U.S. Department of State pans Ethiopia’s Human Rights record

U.S. Department of State pans Ethiopia’s 

Human Rights record

The U.S. Department of State’s 2013 report has revealed the human rights violations in Ethiopia. The reports states that one of the major violations in Ethiopia has been on “Freedom of Speech and Assembly.”

The report said the human rights violations included arbitrary killings; allegations of torture, beating, abuse, and mistreatment of detainees by security forces; reports of harsh and, at times, life-threatening prison conditions; arbitrary arrest and detention; detention without charge and lengthy pretrial detention; a weak, overburdened judiciary subject to political influence; infringement on citizens’ privacy rights, including illegal searches and many others.

It also found although the civil courts operated with a large degree of independence, the criminal courts remained weak, overburdened, and subject to political influence. Similarly, beatings, stress positions, the hanging of detainees by their wrists from the ceiling, prolonged handcuffing, and the pouring of water over detainees, verbal threats, and solitary confinement have been described. In Somali Region of Ethiopia, there continued to be reports of abuses, including killings, by the Somali Region Special Police.

The Report noted that as of September 2012 there were 70,000-80,000 persons in prison, of whom approximately 2,500 were women and nearly 600 were children incarcerated with their mothers and there also were many unofficial detention centers throughout the country, including in Dedessa, Bir Sheleko, Tolay, Hormat, Blate, Tatek, Jijiga, Holeta, and Senkele. Most were located at military camps.

For example, on August 8, security forces in Addis Ababa detained more than one thousand Muslims participating in Eid al-Fitr celebrations some of whom have died in prison, it added.

Recalling that on January 17, authorities arrested Solomon Kebede, columnist and managing editor of Muslim Affairs. They charged him along with 27 other Muslims in April under the antiterrorism proclamation, the Report also detailed the human rights violations against incarcerated journalists and politicians such Eskinder Nega, Reeyot Alemu, Andualem Arage, Olbana Lelisa, Bekele Gerba and many others. The human rights abuses on women and children, minorities were also included in the Report.

Last month The United States House Appropriations Committee has included stringent new requirements of accountability from the Government of Ethiopia in a section of the new 2014 bill in relation to the release of U.S. funds designated for Ethiopian military and police forces to Ethiopia’s implementation of corrective policies that would address the declining state of human and democratic rights in the country, including in the Somali Region of Ethiopia where access to the area must be given to human rights and humanitarian organizations. The law also prohibits funds appropriated to Ethiopia under the headings, “Development Assistance” and “Economic Support Fund” that are available for the lower Omo Valley and the Gambella region to be used directly or indirectly in the forced evictions of the people.

The Ethiopian government has not yet responded regarding the new law as of yet.

የዩናይትድ እስቴስ የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት በኢትዮያ ዉስጥ ከፍተኛ የሰብዓዊ መብት ጥሰት እንዳለ በዘንድሮዉ አመታዊ ሪፖርቱ ይፋ አደረገ

ዋሽንግተን ዲሲ፤ የካቲት 20/2006 (ቢቢኤን) ፦ የዩናይትድ እስቴስ የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት (State Department) ባወጣዉ የዘንድሮ የሰዓዊ መብት ሪፖርት ላይ የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት ያከናዉናቸዋል ያለዉን የሰብዓዊ መብት ጥሰቶች በመዘርዘር ሰፋ ባለ መልኩ አቅርቦታል።

ቀድም ሲል ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ በ2003 በተደረገዉ ምርጫ፤ በሟቹና በቀድሞው ጠቅላይ ሚንስቴር መለስ ዜናዊ ይመራ የነበርዉ ኢ.ህ.አዴ.ግ ከ547 የህዝብ ተወካዮች ምክር ቤት መቀመጫ 545 መቀመጫዎች አሸንፏል መባሉን ሪፖርቱ እያመላከተ የምርጫ ጣቢያዎች በመንግስት ሐይላት ቁጥጥር ስር እንደነበሩና አለምአቀፍ ታዛቢዎች ስራቸዉን በተገቢዉ መልኩ እንዳያከናዉኑ ገደብ እንደነበረባቸዉ ይገፃል።

በአገሪቱ ዉስጥ ባለዉ ከፍተኛ የመብት ረገጣ ሳቢያ ዜጎች የመሰብሰብ፣የመደራጀት፣የመናገር መብትን በገሃድ እንደሚነፈጉ የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤቱ ያስደረግቸዉን ጥናቶች ተመርኩዞ ያብራራል። እነዚህን የዲሞክራሲ እሴቶችን ለመተግበር የሚሞክሩም ይታሰራሉ፣ይንገላታሉ፣ይዋከባሉ፣ዛቻ ይደርስባቸዋል፣ ክብራቸዉ ተነክቶ እንዲሸማቀቁምይደረጋሉ በማለት ሪፖርቱ ያትታል።እርዳታን የሚያስተባብሩ፣ እርዳታን ለጋሽ የሆኑ ድርጅቶች፣ ማህበራዊና ትርፍ አልባ የሆኑ ተቋማት (NGO) የግብረ-ሰናይ ተልእኮ አቸዉን እንዳይፈጽሙ የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት እንደሚከለክል፤ በሰዎች ላይ ህገ ወጥ የሆነ ግድያ እንደሚፈጽም፣ዜጎች ግርፋት-ድብደባ እንደሚደርስባቸዉ፣ ወጥ የሆኑ የማሰቃያ ተግባራት በመንግስት ሐይላት እንደሚፈጽምና በአገሪቱ እስርቤት የሚገኙ ታሳሪዎችን ህይወት ለአደጋ የሚያጋልጹ አሳቃቂ ተግባራትም እንዳሉም በሪፖርቱ ላይ ተገልጿል።

ሰዎች በፍርድ ቤት ሳይበየንባቸዉ በጅምላ ተይዘድዉ ይታሰራሉ፤በፍርድ ቤት የአሰራር ዘይቤም ይሁን በፍትህ ሒደቱ ዉስጥ ግልጽ የሆነ ፖለቲካዊ ጣልቃ ገብነት አለበት፤ ፍርድ ቤቶችም ደካማ ናቸዉ! ሲል ሪፖርቱ ይደመድማል። መንግስት ሀሳብን በነጻነት ለመግለጽ የሚሞክሩ ያገሪቱ ዜጎች ላይ ጭካኔ የተሞላበት እርምጃ እንደሚወስድ በዝርዝር የተቀመጠ ሲሆን፤ በነሐሴ 2/2005 የኢድ-አልፈጥር በዓል በሚከበርበት ወቅት፤ በሰላማዊ መንገድ ተቃዉሞ ያሰሙ ከነበሩት ሙስሊም ኢትዮጵያዉያን መካከል ከ 1000 በላይ የሚሆኑት በጅምላ ተግበስብሰዉ መታሰራቸዉና ከመካከላቸዉም የሞቱ መኖራቸዉ በሪፖርቱ ላይ አጽንኦት ተሰጥቶታል።የዜጎች ግላዊ መብትን በመግፈፍ፤ በሙስሊሙ ማህበረስብ ላይ ህገወጥ የሌሊት ፍተሻዎችም ተደርገዋል። ግልጽና ስልታዊ በሆነ መልኩም ከቦታ ወደ ቦታ ዜጎችን የማፈናቀል መርሃግብር በመንግስት መፈጸሙን የሚያስረዳዉ ሪፖርት ነጻ መሆን የሚገባዉ የመማርና የማስተማር ሒደት የመንግስት ጣልቃገብነት እንዳለበትም ይገልጻል።

