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US admits supporting Dictators.
Wendy Sherman US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs has openly admitted the desire to help dictators and mass killers in the horn of Africa. On April 16,2015 in Addis Ababa , the capital of Ethiopia, has the Secretary given a press briefing praising the Ethiopian ruthless dictatorial regime EPDRF (the ruling party since 1993). It is really a wonder how the secretary failed to see the reality of the deep political , social and economical problem the current stubborn undemocratic ruling party brought on the Ethiopian people. Should this government be praised or condemned? It might have been that she was not properly informed by her staff the following facts about the Ethiopian current government.
The prison cells of, Kality , Makelawi and Zewye Prisons, ( the main prison compounds in and on the skirt of Addis Ababa) are filled with political prisoners , journalists and civil societies at the very time as she was giving this press briefing. Winner of the 2013 UNESCO Guillermo Cano world press Freedom prize journalist Reeyot Alemu , winner of the 2012 Pen America journalist Esknder Nega , Journalist Temesegen Desalegn , nine Ethiopian bloggers known as Zone 9 are charged of terrorism and many others are still being thrown to jail by the Ethiopian government. The very truth is that these journalists were doing only what was expected from a professional , respected and responsible journalist according to the principles and essence of journalism. “At least 60 journalists have fled their country since 2010 while at least another 19 languish in prison. The government has shut down dozens of publications and controls most television and most radio outlets.”(Human Rights Watch wrote in a January report.)The government allocated and invested excessive amount of money to block almost all diaspora-based Ethiopian websites, by purchasing and using a very sophisticated and modern European and Chinese spyware to target critical journalists including those in the United States. The secretary seemed to deliberately ignored all these vivid facts but acknowledge the Ethiopian government as democratic . Is locking journalists behind bars for their profession and freedom of speech one of the democratic criteria in USA? The Secretary of state John Kerry forwarded this statement right at the heart of Addis Ababa on his visit to five African countries on may 2014 ‘’ We should not use the anti terrorism proclamation as mechanism to be able to curve the free exchange of ideas.’’ It seemed that Wendy Sherman has failed to take the time to inform herself about the visit and comments made by her boss.
Wendy Sherman’s comment on the coming fake parliamentary election ,which is planned to be held on the coming may 24 2015, showed either the secretary has not done her assignment of assessing the present political situation in Ethiopia or her government’s desire to protect and support dictatorial , corrupted , undemocratic and ruthless regime such as the Ethiopian government . It is so surprising how she praised the Ethiopian government regarding an open and inclusive electoral process. Actually she had only talked with the delegates of the dictatorial ruling party . Moreover she was giving this press briefing standing along side with one of the minster of the ruling party. She never had the chance or probably not the desire to have at least a short discussion with the very finger counted opposition parties which are battling the 23 years dictatorial regime on a very narrow and uncomfortable political field. Had she given some of her valuable times at least to hear what these opposition parties( whose top leaders and large numbers of members are thrown in prison or forced to flee the country) have to say, she might have praised the opposition parties for their struggle for freedom , equality, peace and democracy. Rather she chose to spend her time being lectured and filled with the propaganda of the ruling party and consequently gave this painful speech that bled the hearts of almost all Ethiopians in and abroad except of course the very small percent supporters and members of this savage government EPDRF. On her speech she dared to call Ginbot 7 Movement for Justice, Freedom and Democracy ( presently being merged with Ethiopian People’s Patriotic Front (EPPF) and carry on the struggle for peace and democracy by the name “Arbegnoch-Ginbot7 for Unity and Democracy Movement”) as a terrorist group trying to overthrow an elected government. There are two things the Secretary had missed here. In the first place the government did not come through a peaceful election process. She could have traced back to the past two decades and found out the fact that the present ruling party TPLF ( EPDRF) has taken power after a 17 years bloody civil war. Is this how President Obama came in to office back in 2008? The second point that she missed was the very truth that the chairperson , top leaders and members of the Ginbot 7 front reside in her own country, USA, because they are sentenced to death in absence by the Ethiopian injustice government. To her surprise the chairperson of Ginbot 7 Dr Birhanu Nega lectures in one of USA’s university. I am sure she knows how the American government is determined to fight terrorist not alone in the land of USA but on other counties also. So in her speech she termed Ginbot 7 as a terrorist group as the Al qaeda. IS, and so on. How come her government allow Dr Birhanu and many of his colleagues to teach , to work or to live inside the US soil if they are terrorist or running a terrorist organization? Does it make sense or has she failed to read between the lines but focused only on what the dictatorial but smart Ethiopian government showed her?
