Ethiopia: A voice for the voiceless http://addisvoice.com Ethiopia: A voice for the voiceless Mon, 21 May 2012 06:34:48 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 የመለስ ዜናዊ ድንቀኛ ተረቶች http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%8b%a8%e1%88%98%e1%88%88%e1%88%b5-%e1%8b%9c%e1%8a%93%e1%8b%8a-%e1%8b%b5%e1%8a%95%e1%89%80%e1%8a%9b-%e1%89%b0%e1%88%a8%e1%89%b6%e1%89%bd/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%8b%a8%e1%88%98%e1%88%88%e1%88%b5-%e1%8b%9c%e1%8a%93%e1%8b%8a-%e1%8b%b5%e1%8a%95%e1%89%80%e1%8a%9b-%e1%89%b0%e1%88%a8%e1%89%b6%e1%89%bd/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 06:34:48 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16982 ከፕሮፌሰር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም
ትርጉም ከነጻነት ለሃገሬ

ባለፈው ሳምንት በኢትዮጵያ በተካሄደው በ‹‹ ዓለም አቀፉ የኤኮኖሚ ስብሰባ ላይ›› የግፍ ገዢው የፈላጭ ቆራጩ መለስ ዜናዊ አርቲ ቡርቲ መነባንብ:

…በኔ እምነት በታሪክም ሆነ በቲዎሪ የኤኮኖሚ እድገትና ዴሞክራሲ ቀጥተኛ ግንኙነትም ሆነ ተዛምዶ የላቸውም፡፡በኔ አመለካከት፤ በኤኮኖሚ እድገት ላይ የሚያስከትለውን ጫና ገሸሽ አድርገን ዴሞክራሲ በራሱ ጥሩ ነገር ነው፡፡በኔ አመለካከት አፍሪካውያን በጣም ስብጥሮች ነን፡፡ ስለዚህም ነው ብዬ አምናለሁ በመሃላችን ያለውን ግንኙነት ሰላማዊ የሚያደርገው፡፡እነዚህን ስብጥር ሰዎች በአንድነት ለማቆየት ያለው አማራጭም ዴሞክራሲ ነው  ብዬ አምናለሁ፡፡ስለዚህም ዴሞክራሲን መዘርጋት ይኖርብናል: ያ ግን ለእደገት ብለን አይደለም፡፡ዴሞክራሲን መዘርጋት ያለብን ስብጥር የሆኑትን በአንድነት ለማቆየት እንድንችል ነው፡፡ የኔ አመለካከት ይሄ ነው፡፡ያም ሆኖ ግን በዚህ የምሽት ተረት ተረት፤የእንቅልፍ ማምጫ ተረብ እና  የኤኮኖሚን ልማትና ዴሞክራሲን የሚያገናኝ ፈጠራና የውሸት ተረት አላምንም፡፡በታሪክ ይህንየሚያረጋግጥ መሰረት የለም: በኔም አመለካከት ከልማት እድገት ጋር የሚያገናኘው መሰረት የለም፡፡ ይህንን የቅዠትክርክር ማካሄድ ጨርሶ አያስፈልግም: ምክንያቱም ዴሞክራሲ ብቻውን ቆሞ ብቻውን ሊያበራ ይችላልና፡፡

ከዚህ በተቃራኒው ደግሞ የኤኮኖሚ ዕድገትን ከዴሞክራሲ ጋር የተገናኘ ነው ብለው ““የቅዠት ተረት ተረት” የተናገሩት ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ በ2009 በጋና አክራ  ይሄ ነው፡፡

ልማት በመልካም አስተዳደር ላይ ይመሰረታል፡፡ታሪክ ትክክለኛውን ውሳኔ ያመላክተናል፡፡የሕዝቦቻቸውን ፍላጎትየሚያከብሩ፤በሕዝቦች ፈቃደኝነት የሚያስተዳድሩ በሃይልና በማንአለብኝነት ከሚገዙ የበለጠ ልማታዊ ፤ የበለጠየረጉ፤እና የበለጠ ስኬታማ ናቸው፡፡ መሪዎች ራሳቸውን ለማሳበጥና በሃብትም ለመክበር ጥረት የሚያደርጉ ከሆኑ፤ ማንኛውም ሃገር ሃብት ሊኖረው አይችልም፡፡ፍትህ የሕግ የበላይነት በሚጨፈለቅበትና በሙስናና በሌብነት በተመሳቀለ ሃገር ውስጥ ለመኖር የሚመኝ ማንም የለም፡፡ ይህ አይነቱ ሁኔታ ያለበት የዴሞክራሲ ሃገር ሳይሆን የግፍ ሃገር ነው፡፡ያንን የመሰለውን አስከፊ ስርአት መገላገያው ደግሞ አሁን ነው… በ21ኛው ክፍለ ዘመን፤ችሎታ ያላቸው፤ታማኝነትያላቸው፤እና ግልጽነትን የሚቀበሉ ኢኒስቲቲዩሽኖች ለዚህ ስኬት ቁልፍ ናቸው፡፡—–ጠንካራ ፓርላማ፤ታማኝ የሆነየፖሊስ ሃይል፤ነጻና ለራሳቸው ሕሊና የሚገዙ የፍትህ ስርአት አባላት፤ነጻና ዴሞክራሲያዊ ፕሬስ፤ ንቁና ልማታዊ የሆነየግል ዘርፍ፤የሲቪል ማህበረሰብ፡፡ ለዴሞክራሲ ነፍስ የሚዘሩበትና መከታ የሚሆኑት እነዚህ ናቸው፤ ምክንያቱም በሕብረተስቡ የእለት ተእለት እንቅስቃሴ አስፈላጊው ይሄው በመሆኑ፡፡…. ታሪክም ከነዚህ የአፍሪካ ጀግኖች ጋር  ይቆማል እንጂ ራሳቸውን በሥላጣን ለማክረም ግፍ ከሚሰሩትና ለግለሰብ ፍላጎታቸው አመጽ ከሚያስነሱትና ሕገ መንግስቱን እንዳሻቸው ከሚያመሳቅሉት ጋር አይሰለፍም፡፡አፍሪካ ጡንቸኞች አየስፈልጋትም፤የሚያስፈልጋት የፈረጠሙ ዴሞክራሲያዊ ኢንስቲቲዩሽኖች ነው፡፡አፍሪካ የተሻለና ስፋት ያለው እድገት እንደሚኖራት ጥርጥር የለኝም፡፡

እኔ የምወዳችው ተረቶች

እንደሌላው ሰው እኔም የእንቅልፍ ማምጫ ተረቶች እወዳለሁ፡፡ የምመርጠው ደግሞ  “ፒኖኪዮ በአፍሪካ” የተሰኘው፤ ነው:: ከአሻንጉሊትነት ወደ ሰውነት መለወጥ የሚመኘውን ፒኖኪዮ ሰው መሆን ሊችል ይችላል ግን ተአማኒነት ይጠበቅበታል፡፡ ፒኖኪዮ መዋሸት በጣም ይወዳል ያውም ገደብ የሌለው ትላልቅ ውሸት፡፡ፒኖኪዮ በዋሸ ቁጥር አፍንጫው ይረዝማል፡፡

‹‹ፐፍ: ዘ: ማጂክ ድራጎን እና ሕያው የሆኑ ውሸቶች ሃገር›› የተባለዉን ተረት እወደዋለሁ፡፡ ፐፍ: በቤቷ ያለውን ችግር ለመሸሽ የምትፈልገውን ሳንዲ የተባለች ልጅ ሕያው የሆኑ ውሸቶች ሃገር ወሰዳት፡፡ በዚያም ፒኖኪዮንና ጂብ መጣ እያለ  በዉሸት የሚያስፈራራውና የሚጮኸውን  ልጅ አገኘች:: ከዚያም ሌላ ማንም አይቶ የማያውቀውን ወይን ጠጅማ ላምና: ሮዝማውን ዝሆን አየች፡፡

ጥንታዊውን የኢትዮጵያ ታሪክ ተናጋሪ የኤሶፕን ግብረገባዊ ተረቶችም እወዳቸዋለሁ፡፡ ድሮ ዱሮ አንድ በጎችን ጠልፎ ለመውሰድ ችግር ያለበት ተኩላ ነበር፡፡የችግሩ መነስኤም ጠባቂው ንቁና ጠንቃቃ ስለነበር ነው፡፡አንድ ቀን ቀበሮው የተጣለ የበግ ቆዳ አገኘና ያንን ቆዳ ለብሶ በጎቹን ተመሳስሎ ከመንጋዎቹ ጋር ተደባለቀ፡፡እያደባ አንድ ባንድ በጎቹን በመብላት ላይ እያለ አንድ ቀን እረኛው አወቀበትና ከዚያን ዕለት ጀምሮ  ሰርቆ ገድሎ መብላት አልቻሃለም::

ተምሳሌታዊና ድርብ ትርጉም ሰጪዎችንና የተረት አነጋገሮችን እወዳለሁ፡፡ እንደ ጆርጅ ኦርዌል የፖለቲካ ቋንቋ ያዘሉት::  ጀርጅ ሲተርት ፖለቲከኖች: ሃሰትን እንደ እውነት ግድያን የተከበረ ተግባር አድርገው ያቀርባሉ፡፡በዚህም መልኩ ጦርነት ሠላም፤ነጻነትም ባርነት፤መሃይምነት ምሁርነት፤ድህነት ሃብት፤ችጋር የተትረፈረፈ ምግብ፤ የጸሁፍ ቁጥጥርን የፕሬስ ነጻነት፤ግፍን መልካምነት፤ እያሉ ያቀርባሉ፡፡

አዎንና የልጆችን የጨዋታ ግጥምም እወዳለሁ፡-

ሃምፕቲ ዳምፕቲ የተባለ እንቁላል ግድግዳው ላይ ተቀመጠ፤                                                                          አወዳደቁም ተአምራዊ ነበር!

ጤናማ ሕብረተስብ፤ ዴሞክሬይዚ እና ንኮቹ ዲክታተሮች

“ብቸኛው ሕዝቦችን በሰላም ለማቆየት ያለው አማራጭ ዴሞክራሲ ነው” ይላል መለስ፡፡ ሃሰት ከሚኖርበት ሃገር አንዳንድ እውነተኛ ታሪኮች፡ እንመልከት-

ፍሪደም ሃውስ የዩናይትድ ስቴትስ ስቴት ዲፖርትመንት

በኤፕሪል 2008 በአጠቃላይ ኢትዮጵያ ምርጫ ተካሂዶ ነበር፡ፍሪደም ሃውስ እና ፡ ያሜሪካ ዉጭ ጉዳይ ሚንስትር  ባደረጉት ዘገባ መሰረት፤የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲ ተፎካካሪ ተመራጮች ከምርጫው በፊት በመንግስት ሃይላት በመንገላታትና ከምርጫው እራሳቸውን እንዲያገሉ በመያዝና መሳደድ ስቃያቸውን ይበሉ ነበር፡፡በዚህም የተነሳ ተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ከምርጫው ራሳቸውን በማግለል ስለተዉት መንግስትና ፓርቲው ብቻውን ተወዳድሮ ደጋፊዎቹ የምርጫ ተፎካካሪዎች ከፍተኝ ብልጫ አኙ፡፡ ገዢው ፓርቲ ለምርጫ ከቀረቡት ከ3 ሚሊዮን ያላነሱ መቀመጫዎች 99 በመቶውን አሸነፈ፡፡

የዓለም ባንክ (2012)

በሜይ 2010 በተካሄደው ምርጫ ገዢው ፓርቲ ኢሕአዴግ (ኢፒአርዲኤፍ) እና አጋሮቹ  99.6 በመቶ ምርጫውን በማሸነፍ የተቃዋሚውን ቁጥር በሕዝብ ተወካዮች 547 ወንበር ከ174 ወደ ሁለት አወረደው፡፡ ኢትዮጵያ በሰብ ሰሃራ አፍሪካ ከሚገኙት ሃገራት በሕዝብ ቁጥር ሁለተኛዋና፤ በዓለም ካሉት ድሃ ሀገራት አንዷ ነች፡፡የኑሮ ደረጃውም ቢሆን በዓለም ካሉት ዝቅተኛ የኑሮ ደረጃ ውስጥ ካሉትም የባሰች ዝቅተኛ ነች፡፡በዚህም በዓለም 6ተኛ ደረጃ ላይ ያለች ድሃ ሀገር ናት፡፡

አምነስቲ ኢንተርናሽናል (2009)

የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት ለሃገርም ውስጥ ሆነ ለውጭ ሃገራት እርዳታ ሰጪ ድርጅቶች፤ አዲስ አሳሪና አፋኝ ሕግ አውጥቶ፤ የሰብአዊ መብትን በመግፈፍ ወንጀለኛ አድርጎል፡፡የበጎ አድራጎትና የማህበራት ሕግ (2009) የተፈጠረበት ዋነኛ መንስኤ፤የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋቾችን፤ የሲቪል ማህበረሰቡን እንቅስቃሴ፤ለመቆጣጠርና እንቅስቃሴያቸውን ለመግታት ታስቦ ነው፡፡ይህንንም በማድረግ መጪውን የ2010ን ምርጫ ከወዲሁ ለራስ ድል ለማዘጋጀትና ተቃዋሚውን ከምርጫ ውጪ ለማድረግና በሰበብ አስባቡ ለመወንጀል እንዲያመች የታሰበ ነው፡፡

ሁማን ራይትስ ዎች (2010)