ዜጎች ዲሞክራሲያዊ መብታቸዉን ተጠቅመዉ በነጻነት መንግስትን የመቀየር አቅማቸዉ ሆን ተብሎ የተገደበ ነዉ!በፖሊስ፣በፍርድ ቤቶችና በመንግስት አመራር ዉስጥ በስልጣን መባለግ-ሙሰኝነት-ጉቦኝነት በገሃድ ይተገበራሉ። መንግስት በስልጣን የባለጉንና የህዝብን አደራ ያጎሳቆሉ ወንጀለኞች ችላ በማለት ፖለቲካዊ ዉለታን ይዉላል፤ ፖለቲካዊ ምህረትን ለምግባረ ብልሹ የመንግስት አካላት እንደሚያደርግ የዩናይትድ እስቴትስ የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት ሪፖርት ያጋልጻል።

በኢትዮጵያ ህገ መንግስት የጾታ እኩልነት የተረጋገጠ ቢሆንም በመንግስታዊ የአሰራር መዋቅር ዉስጥ ሴቶች ይጨቆናሉ። ህገወጥ የሆነ የሰዉ ዝዉዉር ይፈሰማል፣ የአካል ጉዳተኞች (የተሳናቸዉ) ማህበራዊ ጭቆና ይደርስባቸዋል፣የ ኤች.አይ.ቪ ኤድስ ህሙማን ማህበራዊ የሆነን በደል ይጋፈጣሉ፣የሰራተኖች መብት የተገደበ በመሆኑ ህፃናትን አስገድዶ የጉልበት ስራ ማሰራቱ የተለመደ መሆኑ በሪፖርቱ ላይ ተዘርዝሯል።

የመንግስት ሐይላት የሰዎችን ደብዛ ያጠፋሉ፤ የሰዎች መሰወር ይስተዋላል! በትግራይ ክልል በአላማጣ ከተማ መንግስት በልማት ስም ቤቶችን በሚያፈርስበት ወቅት አለመግባባት ተፈጥሮ የታሰሩ 12 የአካባዊ ተወላጆች የገቡበት እንደማይተዋቅ እና ተመሳሳይ በሆነ መልኩ በሶማሌ ክልል ያለዉ ልዩ የፖሊስ ሐይል በክልሉ ተወላጆች ላይ ኢሰብዓዊ የሆነ ማንገላታት፣ማሰቃየት፤ ግድያ እደሚፈጽም መታወቁ ተገልጿል።

የኢትዮጵያ ህገመንግስት ቶርቸር (ግርፋት ድብደባ ማሰቃየት)ይከለክላል። ቶርቸርን የመሰሉ የሰዉ ልጅን ክብር ገፋፊ የሆኑ ጭካኔ የተሞላባቸዉ ተግባራት፤በመንግስት የደህነነትና የጥበቃ ሐይላት እንደሚፈጸሙ በማጋለፅ በጥር 9/2005 የተያዘዉ የሙስሊሞች ጉዳይ መጽሔት አምድኛ እና ማኔጂንግ ኢዲተር የነበረዉ ጋዜጠኛ ሰለሞን ከበደ በማእከላዊ የምርመራ ማእከል ዉስጥ በተደጋጋሚ የዚሁ ህገወጥና አስከፊ ተግባር ሰለባ እንደነበር በዩናይትድ እስቴት የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት ሪፖርት ላይ በዋቢነት ተጠቅሷል።

በጥቅምት 8/2006 ሁማን ራይትስ ዎች ያወጣዉን ሪፖርት እንደ አብነት በመጥቀስ በመጥቀስ በማእከላዊ የምርመራ ማእከል ዉስጥ መርማሪዎች ታሳሪዎችን በማስገደድ የእምነት ቃል እንደሰጡ እንደሚያደርጉ የዩናይትድ እስቴትስ የዉጪ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት እየገለጸ፤ በማእከላዊ እስር ቤት ዉስጥ ከፍተኛ የሆነ ቶርቸር (ግርፋት-ድብደባ-ማሰቃየትት)፣ ዛቻ፣ማስፈራራርት፣ እስረኞች ላይ ዉሃ መድፋት፣የእስረኞችን እጅ ጣራ ላይ አስሮ ለረጅም ሰዓታት ማቆም፣እሰረኞችን ነጥሎ ለብቻ ማሰርን የመሳሰሉ ኢሰብዓዊ ተግባራት እንደሚፈጽሙና ዲፕሎማቶች፣ኤንጂኦ (በጎ አድራጊ የሰብዓዊ መብት ተሟጋች ትርፍ አልባ ድርጅቶች) እስረኞችን የመጎብኘት ፍቃድ እንደሚነፈጉ ተገልጿል።

በመስከረም 2005 በተገኘዉ መረጃ መሰረት ከ70,000 እስከ 80,000የሚድርሱ እስረኞች መኖራቸዉ ሲታወቅ፤ ከነዚህም መካከል 2500ሴቶች ሲሆኑ 600 ህጻናት ከእናቶቻቸዉ ጋር መታሰራቸዉ እና ታዳጊ ወጣቶች ከአዋቂዎች ጋር አብረዉ እንደሚታሰሩ ተዘግቧል። የአገሪቱ እስር ቤቶች በጣም የተጣበቡ ከመሆናቸዉም ባሻገር ወታደራዊ ተቋማትም እንደ እስር ቤት ማገልገላቸዉ ተዘግቧል። በርካታ እስረኞች ከመጣበብ፣ተነጥሎ ከመታሰር፣ የተማሏ የጤና ግልጋሎት ካለመኖሩ የተነሳ ለአእምሮ ህመም ይዳረጋሉ። ለአንድ እስረኛ የምግብ፣ የዉሃ አቅርቦትን ለመለገስ እና የጤና ግልጋሎት ለመስጠት በቀን ስምንት ብር ከአስር ሳንቲም ብቻ እንደተመደበ የዩናይትድ እስቴትስ የዉጭ ጉዳይ መስሪያ ቤት አመታዊ የሰዓዊ መብት ሪፖርት ይዘረዝራል።

ኢትዮጵያዉያን ሙስሊሞች ከ2004 ጀምሮ ሰላማዊ የሆነ ተቃዉሞን በአወሊያ የትምርት ተቋም ዉስጥ በመጀመር ከአርብ ስግደት (ከጁመዓ ሶላት) በሗላ በቀጣይነት የተቃዉሞ መርሃግብር እንደሚያከናዉኑና፤ ይህ የቅዋሜ ተግባር ምንም ሰላማዊ ቢሆንም የፖሊስ አካላት ሰዎችን በመያዝ አላስፈላጊ ሐይል እንደሚጠቀሙ ሪፖርቱ ያስረዳል። በሐምሌ 14/ 2004 በሙስሊሞች የተደረገዉን ሰላማዊ ተቃዉሞ ተከትሎ መንግስት “የደህንነት ሰጋት” የሚል ማመካኛን በመፍጠር 28 ሙስሊሞችን አስሮ በጥር 24/2005 ክስ ያቀረበባቸዉ ቢሆንም በታህሳስ 3/2006 አስሩን በነጻ አሰናብቶ በአስራ ስምንቱ ላይ ያቀረበዉን ክስ ዝቅ አድርጓል። መንግስት እነዚህን የሙስሊም ታሳሪዎች በአለማችን ላይ ከሚታወቁ አሽባሪ ድርጅቶች ጋር ግንኙነት አላቸዉ ብሎ በገሃድ ለመፈረጅ መሞከሩም በሪፖርቱ ተገልጿል።

የኢትዮጵያ መንግስት የመናገር-የመደራጀት-የመሰብሰብን መብት የሚተገብሩ ፖለቲከኞችናና ጋዜጠኞችን እንደሚያስር፣ እንደሚያሰቃይ፣ እንደሚያንገላታ፣ የሚገልጸዉ ሪፖርት ከፖለቲከኞች የመድረኩ አንዱአለም አራጌ ብሎም የኦሮሞን ማህበረስብ መብት በዲሞክራሲ ለማስከበር ከሚንቀሳቀሱ የኦሮሞ ተወላጆች በቀለ ገርባና ኦልባና ሌሊሳ ታስረዉ እየተሰቃዩ መሆናቸዉን፤ ተመሳሳይ በሆነ መልኩ ከጋዜጠኞች እስክንድር ነጋ፣ሪዮት አለሙና ሰለሞን ከበደ በእስር ይማቅቃሉ ሲልም ሪፖርቱ ያስረዳል።

መንግስት ነጻ-ፕሬስ እንዲከስም በሚያደርገዉ ከፍተኛ ጫና ጋዜጠኞች የእስርና የስደት ሰለባ

Letter - to All Human Beings Who Are Human, By Journalist Wubushet Taye (Zeway Prison)

"Discussing these types of issues is forbidden," said the warder rudely and added, "You are only allowed to discuss family matters". You might suspect that these words were spoken by one of our beloved mother Ethiopia's prison officers. However, they are actually taken from Maxim Gorky's 1906 story Mother (page 102). The story was written 108 years ago - so very long ago! But it doesn't seem so long to us - why? Because what we are living through now is even worse. And it is worrying how fast things are deteriorating.

