ሰበር ዜና፣ በእስር ላይ የሚገኙት የህዝበ ሙስሊሙ መፍትሄ አፈላላጊ ኮሚቴዎች መግለጫ በድምፃችን ይሰማ ይፋ ሆነ

በእስር ከሚገኙ የህዝበ ሙስሊሙ የመፍትሄ አፈላላጊ ኮሚቴ አባላት የተሰጠ መግለጫ

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ኢትዮጵያ ከአንድ ሺህ አራት መቶ አመታት በፊት የ21ኛው ክፍለ ዘመን ማህበረሰብ ካሰፈነው ፍትህ የላቀ ፍትህ ማስፈን ችላ ነበር። የወቅቱ የኢትዮጵያ ንጉስ በነቢዩ ሙሀመድ (ሰ.ዐ.ወ) አንደበት ‹‹በሐበሻ አንድም ሰው የማይበደልበት ንጉስ አለ›› ተብሎለታል። እንዲህ አይነት ፍትህ በዚህ መልኩ ለማስፈን ምን ያህል ፍትሀዊ፣ እውነተኛ እና የሰለጠነ ማህበረሰብ መገንባት እንደሚጠይቅ ግልፅ ነው። በሀገራችን የነበረው ፍትህ በጊዜው ነፃነት እና ፍትህ ፍለጋ ይዋትቱ የነበሩትን ማስጠለል የቻለ እና ዘመናትን ተሻጋሪ ነበር። ግና የዛሬው አሳዛኝ እውነታ ‹‹ሰዎች ስለ ፍትህ ግንዛቤ ባልነበራቸው በዚያ ዘመን የፍትህ ጥግ የደረሰችው አገራችን ሰዎች ሁሉ ወደ ዲሞክራሲ እና ፍትህ ፊታቸውን ሲያዞሩ ለምን ጀርባዋን ሰጠች?›› ብለን እንድንጠይቅ አስገዳጅ ሆኗል።
ፍትህ ዘመን፣ ቦታና ሁኔታ የማይገድበው፣ በሃይማኖት፣ በሃገርና በብሔር ልዩነት የማይደረግበት፣ ሁሉም ለሁሉም እውን ሊያደርገው መጣር ያለበትና ሰው የመሆናችን ሚስጥር የሚፈታበት ጥልቅ እውነታ ነው። ግና ምድራዊም ሆነ ሰማያዊ ህጎች ፍትህን ቢደግፉትም ቅሉ በተጨባጩ ዓለም ግፍና በደል ተንሰራፍቶ ይገኛል። ቀደም ሲል አምባገነኖች በአደባባይ ይፈፅሙት የነበረውን ግፍ በዘመናችን ቅርፁን ቀይረው ፍትህ፣ ነፃነት እና እኩልነትን እየሰበኩ በተግባር ግን የህዝባቸውን ኑሮ የስቃይ ያደርጉታል።
መንግስት በሚዲያና በየስብሰባው ስለፍትህና ዴሞክራሲ በተደጋጋሚ ቢያነሳም መሬት ላይ ያለው ተጨበጭ ፍፁም ለማመን አዳጋች ነው፡፡ በማንኛውም ዘመን አምባገነኖች እንደሚያደርጉት ሁሉ ሰብዓዊነት የጐደለው ኢ-ፍትሃዊ ተግባር እየፈጸመ ሳለ ‹‹ህዝቡ ቦታ የሚሰጣቸው ሥነ-ምግባሮች፣ ህግጋትና መልካም እሴቶችን ለማስጠበቅ›› ሲባል የተሰራ እንደሆነ አድርጎ ለማቅረብ ይሞክራል። በመብት ትግላችን ሂደት ለሃይማኖታቸው ታማኝ በመሆን የፍትህና የነፃነት ጥያቄ ያነሱ ወገኖቻችን ሁሉ በመንግስት አካላት ስደት፣ እስራትና ሞት የደረሰባቸው ህብረተሰቡ የሚያከብራቸውን ስነ-ምግባሮች፣ እሴቶችና ህግጋት ሽፋን በማድረግ መሆኑ በእርግጥም ምጸት ነው።
ሙስሊሙ ህብረተሰብ ያነሳቸውና በወከላቸው ኮሚቴዎች አማካኝነት ለመንግስት ያቀረባቸው ጥያቄዎች ግልጽ፣ ቀላል፣ ሃይማኖታዊና ህገ-መንግስታዊ መብቶች መሆናቸውን መላው ኢትዮጵያዊና ዓለም ዓቀፉ ማህበረሰብ ያውቀዋል። መንግስት ግን ለሰው እምነት ከባለቤቱ በላይ ተቆርቋሪ፣ ለሃገር ደህንነትና ሰላም የሚያስብ ብቸኛ አካል እና ህገ-መንግስቱን አክባሪና አስከባሪ እንደሆነ በመደስኮር የመብት ጥያቄያችንን የሀሰት ቅርፅ ሊያስይዘው ሞክሯል። በመሰረቱ መንግስት ኃይልና ጉልበት ያለው አካል ሆኖ ሳለ በተቃራኒው ደግሞ ህዝብ ጉልበት ስለሌለው ሰላምንና ደህንነትን አጥብቆ የሚፈልገው ከመንግስት በላይ ህዝብ ነው። ህገ-መንግስት ደግሞ መንግስት ያለውን ኃይል በመጠቀም ህዝብ ላይ ግፍ እንዳይፈፅም የሚገድብ ህግ እንደመሆኑ በመንግስት እንጂ በህዝብ ሊጣስ አይችልም።
ከጅምሩ መንግስት የሙስሊሙ የመብት ጥያቄ ከጀርባው ምንም ሴራ እንደሌለው የሚያውቅ መሆኑን ብንረዳም በአባላቱም ሆነ በማህበረሰቡ ላይ ብዥታ እንዳይፈጥር ዓላማችንን እና ጥያቄዎቻችንን ለሁሉም ግልፅ አድርገናል። ይህም ሆኖ ግን በተለያዩ ብሄሮችና ሃይማኖቶች መካከል መከባበር እንዲኖር የማድረግ ከፍተኛ ኃላፊነት ያለበት መንግስት ሙስሊሙን እርስ በእርስ፣ እንዲሁም ሙስሊሙን እና የሌላ ሀይማኖት ተከታዩን ህብረተሰብ ለግጭት የሚዳርጉ ተግባራትን ሲፈጽም ቆይቷል። አሁንም እያደረገ ይገኛል። ይህ አደገኛ አካሄድ ሊከሽፍ የቻለው በህዝባችን ብስለት እና ጨዋነት ብቻ ነው። ኩሩው የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ከህዝበ ሙስሊሙ የመብት ጥያቄ ጋር በተያያዘ የመረጠው በሳል አካሄድ ሊመሰገን የሚገባው ነበር። ይህ በሳል የህዝብ ምላሽ ሙስሊሙን እና ክርስቲያኑን ሊያጋጭ ይችል የነበረውን የመንግስት እንቅስቃሴ ቀልብሶ የህዝባችንን ጨዋነት፣ ተከባብሮ የመኖር ብቃት እና አስተዋይነት ዳግም ማሳየት ችሏል። ክስተቱም በታሪክ መዝገብ ውስጥ በወርቃማ ጽሁፍ የሚሰፍርበትና ለትውልድ የሚተረክበት ጊዜ ሩቅ አይሆንም።
በህዝበ ሙስሊሙ ላይ የፈጸማቸው በደሎች በህዝቡ ብስለት የከሸፉ ቢሆኑም ለህዝቡ ደንታ የሌለውና ስህተቱን አምኖ መቀበልን ውርደት አድርጐ የሚቆጥረው መንግስት ግን ህዝብ እየተቃወመው ህገወጥነቱን ቀጥሎበታል። በዚህም ምክንያት ‹‹መንግስት በሀይማኖታችን ጣልቃ አይግባብን! ያልመረጥናቸው ህገ-ወጥ የመጅሊስ አመራሮች ወርደው ፍትሀዊ ምርጫ ይካሄድ! የማናምንበት እምነት በግድ አይጫንብን!›› ብሎ የጠየቀውን ህዝብ ከነወኪሎቹ ለእስር፣ ለስደት፣ ለእንግልት እና ለሞት ዳርጓል።
