ስልክ ጠላፊው ሰላይ “ጋዜጠኛ”

በማህሌት ነጋ (ሲያትል)

ከሁሉ የእኔን ቀልብ የሳበው የቀጂው ማንነት ነበር። ለማጣራት ያደረኩት ጥረት ብዙም ግዜ አልፈጀብኝም። አበበ ገላው በዚሁ “ሊክድ” በተባለው ቅጂ “እኔ ከሞትኩም እንደ ሃየሎም መጠጥ ቤት በከንቱ መሞት አልፈልግም። መሞት የምፈልገው ለአላማ ነው ይላል።” በዚህ ግዜ አንድ ሳቅ ይሰማል። የኢያጎ ሳቅ። ዳዊት ከበደ ስለመሆኑ ብዙም አልተጠራጠርኩም።

ሰሞኑን አንድ ሚስኪን ጋዜጠኛ ነኝ ባይ ከአንድ የከሰረ ፖለቲካኛ ጋር ቃለ ምልልስ ሲያደርግ በቪዲዮ ለቆ ስለነበር ለሶስት ደቂቃ ያህል ተምልክቼ ጭንቅላቴን በሃዘን እየነቀነኩ ዘጋሁት። እኔን ጨምሮ በርካቶች ድረ ገጾችን የምናስሰው መረጃ ፍለጋ እንጂ የከሰሩ ግለሰቦችን ደረቅ ወግ ለማዳመጥ እንዳልሆነ ለማንም ግልጽ ነው። በአንድ ወቅት ያዙን ልቀቁን ይሉ የነበሩት ሁለት ግለሰቦች የዛሬን አያድርገውና ኢትዮጵያዊያን እንደ ማንዴላ የነጻነት ታጋዮች አድርገው ያከብሯቸው ስለነበር ድምጻቸው የጎላ በራስ መተማመናቸው ከውስጣቸው ሞልቶ በአፋቸው ይገነፍል ነበር። ዛሬ ግን ድምጽ አጥሯቸው ቀልብ እርቋቸው ሲንሾካሾኩ ያየ ሁሉ እንደ እኔ ከንፈር መጦ የሁለቱን ምስኪኖች ወግ በግዜ ዘግቶ ወደ ስራው እንደሚመለስ ብዙም አያጠራጥርም።

“ምስኪኖች እነማን ናቸው?” እንደማትሉኝ እርግጠኛ ነኝ:: የአውራምባው ዳዊት ከበደና የኢዴአፓው ልደቱ አያሌው ጉዳይ መቼም አንገት ያስደፋል። ሁለቱም ጠላታቸው ወያኔ እንዳልሆነ እነርሱ እንደሌሎች “ጽንፈኛ” እንዳልሆኑ ሌሎችን ከሰው እራሰቸውን ከፍ ለማድረግ ሲጥሩ ላስተዋለ ጠበል የሚወስዳቸው ያጡ በሽተኞች መሆናቸውን ድርጊታቸው ይመሰክራል። ዲያስፖራውና የግል ጋዜጦች በተለይ የጋራ ጠላቶቻቸው ይመስላሉ። እንደው ለመንደርደሪያ እንጂ የዚህ ጹሁፍ አላማ የሁለቱ ምስኪኖች ወግ ስላልሆነ ወደ ቁም ነገሩ ልመለስ::

ሾተላዩ ሰላይ ዳዊትን ለመጀምሪያ ግዜ በአካል ያገኘሁት ወደ ሲያትል የዛሬ ሶስት አመት በመጣ ግዜ ነበር። አስተባባሪዎች መርጠን፣ ገንዘብ አዋጥተን፣ ድግስ ደግሰን፣ ሽልማት አዘጋጅተን ነበር የጀግና አቀባበል ያደረግንለት። ወቅቱ የብርድ እና የበረዶ ግዜ ስለነበር እኔም እንደሌሎች ይህንን “ጀግና ጋዜጠኛ” ለመቀበል ብዙ መስዋእትነት ነበር የከፈልኩት። በተለይ የኢትዮሜድያው አብርሃ በላይና ሼክስፒር ፈይሳ እንግዳውን ተቀብለው ቤታቸው ከማሳደር አልፈው ለዝግጅቱ ስኬት ያበርከቱት አስተዋስኦ ቀላል አልነበረም። ሰላዩ ጋዜጠኛ ግን አብርሃ በላይን አራክሶ፣ ሼክስፒር ፈይሳን ደግሞ ስምህን አጠፋለሁ ብሎ በማስፈራራት ከንቱነቱን ብቻ ሳይሆን የኢያጎ ባህሪውን ፍንትው አድርጎ አጋልጧል።

ይሁንና ኢያጎን (ዳዊትን) በቅርብ የሚያውቁት ሁሉ አትመኑት ማለታቸው አልቀረም። እውነት ለመናገር ዳዊት እነ ውብሸት ታዬ እና ርእዮት አለሙን በማሳሰሩ ድርጊት እጁ አለበት የሚል ሹክሹታ ከወደ አገር ቤት ሲናፈስ ማናችንም የዚህ ጎጠኛ “ጋዜጠኛ” ወዳጆች በቁም ነገር አልወሰድነውም። መቼም ሰው በምልካም ስራው ሲታወቅና ሲወደስ ምቀኛ እንደማይጠፋ ለማንም ግልጽ ነው። ስለዚህም ነበር ዳዊትን አትመኑት የሚለውን የአገርቤት መልእክት ማንም ትኩረት ያልሰጠው። አሁንም ስለዚያ ድርጊቱ ተጨባጭ መረጃ ስለሌለኝ ድርጊቱን ፈጽሟል አልፈጸም ለማለት ባልችልም ከጀርባ የመውጋት ጋህሪውን ለማስተዋል በመቻሌ አያደርግም ብዬ መከራከር አልችልም።