Prison is now where everything leads. Every day we are told by the media that what is needed is "strong measures; measures to ensure it won't happen again; measures to remove etc". These words are not legal principles but are spoken in hate. These statements, which are only a fraction away from a declaration of systematic state terror, are especially damaging for those of us who are held in Ethiopia's prisons.

Following programmes which have been broadcast about 'revolutionary measures' on ETV, horrible things - which could upset so many families if I listed them here - are being carried out in a calculated manner. Let's take a look at some of them. We are denied permission to be placed in prisons close to our relatives. Zeway is the Ethiopian version of a Siberian prison. After travelling across the lowlands to reach our 'Siberia', our families have to undergo a tiresome and intrusive search before they can eventually see the prisoner. When they do so, officials are listening in, even to talk about family matters. We hug and kiss our children even when the prison officers look disapproving. Even though the insults and intimidation that follow these displays of affection are not too bad, our children get scared. Our fear comes across to them. They always go back home feeling upset.

Even though the time allocated for visits is clearly specified, we are often told "Enough! Wind it up soon", just as we've started talking. Since the aim is clearly to torment us, intimidate us and punish us, we are not allowed to have more than 100 birr (about $5 US), even if we need more to buy toiletries, spices, tea and coffee, underwear, water purifiers etc. This only happens in Zeway prison. This is how our human rights are violated.

I graduated from high school in Zeway. I have many friends and relatives here but local people are only allowed to visit us once a week (on Wednesdays). Over time, they [friends from the town] stop visiting, scared off by the intimidating questions: 'Where did you meet him? How do you know him? Why are you always visiting him?'

The town is very hot. Nevertheless, 150 prisoners are held in one room here. As a result, it is unbelievable how easily insects and fleas move from person to person, reproducing fast. It doesn't make me feel good to talk about this; but it isn't a film, it's a true story that is happening to the sons of mother Ethiopia. We can only pray that the worst does not happen.

In fact, the worst is already here. They give us tasteless food. There is a water shortage despite the fact that the prison is right by Zeway Lake. It is like a prison within a prison. All of us, including the Generals and other military officers [who are jailed there], are held in a dark room. It might be possible to tolerate all of this patiently. But we are speaking out because every Ethiopian, everyone who has a religion, everyone who fears God, everyone who cares about the respect of basic human rights, must know what is being done to us. We're being pushed towards our deaths.

Just a month ago, Nathnael Mekonnen, the young Unity for Democracy and Justice (UDJ) party member, was sent to Kality for medical treatment. He was sent back to Zeway the same day at 11:00pm without having received any treatment. The Ethiopian National Unity Party (ENUP) member, Zerihun G.Egziabher, was also referred to a hospital but hasn't yet been treated, though he is suffering as a result of his illness. My kidney problems, which I have mentioned before, are now making it hard for me to sit or stand; if the authorities had found enough humanity to let me get treatment rather than rush me back to Zeway, it could have given me relief and them contentment.

Other people have died. Among the children of mother Ethiopia who have been denied medical attention and have passed away are Colonel Tesfaye Hailu and engineer, Kifle Sinshaw, both of whom were being held with the Generals and military officials [in jail], Ahmed Nejashi, a member of the Oromo People's Congress (OPC) party led by Mererra Gudhina, Tesfahun Chemeda, who was held in same the dark room, and an old man from the Benishangul Gumuz region. How can people be denied medical attention!? Where did these individuals, who have themselves struggled against oppression in their lives but are now in power, learn to be happy because others are in pain? What would the Ethiopian people say? What would all human beings who are human say?

God Bless Ethiopia!

(Source: Ethio-Mihidar Newspaper)

Ethiopian journalists languish in prison

Q&A: Ethiopian journalists languish in  prison

Government in Addis Ababa refuses to release award-winning journalists jailed under Anti-Terrorism Proclamation. As Al Jazeera presses ahead with its campaign to free its journalists detained in Egypt, nine Ethiopian journalists who are receiving less attention continue to languish in prison, held on trumped-up charges of terrorism, according to the New York-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). To mark the 900th day of the imprisonment of award-winning journalist Eskinder Nega, who is serving an 18-year jail term, and the 36th birthday of Woubshet Taye, jailed for 14 years, Al Jazeera speaks to Nani Jansen of the Media Legal Defence Initiative, a London-based NGO that helps journalists around the world defend their rights. Al Jazeera: What are the charges Woubshet Taye and Eskinder Nega are facing? Nani Jansen: Eskinder Nega, Woubshet Taye and many other journalists in Ethiopia, such as Reeyot Alemu, have been charged and convicted under Ethiopia's 2009 Anti-Terrorism Proclamation, a deeply flawed law that is being used by the Ethiopian government to systematically suppress free speech in the country. Because of their work as a journalist, they were deemed to be "participating in a terrorist organisation". In fact, Eskinder was explicitly said to have "used his right to free expression as a cover for terrorism" and most of the so-called evidence presented in the criminal proceedings against them consisted of their journalistic writing. AJ: What kind of legal assistance are they receiving? NJ: Mr Nega is currently representing himself, having decided after his initial conviction that he was better off that way. He filed for an appeal in cassation (the last possible resort in Ethiopia) in May 2013 - he is still waiting for a hearing date. Mr Taye decided not to appeal his conviction and has been hoping for a pardon. So far, the government has refused to grant him one. AJ: What has MLDI done or is doing to have these journalists freed? The Media Legal Defence Initiative has started several international legal proceedings to get Eskinder, Woubshet, and a number of their colleagues released from prison. A series of complaints has been filed with a UN body that has competence to address violations of the right to free speech. The procedure is confidential, I'm sorry; I cannot say which UN body. More importantly, a complaint has been filed at the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights on behalf of Eskinder Nega and Reeyot Alemu, challenging the 2009 Anti-Terrorism Proclamation as such. In their complaint, Mr Nega and Ms Alemu not only present their own case, but demonstrate that there is a pattern of prosecution of journalists under the law. They have asked the Commission to refer the case to the African Court, which can issue a binding decision saying that Ethiopia's laws violate international law. This would be an important step for all journalists in Ethiopia. MLDI is representing Mr Nega and Ms Alemu in these proceedings, together with the US-based NGO Freedom Now. AJ: Ethiopia is notorious for persecuting and jailing critical journalists. Tell us about the working environment for journalists in Ethiopia. NJ: Based on the number of cases we have been supporting in the country and the overview of prosecutions we documented for our complaint at the African Commission, I would say that there is virtually no free space left for independent journalism in the country. Over the past few years we've slowly seen the last independent publications get shut down, their editors jailed and dissenting voices silenced. Consequently, self-censorship is all-pervasive amongst the remaining press. The situation is really very bad. AJ: In an article published by Ethio-Mihidar newspaper, Woubshet Taye said some inmates have died in jail because they have been denied medical treatment. Does the MLDI have information on the circumstances of their detainment? NJ: I can say that our female client in the African Commission case, Reeyot Alemu, has received severely inadequate treatment for the fibroadenoma she was diagnosed with. She has had surgery without anaesthesia, has been left with surgical stitches in her breast for over a year and never received proper aftercare. One of the requests we submitted to the African Commission is that she receive proper medical care as soon as possible. AJ: What kind of pressure can be brought to bear on the Ethiopian government to get the journalists freed given the fact that the government appears to have ignored appeals and condemnation from the international community? NJ: Looking at it from the legal perspective, it would be important for the African Court to get the opportunity to speak out on Ethiopia's abuse of its anti-terror laws. The Commission has to refer the case to the Court, so we hope that they will do so soon so there is chance of a binding decision that would force Ethiopia to amend its legislation as well as the way it is using it to stifle dissent. Generally speaking, it is important that the wider public becomes aware of the fact that these prosecutions under anti-terrorism laws to punish free speech are not isolated incidents in one or two countries, but part of a wider pattern taking place in many countries worldwide. It is important that each and every country employing these tactics, including Ethiopia, be held to account for this. Source: Al Jazeera