የኢፌደሪ ህገ-መንግስት አንቀጽ 17 ንዑስ አንቀጽ 2 ‹‹ማንኛውም ሰው በህግ ከተደነገገው ስርዓት ውጪ ሊያዝ፣ ክስ ሳይቀርብበት ወይም ሳይፈረድበት ሊታሰር አይችልም›› ይላል። ነገር ግን ለፀጥታ ተግባር የተሰማሩት አካላት ህጉን በመጣስ ሰላማዊ ግለሰቦችን ሲይዙ የታጠቀ የጠላት ኃይል ላይ እንኳ ሊፈፀም የማይገባውን ግፍ፣ ድብደባ፣ ወከባ እና ስቃይ ይፈፅማሉ። ከፍርድ ቤት የመያዣ ትዕዛዝ ሳያገኙና ለባለቤቱ ሳይሰጡ ያስራሉ። ህግ ጥሰው ከምሽቱ አስራ ሁለት ሰዓት በኋላ የግለሰቦች ቤት ላይ ብርበራ ያካሂዳሉ። በብርበራው ወቅት በሚፈጥሩት ሁከት በቤተሰብ ላይ ከፍተኛ ስጋት እና ድንጋጤ ይፈጥራሉ። ይህ ሁሉ የሚካሄደው ህዝቡ በፍርሃት ከመብት ጥያቄው ወደ ኋላ እንዲል ቢሆንም ውክቢያውና እንግልቱ ግን የመብት ጥያቄው ይበልጥ እንዲፋፋም፣ ህዝቡ ፍርሃቱ ለቅቆት ለነፃነት የሚከፈል መስዋዕትነት ያለውን ልዩ ጣዕም እንዲያጣጥም እና ሙሉ መብቱን ወደ መጠየቅ እንዲሸጋገር ነው ያደረገው።
የህገ-መንግስቱ አንቀጽ 18 ንዑስ አንቀፅ 1 ‹‹ማንኛውም ጭካኔ ከተሞላበት፣ ኢሰብዓዊ ከሆነ ወይም ክብርን ከሚያዋርድ አያያዝ ወይም ቅጣት የመጠበቅ መብት አለው›› ይላል። ህገ-መንግስቱ ይህን ቢልም ዜጐች መሆናችንን ጥርጣሬ ውስጥ በሚከት መልኩ ከያዙን በኋላ በማእከላዊ በክረምት ቀርቶ በበጋ እንኳን ቅዝቃዜው በማይቻለው ‹‹ሳይቤሪያ›› ተብሎ በሚጠራው ጨለማ ክፍል ለ3 ወራት አጉረውናል። መቋቋም የሚያዳግተውን የማሰቃያ ስልታቸውን በመጠቀም ያላሰብነውንና ያልሰራነውን ‹‹እመኑ! ተናገሩ! ፈርሙ!›› ብለው አስገድደውናል።
ለቀጠሮ ፍርድ ቤት ስንቀርብ የደረሰብንን ሰቃይ አሳይተን ቢያንስ ፍርድ ቤቱ ስቃዩን እንዲያስቆምልን ጠይቀን ነበር። ያገኘነው ውጤት ግን ወደ ማዕከላዊ ስንመለስ ከመርማሪዎቹ በቀልና ተጨማሪ ስቃይ ነበር። ፍርድ ቤቱ የደረሰብንን ስቃይና የተከሰስንበትን ጉዳይ አግባብ እንዳልሆነ አይቶ ዋስትና ሰጥቶን ሳለ ፖሊስ የፍርድ ቤትን ትዕዛዝ ጥሶ ዋስትናውን በመከልከል ክስ መስርቶብናል። አሰቃዮቻችን ስለ ህገ-መንግስት እና መብት ስንናገር ‹‹ህገ-መንግስቱን ቀደህ ጣለው!›› እና ‹‹እኛ መሰዋዕትነት ከፍለን ነው እዚህ የመጣነው!›› ወ.ዘ.ተ በማለት ለህግም ሆነ ለሰው ክብር ደንታ እንደሌላቸው አሳይተውናል። ይህ ሁሉ መከራ በተቃራኒው ህገ-መንግስቱን ለማስከበር መታገል የሚያስፈልግበት ትክክለኛ ወቅት ላይ መሆናችን እንዲሰማን፣ እውነተኛ ፅናትና ወኔ እንዲኖረንም አድርጎናል።
በህገ-መንግስቱ አንቀጽ 19 ንዑስ አንቀጽ 5 ‹‹የተያዙ ሰዎች በራሳቸው ላይ በማስረጃነት ሊቀርብ የሚችል የእምነት ቃል እንዲሰጡ፣ ወይም ማናቸውንም ማስረጃ እንዲያምኑ አይገደዱም። በማስገደድ የተገኘ ማስረጃ ተቀባይነት የለውም›› የሚለውን ድንጋጌ መሠረት በማድረግ እዚያው ማዕከላዊ የምርመራ እስር ቤት እያለን የደረሰብንን ስቃይና እንግልት ገልፀን ክስ አቅርበን ነበር። በምርመራ ጣቢያው ቃላችንን የሰጠነውም ሆነ የፈረምነው ተገደን መሆኑን ገልፀን ውድቅ እንዲደረግ ጠይቀናል። ሆኖም ግን ክሳችን ተዳፍኖ እና ተድበስብሶ እንዲቀር በመደረጉ በጊዜው ምላሽ ሳናገኝ ቀርተናል። ክስ ተመስርቶብን ወደ ከፍተኛው ፍርድ ቤት አቅርበን በኋላም በድጋሚ ጉዳዩን ያስረዳን ሲሆን አሁንም ፍርድ ቤቱ ጉዳዩን ሙሉ ለሙሉ የሚያደምጥበትንና ምላሽ የሚሰጥበትን ቀን እየተጠባበቅን እንገኛለን።
ከቤተሰብ፣ ከጠበቃና ከሀኪም ጋር እንዳንገናኝ አድርገው የፈፀሙብን የህግ-ጥሰት እና አስገድደው በማስፈረም እና ድምፅና ምስላችንን በመቅረፅ የፈፀሙብን በደል በወንጀለኛ መቅጫ ህግ ቁጥር 424 መሰረት እስከ አስር አመት የሚያስቀጣ ኢ-ሰብዓዊ ተግባር ነው። ነገር ግን የፖሊሱም፣ የዐቃቤ ህጉም፣ የፍርድ ቤቱም አለቃ በሆነውና የፍትህ ስርዓቱን ሰብስቦ በያዘው ገዚው ፓርቲ አምባገነንነት በተቃራኒው እኛ ተከሳሾች ሆነን ጉዳያችን ‹‹በፍርድ ቤት›› በመታየት ላይ ይገኛል።
በማዕከላዊ እስር ቤት ውስጥ ከፍተኛ የሆነ ስነ-ልቦናዊ እና አካላዊ ስቃይ አድርሰውብናል። ከአስራ አራት ሰዓታት በላይ ያለ እረፍት ቀጥ ብለን እንድንቆም በማድረግ፣ ጀርባችን ሰንበር እስኪያወጣ እና እስኪገሸለጥ ራቁታችንን በሽቦ በመግረፍ፣ በሰንሰለት በማሰር እና ዓይናችንን በጨርቅ በመሸፈን የውስጥ እግራችን እስከሚላጥ ገልብጦ በመግረፍ፣ ቀንና ማታ አሰቃቂ በሆነ ምርመራ እና ድብደባ እንቅልፍ በመንሳት፣ ሃይማኖታችንንና ክብራችንን በመንካት፣ ፂማችንን በመንጨትና እንድንላጭ በማስገደድ፣ እንዲሁም ሰላት በመከልከል፣ ቤተሰብ፣ ጠበቃ፣ ሀኪምና የሃይማኖት አባት እንዳናገኝ በማድረግ፣ ከአቅም በላይ የሆነን ስፖርት በግድ በማሰራት፣ ብልት በመግረፍ፣ ‹‹ልጅህን እንገለዋለን! ሚስትህን አስረን በፊትህ ቶርች እናደርጋታለን! ብልትህ ላይ ሀይላንድ በማንጠልጠል መሀን እናደርግሃለን!›› ሲሉ በማስፈራራት ከፍተኛ የሆነ እንግልትና ስቃይ አድርሰውብናል።