ዳዊት ተራ የሆኑ ጉዳዮችን ሁሉ የመቅዳት ባህሪ አለው። ሰው ሲጎርስ፣ ሲጠጣ፣ ሲናገር፣ ሲቀልድ (ከተቻለውም ሽንት ቤት ሲጸዳዳ) ቪዲዮና ፎቶ ማንሳት ድምጽ መቅዳት ይወዳል። በስውር የሚቀዳበት ሪኮርደርም ይዞ እንደሚዞር ውስጥ አዋቂዎች ይናገራሉ። ብዙ ሰው ግን የዳዊትን ድርጊት ከጋዜጠኝነት ስራው ጋር ስለሚያያይዘው ተንኮሉን አይጠረጥርም። ነገሩ ያልጠረጠረ ተመነጠረ መሆኑን ነው።

አሁን እንደምንሰማው ነዋሪነቱ በአሪዞና ፊኒክስ የሆነው የዳዊት ከበደ ታላቅ ወንድም ብስራት ከበደ የሚታወቀው በተመሳሳይ የመቅዳት ባህሪው ነው። በሁለቱ መካከል ያለው ልዩነት ብስራት ምንም ጭንብል ሳያጠልቅ አይኑን በጨው አጥቦ ስለሚንቀሳቀስ የህወሃት ታማኝ ካድሬና ሰላይ መሆኑ በስፋት ይነገራል። እርሱም
እንደ ወንድሙ የትርፍ ግዜ ስራው ስለሆነ እንኳን ፖለቲከኞችን እና ታጋዮችን በስካይፕም ይሁን በስልክ የሚያናግራቸው ሴቶች ምስልና ድምጽ ሳይቀር እንደሚቀዳ በጉራ ይናገራል፣ ለቅርብ ጓደኞቾም ያሳያል። እዚህ ላይ ግለሰቡን እምታውቁ ሴቶች ጠንቀቅ በሉ ማለት ሳያስፈልግ አይቀርም።

የኢያጎ ጩቤ ወደ ዲሲ ደዋውዬ እንዳጣራሁት ዳዊት ወያኔ አባረረኝ ብሎ ወደ አሜሪካ ፈርጥጦ ሲመጣ የኢሳት ሰዎችም የተቀበሉት በመልካም አይን ነበር። በተለይ ከሲሳይ አጌና፣ ከመሳይ መኮንን እንዲሁም አበበ ገላው ጋር መልካም ወዳጅነት ለማፍራት፣ አብሮ ለመጠጣትና ለመብላት ግዜ አልወሰደበትም። ለጋዜጠኝነት ስነምግባር እጨነቃለሁ የሚለው ይሄው ግለሰብ ወያኔ ጠለፍኩ ያለውን የዶ/ር ብርሃኑን የስካይፕ ውይይት በድህረ ገጹ ላይ በማውጣት የራሱ አጸያፊ ድርጊት መነጋገሪያ ሆኖ እንደ ነበር ይታውሳል። ዳዊት ከበደ በኢሳት፣ ግንቦት ሰባትን እና ዶ/ር ብርሃኑ ላይ በተከታታይ የሰራውን አሳፋሪ ግን ደግሞ የከሸፈ ፕሮፓጋንዳ ሁሉም ስለሚያውቀቅ መድገም አያስፈልግም። ከሁሉ የገረመኝ ሰሞኑን ዳዊት ኢያጓዊ የስለላ ስራውን ለማራቀቅ መሞከሩ ነው። ሞኝ እራሱን ያታልላል ነው ነገሩ።

ልክ እንደ ኢያጎ ዳዊትም ጩቤን በጀርባው ደብቆ ያመኑትን እና ያቀረቡት ሁሉ ላይ ከማሴር ቦዝኖ እንደማያውቅ ሙሉ በሙሉ ግልጽ ሆኗል። በቅርቡ ለመረዳት እንደቻልኩት በርግጥም የዛሬው ኢያጎ ዳዊት ከበደ መስዋእትነት ከፍሏል፣ መልካምነቱንም በስራው አስመስክሯል በማለት እንደ ትግል አጋር ያዩት ከነበሩ በርካታ ኢትዮጵያዊያን አንዱ ጋዜጠኛ አበበ ገላው ይገኝበታል። ለዚህም ምክንያት አንዱ ኢያጎ ከእስር ወጥቶ በሲፒጄ ሳይቀር ለፕሬስ ነጻነት ላበረከተው አስተዋጽኦ በታላላቅ የአለማችን ጋዜጠኞች ፊት በኒውዮርክ ቀርቦ ሽልማት ሁሉ መውሰዱ ነው። ይቺም ስኬት ለዳዊት ጥሩ ጭንብል ሆና ቆይታለች።

በወቅቱም ወያኔ ይገለኛል ያስረኛል እንጂ አገር ለቅቄ አልሰደድም ብሎ በየመድረኩ ሲደነፋ በእውነትም የጎልያድ ጠላት ቅዱስ ዳዊትን ነበር የመሰለን። ያሁሉ ተረት ሆኖ ወያኔ ሊያስረኝ ነው ብሎ አገር ጥሎ ሲፈረጥጥ አሜሪካ ያሉ ኢትዮጵያዊያን ሁሉ ክብርና ፍቅር አልነፈጉትም ነበር። የእኛው ኢያጎ ግን ያን ሁሉ ክብር ትቶ በእኩይ ተግባሩ የነጻንት ትግሉን የሚጎዳና የህወሃት አንባገነኖችን በሚጠቅም እኩይ ተግባራት ላይ ለመሰማራት ግዜ አልፈጀበትም።

በቅርቡ ወያኔዎች ክፉውን ጎልያድ መለስ ዜናዊን በአለም መሪዎች ፊት አዋርዶና አስደንግጦ የመጨረሻና ወሳኝ ስንብት ላደረገለት ጋዜጠኛና አክቲቪስት አበበ ገላውን ለማስጠላት እንዲሁም ኢትዮጵያዊውን ለመከፋፈል በህገወጥ መንገድ የተቀዳ የግል የስልክ ንግግር አዛብተው፣ ቆርጠውና ቀጥለው በኢንተርኔት ላይ ለቀቁ። ይሄም የተለቀቀው በዳዊት ድርገጽ ሳይሆን በቀንዲል የወያኔ የፈስቡክ አቀንቃኝ ዳንኤል በርሄ አማካኝነት በሆድ አደሩ ሹምባሽ ከበደ ካሳ አቀናባሪነት ነው። ደግነቱ የተባለው ሁሉ ምንም ሚስጥር የሌለው ስለነበር እንዳሰቡት ሳይሳካላቸው እነርሱንው መሳለቂያ አድርጓቸዋል።