The Violence in the Ogaden Rages On: Ethiopian Persecution, Threats and Kidnapping

The Violence in the Ogaden Rages On: Ethiopian Persecution, Threats and Kidnapping

by GRAHAM PEEBLES

Hidden and isolated from the world the armed conflict raging in the Ogaden region of Ethiopia goes unnoticed. The killing and raping of innocent civilians at the hands of the military and their paramilitary partners in crime the Liyu police, the false arrests, torture and imprisonment remain largely hidden and unreported. The international media, human rights groups and most aid organisations (including the International Red Cross) have been banned from the region by the ruling Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) since 2007.

Testimonies of extreme abuse and mistreatment reported by Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and diaspora agencies have come mainly from refugees who have found their way to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) administered Dadaab Refugee Camp in Kenya, where hundreds of men, women and children have sought safety. “I was arrested without charge in 2010 and imprisoned for two years in a military barracks, when in prison I was repeatedly beaten,” relayed Noor Sayat, a 40-year old former local government worker. Omar Abdi told me how his wife and son together with his brother had been murdered in cold blood by the military, and how he “was imprisoned for one year and two months.”

During which time he “was tortured every night…late at night we were taken to the river, a rope tied around our necks and held under the water. They pulled me out and then beat me with wooden sticks and their rifles. Sometimes they would vary the method and put a sack over my head, tie it around my throat with rope and then submerge me in the river, then beat me.” Women tell of being subjected to gang rapes in prison: “I was raped by groups of soldiers,” 27-year old Raho told me. “It used to happen around midnight. I can only remember the first three men who raped me. They would take me out and leave the baby in the room with the other women, and bring me back in the early morning… the soldiers would come every night about midnight to take some of the women out for raping.” Raho was imprisoned for two years, the first eight months of which she was pregnant. She was raped throughout with the exception of the “40 days when I gave birth and had my new born baby.” She was released after complaining of abdominal pains caused, she believes, by the relentless sexual abuse.

For many community leaders the persecution continues inside Dadaab, with life-threatening telephone calls and text messages made by members of Ethiopia’s secret service, military and Liyu police. Ogaden Online relays that “the names, family history and even the pictures of Ogaden leaders [now living in] the Kenyan refugee camps,” have been collected by Ethiopian intelligence. The plan is “to hunt, kill, maim, or intimidate” members of the Ogaden diaspora, “especially in the Kenyan refugee camps and those present in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.” The men who make up such so-called security services, in Ethiopia and elsewhere, live in a dark and ugly world; Ethiopia is besieged by social and economic problems and yet the government, shrouded in paranoia and hatred, spends its time and scant resources persecuting those seeking sanctuary.

The many claims of rape, false arrest, torture and execution of civilians by military personnel and Liyu police officers were confirmed by the statement of a former Liyu commander I spoke to in Dadaab. He told shocking stories of mutilation, murder, burying people alive, rape and systematic destruction of property. The Ethiopian government, he said, “wants to colonise the people and get rid of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF); the main target is the oil.” The Ogaden is reported to be rich in oil and natural gas; the promise of buried treasures may explain the West’s acceptance of wide-ranging human rights abuses being committed by the Ethiopian government – not just in the Ogaden, but throughout the country.

The struggle for self-determination for the region has been waged by the ONLF since its formation in 1984. The freedom fighters, or ‘dangerous terrorists’ if one accepts the government’s rhetoric, where voted into office in 1992 in regional elections. They “won 60% of seats… and formed the new [regional] government” [Human Rights Watch (HRW)] reported. Two years later they called for a referendum on self-determination. The EPRDF government’s reaction was to kill 81 unarmed civilians in the town of Wardheer; disband the regional parliament; arrest and imprison the vice-president and several other members of the parliament; instigate mass arrests and carry out indiscriminate killings. These brutal acts ignited the current struggle and drove the ONLF into the shadows.

ONLF Peace Negotiators Abducted

In January this year, peace talks planned to take place in Nairobi were sabotaged when two key ONLF negotiators were kidnapped. “Press reports from Kenya indicate that two members of the Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) were abducted on 27 January 2014 outside a restaurant in Nairobi… ONLF officials stated the two persons were ONLF central committee members invited by Kenyan officials to participate in peace negotiations with Ethiopian government officials.  ONLF officials further alleged that security agencies from Ethiopia and Kenya were involved in the abduction of the two ONLF negotiators.” [David Shinn former US ambassador to Ethiopia] The ONLF claim that, “a source inside Ethiopia [has] informed the ONLF that the two abducted ONLF officers were seen in a military hospital undergoing treatment for extensive wounds caused by torture.” They go on to relay how Sulub Abdi Ahmed and Ali Ahmed Hussein – “senior negotiators for the ONLF in the talks being brokered by the Kenyan government – resisted torture and the accompanying pressure to sign (under duress) a “fictitious peace agreement”. The men had participated in the second round of talks between the Ethiopian Government and ONLF last year and were in Nairobi for the planned third round of talks.

It’s hard to see how peace talks worthy of the name can be entered into whilst one of the parties is committing abductions and assassinations, and wide-ranging atrocities in the disputed region. A reasonable and I would say essential condition of any talks is the cessation of violence by both the Ethiopian military/paramilitary and the armed wing of the ONLF.

The Kenyan police force is notoriously corrupt, two of its officers were arrested for their involvement in the kidnapping, both, “have pleaded not guilty to kidnapping two Ethiopian rebels in the capital, Nairobi. Painito Bera Ng’ang’ai and James Ngaparini are alleged to have driven to the Ethiopian border and handed them [ONLF negotiators] over to Ethiopian officials.” [BBC] The kidnapping is the latest in a long line of similar incidents; the ONLF report that in “1998, the Ethiopian Army killed three members of an ONLF delegation team and abducted two members participating in bilateral negotiations with the Ethiopian government inside the Ogaden.” They go on to state that, “two years ago, the Ethiopia government assassins killed another senior leader in Nairobi.”

Talks ‘stalled’ in September 2012 when the Ethiopian team (contrary to the unconditional basis agreed for the talks by both sides that, “no preconditions shall be made to negate the inherent character and purpose of the peace negotiations”) demanded that the ONLF representatives acknowledged the Ethiopian constitution, a broadly liberal document written by the EPRDF in 1992 and largely ignored by them ever since. In its articles the Somali (or Ogaden) region is classified as a State of Ethiopia, a contentious statement implying sovereignty over the area, which the ONLF where not prepared to endorse. In a statement they made clear their position, stating that the constitution, “must reflect the will of the people and that the Somali people never exercised a referendum on the constitution.” They went on to say that, “the solution to the conflict in the Ogaden can only be achieved by accepting the principles of the [people’s] right to exercise their self-determination without any preconditions or restrictions.”

