A response to Kevin Myers - The Leprechaun

Mr Myers, the obvious thing to do to an article like yours would have been to give a well thought out response in hopes of getting a productive dialogue started.  But I don’t think your article was designed for such things. No, I think it has a different purpose.  I mean I can try and explain as to why the West is mostly responsible for the horrible situations that are happening in Africa today or every other continent for that matter and how it goes as far back as the days of Western colonialism and Slavery. I can also talk about the hypocrisy of the West and how it still exploits the rest of the world through fancily named organizations like “The World Bank”, IMF, WTO etcetera. The hypocrisy was never more evident than at  the recent G8 Summit where Gordon Brown, the British Prime Minister, urged the rest of the world to” not waste food” as he and the rest of the leaders gorged on an 18 course meal . But of course, you already have the pre-canned standard answer, “Why is it’s always the West’s fault?’  or ‘stop blaming others for your own failures’.  No, I think there is more to your bile diatribe than just meets the stomach.

I can also start with the title of your article - “Africa is giving nothing to anyone - apart from AIDS” which is deliberately mean spirited but hopelessly flawed.  Mr Myers, as you know, we had always been told that the first case of the AIDS virus was apparently discovered in Africa, if one is to believe the Western theory of the origin if the AIDS virus, of course. So, if that is true, the next obvious question is how did it get to the rest of the world? But as you confidently stated in your article, we Africans are incurably ignorant and  incapable of doing anything as basic as feeding ourselves let alone come up with a plan to import a deadly disease to the other side of the globe. So, the next question is, did we actually give it to you, or did you take it from us?  Yes, Mr Myers, we didn’t give it to you - you took it from us, just like you did and still do with everything else. And  who is the less intelligent ‘species’ one in this equation?

I can also talk about how a man, who supposedly has seen it all first hand, can have such mean and hateful things to say about innocent victims? I am curious to know what made you care to ‘tour the territory on foot and financially’ in the first place? Was it the human side, which I’m convinced you have none after reading your article, or your tabloid journalist side? Were you there for a sincere compassion cause or for a  Kevin Cater picture moment? At least Kevin Carter took his life, whatever his reason. No, I am not suggesting that you do the same, because you don’t strike me as the type with such conviction.

Your arrogance and pomposity, it seems, has no limit. You seemed to be worried more about your Irish readers than the readers from the rest of the world. How provincial one can get, especially when it comes at the expense of the miserable no good poor Ethiopians who have nothing to give to the rest of the world except a deadly disease.

And what exactly was the purpose of comparing the Irish famine to Ethiopia’s? Aside from the factual inaccuracy you provided on the length of the,” Great Irish Famine“ which by most accounts occurred between 1845 and 1849, I really could not understand the logic.  First of all, the Ethiopian population did not double, let alone more than double, between the 1980’s and now. But “white lies” and all aside, don’t you think you kind of defeated your own argument there with your point about the Hercules and Mercedes reference - cute to be sure - but so obviously obtuse? Of course we have more means to deliver food to many staving people compared to say 200 YEARS AGO! - thus helping people live longer.  

As for the Lockheed Hercules reference, I am sure you are aware, being an accomplished and well travelled Western journalist and all, that when the West sends the Lockheed Hercules to some of these miserable famine regions, it also makes sure that it balances it out by sending a few other Lockheed products like the F-15’s, F-16’s, U2’s etc to that same government for different reason. Right? You know, just to keep the cycle of what you called ‘idiotic wars’ going.  

You also had the audacity to write that we Africans are outstripping our resources.  And which ones would those be, Mr.  Myers? Let me see, could it be the oil that is being pumped out of the Nigerian Delta by Western murderous companies like Shell and Chevron or the diamonds which are being robbed from Sierra Leone and Liberia?  How about in our own backyard in Ethiopia where your people are hoarding our indigenous grain, teff for their luxury as if we have a surplus of it? Yeah, ignore the West’s insatiable and voracious appetite for natural resources and the plundering and polluting of the environment. But the facts don’t matter, do they?  It’s always us the darkies, isn’t it sir?  Well, it’s typical of the West.  It’s like beating an innocent man bloody, robbing his money, leave him on the ground and later charging him with loitering for letting his blood run on the ground. Talk about taking responsibility for your own actions. 