At the presidential election in 2012 Barack Obama (Democrat) was re-elected president beating his opponent Governor Mitt Romney (Republican). The Governor and his party ( The Republicans ) had opposed the president on his plans and strategies. They even openly criticized the Obama administration in their election campaigns. In addition these two candidates (Governor Mitt Romney and President Barack Obama) had gone through a series of public debate one on one which were aired live to the world. In those public debates they argued not only regarding their different strategies and ideologies but also to the extent of criticizing or even insulting one another. However the Republicans , their members , their supports or Governor Mitt Romney were not arrested and thrown in jail for openly criticizing the ruling party and the president. They were not tortured or forced to live in exile because of initiating the American people not to vote for the president. Wendy Sherman did not pay due attention to the fact that those who oppose or criticize the dictatorial and undemocratic rule or system of the Ethiopian current government are destined to rot in prison , live in exile or sadly being killed. The various opposition parties inside Ethiopia have been deliberately targeted by the democracy allergic TPLF regime. Prominent opposition party leaders are still being harassed , imprisoned or forced to leave the county. For example , Ato Andualem Arage from UDJ party, Ato Andargachew Tsege ,chair person of Ginbot 7 for democracy movement,Ato Natnael Mekonnen , Ato Abrha Desta from Arena Party,Ato Habtamu Ayalew head of publlic relation for UDJ party, Ato Daniel Shibesi from UDJ, Ato Yeshiwas Asefa from Blue Party,Ato Bekele Gerba and many hundreds are rotting in prison. In addition supporters and members of opposition parities are being given very difficult times in their jobs especially those in the public service sectors. It is a common seen to find large numbers of opposition party members and supporters dragged in to prison only for having and expressing their views and ideas which are not the kinds that make dictators or mass murders to sit peacefully and suck the blood of the citizens. But shockingly Wendy Sherman bothered not a little bit about these realities in Ethiopia rather she totally absorbed what the current Ethiopian ruling party fed her. She could have double checked all the data before she could jump in to this shameful conclusions and opinions regarding the Ethiopian election process or democratic process in general.
Any one who opposes the current Ethiopian ruling party is termed terrorist by the government. It is quite natural for dictators to accuse any one who is a threat to their power. In fact the great Nelson Mandela and his party ( the ANC) were labeled terrorists and a terrorist organization by the Apartheid government. Was that not the same Mandela (who was sentenced for 27 years of imprisonment as a terrorist by the Apartheid leaders) ,the whole world now depicts him even after his death as the father of peace and equality? May be Wendy Sherman has to listen and watch the press briefing given by her president ( Barak Obama) right after the announcement of the death Mandela. It is very disturbing to hear Wendy Sherman grouping Ginbot 7 in line with Al qaeda and other terrorist organizations. Probably the secretary does not even know what exactly is going on in her own country. Surely she did not have any idea the different times when the former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton giving an interview to Fox News and publicly on CNN admitting that the USA has created and funded the terrorists including Al qaeda which they are fighting today. In fact these were Hilary’s word for word speech as she was interviewed by Fox News , “When the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan we had this brilliant idea that we are going to come Pakistan and create a force of Mujiadin equip them with stingers Missiles and every thing else to go after the Soviets inside Afghanistan. And we were successful the Soviets left Afghanistan and we said great good bye leaving these trained people who were fanatical in Afghanistan and Pakistan leaving them well armed creating a mess frankly that the time we didn’t really recognize we were just happy to see the Soviet Union fall we thought ok,fine we’re ok now every thing is going to be so much better . Now you look back the people who we are fighting today we were supporting in the fight against the Soviet.”( Hilary Clinton for Fox News) In case the above quote was not enough for Wendy Sherman ,it is also possible to click on CNN website and watch and listen Hilary Clinton accepting the reality that the US created these terrorist organizations . Here is a part of her speech “ We also have a history kind of moving in and out of Pakistan. Lets remember here the people we are fighting today we funded twenty years ago and we did it because we were locked in the struggle with the Soviet Union…..”( Hilary Clinton for CNN). The people of Ethiopian have never voted for EPDRF. Actually the people from the very beginning were fighting these cruel leaders from taking the power. Moreover the Ethiopians in and abroad have and never given their vote to these dictators. The 2005 Ethiopian general election consequences and the 2010 general election result are the evidence how the people had enough with these butchers and blood suckers. Wendy Sherman should have examined the worsening of both the political and economical issues in Ethiopia years after years before standing in front of cameras and humiliate herself of her lack of knowledge and failure to do research about the overall political , social and economical situations in Ethiopia. After all that was her job and what she was paid to do. In fact that was the least she could have done.
The speech given by the Wendy Sherman showed how she failed in digging out the truth which was not difficult to find. In fact the truth was right in front of her nose but she ignored it and chose to be misinformed and to mislead others. According to the 2015 report and research by Freedom of House “Ethiopia ranked 32 out of 52 countries surveyed in the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, below the continental average and among the bottom in East Africa. The country’s modest gains in the index are due to its improvement in human development indicators, but its ranking is held back by low scores in the “Participation and Human Rights” category. Political Rights and Civil Liberties”( Source://freedomhouse .org/report/) In this undemocratic parliamentary election in Ethiopian on may 2015, foreign countries showed no interest in sending election observers to Ethiopia. “ The EU notes that the previous reports of EOMs have not been accepted by Ethiopian , which is an essential precondition for such a mission. In any case , no invitation has been received by the EU to send an EOM to Ethiopia , .”( Source: https://www.gov.uk/government/news/eu-statement-on-the-absence-of-an-eu-election-observation-mission-for-the-may-2015-national-elections–2)
As it was described on the above source European countries have decided not to send a group of observers because the coming election will not be free and fair just as the other previous ones. Wendy Sherman on the behalf of the oppressed Ethiopians (including me) I urge you to do your assignment and research before giving such unprofessional and dishonest press briefing again.
Source The Maldea Times, Zehabesh.com, EBC, You tube.com
By:- Zerihun Shumete Germany
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