SOLUTIONS WITH DEBTERAW, IV: Call me by my name, address and task
By Obo Arada Shawl, 20 January 2009
If you are a Christian, repent
If you are an atheist, contact
If you are a cheat, stop your cheating habit
If you are a liar, walk to leave
If you are an Aethiopian, live and let live
“Dreams of our forefathers”
The unfinished journey of DEBTERAW
Versus
The Finished journey of B. Obama
On March 23, 2008, an article on Debteraw vs. Senator, was posted on debteraw.com call me by my name: solutions with Debteraw, XXV and http://mahder.com. That article was based on the differences between DEBTERAW and the Senator. It was about race, color and religion.
Today’s article is based on the similarities between DEBTERAW and President Obama’s education and experiences.
In as much as DEBTERAW has graduated from a prestigious university, like that of Obama, DEBTERAW started to work as a teacher though the school officials would not allow him to teach beyond 2nd grade. When the new government came to power, the then current government officials wanted DEBTERAW to serve under their directions. DEBTERAW refused knowing that those officials were not genuine but “opportunists”. When the DERG appointees for education began to pressure DEBTERAW not only to work but also to cooperate with them, lest he will be classified as anti-revolution. As usual, DEBTERAW came with his new harmless creative device. That is, he told to the Board members of Education that his father is aging and that he was soon to take over the Zuquala Monastery as his primary job. The Board members were astounded at his request for resignation from teaching profession. Of course, clandestinely, DEBTERAW was educating and organizing a political party. The rest is history, as they say.
Let us have a look at these similarities
1. Obama worked as a community organizer for 3 years and
2. DEBTERAW worked as political organizer for three years.
3. Obama served as practicing attorney for 3 years and
4. DEBTERAW worked as editor-in-chief for a political publication known as DEMOCRACIA.
5. Obama served as a Senator for 10 years (both for US and State legislator).
6. DEBTERAW is serving full time Revolutionary for political reforms.
7. Obama used to lecture on part time basis and
8. DEBTERAW used to serve churches on part time basis.
9. Obama authored two books, one on dreams of our fathers and the other on the audacity of hope for future generations.
10. DEBTERAW authored numerous publications, books and poems.
As a result, Barack Obama has become the President (E) of a powerful nation on the whole world while DEBTERAW ended up as a prisoner of conscience of an ancient but civilized nation.
Obama has started his journey from Philadelphia – the source of the American Constitution but DEBTERAW has yet to travel from the red mountain – ASSIMBA – where the seeds – (Sudan-Eritrea-Ethiopia-Djibouti-Somalia)’s CONSTITUTION will be drafted.
Obama has traveled through B&D (Baltimore and Delaware) to reach Washington DC
ሠዐረ – WDC
DEBTERAW has yet to travel via ADAA ዓዳ (Assimba-Dessie-Addis Ababa) to reach the new flower, Addis Ababa. (See Tedla Asfaw’s regret as his knowledge of ASSIMBA revealed not by his fellowmen but by outsiders)
Concluding remarks
Obama is considered a product of Martin Luther King as well as Malcolm-X. His rebellious character is not by “any means necessary” as that of Malcolm X. Instead of working in places where Harvard graduates prefer to… Obama chose to negotiate his way through the downtrodden population of Chicago West Side.
DEBTERAW chose to work with Lab Adder ላብ አደር and Gebar ገባር – those who worked by their sweat and taxpayer Aethiopians.
Obama is lucky to live in a political system with all its checks and balances intact. He is also lucky that he lives in a country – physically surrounded by two Oceans, sea and land whereas DEBTERAW’s Aethiopia’s physical geography is surrounded by dry land, sea and rivers and with no political system familiar to all its citizens.
Obama was born around the time when President Kennedy pronounced as “Ask not what you can do for your country, ask for what you can do for your country” whereas DEBTERAW was a high school student when President Kennedy’s speech reverberated all over the world. Besides, DEBTERAW WAS BORN IN SOCIETIES THAT HONOR
SACRIFICE IN ONE’S COUNTRY not a dream.