But that’s not what caught my attention about your article.  It is something rather peculiar. Mr. Myers, to be honest, I have never seen such vivid and repeated sexual references for a serious and sobering opinion.

It starts with your bizarre characterization of people as:

“…dysfunctional economic, social and sexual system”.

Sexual system?  What is that Mr. Myers, - a new category to define the wretched in poor parts of the world?  

Your hateful characterization was not limited just to Ethiopia. Oh no! You wrote of Africa as an entire continent:  

“…of sexually hyperactive indigents, (emphasis mine) with tens of millions of people who only survive because of help from the outside world.”  

And we don’t even use Viagra! Can you imagine if we did?

You sounded like a white Southern racist during the days of slavery in the US, when you flawlessly managed to infuse your racist tendencies with your curious sexual obsession with Africans and wrote:

“Indeed, voodoo idiocy seems to be in the ascendant, with the next president of South Africa being a firm believer in the efficacy of a little tap water on the post-coital penis as a sure preventative against infection.”

Journalism at its best!

There’s more.  Recounting one of your many past good deeds, you spoke of a young man in Ethiopia by declaring:

“The wide-eyed boy-child we saved, 20 years or so ago, is now a priapic, Kalashnikov-bearing hearty, siring children whenever the whim takes him.”

You know Mr Myers, a normal and decent human being would be happy or even proud of his own humanitarian act in extending a helping hand to a child who, through no fault of his own, was put in a miserable situation, no matter how that person turns out as an adult. But I sensed some serious anger and bitterness in that statement of yours.  What were your hopes for that wide eyed young man, anyways?  Were you hoping he would join the Catholic Church? No, I am not hinting at anything here and yes I do know that you are of the Catholic faith. Stop being so sensitive! Anyway, at least that ‘wide eyed 20 year old’ had, right or wrong, the courage of his convictions to fight for what he believed in.  In other words, Mr Myers, he was not a coward like some who have convinced themselves that they are part of the solution by sitting behind a computer and by picking on innocent victims who can not defend themselves.  Speaking of cowards, don’t you come from a country where, as recently as 10 years ago, innocent men women and children were being blown up in a cowardly way in the streets in your cities instead of fighting the enemy face to face like the 20 year old you wrote about? 

But back to your comment. Priapic?  As curious as I was about your comment on the “dysfunctional-ity” of our “economic, social and sexual system”, the word “priapic” jumped out at me like African cheetah at a racist European tourist. And being the uneducated, voodoo riddled, wide-eyed African that I am, I looked it up in the dictionary. And the most common definition of the word is:

Priapic - overly concerned with masculinity and male sexuality.

Are you starting to see the pattern here yourself?

You continued:

How much morality is there in saving an Ethiopian child from starvation today, for it to survive to a life of brutal circumcision, poverty, hunger, violence and sexual abuse…”

Funny you mentioned sexual abuse because just the other day, I was reading about employees from a Swiss NGO who were accused of child molestation in Addis Ababa, where they were there to supposedly help needy children. Well well, Mr. Myers, it seems that some Europeans have a different opinion than yours. I guess some Africans, especially young boys and girls, may indeed have something to give to the rest of the world especially to Europeans. How is that for a ‘broad-brush stroke’? How does it feel when it brush runs on the other direction?

I also skipped a few sexual references, because I figured you’d get the picture by now. You have more sexual references in one article than a gynecologist diagnosing a patient with STD.  Is this just simply your style or perhaps a symptom to a more serious and personal issue like a deprivation of some sort which manifests itself in one’s everyday life? Subconsciously, of course?  And I am not being flippant about this; I am very serious.

After I read your article, I was curious about you so I looked you up on the internet, to see your contribution to the world.  I even saw your picture and could not help muse how you could have fit real comfortably with those Afrikaners who have been killing and torturing black people in South Africa during Apartheid.  But who am I to judge? That is reserved only for you intelligent  European types, right?

What is strange about your views is that, for an isolationist, you seem to have your nasty and lascivious fingers caught in almost all parts Africa more often than a six year old’s hand in a cookie jar. And of course, predictably, I found a few more similar hateful articles about this race and that color. 