ኢትዮጵያዊያን በነጻ መናገር፤ ሃሳባቸውን መግለጽ፤የፖለቲካ ስብሰባዎችን ለማዘጋጅት፤የመንግስትን መግለጫዎችና አግባብነት የሌላቸውን አዋጆች ለመቃወምም ሆነ የተለየ ሃሳብ ለማቅረብ፤ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ ለማድረግ፤ በነጻ ፕሬስ ሃሳባቸውን ማስፈር ጨርሶ የማይችሉበት የፍርሃትና የጭንቀት ሁኔታ ውስጥ ናቸው፡፡የዴሞክራሲ ቴክኒካል አሰራር ፍሬም ለዘለቄታው ማታለያና የገዢው ፓርቲ የመከላከያ ብረት ግንብ  ሆኖ የገዢውን ፓርቲ ፍላጎት ማሟያ ብቻ እንዲሆን የታቀደ ከመሆኑም አልፎ የገዢው ፓርቲ ባለስልጣኖች ለሚያደርሱት ሕዝባዊ ግፍ ተጠያቂነት የለባቸውም፡፡

የዓለም የፋይናንስ እውነታ ዎል ስትሪት ጆርናል (2011)

ኢትዮጵያ  ከ2000 እስከ 2009 ባለው ጊዜ ውስጥ በተለያየ እኩይ ድርጊት ብክነት 11፣7 ቢሊዮን ዶላር ተመዝብራለች፡፡የኤኮኖሚው አቅም ደካማና የኑሮ ውድነት ሕዝቡን አላላውስ ብሎ ወጥሮ በያዘው ሃገር ላይ እንዲህ አይነት ብክነትና ስርቆት እጅጉን አሳዛኝ ነው፡፡ ሕጋዊ ባልሆነ መንገድም አውቀው እንዳላወቁ በመሆን ባለስልጣናት ከባለስላጣናት ጋር በመወዳጀት በ2009 ብቻ ከሕግ ውጪ 3.26 ቢሊዮን ዶላር ካለፉት ሁለት ዓመታት በእጥፉ ከሃገር ወጥቷል፡፡

የጋዜጠኞች መብት ጠባቂ ኮሚቴ (2011)

በአፍሪካ ጋዜጠኞችን በማሰር፤ በማሰቃየት፤ በማንገላታት ዝና ካተረፉት ሃገራት መሃል ከኤርትራ ቀጥላ የግፍ ከረጢት በመባል የተመዘገበችው ኢትዮጵያ ነች፡፡ግፉና መከራው እያሰቃያቸው ብዙ የነጻው ፕሬስ አባላት ሃገራቸውን ጥለው ለስደት ተዳርገዋል፡፡ይህም በቁጥር በዓለም ቀዳሚውን ስፍራ ይዟል፡፡እውነታው  ይህ ሆኖ ሳለ መለስ ግን፤ለኖርዌጂያኑ (Aftenposten) ጋዜጣ‹‹ ለሕግ ልዕልና መከበር ከፍተኛው ደረጃ ላይ ደርሰናል፤ ሰብአዊ ምብትንም በአግባቡ እናከብራለን፡፡ሃገራችን የህዝቦቿ የዴሞክራሲ መብት በአግባቡ የተከበረባት ሃገር ነች››በማለት የሌለ ነገር አለ በማለት ይቀላምዳል፡፡

ሁማን ራይትስ ዎች (2011)

የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት ስለ ሽብርተኛነት መከላከል ያወጣውን የይስሙላ አዋጁን ሰላማዊ ሰዎችን ለማሰርና ለማሰቃየት ሊጠቀምበት የፈጠረው ነው፡፡የጸረ ሽብር ሕጉ በራሱ ትልቁ ችግር ነው፡፡ዓለም አቀፉ ሕብርተሰብ በተለይም የአውሮፓ ዩኒየን፤ ዩናይትድ ስቴትስ፤ዩናይትድ ኪንግደም  የኢትዮጵያ ገዢ መንግስት ይህን ሕግ ለምን ሰላማዊ እንቅስቃሴንና የሰላመዊውን ሕዝብ ድምጽ ለማፈኛነት እንደዘረጋው ሊጠይቁት ተገቢ ነው፡፡

የኮንግሬስማን ዶናልድ ፔይን ዘገባ (2007)

ሰብአዊ መብት 2003 ( ዴሞክራሲና ተጠያቂነት አክት 2007 የተወካዮች ምክር ቤትን ድጋፍ አግኝቶ በኦክቶበር 2 2007 አለፈ) የአገር አስተዳደር ሚኒስቴር የሰብአዊ መብትን በመደገፍ አንድ ማዕከል ፈጥሮ ለሃገር በቀል የሰብአዊ መበት ተሟጋቾች የፋይናንስ ድጋፍ የሚያደርግበትን ዘዴ መቀየስ አለበት፡፡ሕጉ፤የዴሞክራሲን ሂደት በመደገፍ የዴሞክራሲን እውነታ ማጎልበትን ሲደግፍ፤የአሜሪካ መንግስት ሰብአዊ መብትን ለማደርጀት የሚያደርገውን ጥረትና እንቅስቃሴ የኢትዮጵያ ገዢ ፓርቲ የሚያውክ ከሆነ ይህን መሳዩን የሰብአዊ መብት አፈና ለማቆም የሚደረገው እርዳታ ሁሉ ከሰብአዊ መበት መከበር ጋር ተጓዳኝ መሆን እንዳለበት ያስገነዝባል፡፡የ2005 ውን ሰላማዊ እንቅስቃሴ በተመለከተ፤ ከመንግስት በኩል ያስከተለውን ኢሰብአዊና ጸረ ዴሞክራሲ ተግባር አስመልክቶ የደህንነት ክፍሉን ተጠያቂ ያደርጋል፡፡

የአሜሪካው ሴኔተር ረስ ፌይንጎልድ እና ፓትሪክ ሌሂ ረቂቀ ህግ 3457 (2008) ላይ አስተያየታቸው

ሚስተር ፌይን ጎልድ፤ – ሚስተር ፕሬዜዳንት፤በዛሬው እለት በኢትዮጵያ የሰብአዊ መብትንና የዴሞክራሲን ረቂቀ ህግ 3457ን ድጋፍ ለማስታወቅ በመቻሌ ደስተኛ ነኝ፡፡የዚህ ረቂቀ ህግ ዋናው ጥቅም በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ የፖሊሲውን ግብ ለማረጋገጥና እውነተኛው ዴሞክራሲ ከተጫነበት ጫና ተላቆ ለሕዝቡ ጠቀሜታ የሚውልበትን ነጻ ሂደት ለማረጋገጥ ነው፡፡ ነጻ የሆነ የህግ ስርአትና የሕግ የበላይነት፤የሰብአዊና የፖለቲካ መብቶች መከበርን፤በነጻው ሚዲያ ላይ እና መንግስታዊ ባልሆኑ ድርጅቶች ላይ የተጣለውን አፋኝ ገደብ ማስንሳት፡፡… እየባሰባት በሚሄደው የፖለቲካ ውጥረት ላይ ሰምተን አልሰማንም አይተን አላየንም በማለት ችላ ካልነው፤በግፍ ወደ ወህኒ የሚጣሉትን ንጹሃን ከረሳናቸው፤መንግስታዊ ያልሆኑ እርዳታ ሰጪ ድርጅቶች ገደብ ከተጣለባቸውና ስራቸው እንዲዳከም ሲደረግ ችላ ካልን፤በኦጋዴን አስተዳደር ቀደም ሲል በኦሮሚያ፤በአማራው፤በጋምቤላ የተፈጸመውን በቸልታ እንዳለፍነው ሁሉ አሁንም ሰዎች በግፍ ሲገደሉ ጆሮ ዳባ ልበስ ካልን፤ከተጠያቂነት አናመልጥም………

2010 የአውሮፓ ዩኒየን የምርጫ ታዛቢዎች ቡድን የሜይ 2010 የምርጫ ዘገባ

በአብዛኛው የሃገሪቱ ክልሎች የገዢው ፓርቲና መንግስታዊ እንቅስቃሴዎችና ምርጫው ላይ የነበረው ልዩነት ጨርሶ አይታይም ነበር፡፡ ገዢው ፓርቲ መልሶ መንግስት ነው፡፡የአውሮፓ ዩኒየን የምርጫ ታዛቢ ቡድን፤የመንግስትን መገልገያና ሌሎችም ያና መጠቀሚያ ሲውሉ ተመልክቶ ታዝቧል፡፡ገዢው ፓርቲና አጋር ፓርቲዎች በሕዝብ ተወካዮች ምክር ቤት ከ547 መቀመጫዎች 544ቱን  አሸነፉ፡፡ በዚህም የምርጫው ሂደት ዓለም አቀፍ ደረጃውን መመዘኛ ማሟላት አቅቶታል፡፡ግልጽነት አልነበረውም እንዲሁም ለሁሉም ምርጫ ተፎካካሪዎች መድሎ የሌለበት ሂደትም አላሳየም፡፡ ለገዢው ፓርቲ በሁሉም መልኩ የወገነ ሁኔታ ነበረው፡፡

የመለስ መልስ፡- ለ2010 ለአውሮፓ ዩኒየን የምርጫ ታዛቢ ኮሚቴ ሪፖርት

የአውሮፓ ዩኒየን የምርጫ ዘገባ ከቆሻሻ ማጠራቀሚያ ቅርጫት ውስጥ መወርወር ያለበት ቆሻሻ ነው፡፡ዘገባው ስለእኛ ምርጫ አይደለም፡፡ገዢው ፓርቲ በመፈርጠሙ የተነሳ የአንዳንድ አውሮፓውያን ኒዮ-ሊበራልስ የቅናትና ምቀኝነት ዘገባ ነው፡፡ማንም ወረቀትና ብዕር ያለው የፈለገውን መሞንጨር ይችላል፡፡

ይህ ነው የመለስ ዜናዊ በኢትዮጵያ ያለው ዴሞክራዚ!

ካሁን በፊት የቀረቡ የጸሃፊው ጦማሮችን  ለማግኘት እዚህ ይጫኑ:: http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%8b%a8%e1%88%98%e1%88%88%e1%88%b5-%e1%8b%9c%e1%8a%93%e1%8b%8a-%e1%8b%b5%e1%8a%95%e1%89%80%e1%8a%9b-%e1%89%b0%e1%88%a8%e1%89%b6%e1%89%bd/feed/ 0 Ethiopia: The Bedtime Stories of Meles Zenawi http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/ethiopia-the-bedtime-stories-of-meles-zenawi/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/ethiopia-the-bedtime-stories-of-meles-zenawi/#comments Mon, 21 May 2012 06:27:15 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16972

pino At the “World Economic Forum Meeting” in Ethiopia last week, dictator Meles Zenawi lectured:

…. My view is that there is no direct relationship between economic growth and democracy historically or theoretically. But my view is that democracy is a good thing in and of itself irrespective of its impact on economic growth. And my view is that in Africa most of our countries are extremely diverse, that may be the only possibility, the only option of keeping relationships within nations sane. Democracy may be the only viable option for keeping these diverse nations together. Sowe need to democratize but not in order to grow. We need to democratize in order to survive as united sane nations. That’s my view. But I don’t believe in this nighttime, you know, bedtime stories and contrived arguments linking economic growth with democracy. There is no basis for it in history and in my view no basis for it it in economics. And there is no need to have this contrived argument because the case for democracy and can stand and shine on its own…

While visiting Ghana in 2009, President Obama told the following “contrived bedtime story linking economic growth with democracy” to Africans:

Development depends on good governance. History offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny. And now is the time for that style of governance to end…. In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges; an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives…. History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity….

My Favorite Bedtime Stories

I enjoy bedtime stories as much as the next guy. My favorite is “Pinocchio in Africa”. The wooden puppet wanted to become a human boy but could not stop telling lies and tall tales. Whenever Pinocchio lied, his nose grew longer.

I like the story of “Puff the Magic Dragon and the Land of Living Lies”. Puff took a little girl called Sandy, who lies a lot, to the Land of the Living Lies where honesty and truthfulness are prosecuted. She meets the famous fibbers Pinocchio and the boy who cried wolf; and saw the famous purple cow that no one has ever seen and a pink elephant.

I also enjoy the morality tales of Aesop, the ancient Ethiopian storyteller. Once upon a time there was a wolf who schemed to snatch sheep grazing in the pasture, but could not because the shepherd was vigilant. One day the wolf found the shorn skin of a sheep and dressed himself in it and joined the flock. Soon he began dining on the sheep one by one until he was discovered by the shepherd.  That was the end of the wolf; he could no longer steal, kill and eat the sheep.

George Orwell’s allegorical stories of doubletalk and doublespeak told in “political language” are rather delightful because they “make lies sound truthful and murder respectable, and give an appearance of solidity to pure wind.” So, “War is peace. Freedom is slavery. Ignorance is strength.” George could have added, “dictatorship is democracy. Tyranny is liberty. Poverty is wealth. Famine is plenty. Censorship is press freedom. Brutality is civility. Mendacity is veracity. Opacity is clarity. Shadow is reality. Depravity is morality and greed is good.”

Oh, Yes! I like children’s rhymes too:

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall                                                                                                                          Humpty Dumpty had a great fall….

Sane Nations, Insane Dictators and Democrazy

Zenawi said “democracy is the only option of keeping relationships within nations sane”. Here are some true stories of democrazy from the Land of Living Lies:

Freedom House/U.S. State Department (2010)

In April 2008 local elections were held throughout Ethiopia. Freedom House and USDoS report that opposition candidates were subjected to intimidation and arrest by the government prior to the elections making it difficult for them to compete, leading to the opposition boycotting the elections and resulting in a massive victory for government supporters.  The ruling party won 99% of the more than three million seats contested.