ከሁሉ የእኔን ቀልብ የሳበው የቀጂው ማንነት ነበር። ለማጣራት ያደረኩት ጥረት ብዙም ግዜ አልፈጀብኝም። አበበ ገላው በዚሁ “ሊክድ” በተባለው ቅጂ “እኔ ከሞትኩም እንደ ሃየሎም መጠጥ ቤት በከንቱ መሞት አልፈልግም። መሞት የምፈልገው ለአላማ ነው ይላል።” በዚህ ግዜ አንድ ሳቅ ይሰማል። የኢያጎ ሳቅ። ዳዊት ከበደ ስለመሆኑ ብዙም አልተጠራጠርኩም። ሳቁ በጣም የተለየች ውስጧ ሸፍጥና ተንኮል ያዘለች ነች። ዳዊትን ለሚያውቁት ወዳጆቼ አስተያየት ሳልሰጥ ይቺን አምልጣ ስትቆረጥ የወጣች ወሳኝ መረጃ አድምጣችሁ የማን ሳቅ እንደሆነ ንገሩኝ ብዬ በኢሜይል አያይዤ ላኩላቸው። አራቱም መልሳቸው አንድ ነው፣ የኛው ኢያጎ ዳዊት ከበደ።

ዳዊት በጣም አሳዘነኝ። ብዙ ተስፋ የጣልንበት “ጋዜጠኛና የነጻነት ታጋይ” እንዴት ከክብር ወንበሩ ወርዶ ቆሻሻ ትቦ ውስጥ ይወድቃል? ለነገሩ ከልብ ያልሆነ ነገር ሁሉ እራሱን መግለጡ አይቀርምና ዳዊትም ከልቡ ኢያጎ እንጂ ሌላ አልነበረም። በጣም ተምታቶበታል። እኛ ግን የበለጠ ነቃን። እነዳዊት ከበደ ግን ግራ እንደተጋቡ እንደሰካራም በየትቦው ውስጥ እየወደቁ ይገኛሉ። ተመስገን ደሳለኝ ከጥቂት ወራት በፊት “የፖለቲካ ስር ቁማርተኞች” በሚል የጻፈው አንጀት አርስ ጹሁፍ ትዝ አለኝ። ተመስጌን የጠየቀው መሰረታዊ ጥያቄ በእኔም አእምሮ ውስጥ ያቃጭላል። ለመሆኑ ወደ አገር ቤት ከአሜሪካ ልክ እንደ አመጣጡ ፈርጥጦ ያስመለሰው ጉዳይ የፕሬስ ነጻነት መሻሻሉና “የጽንፈኞችን” ፖለቲካ በመጸየፉ ነው ወይንስ ደግሞ ኢሳትን የማፍረስ እና በጸረ-ወያኔ ትግሉ ግንባር ቀደም ሚና ይሚጫወቱ ኢትዮጵያዊያንን ለማምታታትና ለመሰለል ስላላመቸው? መልሱ ግልጽ ነው።

ወያኔዊ ኢያጎነት በቀላሉ እንደማይለቅ ከዳዊት መማር ይቻላል። ዲሲ አካባቢ በቅርብ የታዘቡት እንደነገሩኝ ዳዊት ሁለት ነገሮች አብዝቶ ይወዳል፣ መጠጥና ሴት ማባረር። ከአገር ቤት ፈርጥጦ ዲያስፖራ የተቀላቀለው ዳዊት ሲነቃበትና ይሄ የሱስ ጥማት ሲያስቸገረው ፈርጥጦ እነአቦይ ስብሃት እና ሽመልስ ከማል ጋር ብርጭቆ ማጋጨት መጀመሩን ሰማን። ተመሳሳይ ላባ ያላቸው ወፎች አብረው ግር ይላሉ አሉ ፈረንጆች። አበው ሲተርቱ ግም ለግም አብረህ አዝግም እንዳሉት መሆኑ ነው። መልካም እድል፣ መልካም ቅምቀማ ብለናል ከወደ ሲያትል!!

The Revolutionary Democracy of TPLF

The Revolutionary Democracy of TPLF REGIME: When the bullshit hit the fan… what do you do?

by Teshome Debalke   

The BS of Colonial map under Administrative subdivision of Italian East Africa and TPLF/Woyane Federal Regional map: Does it mean Eritrea territory extend beyond Badme and Afar to include TPLF’s Tigray Region? If not, why not? How it is invaders decide the fate of independent people and nation that defeated colonial ambition to occupy, divide and rule our people?

The ruling TPLF led regime of Ethiopia’s stooges amazingly aren’t running out of bullshit every turn and  are increasingly getting nastier–coming up with more bizarre BS. It appears they are to the point of no return where the hard core operatives are in a do-or-die position to save the regime. Buried under rubble of BS for far too long they are throwing mud allover to see if it sticks. It isn’t unusual for any group that started with BS to live under piles of it not to see straight to go back or forward. Welcome to the Revolutionary Democracy of Ethnic Federal Apartheid regime of TPLF/Woyane of Ethiopia.

Take for instance the regime’s BS guru Berket Simon. Recently he was uttering the preconditions of transition from the Revolutionary Democracy to Democratic Development State. Frankly, the former mouthpiece of  TPLF led EPRDF regime has no idea what it means–except it is his duty to BS people; thanks to the legendry late Prime Minster Meles Zenawi that masterminded the hoax. Unfortunately, the entire TPLF/Woyane regime is operating on auto-pilot on the ‘legacy’ of the late PM’s BS. We can’t help but admire how he managed to convince thousands of stooges to turn his loaded BS into good legacy worth a Foundation.