Unsurprisingly the Ethiopian government have denied any abduction took place: “the two abductees came willingly, and are kept somewhere inside Ethiopia while negotiating with the Ethiopian government, and will soon speak on Ethiopian TV.” This absurd statement was followed by another, this time from Shimelis Kemal the Minister of Government Communications Affairs Office, who claimed to have “no information about the alleged kidnapping of Ogaden officials in Nairobi”. Followed fictitiously by Dina Mufti (Foreign Ministry), who told VOA Amharic “that his government was not aware of the whereabouts of those men or any abduction.” The two men remain detained in an undisclosed location inside Ethiopia. Let us hope they are safe and that they are swiftly released.

Nationwide Violations

The human rights violations, many of which constitute crimes against humanity, taking place inside the Ogaden region are but the most acute examples of widespread government violence, abuse and suppression being meted out throughout the country. Genocide Watch “considers Ethiopia to have already reached Stage 7 [of 8], genocidal massacres, against many of its peoples, including the Anuak, Ogadeni, Oromo, and Omo tribes.” Ethiopia rarely attracts the attention of the international media and their western donors are content, it seems, to turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to the cries of the people, happy that their ally in what is one of the most volatile regions of the world is on the face of it stable. It is a stability however brought about through fear, security forces personnel – police, military and secret service men – instilling fear of imprisonment, torture and death, amongst the people.

Political dissent is not tolerated, freedom of assembly all but criminalised, and intimidation to garner support for the ruling party is government policy. Membership of the EPRDF brings with it work permits, a range of essential aid from food to fertiliser, a home, university places, government jobs, business opportunities such as opening a shop, a hairdressing salon or driving a taxi – only possible if you are an EPRDF card carrying devotee, one prepared to hang a photograph of their cherished leader, former Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, in your Lada. Economic growth is said to be racing along at 8% per annum; however, the beneficiaries of any development dividend are those within the cosy government clique, and given that deceit and duplicity are government policy, there is considerable doubt as to the reliability of the growth claims. “It is not clear how factual Ethiopia’s economic data are. Life is intolerably expensive for Ethiopians in Addis Ababa, the capital, and its outlying towns. Some think Ethiopia’s inflation figures are fiddled” [The Economist].

Why, I was repeatedly asked by refugees from the Ogaden, “does Britain support the EPRDF regime”, why is the Department for International Development (DFID) funding the Liyu police, why do they not act for us – good question. The people of the Ogaden are suffering wide-ranging atrocities and throughout the country human rights are violated, the people are suppressed and fearful, all of which donor nations such as Britain and America are well aware. All pressure should be applied to the EPRDF regime to observe human rights, dismantle draconian laws like the internationally condemned Anti-Terrorist Proclamation and Charities and Societies Proclamation; desist from military action and withdraw troops from the Ogaden, open up the region to the international media and human rights groups and enter into substantive peace talks with the ONLF.

As witnessed in many parts of the world when the people unite change ensues, governments fall. The people of Ethiopia, in the Ogaden, Oromo, Amhara, Gambella and elsewhere, need to stand together and peacefully demand their right to freedom, to justice and to peace.

A legacy reborn in Adwa: Ethnic Ethiopians of Ethiopia By Teshome Borago

A legacy reborn in Adwa: Ethnic Ethiopians of Ethiopia By Teshome Borago

As we celebrate the anniversary of our proud military victory over the powerful Europeans in the 1890s, we should be reminded of the ongoing plight of mixed ethnic Ethiopians, one of the people reborn out of the womb of Adwa.

When we examine the existing condition of identity politics in Ethiopia, Post-1991 politics and the governing status quo in Ethiopia continue to impact our people’s narrow interpretations of identity. “I am Gurage”, “He is Oromo”, “she is Amhara” … such are the expressions we hear everyday in the streets. Most Ethiopian citizens are still forced and urged to self identify to one ethnic group; whether or not they actually descend from one, two or more ethnolinguistic ancestry. We even see this injustice during the national census and when obtaining identification cards in Ethiopia. This marginalization of millions of mixed “Ethnic Ethiopians” or the systematic restriction on our self identification continues to benefit the TPLF ruling party and its OPDO, OLF, AAPO, OFC, ODF, TPDM, SLF, ONLF, ANDM and other ideological partners. These one-ethnic organizations are still the most active in Ethiopia today and they define our current politics based on one-ethnic ideology.

So how deeply is their narrow one-ethnic ideology engrained in our minds? Sadly, it has influenced all aspects of our thought process. For example, when we look at multiculturalism and multinationalism in Ethiopia, we naively mention the list of ethnic groups individually but we rarely mention mixed Ethiopians who are the direct product of our multicultural society. Even when we look at the events of the Battle of Adwa, our politicians proudly declare how all heroic Ethiopians from Oromo, Amhara, Welayta to Gurage, Tigray etc came together united against the invading Italian army. But this statement in itself inherently ignores the fact that Ethiopians from multiple ancestry also fought and died for our country. The truth is Mixed Ethiopians born from Gurage fathers and Oromo mothers fought in Adwa. Mixed Ethiopians with Welayta fathers and Amhara mothers died in Adwa. And so many other mixed Ethiopians sacrificed their lives. Symbolic of that era, even the powerful Minister of Defense under Emperor Menelik II was Fitawrari Habte Giyorgis Dinagde, who was said to be mixed Ethiopian of both Gurage & Oromo ancestry. Unfortunately today, mixed ethnic Ethiopians are unrecognized in current Ethiopian politics and ignored by the government’s “ethnic federalism” because they are either passive themselves or they tend to choose only one of their lineage over the other.

But, it is time that mixed Ethiopians become proud of their ancestry and be heard. Interethnic mixings have occurred throughout our history in trade centers and thru migrations, including the mass Migration of semetic and Afan Oromo speakers over the last millennium. Then, the victory in Adwa exponentially increased the pace of inter-ethnic marriages in Ethiopia; especially in Shewa, Wollo regions and central Ethiopia. It is true that ethnic identities are, by nature, fluid throughout history. They might die, be reborn, expand and die again. For instance, the ethnic labels we see today (“Amhara”, “oromo”, “Gurage” etc) did not exist many decades ago and they might die or disappear as globalization penetrates more inside Ethiopia. Similarly, post-Adwa era saw the rebirth of mixed Ethiopians’ influence in politics of our country. But the extreme poverty and the pro-Amharic undemocratic policies of the Imperial regimes sparked rural grievances and it fed the grassroots support base for the rebirth of these one-ethnic organizations that exist today.

However, more than the Tigrayan, more than the Amhara and the Oromo, mixed Ethiopians have to rise up today and carry the country toward democracy because we identify and sympathize with all groups in Ethiopia. But to do this, First, we have to embrace our own complex identity. We have to declare our ethnicity as “Ethiopian.” Unlike some Amharas and other urban nationalists who claim to be defenders of the “Ethiopian” label, we mixed Ethiopians are born Ethiopian and we die Ethiopian: we have no other option. Unless we reject our true identity (unless we pick our father over or our mother or vice versa) we do not have the luxury of being from one-ethnic group because we can only be the broader Ethiopian. When we are asked “what is your ethnicity,” it is high time for those of us with multiple ethnic ancestry to be proud and loudly say, “i am ethnic Ethiopian. Period!”

