KINIJIT NOW ANDENET - The Way of Peace & Ethiopiawinet

November 13, 2007

HR2003 has been the main topic of discussion and engagement of the Diaspora community mainly in the United States. Now the HR2003 talk is extended to the airwaves in Ethiopia.

The regime of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has not ceased amazing us with its lies, deceptions and complete disregards towards the people of Ethiopia. This time the regime is comparing HR2003 as the “wuchale woul” (a 19^th century agreement signed between Italy and Ethiopia during the reign of Emperor Menelik II).

Recently released CUD leader are being accused by Arat Kilo, as working against the interest and constitution of Ethiopia. Particularly the heavy campaigns of deception and intimidation against Judge Birtukan Mideksa, the vice chairperson of the CUD, and Dr Berhanu Nega, elected mayor of Addis Ababa have intensified and incomprehensibly being ludicrous.

HR2003 as its title indicates is a bill that promotes accountability in Ethiopia. If I were the one who coined the title, I would have added the word “reconciliation”, for HR2003 is a bill that encourages dialog and reconciliation among all political parties within Ethiopia.

SEC. 4. m subsection a) item 2)-“The Secretary of State shall-- establish a program focused on reconciliation efforts between the Government of Ethiopia and political parties, including in minority communities, in preparation for negotiation and for participation in the political process.” [1]

SEC.5 , subsection c) and item 2)- “It is the sense of Congress that the Government of the United States should--encourage the Government of Ethiopia to enter into discussions with opposition political groups interested in reconciliation in order to bring such groups into full participation in the political and economic affairs of Ethiopia, including their legalization as political parties, and provide such assistance as is warranted and necessary to help achieve the goal described in this paragraph; “ [1]

This bill is a bill that promotes and encourages dialog of all political organizations in Ethiopia. It does not call for the elimination of the EPRDF as some in the opposition camps are advocating; nor does it support the futile, unethiopian and meaningless attempts of the regime in Arat Kilo to destroy the CUD or any organizations that it considers treats to its totalitarian monopoly of Ethiopia. The bill calls for Ethiopians to solve their problems in a dialog and on their own. Is that being anti-Ethiopian ?

Does the EPRDF think that calling for dialog and reconciliation is damaging the interest of Ethiopia? Does it think that bringing all parties together and hammer out differences peacefully as an act of treason? Would it not be better for the EPRDF to declare a cease fire in Ogaden and other regions in Ethiopia and allow armed groups like the ONLF/OLF function peacefully in the main stream political process? Would it be wise for the EPRDF to consider itself as invincible and try to solve all problems with only force and intimidation?

If the EPRDF is really committed for peace and reconciliation (as it has been telling us day and night in its controlled media), I do not see any reason why it would oppose this “reconciliation” bill.

As to the CUD, it is an organization that has consistently advocated peace and dialog. The CUD believes that all groups, including the EPRDF, must be part of the solution. For the CUD, the ONLF, the OLF, the EPRDF members..are all the same, Ethiopian brothers. The message it relays to all is identical and clear: the message of peace and the message of brotherhood. No Ethiopian is an enemy of another Ethiopian.

During their trips in the Diaspora, they have been stressing that the culture of violence must stop. They have been calling for the EPRDF to open its arm to hug other Ethiopians instead of rampaging them down with guns. They called the ONLF/OLF and all armed groups come to the non-violent and peaceful struggle. They supported HR2003 because it reflects its 8 point democratic conditions it has put forward two years ago and encourages democracy in Ethiopia.

I think the latest propaganda by the EPRDF is nothing but a shameful act to a greatest proportion with no merits at all. I believe they are unleashing this empty rhetoric mainly to intimidate CUD leaders who are currently on a working visit in the Diaspora so that they do not return back to the country they love. With w/t Birtukan Mideksa and others in exile and with a toothless and weak CUD possibly run by Ato Ayele Chamisso, it will be a dream comes true for EPRDF officials that would give them another 15 to 20 years control of the Ethiopian political landscape.

Fortunately that will not happen. The EPRDF officials are miscalculating again. They should have known better who CUD leaders are. For them to think for one minute that there might be a possibility that leaders of CUD would not return back to Ethiopia is very funny. W/t Birtukan Mideksa has emphasized in her final speech to Kinijit Supporters (in Calgary) that she and her colleagues will return back to Ethiopia with honor and without any inch of fear and continue leading the CUD. She called for all Ethiopians to stand by the CUD something that she and the struggle she is leading will surely get.

It would have been better instead for the EPRDF leaders to stop digging for nothing and come to term with the reality. For their own sake, for the sake of their own supporters and the people of Ethiopia at large, they would better stop their non-sense propaganda about “wuchale/HR2003” and genuinely seek ways to put and end to the political crisis in Ethiopia. The ball is in their court. Time is running.

The solution for our country is only dialog. As long as there is honesty and understanding from all sides, it is very easy to tackle any problems together. As Dr Yacob Hailemariam, a high ranking CUD official once wrote from Kaliti prison, the difference between EPRDF and CUDP is minor as long as there is a positive attitude (Kenenet) from all sides.

Let us all come to our sense, avoid unnecessary rhetoric against one another and work hard to change the miserable destiny of our country once and for all, together. It is time we put an end to our long standing mistrusts and hate to one another and focus our energy to combat our common enemies: poverty, disease and illiteracy. It is time to believe in ourselves and get rid from our within the spirit of despair, pessimism and defeatism.

The bodies of our brothers are being dragged on the street of Mogadishu. Innocent Somalis are dying and leaving their home in hundred of thousands. Civilians in Ogaden are being sandwiched and are suffering because of the civil war. The demons of war that are thirsty to drink the blood of our bothers are looming over the sky of Northern Ethiopia.

IT IS TIME TO PUT AND END TO WAR AND BLOODSHED. I call for the good conscious of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi, the ONLF leaders, President Issayas Afeworki of Eritrea, President Yusuh of the Somali Transitional government and Sheik Sherif of the former ICU to show a civilized 21^st century leadership and give priority to saving innocent lives. I ask them to put themselves in the shoes of civilians, for once, and spiritually feel the pain and lamentations of millions that are suffering because they refuse to solve their personal differences in a dialog.

Dear fellow Ethiopians, we can do it. We have all the natural and human resources we need. We have the Almighty God who is ready to help us should we embrace one another with love and forgiveness. I believe, if we all humble ourselves we can do great miracles!!!!

May the Almighty Lord open our heart for his Love and our mind for his wisdom!

With Prayer and With High Optimism,

Girma Kassa.

Chicago

Muziky68@yahoo.com

[1] http://thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/query/F?r110:26:./temp/~r11041dHnt:e0: