Thursday, November 30, 2006
Kinijit- The Way of Peace
It has been 17 months since the people have spoken for Peace and “Ethiopiawinet” and 15 months since the people’s Leaders have been incarcerated. The ghosts of war and blood shed are circling around our land. Various groups are organizing themselves to confront the EPRDF militarily for they think it is the only language it understands. The ruling party has been gearing up to sacrifice the lives of young Ethiopians in Somalia in an attempt to gain favors from its “lords”. In Northern Ethiopia tense military build ups are continuing. All these shows that the cloud on top of our land is a cloud of blood shed and war.
The Spirit of war, hate, revenge and tribalism are controlling systematically the hearts and minds of some is us. We are being possessed by demons. We are heading into the wrong direction. Tribal groups whose foundations and principles are anything, but “Ethiopiawinet” are taking the stage.
Where are the voices of reason, peace and reconciliation? Where is the alternative to war? Where is the alternative to ethnic and tribal politics? Where is the alternative to revenge? Where is the alternative to hate?
Dear Fellow Ethiopians, I havea good news. There is an alternative that Ethiopians had never had before, but has been introduced by KINIJIT. KINIJIT has shown a unique and dynamic alternative to solving our problems. The alternative of Kinijit is an alternative of peace, love, Ethiopiawinet and reconciliation. The alternative of Kinijit is an alternative where disputes are resolved with civil dialogue
Dear fellow Ethiopians:
When Kinijit presented its alternative to the people many thought it was a foolish alternative that do not deserve support. Many thought it was a waste of time and energy. On May 7th 2005 more than 3 million people came out in full force to rally behind Kinijit and to show their overwhelming endorsement for Kinijit and its programs On May 15th 2005, Ethiopians all over the land reaffirmed again their support with their ballot. Ethiopians said No to war, No to hate, No to revenge and No to ethnic politics.
The alternative of Kinijit has been so convincing that the EPRDF could not handle it anymore. Without an army, security forces and the support of outside powers Kinijit has been able to stand against the power of evils.
Kinijit is no longer just a political party. It has become a movement and the symbol of Ethiopiawinet and peaceful resistance. From Kaliti Prison, the Vice Chairwoman of Kinijit, Judge Birtukan Mideksa wrote: "Kinijit was just an alternative political party before the election debates. Its transformation to being the spirit of resistance against tyranny was both dramatic and intense. As this spirit chews Ethiopians at home and abroad, our nation can no longer be tamed." .Kinijit has transformed itself from being a political party to being a movement. Some may want to see it only as a political party. Some may want to see it go away all together. However, Kinijit has a unique and invincible place in the heart of the majority of Ethiopians. All Ethiopians who aspire for freedom, human dignity and “Ethiopiawinet” are embracing Kinijit. All Ethiopians who are tired of the politics of hate and division have given thumbs up to Kinijit. "On the first day of November, EPRDF's security men dragged the leaders of Kinijit away from our homes and assigned us a new home, at prison, hoping that the ignited flame of liberation would have stopped flickering soon” , explained Judged Birtukan Mideksa. The EPRDF may have thought it would silence this movement. Meles may have put his confidence on his Agazii troops. However, the movement expanded and reached out to millions with dramatic speed. Judge Birtukan added:” Our incarceration hasn't liquidated the spirit of freedom. Instead, it degrades those who are fighting against it into something hateful and undignified. Toughened by the crack down on dissent and other forms of oppression, other democrats, genuinely committed to the cause of liberty, and equality are emerging”
It is right, the EPRDF forces have locked up our heroes and heroines. It is right, Kinijit Leaders in Kaliti are facing unbearable pains and heavy discomfort in their cell. It is right, their children are deprived quality time with their fathers and mothers locked up in Kaliti. It is right their families are economically hurt. However, millions of Eng. Hailu Shawels, Birtukan Mideksas, Muluneh Eyuels, Professor Mesfin Woldemariams and Dr Berhanu Negas have been produced. We are all the new Dr Yacobs, Dr Befekadus, Dr. Hailus, Eng. Gizachews and Woiz. Nigists---all democrats dedicated to the peaceful struggle for democratic governance, human rights and the rule of law to take hold in our beloved Motherland.
Kinijit has introduced a new politics. A letter from Kinijit Leaders in Kaliti says: “Kinijit's open-minded, inclusive and accommodating politics has received great support from the public. There is no way back to the old sickness of divisive politics”. The new politics of Kinijit is a politics of open-mindedness, inclusiveness and accommodation. Creative ideas, suggestions and recommendations are welcomed. Criticism and dissents are valued. Kinijit is open and accommodating. It is not a club of the privileged where only the few are allowed to talk and to be listened. Kinijit is open to all.
The accommodating principles of Kinijit might innocently be taken by some as compromising one’s principles. Kinijit Leaders have offered an olive branch even to EPRDF members. For Kinijit no Ethiopian is an enemy of Ethiopia. Kinijit is for an Ethiopia where everyone could freely express his/her ideas and contribute to his country.
This is KINIJIT!
There is a choice to make here. There are two twin roads. One road is the road that leads to destruction and misery. There is another road that leads to Peace, Democracy and Ethiopian Unity. The road that Kinijit took is the road of Peace. Let us all support Kinijit and fulfill our historic responsibility. Let us work for one and unique Ethiopia whose people are equally respected regardless of ethnic affiliation, religion, gender and age. Let us speak loud and clear that WAR and HATE are behind us.
For far too long, we have been looking for others to sacrifice for us, for too long we have been hiding behind the suffering of others, for too long we have been hiding in our closets and avoiding responsibility, for too long we have been benefiting by the demise of others, for much too long we have been silent on our country’s affairs. The release of Kinijit Leaders, respect for the rule of law, freedom of the press and the release of the jailed journalists, human right activists and all prisoners of conscience, the unity of our country and peace and stability should matter to ALL Ethiopians. If these things that matter most do not move us from our silence as Martin Luther King Jr. said we are dead. The great civil rights leader said:” Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” Silence is not acceptable! Ethiopia cannot afford the activism of its enemies and the silence of its children.
Ethiopia will prevail! The Almighty God will save Ethiopia. The leaders who are currently languishing in prison will be free. As Dr. Martin Luther King said, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
May the Almighty God keeps our Leaders in Kaliti safe!
May the Almighty God bless our beloved Ethiopia!
May the Almighty God bless our beloved Ethiopia!
Saturday, November 25, 2006
Kinijit North America Inquiry Commission Report
Saturday, November 04, 2006
The New Professor Asrats?
THE NEW PROFESSOR ASRATS ?
November 4, 2006
Girma Kassa (Chicago)
muziky68@yahoo.com
“The Only real prison is fear, and the only real freedom is freedom from fear”
Aung San Sun Kyi.
“Repression is not the way to virtue. When people restrain themselves out of fear, their lives are by necessity diminished.”
Mihaly Csiszentmihalyi
It has been 562 days since the People of Ethiopia has spoken loud and clear for Peace, Unity and economic growth; and said “No” to ethnic politics and racial bigotry. It has been 367 days since our courageous and selfless Leaders of ours are incarcerated.
Why are our Leaders still in prison? Why is the bright light we saw On May 15, 2005 getting dimmer and dimmer? Professor Asrat Woldeyes stood for Ethiopia and its people. He came out of prison in a body bag. What guarantee do we have that the Leaders in Kaliti will not be the new Professor Asrats?
I remember a PalTalk discussion forum with Dr. Yacob Hailemariam and Judge Bertukan Mideksa, during which attendees of the forum promised their strong support to the cause of Kinijit. I remember the standing ovation Engineer Hailu Shawel got from the audience in Washington DC. “We will stand by you ... You are our heroes... Please do not enter the parliament,” Diaspora Ethiopians loudly declared.
Kinijit Leaders listened to the people and stood for Democracy and Ethiopiawinet. They stood against dictatorship, ethnic politics and the mock democracy. They did their homework. Had they joined the EPRDF controlled Parliament and easily given up, they could have easily spared themselves from prison life. They could have compromised Kinijit’s principle and made deals with the government. They could have been given ministerial positions. They could have been easily like us. Ethiopia is not more mother to them than to us.
However, Kinijit leaders went to prison because they are visionaries and have faith in the people. They believed the people, with the help of the Almighty God, will soon deliver them from Kaliti Prison. Though emotionally and physically painful their incarceration is (to them and their families), they are filled with hope and are seeing a prosperous, unique and democratic Ethiopia beyond the walls of Kaliti prison. The hope of a better Ethiopia has given them the strength to endure their pain.
When Kinjit leaders fulfilled their historic and patriotic duty with courage and determination, it was up to us to continue the struggle. From Kaliti prison the Leaders proclaimed:
“We the leaders, members and supporters of CUDP both inside and outside of prison will continue our peaceful struggle. Therefore, we respectfully call on you to stand with us and continue mobilizing for the peaceful, legal struggle both within and outside of the country until the ruling party comes to the table in search of a negotiated resolution of all outstanding issues that led up to the current crisis.”
From kaliti, they are calling us to stand up and continue the struggle. They are asking for our help and support. Unfortunately, we have not kept our promises. Though some have been laboring day and night to get the release of our Leaders, the majority in the Diaspora is not as motivated as it was in November 2005. I sense fatigue and despair. I believe the Diaspora is disillusioned, confused and retracting itself from the struggle because it is feeling it would not make any difference. Many of us are possessed with the spirit of self-defeatism and despair. We are losing the battle before it starts.