Obama is 47 years old and he is the 44th president of USA. Let us hope that on Obama’s 50th birthday, DEBTERAW’s provisional political government will be put in place with the help of the 44 churches in DEBTERAW’s Tabots of Gondar and so God help all.
The Lab Adder and the Arso Adder have now become politically conscious thanks to DEBTERAW and his EPRP. What is now required is an immediate release of the true son of Aethiopia and Aethiopianism from TPLF’s dungeon.
TRUTH WILL PREVAIL
For comments and questions
Postscript
The Aethiopian Student Movement has taken almost the entire life span of President B. Obama. We do not know whether this is the beginning or the end of political and civil liberties for the Black Movement in America. Besides, President (E) Obama did not say. We have to wait and see.
But as to the Aethiopian Student Movement, it is high time to bear fruit. Despite this Movement and in spite of DEBTERAW’S down payments, Aethiopians have not been able to choose their government democratically. The institutions of the church should be left alone, the bureaucracy should be democratic and the freedom of speech, self-expression and assembly (SEA) should be respected.
The difference between the developed and underdeveloped is not based on material wealth alone but on the cumulative culture of knowledge and experience. EPRP has developed such a knowledge base and experience by keeping its name, address and task. Americans are united around BO. (ቦ) Why is it not possible to UNITE, if not for all Aethiopians, at least for those who at one time or another has been associated with DEBTERAW’s path of struggle? ህ ሁ ሂ ሃ ሄ E…ሆ. If you believe DEBTERAW’s path was and is wrong, let us discuss and iron it out. I truly believe that the way of DEBTERAW is similar to that of President of Barack Obama.
A prominent political commentator was asked why all Americans want President B. Obama to lead them. His response was “we need him more than he needs us.” Maybe this is true for all Aethiopians that they need DEBTERAW more than he needs them.
OPEN LETTER TO DR. TEWOLDE G. IGZIABHER: INTERVIEW WITH THE VOA
Adisu Aleme
Dear Gashe Tewolde,
First of all, kind greetings and melkam Genna.
1. Preamble
I listened to your radio interview of last Saturday with the Voice of America with great disappointment. The main question was on the causes of the historical vicious cycle of socio-economic and environmental crises and the of the current human suffering in Ethiopia. You put the main blame on pollution arising from North America and Europe. When you were asked about local causes, you mentioned that it has nothing to do with the policies of the current government. You also went a bit further and mentioned that the economic crisis in the Country is only limited to few areas. Thanks to the genuine Ethiopian Researcher, Ato Dessalegne Rahmatu, the actual causes and extent of the effects were rightly explained during the same interview. I should also say that even the government Representative who was also on the same interview rightly witnessed the wider extent of human sufferings than what you tried to cover up.
2. Your Roles under the 3 Regimes
Gashe Tewolde,
During the Imperial Regime, you were one of the few most highly privileged persons: highest education, University Department Head and Dean of Science at Haile Selassie I University (now called Addis Ababa University). During the Military Regime, you were promoted further to the highest position of the President of Asmara University. During the current Regime, you were given a luxurious position of the Head of the Ethiopian Environment Agency.
3. Your Contributions
You had great reputation in your field during the Imperial Regime, during which you made some interesting contribution to environmental science. I am not very sure about your efficiency as the President of Asmara University. Even worse, your efficiency has been under a serious question regarding your current contribution to the protection of the environment:
· All trees have been removed from Addis, that is making what used to be our green City look like a desert. It is not enough to blame pollution coming from North America.
· Ecologies in the rural areas have been severely degraded. Even the Dergue had the National Policy that for every tree felled; two should be planted as the replacement. How about during your long Regime as the Head of the Ethiopian Environment Agency? As you said, the Government has good policies on papers. You also had the opportunity to collect millions, if not billions of Dollars from International Donors for the protection of the environment and food security. What happened then?