As expected, Berket Simon is back spewing the same toxic BS after his extended rehabilitation from exhaustive career of lying. One expects him to learn something better; instead, the infamous former Ethiopian Government Mis-Communication Minster and present babysitter of in-name-only Prime Minster came back as bad if not worse than before.  This time around, he added a new skill of vulgarity. Not that he was known for his good character for decency or to have the manner of Ethiopians he hates to love but, his public BS of two decades admittedly turned out to be real BS and left semi-permanent skid mark.

Here is the real and improved Berket Simon talking in his own words insulting Ethiopians

“የኢትዮጵያ አርሶ አደር እስካሁን በተደረገለት ሥራ በሚገባ የረካ ስለሆነ ‹መንግሥት ሰልፍ ውጣ ቢለው ይወጣል፤ መንግሥት ተኛ ቢለው ይተኛል፤ ግፍ ብንፈጽም እንኳን አርሶ አደሩ ይህንን መንግሥት ይሸከመዋል እንጂ ምንም አይለውም፡፡”

Now my people, be the judge, could a Minster in the Ethnic Federalism of the Revolutionary Democracy of Ethiopia with no ethnic identity of his own have the capacity to rationalize and the crimes of the regime he serves?  You can see what our people are subjected to live under the BS of TPLF led regime.

The saddest things of all is when the collection of stooges and apologist of the regime masquerading as officials, parliamentarian, judges, security personnel, journalist, educators, businessmen, cadres … are mute; scared to their pants to confront the BS of the regime. In reality, Berket was referring to them–sleeping, tap-dancing, and jumping high when the regime tell them to do so.  Again, welcome to the BS Ethnic Federal Revolutionary Democracy regime surrounded by collection of zombies parroting its stench.

As the saying goes, boys will always be boys, so the ethnic jungle boys of TPLF/Woyane.  It seems the regime exercise of futility is running its course and no one knows what to do with it but hide it under piles of more toxic BS. In fact, it is getting beyond recognition even the guru Berket Simon couldn’t contain it anymore. Instead more BSs are thrown at us to sustain a dead-ethnic regime; I might add a self-inflected death. Naturally, Berket is the ideal candidate with extensive experience of spinning and spilling toxic starting with his own fluid character and unknown ethnic identity.

The ‘Ethio-Eritrean’ national supposedly voted in the 1993 Eritrean Referendum for independence (freedom or slavery) and must have voted for ‘slavery’ to remain Ethiopian. Accordingly, the record breaking 99.98% vote for independence left Berket behind in the Federal Nations and Nationality of Ethiopia with no Nation or Nationality to claim. But again, he was given an important Ministerial position, not bad for someone with no ethnic ‘Nation’ to call his own in the BS Ethnic Federalism of the Revolutionary Democracy of TPLF/Woyane he serves or as Berket himself defend it, ‘ the Constitution of Nation and Nationalities’ of Ethiopia. As funny as it sounds coming from a man with no ethnic identity or Region it is another BS concocted by Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF).

But again, Berket was fostered (implanted) in the Amahra Region. No one knows why he picked the ‘Amahra’ Region to become a State Minster ‘representing’ people he doesn’t belong in violation of the BS Nations and Nationality Constitution.   One should also wonder what his TPLF issued ID would say about his ethnicity as required by TPLF led regime that setup the Apartheid system for the rest of Ethiopians.  Endangered species?  Lost tribe of the former territory?  Unidentified ethnic origin? Whatever it is the regime’s BS extends deeper than what the world is led to believe.

Don’t get me wrong my people or as TPLF/Woyane want me to refer you my Ethnic Nations and Nationalities of peoples.  It is all good and dandy to be proud of our ethnic heritages and the whole enchilada but, what does it has to do with the BS TPLF/Woyane and its hired hands with ever changing identity and BS? Haven’t we been there before with multiple invaders throughout our history?

For over four decades we have been living under pile of BS in-and-on both side of the MerebRiver.  If you ask for my opinion, it is for one reason only; to destroy our glories history as proud and independent people in order to reduce us into collection of tribes under the mercy of foreigners as invaders always wanted us to be. Who is better qualified to do just that but TPLF/Woyane?  But again, what do I know when our learned men and women go along with the BS of TPLF/Woyane to believe Apartheid is Revolutionary Democracy and robbing the people and the nation is Growth and Transformation?

What can I say except BS has no nationality, ethnicity, region or religion, for that matter boundaries or qualification as we are witnessing our peoples suffur in the hands of Woyane and its stooges with questionable identity while most of us watching in silence. And, no one is a living example of the toxicity of TPLF/Woyane ethnic BS than Berket Simon himself.

You see my people; we live under a poisonous regime with endless smut coming our way.  If you think this regime is worthy of anything you must be a born sucker or a hyena roaming the street in the shadow of the darkness preying on our people. Don’t think you are anything but… and don’t for a second believe you can get away with it.

The venom of TPLF/Woyane is plenty to cover here except to say Berket is the prime example of it.  You can imagine what piles of TPLF’s toxic BS did to the hyenas and zombies of the regime all these years. It goes without saying, the entire stooges and apologist of the regime are buried under debris of BS to see and think straight.

What can Ethiopians should make of the BS coming from all directions?

The first thing that comes in mind is when the stateless Berket Simon with unidentified ethnicity accuses Ethiopians for violating the Ethnic Federal Constitutional order; loosely translated TPLF/Woyane’s BS. It is where the problem began and must end.

Thus, we can easily understand the pain and suffering the stooges and the apologist of TPLF/Woyane go through. After all, the fact they aren’t capable of understanding the regime’s BS to become accessories to its heinous crimes should tell us a lot. Call them ignorant, corrupt, or treacherous their behavior of no see, hear…evil is where the problem began and must end.

Surprisingly, the stooges and apologist of regime aren’t the only one around living under rubble of BS. Average Ethiopians–peddling one thing or another against their best judgment come up with all kinds of bizarre behavior that empowered the rotten regime further.

