DEBTERAW EDITORIAL
On September 12, Ethiopia celebrates, according to the variation of the Julian calendar, the year 2000, the Millennium. In Addis Ababa the Meles regime is holding a costly and big festivity bankrolled in part by a Saudi millionaire who is half Ethiopian and backs the repressive regime. Sadly, nowadays, there is nothing to celebrate about in Ethiopia.
While the West screams about inflation in Zimbabwe, the rate of inflation in Ethiopia has galloped to such an extent that one hen costs, at 70 Birr or US$10, the two months wage of the average Ethiopian. Red pepper, berbere, a daily ingredient in the plate of Ethiopians costs close to 90 Birr a kilo, so much so that the deprived people have referred to the Millennium as “alicha” (bland and tasteless) millennium. The high cost of living which is not mitigated by the nominal wage increase highlights the plight of the people in all fields. The secret prisons and official labour camps of the regime (Bir Sheleko, Dedesa, Zwai,….) still hold 35,000 political prisoners, the free press remains muzzled, one party supremacy is in place covered up by a pseudo multi-partism that had duped no Ethiopian and the regime’s official policy is ethnic division and discrimination. Many of the disappeared like Tsegaye Gebre Medhin and his comrades, journalist Berhanu Ijigu, trade unionist Abebe Ainekulu, teacher Demissie, Ms Aberash Berta and Teshome Beyene,etc are still unaccounted for. The long and brutal rule of the Meles gang has mutilated the country and reduced Ethiopians to abject poverty. The rule of law is absent, dissent is persecuted and if there is anyone who sees some democracy in the unmitigated tyranny he or she reside in the American and British embassies in Addis Ababa. That Meles Zenawi has presented himself as a foot soldier for the West’s so called anti terror war (ref the invasion of Somalia) seem to whitewash his evil reign. Otherwise, the cruel regime is busy murdering its own people and accompanying the genocide of yesteryears (Gambella for example) with atrocities today in the Ogaden and other places. Thousands of young women continue to be sold unto modern slavery in the Middle East, child prostitution is on the rise in the cities, and the health system has collapsed just as the educational system. The vast machinery of repression eats up a large part of the national budget along with corruption fanned by the so called Prime Minister, his spouse, high level officials and his relatives.
The Millennium has come but there is no “beef” to find. Forget meat even shiro and cabbage are in hard supply. The suffering of the rural folk is just a little bit worse than that of the city and town dwellers. The regime is becoming unglued and the more it sinks in its own mire the more corrupt and brutal it has become. Those who preach placating or compromising with it are only preaching surrender and unending slavery. By holding a big Millennium bash the regime tries to project itself as stable and the aggrieved people as happy. This is a hoax. Ethiopians celebrate every new year with hope of a new dawn, of peace and a better life. Every year has been a disappointment and the rule of the Meles regime has proved to be a disaster with every passing year.
Debteraw says happy New Year to all Ethiopians and calls upon all to intensify the struggle to remove the causes and sources of evil and tyranny and to do away with all pests and monsters thriving on the blood of our people. The victory of the struggle for democracy is the only sure way to have a really happy new year.
Melkam adis amet lehulatchin
Release all political prisoners!
Away with the dictatorship!!