4. In Conclusion
It is true that the industrialised nations, especially North America, are the most pollutants, making the highest contribution to Climate Change and Global Warming, posing a great threat to humanity. Yes, those nations have to be persuaded to make their due contribution to the mitigation of those threatening effects. Equally, also, responsibilities and concerted actions have to be taken at individual, household, locality, Woreda, Zone, Regional and national levels. Please understand my frustration when you put the entire blame on externalities, completely denying the most important local causes, responsibilities and actions.
Those types of blind supports to the paper policies are not enough. The biggest handicap of most government advisers and decision makers is their failure to provide true and scientific advices to the Regimes, with the fear that they may be less favoured. The end result will be a collective failure, as observed especially over the last 40 years.
With great sadness for my Lecturer that I used to respect.
Hilinachnin Yimelislin. Melkam Gena.
SOLUTIONS WITH DEBTERAW, III: Call me by my Name, Address and Task
Obo Arada Shawl (January 5, 2008)
The Eway Revolution is about
· Dealing with the failure of the Monarchy’s Constitution
· Showing the failure of the DERG’s revolution
· Telling the truth about TPLF’s anti-democracy and
· Pointing out the failure of EPLF’s search for justice
The United States of Aethiopia, which will come in 2013, should dispel the “sea of doubt” among the traders (such as TPLF), territory lovers (such as EPLF, OLF) and the ideologists (such as EPRP). The current problems of mistrust, lie and cheat will be halted when the Eway Revolution is revealed.
Education and Religion
Historically, the three wise men brought Gold, Incense and Murk to the Son of God, Jesus Christ. According to some historians, gold was obtained from Israel, murk from Persia and incense from Ethiopia. The significance of these three products is obvious in today’s world.
The Society of Jesus popularly known as the Jesuits were organized some 470 years ago. This Society branched to Ethiopia, first to Teferri Makonnen School and later on moved to Addis Ababa University. Though the Jesuit’s teaching require the promotion of justice, its member vow of poverty, chastity and obedience. On that basis, the first of the alumni Ethiopian graduates wanted to serve the State and the Church but not the public.
After graduation, it was very unfortunate that the alumni in Ethiopia were not encouraged to be organized. Instead, they were under watchful eye of the government. The alumni association was for the most part was run by one man under the name of Samuel Alemayehu not to be confused with the Revolutionary Samuel Alemayehu. The history of these two individuals’ course of action has contributed much to the current situations in Aethiopia. However, my intention is not to compare the Samuel Alemayehu’s contribution to the Great Society of ours. Instead, let me quote the following
In 1960, there were about one thousand students at the University College of Addis Ababa (UCAA), less than fifty of who were women. Political attitudes were not yet formed and student concerns were introverted and parochial, focusing mainly on conditions in the college. The major conflict concerned the Jesuit administration and their pedagogical methods based on their experience in running elementary and secondary schools in Ethiopia. These methods were applied with minimum adaptation to the university. Student indignation was fueled by many trivial and humiliating restrictions, such as the rules forbidding dancing and whistling on campus. Issues of autonomy for the student council and freedom of expression for the student publication, News and Views were of particular concern. The Dean of Students kept the student council under a tight reign. All material published by News and Views had to be approved by a faculty advisor. Kiflu Tadesse, “the generation”, P: 35
Once the students have left the schools, the outside world also views them with suspicion and jealousy. The majority of the graduates became complacent as the government was the sole employer and those who stood for principles and beliefs have been labeled as anti-Ethiopian. In addition, the majority of high school students did not have the opportunity to continue education. The students had to fail of necessity the High School Leaving Certificate (ESLC). In such a dire condition, it was obvious that the failure of the education program (championed by the Emperor) had helped in the collapse of the Monarch, Haile Sellassie I.
Suffice to say that alumni reunions or forming alumni associations were difficult during Haile Sellasie time. (An alumnus or alumna is ether someone who has attended the school, a former student of a school or someone who has graduated). Alumni reunions are popular events at many institutions organized by alumni associations and are often social occasions for fundraising. The absence of these associations, I believe is behind every problem of past and current. The absence of SEA (freedom of speech, expression and assembly) should be considered in our daily menu.
In other words, it is no wonder that the Revolution was based on the failure of the Education system and its aftermath. The hope and aspirations of graduates and high school students were dashed.