Take for example the selective memory reflected on an article titled ‘A bad day for a career diplomat’ written by Amare Lucas– spinning facts and fictions out of proportion. The fellow piled up more of TPLF’s BS via lambasting David Shinn, the former US Ambassador to Ethiopia known for his own BS.

Amare opened his article rightly defending the people of ‘Tigray’ from being insulted by semi-retired Diplomat. But he didn’t hesitate to insinuate TPLF is the defender of Ethiopian’s interest from Eritrea.  Then, for whatever reason, he went on breaking down the ethnicity of the Eritrean President and most of his trusted aids by the percentage of their Tigrian bloodline.  He said;

“Mr. Ambassador, despite the unnecessary war of 1998 initiated by non-other than Isayas, and notwithstanding the emergence of an Eritrean state, those two Tigrigna speaking people are very much blood related. Do I need to prove that? For starters, Isayas is 75% from Tigryan parents, if not 100%. Most of his trusted aides and advisors are from 100 % Tigryan parents, and some are 50%. In case of Ethiopia, the late PM, Meles is 50% Eritrean. In his recent trip to the US, Sebhat Nega, one of the founders of the TPLF and its first chairman, (I suspect you two have probably met) had an interview with a radio-host in Washington, DC. Answering a question to the host, Sebhat unequivocally declared that he in fact has an Eritrean blood”

It wasn’t clear why he wanted to make Eritrean leaders share the same blood with their counterparts in Ethiopia. What different would it make what bloodline of people that live in different country with Ethnic Federalism as TPLF ruled Ethiopia?

Then, he went on fantasy expedition of the history and geography of Tigray…

“Well, Mr. Ambassador, you and I need a brief question-and-answer session. How much have you read as opposed to being told about Tigray? Have you been to Aksum, Yeha, Gerealta, and other parts of Tigray? Have you ever read about the genius Aksumite, St. Yared? Our session won’t end today. So, let me make it short. Looking at the monuments, underground palaces of King Kaleb, Gebremeskel, Ezana, Queen Sheba, the rock-cut churches all over Tigray—-Would someone in his right mind dare to say what you said about the Tigryans? Mr. Ambassador, Christianity and Islam got their footing in Tigray. The Ethiopian alphabet, literature, music, art, governance, and the first money in coins were all introduced in the then capital of Ethiopia, Aksum, which happens to be in Tigray. Simply put, Tigray is the beginning of Ethiopia and its civilization. Sir, I can present a long list of the many wonders and miraculous architects like Fasil in Gonder, the unparalleled rock-cut church of Lalibela in Wollo, and many more Ethiopian prides and early civilization testaments. But you chose to disparage the Tigryans and my focus for now will be Tigray.”

The sorry fellow went all over the map and trampled on historical facts and timeline to educate us about Tigray via the ‘ignorant’ Ambassador without reviling his credential and the historical facts of his assertions or his ethnic identity he made the central point of the article.

For instance, the inhabitant of the Axumite Empire and the Kings/Queens and nobilities and Ethiopia herself came through Tigray via Axumite Empire.

The Axumite Empire that extends to present day Yemen and Sudan is reduced to none existence Tigray Province or Region.  Never mind there was no place called Tigray, Eritrea, Somali, Sudan, Kenya or Djibouti Assab, or Badem or a language called Tigrigna or Amharic during the Axumite Empire. Forget the fact Christianity and Islam came to Ethiopia way before a place called Tigray or the people called Tigrians.  Even if they did so where is written or stated one human being is superior than the other, we all do not chose our parents and place of birth at the time of coming to this world?

The same kind of BS the late Banda Melse Zenawi use to tell us when he reduced Ethiopia as a collection of tribes created 100 years ago by the legendary King Menlik II came back in rather different spin.

Is the author piling up more BS on the top of TPLF’s to make us believe the new Ethiopia under TPLF/Woyane is reduced between the then none existence Tigray via Axumite Empire and the present Tigray of TPLF led Ethnic Federalism? As our people say ‘አላዋቂ ሳሚ ንፍጥ ይለቀልቃል’

Indecently, the author conveniently never mentioned the ruling regime TPLF that reduced Ethiopia as 100 year old nor he care to mention the illegitimacy of TPLF/Woyane as he lambasted Eritrea ruled by Isyayas.  What is up with not telling us the whole truth but noting but the truth?

By the way, why would EthioMedia deprived us the background, the identity and the credential of the Amare Lucas so that he can be challenge to tell the whole truth but noting but the truth?   No answer but more questions.

When Tigray/Axumite Empire defender Amare Lucas wasn’t enough BS the Eritrea defender Amanuel Biedemariam came up with his own BS article titled  TPLF: The Dog That Can no longer Bark and went on his own fantasy to fit Eritrea represented by EPLF/Shabiya verses Ethiopia represented by TPLF/Woyane; lambasting the ‘Eritrean’ national Ethiopian Berket Simon as if he is speaking on behalf of Ethiopia representing TPLF. He said,

“The key question, why did Bereket Simon come-out now and made these absurd statements? Moreover, why now, when many particularly the US, for the first time in over 15 years is talking peace did Bereket Simon roll-out this war agenda? The questions are endless.

The answer to all these questions are found on a statement one astute Eritrean political figure made a while back. When asked to respond about outrageous repeated statements by the TPLF against Eritrea, he answered, “When a dog barks uncontrollably disturbing peace, the best option is to talk to the owners of the dog.”

There are three key reasons why Bereket Simon decided to come out and declared the continuation of the hostilities…”

Here again the author conveniently ignored the identity and background of Berket Simon and the illegitimacy of TPLF/Woyane. Nor he cared to mention Berket isn’t TPLF member (at least not officially) and didn’t bother to mention his Eritrean background that voted to remain Ethiopian by adapting Amahra identity.

Thus, the affair of the people of the old ‘Ethiopia’ and new ‘Eritrea’ is reduced  into TPLF/Woyane and EPLF/Shbiya’s love and hate with each wanting to fit their fantasy into historical reality  on the expenses of the people of the divided line.