ይህም አልበቃ ብሏቸው በሃገሪቱ የቅጣት ጣሪያ የመጨረሻ የሆነውን የወንጀል አንቀፅ ጠቅሰው ከሰሱን። ‹‹ህገ-መንግስት ይከበር!›› ብለን በጠየቅን ህገ-መንግስትን ለመናድ በመንቀሳቀስ ወነጀሉን። ተቃውሟችን ፍፁም ሰላማዊ ሆኖ ሳለ ‹‹ከእኛ ውጪ ያሉ እምነቶች ከሃገሪቱ መጥፋት አለባቸው ብለዋል›› ሲሉ ከሰሱን። ሃይማኖታዊ የመብት ጥያቄያችንን ‹‹ድብቅ የፖለቲካ አጀንዳ ነው›› በሚል ሊያጠለሹ ሞከሩ። ‹‹ህዝብ ያልመረጣቸው የመጅሊስ አመራሮች በህገ-ወጥ መንገድ መጥተው አይመሩንም! ፍትሀዊ ምርጫ ይካሄድ!›› ባልናቸው ‹‹መንግስት ይውረድ! መንግስት አያስተዳድረንም! ብለዋል›› በሚል ወነጀሉን።
ያዘጋጁት ክስ የህግ ባለሙያ ቀርቶ ማንም የህግ ግንዛቤ የሌለው ሰው በሚረዳው ደረጃ በህግ ስህተቶችና አመክኖአዊነት በጐደላቸው ሃሳቦች የተሞላ፣ በህግ ወንጀል ያልሆኑ አረፍተ ነገሮች እና ቃላት ወንጀል ተደርገው የተጠቀሱበት ፍፁም ተራ እና የሃገሪቷን የፍትህ ሁኔታ የሚያስገምት ክስ ነው። ምንም እንኳን ‹‹ክሱን ዳኞች ስርዓት ሊያስይዙት ይገባል›› በሚል የፀረ-ሽብር አዋጁን በመቃወም እና ክሱ ላይ ያሉ ስህተቶችን ሁሉ ነቅሰን በማውጣት የክስ መቃወሚያ ያቀረብን ቢሆንም የዳኞች ብይን ክሱን ይበልጥ የማይገባና ውስብስብ አደርጎታል።
ከታሰርን ጀምሮ የደረሱብን የህግ ጥሰቶች እና የፍትህ እጦቱ ከፍርድ ቤት ሂደት ራሳችንን ሙሉ ለሙሉ እንድናገል የሚገፉ ነበሩ። ሆኖም ግን የተወነጀልንበት ክስ ምን ያህል ከእውነት የራቀ፣ ጥያቄያችን ሃይማኖታዊ እና ህገ መንግስታዊ መሆኑን እና እንቅስቃሴያችንም ፍፁም ሰላማዊ እንደነበር ለህዝባችን በፍትህ አደባባይም ጭምር ለማሳየት ስንል የፍርድ ሂደቱ ውስጥ መግባቱ የተሻለ መሆኑን በማሰብ ሃሳባችንን ቀይረናል።
መንግስት በአግባቡ ሊተውነው ያልቻለውን አሳፋሪ የፍርድ ቤት ድራማውን ህዝብ እንዳያይበት ለመሸሸግ በመገደዱ ‹‹የተከሰሱ ሰዎች ክስ ከቀረበባቸው በኋላ ተገቢ በሆነ አጭር ጊዜ ውስጥ በመደበኛ ፍርድ ቤት ለህዝብ ግልፅ በሆነ ችሎት የመስማት መብት አላቸው›› የሚለውን ህገ-መንግስታዊ መብት በመጣስ ችሎቱ ዝግ እንዲሆን ተደርጎ ቆይቷል። በዝግ ችሎቱ የምስክር መስሚያ ጊዜ ብዙ አስገራሚ ድራማዎችን አይተናል። ዓቃቤ ህጎች ዳኞች የሚሰጡትን ብይን እንደማይቀበሉ እስከመግለጽ የደረሱበትን እና ምስክሮችን ማለት ያለባቸውን አሰልጥነዋቸው እንደሚያመጡ አምልጧቸው የተናገሩበትን አጋጣሚ ታዝበናል። በወቅቱ ‹‹ጋዜጠኞች፤ ዲፕሎማቶች እና ህዝባችን ምነው ይህንን አይተው በነበር?›› ብለን ከመመኘት ውጭ ምርጫ አልነበረንም።
ማንኛውም ታራሚም ሆነ ተጠርጣሪ በማረሚያ ቤት ሊያገኛቸው የሚገቡ በህግ የተደነገጉ መብቶች አሉ። መብቶች ግን እንደተለመደው ከወረቀት ዘለው መሬት ጠብ ማለት አልቻሉም። የፖለቲካና የህሊና እስረኞች ላይ ሲሆን ደግሞ መብቶች በቅጣት ይተካሉ። ካለው የጋራ ችግር በተጨማሪ በእኛ ላይ በተለየ መልኩ በጥላቻ እና በበቀል ስሜት የደረሰብን እንግልት ህሊና ያለውን ሁሉ የሚጎዳ ነው። ከቤተሰቦቻችን መካከል ከጥቂቶች ጋር በስተቀር እንዳንገናኝ ተደርጓል። የምንጠየቅበትንም ሰዓት ከእስረኞች ሁሉ በመለየት በቀን ለሃያ ደቂቃ ብቻ እንዲሆን በማድረግ አድሎ እና መገለል ተፈፅሞብናል። በመካከላችን ልጆቹና ቤተሰቦቹ እንዳይጠይቁት የተደረገም አለ። ከሁሉም በላይ ከባድ ህመም ያለባቸው፤ ሆስፒታል ሄደው እንዲታከሙ የታዘዘላቸው፤ ቀዶ ጥገና እንዲደረግላቸው የተመራላቸው እና በማእከላዊ የደረሰባቸውን ድብደባ ለመታከም የጠየቁ ለዓመት ከአራት ወር በላይ መፍትሄ ሳያገኙ ስቃዩን ይዘው ‹‹የፍትህ ያለህ!›› እያሉ ይገኛሉ። ማረሚያ ቤት የደረሱብን እና እየደረሱብን ያሉ አድሎዎችንና እንግልቶችን ሁሉ ዘርዝረን ጉዳያችንን ለሚመለከተው ፍርድ ቤት ብናቀርብም የማረሚያ ቤቱ ኃላፊዎች ፍርድ ቤት እንኳ ለመቅረብ ፍቃደኛ ሳይሆኑ ሶስት ጊዜ ቀጠሮ አሳልፈዋል።
ሙስሊሙ ማህበረሰብ የመብት ጥያቄ እንቅስቃሴውን ከጀመረ በኋላ መንግስት በነጋዴውና በተማሪው፣ በመንግስት መዋቅር ውሰጥ በሚሰሩ አካላት፣ በሃይማኖት አባቶች እና በአስተማሪዎች፣ እንዲሁም በኢስላማዊ ተቋማት ላይ ሰብዓዊነት የጎደለው እና ህገ-መንግስቱን የሚጻረር የመብት ጥሰት መፈጸሙን ቀጥሎበታል። በበርካታ የክልል ከተሞችና ሙስሊሙ ደስታውን በሚገልጽበት የዒድ ዕለት በአዲስ አበባ ፈጽሞ ልንረሳው የማንችለውና ጭካኔ የተሞላበት ግፍ ፈጽሞብናል። የምንሳሳላቸው እና የምንወዳቸው ወገኖቻችንን እና ቤተሰቦቻችንን ለእስር፣ ለሞትና ለአካል ጉዳተኝነት ዳርጎብናል። ይህ ሁሉ ስቃይ እና መከራ በአንድ በኩል የመንግስትን ግፍ እና ለህግ ተገዢ አለመሆን ሲያጋልጥ በሌላ በኩል የህዝባችንን ፅናት እና ቁርጠኝነት አሳይቶናል። በየትኛውም ሃይማኖት፣ ባህል እና ልማድ ግፍ የተጠላ ሲሆን ለመብት ሲሉ መሰዋት ደግሞ ክብር ነው። ስለዚህ ለሃይማኖታችሁ፣ ለክብራችሁ እና ለደህንነታችሁ ለተሰደዳችሁ፣ ለታሰራችሁ፣ ለተደበደባችሁ እና ቤተሰቦቻችሁን ላጣችሁ ሁሉ ያለንን ክብር እንገልጻለን፤ በሀገራችን ለሚሰፍነው የሃይማኖቶች ነፃነት እና እኩልነት የመሰረት ድንጋይ የሚሆነው ዛሬ እናንተ የከፈላችሁት መስዋእትነት ነውና!