World Bank (2012)

The May 2010 parliamentary elections resulted in a 99.6 percent victory for the ruling EPRDF and its allies,reducing the opposition from 174 to only two seats in the 547 member lower house… Ethiopia is the second-most populous country in Sub-Saharan… At US$390, Ethiopia’s per capita income is much lower than the Sub-Saharan African average of US$1,165 in FY 2010, ranking it as the sixth poorest country in the world.

Amnesty International (2009)

The Ethiopian parliament has adopted a potentially repressive new law which could criminalise the human rights activities of both foreign and domestic non-governmental organizations (NGOs). The Charities and Societies Proclamation law (2009) is designed to strictly control and monitor civil society in an atmosphere of intolerance of the work of human rights defenders and civil society organisations. The law’s repressive provisions are believed to be an attempt by the Ethiopian government to conceal human rights violations, stifle critics and prevent public protest of its actions ahead of expected elections in 2010.

Human Rights Watch (2010)

Ethiopia’s citizens are unable to speak freely, organize political activities, and challenge their government’s policies—through peaceful protest, voting, or publishing their views—without fear of reprisal. Democracy’s technical framework will remain a deceptive and hollow façade so long as Ethiopia’s institutions lack independence from the ruling party and there is no accountability for abuses by state officials.

Global Financial Integrity/Wall Street Journal (2011)

Ethiopia lost $11.7 billion to outflows of ill-gotten gains between 2000 and 2009. That’s a lot of money to lose to corruption for a country that has a per-capita GDP of just $365. In 2009, illicit money leaving the country totaled $3.26 billion, double the amount in each of the two previous years. The capital flight is also disturbing because the country received $829 million in development aid in 2008. Ethiopia is one of the poorest countries on earth as 38.9% of Ethiopians live in poverty, and life expectancy in 2009 was just 58 years. The people of Ethiopia are being bled dry. No matter how hard they try to fight their way out of absolute destitution and poverty, they will be swimming upstream against the current of illicit capital leakage.

Committee to Protect Journalist (2011)

Ethiopia trails only Eritrea as the foremost jailer of journalists in Africa. Ethiopia’s repression of the independent press has also driven into exile the largest number of journalists in the world. Yet Zenawi told Aftenposten [Norwegian paper] that ‘We have reached a very advanced stage of rule of law and respect for human rights. Fundamentally, this is a country where democratic rights of people are respected.’

Human Rights Watch (2011)

The Ethiopian government is exploiting its vaguely worded anti-terror law to crush peaceful dissent.  The anti-terror law itself is a huge problem. The international community, especially the European Union, United States, and United Kingdom, should ask the Ethiopian government hard questions about why it is using this law to crack down on peaceful independent voices.

Committee Statement of Congressman Donald Payne (2007)

H.R. 2003 (Ethiopia Democracy and Accountability Act of 2007, sponsored by Cong. Payne passed the U.S. House of Representatives on October 2, 2007) requires the secretary of state to support human rights by establishing a mechanism to provide funds to local human rights organizations. The bill supports democratization by directing assistance to strengthen democratic processes, prohibits non-humanitarian assistance to Ethiopia if the ruling party obstructs United States efforts to provide human rights, fosters accountability for the actions the Ethiopian Government has taken that undermine rule of law and fundamental political freedoms…. and holds security forces accountable for human rights abuses related to the demonstrations of 2005…

Statement of U.S. Senators Russ Feingold and Patrick Leahy on Senate Bill 3457 (2008)

Mr. FEINGOLD. Mr. President, today I am pleased to introduce the Support for Democracy and Human Rights in Ethiopia Act of 2008. Senator LEAHY joins me as an original cosponsor. The purpose of this bill is to reaffirm policy objectives towards Ethiopia and encourage greater commitment to the underpinnings of a true democracy–an independent judiciary and the rule of law, respect for human and political rights, and an end to restrictions on the media and non-governmental organizations…. As we turn a blind eye to the escalating political tensions, people are being thrown in jail without justification and non-government organizations are being restricted, while civilians are dying unnecessarily in the Ogaden region–just like so many before them in Oromiya, Amhara, and Gambella….

2010 European Union Election Observer Commission Report on May 2010 Election

The separation between the ruling party and the public administration was blurred at the local level in many parts of the country. The EU EOM directly observed cases of misuse of state resources in the ruling party’s campaign activities. The ruling party and its partner parties won 544 of the 547 seats to the House of Peoples Representatives and all but four of the 1,904 seats in the State Councils…. As a result, the electoral process fell short of international commitments for elections, notably regarding the transparency of the process and the lack of a level playing field for all contesting parties.

Zenawi’s response to the 2010 European Union Election Observer Commission Report:

The EU report is trash that deserves to be thrown in the garbage. The report is not about our election. It is just the view of some Western neo-liberals who are unhappy about the strength of the ruling party. Anybody who has paper and ink can scribble whatever they want.

Such are the nightmarish bedtime stories of Meles Zenawi’s Democrazy in Ethiopia!

Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at: http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

Previous commentaries by the author are available at:                                                    http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/ and www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/ethiopia-the-bedtime-stories-of-meles-zenawi/feed/ 0 Send Meles to Guantanamo not to camp David http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/send-meles-to-guantanamo-not-to-camp-david/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/send-meles-to-guantanamo-not-to-camp-david/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 04:22:02 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16970 Press Release May 13, 2012

Condemn President Obama’s invite of Dictator Meles of Ethiopia.

President Obama needs to stop supporting African dictators. Obama’s victory raised great excitement, hope and pride for the people of Africa. Unfortunately, his invitation of one of Africa’s worst dictator, Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia to Camp David on May 18, 2012 dashed any hopes for Obama’s redemption as a friend of Africa or pro human rights stand in the continent. As a Nobel Peace Prize winner, he was supposed to stand with the oppressed not with the oppressor.

Like previous U.S. presidents he has decided to show a blind eye towards African dictators in the pretext of fighting terrorism. In reality many African dictators are terrorizing their own people; in particular, Dictator Meles Zenawi of Ethiopia has been known to engage in extra-judicial killing, genocide, unlawful imprisonment of journalists like Eskinder Nega and other political activists.

By confiscating all land, Internet, and major industries, Dictator Zenawi literally owns the country. He unilaterally discarded any rule of law, property rights, and press freedom. He has destroyed the economy and Ethiopian nationalism by injecting tribalism in order to divide and control. Meles has the power to pardon, kill, imprison or do anything he wants, to 85 million impoverished Ethiopians with complete impunity.

President Obama has decided to wine and dine with this African dictator, while opposing other dictators in Iran, Cuba, Venezuela, North Korea and other countries in the name of democracy. Besides giving moral support by this action, President Obama is also funneling billions of U.S. taxpayers funds to prop Dictator Meles Zenawi. We, Ethiopians unequivocally condemn this policy of duplicity, wining and dining and fraternizing with such brute African dictator.

We ask conscious American to stand with the people of Ethiopia in their quest for freedom and justice by asking President Obama to disinvite Dictator Meles. Urge President Obama stop listening to Meles’ hired guns such as DLA Pipers, some congressional members, and other Lobbyists who are a party to this conspiracy, genocide and crime taking place in Ethiopia.

Despite the fact that Meles has been compared to Pol Pot, Ivan the terrible and Idi Amin or other brute dictators, President Obama has decided to show a blind eye. Please don’t let him. Let us oppose this duplicity for the sake of millions of Ethiopians suffering under Dictator Meles and for the sake of peace in Africa.

Demand U.S. immediately cease aiding and abetting Dictator Zenawi and demand an end to his dictatorial rule. Help us restore democracy, free press, and release all political prisoners by standing with the people of Ethiopia. Support the establishment of a transitional government to hold a free and fair election to restore democratic rule.

Meles deserves to be in Guantanamo not camp David and please ask President Obama to disinvite this brute African dictator. Call the White House Switchboard at: 202-456-1414 to talk to a live person or 202-456-1111 to leave comments.

Ethiopians for Democracy and Justice (EDJ), http: //:www.ethiodemocrat.com P.O.Box 53573, Houston, TX 77052, Tel. 713-396-2621

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/send-meles-to-guantanamo-not-to-camp-david/feed/ 0 Camp David is for peacemakers, not for dictators http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/camp-david-is-for-peacemakers-not-for-dictators/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/camp-david-is-for-peacemakers-not-for-dictators/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 04:15:51 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16967 By Ephrem Madebo

In my social life, political or any, I don’t remember to have seen any movement that captivated the imagination of the entire segments of  a society like the 2008 Obama presidential campaign did. Obama 2008 was one for the ages so much so that it brought an end to the Anglo-Saxon domination of the executive mansion of the US of America. Most importantly, Obama’s victory gave people of color the hope that; if they work hard, they can rise to the highest standard of honor. All in all, Obama 2008 was full of promises and full of hope. Yes, hope… hope to America, hope to Africa, and hope to the world.

The United States is a country of immigrants, and through the years, especially, after 1974, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopians have immigrated to the United States and have become part of the changing faces of America. Today, the Ethiopian community is a noticeably large community in many metropolitan areas such as Los Angles, San Francisco, Minneapolis, Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, and Seattle. In the Washington Metropolitan Area [District of Colombia, Maryland and Virginia], the Ethiopian Diaspora is a large voting block that can tilt the balance in a closely contested election.

In 2008, inspired by his message of change and his catchy slogan of “Yes We Can” [Yechalal], Ethiopian Americans joined Obama’s grassroots movement in unprecedented numbers and became part of the American political process with passion and aspiration unseen in any previous US elections. Today, the Ethiopian Diaspora is an active participant of local politics here in the US, and it is also passionately engaged in the politics of its homeland. The Ethiopian community here in the United States is actively involved in lobbying and other political activities to shape policies in favor of its homeland, or to challenge the homeland government. In general, because of its emotional attachment and deep cultural association, the Ethiopian Diaspora places great importance on its homeland.

In 2008, the then candidate Obama’s “Change” and “Yes we can” slogans couldn’t have come at a much better time for most Ethiopians here in the United States. Ethiopians in the United States were sick and tired of the blind policy of George Walker Bush’s administration towards Ethiopia. Especially, President Bush’s despicable silence when Meles Zenawi callously killed over 200 peaceful Ethiopian demonstrators was just beyond the pale. By the way, many of the dead were shot by machineguns mounted on the US made Humvee armored vehicles.

In 2008, we Ethiopians joined the Obama-Biden bandwagon hoping and believing Obama’s foreign policy would take a different route towards Ethiopia. In fact, Obama’s inaugural speech in January 2009, and his speech in Accra, Ghana six months later, reinforced our hope and our expectations. However, today; four long years later, other than his campaign rhetoric and unfulfilled promises, President Obama’s policy towards Ethiopia did not change from his predecessor. Like his predecessor whom he usually blames for bad polices, President Obama himself has embraced Bush’s bad policy and has provided lifeline to the otherwise dying tyrant regime in Ethiopia. Today, to make things worse, President Obama has invited Ethiopia’s killer dictator to Camp David. This is nothing, but a slap on the face for many Ethiopian Americans who volunteered for Obama 2008 and who still are putting the ground work together for his re-election campaign. As an American tax payer, I want the president to answer why he is using my tax dollars to invite a man that has kills my brothers and sisters to Camp David. I wonder why Africa’s vicious dictator is allowed to contaminate Camp David, the very same place where two state men [Menachem Begin and Anwar Sadat] reached a Middle East peace accord.

Mr. President, here are two of the promises you made to the oppressed people of the world. You made the first promise on the rotunda of the US Capitol in January 2009, and the second promise was made in Ghana’s Parliament in July 2009.

To those who cling to power through corruption and deceit and the silencing of dissent, know that you are on the wrong side of history; but that we will extend a hand if you are willing to unclench your fist. President Barack Obama, Inaugural Address

What we will do is increase assistance for responsible individuals and institutions, with a focus on supporting good governance – on parliaments, which check abuses of power and ensure that opposition voices are heard; on the rule of law, which ensures the equal administration of justice; on civic participation, so that young people get involved. President Barack Obama, Accra, Ghana, 2009

Mr. President, PM Meles Zenawi’s fist was clenched before you made the above two speeches in 2009, and ever since. Besides, in his country Ethiopia, the only two places for dissenters are jails and grave yards. Mr. President, Meles Zenawi, the man whom you invited to Camp David has always been in the wrong side of history. However, you still invited this bad man to Camp David to join the party of democratically elected leaders. Mr. President, is this a reward or a punishment? I’m sure you understand that I’m not asking you to end dictatorship in Ethiopia, we Ethiopians can do that. I am not asking you to punish Meles Zenawi, we Ethiopians will kindly serve him justice something he denied to many of us. Mr. President, all I’m asking you is to honor your own words. Yes, honor your words!

Mr. President, in July 2009 you went to your ancestral land of Africa and you addressed the Ghanaian Parliament on different issues concerning Africa and the United States. On this historic day, you raised pressing African issues such as the abuses of power, opposition voices being heard, the rule of law, and good governance.  Mr. President, abuse of power is common in Africa. But, the case in Ethiopia is very different. PM Meles Zenawi is a man who has power with impunity, he is the power, and he has the power to abuse power. Mr. President, I know this is difficult for an American to comprehend, but this is what we Ethiopians put up with every day.

As to the rule of law, Mr. President, forget it! There is no rule of law in Ethiopia, but the rule of one man. In Ethiopia, one man can take your freedom and this same man can set you free, and this man who can do everything and whom you invited to Camp David is PM Meles Zenawi.          Mr. President, I’m sure you’ve got the picture by now; therefore, I don’t have to tell you about good governance in Ethiopia because there could never be good governance where there is power abuse and where there is no rule of law.