We may not have supported the EPRDF. We may not have directly contributed to the incarceration of our Leaders. However, our silence is the reason Kinijit Leaders, journalists and human right activists are still in jail. Our silence is providing bullets for the EPRDF forces.
I am afraid they, Kinijit Leaders, will be the new Professor Asrats. They will not be released unless an earthquake happens in the mind of Ethiopians. How could Kaliti Leaders be released by the EPRDF government unless we make it happen? The day these Leaders of ours come out from prison in body bags, who would be the culprit for their death? As much as the EPRDF officials, you and I, would also have to take that responsibility. At this time they are in jail not because the EPRDF is strong. They are in jail because we are weak, selfish, and silent.
More than ever Ethiopia demands its children to come out of their closets. Ethiopia cannot afford the silence of its children. For so long we have been spending our time "talking" and "talking" and "talking". We have been spending our time incriminating one another. We are a people who cannot tolerate others and have no mercy should someone make a mistake. We are fast at judging and condemning others. Everybody is responsible for all our problems except us.
Dear Fellow Ethiopians:
We are our own worst enemy. We want others to sacrifice for us but hide under our bed when our turn comes. We are selfish and ignorant about the plight of our poor people. We blame Western countries for not helping Ethiopia when we have done nothing for our country. Our hypocrisy and lack of integrity is our problem. We lobbied Kinijit leaders so that they can stand against the ruthless EPRDF regime. When these Leaders are languishing in prison we are no where to be found. When would we stop being “Ye Del Ken Arbegnotch” ? (Patriots of the Victory Day).
In struggle there are ups and downs. Some may say, "it is impossible to force change in the Meles administration". Our effort may be seen as meaningless. On the surface Kinijit may seem "vanished". The situation in Ethiopia may be “calm" with Prime Minister Meles at the helm of power. HOWEVER, WE SHOULD NEVER GIVE UP. It may take years. We might not see a free Ethiopia in our time. But our children will one day rejoice in a free, prosperous and democratic Ethiopia.
The Great American President Franklin D. Roosevelt said “First of all, let me assert my firm belief that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself”. The only power the EPRDF forces have is their excellent use of the public media. They are good at dividing the opposition and spreading fear among the general public. They want us to fear them. More than its gun the EPRDF is using effectively FEAR to crush the will of the people. Fear cripples the energy of mankind.
In this regard, the Ministry of Information is playing a more important role than the security forces. A handful of EPRDF rulers are controlling the Tigray region and the rest of Ethiopia with an iron fist. They have built up an image of themselves in the mind of many Ethiopians that they are like “gods”. They have successfully established the ideas that they are untouchables and whoever stands in the way of the EPRDF will be eliminated.
It is time to think of the EPRDF as what it is, a rotten and dying organization. It has no popular support from any region including Tigray. It does not have military strength as many of us think. The armed forces are cracking down. They are losing confidence and getting more and more desperate. Their refusal to sit on the table and start a dialogue with Kinijit Leaders shows by itself their lack of confidence. Since they are filled with insecurity and inferiority they consider everyone as their enemy.
It is in this context that I call for a renewal of mind. Instead of being filled with fear and put an image of a big “Meles Zenawi” in our mind, we should learn to believe in ourselves. “What is man without freedom” said Judge Birtukan Mideksa. A life lived in fear and despair is no better than death. A life lived without a purpose is a tragedy.
It is time to be free from the bondage of the Spirit of fear and the Spirit of ignorance. Freedom starts from within. A man who only thinks of himself and forgets where he came from, is a man who is spiritually poor and sick.
I have hope. I see potentials among Ethiopians. Ethiopia has so many talented children and tremendous strategic resources. If we have peace and love, if we believe in ourselves, if we look to our brothers and sisters, if we stop being silent on matters that matter a lot, if we allow our God given talent and energy to come from within us ..we would have solved our problems on our own and have our Leaders free from prison.
Kaliti Leaders did their homework. Let us do ours. It all starts from each one of us. Ethiopia is equal for all Ethiopians. There is no reason one would pay more sacrifice than others. It is time to speak out and assert our freedom in our country. We are all created in the image and likeness of God. God has given us a country called Ethiopia. He has given us the right to live in peace and dignity in Ethiopia. The EPRDF must not be allowed to continue taking away from us our right and our dignity that God gave us.
Let us say No to brutality and torture! Let us say No to dictatorship and ethnic politics! Let us say No to war and poverty! Let us say No to the status quo!
May Our Lord God strech out his scepter of Peace towards our country!
May He touch us with his Spirit of Freedom and Courage so that we can be free from ourselves and reclaim our God given rights to live in a peaceful, democratic and prosperous Ethiopia where the right of all its people are respected regardless of age, ethnic affiliation, religion and gender !