ለሁለት ዓመታት ያለ ምንም መሰላቸት እንግልቱ፣ ማስፈራሪያው፣ እስሩ፣ ድበደባው እና ግድያው ሳይበግራቸው እና ሰላማዊውን የተቃውሞ መስመር ሳይለቁ ለሃይማኖታቸው ያላቸውን ፍቅር ላሳዩ፣ እንዲሁም ይህን ድንቅ ታሪክ ለሰሩ አባቶች፣ የሃይማኖት መሪዎችና አስተማሪዎች /በተለይ ደግሞ ወጣቶች እና ሴቶች/ ያለንን ከፍ ያለ ክብር እና ምስጋና ልናቀርብ እንወዳለን። በሰራችሁት ሁሉ ተደስተናል፤ ኮርተንባችኋልም!
መንግስት የሃይማኖት ግጭት ለመፍጠር ያደረገውን ሙከራ ንቆ በመተውና ጉዳዩን በብስለትና በሰከነ መንፈስ በማየት፣ እንዲሁም እውነታውን ለመረዳት ጥረት በማድረግ ረገድ ሌሎች ኢትዮጵያውያን ወገኖቻችን፣ በተለይም ህዝበ ክርስትያኑ ላደረጋችሁት ትብብር ሳናመሰግን አናልፍም። በእውነቱ የሃይማኖት ልዩነት ሳያግደን በህዝብ ደረጃ ተከባብረን ስለመኖራችን ከተነሱ ምሳሌዎች ሁሉ በዚህ ሁለት ዓመት ውስጥ ያሳየነው መከባበር እና አንድነት ትልቅ ቦታ የሚሰጠው ነው። ይህ ብሄራዊ አንድነት የበለጠ ተጠናክሮ በጋራ ለምንገነባት ሃገራችን ታላቅ ብርታት እንደሚሆን ጠንካራ እምነት አለን።
በተጨማሪም የፕሬስ ነፃነት በተነፈገበት ተጨባጭ የመብት ጥያቄያችንን እውነታ ለመገንዘብ ማስፈራሪያዎችን እና ዛቻዎችን አልፋችሁ፣ የመንግስትን የተሳሳተ እና ኢ-ህገመንግስታዊ አካሄድ ለይታችሁ ሂደታችን ላይ አዎንታዊ አስተያየቶች እና ገንቢ ትችቶችን ለሰጣችሁ ጋዜጠኞችና በሚዲያው ዘርፍ ለተሰማራችሁ ባለሙያዎች ሁሉ ልባዊ ምስጋናችንን እናቀርባለን።
ወገኖቻችሁ ያጡትን ፍትህ እና ነጻነት በሃገራችሁ ለማየት በመጓጓት የበኩላችሁን አስተዋጽኦ ለማበርከት የምትጣጣሩ በስደት የምትገኙ ሙስሊሞችና የሌሎች ሀይማኖቶች ተከታይ ወገኖቻችን በሙሉ ላደረጋችሁት ሁሉ ምስጋናችን ላቅ ያለ ነው። በሀገር ውስጥ ለተጠናከረው የአጋርነት ስሜት የእናንተ አስተዋጽኦ የመጀመሪያውን ድርሻ ይይዛል።
በአጠቃላይ መላው የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ፣ ነጋዴው፣ አርሶ አደሩ፣ አርብቶ አደሩ፣ ተማሪው፣ ሴቱ፣ ወንዱ፣ ወጣቱ፣ አዛውንቱና ሌላውም፣ እንዲሁም በመንግስት መዋቅር ስር ሆናችሁ የመንግስትን የተሳሳተ አካሄድ ስትቃወሙ የነበራችሁ ዳኞች፣ ዓቃቤ ህጎች፣ አባቶች፣ ፖሊሶች፣ የጦር ሰራዊትና የፓርላማ አባላት በሙሉ ከፍ ያለ ምስጋናችንን እናቀርብላችኋለን። የጥረታችሁን ፍሬ በቅርቡ ያሳያችሁ ዘንድም አላህን እንለምናለን!
መልእክታችን
1/ በሙስሊሞች መካከል እና በሙስሊሙና በክርስትያኑ መካከል የታየውን አንድነትና መከባበር ሁላችንም በጋራ እንድንጠብቀው፣ እንዲሁም መሰረቱ የፀና ሆኖ እንዲቀጥል ለማድረግ እንድንጥር አደራ እንላለን። ሀገራችን ከእርስ በእርስ ሽኩቻዎች ወጥታ የእድገትና ብልጽግና ጉዞ እንድትጀምር ከተፈለገ ትክክለኛ የሃይማኖት ነፃነት፣ እኩልነት እና መከባበር በቅድሚያ እውን መሆኑ አማራጭ የሌለው ግዴታ ነው። የሃገራችንን እድገት የጋራ አላማ አድርገን፣ የጋራ ተጠቃሚ ሆነን መኖር የምንችለው ስጋትና ጥርጣሬውን በፍቅርና መተማመን ስንተካው ነው።
2/ በፅናት ሰላማዊ የመብት ትግሉን የምንቀጥል መሆኑንና የሚያስከፍለንን መስዋዕእትነት ሁሉ ለመክፈልም ዝግጁ መሆናችንን ለህዝባችንም ሆነ ለመንግስት መልእክት ለማስተላለፍ እንወዳለን። ለቀጣዩ ሰላማዊ የመብት ትግል እርከንም እኛም ህዝባችንም በሙሉ ዝግጅት ላይ መሆናችንንና ለመብታችን ተግተን ሰርተን መስዋዕት ከመሆን ወደኋላ የማንል መሆኑን ስንገልጽ በከፍተኛ ወኔ ተሞልተን ነው!
3/ መንግስት እየፈጸማቸው ያላቸውን ኢ-ህገ መንግስታዊ ተግባራት፣ በህዝበ ሙስሊሙ ላይ እየፈጸመ ያለውን እስራት፣ ግፍ፣ መስጂድ ነጠቃ፣ የሀሰት ውንጀላና የሃይማኖት ሰዎችን፣ ጋዜጠኞችንና የመብት ጠያቂዎችን በሽብርተኝነት መፈረጅና መሰል ህገ መንግስታዊ የመብት ጥሰቶችን በአስቸኳይ እንዲያቆም ጥሪያችንን እናቀርባለን። በማእከላዊና በተለያዩ እስር ቤቶች የሚፈጸሙት ኢ-ሰብዓዊ ድርጊቶች እንዲቆሙና የህሊና እስረኞችም መለቀቅ እንደሚገባቸው ለመግለጽ እንወዳለን። መላው የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ የእውነተኛ ሰላም፣ ፍትህ፣ ዴሞክራሲ እና ልማት ባለቤት ሆኖ ማየት የዘወትር ህልማችን መሆኑንም ሳንገልጽ አናልፍም፡፡
በመጨረሻም በቃል ኪዳናችን ጸንተንና መነሻው ላይ ከነበረው በተሻለ ሁኔታ ተንቀሳቅሰን ፍጹም በሰለጠነና በተጠና መልኩ የተሟላ ፍትህ እና ነፃነት ለማግኘት በጽናት እና በቆራጥነት ሁሉም ባለድርሻ አካል እንቅስቃሴውን ከዳር እንዲያደርስ አደራ ለማለት እንወዳለን። የእንቅስቃሴው ማብቂያ ድልና ስኬት እንደሚሆን አንጠራጠርም!
አላሁ አክበር!
ግልባጭ፡- እዚሁ አገር ውስጥ እና በውጭ አገራት ለሚገኙ የህትመትና የኤሌክትሮኒክስ ሚዲያዎች