Let’s put the BS and selective memory of historical facts on all sides in perspective for a change.  It is important not to make up history, facts and timeline to fit the village and tribal fantasy to hold on to power illegitimately and indefinitely. It is an old trick used and abused by dictators and their intellectual prostitutes for far too long and must end.

For example, the ruling TPLF regime is as illegitimate as the Italian regime that occupied Ethiopia for five long years. Any way you shake it or bake it TPLF/Woyane can’t speak on behalf of the people of Ethiopia period. Instead of looking for excuses to prolong its rule by technicality and scapegoating the sooner we accept that reality the better. No matter what kind of BS people come up with nothing will change that reality. Likewise, the ruling regime of Eritrea legitimacy is the problem of Eritreans to sort out when they accepted the 99.98% vote for independence.

Negotiating with TPLF/Woyane isn’t going to help Eritrea/Shabiya come to the reality sooner but widen the conflicts and the misery of our peoples.  The love or hate between TPLF/Woyane and EPLF/Shabiya isn’t the fight between Ethiopians and Eritreans.

Therefore, my advice to BS handlers of TPLF/Woyane or others is simple. Just because the TPLF regime cooked up Ethnic Federalism to say the people of Ethiopia are collections of ethnic groups to deprive us our glories history as the mosaic of relative tranquility and free people with organic justice beyond the capacity of modern-day ethnic peddlers and hyenas to understand doesn’t mean we gave up on our people and country.

Likewise, EPLF/Shbiya or others would be better off to stop the BS and scapegoating and face reality in that; independence from phantom enemy alone isn’t a solution but freedom and democracy.

Therefore, the only choice for all involved is to cut the BS and surrender for the truth and democratic rule. No one should get away with the BS against any people. We will all be better off to accept the fact that’ there is no good dictatorship but a dead one’. It should remind us no nation and its people saw the daylight ruled by the jungle rule.

My advice to my people is, don’t be suckers for modern day dictators, robbers and mercenaries. Our very existence as Ethiopian people depends on our coming together to rid of the scourge off our back.  Anyone that tells you aren’t Ethiopian first but a tribe, a religious sect or an economic class… and promise you milk and honey is setting you up to strip off your dignity and identity as Ethiopians to  prepare you for modern day slavery or as a Weapon-of-Mass-Distraction and exploitation on your own fellow Ethiopians and your country for the benefit of a solid dictatorship as TPLF/Woyane is doing as we speak. Say No to the BS.

The one-and-only demand from one-and-all Ethiopians is the current regime must surrender for the rule of law and democracy regardless of any BS coming from anyone and anyplace and for any reason.

Ethiopia and Ethiopians will live-on and there is nothing anyone can do about the gathering Ethiopianism feeling and force that is paving our nation’s future.

Be ready for the collapse, keep your notes close the time is near where justice will prevail.

People of Ethiopia, Unite, Upraise and Uproot the current system once and for all and protect your people and country.

Black Staffers Battle Racism and Discrimination at World Bank

by Barrington M. Salmon
The Washington Informer

For more than seven years, Yonas Biru has been fighting the World Bank.

The Ethiopian native and Silver Spring, Md., resident said he’s learned the hard way the price of being black at the venerable institution.

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim Kim. Photo: AFP

Biru, a married father of three, says the World Bank dismissed him because he challenged his bosses when they passed him over for a promotion. He was punished, he said, for refusing to accept the racist and discriminatory treatment commonly meted out to blacks by the Bank’s managers and supervisors.

“I came to the U.S. with $12 in my pocket. I had to work at a hotel as a room service waiter to finance my education,” Biru said. “There were some winters when I couldn’t buy shoes because I had to buy books, pay for my education. Now I have no professional identity. They stole it.

“Nobody’s going to question that the World Bank would do something like this. If you look in the public domain, they say everything I say is an exaggeration,” he said. “When I asked the bank to give me my employment records, they refused. They signed, sealed and archived my records seven years ago. I cannot write a curriculum vita saying I was a manager.”

Biru said he fled Ethiopia because his mother was a close relative of former Emperor Haile Selassie and their lives were in danger as the communist government that overthrew the monarchy in 1974 murdered and imprisoned royals, nobility and perceived opponents.

“I thought I was coming to a land of opportunity, work hard, succeed. I worked so hard, for so long, got a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University and worked for the Bank,” Biru said.

The abrupt and bitter end to his World Bank career proved to be a deep contrast to the excitement and promise the job once engendered.

“I joined the Bank in 1993,” he said. “And in 1999, I was appointed to reform a program that was dying. At the time, the International Comparison Program (ICP) was one of the most important in the Bank. A United Nations committee investigated the program and saw the need for an organizational, institutional, operational, financial and meteorological overhaul. The Bank

called the director and she gave me the job.”

“She said we don’t have resources, but if the programs died, I’d lose my job. I knew I could turn it around with her support. It was a one-man shop but by 2002, I had turned it around. We had hubs in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. I was getting perfect evaluations just short of saying I walked on water.”

“From 2001 to 2009, Biru said he managed research in critical areas that stabilized and strengthened the ICP. He also developed and coordinated ICP regional programs in Asia, Latin America, and Western Asia. Biru racked up frequent flier miles meeting with and encouraging partners in farflung parts of the world to participate in the program, and for seven years, he said he managed fundraising and was responsible for expanding the scope of the program’s global partnership.

And then it all fell apart.

“A bank director and my immediate manager told me that the Bank could not appoint me Global Manager because ‘Europeans are not used to seeing a black man in a position of power,’” he

recalled. “They made it seem as if it was the external ICP Executive Board who did not want me to

be Global Manager. But several members of the Board testified and rejected the Bank’s sworn statements as patently false.”

“The new storyline the bank concocted was that I was not considered for the Global Manager position because I lacked management experience. And to give credence to the new storyline, the Bank falsified my employment history, wiping out my entire managerial track record.”

Until that time, Biru said, as Deputy Global Manager he was considered by his superiors to be a strong performer managing one of the most critical programs the Bank has ever managed. His original human resources records say he played “multiple roles in the global management of ICP” and he “is praised for his many skills…”

But they were rewritten, he said, to say “he had no role in the management of ICP (and) lacked the core competency and credibility to be a global manager.”