So, what is the purpose of your article? What is the subtext of it? What exactly are you suggesting Mr. Myers?  Population control for Africans only especially Ethiopians? Even though you have not come out and told us directly, the only conclusion we - at least speaking for myself, can come to is that you’d rather see these starving people die than see them multiply.  In other words, since we Ethiopians only have the AIDS virus to offer to the rest of the world, it is best to let us die and reduce our population to a manageable number so on your next financial tour you do not have to give as much.  

But the problem with that approach is that, as stated in your ‘honest’ and ‘factual’ article (according to many readers including, sadly enough, some Ethiopians) we are multiplying faster than we are dying!

So there are, as far as I can tell, two other ways of controlling a population.  One is exterminating people in mass, a la Hitler or Stalin, but it appears that the West is having difficulty keeping up with the ‘legal’ or ‘justified’ way of killing innocent people using fake or as you called it, ‘idiotic wars’ in Iraq, which by the way you enthusiastically supported.   

The other way is population control through some sort of government policy.  But as you have concluded in your article, we Africans are inherently stupid and incapable of implementing such intelligent policies. So, since it is practically impossible to prevent a bunch of “sexually hyperactive indigents” from having intercourse, the only other option is to let them have sex but prevent them from conceiving. I am no expert in this field, but it seems to me that there is only one way to accomplish that.  And that is to convert every starving male population in Ethiopia to homos… No you are not suggesting that, are you?  Hmmm, now I see where that animosity and bitterness towards that 20 year old came from! Unfortunately for you Mr Myers, that kind of stuff is not only frowned upon strongly in our country, (not that there’s anything wrong with that) but it can also be a source of some undesired pain and discomfort especially for someone like you.  I guess you don’t know us Ethiopians as well as you thought you did.

So Condi Rice, Secretary of State stopped by Addis a couple of weeks ago to check up on her favorite dictator in training. Apparently, she only had time for a cup of coffee, abol buna if you will, and didn’t even have the courtesy to stay for second cup or huletegna. I watched the vanilla ice cream interview she gave to ETV and could not help but be amused at the non answers she provided to question after question after question, not that the questions were an example of great piece of investigative reporting. That aside, from what I heard, she might as well have given the answers below.

Enjoy!

QUESTION: Thank you, Madame Secretary, for offering to sit for this interview. It’s a pleasure.

SECRETARY RICE: I didn’t offer nothin’, Kaffir Boy, it’s part of my job. Let’s get on with it. I have some shoe shopping and workout to do.

QUESTION: You had a fairly busy day.

SECRETARY RICE: Helloooo!! Did you hear me? I said let’s get on with it.

QUESTION: You came this morning and you’re leaving tonight.

SECRETARY RICE: Nice piece of reporting there, genius. How many reporters did you put on that story to find that out?

QUESTION: And — but you’re basically running into very big issues in the Horn of Africa and in Somalia . Does it concern you? Do you know –

SECRETARY RICE: Concer shmoncern. Listen, I got this job to fill up a quota, OK? Remember who had this position before me? Yes, another Negro. I was the perfect candidate being, you know, black and a woman too. I guess that’s their way of killing 2 black birds with one stone. And yes, we Neo-Cons have quotas too. So, what makes you think I give a rat’s ass about what is going on in Somalia ? Besides, do you know what is going on in Iraq because of us? Where have you been? Believe me, what you have here is a picnic compared to Iraq . So, I wouldn’t bitch about it if I were you.

QUESTION: But we had the issue of peacekeeping force — it was a very serious issue a year ago and a year since, nothing is happening.

SECRETARY RICE: Uuuh, your point? What did you want to happen in a year? Listen, have you hears the saying “ Rome wasn’t built in day’? Well, Iraq wasn’t’ destroyed in a day either, OK?

QUESTION: Yes, indeed, Ban Ki-moon said this very clearly to deploy international peacekeeping force. What is happening? I mean, the Ethiopians are there and the Prime Minister said he already told him many times –

SECRETARY RICE: Banki who? Is that a new line of designer shoe? Oh, yeah that UN guy Moon? And you believed him? And what’s with the names of these Secretaries at the UN anyway? Who was that last one from your neck of the jungle? Coffee Break or something? I mean do they pick these people based on funny names?

QUESTION: – we’d rather be replaced by any multinational force.

SECRETARY RICE: Yeah yeah sure, multinational foce. Hey, you remember what happened the last time we had a multinational force, “The coalition of the willing”? Yeah well, now they are known as “The Coalition of the Leaving”. So, it ain’t gonna happen anytime soon Bubba.

QUESTION: It wasn’t happening.

SECRETARY RICE: I just said it wasn’t’ gonna happen soon. Is there an echo in here?

QUESTION: Who are going to be those forces?

SECRETARY RICE: Well, you already have a couple of African dummies who joined in, the Ugandan’s (by the way, is Idi Amin still running that joint?) and the Burundi’s and we will see if we can bully or bribe a couple more in there, but don’t hold your breath.

QUESTION: Are there any green lights out there?

SECRETARY RICE: Green lights? What is this, the Indianapolis 500? Oh you mean a light at the end of the tunnel? Cute, very cute! Well actually yes, but that light is actually a freight train heading your way traveling 100 miles an hour. OK OK 80 miles an hour.

QUESTION: But the new prime minister is for it, just that he wants to –

SECRETARY RICE: Of course he is. He is our puppet, did you forget that? Besides, he has no choice. He does what we tell him to do.

QUESTION: That, you’re sure, is not going to include the Islamic Courts, even the liberal element of the –

SECRETARY RICE: Well, you have to make it look like it is legitimate once in a while. Besides, we want to know who these people are so it is easy to find and bomb them later. Come on now, get with it.

QUESTION: Well, so does it mean that — is there any possibility that the — some of the elements who have participated in a conference in Asmara, Eritrea , was it two — two months ago?

SECRETARY RICE: Yes, yes of course.

QUESTION: Is there any –

SECRETARY RICE: That’s right, bring’em all in. The more the merrier, I always say. You know how our foreign policy works, get everyone in the area involved and then, wham! When they least expect it, boom. The bombs start flying. We bomb the hell out of them. See how it works?

QUESTION: But it had several elements in (inaudible) Asmara, Eritrea (inaudible) and they have — they seem to have a very strong voice.

SECRETARY RICE: Oh, stop whining, will you? So what? I just told you what our foreign policy is. What do you want from me? I just work here… I mean there…I mean in the State Dep…you know what I mean.

QUESTION: Is that a concern to the peace processes (inaudible)?

SECRETARY RICE: Concern? Frankly, what is your name, Tefe Tef ..?? I am concerned that you are concerned with so many things. Didn’t you start the interview with a concern? What is wrong with you? Are you OK? You are too young for this. Listen, your president was dumb…I mean brave enough to get into Somalia in the first place, so he is going to have to tough it out and stick out.

QUESTION: Interesting. Where do you stand on the issue of Eritrea ? Secretary Frazer several months ago said that you are planning — that the U.S. Government is planning to put Eritrea on the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism. What are you –

SECRETARY RICE: Oh relax. See, Eritrea is one of those countries we call an insurance policy, or a safety valve. Remember Panama and Granada ? See, we label these countries as evil and when everything else that we do goes south, we bomb these insurance policies to divert attention from the media and the people. So, don’t worry about them.

QUESTION: And so do you have a timetable to –

SECRETARY RICE: What timetable? To bomb them? Well, we really don’t but like I said …

QUESTION: But was that before your government (inaudible) office?

SECRETARY RICE: Geez, you really hate those people, don’t you? Can you be a little more obvious with your enthusiasm about bombing them? Sheesh…Patience my boy, patience. Yes, it will be before we leave, but if we don’t get to it for some reason, you know with the busy bombing holiday season and all, we will make sure that either Rudy the Fascist or Hillary “the Neo-Con Light” will put it on the agenda in 2008.

QUESTION: It’s very interesting. Let me bring you down here to Ethiopia . Apparently, there is the H.R. 2003 in the pipeline and it’s going to — soon it’s going to be on the table in the Senate?

SECRETARY RICE: Oh yes, H.R. 2003. The savior of the Ethiopian people. Listen, between you and I, even the architecht or arch angel…or what the hell is that religious thing y’all have here in this country? Oh yeah, The Arc of the Covenant! Even that is not revered as this resolutoin thing by you people. I mean talk about being giddy over nothing! It is just hilarious watching your so called educated activists in the US jast running up and down the halls of the Capitol to get it passed. It is quite comical actually.

QUESTION: How would that –

SECRETARY RICE: Don’t worry my boy, it will not see the light of day. You really think my husba… oops, I did it again… I mean, my boss would let that Bill become law and sign it even if it passes the Senate? Yes, he will veto it and even if he gets overridden, which will never happen, he will make sure that he will put a signing statement which will allow your boss do whatever he pleases. There is too much at risk here. You know, with the money made in all these wars and stuff. There’s too much to lose. We’re not gonna abandon our friends like Balckwater?

QUESTION: So if this bill passes, some critics of the bill say that – the United States is going to repeat the same mistake, indeed, way back in 1979, (inaudible).

SECRETARY RICE:1979? What the hell happened in 1979? Isn’t that when what’s his name, my old boss Jimmy Carter was there? Oh yeah, I worked under his administration too, you know? But I was an intern then. Watch it! No intern jokes here, plus Carted is a Christian Baptist freak. He don’t mess around. Anyways, he was a Democrat right? And you know how Democrats feel about foreign policy right? They think, well most of them anyway, think it is best to let countries resolve their own problems. Can you believe it? What a nut! That’s why I left him I guess.

QUESTION: Let me take you to the Ogaden. Have you had reports coming from out there?

SECRETARY RICE: What? Are you a tour guide or something? You are taking me all over the place here. I have pumps on, and you know how difficult…never mind. OK what about Ogaden? Oh yes, of course, we have been getting reports from there and it comes down to this. We either let the innocent people die of hunger or bullets. That’s what it comes down to. So, the compassionate conservatives that we Neo-Cons are, we worked very hard, had very long tedious meetings and deliberations and came to what we felt was a right but difficult decision which was to let them die quickly with bullets. See, this what my husb.. I mean boss, damn it, means when he says “It’s hard work, it’s difficult work”. And you thought we had it easy, huh?

QUESTION: One last question. Do you think that the ONLF is a terrorist organization?

SECRETARY RICE: ONLF?? What is that, a new X-Mas line for shoes? Is that Italian or something? I’m gonna have to get back to you on that one. You are one sick mean SOB, aren’t you? You want me to label everyone terrorist don’t you? I know, you want them labeled that so we can kick the shit out of them and your boy stays in power, right? I gotcha. Well, like I said, let me get back with you on that.

QUESTION: Madame Secretary, thank you very much for your time today. It was a pleasure.

SECRETARY RICE: Oh right back atch ya, Sparky….now, where’s the gym? You people have gyms here?

Chereka

By Mimi

Ethiopian “Discussion” Forums

By Ketsela

I have come to one conclusion about Ethiopian discussion forums which is in these forums, we have failed in all aspects to better ourselves in building a strong union amongst ourselves. Unlike the old days when meetings were held in different locations where many Ethiopians could not make it, our ability to reach one another through technology has made it easier and beneficial for many of us. So what seems to be the problem? Because of our lack of understanding issues, respecting each other’s positions, and most of all, the lack of openness to different opinions for our betterment, we pursue a river of no return. In the large majority of discussion forums involving the topic of Ethiopia, we fail in areas of civility and moral obligation. Let me put some of our failures in the following manner.

Defense mechanism:

I am not at all an admirer of Sigmund Freud and the entire school of psychology. I am rather a behaviorist and unlike Freudians, I tend to believe all human beings are kind and good. Yet, the more I involve myself in the Ethiopian discussion sites, the more I tend to agree with Freud’s theory of Defense Mechanisms that I see being portrayed by some individuals. All Defense Mechanisms share two common properties:

1. They often appear unconsciously and
2. They tend to distort, transform, or otherwise falsify reality.

I will leave it to readers to further look into Freud’s work in this area, but I would like to touch on how much of the theory applies to us in life and discussions.