ከችሎቱ ጀርባ ያለው ጥቁር ዳኛ ማነው? (ክፍል አንድ)

የፌደራሉ ከፍተኛ ፍርድ ቤት ጥር አስር ቀን 2004 ዓ.ም በእነ ርዕዮት አለሙ ላይ ያስተላለፈው የጥፋተኝነት ውሳኔ በችሎቱ የተሰየሙት ዳኞች በነጻ ህሊና የሰጡት ፍርድ ነው ብሎ ያመነ ሰው አልነበረም፡፡ እዚህም እዚያም ሲወራ የነበረው ውሳኔው በመንግስት ፍላጎት ላይ የተመሰረተ መሆኑ ነበር፡፡ ፕሮፌሰር መስፍንን ጨምሮ በርካታ ሰወች ይህንኑ በአደባባይ ጽፈውታል፡፡ ቆየት ብሎ ግን ዳኛው የተጻፈለትን እንዳነበበ የሚገልጹና ተጨማሪ ነገር ለማወቅ የሚገፋፉ መረጃዎች ወደኔ መምጣት ጀመሩ፡፡
እርግጥ የኢትየጵያ የፍትህ ስርአት በተደጋጋሚ ተፈትኖ የወደቀና ነጻነቱ ጥያቄ ውስጥ የገባ ከመሆኑ አንጻር እንዲህ አይነት የጥርጣሬ ድምጾች መሰማታቸው በራሱ ብዙ የሚገርም አይደለም፡፡ በመሆኑም በጉዳዩ ላይ የምር እንዳስብ የሆንኩት ዳኛው የተጻፈለትን እንዳነበበ በመስማቴ ብቻ አይደለም፡፡ ይልቁንም ከዚያ በፊት በነበረው የፍርድ ሂደት ያስተዋልኳቸው ሦስት አጠራጣሪ ክስተቶቸ ናቸው እንደ ጋዜጠኛም ሆነ እንደ ርዕዮት የቅርብ ሰው ስለ ጉዳዩ ብዙ ለማወቅ እንድታትር የገፋፋኝ፡፡
የመጀመሪያው፣ ርዕዮት በማዕከላዊ ምርመራ ላይ እያለች የታዘብኩት ነው፡፡ ርዕዮት በተያዘች በማግስቱ አራዳ ፍርድ ቤት ቀርባ ፖሊስ የ28 ቀን የምርመራ ጊዜ ሲጠይቅ አባቷና ጠበቃዋ የሆኑት አቶ አለሙ ደግሞ ቤተሰብ እንዲጠይቃትና የህግ ምክር እንድታገኝ አመለከቱ፡፡ ዳኛዋም ፖሊስ ይህንኑ እንዲፈጽም አዘውና የ28 ቀን የምርመራ ጊዜ ሰጥተው ችሎቱ አበቃ፡፡ በዚህ ጊዜ ግን ርዕዮት፣ ጠበቃም ሆነ ቤተሰብ ሳታገኝ 28ቱ ቀን አለፈ፡፡
የነበረው አማራጭ የቀጠሮው እለት ጠበቃዋ ገብተው ድጋሜ እንዲያመለክቱ ማድረግ ብቻ ነበር፡፡ እኛም ፍርድ ቤት ስትመጣ ጠብቀን ቢያንስ አይኗን ለማየት ጓጉተናል፡፡ በዕለቱ የሆነው ግን በጣም አስገራሚም አሳዛኝም ነበር፡፡
ቀጠሮው ከሰዓት በኋላ 8 ሰዓት ነበረ፡፡ በዚያን ዕለት ጠዋት 2፡30 ቁርስ ላደርስላት ወደ ማዕከላዊ ስሄድ ከዚያን ዕለት በፊትም ሆነ በኋላ አይቻት የማላውቃት አንዲት ልጅ “ርዕዮትን በሌሊት ወደ ፍርድ ቤት ወስደዋታል ሮጠህ ድረስባት” ብላኝ ካጠገቤ ብን አለች፡፡ ለአቶ አለሙ በስልክ ይህንኑ ነግሬ ወደ ፍርድ ቤቱ አመራሁ፡፡ ቦታው ቅርብ በመሆኑ 10 ደቂቃ ባልሞላ ጊዜ ደረስኩ፡፡ እኔ ወደ ግቢው ስገባ ርዕዮት በፒካፕ መኪና ተጭና እየወጣች ነበር፡፡
የፍርድ ቤቱ የቀጠሮ ሰዓት የተለወጠው ባጋጣሚ ወይም በስህተት ሊሆን ይችላል በሚል ይህ ለምን እንደሆነ መዝገብ ቤቱን ጠይቀን የተረዳነው ኬዙን ያየችው ዳኛ በህመም ምክኒያት ለረጅም ጊዜ ስራ የምትገባው ከሰዓት በኋላ ብቻ መሆኑንና ሁኔታው ለእነሱም እንግዳ ነገር መሆኑን ነው፡፡ ስለዚህም የቀጠሮው ሰዓት ለውጥ በፖሊስ ፍላጎት ሆን ተብሎ ተፈጽሟል ለማለት ይቻላል፡፡ ይህ ማለት በፍርድ ቤቱና በፖሊስ መሀከል ሊኖር የሚገባው መስመር ላይ ችግር አለ ማለት ነው፡፡
ሌላው የፌደራሉ ከፍተኛ ፍርድ ቤት ለ5 ወራት ያህል ግራና ቀኙን ሲያከራክር ሰንብቶ ታህሳስ 17 2004 ዓ.ም የመጨረሻውን ፍርድ ለመስጠት በተሰየመበት ዕለት የነበረው ሁኔታ እንዲሁ ጥርጣሬውን የሚያጠናክር ነው፡፡ ቀጠሮው ከጠዋቱ 3፡00 የነበረ ቢሆንም በዚያን ዕለት ይሰጣል የተባለውን ፍርድ ለመስማት የተገኙ ሰዎች የችሎቱን አዳራሽ የሞሉት ቀደም ብለው ነበር፡፡ ዳኞቹ 1 ሰዓት አርፍደው 4፡00 ላይ ችሎቱ ተሰየመ፡፡ ወዲያውኑ ውሳኔው ማለቁንና ይሁን እንጂ በኮምፒውተር ተጽፎ ስላላለቀ ከሰዓት በኋላ እናርገው አሉ፡፡ በዚህ ጊዜ የእነውብሸት ጠበቃ አቶ ደርበው “ከሰዓት ሌላ ቀጠሮ ስላለኝ አልችልም” ብለው ከአራት ቀን በኋላ ለታሀሳስ 21 እንዲሆን አማራጭ አቀረቡ፡፡ ዳኛው ግን አልተቀበሉትም፡፡ “እነዚህ ሰወች ያሉት በማረሚያ ቤት ነው፤ ቀጠሮው ከሚራዘም 7 ሰዓት እንገናኝና እስከ 8፡00 እንጨርሳለን” የሚል አማራጭ አቅረቡና በዚሁ ተስማሙ፡፡
የዳኛው ንግግር የሆነ ጥሩ ነገር ሊኖር ይችላል የሚል ተስፋ ስላጫረብን ሁላችንም ከዚያው ሳንወጣ ሰዓቱ እስኪደርስ መንቆራጠጥ ያዝን፡፡
አይደርስ የለ ሰዓቱ ደርሶ ችሎቱ በሚሰየምበት አዳራሽ ተኮለኮልን፡፡ ዳኞቹ ግን በሰዓቱ የሉም፡፡ ግማሽ ሰዓት አለፈ፤ አልመጡም 8 ሰዓት ሲሆን ሁላችንም ቀጠሮ አለኝ ያሉትን ጠበቃ ደርበውን እያየን መሳቀቅ ያዝን፤ ሰዓቱ እየነጎደ ነው፤ 9 ሰዓት ሆነ፡፡ ዳኞቹም አልመጡም ጠበቃ ደርበውም አልሄዱም፡፡ 9፡45 ላይ ዳኞቹ መጡ፡፡ አቶ ደርበው ግን ቀሩ፡፡
ዳኛው ስለማርፈዳቸው ምንም ሳይሉ አሁንም ጽሁፉ ስላልደረሰ በሚል ተለዋጭ ቀጠሮ ለመስጠት አጀንዳቸውን ማገላበጥ ያዙ፡፡ “አራት ቀን ምን ሲደረግ ይራዘማል” ያሉት ዳኛ ከ23 ቀን በኋላ ለጥር 10 2006ዓ.ም ተለዋጭ ቀጠሮ ሰጥተው ዕለቱና ችሎቱ አበቃ፡፡ ተስፋችንም እንዲሁ፡፡
ይህ ሁኔታ አንዳች ደስ የማይል ነገር እየተከናወነ እንዳለ የሚናገር መሆኑ እንዳለ ሆኖ ቀደም ሲል ያነሳነውን ጥርጣሬ ወደ እውነት የሚገፋው ተጨማሪ ክስተት፣ ለቀጠሮው መራዘም ምክኒያት ሆኖ የቀረበው ነገር ነው፡፡ የታህሳስ 17ቱ ቀጠሮ ወደ ጥር 10 የተሻገረው ውሳኔው በኮምፒውተር ተጽፎ አለማለቁ ሆኖ ሳለ ዳኛው ጥር 10 ያነበቡት በኮምፒውተር ያልተተየበ የእጅ ጽሁፍ ነበር፡፡ ስለዚህም የቀጠሮ ለውጡ የተካሄደው ከችሎቱ ጀርባ ባለ ሌላ ምክኒያት እንጂ ዳኛው እንዳሉት የኮምፒውተር ጽሁፍ ጉዳይ አይደለም ለማለት ይቻላል፡፡
እነዚህ ከላይ የተጠቀሱትና ሌሎችም ትንንሽ የሚመስሉ በርካታ ትዝብቶች ዳኛው የተጻፈለትን እንዳነበበ ከሚገልጸው መረጃ ጋር ተደምረው ሲታዩ የሚሰጡትን ትርጓሜ በማስረጃ ለማረጋገጥ መጠነኛ ጥረቶች ተደርገዋል፡፡
ይህን ለማረጋገጥ ሁነኛና ቀላል ዘዴ ሊሆን የሚችለው በእለቱ ዳኛው ያነበበውን የእጅ ጽሁፍና የዳኛውን ትክክለኛ የእጅ ጽሁፍ አግኝቶ ማመሳሰል ነው፡፡ በዚሁ መሰረት ይህን ለማድረግ የሚያስችሉ ማስረጃዎች ተገኝተዋል፡፡ ማስረጃዎቹ ዳኛው በዕለቱ ያነበበው ጽሁፍ በራሱ በዳኛው የተጻፈ አለመሆኑን የሚያሳዩ ናቸው፡፡
ቀጣዮቹን ሁለት ምስሎች ይመልከቱ