Mr. President, I hope you remember the political set-back you and your party suffered when you lost the House to the republicans two years ago.  Well, this isn’t much Mr. President; you still have 190 democrats in the house, a ratio of 38:49. The ratio of opposition to ruling party seats in the Ethiopian parliament is 1:546. Mr. President, I hope this clearly shows you how opposition voices are heard in Ethiopia.  Mr. President, let alone listening to opposition voices, PM Meles Zenawi does not even allow the existence of a meaningful opposition. And this is exactly why journalists, authors, newspaper editors, and prominent opposition party leaders are either in jail or outside the country.

Mr. President, just in case you think it’s only me naming Meles Zenawi a dictator, here are two testimonies, one by Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson and the other  by Earl Gast, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa. These testimonies were made on the April 18, 2012 hearing of Senate Foreign Relations Committee Subcommittee on African Affairs.

Ethiopia is one of the starkest examples of the risks that emerge when a country lacks sufficient democratic checks and balances. By significantly constraining political speech, human rights, and the ability of civil society and the media to hold government officials accountable, the

Ethiopian Government is creating an environment that is ripe for instability and that sends mixed messages about its place in the international community.  Earl Gast, USAID Assistant Administrator for Africa

In Africa there are eleven (11) leaders who have been in power for 15 years or more; and of those, nine who have been in power for more than two decades. Some of these leaders emerged during their countries’ independence movements or times of armed conflict and see themselves as indispensable to their country’s future. Indeed, some of these leaders see themselves as the embodiment of the state. Assistant Secretary Johnnie Carson

When Mr. Carson referred to some of these leaders who have been on power for over two decades and who see themselves as the embodiment of the state, he was referring to none, but Ethiopia’s Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.

Mr. President, when I look back at your campaign promises, read your town hall addresses and listen to your inaugural speech, it just amazes me [as dictator as he is], how and why you invited Meles Zenawi to Camp David. According to your own aids, Meles Zenawi has none of the traits that a good leader has, and he is a typical example of an autocratic leader that you vowed your administration would fight in Africa. Mr. President, is Camp David the place of the fight?  Please let me know so that I can keep the hope alive. Brace up Mr. President; these are the same questions you will be hearing from tens of thousands of Ethio-American voters this summer. I voted for you in 2008, I’m not even sure if I’m voting this year, but if I do; it won’t be for you! This is how you took the hope out of me!

Mr. President, I understand that America has interests to protect, but I also understand that America has fundamental values that it must not compromise at all.  Democracy, liberty, equality and justice are fundamental American values upon which the US government is established. America cannot and must not turn away from these core values in the name of free market or global war on terror. In fact, America’s war on terror is justified because it is to protect democracy, liberty, equality and justice – not only in America, but around the globe. Mr. President, Meles Zenawi, the man you invited to Camp David this weekend, is the enemy of freedom, justice, and equality. As a human being, as an American tax payer, and as a native of Ethiopia, I don’t want my president to reward a person who abuses, tortures, and kills those who don’t agree with him.

Finally, Mr. President, I believe we Ethiopians as a nation have that God given indefeasible right to abolish any regime [ including Zenawi’s regime] that we find oppressive, unjust and divisive, and establish a government whose roots are  democracy, liberty, equality, and justice-  just like your government. Mr. President, I’m not asking for a blessing or a green light to fight for my own liberty. Fighting for liberty is my inalienable right. Mr. President, I would rather see you breaking your promises than do worse in keeping them.  I’ve already said it above, and I would like to repeat it – all I’m asking you is to honor your own words. Yes, honor your words! May God bless America and Ethiopia!

ebini23@yahoo.com

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/camp-david-is-for-peacemakers-not-for-dictators/feed/ 0 Amnesty urges Obama to confront Zenawi http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/amnesty-urges-obama-to-confront-zenawi/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/amnesty-urges-obama-to-confront-zenawi/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 01:31:09 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16964

Amnesty International Urges President Obama to Speak Up About Repression, Human Rights Abuses in Ethiopia When He Meets Prime Minister Zenawi

Contact: Suzanne Trimel, strimel@aiusa.org, 212-633-4150

(Washington DC) — Amnesty International today urged President Barack Obama and fellow G8 leaders to speak up about Ethiopia’s appalling human rights record when he and the group meets with Prime Minister Meles Zenawi at Camp David on Saturday, May 19. The human rights organization said Zenawai should not receive a “free pass” on rights abuses during meetings on food security.

Zenawi will join the leaders of Benin, Ghana and Tanzania for a discussion with G8 leaders on food security, and Amnesty International said the meeting presents the Obama administration with an opportunity to urge Zenawi to put a stop to repressive laws in the Horn of African country.

“While we applaud the summit leaders for addressing the important issue of food security, President Obama and fellow G8 members must use this opportunity to tell Prime Minister Zenawi that human rights are equally as crucial,” said Frank Jannuzi, head of the Washington office, Amnesty International USA. “Zenawi’s government’s ongoing clampdown on political dissent in Ethiopia cannot be ignored. We call on the U.S. government to urge Mr. Zenawi to end the abusive tactics that undermine the work of journalists and activists and instill fear in ordinary citizens.”

“Prime Minister Zenawi is greeted with open arms around the world for the progress his government claims they have made on economic growth, development and counter-terrorism. But while he is warmly welcomed during his travels, at home the people of Ethiopia are subjected to ever increasing restrictions on their basic rights. In the year since the uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, the Ethiopian government has shown particular fear of popular protests breaking out and has arrested scores of opposition members and independent journalists because they dared to criticize the government or call for peaceful protests.”

The Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPDRF) has ruled for more than two decades. Zenawi’s government has systematically attempted to crush dissent in the country by jailing opposition members and journalists, firing on unarmed protesters, and using state resources to undermine political opposition.

Repression of freedom of expression has increased alarmingly in recent years. In 2009, the Anti-Terrorism Proclamation gave the government a wide range of resources to counter “terrorist activity,” which, among other concerns, made the publication of statements “likely to be understood as encouraging terrorist acts” punishable by 10 to 20 years in prison.

In 2011, several journalists were jailed under the broad law, including Swedish journalists Martin Schibbye and Johan Persson, who entered the country to report on the ongoing conflict in the Somali region. The two were convicted of terrorism activity and are currently serving an 11 year prison sentence.

Dissident journalist Eskinder Nega, this year’s winner of the prestigious PEN/Barbara Goldsmith Freedom to Write Award, is still on trial for terrorism and treason charges after criticizing the government and calling for reform and increased press freedom.

“Eskinder Nega’s case should be a glaring example to the G8 leaders of why Zenawi’s government cannot be given a free pass at this summit,” Jannuzi said. “Nega is in jail for no other reason than daring to do his work as a journalist.”

2009 also saw the institution of the Charities and Societies Proclamation, which has severely limited the ability of human rights organizations to conduct their work by denying human rights organizations access to essential funding and disrupting internal operations. Organizations have been forced to lay off staff and cut crucial programs, allowing the government to further curtail human rights. The law has been used to freeze more than $1 million in assets of the country’s two leading human rights organizations.

In 2008, the last year before the law was passed, the Ethiopian Women Lawyers Association (EWLA), the country’s leading women’s rights organization, provided free legal aid to over 17,000 women in addition to other activities tens of thousands of participants benefited from. Today, EWLA is barely functioning, with limited legal aid for women provided by volunteers.

The Zenawi government has engaged in repeated electoral corruption and repression. Nearly 200 protesters were killed after security forces opened fire on a crowd in Addis Ababa following the 2005 parliamentary elections in whichthe opposition accused the ruling party of falsifying results. After state resources were used extensively to crush opposition parties in the run up to the 2010 elections, Zenawi’s party claimed victory with 99.6 percent of the vote.

The impact of the oppressive laws has led to a breakdown of civil society, allowing Zenawi to consolidate power and rule by fear.

Amnesty International is a Nobel Peace Prize-winning grassroots activist organization with more than 3 million supporters, activists and volunteers in more than 150 countries campaigning for human rights worldwide. The organization investigates and exposes abuses, educates and mobilizes the public, and works to protect people wherever justice, freedom, truth and dignity are denied.

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/amnesty-urges-obama-to-confront-zenawi/feed/ 2 CPJ urges Obama to press Meles on repressions http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/cpj-urges-obama-to-press-meles-on-repressions/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/cpj-urges-obama-to-press-meles-on-repressions/#comments Thu, 17 May 2012 00:05:53 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16961

May 16, 2012

His Excellency Barack Obama
President of the United States of America
White House

Via facsimile: +1 202-456-2461

Dear President Obama:

As you prepare to host the G-8 summit and discuss the security of food supplies with leaders from Africa, we call on you to strongly consider the role of an independent press in identifying and assessing agricultural challenges and famine, and facilitating the national and international response to food crises.

Mr. President, as a central example, we urge you to consider the situation in Ethiopia. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia has made strides in economic growth and poverty reduction. However, Ethiopia remains one of the foremost recipients of U.S. humanitarian assistance as the country is mired in cycles of drought that leave millions of people vulnerable to hunger. The government routinely downplays the extent of the crisis by denying journalists access to sensitive areas and censoring independent news coverage. This undermines the ability of donor nations and aid groups to raise funds and make decisions about how best to mitigate the disaster. USAID has in the past called on the government of Ethiopia to improve access to those affected for assessing their needs and effectively distributing aid.

An independent press and civil society with the freedom to operate without fear or restriction are particularly necessary in Ethiopia to contextualize official claims about drought and food shortages, improve transparency in aid distribution, and alleviate hunger. During the 1980s, investigative journalists circumvented restrictions and censorship imposed by the then-government of Mengistu Haile Mariam in order to document a deepening famine that official statements denied altogether. As a result, millions of lives were saved.

Furthermore, the free flow of information and open debate could help Prime Minister Meles build national consensus and ensure that the government’s policies are the result of broad consultation with all segments of society. We believe such engagement would improve the impact of the government’s new strategies to reform Ethiopia’s agricultural practices.

Mr. President, we are deeply concerned that Ethiopia’s ongoing repression of investigative journalism fuels tensions that threaten the country’s relative stability and risk unraveling the economic and social progress registered in recent years. Since 2011, under the guise of a counterterrorism sweep, the government of Ethiopia has brought terrorism and anti-state charges against 11 independent journalists, including bloggerEskinder Nega, who may face life in prison for his writing about the struggle for democracy. Such policies deter reporting on all sensitive topics, including food security.

We request that in launching the G-8 food security agenda, you publicly acknowledge that poverty alleviation and inclusive growth require a free press and encourage Prime Minister Meles to end his repressive practices. Good governance, accountability, and adequate response to crises depend, after all, on listening to citizen voices and independent accounts.As you and your G-8 colleagues take vital steps towards advancing food security, we count on you to ensure that the free flow of information is a priority.

Sincerely,

Joel Simon
Executive Director

CC:

H.E. François Hollande, President of France
H.E. Vladimir Putin, President of Russia
H.E. David Cameron, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
H.E. Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada
H.E. Mario Monti, Prime Minister of Italy
H.E. Yoshihiko Noda, Prime Minister of Japan
H.E. Angela Merkel, Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany
H.E. Yayi Boni, President of the Republic of Benin and Chairperson of the African Union
H.E. John Atta-Mills, President of the Republic of Ghana
H.E. Jakaya Kiketwe, President of the Republic of Tanzania
H.E. Meles Zenawi, Prime Minister of Ethiopia
Hillary Clinton, Secretary of State of the United States of America
Michael Forman, Deputy Asst to the President and Deputy National Security Adviser for International Economic Affairs
Ertharin Cousin, Executive Director, U.N. World Food Programme
Dr. Kanayo F. Nwanze, President, International Fund for Agricultural Development
Ms. Josette Sheeran, Vice Chairman, World Economic Forum
Rajiv Shah, Administrator, U.S. Agency for International Development
Bono, Co-Founder of ONE and (RED)

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/cpj-urges-obama-to-press-meles-on-repressions/feed/ 0 Homage to a great Ethiopian soul, Mulugeta Hailu http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/homage-to-a-great-ethiopian-soul-mulugeta-hailu/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/homage-to-a-great-ethiopian-soul-mulugeta-hailu/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 02:29:09 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16956 By Neamin Zeleke

Mulugeta Hailu’s sudden death has been a source of much agony and shock to me as much as to countless others who knew and deeply appreciated and loved Mulugeta Hailu. Mule, as many call him affectionately, of course belongs to that generation, the gallant generation that rose up for social transformation of Ethiopia during the 70s. Such characterization alone, however, can’t possibly capture the essential qualities of Mule, the man, Mule, the Ethiopian. Such broad brush hides what kind of a human being he was, how he lived a worthy life as thousands of others like him that belong to that generation . Some have passed away, some have faded, and some have been killed in action during the revolutionary carnage of the late 70s and 80s. Some have continued the struggle to this very day; some others have become willful tools  serving the more oppressive, corrupt, and anti-Ethiopia political order that has become a breeding ground for so much injustice and inequality in Ethiopia than the very political system the generation of Mulugeta Hailu rose up to challenge four decades ago.Everyone dies, but not everyone lives. Mulugeta Hailu lived. He lived a life of principle. He lived a life of convictions. He lived it with moral courage, in accord to his dreams and ideals much higher than himself. A life of principles lived to the fullest, a lifelong journey, with steadfast endurance, with so much gloom and pain in the process. All that for the betterment of Ethiopians through his life long struggle for the past four decades in order for social justice and equality to prevail in our homeland. He lived it to the last gasp of air on that fateful night, around midnight of Tuesday, May 08, 2012.

