked into believing that the country is heading in the right direction. However, time has proven the correctness of democratic forces who opposed or questioned the motives behind the installation of an unelected regime in Ethiopia. These democratic forces have been facing constant attacks, marginalization and persecution. Despite the serious crisis and difficulty the country has been going through, Ethiopians have never accepted the proxy rule and continued their resistance in various ways they find suitable.

The grudgingly deep involvement of the west especially that of the United States of America and Britain in financing and running the proxy regime of TPLF-Meles, is a manifestation of their neo-colonial ambitions and desires in Africa. They have been instrumental and the brains behind dividing the country into ethnic homelands using the blue prints of the Italian fascists who occupied the country for a short period of time. The fact that the tribal regime is very much dependent on foreign (western) support for its functioning and survival or viability is self evident. Western money and expertise are keeping it alive as does a life supporting machine
to a patient. Any casual observer would find out and realize this reality in the administration of present day Ethiopia. Some Ethiopians have rightly described the regime of TPLF-Meles as a mercenary catering for foreign interests. Meles Zenawi is just an instrument of foreign powers and interests whose fate is inextricably linked to his servitude. The blind admirers and supporters of Meles Zenawi regard his servitude as a good quality related to competence or smartness. Servitude and working against national interests are disgraces to be ashamed of.

Based on their own official accounts and figures, the west as a whole is known to have spent between 25 and 30 billion dollars towards running and maintaining the proxy regime so far. There are evidences which show that in terms of volume, the corrupt and dysfunctional regime is the largest recipient of the so called official western development aid and grants in Sub-Saharan Africa. In addition, mention should be made of the complicity of the World bank which has been repeatedly advised against financing and supporting tyranny and repression in Ethiopia. As the arms and instruments of the west and neo-colonialism, the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) are entrusted with the task of financing and propping up Anglo-American cuddled and controlled regimes in the third world. Loyalty and submission to the interests of the west are the criteria that count to qualify any regime to secure the support of these western controlled and manipulated financial institutions. Regimes which are not to the taste of London and Washington are not entitled to secure loans and are rather subjected to sanctions of various kinds. These financial institutions function in line with the interests of the big western powers who impose and promote their economic policies through them.  The harmful and misguided policies and prescriptions of these lending institutions were blamed for the financial crises and economic ills which had hit some countries in the 90`s. Despite the infusion of billions of dollars, the country is in dire economic situation and facing grinding poverty. Evidences show that unemployment and poverty are increasing at frightening rates. It is true that the tribal elites in the service of foreign interests are burgeoning and faring well in the crisis and maladministration. They do not have any positive impacts to account for the tax payers of the west who are the sources of the finances. The present reality shows that they have compounded the problems of Ethiopia and made it the hub of famine and poverty. Western presence, rule and money have not improved the lots of the great majority of Ethiopians.

The tribal policy of the proxy regime is impeding the free movement of capital and domestic labour within the country. Moreover, the Anglo-American proxy regime is known to be among the most brute and repressive ones in Africa. It is accused of war crimes in Ethiopia and neighbouring Somalia. Neither does proxy rule improve and respect fundamental human rights. Siphoning of resources and trampling upon the rights and sovereignty of the country is resulting in more resentment and rage. It is marginalising and shoving millions into despair and misery. One does not need to present and analyse figures since the increasing deterioration of living conditions and desperation of the population in Ethiopia speak volumes to confirm it. Ethiopia is now in the grip of distressing and widespread famine which has hit the news headlines again. The excruciating pictures of emaciated and starving children are back to the media screens. These pictures are simply a bit of the unfolding human tragedy emanating from the appalling famine  which is taking its tolls on human lives and causing immense suffering in Ethiopia. Yet the TPLF-Meles and their foreign masters are busy attempting to conceal its actual magnitude, depoliticise and blame it on nature and rising world food prices.

It is in the middle of this tragedy that Meles Zenawi and Co. were throwing out lavish parties for the enjoyment of their cadres and supporters. It is well known that Meles Zenawi is the world's champion in lying and his western nourished organs of lies will continue to cover up or deny or even seek escape goats. Cheating, lying and killing are all the occupations of TPLF-Meles.  However, their efforts to hide  the famine by producing farce reports of economic growth and development have proved to be futile. The much vaunted economic growth figures of the proxy regime in Ethiopia are yet proving to be another bluff and pack of lies. Their lies are blowing up in their faces and the famine is now getting the attention of the international community.