Ethnic Ethiopians have been passive for too long and it is time that we unite and take action for the benefit of all people in the horn of Africa. Mixed Ethiopians living in Illubabor (where my maternal grandfather is from) share the same heritage, the same psychological attachment and the same destiny as mixed Ethiopians living in Arusi (where my paternal grandmother is from) or northern Gondar (where my maternal grandmother) and Welayta Sodo (my paternal grandfather are from). All mixed multiethnic Ethiopians have a common national experience and a shared ideology, one that does not favor one group over the other. Since mixed Ethnic Ethiopians should not attach their identity and political development with the Amhara, the Oromo or other groups; we must work to bridge these gaps. We should create our own unique political identity, preferably one that will promote more interethnic marriages and the empowerment of our mixed Ethiopian race. We should bring together the Oromo, the Tigrayan and the Amhara as well as promote peace between other smaller ethnic groups in Ethiopia. The triumphant Adwa legacy of multiethnic cooperation will be best illustrated in the 21st century reawakening of our rightful role in Ethiopian politics.

ጥፋተኛ ጥፋቱን በይቅርታ እንጂ በዉሸትና በዕብሪት መሸፈን አይችልም

ጥፋተኛ ጥፋቱን በይቅርታ እንጂ በዉሸትና በዕብሪት መሸፈን 

አይችልም

በቅርቡ አንድም የወያኔ ጌቶቹን ለማስደሰት ደግሞም ከህወሃት ካድሬዎች ስድብና ግልምጫ የማያድን ጎደሎ ስልጣን ለማግኘት ሲል ተወልዶ ያደገበትንና እመራዋለሁ የሚለዉን የአማራን ህዝብ ክብርና ታሪክ ያጎደፈዉና ያዋረደዉ የአለምነዉ መኮንን አስጸያፊ ንግግር በአለም ዙሪያ የሚገኙ ኢትዮጵያዉያንን ያስቆጣና ያነሳሳ ጉዳይ ሆኖ መሰንበቱ ይታወሳል። ይህ የአማራን ህዝብ ማንነትና ይህ ጀግና ህዝብ በኢትዮጵያ ታሪክ ዉስጥ ያለዉን አኩሪ ቦታ ያላገናዘበና ባልተሞረደ አንደበት የተነገረ አስጸያፊ ንግግር ጉዳዩ በቀጥታ የሚመለከተዉን የአማራን ህዝብ ብቻ ሳይሆን አገር ዉስጥና ከአገር ዉጭ የሚኖሩትን በብዙ ሚሊዮኖች የሚቆጠሩ ኢትዮጵያዉያን አስቆጥቷል። አይናቸዉ ከገንዘብና ከሥልጣን ዉጭ ሌላ ምንም ነገር የማይመለከት ለሆዳቸዉ ብቻ ያደሩ ሰዎች የተከፈተ ሆዳቸዉንና ማለቂያ የሌለዉ የሥልጣን ጥማታቸዉን ለማርካት ሲሉ ምንም ነገር ከማድረግ ወደ ኋላ እንደማይሉ ወያኔ በሥልጣን ላይ የቆየባቸዉ ያለፉት ሃያ ሦስት አመታት በግልጽ አሳይተዉናል። ሆኖም ግን አይናቸዉ የታወረና ጭንቅላታቸዉ ባዶ የሆነ ሰዎች በነገሱበት በወያኔ ስርዐት ዉስጥም ቢሆን የሚጠሉትን፤ የሚንቁትንና የገዛ ወገኖቹን የገቡበት ቦታ ሁሉ እየተከተሉ ወደ አገራችሁ ግቡ እያሉ የሚያፈናቅሉ ዘረኞችን ለማስደስት ሲል ስቃይ የበዛበትን የራሱን ህዝብ ያዋረደ ከሀዲና ሂሊና ቢስ ሰዉ ያየነዉ አንድ አለምነዉ መኮንንን ብቻ ነዉ። አለምነዉ የተናገራቸዉን አጥንት የሚሰብሩ የንቀት ቃላት ይሀንን ከንቱ ሰዉ ባወገዝን ቁጥር እየደጋገምን ብንጠቅስ በአንድ በኩል የወያኔን ዘረኞች አላማ ያራምዳል ብለን ስለምናምን በሌላ በኩል ደግሞ እንደዚህ አይነቱን ጸያፍ ንግግር መደጋገም ሂሊናችን ስለማይፈቅድንና የጠፈፈ ቁስል መቆስቆስ ይሆናል ብለን ስለምንሰጋም ንግግሩን አንደግመዉም።

አሜሪካንን በመሳሰሉና በዕድገት ወደፊት በገፉ አገሮች ዉስጥ ዉሻ የሚታወቀዉ የሰዉ ልጅ ታማኝ ወዳጅ በመባል ነዉ። ዉሻ ባለቤቱን ለማስደስት ጭራዉን ከመቁላት ባሻገር የባለቤቱን እግር ይልሳል፤ ይንበረከካል፤ እግር ስር ይተኛል፤ ደግሞም አምጣ ብለዉ የወረወሩለትን ነገር እየሮጠ ሄዶ ያመጣል። የሚገርመዉ እንስሳዉ ዉሻ እንኳን እነዚህን ነገሮች ሁሉ የሚያደርገዉ ለባለቤቱና ለለመደዉ ወዳጁ እንጂ ለሌላ ለማንም ሰዉ አያደርግም። ዉሻ ባለቤቱንና ወዳጁን በተለይ ደግሞ የሱንና የባለቤቱን ጠላቶች ለይቶ ያዉቃል፤ ስለዚህም ዉሻን ባለቤትህን ንከስ ብለን ያንን የሚወደዉን ስጋ ያሻንን ያክል ብናሸክመዉ እኛዉ ላይ መልሶ ይጮህብን እንደሆነ ነዉ እንጁ ዉሻ ባለቤቱን በፍጹም አይነክሰም።

ዛሬ ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ እነ አለምነዉን የመሳሰሉ ለወያኔ ያደሩ ሂሊና ቢሶች፤ ሹምባሾች፤ ምስለኔዎችና ሆዳሞች አንድ የጎደላቸዉ ትልቅ ነገር ቢኖር የዉሻን ያክል ታማኝ መሆን ነዉ። እነ አለምነዉ እናስተዳድረዋልን ለሚሉት ህዝብ ታማኝነት ቢኖራቸዉ ኖሮ ዛሬ እነሱ እራሳቸዉ፤ የሚመሩት የአማራ ህዝብም ሆነ በአጠቃላይ የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ከአገሩ ተስድዶ እንደ አዙሪት በየአገሩ ከሚዞር በገዛ አገሩ ተከብሮ በወግና በማዕረግ ይኖር ነበር።ችግሩ “ባለቤቱ ያቀለለዉን አሞሌ ባለዕዳ አይቀበለዉም” ነዉና የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ በእነ አለምነዉና መሰሎቹ የተነሳ ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥም ከኢትዮጵያ ዉጭም መብቱንና ነጻነቱን ተገፍፎ የሚኖር ባተሌ ህዝብ ሆኗል። የአማራ ክልል ምክትል ፕሬዚዳንት ነኝ ባዩ አለምነዉ መኮንን እንደማናችንም እግዚአብሄር በአምሳያዉ የፈጠረዉ ሰዉ ነዉ፤ ታድያ ለምንድነዉ ሂሊና የሌላቸዉና ነገሮችን አመዛዝነዉ የመመልከት ባህሪይ የልታደላቸዉ እንስሳት እንኳን የማያደርጉትን አስጸያፊ ነገር እሱ በገዘ ወገኖቹ ላይ ያደረገዉ? በእርግጥ ይህንን ጥያቄ አለምነዉ በጥቅም የተገዛ ወይም ለሆዱ ያደረ ሰዉ ነዉ ብለን በቀላሉ መልሰን ማለፍ እንችል ይሆናል፤ ነገር ግን የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ከብዙ አፍሪካዉያን በተለየ መልኩ ነጻነቱንና አንድነቱን ጠብቆ መኖር የቻለበትን ምክንያት ለምንረዳ ሰዎች ለዚህ ጥያቄ የሚሰጠዉ መልስ የችግሩን ያክል የተወሳሰበ መሆኑን እንረዳለን። ይህንን ስለምንረዳም ነዉ ኢትዮጵያንና ህዝቧን ከወያኔ መዳፍ ዉስጥ ፈልቅቆ ለማዉጣት መከፈል ያለበት መስዋዕትነት የእያንዳንዱን ኢትዮጵያዊ ቤት ያንኳኳል የምንለዉ።