The two elements i.e. the graduates and high school students have succeeded to penetrate the Ethiopian workers to get organized on clandestine basis. According to the literature and other country experiences of Revolution, the proletariat led by CELU (Confederation of Ethiopian workers Union) was embarked to lead the Revolution with alliance of the peasants of Ethiopia.
The failure of workers to lead the peasants has changed the Ethiopian reality and turned into an ugly bloodshed and personal feuds. As this aberration for leaders and followers occurs, The Monarchy and the Church have lost their source of power. Nevertheless, the remnants are still clinging to revive their power base. How far they can go, it is anybody guesses.
My present priority is to dwell on the fate of DEBTERAW who has left the Monastery but retained his faith that would have incorporated a family, and above all he would seek social justice for all Aethiopians without learning from the Jesuits. DEBTERAW wanted to bring social justice through the secular means of politics. DEBTERAW’S personal belief of God or Devil, or both or neither, I cannot testify. But what I know, he blew thousands of minds, touched millions hearts of Aethiopians. Today, I can hear that millions want spiritual journey by calling DEBTERAW as “heal me and touch me.” After all what comes from the heart comes to the heart.
Politics and Revolution
Political changes came from two sources.
· First, The USAID in collaboration with the government of Ethiopia has funded scholarships for countries south of the Sahara.
· Second, the Neway brothers had carried out a coup d’etat to topple the 225 King of Ethiopia.
These two events encouraged college students to be political. The African students have come with political traditions to be open and aggressive towards their demands for campus privileges. Some conscious Ethiopian students began to meet in clandestine fashion. But the unconscious college students have noticed albeit uncritically how a powerful king with a heritage for over three thousand years (225 x 15) =3375 years of historical rule could be toppled by officers of his own bodyguard. It was an amazing phenomenon; a light at the end of the tunnel was begun to be seen.
Alternatively, which power of Influence was important to our current conditions? Was it the external factor that was brought by the Africans including the Eritreans who considered themselves as foreigners or was it an internal dynamic phenomenon that was brought and developed through these forty-nine years (1960-2009)?
The answer lies in either of us who were unborn and not interested in the past or in those who carried the internal dynamic Revolution in Ethiopia. Take your choice, the Obama way or the DEBTERAW way? That is, Politics plus Change or Politics plus Revolution. My choice is the DEBTERAW’s way.
The DEBTERAW alias the Eway Aethiopian Revolution is an internal one that recognizes, the effort of Minilik’s modernity, Yohannes’s religious belief, Tewodros’s unity of purpose, and Haile Sellasie’s education program (not system). However, this does not mean that the way these kings carried out was democratic. It was autocratic simple and clear.
The Education Sector Review was a plan designed to stop the mass based education proposed by the Ethiopian government and opposed by the Ethiopian Teachers Association (ETA). The Eway Revolution was emerged to preserve and protect the positive aspects of modernity, belief and unity by reversing the education sector review. That was the last straw that broke the back of the mule so to speak, Haile Sellasie’s system of government into history.
The methodology of bringing modernity, belief and unity via the education system as proposed by Ethiopian Teachers Association galvanized by DEBTERAW to all Ethiopians regardless of race, religion or class was and is via – DEMOCRACIA-
Once the student movement has exhausted its limit to
· Modernize the country
· Secularize the state
· Unite the country and
· To improvise the education system
The methodology applied to take political power in almost all Ethiopian Liberation Fronts was similar to each other – by armed protracted struggle. Their basis of claim, however, was radically different from one other. The end results are testimony to their objectives and operations.
· EPLF has waged protracted war on the basis of a “colonial theory”
· TPLF has waged and is still waging wars for power on the “theory of ethno-nationalism”
· EPRP is struggling for political power on the “theory of multinationals”
· OLF is waging war for democracy on the “theory of ethno-colonialism.”
· Other recent comers are struggling on the basis on the “theory of unity.”
A discussion on the merits and demerits of these theories should be a topic for solutions.