Mulugeta Hailu, a great soul, faithful to his convictions, has stood his ground thru thick and thin, in a sharpest of contrast to the base, the banal, and the gluttonous that left from his side and that of others to become willful instruments of an ethnocentric tyranny. He has stood his ground indeed with rare endurance and stamina to the last minutes of his life.  I know Mule would disagree with my use of such words in describing even his political enemies.

But there are certain qualities of him that one can dare assert that Mule is a rare breed even among that heroic generation. Always dreaming and desiring for a better and humane political order for his people, he never sold or surrounded his soul to the powers that be. Nor did he ever abandon his convictions to trade for the comforts and material gains which he could have acquired so easily with the kind of intellectual caliber, many facets of knowledge, as well as the practical wisdom he was imbued with regard to a the social and economic edifice upon which a post industrial society like the USA has been built. Mulugeta Hailu chose to live, however, a simple life, a modest life, with an unspoken contempt for the glitter that dominates this world that puts premium on gadgets, and all those outward signs and symbols of “success”.

He was an exemplar, a role model in many ways, above and beyond his political activism. Always respectful of all people, irrespective of what and who they are. Always tolerant of opposing views. An inherently humane man, he showed care and love to all who crossed his path, to all his countrymen and women of diverse social stature and age groups. He treated all Ethiopians equally, regardless of political, ethnic, and other differences. He always sought common ground even among contrary, logger head opposed political views and opinions. At other times, Mulu may display that streak of the melancholic idealist intellectual, one who appears deeply in contemplation due to the manifold problems and tragedies of this world and the ever present suffering of humanity all around us. But he was always with that ever present infectious smile on his face and an ever radiating optimism and hope about the future of Ethiopia and our people.

Mulugeta was there at every event, public meeting, and every demonstration calling for Ethiopian unity, for freedom, for justice, and for the rule of law to prevail in Ethiopia. He was there through the freezing cold of the winter , the scorching heat of the summer, and ever present during those countless acts of resistance , opposing and exposing the reigning ethnocentric tyranny that has ruled Ethiopia for the past two decades, as he was there struggling against the previous regimes of various hues. He was there in supporting and organizing so many causes that championed Ethiopian unity, equality, and justice in Ethiopia. He was there when Coalition of Ethiopian Democratic Forces (COEDF) was formed; he was there when United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) was formed.

Mulu was there at the center, during critical junctures and the labyrinth of the political detours, victories and defeats, the multifaceted actions and activities, endless committee meetings and deliberations of the past two decades. He was there before we came nearer to scene of actions; he was there after many of the younger generation like me came to the fore. With rare stamina and endurance to tough out the ups and downs of our struggle, he has been in the struggle for the past 40 years as a member of All Ethiopian Socialist Movement (MEISON). But that was not his most shinning hallmark. Ethiopia and the people of Ethiopia were the drivers for his being. I am sure of that. He stood his ground to the last minute for social justice and equality. These were his primary ideals for his country, for his love for his people and his county stood hovering over and beyond his love and belonging to a single organization that he joined decades ago.

A rarity for one committed to the political and political ideals, Mulu was a self effacing man, never craving for undue limelight for himself or his organization. The ever tranquil, the content Mulugeta never raised his voice, nor did one ever see him lose his cool, even amid the fiercest of political arguments and disagreements. He may disagree with you from time to time, but without being disagreeable. He may debate with you, but without imputing motives for your political opinions, or worse, as most from our not so mature political culture are prone to do, holding grudges against you for expressing political differences. One mutual friend of said the following about Mulugeta “…his unique character as a political personality, was that he never liked to take the center stage due to humility and utmost modesty. I don’t know if his upbringing contributed to his formation. All of us have family members and participated in the struggle for justice in our country. His unique ability was to handle both simultaneously and keep the balance. He raised his brothers and sisters in the absence of a father figure and served as a bridge between family members who would have never met. He maintained and treasured every relationship and showed utmost respect to all human beings. That is what most of us in the left lacked. “Handling of contradictions in a plebian manner.” He is my childhood friend and a blood relative but beyond that came our struggle for a common cause. We chose different approaches as the means to tackle the challenge and followed separate venues. When we met after a long break, we started from where we stopped as if nothing had happened. This required a person like Mulugetta and of course age brought wisdom…”

One with a profound sense of self worth and self respect, yet he was a modest man, a humble man, always a man of the people, ever at home with the average person, with strangers and friends alike. For these qualities, young and old, old timers and new comers alike loved and respected Mulugeta Hailu. A rarity in this day and age. Always active in the life of the community, he was there during trials and tribulations of members of the community. Committed as he was to multitude of community and social causes, he was ever ready to give his helping hand for the needy and for countless causes. Many shall never forget Mulugeta’s acts of kindness and helpfulness. A great bard once wrote:’ I believe in Aristocracy … Not an Aristocracy of power, based on rank, and influence. But an aristocracy of the sensitive, the considerate, and plucky. Its members are to be found in all nations, and all classes, and all through the ages, and there is a secret understanding between them when they meet. They represent the true human tradition, one permanent victory of our queer race over cruelty and chaos. Thousands of them perish in obscurity, a few are great names. They are sensitive to others, they are sensitive to themselves, and they are considerate without being fussy. Their pluck is not swankiness but the power to endure, and they can take a joke”.

We can surely agree with that wise man. Mulu belongs to that class of “Aristocrats of the soul” who have endured so many trials, ups and downs, detours in the labyrinth of forty long years of struggle.  Without losing their humanity, living their convictions, living their ideals, doing it with steadfastness, and endurance in order to defeat cruelty and chaos to the end of their lives, despite so many setbacks and disasters encountered in their quest for justice and equality to prevail in Ethiopia as in elsewhere. Sensitive too, with an ability to take a joke, Mulugeta Hailu had them all indeed. Compassionate, respectfull, broadminded and understanding, kind and helpful, a bridge among people, modest and humble, and a man of principles and convictions willing to endure to live up to ideals much much higher than him. Mulugeta was the embodiment of the loftiest and the best in humanity.

Ethiopia has lost one of her bright stars in the struggle for the materialization of the nobler and loftier ideals of humanity on her soil. We celebrate Mulugeta Hailu’s life, for what he lived and died for. We cherish the ideas and ideals he struggled for throughout his life.

Mulugeta Hailu, our brother, we love you, we respect you profoundly.  The struggle for which you gave your entire life shall continue and prevail. So long our dear brother and friend.

In the tradition of Mulugeta’s political ideals, I end with the motto A Luta Continua!

May God rest your great soul in peace.

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/homage-to-a-great-ethiopian-soul-mulugeta-hailu/feed/ 0 በካምፕ ዴቪድ የአፍሪካ የችጋር ትርኢት http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%89%a0%e1%8a%ab%e1%88%9d%e1%8d%95-%e1%8b%b4%e1%89%aa%e1%8b%b5-%e1%8b%a8%e1%8a%a0%e1%8d%8d%e1%88%aa%e1%8a%ab-%e1%8b%a8%e1%89%bd%e1%8c%8b%e1%88%ad-%e1%89%b5%e1%88%ad%e1%8a%a2%e1%89%b5/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%89%a0%e1%8a%ab%e1%88%9d%e1%8d%95-%e1%8b%b4%e1%89%aa%e1%8b%b5-%e1%8b%a8%e1%8a%a0%e1%8d%8d%e1%88%aa%e1%8a%ab-%e1%8b%a8%e1%89%bd%e1%8c%8b%e1%88%ad-%e1%89%b5%e1%88%ad%e1%8a%a2%e1%89%b5/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 06:32:42 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16940 ከፕሮፌሰር ዓለማየሁ ገብረማርያም

ትርጉም ከነጻነት ለሃገሬ

ባለፈው ሳምንት የሁዋይት ሀውስ ቤተ መንግስት ቃል አቀባይ ጄይ ካርኒ ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ የጋናን፤ የታንዛንያን፤የበኒን ፕሬዜዳንቶችንና መለስ ዜናዊን የስምንቱን የኤኮኖሚ ሃያላን ሃገሮች (G8) ስብሰባ ላይ በካምፕ ዴቪድ ሜሪላንድ በሜይ 19 ስለ ምግብ ዋስትና በሚካሄደው ውይይት ላይ እንዲገኙ መጋበዛቸውን ይፋ አድርገዋል፡፡ የአሜሪካን መንግሥት ለዘመናት ለአፍሪካ አህጉር የምግብ እርዳት ሲያደርግ መክረሙ ይታወቃል፡፡ አሁንም በድጋሚ አፍሪካን ‹‹የመረረ የችጋር ወቅት›› ገጥሟታል ይላሉ ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ፡፡ ኦክስፋም በበኩሉ ከአሁኑ አስፈላጊው ሁሉ ካልተደረገ በስተቀር በመታየት ላይ ያሉ ጠቋሚ ምልክቶች ሁሉ እጅጉን ዘግናኝ የሆነ መአት እንደሚከተል ያሳያሉ ይላል፡፡ የተባበሩት መንግስታት የምግብና የእርሻ ድርጅት በበኩሉ ባስተላለፈው የድረሱ ጥሪው፤ በሳሄል ምእራብ አፍሪካ ለ800,000 በችጋሩ ለተጎዱት ረሃብተኞች መርጃ የሚሆን 70 ሚለዮን የአሜሪካን ዶላር እንደሚያስፈልግ፤አስቀድሞ ማስጠንቀቂያው መተንበዩን መሰረት አድርጎ ኢትዮጵያና ሶማልያ በጉዳቱ ወደ አዘቀዘቀው ደረጃ እንደሚወርዱም ይፋ አድርጓል፡፡ የዝናቡ አናሳ መሆንም አስፈላጊውን ምርት ስለማያስገኝ የግጦሽ መሬትንም መልሶ ስለማያለማው፤በአጠቃላዩ አካባቢም የውሃ እጦት ሌላው ችግር በመሆኑ የደቡብ ኢትዮጵያውን ክፍል በእጅጉ የሚጎዳና ሕዝቡንም ለመረረ ችጋር ከብቱንም ለእልቂት የሚዳርግ ክፉ ቀን እንደሚመጣ ይተመናል:: ይህ ደሞ በገሃድ እየታየ ያለ በመሆኑ አደጋው ከአደጋዎች ሁሉ የባሰ በሆነ መልኩ ነው፡፡ አንባቢዎቼ እንደሚያስታዉሱት ሁሉ ባለፉት ሁለታ ዓመታትና ከዚያም ባለፈ በኢትዮጵያ ስለሚከሰተው ችጋር በርካታ አስተያየቶችን አስመልክቼ ጽፌ ነበር፡፡

የችጋር ትርኢት በኢትዮጵያ

ባለፉት ዘመናት የነበሩት አሁንም ያሉት የኢትዮጵያ ገዢዎች ስለችጋር መከሰት የራሳቸውን ቸልተኛነት፤ አቅምየለሽነት በመካድ ነጻ በማድረግ በተጠያቂነት ያልወቀሱትና ሃላፊነት ያልሸሹበት ዘዴ የለም፡፡ በ1974 ዓ.ም. ግርማዊ ቀዳማዊ ኃይለ ስላሴ ዲምብልቢይ ይፋ እስኪያደርገው ድረስ ረሃብ የለም ሲሉ ከርመው ነበር፡፡ በዲምብልቢይ ፊልም ሕዝቡ ረሃቡን አየ፤አዘነ፤ አንገቱን ደፍቶ አለቀሰ፡፡ የወገኑ በችጋር መቆላት ቅስሙን ሰበረው፡፡ የቀድሞው የሶሻሊስት ጁንታ መሪ መንግስቱ ሃይለማርያምም በ1984-85 የተከሰተውን ችጋር በድፍረተና በማንአለብኝት ክዶ ሁኔታውን በዓይናቸው ያዩትንና የታዘቡትን ሁሉ ገሸሽ በማደረግ ስችጋሩና እልቂቱ አንስተው ሲጠይቁት በመመጻደቅ ‹‹የምን ችጋር›› ነበር እያለ ያሾፍ ነበር፡፡

መለስ ካለፉት መሰል ገዢዎች ሁሉ የተለየ ብልጣ ብልጥ ነው፡፡ በሃገሪቱ በላይ በሚንሰራፋው የችጋር ወቅት ሁሉ የህዝብ ግንኙነት መሳይ ተግባር ይወጣል፡፡ያለው “የምግብ እጥረት” በሚል ሽፋን በመጠቀም በጣም የጎላውን “ረሃብ” የሚለውን ቃል አይጠቀም እንጂ ከዚያ ባሻገር ምንም አይቀረውም፡፡ ለመለስ በሃገሪቱ ላይ ችጋር የለም፡፡ ያለው የምግብ እጥረት ነው፡፡ የከፋ የተመጣጣነ የምግብ እጦት ነው: ያለው የምግብ ዋስትና ማጣት ነው፤ የምግብ አቅርቦት ችግር ነው፤ እና ሌላም ልላም ይላል መለስ፡፡ እንደሱ የማሳሳቻ ጥምጥም አካሄድ እነዚህ ሁሉ የየእርሻ ዘዴን አጠቃቀም አለማወቅ ያመጣቸው ችግሮች፤የባለስላጣናቱ የእውቀት ድህነት፤ሙስና፤እና የወንጀለኛነት ውጤት ወዘተ አይደሉም ቢልም፤እነዚህ ሁሉ ግን በችጋርና ድርቅ፤በተደጋገመ የዝናብ እጥረት ሳቢያ የሰብል መበላሸት፤የደኖች መጨፍጨፍ፤የመሬት መሸርሸር፤ ከመጠን በከላይ የመሬቱ ምርታማነት ማጣት እና በሌሎችም ሰበቦች የተፈጠሩ ችግሮች ናቸው፡፡ መለስ ባለፈው ጃነዋሪ 2011 ላይ ለሲ ኤን ኤን በሰጠው የቅጥፈት መግለጫ ላይ፡ “ኢትዮጵያ በጣም አሰቃቂ የሆነ የችጋር ወቅት ውስጥ ሆና፤ ሕዝቡም ለችጋር ተጋልጦ ሳለ አንተ በሌላ ሃገር ጉዳይ ጣልቃ ገብ በመሆን ይህን ያህል ገንዘብ እንዴት ታባክናለህ? ለሚለው የሰጠው ዓይን ያወጣ የቅጥፈት ምላሽ፤‹‹ማንኛቸውም ሰብአዊ ድርጅቶች ሊነግሩህ እንደሚችሉ በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ችጋር የለም ድርቅ ቢኖርም እኛ ግን ሕዝባችንን በአግባቡ ልንመግብ እንችላለን…….›› ብሎ አድበስብሶታል::