ወያኔ ወይም ህወሀት በሚባለዉ የዘረኞች ድርጅት ዉስጥ የታቀፉ ሰዎች ስልታዊ አላማ አንድና አንድ ብቻ ነዉ- እሱም ኢትዮጵያ የምትባል ገንዘብና ንብረት የምትታለብ ላም ወተቷ እስኪነጥፍ ድረስ ብቻችንን እንለባት የሚል የስስት አላማ ነዉ። ይህንን የስስት አላማ ተግባራዊ ለማድረግ የነደፉት እስትራቴጂ ደግሞ የአላማችን ዋነኛ ጠላት ነዉ ብለዉ የሚያምኑትን የአማራዉን ህዝብ መግደል፤ ማሰር፤ ማሳደድ፤ ማፋናቀል፤ መደብደብና ማዋረድ ነዉ። ይህንን ከጠላቶቻችን ከነሙሶሊኒና ግራዚያኒ የተማሩትን አማራዉን የማሳነስና የማጥፋት ስልት ደግሞ እግራቸዉ አዲስ አበባን ከረገጠበት ቀን ጀምሮ የአማራዉን ግዛት ቆርሰዉ የራሳቸዉ በማድረግና አማራዉን በመግደል፤ በማሳደድና በማሰር በተግበር አሳይተዉናል ዛሬም እያሳዩን ነዉ።

የወያኔ ዘረኞች የቂም በቀል እርምጃዎች ሁሉ ያነጣጠሩት በአለምነዉ መኮንንና በወገኑ የአማራ ህዝብ ላይ ነዉ፤ ወያኔ ወልቃይት ጠገዴን ቆርሶ የወሰደዉ ከአለምነዉ መኮንንና ከወገኑ ከአማራ ህዝብ ላይ ነዉ፤ ከጉራ ፈርዳና ከቤንሻንጉል አካባቢዎች ሂድ ከዚህ ተብሎ የተፈናቀለዉ ህዝብ አለምነዉ መኮንን እመራዋለሁ የሚለዉ የአማራዉ ህዝብ ነዉ። ታድያ አለምነዉ መኮንን እሱንና የገዛ ወገኖቹን ለዘህ ሁሉ ዉርደትና መከራ የዳረጉትን የወያኔ ዘረኞች ለማስደስት ሲል የተወለደበትን ማህበረሰብ መሳደቡ ምን ይባላል? ወያኔ ለኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ያስተማረዉ መጥፎ ነገር ቢኖር ዘረኝነት ነዉ፤ አለምነዉ መኮንን በዚህ መጥፎ የወያኔ ትምህርት ተለከፈ ብለን ብናምን እንኳን ዘረኝነት የራስን ዘር ከሁሉም በላይ እንድናይና ሌሎችን እንድንጠላና እንድንንቅ ያደርገናል እንጂ የራሳችንን ዘር እንድንሰድብና እንድናዋርድ አያደርገንም። ታድያ አለምነዉ መኮንንን የተጠናወተዉ የወያኔ ዘረኝነት ነዉ ወይስ የሚያድኑትን እያስጠላ የሚገድሉትን የሚያስወደድ የታምራት ላይኔ በሽታ ነዉ?

ሌላዉ የአለምነዉ መኮንንና የብአዴን ችግር አለምነዉ ያንን አሳፋሪ ንግግር ካደረገና ንግግሩ የህዝብ ጆሮ ዉስጥ ገብቶ አገር ዉስጥና ከአገር ዉጭ ብዙ ሰዎችን ካስቆጣ በኋላ ጥፋታቸዉን ተረድተዉ ህዝብን ይቅርታ አለመጠያቃቸዉና ሌላ ቢቀር አስተዳድረዋለሁ የሚለዉን ህዝብ ሙልጭ አድርጎ የሰደበዉን ሰዉ ህዝብን ከመምራት ሀላፊነት ቦታ ላይ እንዲነሳ አለማድረጋቸዉ ነዉ። አለምነዉ መኮንን የአማራን ህዝብ ከተሳደበ በኋላ ወያኔም ሆነ ብአዴን ከመጋረጃ ጀርባ የተባባሉትን ነገር ባናዉቅም ስድቡን አስመልክቶ በግልጽ ህዝብ እንዲያዉቀዉ የወሰዱት ምንም እርምጃ እንደሌለ ግን በሚገባ እናዉቃለን። ይህ የሚያሳየን ወያኔና ብአዴን ለህዝብና ለአገር ምንም ደንታ እንደሌላቸዉ ብቻ ሳይሆን እነዚህ ሁለት ጸረ ህዝብ ድርጅቶች ህዝብን እንዳሻን ረግጥን መግዛት እንችላለን የሚሉ ዕብሪተኞች እንደሆኑ ነዉ። የወያኔ ሹሞችና በየቦታዉ የበተኗቸዉ ሆዳም አፈቀላጤዎቻቸዉ የአለምነዉ መኮንንን መረን የለቀቀ ንግግር ለማስተባበልና እንዲያዉም ተባለ የተባለዉ ንግግር ተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ሆን ብለዉ ያቀነባበሩት የፈጠራ ስራ ነዉ እያሉ ህዝብን ለማሳመን ብዙ ደክመዉ ነበር፤ ነገርግን ብዙም ሳይቆይ ግለሰቡ በባዕዴን ስብሰባ ላይ የደረገዉ ንግግር በመጀመሪያ በኢሳት ሬድዮና ቴሌቪዥን ከዚያም በማህበራዊ ሜድያዎችና በተለያዩ ድረገጾች ላይ በብዛት መሰራጨት ሲጀምር ወያኔና ቡችሎቹ ማስተባበሉን ትተዉ ሳይወዱ በግድ ዝምታን መርጠዋል።

ወያኔና ብአዴን ህዝብን ሰድበዉና አዋርደዉ ዝምታን ቢመርጡም የተሰደበዉ የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብና መሪ የፖለቲካ ድርጅቶቹ ግን የአማራን ህዝብ አስጸያፊ ስድብ የሰደበዉ አለምነዉ መኮንን ከጥፋቱ ጋር ተመጣጣኝ የሆነ እርምጃ እስካልተወሰደበት ድረስ ዝም እንደማይሉ ለሚመሩት ህዝብም ለወያኔም ይፋ አደረጉ። በተለይ አንድነት ለፍትህና ለዲሞክራሲ ፓርቲና መላዉ ኢትዮጵያ አንድነት ፓርቲ አለምነዉ መኮንን የሰደበዉ የአማራ ህዝብ በክልሉ ዋና ከተማ ባህር ዳር ዉስጥ በነቂስ ወጥቶ ተቃዉሞዉን እንዲያሰማ የሰላማዊ ሠልፍ ጥሪ አደረጉ። ይህ የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች የሠላማዊ ሠልፍ ጥሪ ለህዝብ ከተላለፈና ህዝቡ ቁጣዉን ከመግለጽ ወደኋላ እንደማይል ከተረዱ በኋላ ነበር እነ አለምነዉ መኮንን ሰድብዉት እንዳሻህ ብለዉ የዘጉትን ህዘብ በፕሬስ መግለጫ ስም እንደገና ማደናገር የጀመሩት። እዚህ ላይ አንድ እጅግ በጣም የሚያናድድና አንጀት የሚያሳርር ነገር ቢኖር ባለፈዉ ሐሙስ አለምነዉ መኮንን በሰጠዉ ጋዜጣዊ መግለጫ ላይ በጉጉት ይጠበቅ የነበረዉ ይህ ግለሰብ የሰደበዉን ህዝብ ይቅርታ ይጠይቃል ተብሎ ነበር። ሆኖም አለምነዉ መኮንን፤ብአዴንና ህወሀት ከዕባብ እንቁላል አርግብ እንደማይጠበቅ በግልጽ አሳይተዉናል።