A Bank spokesman disputes Biru’s accusations, but declined to go into specifics citing privacy and confidentiality issues.

The Bank, which draws its staff of 15,000 from 170 nations – two-thirds from developing nations – is considered the most diverse employer in Washington, D.C.

The tribunal, which heard Biers’ two complaints, one claiming breach of promise and racial discrimination, ruled against him. Tribunal rulings are considered binding and irreversible but Biru sought to have the cases reopened.

“These types of cases are very difficult. It gets very heated and emotional,” the spokesman said. “It gets very difficult because these things mean a lot. He has strongly held views. We have to vigorously dispute (his) assertions about the environment at the Bank. We do work hard to deal with these issues. And we have a strong commitment to diversity.”

Biru said his case is commonplace. For more than 30 years, the World Bank has been scrutinized and criticized for the manner in which it treats its African American and African employees. But as an international entity, was not subject to U.S. laws until recently. The U.S. is the anti-poverty agency’s larger donor.

Interviews of Bank staff by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) in 2008 show that only four black Americans held professional positions in a headquarters staff of more than 3,500 professionals.

According to one GAP study, black World Bank employees were 36.3 percent less likely to hold a managerial grade relative to equally qualified non-black employees. In addition, GAP has gotten information about how the Bank treats black employees, especially black Americans. In response

to these concerns, GAP conducted an investigation into the Bank’s approach to internal racial discrimination.

The Bank itself has conducted several surveys that confirm the depth of the problem in the institution. Blacks are underrepresented at the higher levels of the Bank, and black staffers have

complained about the discrimination that surrounds promotion decisions there. The problems prompted several past and present employees to form Justice for Blacks.

Former Bank employee Phyllis Muhammad, in a column titled “Jim Crow Reengineered and Institutionalized at the World Bank,” provides concrete examples of abuses.

In 1996, she said, a department director announced in a departmental meeting that “Blacks make poor accountants and the department could not hire too many blacks as the department would look like a ghetto.” He said blacks should be kept in the “African ghetto,” a reference to the Bank’s Africa region. Then in 1998, an internal World Bank confidential memorandum revealed that some managers regard Blacks as “unsophisticated and inferior.” The memorandum noted that Blacks are “located” (segregated) in the Africa region and face “Unusual difficulty getting assignment outside of the Africa region.” According to the same memorandum, black staff members interviewed for the report said “a common excuse is that the World Bank does not know how (clients might) react to a black (staffer), and can’t take the risk” by appointing blacks outside of the Africa region.

Biru is seeking $4.1 million for damages, mental distress, lost salary and benefits.

“I want justice and redress for the suffering I’ve experienced. I want them to restore my employment history. The bank, to this point, has refused. They also refused to remove from the public domain all the forged documents. This was done to disqualify a qualified applicant from getting a job elsewhere,” he said.

This is the first of a three part story.

Washington DC Fundraising for Ethiopian migrants displaced from Saudi Arabia

Global Alliance for defense of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia

As you may be well aware, hundreds of thousands of Ethiopian migrants were displaced unjustly from Saudi Arabia in recent weeks. Although many of these migrants were returned to Ethiopia, several hundreds more are still scattered throughout the Middle East primarily in Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Almost all of these migrants including the ones returned to Ethiopia are suffering from lack of basic needs such as shelter, food, and closings. Many are unable to support themselves and their families.

It is to be remembered that Ethiopians all over the world were mobilized to defend the human rights of these Ethiopians and were able to stop the violence that was being committed on them. While the worldwide mass movement of Ethiopians to stand for the rights of our fellow Ethiopians was a remarkable act and was able to stop the violence, it is equally important to support these displaced people and their families by meeting their immediate needs and provide them with sustainable solutions towards making theme productive citizens in their homeland.

The Global Alliance for the rights of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia (GAFRESA) was established by concerned patriotic Ethiopians around the world for this noble cause. The Global Alliance has been campaigning in various cities around the world to raise funds from Ethiopian communities and friends of Ethiopia’s. The Alliance has been working in collaboration with International Humanitarian Organizations such as the International Organization of Migrants (IOM) in order to reach out and help these displaced Ethiopians wherever they may be. So far the Alliance has raised over $60,000. This amount was donated to the IOM office in Washington DC in two installments of $30,000 and $32,000 in December 2013 and January 2014.

While this unprecedented act of humanitarian gesture by Ethiopians is encouraging, it is far too small compared to the level of support these hundreds of thousands of displaced Ethiopians need. The Alliance has continuing its effort to raise additional funds to be able to meet the dire needs of these Ethiopians.

In relation to this effort the Washington Metropolitan area network of the Global Alliance is planning to hold a fund raising event in Washington DC, scheduled for Sunday Feb. 16, 2014. The event is planned to draw participants from around the greater metropolitan area and possibly from the eastern coast of the USA.

We believe that it is of paramount importance for Ethiopians to stand together in times of our people’s sufferings. Every Ethiopian and friends of Ethiopia are cordially invited to come and participate at this event for a noble cause.

The event could also be an appropriate opportunity to deliver any funds raised by various groups in the Washington DC region for the purpose of supporting Saudi victims to the GAFRESA.

If you, for one reason or another can’t join the program, you can give a check or money order by calling a number provided below. Your contribution will be recognized at the event as well as a written confirmation will be mailed to your address.

Checks or money orders should be payable to “GLOBAL ALLIANCE FOR THE RIGHTS OF ETHIOPIANS”

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions regarding this fund raising campaign, you can reach the organizers in any one of the following ways:

Via Email: dchapter2@gmail.com

By Telephone: (240) 821 0259

Website: www.defendethiopians.org

Global Alliance for the Right of Ethiopians in Saudi Arabia (GAFRESA).

Black Staffers Battle Racism and Discrimination at World Bank

by Barrington M. Salmon The Washington Informer

For more than seven years, Yonas Biru has been fighting the World Bank.

The Ethiopian native and Silver Spring, Md., resident said he’s learned the hard way the price of being black at the venerable institution.