The Absurdity of Arguments and the Need to Deal With them constructively

by T. Goshu
It is this month that the Republic of South Africa has said goodbye to her truly patriotic and her greatest statesman, Nelson Mandela once and for all. Of course, the goodbye (farewell) is not to his legacy of paying a huge sacrifice for the realization of freedom which has finally been accomplished through “TRUTH FOR RECONCILIATION”; and which was of course the best avenue for a country like South Africa. In other words, although that process was/is not without its own worrisome shortcomings, especially when it comes to making a meaningful change for the betterment of socio-economic lives of black citizens; any other avenue other than “RECONCILIATION AND TOLERANCE” would have been disastrous. I think it is from this perspective that it is safe to say that the way Nelson Mandela dealt with the then apartheid political system was fairly wise and remarkably objective. When I say a farewell once and for all, I mean in terms of physical or bodily farewell, not to the presence and endurance of the great work he has left behind.
Well, I do not want to go into the business of political guess about the question of who would be another self-less statesmen/women to carry on his legacy. But, given what is going on almost in all of  African politics at this moment in time ( South Africa included), I unfortunately do not have any strong reason to be truly optimistic about the possibility of the emergence of a political personality which genuinely internalizes the great legacy of Nelson Mandela.   I am not declaring kind of pessimism that a resolute and well- organized struggle for freedom and justice with an intensive and extensive participation by the people themselves would not create its own relatively honest ,capable and willing leader who could advance the legacy of Nelson Mandela. Absolutely not! What I am trying to reflect is that it will not be easy to have another Mandela in that continent which is being badly infected with ruling elites who are determined to stay in power by suppressing ,if not terrorizing their own people while they “vow and swear” to follow the footstep of Mandela.  It is also not easy to produce another Mandela from dissenting opposition political forces as they themselves are suffering from all kinds of their own troubles. Anyway, the very change for the better, would heavily depend on how the people would play the decisive role and determine their own destiny/fate even with a leadership that is short of carrying on Mandela’s legacy in its full-fledged sense.
I wanted to begin my comment with the above introductory paragraphs because I want to make clear that the viewpoints I am interested to make under the topic I chose are one way or another related to the passing away of the great statesman of our time, Nelson Mandela. What the comment is about and how I want to approach it? Let me proceed and try to make my view points as clear and straight-forward as possible.
Following the death of Nelson Mandela, the SBS Australia (12/10/13) and ESAT (12/11/13) conducted their interviews with the former ruthlessly dictatorial president of Ethiopia, Colonel Mengistu Haile Mariam. Although the colonel tried to use the opportunity to present himself as patriotic and revolutionary ex- leader, the main focuses of the interviews were to hear his reflection and feelings about the passing away of Mandela. As Ethiopia was one of the African countries which had a significant role in supporting the struggle against apartheid and the national liberation movements in Southern Africa (both during the reign of Emperor Hailesellasie and the tyrannical rule of the Derg)   , there is nothing wrong to hear from those who either had firsthand information or who wanted to tell their own side of stories. And it goes without saying that looking for these kinds of people wherever they may be and make them talk (interview) about their reflections, viewpoints on occasions such as the one we are talking about is the right thing to do for an independent (free) media both in terms of principle  practical aspect. Yes, the very judgment on whether an interviewee such as Colonel Mengistu is trustworthy, or stupidly arrogant and with no any moral authority should be left to the listeners (the people). I think that was what the SBS Australia and ESAT have done. They did not hold their interviews with the colonel either based on the criteria of whether he was a good/democratic leader or a horrible dictator. Neither their purposes were to reconfirm the political crime he had committed. They neither interviewed him to hear what they wanted to hear nor to please or to disappoint that or this party. I do argue that if we are expecting this type journalism, especially in this 21^st century; we must be either so naïve or intentionally ignorant or else deliberately unconstructive.  Let me reiterate that as independent media, their main objective is to invite individuals or groups to have their own say and leave the rest for public debate and judgment. I think it was clear from the interviews they held with him that given his highest political position he held at the time, it was good to hear what he wanted to say about Nelson Mandela and his association with Ethiopia. That was it! I do not know what is wrong with that. And I do not think blaming, if not black mailing independent media for doing their rightful job does make any sense at all.
To be more specific and straight-forward, let me mention some of the absurd arguments expressed in the form of statement – (“meglecha”), articles, and request for an apology. I do not want here to go into my personal experience during the reign of the military dictatorship to prove that I am one of those who strongly believe that the colonel has neither any moral authority nor any political personality as far as telling the truth about what happened to the Ethiopian people in the 1970s is concerned.  I do not need also to go into my firsthand experience about what went wrong with the leadership of EPRP that had caused a lot of damages to hundreds of thousands of its Youth Wing members, the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Youth League which I belonged to because of making terrible tactical mistakes of applying urban armed struggle. I strongly believe that as any other many chapters of our terribly messed up political history, our political crisis of the 17-years (1970s and 80s) requires a well-settled, matured, rational/realistic, a high level of civility, and above all a forward –looking way of thinking and doing things. I am not that saying those who had committed serious political crime should not be held responsible and accountable.

1. The EPRP (I do not know which faction is this) Radio of Finote Democracy of December 15, 2013 read out “official statement” of the party titled “Making an Effort to Renew the Name of the Main Enemy of the People is a crime”- ( Yehizib Wanna  Telatn Semin Lemades Metar Wonjel Nawu).” What is terribly absurd about “this statement” is not because it condemns the colonel as a horrible former dictator; but it categorically characterizes those independent media which have held interview with him as sympathizers of his criminal acts and records. I do argue that this kind argument (political mentality) does suffer from a very terrible absurdity. And I am sorry to say but I have to say that it is very unfortunate to witness the regurgitation of rhetoric that does not have any meaningful and constrictive value from my compatriots who claim having a long time of political experience.  Although I do not know for how long and for what purpose should we continue with this type of walking, but not forward; I hope those who have still chosen to go with this kind of unproductive way of thinking will change for the better with the help of the innocent people of Ethiopia who truly deserve better.

2. “To Purify Mengistu from Wickedness at the Expense of the Death of Mandela – (Bemandela Mot Mengistun Kegif Lemantsat) “is an article by Beljig Ali (12/15/13). Once again, I sincerely believe that  it is not only suffice to say that there is nothing wrong to strongly condemn anybody ( media or another form of group) that deliberately promotes those who have/had committed political crime but it is also the right thing to do.  The writer has used the case of Hitler’s book which “justifies” his fascistic atrocities against millions of Jews, and incalculable destruction he had caused internationally.  That is a very informative point. He informed us that the right to republish Hitler’s book expires 2015. Yes, there are similarities among all ruthless dictators; and if the writer is trying to show that side of the story when he mentions our case, that is unquestionably true. But, if he is putting the two cases on the same scale for sake of justifying his argument, I think that is a very highly skewed, if not misleading of way making cooperative politics. With regard to the book, my understanding is that it has been available for a long time, and I think the Germans have become seriously concerned about the tendency of using the book as a promoting and provoking weapon by some elements of Hitlerism. And that might be the reason to reconsider the right of republication. This is just to appreciate the writer for sharing the information and the view he has.

When it comes to the case of the interview with colonel Mengistu, I strongly believe arguing against the way the colonel presents himself is the right thing to do. However, the very troubling approach of the writer is well- reflected in his very topic he chose. I do not think coming up with this kind of never talk (interview) a person who did terrible things and who I do not like him or her sounds helpful at all.  Because that is not the sign of civility. What I want to mean by civility is the willingness and ability to deal with people with ideas that are against ours in rational and tolerant manner.  I also want to say that it is the right thing to vehemently comment if there was/is something significant went wrong during the interviews we are talking about.  But, it is absolutely absurd, if not irresponsibly stupid (the idea, not the person is stupid) to declare that, “These mass media try to rebury those compatriots who had been killed cruelly by Mengistu by interviewing Mengistitu.” I am not saying that there are no elements of media that may try to do that kind of dirty job. What I am specifically talking about is the media we are talking about, SBS and ESAT that have held interviews with the colonel just to hear his reflection and view about the Death of Nelson Mangela. Clear and short! I still want to remain optimistic that through very difficult but possible way of doing things, we will overcome, if not minimize the absurdity we found ourselves trapped.