ዓለም አቀፎቹ የድህነት ቃራሚዎች/ አጎብጓቢዎች (poverty mongers/pimps “PMPs”) የምግብ እጥረትን ለማስረዳት ‹‹ሳይንሳዊ›› መገለጫ ፈጥረውለት፤ መለስ ደግሞ ያንን በሃገሪቱ ላይ ያንሰራፋውን የችጋር መጠንና በሕዝቡ ላይ የሚያደርሰውን እልቂት ለመደበቂያና መሸሸጊያነት እየተጠቀመበት ነው፡፡ እነዚህ ቃራሚ/አጎብጓቢዎች ምንም ያህል የምግብ እጥረት ቢኖርና ገጦ ቢታይም ችጋር የሚለውን መግለጫ እየሸሹትና ሳይንሳዊውን መደባበቂያ መግለጫ በመስጠት ላይ ናቸው፡፡ መለስ ደግሞ በዚህ በተፈጠረው መግለጫ ውስጥ በመሸጎጥ ችጋረ የለም ይለናል፡፡ በነሱ ብልጥታዊ ሰበብ ደግሞ ሁኔታው በ‹‹የከፋ የምግብ ዋስትና እጦት›› ጭንቀት፤አጉል ገጠመኞች›… እያሉ ያሾፋሉ፡፡ በአፍሪካ ውስጥ በሳይንሳዊ ማስረጃ እንደተረጋገጠው ችጋር ሊኖር ጨርሶ አይችልም ብለው ሳያምኑበት ሊያሳምኑ ይጥራሉ፡፡ ስለዚህም የዚህ ሁኔታውን አፍኖ በዝምታ የማለፉ አድማና ዱለታ በማጭበርበሪያ ጭንብል በመሸፈን የኢትዮጵያን የችጋር አሰቃቂ መልክ ለመደበቅ ከፍ ያለ ጥረታቸው ነው፡፡

መለስና ከፍተኛ መኮንኖቹ በድርቅ ሳቢያ የተፈጠረውን የምግብ አቅርቦት እጥረት በአጭር ጊዜ ውስጥ ተቆጣጥረን እናሸንፈዋለን ብለው ምለው ተገዝተው ነበር፡፡የሃገሪቱ የድርቅ መከላከያን የአስቀድሞ ጥንቃቄ ሹም ስምኦን መቻሌ፤ መኩራራትና በእርግጠኝነት ‹‹ኢትዮጵያ በቅርቡ የምግብ ዋስትናን ጣረጋግጣለች›› ብሎ ነበር፡፡ ላለፉት በርካታ ዓመታትም መለስ “የሴፍቲ ኔት ፕሮግራም”፤ በምግብ ተረጂነት ላይ መተማመንን ለማስቆም፤ፈላጊውንና አቅራቢውን በማቀራረብና በቂ ምርት በማስገኘት የፕሮግራሙን ስኬታማነት በማስተዋወቅ ላይ ይገኛል፡፡ በኦክቶበር 2011 መለስ ለታማኝ የፓርቲው ሰዎች የተለመደ ቅልመዳውን ሲያቀርብ ‹‹ከምግብ ተረጂነት የሚያወጣንንና እራሳችን በበቂ ለመመገብ የሚያስችለንን፤ በ2015 ከምግብ እርዳት ጋር የምንለያይበትን ዘለቄታዊ እቅድ ነድፈናል ብሎ ነበር፡፡ የመለስ የበቂ ምርት ማግኛ ዘዴም፤የሃገሪቱን በሚሊዮን ሄክታር የሚቆጠር ለም መሬት ለውጭ ኢንቬስተሮች ለሚላቸው ባዕዳን የተመረጡ የእርሻ ቦታዎችን በሊዝ በመችብቸብና ዓላማቸውም የሃገሪቱ ሕዝብ በችጋር እያለቀ ምርታቸውን ወደ ውጭ ሃገራት ለመሸጥና ለማትረፍ የሆነውን አሰራር ነው፡፡ መለስ የመሬቶችን የህዝብ ሃብት በማድረግ ከተረጂነት መውጫ መንገዱን ጥርቅም አድርጎ ዘግቶ የህዝቡን ባለንብረትነት ፈጽሞ ይቃወማል:: ይህ ደግሞ በየትም ቦታ ታይቶ የማይታወቅ ስርአት ነው፡፡ባለፈው ዓመትም የምግብ አቅርቦት ዋጋ ግሽበት 47.4 በመቶ እንደሆነ ቀጥሏል፡፡

በኢትዮጵያ የምግብ አቅርቦት እንደፖለቲካ መሳርያነት ጥቅም ላይ እየዋለ ነው፡፡ችጋር አዲሱ የተቃዋሚዎች ማጥፊያ፤ ማዳከሚያ ተስፋ ማስቆረጫ መሳርያ በመሆን በማገልገል ላይ ነው፡፡ መለስ ኢትዮጵያውያንን በችጋር ማጥ ውስጥ በመዝፈቅና ሆዳቸውን ባዶ በማድረግ ሕዝቡ አንገቱን እንዲደፋ ሞራሉን እንዲያጣ፤ ጥንካሬው ተሰብሮ አገልጋዩ እንዲሆን፤መንፈሱ እንዲላሽቅና ህሊናው የመከራ ቋት እንዲሆንና ማሰብ እንዲያቅተው በማድረግ ገዢነቱ ተሳክቶለታል፡፡ ሕዝቡም አቅሙን ተገፏል ወኔው ተዳክሟል፡፡ የመለስን አገዛዝ የሚቃወሙ ሁሉ ሰብአዊ የምግብ ተረጂነት መብታቸውን መገፈፍ ብቻ ሳይሆን፤ለስደት በሚዳርገው ዘዴ ስደተኛ በማድረግ፤እነሱነታቸውን በማጣጣልና ተስፋ በማስቆረጥ፤አለያም የያዙትን የእርሻ ማሳቸውን በሰበብ አስባቡ በመቆራረጥና በማሳነስ፤የብድር ተጠቃሚነት መብት እንዳይኖራቸው፤ የማዳበርያና የዘር እህል እንዳያገኙ በማድረግና በሌላም ሌላ ግፍ ማዳከሙ ተሳክቶለታል፡፡ የጋምቤላን ጉዳይ በተመለከተም የዓለም አቀፉ የሰብአዊ መበት የሚጥሰውን ነዋሪዎች ከያዙትና ካለሙት መሬታቸው ላይ በግዴታ እንዲለቁ በማድረግ አንድ ሙሉ ነዋሪ ቦታውን ሕንዶች በኢንቬስተርነት እንዲነጥቋቸው ተደርጓል፡፡ ከብዙዎቹ ተሟጋቾች መሃል ሁማን ራይትስ ዎች፤ በሰብአዊ የምግብ እርዳታ ፕሮግራሙ ላይ: ሲዘግብ ‹‹የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት በተከታታይ የምግብ እርዳታውን እንደ ፖለቲካ መጠቀሚያ፤ ተረጂውን ማግለያ፤ ለመቆጣጠርያነት እያዋለው ነው፡፡ የገዢውን ፓርቲ ጨዋታ ለመቀላቀል ፈቃደኛ ካልሆንክ በተገቢው የተቆጣጣሪ የውጭ ታዛቢ ግበረ ሃይል እንዳትታገዝ ሆነህ ከጨዋታው ውጪ ትደረጋለህ፡፡ ስለዚህም የተጠናከረና ወለም ዘለምን የማይቀበል በራሱ ተማምኖ የሚንቀሳቀስና ግድፈቱን ይፋ የሚያወጣ የውጪ ታዛቢ ካለተፈጠረል በስተቀር ይህን ጨቋኝ ኢሰብአዊ የሆነ ገዢ መንግስት ማስተካከል የማይሞከር ነው›› ብልዋል:: በ2011 ላይ በሃገሪቱ ውስጥ ካለው ገዢ ፓርቲ ጋር ተወዳጅተውና ተቀብለው ከሚንቀሳቀሱት ውጪ በፖለቲካ አመለካከት ልዩነታቸው ሳቢያ ከአሜሪካን መንግስት ተችሮ የነበረው 850 ሚሊዮን ዶላር የማግለል ስርጭት በመለስ ፓርቲ ስለተፈጸመው የስርጭት ደባ የአሜሪካው ስቴት ዲፓርትመንት ለማጣረት ቃል ቢገባም፤‹‹እስካሁን ድረስ ስለጉዳዩ አንድም የወጣ ዘገባ የለም››:: በ2011 የአሜሪካው የምርምር ቢሮ የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ ቁጥር በ2050 በመጠን በመግዘፍ ወደ 278 ሚሊዮን ያሻቅባል፤ ብሎል:: በዚህም በሽታ ችጋር ጦርነትና እልቂት ሌላም ሌላም ሰበብ ሕዝቡን ወደ ምግብ አምራችነት ግዳጅ ያሰድገባዋል፡፡ የመለስ ገዢ መንግስት ብሔራዊ የቤተሰብ መምሪያ እቅድ በአግባቡ መዘርጋት ስላልቻለ ወደ ተፈራው ችጋርና ችግር በተፋጠነ ሂደት መግባቱ የማይቀር ነው፡፡

በኢትዮጵያ የሚከሰተው ችጋር 90 በመቶው ሰው ሰራሽ ነው፡፡

የዓለም ባንኩ መሪ ኤኮኖሚስት ዎልፍጋንግ ፌንግለር በኦገስት 17 2011 ላይ እንደ ዓለም አቀፍ የባንክ ሰውነቱ ለአስተያየቱ እጅጉን ታማኝ ነበር፡፡ ሲናገርም፡- ‹‹ በአፍሪካ ቀንድ ያለው የችጋር ጉዳይ ለዋጋ የሚጠየቀው የተጋነነነ ዋጋና በሚፈጠረው የእርስ በእርስ ግጭት የመጣ እንጂ በተፈጥሮ ሳቢያ የተከሰተ አይደለም፡፡ይህ ችግር ሰው ሰራሽ ነው፡፡ድርቅ በተደጋጋሚ ተከስቷል፡፡በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ ሁኔታው ወደ ርሃብ እንዲቀየር ያደረገው ግን ዋነኛው ሁኔታ መጥፎ ፖሊሲ መፈጠሩ ነው፡፡በሌላ አገላለጥም በኢትዮጵያ ውስጥ መጥፎና እኩይ አስተዳደርየችጋሩ መንስኤ ነው እንጂ ድርቅና የአካባቢ ዓየር ያመጣው ጣጣ አይደለም፡፡ የኦክስፋም ዓለም አቀፍ ዳይረክተር የሆኑት ፔኒ ላውረንስ፤ኢትዮጵያን ከጎበኙ በኋላ የደረሱበት ድምዳሜ ‹‹ሕብረተሰቡ ለሰብሉ የመስኖ ውሃ ቢኖረው፤የሰብሉ ማጠራቀሚያ ጎተራ በብቃት ቢያገኝ፤እና በቂ ውሃ ከዝናቡ ማቆርያ ቢሰራለት ማንኛቸውንም የሚያጋጥማቸውን ችግር ሁሉ በቀላሉ ሊቋቋሙት ይችላሉ በማለት ዘግበዋል፡፡ የዓለም አገልግሎት የአፍሪካ ኤዲተር የሆኑት የቢቢሲው ማርቲን ፕላውት ሲሉ፤ያሁኑ በገበሬው ላይ የወረደበት ችግር መንስኤ መንግስት መሬቱን የራስህ ነው ግን አታዝበትም አይነት ደንብ በማውጣት ገበሬው ከዚያ እንዳይነቀሳቀስ ለማድረግ ያወጣው ደንብ በመሆኑ ሊነሱ የሚገባቸው መሰረታዊ ጉዳዮች፤ ሶሻሊዝምን ያወገዘው መንግስት እና ነጻ የገበያ ኤኮኖሚን እተላለሁ የሚል አካል፤ መሬትን በተመለከተ ከመንግስት ቁጥጥር ውጪ ሊሆን አይችልም በማለት መመጎቱ ለምንድን ነው? ለምበንስ ስርአት ያለው የመስኖ ውሃ እንዲዘረጋ አልታቀደም? የሰብል ማከማቻ ሰፋፊ ቋትስ ለምን የለም? የዝናብ ውሃ መማቆርያስ ለይስሙላ ሳይሆን በወጉ ለምን አልተዘጋጀም? በእርግጥና በእውነት ግን ለኢትዮጵያ መለስ ዜናዊ የምግብ ዋስትና ፖሊሲ አለው?