World Bank president Jim Yong Kim Kim. Photo: AFP

Biru, a married father of three, says the World Bank dismissed him because he challenged his bosses when they passed him over for a promotion. He was punished, he said, for refusing to accept the racist and discriminatory treatment commonly meted out to blacks by the Bank’s managers and supervisors.

“I came to the U.S. with $12 in my pocket. I had to work at a hotel as a room service waiter to finance my education,” Biru said. “There were some winters when I couldn’t buy shoes because I had to buy books, pay for my education. Now I have no professional identity. They stole it.

“Nobody’s going to question that the World Bank would do something like this. If you look in the public domain, they say everything I say is an exaggeration,” he said. “When I asked the bank to give me my employment records, they refused. They signed, sealed and archived my records seven years ago. I cannot write a curriculum vita saying I was a manager.”

Biru said he fled Ethiopia because his mother was a close relative of former Emperor Haile Selassie and their lives were in danger as the communist government that overthrew the monarchy in 1974 murdered and imprisoned royals, nobility and perceived opponents.

“I thought I was coming to a land of opportunity, work hard, succeed. I worked so hard, for so long, got a Ph.D. in economics from George Mason University and worked for the Bank,” Biru said.

The abrupt and bitter end to his World Bank career proved to be a deep contrast to the excitement and promise the job once engendered.

“I joined the Bank in 1993,” he said. “And in 1999, I was appointed to reform a program that was dying. At the time, the International Comparison Program (ICP) was one of the most important in the Bank. A United Nations committee investigated the program and saw the need for an organizational, institutional, operational, financial and meteorological overhaul. The Bank

called the director and she gave me the job.”

“She said we don’t have resources, but if the programs died, I’d lose my job. I knew I could turn it around with her support. It was a one-man shop but by 2002, I had turned it around. We had hubs in Asia, Africa, Latin America and the Middle East. I was getting perfect evaluations just short of saying I walked on water.”

“From 2001 to 2009, Biru said he managed research in critical areas that stabilized and strengthened the ICP. He also developed and coordinated ICP regional programs in Asia, Latin America, and Western Asia. Biru racked up frequent flier miles meeting with and encouraging partners in farflung parts of the world to participate in the program, and for seven years, he said he managed fundraising and was responsible for expanding the scope of the program’s global partnership.

And then it all fell apart.

“A bank director and my immediate manager told me that the Bank could not appoint me Global Manager because ‘Europeans are not used to seeing a black man in a position of power,’” he

recalled. “They made it seem as if it was the external ICP Executive Board who did not want me to

be Global Manager. But several members of the Board testified and rejected the Bank’s sworn statements as patently false.”

“The new storyline the bank concocted was that I was not considered for the Global Manager position because I lacked management experience. And to give credence to the new storyline, the Bank falsified my employment history, wiping out my entire managerial track record.”

Until that time, Biru said, as Deputy Global Manager he was considered by his superiors to be a strong performer managing one of the most critical programs the Bank has ever managed. His original human resources records say he played “multiple roles in the global management of ICP” and he “is praised for his many skills…”

But they were rewritten, he said, to say “he had no role in the management of ICP (and) lacked the core competency and credibility to be a global manager.”

A Bank spokesman disputes Biru’s accusations, but declined to go into specifics citing privacy and confidentiality issues.

The Bank, which draws its staff of 15,000 from 170 nations – two-thirds from developing nations – is considered the most diverse employer in Washington, D.C.

The tribunal, which heard Biers’ two complaints, one claiming breach of promise and racial discrimination, ruled against him. Tribunal rulings are considered binding and irreversible but Biru sought to have the cases reopened.

“These types of cases are very difficult. It gets very heated and emotional,” the spokesman said. “It gets very difficult because these things mean a lot. He has strongly held views. We have to vigorously dispute (his) assertions about the environment at the Bank. We do work hard to deal with these issues. And we have a strong commitment to diversity.”

Biru said his case is commonplace. For more than 30 years, the World Bank has been scrutinized and criticized for the manner in which it treats its African American and African employees. But as an international entity, was not subject to U.S. laws until recently. The U.S. is the anti-poverty agency’s larger donor.

Interviews of Bank staff by the Government Accountability Project (GAP) in 2008 show that only four black Americans held professional positions in a headquarters staff of more than 3,500 professionals.

According to one GAP study, black World Bank employees were 36.3 percent less likely to hold a managerial grade relative to equally qualified non-black employees. In addition, GAP has gotten information about how the Bank treats black employees, especially black Americans. In response

to these concerns, GAP conducted an investigation into the Bank’s approach to internal racial discrimination.

The Bank itself has conducted several surveys that confirm the depth of the problem in the institution. Blacks are underrepresented at the higher levels of the Bank, and black staffers have

complained about the discrimination that surrounds promotion decisions there. The problems prompted several past and present employees to form Justice for Blacks.

Former Bank employee Phyllis Muhammad, in a column titled “Jim Crow Reengineered and Institutionalized at the World Bank,” provides concrete examples of abuses.

In 1996, she said, a department director announced in a departmental meeting that “Blacks make poor accountants and the department could not hire too many blacks as the department would look like a ghetto.” He said blacks should be kept in the “African ghetto,” a reference to the Bank’s Africa region. Then in 1998, an internal World Bank confidential memorandum revealed that some managers regard Blacks as “unsophisticated and inferior.” The memorandum noted that Blacks are “located” (segregated) in the Africa region and face “Unusual difficulty getting assignment outside of the Africa region.” According to the same memorandum, black staff members interviewed for the report said “a common excuse is that the World Bank does not know how (clients might) react to a black (staffer), and can’t take the risk” by appointing blacks outside of the Africa region.

Biru is seeking $4.1 million for damages, mental distress, lost salary and benefits.

“I want justice and redress for the suffering I’ve experienced. I want them to restore my employment history. The bank, to this point, has refused. They also refused to remove from the public domain all the forged documents. This was done to disqualify a qualified applicant from getting a job elsewhere,” he said.

This is the first of a three part story.