3. Another article was by Tedla Asfaw titled, “ESAT and SBS Australia Radio Should Apologize for Mengistu Hailemariam’s Interview.” Tedla‘s piece of writing redundantly tells us about the political evil-doings of Mengistu Hailemariam as if the journalist of those mass  media who have held their interviews with colonel Mengistu Haliemariam are terribly ignorant about what had been done to Ethiopia and her innocent people during reign of the military junta. His (Tedla’s) uncontrolled rage made him not to see the very purpose of independent mass media: inform the public and play the role in the process of shaping public opinion, do investigative information and create public awareness but leaving the judgment and decision to the public. I wonder if Tedla and others with similar attitudes are telling those media that talking with (interviewing) those who have done wrong including members/supporters of the current ruling circle should be considered as failing the people’s cause. I hear and read that Tedla is an activist, and that is so great and I do not want to discredit his participation as an activist. But I strongly believe activism, in a real sense of the term is not compatible with the attitude and interest to hear only what we want to hear; or we simply hate what we do not agree with. It rather requires sincere willingness and tolerance to listen to others who hold and practice ideas we do not agree with.  What I am trying to say is that one has to show tolerance to what is intolerable endlessly. The point that I am trying to make is that condemning /blaming /blackmailing those independent media for the simple reason that they interviewed the former dictatorial president of Ethiopia is not constructive at all.

4. The last writer who tried hard to the extent of borrowing the saying of Julius Caesar of the Roman Empire (“Et tu, EAST?), is Yilma Bekele (12/20/13). I wonder why he work hard in search of that saying of Caesar. Anyway, that is not the focus of my point. I appreciate his genuine concern and legitimate anger about what the Saudi government has done to our compatriots. Although his expression about the death of Nelson Mandela sounds a bit exaggerated as he (Nelson Mandela) was aged and terminally ill for a considerable period of time, Yilma is right that it was not a good time. I also want say that Yilma’s bitter hate towards Mengistu Hailemariam is well – founded and understood and I am one of those who share his genuine feelings.

The problem of Yilma’s highly emotion-driven, if not highly inflammable rage begins with the very topic he chose, blaming ESAT for the simple reason of interviewing Mengistu Hailemriam.   And that kind of negative attitude has made him just throw any word or phrase that he believes it is good to “bombard” not only ESAT but anybody else he perceives as “sympathizer” of Mengistu hailemriam. I do not need to say something different from what I have already said above about the absurdity of waging irrational, if not nonsensical campaign against those independent mass media people who held the interview we are talking about. Yes, those independent media have to feel free to hold interview with good or bad guys so that the people could be well-informed about who thinks what and who does what. That is how the idea of freedom of expression comes in as far as this particular case we are discussing about is concerned. If this is “little knowledge is dangerous “to Yilma, I have to say the converse might be true. If Yilma is believing that he has a superiority of knowledge, I am afraid he is in a state of self-defeating because this kind of mentality is the sign of dead end. I wish I could have better words to say it. But that is the way it is! Another complaint Yilma tried to express is about “why the interviewer referred to Mengistu as the former President of Ethiopia.”  I do not know how it makes sense to declare that a journalist is either wrong or a sympathizer of a former president because he referred to him as a president. The point is is that being a dictator or something else does not change the fact that he was a president. Leaving aside this, a journalist whose interview is specifically about Nelson Mandela, not the political trouble of the interviewee is not expected to challenge him to extent of referring him dictator. I do not know why we want to see things as simple as the rhetoric we make.

It goes without saying that we all are the products of a society that has never had an opportunity to experience the culture of engaging in a free, tolerant and sustainably constructive argument /conversation and debate. I sincerely believe that we desperately need to strive hard if we want to break the continuity of this undesirable and disruptive way of thinking. The people of Ethiopia cannot afford to continue entreating the political culture of trying to solve the problems of this very dynamic time of ours with a very backward thinking and methods.  I want conclude with the following quotation I have borrowed form a book, “How to Argue and Win Every Time by author Gerry Spence (1995). He says, “We fail to make a successful argument because we affix certain locks to ourselves, locks that imprison our arguments, or … locks that bar us from adapting a winning stance.”

Beka Terign- One House Team (Official Video)

 

Minew Shewa Entertainment Presents ” Beka Terign” In loving memory of all our brothers and sisters who have lost their lives in foreign countries seeking for a better life.

The South Sudan blood bath and Kiir’s perfidious power consolidation act

The Horn Times Newsletter
by Getahune Bekele, South Africa
Already castigated as another flop in tyranny prone Africa, the impenitent would-be-tyrant who is leading a corrupt and militarized autocracy, President of South Sudan Salva Kiir Mayardit is no longer sporting his trademark 10-gallon black cowboy hat he imports from the US state of Texas, some 7,000 miles away.

President Salva Kiir

He first saw the hat in July 2006 when then President of the US, the peremptory George W Bush offered him one as gift at the White House during his first visit there. According to reports, Kirr wears the hat ever since in honor of President Bush who played an instrumental role in the 2005 comprehensive peace agreement, a measure that gave birth to the world’s youngest nation in 2011.
However, while fashion Guru President Salva Kiir wears his black Stetson and pretending to be a Texan, his deputy, the renegade Riek Machar wears standard Western suits particularly those made in Britain. He dearly loves the former colonial super power. Some say he is still trying to come to terms with the horrific death of his late British wife Emma McCune who died in a Nairobi car crash. She was heavily pregnant.
“I call it oil curse. There was no harmony and patriotism in the upper echelons of our governing class. Both these power drunk gentle men have lost their brain function. Ethnic rivalries and the bitter power struggle aside, Kiir was awarding all contracts in the oil and construction industry to Americans while the now fugitive Riek Machar wanted British companies to get some of the lucrative deals just like the Americans and the Chinese. The two imposters, one Texan and the other Briton, Machar and Kiir were at each other’s throat over this issue which resulted in Machar eventually losing his job as deputy President of South Sudan in July 2013.” A top academic based in the tense Capital Juba told the Horn Times by phone.
Asking not to be named for security reasons, the academic added that inflammatory rhetoric and targeted violence are pushing the impoverished landlocked nation of more than 10-million people into renewed civil war.
Currently, foreign aid workers are leaving Juba and the capital of the restive Jongole state Bor, in large numbers amid escalating violence. On Saturday December 21, three US Service men were wounded when small arms fire hit three military aircrafts in Bor and a UN helicopter was downed in the same area where Dinka loyalists of President Kiir are battling the Nuer supporters of Rick Macher.
Moreover, the fortified US embassy in Juba, guarded by more than fifty marines announced the withdrawal of all ‘non-essential’ staff and more than 98 Germans were airlifted to neighboring Uganda.
The clashes began last week Sunday when military bases in the capital were attacked by what the government of South Sudan called soldiers allied to former SPLM rebel leader Riek Machar. The next morning, on Monday December 16, 2013, President Salva Kirr appeared on national TV swapping his cowboy hat and suit for full military uniform, returning the nation’s collective memory to the days of the 22-year devastating civil war that left the country in ruins.

Riek Machar

Although Kiir claimed victory in the televised address, the war that pitted well organized and battle hardened gangs from Nuer tribe against the Dinkas, spiraled out of control in just few days and it is now spreading like wildfires east towards the border with Ethiopia; where three Indian UN peacekeepers perished last week while attempting to protect civilians.
Furthermore, despite the massive manhunt launched by security forces to capture Rick Machar, his whereabouts are still unknown, but he insists that he is in South Sudan.
“Mr. Kiir is using the false accusation of coup as pretext for a purge.” The firebrand Machar told the Sudan tribune from his hideout believed to be somewhere in violence torn Jongole state. “I have no connection with or knowledge of any coup attempt. Salva Kirr is trying to use the alleged coup attempt as reason in order to get rid of us to control the government. We don’t want him as the president of South Sudan anymore.” Machar added.
Peace efforts to save the nation from the looming disaster were further complicated by the sheer brutality of security forces loyal to President Kirr. They have been attacking ordinary Nuers and carried out series of arrests rounding up unknown numbers of former and current military or government leaders in the capital Juba; notably former lead negotiator in talks with Sudan over oil sharing, Mr. Pagan Amum.
On Friday December 20, 2013, a jittery Salva Kirr who is clearly in choppy waters indicated his willingness to talk to any rebel group and his foreign minister Barnaba Marial Benjamin had given African mediators the go-ahead to meet with Kiir’s rivals without directly mentioning the name of his archrival Riek Machar. Can they afford to ignore the man the Nuers cheer like a long lost hero and largely seen as the next president of South Sudan?
Current nervous AU chair, Ethiopian PM Hailemariam Desalegn who is deeply worried about the sordid mess in South Sudan has been spluttering about urgent negotiated settlement before Ethiopian militant opposition groups exploit the situation and grab a foothold in a region rich with natural resources and awash with weapons.
“President Salva Kiir has been a key ally of the late Meles Zenawi and a trusted comrade to the ruling minority junta of Ethiopia. Before and after the independence of South Sudan, Kiir never allowed Ethiopian oppositions to enter his banana republic and those who entered seeking protection were captured and handed over to the TPLF regime.
“The pragmatic Riek Matchar who spent more than 30 years in Ethiopian jungles during the liberation struggle, however, won’t be just a yes man to the genocidal Tigre junta. Their ill-considered and misguided support for Kiir has been hurting the Nuers. Some top Matchar men even openly said that they feel their country is the colony of Tigray republic under Kiir’s inept leadership hence they feel the war for total independence has just started. Well, personally am not surprised that the Nuers have chosen the path of war as the best route towards peace and democracy.” A political analyst who recently visited Juba told the Horn Times from Addis Ababa.
Is Riek Matchar the face of change in a region blighted by terrible misrule and tyranny? Is he the man who can bring lasting peace to a region dogged by the lexicon of bloodied past? Only time will tell.
infohorntimes@gmail.com

Ethiopia: What’s love got to do with it?