ለዓመታት በሰብአዊ የእህል ምጥዋት አረንቋ ውስጥ የተዘፈቀችው ኢትዮጶያ በቅርቡ የምግብ ዋስትናን ታረጋግጣለች ብሎ ማሰብ ከቅዠት ውጪ ሊሆን አይችልም፡፡ የመጪው ዐመታት በአፍሪካ ቀንድና በሳህል ሊያጋጥም በሚችለው ችጋርና የረሃብ ሰደድ እጅጉን ያስጨንቃቸዋል፡፡ ባለፈው ወር የአሜሪካን መንግስት ሊከተል የሚችለውን የዝናብ እጥረትና የሚያመጣውን የድርቅ ሁኔታ ለመቋቋምና ሕዝቡን ከችጋር ሞት ለመታደግ ተጨማሪ የ200 ሚሊዮን የምግብ ዕርዳታ ለመቸር ቃል ገብቷል፡፡የአሜሪካን መንግስት ለኢትዮጵያ፤ ኬንያና ሶማልያ የ1.1 ቢሊዮን ዶላር የሰብአዊ ዕርዳታ ሰጪ ነው፡፡

በሜይ 19 ላይ ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማና የ G8 መሪዎች እንደገና ሊያጤኑት የሚገባቸው 3 መሰረታዊ ጥያቄዎች አሉ፡፡ማለቂያ የሌለው እርዳታ ለአፍሪካ ቀንድ ሃገራት መስጠቱ የሚያስከትለው የሞራል ድቀት ምን ሊሆን ይችላል? እነዚህን ፈላጭ ቆራጭ ግፈኛ ገዢዎች መርዳቱና እነሱ ያንን መተማመኛ በማድረግ ተደላድለው ለግፍ አገዛዝ በእርዳታው ገንዘብ የበለጠ መመቻቸታቸው የረጂዎቹን የሞራል ኪሳራ አያስከትልም? በአፍሪካ ውስጥ በተደጋጋሚ በመከሰት ላይ ያለውንስ የችጋርና የድርቅ መፈራረቅና በተደጋጋሚ መከሰት ዘወትር ሰበቡ የዓየር ለውጥ በመሆን መቀጠሉስ በአፍሪካ ላለው የማይነቀል የምግብ እጥረት አስተዋጽኦ አያደርግም? የ G8 መሪዎች ለመለስ ዜናዊ ሊያቀርቡለት የሚገቡ ሌሎች ጥያቄዎች አሉ፡፡በሚሊዮን ሄክታር የሚቆጠር ለም መሬቶቹን ለህንድና ለአረብ ሃገራት የምግብ ዋስትና ማምረቻነት እየሸጠ የራሱን ሕዝብ ወደ ችጋርና ሞት የሚዳርግን ሃገር፤ ዓለም መርዳት ያለበት በምን መመዘኛና ሰበብ ነው? ለምንስ ተብሎ ነው የሚሰጠውን የሰብአዊ የምግብ አቅርቦት መርጃ ለፖለቲካ መጠቀሚያ በማድረግ ተቃዋሚዎቹን ለመጉጃ፤ ለማስደንበርያ፤ ለማስራቢያ፤ ለማፈናቀያ፤ዴሞክራሲን ለመጨፍለቂያ፤ሰብአዊ መብትን ለመድፈሪያ፤ ፍትህን ለማጥፋት መጠቀሚያ ለሚያደርግ ሃገርስ ለምን ተብሎ ነው የሚረዳው?

የ G8 መሪዎች ስለ‹‹ምግብ እጥረት›› መነጋገር ይችላሉ፡፡ በኢትዮጵያና በአፍሪካ ቀንድ ላለው ችጋር ምላሽ ግን፤በረሃብ በመሰቃየት ላለው ሕዝብ እፍኝ ምጽዋት መቸርና፤ ለፈላጭ ቆራጭ ጨካኝ ገዢዎች የመዝናኛ ወቅትና የነጻ ምሳ አቅርቦት የችግሩ መቅረፊያ ሊሆን አይችልም፡፡ እፍኝ ምጽዋት ችጋርን ከማጥፋት ይልቅ የሞራል ውድቀትን በማስከተል የዘልአለም ተመጽዋችነትን ፍላጎት ያበረታታል፡፡ መለስና መሰለቹ ግፈኛ የአፍሪካ ጨቋኝ ገዢዎች የምግብ እጥረቱን አስመልክቶ ለሕዝቡ ዘላቂ መፍትሔ የማስቀመጥ ሃሳብም ፍላትም የላቸውም:: ምክንያቱም ዓለም ሁል ጊዜ ረሃብን በተመለከተ እንደማይጨክን ስለሚያውቁ ችግሩን እያወቁት አፍነው በመያዝ በመጨረሻው ደቂቃ ላይ ጩኸታቸውን ማቅለጣቸው የተለመደ ዘዴያቸው ነው፡፡የአሜሪካን መንግስት እነደዓለም ቀደም ሹመኛነቱ ርሃብ በገባበት ሁሉ ደርሶ እርዳታ በመስጠት ተጠቂዎችን ከችጋር ማዳንን የሞራልና ሰብአዊ ግዴታ አድርጎ ያየዋል፡፡ ከዚሁ ጋር በተያያዘም ለዚህ ሁኔታ የሚሰጡትንም የልማት እርዳታ ችሮታ፤ብድርን፤የበጀት ድጋፍ ችሮታውንም ለዴሞክራሲ ማበብና ተግባራዊነቱ፤ የሰብአዊ መብት መከበርና መየበቅ፤የህግ የበላይነትን ማክበርና ለሱም መገዛትን ማረጋገጫ ጉልበትም አድርገው የመያዝ የውዴታ ግዴታ አለባቸው፡፡

በ2010 በተካሄደው የማስመሰያ ምርጫ የመለስ ፓርቲ 99.6 የፓርላማ ወንበሮችን አሸነፍኩ ብሎ ስልጣን መያዙ ይታወሳል፡፡ ባለፉት ዓመታት ውስጥ መለስ ዜናዊ አስገራሚ የኤኮኖሚ እድገት አሳይተናል በሚል የማይጨበጥ ተስፋ ቢስ እድገት ከመፎከር ውጪ እድገቱን ግን ማሳየት ካለመቻሉም ባሻገር፤በሃገሩ ውስጥ ያለውን የምግብ እጥረት ለማሸነፍ እዚህ ግባ የሚባል ስትራቴጂ ማቅረብ አልቻለም፡፡ በሃያ አንድ ዓመታት የመለስ አገዛዝ ውስጥ፤ኢትዮጵያ ከእርዳታ ለማኝነት ሳትላቀቅና በየጊዜው የልመናዋ ቋትም እየበዛ ከመሄድ አልተላቀቀም፡፡ ኢትዮጵያውያን እጅጉን በከፋና መፍትሔ በሌለው የምግብ እጥረት ውስጥ መዘፈቁ፤ከችግሩ ጋር በቀጥታ ሊታይ በሚችል መልኩ የፖለቲካ አሰራር ባለመዘርጋቱ ነው፡፡ የሕንዱ የኤኮኖሚ የኖቤል ሽልማት አሸናፊው አማርቲያ ሴን ርሃብን ለማስወገድ ትክክለኛው መንገድ፤ዴሞክረሲን ሕዝባዊ በማድረግ ሰብአዊ መብትንም በማጠናከር ነው በማለት ያስረዳል፡፡ በዓለም ታሪክ ውስጥ፤ዴሞክራሲ በትክክለኛው መልኩ በሚተገበርበት ቦታ ችጋር ደርሶ አያውቅም፡፡ ምክንያቱም ዴሞክራቲክ አደስተዳዳሪዎች ምርጫቸውን ማሸነፍ ስለአለባቸውና የህዝብንም ሂሳዊ አመለካከት በግላጭ ስለሚቀበሉ ያጋጠማቸውን ችጋርና ድርቅ መቋቋምና አጥጋቢ መፍትሔ የማስገኘት ግዴት ስለአለባቸው ነው፡፡

የሴን ዴሞክራሲያዊው ‹‹የድርቅን አስቀድሞ ማስጠንቀቂያ አውታሮች” የሉም:: ተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች አላአንዳች ሰበብ ይጨፈለቃሉ፤ መሪዎቻቸው ለመከራ ይዳረጋሉ፤ይወነጀላሉ ይታሰራሉ፡፡ ነጻው ፕሬስም ይታፈናል፤ ነጻ ጋዜጠኞችም ገዢውን መንግስትና ሹመኞቹን በሚፈጽሙት ደባና ሙስና በማጋለጣቸውና ገዢዎችም ለሚከተሉት ጭፍን የማንአለብኝ አገዛዝ አስተሳሰባቸውን በመግለጽና ትክክለኛውን መንገድ በማመላከታቸው ለወህኒ ይዳረጋሉ፡፡ ስለችጋሩ እውነታውን ሊዘግቡ አይፈቀድላቸውም፡፡ መንግስታዊ ያልሆኑ ድርጅቶች፤ድርቅን ለማስወገድ የተቋቋሙት ድርጅቶችም ጭምር አረማመዳቸው ሁሉ ጥንቃቄን ባጠናከረ መልኩ በፍርሃት መሆን እንዳለበት ተረድተዋል፡፡ ህጉ ሀገሬውንም የውጭውንም የእርዳታ ተግባር ፈጻሚውንና የሰብአዊ መብት ተሟጋቹን በወንጀለኛነት የሚያካትት ሆኗል፡፡ መለስ ዜናዊ አመጣዋለሁ እያለ በማይተገበር የሃሰት የዴሞክራሲ ነጻነት እውነታ በመዋሸት የተካነ ነውና የዓለም አቀፍ እርዳታ ድርጅቶችን በዚህ መንገድ ሲያታልልና ሲዋሻቸው ኖሯል፡፡ ባለፉት በርካታ ዓመታት ሂደት ውስጥ መለስ ሊመጣ ነው ደርሷል፤ በዝግታ እንደርስበታለን ብለን አቅደን ፈጥነን ደረስንበት የሚለውን የዴሞክራሲ ነጻነት እንኳን ልናየውና አካሉ ልንሆን ቀርቶ በሕልማችን እንኳን ለማየት ተስኖናል፡፡ ይልቁንስ የመለስ አገዛዝ ጭካኔ በየቀኑ ከአቅም በላይ እየሆነ፤ አገዛዙ ሕዝብን ኑሮ እንዲመረው የሚያደርግ፤ ሲጨንቀው በሚያወጣቸው እዛዞችና አዋጆች ግራ መጋባት፤ የተማረው ዲግሪውን ታቅፎ ኮብል ስቶን መጥረብ፤ ያን ኮብል ስቶን ሊጠርበው የሚገባው የተማረው የሚቀመጥበት ወንበር ላይ በድፍረት መጎለትና የመለስን እድሜ መለመንን በየቀኑ እያደገና የሕዝቡም ችግርና ስቃይ በዚያው ልክ ሰበዛ ማየት ግን ተችሏል፡፡

አሜሪካ ለኢትዮጵያ ምን ሊያደርግ ይገባል?

አሜሪካ ለኢትዮጵያ ሊያደርግ የሚገባው፤አደርጋለሁ በማለት ሲያውጅ የነበረውን ብቻ ነው፡፡ በ2009 ፕሬዜዳንት ኦባማ ጋና: አክራን በጎበኙ ወቅት፤ ሲናገሩ እንዳሉት:-

ልማት ሁል ጊዜ የሚሳካው መልካም አስተዳደር ሲኖር ነው፡፡ ታሪክ ትክክለኛውን ውሳኔ ያቀርባል፡፡የራሳቸውን ሕዝቦች ውሳኔ ሚያከብሩ መንግስታት፤በጉልበትና ማንአለብኝነት የሚገዙ ሳይሆኑ በሕዝባዊ ይሁንታ የሚያስተዳድሩ፤የበለጠ ፍሬያማ፤ የተረጋጉ፤ከፈላጭ ቆራጭና በግፍ ከሚገዙ የበለጠ የተሳካላቸው ናቸው፡፡ የራሳቸውን ምቾትና የግል ሃብታቸውን በማሰቀደም ሃገራቸውንና ሕዝባቸውን የሚበዘብዙ መሪዎች ሃገር ጨርሶ ለሃገራቸው ጠቀሚ ንብረት አያተርፉም፡፡ ማንም ቢሆን የሕግ የበላይነት ተረግጦ በሙስናና በዘረፋ በሚመራ ሃገር ውስጥ መኖርን አይመኝም፡፡ ይህ አይነቱ ስርአት ዴሞክራሲያዊ ሳይሆን የግፍና የመከራ አገዛዝ ነው፡፡ ያን የመሰለውን የግዛት ዘመን ጨርሶ ለመጣልና ለማስወገድ ወቅቱ አሁን ነው…….. በ21ኛው ክፍል ዘመን ችሎታ ያላቸው፤ ታማኝ የሆኑ፤ለተጠያቂነት የበቁ ኢንስቲቲዩሽኖች የስኬት ማረጋገጫዎች ናቸው—– ጠንካር ምክር ቤቶች፤የሲቪል ማሕበረሰብ አባላት፤ታማኝ የፖሊስ አባላትና የመከላከያ ሃይል፤ ነጣ ይፍትህ ስአት አባላት፤ነጣ የመገናኛ ብዙሃን፤ንቁ የሲቪል ማሕበረሰብ አባላት፤ እነዚህ ናቸው ለዶሞክራሲያዊነት ነፍስ ዘርተው የሚያገለግሉት ምክንያቱም በሕዝቡ የእለት ተእለት ኑሮ ውስጥ አስፈላጊዎቹ መዘውሮች፡፡ …ታሪክ ከነዚህ ጀግና አፍሪካውያን ጎን ይቆማል እንጂ በጉልበትና አላስፈላጊ በሆነ መንገድ ስልጣንን የሙጢኝ የሚሉትና ሕገ መንግስታቸውን ለራሳቸው እንዲሆን በዘፈቀደ ራሳቸውን በስልጣን ለማቆየት በሚለውጡትና በማያከብሩት ጎን አይኖርም፡፡ አፍሪካ ማን አለብን ባዮችንና በጉልበታቸው የሚመኩትን አትፈልግም፡፡ የምትፈልገው ጠንካራና ጉልበታም የሆኑ ድርጅቶች (ኢንስቲቲዩሽኖች) ነው፡፡ በተሻለ አስተዳደር እርግጠኛ ነኝ አፍሪካ ተጨባጭ የሆነ ሰፊ ልማትና የእድገት ራዕይዋን የማሳካት ተስፋዋ እውን ይሆናል፡፡