The devastating famines hitting Ethiopia have their roots in the unfavorable policies and mismanagement of successive dictatorial governments which have neglected the vital sector of the economy, agriculture and the rural population. The western governments and media used to politicise the famine of the 80`s in Ethiopia and blame it on the policies and politics of the military regime. According to them, the famine was to go away with that regime. It has not done so because the west have crowned a malicious and more destructive dictator who takes their orders and dances to the tune of London and Washington.The proxy rule can not address and solve outstanding domestic issue like famine, poverty and democratic governance which are the foundations for economic growth and increased productivity.

Instead famine has increased its magnitude and severity and is engulfing the whole country. It is assuming an epidemic nature and has even spread to the surplus producing parts of the country. The primitive and tribal TPLF-Meles proxy regime the west have installed in Ethiopia has taken the country way back and made it more vulnerable to famine and diseases like Malaria. The apartheid modelled ethnic homeland politics of the proxy tribal rule has led to numerous inter communal violence and significant internal displacements. As a consequence, hard working and productive citizens have been forced to be perpetual beggars. The proxy regime itself is well equipped with faculty of begging and inculcating this culture , corruption and discouraging hard work in the country. The regime has been bragging about its so called rural based development policy and its achievements. What is actually happening is that they have subjected the rural population to repression and strangling through training and deploying their security agents (cadres) to control and quell any dissent. The connivance of the western donors in the repression and violation of human rights is deplorable. It is hampering the freedom, initiative and productivity of the population. Government ownership of land and the threat of evictions are being used as weapons to blackmail or intimidate the rural population into submission and preventing them from applying long term innovative methods. As expected the rural population is bearing the brunt of the endemic famine and suffering in the country. The much publicized millennium goals and poverty reduction programs of the west are not alleviating these scourges. Human conscience would not accept the folly of the western financiers and masters of Meles Zenawi in Ethiopia. It is well known that periodic droughts of varying scales and impacts do hit Ethiopia. But droughts should not lead to famine all the time. There are other parts of the world experiencing drought but avoiding famines. Thus, famine in Ethiopia is very much a political or policy issue and the solution for it lies in abolishing dictatorship and tyranny in the country.

In the face of this malice, Ethiopians are left with no option but to resort to mass uprising and regain their sovereignty and ensure their democratic rights. The major short coming or weakness of the main stream pan-Ethiopian opposition politics has been the surplus of docility and deficit of militancy. The serious deficits of militancy and unity of purpose have been impeding the struggle and contributed to the maintenance of the status quo ( national humiliation and suffering) in the country. The genuine opposition forces should embrace militancy as a form of peaceful struggle and be in the forefront to mobilize and usher the country into an era of democracy, freedom and prosperity. The fast deteriorating and volatile situation developing in the country would require proactive measures based on guided, well coordinated and targeted militancy to deal a decisive blow to the illegitimate and proxy rule that is imposed on our country. 

The citizens of the west should be made aware of the complicity of their politicians using the pretext of combating poverty and should uphold accountability. The people of the United States should apply pressure on their leaders and urge them to respect International laws and the sovereignty of countries. Domination and subordination should be brought to an end and give way to International cooperation and stability. As far as Ethiopian democratic forces are concerned, the way forward is to forge unity centered around the burning and immediate issue of the rights and sovereignty of the country and work for the removal of the Anglo-American fetters, TPLF-Meles. The belief of regime change through elections should be dispelled since elections have proved to be fatal and extending cooperative hands to the mass murderers. Mass uprising and destabilization of the proxy regime are the right courses of action which will enable us to take our destination into our own hands. Extreme actions on the part of the proxy rule should be met with corresponding reactions. The opposition should work for mass mobilization aimed at teaching the traitors and their foreign masters unforgettable lessons. Demanding and seeking justice are our legitimate rights and should not be regarded as revenges. It is only justice that can heal the wounds the atrocious TPLF-Meles are inflicting on us.