    

Love of people and country means simply loving freedom.  Those that love freedom like Mandela love their people to free them revered by the world. Other that hates freedom like Mengestu and Melse hate their people to subjugate and sell them and hiding in their cage.
Ethiopians can only be free when we love freedom more than anything. That means, if we want our freedom we need to rid of those that pander for our worst instinct – fears, differences, greed…etc. that held us hostage for far too long. The sooner we rid of peddlers and predators the sooner we will be free.
by Teshome Debalke
Strange thing is happening to us Ethiopians. We all claim to love our country and people more than anything and have a strange way of showing it. From the outset love of people and country comes from love of freedom. It is a belief ‘if you love something set it free’.  Opportunist love isn’t love at all. It is peddling for self interest above all. Therefore, love has noting to do with what we have been doing for too long.
Let’s stop the bull and cut the chase and get right to the important issues of our people. If we love our people as we claim, noting is important than freeing them from peddlers and predators starting with Woyane.
At this late hour, noting is more urgent than to stop the bleeding of our people and country. We don’t need anything to bring down the main cause of the bleeding but love of freedom to hound peddlers, predators and their conspirators that cause it.
But, before we do that we must understand;  retail freedom is not love of people but, short cut to glory. Tripping on each other for the limelight than doing it together isn’t love of people but, power mongering. Pandering for our differences than oneness under the rule of laws isn’t love of people but taking advantage of our venerable people to bargain their freedom with tyranny.  Talking and writing about freedom and democracy than delivering isn’t love of people but diversion from freedom. Pandering for our fears than our intellect is not love of people but a coward way of remaining or climbing the ladder of power.
Remember, even the ethnic peddling and predator regime of Woyane and its stooges claim to love the people with a strange way of showing it. Their new found love is to fatten their pocket book more than anything else; so-much-so it drove them in madness to kill anyone and sell anything or anybody that threaten their corruption.
Take for example Woyane peddling ethnicity as Tigray People Liberation Front (TPLF). Is killing and stealing Ethiopians in the name of Tigray and making Tigray a damping ground for stolen stuff of Woyane love of people?
Take Woyane peddling ethnic federalism as Ethiopian People Federal Democratic Front (EPFDR). Is killing and stealing in the name of nation and nationalities and making ethnic region a playing ground for out of control ethnic Warlords love of people and country?
The sorry Woyane apologists have their twisted way of expressing their love too. Acting stupid, they skirt the crimes of Woyane spinning lies and diverting the public to save Woyane.
Likewise, the atrocious Derg and its stooges that are responsible for the loss of thousands of lives and property love the people too. Their special love was expressed by killing her brightest children and exiling millions to leave her venerable for the Woyane hyenas to finish her off.  The king pin of Derg that made a mockery of government with a slogan is hiding behind Mandela to talk about his new found love too. In his latest interviews, he was allowed to skip all his crimes to come out after 22 years of hiding as a born again lover of the people.
Similarly, the sorry Derg’s apologists have their own way of showing their love too. Skirting the crimes and opening old wounds is becoming a habit of tormenting us allover again; hiding behind Woyane’s crime.
Others claim to love the people too. Some do only if they can experiment their new found adventure on the whole or part of the people. Others, love the the people if only they can live off the people’s poverty. Rightly, these are what are referred as Hodams.  The term Hodam refers to someone that lives for his/her belly by pandering for tyranny. Surprisingly, there are too many of them at home and hiding in the ‘free world’.
Take for instance the Merchants-of-death that tag along with Woyane to get ahead of           everybody else. They are lineup like drug addicts — pleading Woyane to hand them public resources in exchange to support the regime. Some of them are ugly enough to throw pocket change and brag about helping the people they stole from. Others are tripping over each other to receive stolen plot of land cheering Woyane.
There are also those that passionately hate the people and say it loud and clear. Some are self-appointed ethnic and religious peddlers with foreign nationalities.  Others are agents of her enemies willing to do someone’s dirty job as Woyane officially used to be. There are few others that want to see her people divided into small numbers and regions and at each other throat so that they can do their own little dirty deeds.
In all the mess our contemporary ethnic peddlers/ mercenaries/ revolutionaries liberators/adventurists and Hodams of all kinds and shapes created not one is brave enough to come out and take responsibility.
Tracking the stooges of Woyane, Derg, Shbiya and the rest of the ethnic peddlers/ mercenaries/ revolutionaries/liberators/adventurists and Hodam tells a story of our contemporary elites that got away with murder and still claim to love the people and country.
A good example of ‘what love got to do with it’ is Tamerat Layne, the former Woyane Prime Minster, Marxist revolutionary, ethnic liberator/ businessman/hodam and born again Christian and soon to be born again democracy advocate in a span of few decades  is hiding in the free world like many of his fallen comrades.
He sums up what one-in-all of modern elites did to our people in the last four decades.  The article titled;  Tamrat Layne: Another Botched Marxist Rollout describe him better. But, there is much more of the man to be reviled yet. Unfortunately, the man that confessed only to his corruption is roaming free while his victims are buried under the ground grave or jail crying for justice. watching his handlers scramble to make a devil turn God-fearing angel by itself is as sickening and tells another story of ‘what love got to do with it’?
Another good example is Siye Abriha. A former Woyane defense minster, a Marxist Tigray liberator, an ethnic peddler, businessman, born again nationalist in span of few decades and soon to be ‘security expert’ to hound more Ethiopians from his hiding speaks loud. The man that helped put up an Apartheid system and  money grabbing cartel of TPLF is improving his ‘skills’ at Harvard University and claim to love the people and the country he left behind.
Several more stooges of X Woyane, X Derg, X Shabiya and the rest can be cited uttering love of country and people in one form or another too. Some of them are shameless enough to reinvent themselves and comeback as experts, research fellows, authors, media men and the rest.
What love of people and country means
When Mandela that lived through three succeeding Ethiopia regimes became the most revered leader in the world by breaking the backbone of Apartheid tyranny to be the first democratic elected leader of free South Africa we are still searching for a leader that can walk straight. Worst yet, we live under the Woyane Apartheid regime surrounded with ethnic hodam warlords running wild– killing and robbing people.
When a foreign man that trained in Ethiopia and felt pride of being an Ethiopian achieved so much to his people we couldn’t find a leader that feel pride of Ethiopiawinet and end up with modern day ethnic peddlers, killers, thieves and drifters that hate their people and country, and freedom itself.
Love of people and country means simply loving freedom.  Those that love freedom like Mandela love their people to free them revered by the world. Other that hates freedom like Mengestu and Melse hate their people to subjugate and sell them and hiding in their cage.
Ethiopians can only be free when we love freedom more than anything. That means, if we want our freedom we need to get rid of those that pander for our worst instinct – fears, differences, greed…etc. that held us hostage for far too long. The sooner we rid of peddlers and predators the sooner we all will be free.
Ethiopians must reject those that tell us our people are our enemies than the killers the thieves, the corrupt warlords, businessmen, journalists, bureaucrats… that carry tyranny on their shoulders. We must follow those that walk the talk the rule of law and democracy and deprive a hiding place for those that hide behind it. Our people can no longer afford to be pawns of tyranny in any shape or form just because we let them get away.
As we keep Woyane and its stooges run and dodge the unavoidable surrender we should say no more we allow the suffering of our people again.  The apologist of Woyane that prolong the pain and suffering of our people should be warned; there will have no place to hide and no excuses to claim when they face the warmth of the people. Until then, they can fart all they want, it wouldn’t make any different.