ካሁን በፊት የቀረቡ የጸሃፊው ጦማሮችን ለማግኘት እዚህ ይጫኑ >> http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

]]> http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/%e1%89%a0%e1%8a%ab%e1%88%9d%e1%8d%95-%e1%8b%b4%e1%89%aa%e1%8b%b5-%e1%8b%a8%e1%8a%a0%e1%8d%8d%e1%88%aa%e1%8a%ab-%e1%8b%a8%e1%89%bd%e1%8c%8b%e1%88%ad-%e1%89%b5%e1%88%ad%e1%8a%a2%e1%89%b5/feed/ 0 African Hunger Games at Camp David http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/african-hunger-games-at-camp-david/ http://addisvoice.com/2012/05/african-hunger-games-at-camp-david/#comments Mon, 14 May 2012 06:16:15 +0000 ed http://addisvoice.com/?p=16925 By Prof. Alemauehu G. Mariam

White House spokesman Jay Carney announced last week that President Obama has invited the presidents of Ghana, Tanzania, Benin and Meles Zenawi to attend the G8 Summit (the forum for the governments of eight of the world’s largest economies) for a discussion of food security on May 19 at Camp David (Presidential retreat) in Maryland. The U.S. has been handing out food aid to the African continent for decades. Now President Obama says there is another looming “food crises” in Africa. Oxfam says, “All signs point to a drought becoming a catastrophe if nothing is done soon.” The U.N. Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) has issued appeals for an extra $70 million to aid some 800,000 households in the drought-hit Sahel region in West Africa. Ethiopia and Somalia are expected to be ground zero for the anticipated famine. According to the April 25, 2012 report of the USAID-funded Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET), southern Ethiopia will most likely experience famine: “The anticipated below-average rains will have significant negative impact on crop production, pasture regeneration, and the replenishment of water resources throughout the region, with the most severe and immediate impact in belg-dependent areas of southern Ethiopia.” Over the past couple or so years, I have written over one-half dozen commentaries on famine and food shortages in Ethiopia. (See links below.)

The Hunger Word Games in Ethiopia

Ethiopian governments over the past four decades have blamed food shortages and famines on everything except their own indifference, incompetence and negligence. Emperor Haile Selassie in 1974 pretended there was no famine until “The Hidden Famine” by Jonathan Dimbleby was aired to a shocked and angry Ethiopian public. Former socialist junta leader Mengistu was arrogantly dismissive of the 1984-85 famine in which an estimated one million people perished. Mengistu would contemptuously respond to reporters by challenging them, “What famine?”

Zenawi is more clever than his predecessors. He plays public relations and semantic games with famine in the country. He will use any word, except the “F” word, to describe the chronic and massive food shortages in the country. For Zenawi there is “no famine in Ethiopia”, only “spot shortages,” “severe malnutrition”, “food insecurity”, “food crisis”, “serious drought” and so on. “Food shortages” are not the result of poor agricultural planning and practices, official incompetence, massive corruption, criminal negligence, etc., but are caused by “drought conditions,” “erratic rains” “damaged or delayed crops”, “deforestation”, “soil erosion,” “overgrazing” and other ecological factors. In January 2012, Zenawi once again denied famine in Ethiopia in a CNN interview: “Ethiopia is facing a major famine. How can you justify spending on a military operation in another country when your own people are starving?” Zenawi responded, “There is no famine in Ethiopia as all humanitarian organizations will tell you. There is a serious drought, but we are able to keep our people fed….”

The international poverty mongers/pimps (PMPs) have invented a “scientific” classification system for “food shortages” behind which Zenawi has been able to hide the true magnitude and severity of the problem in the country. The euphemisms of the PMPs avoid the “F” word altogether regardless of the extremity of the food shortage. For the PMPs the conditions fall into one of the following categories: “Acute Food Insecurity, Stressed, Crisis, Emergency and Catastrophe.” It is “scientifically” impossible to have famine in Africa! So the conspiracy of silence goes on to keep famine in Ethiopia hidden by clever use of masking euphemisms.

Zenawi and his top lieutenants have been promising to end “food shortages caused by drought” in a very short time. In 2009, Simon Mechale, head of the country’s “Disaster Prevention and Preparedness Agency”, proudly declared: “Ethiopia will soon fully ensure its food security.” For several years now, Zenawi has been advertising his “Productive Safety Net Programme” as the mechanism to end the “cycle of dependence on food aid” by bridging “production deficits and protecting household and community assets”. In October 2011 Zenawi told his party faithful: “We have devised a plan which will enable us to produce surplus and be able to feed ourselves by 2015 without the need for food aid.” Zenawi’s “plan to produce surplus” is by “leasing” out millions of hectares of the country’s prime agricultural land to so-called international investors (land grabbers) whose only aim is to raise crops for export. Ethiopia will produce food to feed other nations while Ethiopians starve. Zenawi has adamantly opposed private ownership of land, which by all expert accounts is the single most important factor in ensuring food security in any nation. Yet last year, food inflation in Ethiopia remained at 47.4 percent.

Food has been used as a political weapon in Ethiopia. Hunger has been the new weapon of choice to generate support for Zenawi’s regime and to decimate his political rivals. Zenawi has been pretty successful in crushing the hearts, minds and spirits of the people by keeping their stomachs empty. Those who oppose Zenawi’s regime are not only denied humanitarian food and relief aid, they are also victimized through a system of evictions, denial of land or reduction in plot size as well as denial of access to loans, fertilizers, seeds, etc. In the case of the people of Gambella in western Ethiopia, entire communities have been forced off the land to make way for Indian “investors” in violation of international conventions that protect the rights of indigenous peoples. Human Rights Watch, among other organizations, has raised serious concerns over the misuse of humanitarian food aid: “The Ethiopian government is routinely using access to aid as a weapon to control people and crush dissent. If you don’t play the ruling party’s game, you get shut out. Without effective, independent monitoring, international aid will continue to be abused to consolidate a repressive single-party state.” In 2009, U.S. State Department promised to investigate allegations that “$850 million in food and anti-poverty aid from the U.S. is being distributed on the basis of political favoritism by the current prime minister’s party.” No report has been issued.

In 2011, U.S. Census Bureau made the frightening prediction that Ethiopia’s population by 2050 will more than triple to 278 million. Ethiopia’s chronic “food insecurity” is expected to get increasingly worse culminating in a “Malthusian catastrophe” (where disease, starvation, war, etc. will reduce the population to the level of food production) in the foreseeable future. Zenawi’s regime has failed to implement a national family planning program which will avert such a catastrophe.

Famine in Ethiopia is Ninety Percent Man-Made

In 2011, Wolfgang Fengler, a lead economist for the World Bank, in a refreshingly honest moment for an international banker said, “The famine in the Horn of Africa is a result of artificially high prices for food and civil conflict than natural and environmental causes. This crisis is manmade. Droughts have occurred over and again, but you need bad policymaking for that to lead to a famine.” In other words, it is bad and poor governance that is at the core of the famine problem in Ethiopia, not drought or other environmental causes. Penny Lawrence, Oxfam’s international director, after visiting Ethiopia observed: “Drought does not need to mean hunger and destitution. If communities have irrigation for crops, grain stores, and wells to harvest rains then they can survive despite what the elements throw at them.” Martin Plaut, BBC World Service News Africa editor explains that the “current [Ethiopian food] crisis is in part the result of policies designed to keep farmers on the land, which belongs to the state and cannot be sold.” So the obvious questions are: Why does a regime that has rejected socialism and is presumably committed to a free market economy insist on complete state ownership of land? Why is there not an adequate system of irrigation for crops, grain storages and wells to harvest rains throughout the country? Does Zenawi really have a food security policy for the country?

The Hunger Games at Camp David

After four decades at the humanitarian food aid trough, it is unlikely that Ethiopia will achieve food security even in the distant future. President Obama is rightly concerned over the “food shortages” in the Horn and the Sahel in the coming year. Last month, the United States pledged to provide nearly $200 million in additional humanitarian aid to the Horn in anticipation of “poor rains and drought”. In 2011, the U.S. provided over $1.1 billion in humanitarian aid to Ethiopia, Kenya and Somalia.

On May 19, President Obama and the G8 leaders will have to face some tough questions: What is the moral hazard of endlessly supplying food relief to the Horn countries? Why should the world continue to help a country that leases millions of hectares of the most fertile land in the country and become the breadbasket for India and the Middle East while its people are starving? Why should the world provide food aid to a country when the ruling regime weaponizes the aid to decimate opposition, crush the democratic aspirations of the people and flagrantly violate human rights? Does aiding dictators who use food aid for political purposes end famine and food shortages in Africa?

The G8 leaders can talk about “food shortages” until the cows come home, but the answer to famine in Ethiopia and in the Horn is not never ending handouts to starving populations and free lunches to panhandling dictators. Handouts create a moral hazard of negative dependency by recipients which incapacitates them from fending for themselves. Zenawi and the other African dictators have no incentive to address the “food shortage” issue because they are absolutely and positively sure that the U.S. and other G8 countries will ALWAYS deliver humanitarian food aid to their starving populations year after year. As a world leader, the U.S. has a moral obligation to provide humanitarian food aid to famine victims; but it also has the moral responsibility of leveraging the billions in handouts (development aid, loans from the multilateral institutions and budget support payments) to dictators to promote democracy, human rights and rule of law in Africa.

In May 2010, Zenawi’s party won 99.6 percent of the seats in parliament. Despite two decades of one-party domination, Zenawi has not been able to do much to address the structural problem of food insecurity in the country. But he has been blowing his horn about bogus stratospheric economic growth. Ethiopians suffer from chronic food shortages and famine because they lack a political framework that can deal effectively with the problem. The Indian economics Nobel laureate Amartya Sen argued that the best way to avert famines is by institutionalizing democracy and strengthening human rights: “No famine has ever taken place in the history of the world in a functioning democracy” because democratic governments “have to win elections and face public criticism, and have strong incentive to undertake measures to avert famines and other catastrophes.” Famines are kept hidden from public view by jailing opposition leaders, journalists and civic society advocates who could sound the alarm over an impending famine.

What Should the U.S. Do for Ethiopia?

All the U.S. needs to do for Ethiopia is practice what it preaches. In 2009 in Accra, Ghana President Obama preached:

Development depends on good governance. History offers a clear verdict: Governments that respect the will of their own people, that govern by consent and not coercion, are more prosperous, they are more stable, and more successful than governments that do not. No country is going to create wealth if its leaders exploit the economy to enrich themselves. No person wants to live in a society where the rule of law gives way to the rule of brutality and bribery. That is not democracy, that is tyranny. And now is the time for that style of governance to end…. In the 21st century, capable, reliable, and transparent institutions are the key to success — strong parliaments; honest police forces; independent judges; an independent press; a vibrant private sector; a civil society. Those are the things that give life to democracy, because that is what matters in people’s everyday lives…. History is on the side of these brave Africans, not with those who use coups or change constitutions to stay in power. Africa doesn’t need strongmen, it needs strong institutions. With better governance, I have no doubt that Africa holds the promise of a broader base of prosperity….

Listening to Zenawi plead for more aid before the G8 to deal with the looming “food crises” (but “no famine”) is like listening to the man who killed his parents and asked for leniency from the court because he is an orphan. Now that’s chutzpah!

Amharic translations of recent commentaries by the author may be found at:

http://www.ecadforum.com/Amharic/archives/category/al-mariam-amharic

http://ethioforum.org/?cat=24

Previous commentaries by the author are available at:

http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/ and

www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/

Author’s prior commnetaries on famine in Ethiopia:

The “Silently” Creeping Famine: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/alemayehu-g-mariam/ethiopias-silently-creepi_b_418068.html

What Should the World Do To Save Starving Ethiopians? http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2011/08/28/what_should_the_world_do_to_save_starving_ethiopians

Why are Ethiopians Starving Again in 2011? http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2011/08/20/why_are_ethiopians_starving_again_in_2011

“Famine and the Noiseome Beast” http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/11124

Ethiopia: Apocalypse Now or in 40 Years? http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2011/07/10/ethiopia_apocalypse_now_or_in_40_years

Ethiopia: Starve the Beast, Feed the People! http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2011/08/14/ethiopia_starve_the_beast_not_the_people

Ethiopia: Meles Zenawi and the Weaponization of Famine http://open.salon.com/blog/almariam/2011/08/07/ethiopia_meles_zenawi_and_the_weaponization_of_famine

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