ባለፈዉ ኃሙስ ዬካቲት 13 ቀን 2006 ዓም አለምነዉ መኮንን የአገር ዉስጥ ጋዜጠኞች ያንን መረን የለቀቀ ስድቡን አስመልክተዉ የጠየቁትን ጥያቄ ሲመልስ እዉነትም “ከባዶ ጭንቅላት ባዶ እግር ይሻላል” የሚያሰኝ የቂል መልስ ስጥቷል። ነፃ ሜድያ በሌለባት ኢትዮጵያ ዉስጥ እንዳሰኘዉ መለፍለፍ የለመደዉ አለምነዉ መኮንን “ተቃዋሚዎች አለ ያሉትን ነገር እኔ በፍጹም አላልኩም . . . እኔ ለህዝብ ክብር ያለኝ ሰዉ ነኝ በማለት ነገሩ እየቆየ ሲሄድ እሱ እራሱ የተናገረዉ ንግግር ገርሞት “እኔ እንዴት እንደዚህ ልል እችላለሁ”ሲል ጋዜጠኞች የጠየቁትን ጥያቄ መልሶ እራሱን ጠይቋል። ይህ እፍረተ ቢስ ሰዉ ህዝብን የተሳደበዉ አልበቃ ብሎት ጭራሽ ጥፋቱን በተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ላይ ለማላከክ ሲሞክር ተድምጧል። ማንም ሰዉ ተናገር ብሎ ሳያስገድደዉና ቁጭ ብለዉ የሚያዳምጡት ሰዎች እየሳቁ በራሱ አንደበት የተናገረዉን ፀያፍ ንግግር ተቃዋሚዎች መሪዎችን ከህዝብ ለመነጠል ሆን ብለዉ የሰሩትና በቆርጦ ቀጥል የኮምፒተር ዘዴ ያቀነባበሩት ነገር ነዉ እንጂ ዬኔ ንግግር አይደለም ሲል የራሱን ድምፅ ዬኔ አይደለም ሲል ሽምጥጥ አድርጎ ክዷል።

ከአህያ ጋር የዋለች ጊደር ተምራ የምትመጣዉን ነገር እናዉቃለንና ከወያኔ ዘረኞች ጋር ለአመታት የከረመዉ አለምነዉ መኮንን በመዋሸቱ ብዙም ላንፈርድበት እንችላለን፤ ደግሞም ወያኔና ዉሸት የአንድ ሳንቲም ሁለት ገጽታዎች ናቸዉና ወያኔን ባየን ቁጥር ትዝ የሚለን እንደ ሰዉ ቆሞ የሚሄደዉ ዉሸቱ ነዉና የአለምነዉ ዉሸት በፍጹም አይገርመንም። ይልቅ እኛን የገረመን አለምነዉ መኮንን የራሱን ድምጽ ዬኔ አይደለም ማለቱ ነዉ። መቼም አንድ ሰዉ ለይቶለት አማኑኤል ካልገባ በቀር እኔ “እኔ” አይደለሁም ብሎ የመናገር ደረጃ ላይ የሚደርስ አይመስለንም። ደግሞስ አለምነዉ መኮንን የማንሰማዉ መስሎት ባልተገራ አንደበቱ ህዝብን ሲሳደብ በድንገት ሰምተነዉ ነዉ እንጂ እስኪ እግዚአብሄር ያሳያችሁ አለምነዉ መኮንንን ማን ከቁም ነገር ቆጥሮት ነዉ የሱን ተራ ንግግር አየቆረጠ የሚቀጥለዉ? ማንስ ስራ የፈታ ሰዉ ነዉ የራሱንና የኮምፒተሩን ግዜ የአለምነዉ መኮንንን ቆሻሻ ንግግር ቆርጦ በመቀጠል የሚያጠፋ?

ሌላዉ የአለምነዉ መኮንን ጉድ ይህ ሴራ ተቃዋሚ ድርጅቶች መሪዎችን ከህዝብ ለመነጠል የሚያደርጉት ሴራ ነዉ ብሎ መናገሩ ነዉ። ወይ ጉድ . . . “ ወግ ነዉ ሲዳሩ ማልቀስ” ይላል የአገራችን ሰዉ። ለመሆኑ ጭንቅላተ ባዶዎቹ የወያኔና የብአዴን መሪዎች ቀድሞዉኑ ከህዝብ ጋር መች ገጥመዉ ያዉቃሉና ነዉ ተቃዋሚ ድርጅቶች እነሱንና ህዝብን ለመነጣጠል እያሴሩ ነዉ ተብሎ የሚነገረዉ? ወንድምዬ የምትሰማኝ ከሆነ እናንተና ህዝብ ዉኃና ዘይት ናችሁ፤ ተገናኝታችሁም አንድ ላይ ሆናችሁም አታዉቁም። በዚህ ስድባችሁ፤ ክህደታችሁና ዕብሪታችሁ ደግሞ ለወደፊትም ቢሆን ከህዝብ ጋር አትገጥሙም። ከህዝብ የነጠላችሁ ክፉ ስራችሁና መጥፎ ጠባያችሁ ነዉ እንጂ ተቃዋሚዎች አይደሉም።

አለምነዉ መኮንን እሱ እራሱ የአማራ ተወላጅ ነዉ፤ ያንን የመሰለ አስጸያፊ ንግግር የተናገረዉም በአማራ ህዝብ ላይ ነዉ፤ሆኖም በዘለፋዉና በዉርደቱ አንጀቱ ያረረዉ ወይም ዘለፋዉ ያነጣጠረዉ በአማራ ህዝብ ላይ ብቻ ነዉ ብለን የምናስብ ሰዎች ካለን እኛም ዘለፋዉን እንደሰነዘረዉ ሰዉ እራሳችንን ስተናል፤ ወይም ዋነኛዉ የወያኔ ወጥመድ ዉስጥ ገብተናል አለዚያም አርቆ የመመልከት ችሎታችን ከከዳን ቆይቷል ማለት ነዉ። ዘለፋዉና ንቀቱ የተሰነዘረዉ በሁላችን ላይ፤ ነዉ፤ የተዋረድነዉም ሁላችንም ነን፤ ስለሆነም አለምነዉንና አቅፈዉት ከለላ የሰጡትን ሁሉ ለፍርድ ለማቅረብ የሚደረገዉ ትግል የሁላችንም ትግል መሆን አለበት። ባህር ዳር ዉስጥ የታየዉ ህዝባዊ ቁጣ በመላዉ ኢትዮጵያ እንደ ሰደድ እሳት ተቀጣጥሎ ወያኔ የገነባዉን ዘረኛ ስርዐት ለብልቦ ከምድረ ኢትዮጵያ እስኪያጠፋ ድረስ ትግላችን መቀጠል አለበት። በዚህ ትግል ዉስጥ “እኔ” ወይም “አንተ” የሚባል ቃል በፍጹም ሊኖር አይገባም። የትግላችን ብቸኛ መነሻና መድረሻ “እኛ “ ብቻ መሆን አለበት። ወያኔን አጥፍተን እንደ ህዝብና እንደ አገር በሠላም፤ በነፃነትና በብልጽግና መኖር የምንችለዉ ኢትዮጵያዊነታችን “እኛ” በሚለዉ አስተሳሰብ ላይ ሲገነባ ብቻ ነዉ።

ድል ለኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ!!!