Concluding Remarks
Basically our community is divided into two camps, those who had supported the Ethiopian Revolution and those who regret that they have joined the Revolution. To those who had regretted to join the Eway Revolution, I have nothing to say except to read the following dialogue:
ልጅ፤ አባባ አብዮት ግዛልጝ
አባት፡ ምን ልታደርገው?
ልጅ፡ ላፈነዳው።
We all know what had happened in Ethiopia and among Ethiopians and hopefully what is going to happen in the future. Those who like to discredit the Eway Revolution had a kind of hope and child’s mind as indicated in the above dialogue.
The struggles that were applied for societal change in Aethiopia are the following five tenets that I believe were used in the guidelines for revolution and counter-revolution.
· “The objective of war is to preserve oneself and annihilate the enemy” as preached by Mao Zedong and practiced by EPLF
· “The Chinese Communist Party claimed to power through its military arm, political power grows out of the barrel of the gun” as practiced by TPLF
· “We must emphasize politics. Our army is an army in the service of politics and politics must guide the military in its day-to-day work” as preached by Lin Piao and practiced by EPRP
· “ A hundred victories in a hundred battles is not the best of the best; the best of the best is to subdue the enemy without having to fight,” Chinese proverb as practiced by OLF
· “Let us demonstrate to the world and seize political power as has happened after the collapse of the Soviet Union as practiced by KINJIT
I believe our choice is clear.
Truth will prevail
For comments and questions: woldetewolde@yahoo.com
OTHER CRIMINALS BEHIND THE CURTIAN
By Alemayehu Zemedkun
On November 26, 2008 I was amazed to see news on Ethiopian Television Amharic service where the news Anchor was dismissing the recent detailed Human Right Watch(HRW) report on the atrocities committed by the government of Ethiopia on the People Ogaden.
A committee established by higher government officials from the Foreign Ministry of Ethiopia by the likes of Minlik Alemu a senior diplomat and a loyal cadre of the Woyanne government to look into HRW allegation apparently found no evidence to support these allegations that the Woyane government military committed war crimes during a campaign against rebels in the eastern Ogaden region..
As everybody learned from a previous report by HRW dated June 2008 which stated that systematic attacks where conducted on civilians in the arid region; one based on witness accounts and another on satellite imagery showing burnt-out villages during a year-long military offensive..
The Woyanne committee attempt to prove that the Human Right Watch reports were fabricated alleged that “They found villages untouched in which HRW alleged were burnt by Ethiopian National Defense Forces. Many of the names of those allegedly killed did prove simply fictitious nor had populations been forcibly relocated,” the committee stated in its report. The investigation also found no evidence to support HRW allegations of systematic war crimes or crimes against humanity where as HRW had accused the government of limiting access to the region and had condemned Western donors for failing to condemn war crimes on the mainly ethnically Somali people of the region.
I am not interested in the fabricated reports produced by the Woyanne government since this government is known to fantasize and adore its own sounds and speeches. What interested me more is the composition of these committee members who are designated to discredit reports published by HRW. The Ethiopian people should know these individuals who are tasked with fabricating and spinning the truth when the real facts are that there was brutal massacre of thousands of Ethiopians by the dictatorial regime in power.
Minilk Alemu was a senior Woyanne diplomat and an ordinary cadre of the TPLF who was first secretary in Geneva Permanent Mission in Ethiopia for the previous seven years. He was the one who justifies the TPLF Ethiopian Fascist government merciless killing and arbitrarily detention of the opposition party members to the Human Right Council of the United Nation which is located in Geneva, Switzerland. One can cite the massacre of Assefa Marue , The arbitrary detention and arrest of Professor Asrat Woldeyess , Dr. Taye Wold semyat, hundred of free press journalists ,hundred thousand Oromo ethnic groups who are languished in every corner of the country .This person was the one who gave the moral and legal base to the Human Right Council in Geneva .In the same trend, this person extends his experience on the recent massacre of the TPLF government on the Ogaden. This type of persons who are committed to this government for their bellies should be known by the people of Ethiopia who are committing the greatest crime behind the curtain.
May God bless Ethiopia!!
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