• Denial: claiming/believing that what is true to be actually false.

Have you ever noticed how many of the participants in these forums make false and alarming claims merely because all they want to do is get their agendas out in the scene by spreading malice instead of the truth?

• Displacement: redirecting emotions to a substitute target.

Here again, the majority of these green-eyed individuals tend to use this means to personally attack the true participants merely because they tend to see them as people who block their misguided plans.

• Intellectualization: taking an objective viewpoint.

This is very common in many of our discussions. It is true that intellectual discussions are required to reach out to our brothers and sisters. But the fact remains that such individuals use them as means of promoting their own agenda by quoting this and that and make readers as fools in the world of objectivity. Of course, their lack of depth in the subject provides them ample reason to be more protective to themselves.

• Projection: attributing uncomfortable feelings to others.

Ah! This is commonly observed in forums like “Medrek” ; on a daily basis. Individuals, for no apparent reason, tend to attack someone out of nowhere and for no reason. Again, I am not basically a Freudian, but could it be that there is an underlying need for some biological fulfillment? I guess so.

• Rationalization: creating false but credible justifications.

It is true that sometimes we listen to some of the news items with anger and frustration merely because it is not the kind of news we desire to hear. But there seems to be a group of people who exaggerate the actual event of the story or the news, either positively or negatively, to fit their agenda and/or when they find it difficult to accept the fact, they deny that such thing would happen under this or that government.

• Reaction Formation: overacting in the opposite way to the fear.

Some people have a tendency to take the one-inch and make it a mile. Many times I have noticed hate hibernating in them, and in so doing they lead us all to the wrong road.

• Regression: going back to acting as a child.

Children have a desire to want everything they see. And sometimes, adults do the same out of frustration without any good reason at all. Here the tendency is to resort to calling names. Let me get them before they get me!

• Repression: pushing uncomfortable thoughts into the subconscious.

Out of mere paranoia, there are people who feel an urge to do something and actually do or say something that is effectively the opposite of what they really want.

• Sublimation: redirecting ‘wrong’ urges into socially acceptable actions.

Have you ever noticed how some individuals are constantly engaged in blaming others? And in the process they accuse and suspect others of some wrong doing for no reason other than to give themselves self-satisfaction.

Having brought forward these defense mechanisms, let me further discuss our politics briefly. When I took drugs and alcohol class in college, I came to witness the conclusion made by a social scientist on the same subject. There are those who are for it, those who are against it and those who are truly have made all efforts to come to a conclusion based on scientific studies. Ethiopian politics, in the same manner, is made up of these three types of people who are for the current government, against the current government, or those who truly make all effort to help the country . The fact is no one can tell who is who except time. Yes, time will tell. There are those like the singer Solomon Tekalegn who cheers with those who are against the government; there are those who hold an important post in the opposition parties but behind the backs of their followers send home money and power-of-attorney documents to build a house!

The current Ethiopian government has brought people together in alliance against it in many ways than one, and yet the “Who’s Who” depends on the followers and who they are. In this reasoning, I came to the conclusion, not based on a study I made or read, but from merely by observing people.

First, there are those who still believe that the past feudal system in Ethiopia still exists or will return here in the 21st century through God. They seem to give the indication that anyone who was not born into the royal family cannot and will not lead Ethiopia under any circumstances. Mind you readers, the immediate members of the royal family are living as commoners amongst us all without making any noise. But their followers seem to live in a stand still life style. These people put their blinders on both sides of their face and do not seem to see that changes had come to the country. The other factor that drives the anger of these people is the loss of Eritrea as a province of Ethiopia and the formation of regional governments - a common trait among feudalists who hate “losing land”.

Secondly, the Dergists or those who, along with Mengistu, tortured and abused many people and now came to the surface to “liberate” us from the current government. They were part of the “Red Terror” from which many lives were lost and caused many Ethiopians to flee the country into neighboring countries to become refugees. I hold these responsible for the death of a generation in Ethiopia. They ended up being the rising feudals in the country. They systematically wiped out over half a million people. Now, they are living with us all and would like their position back to continue what they started.

Thirdly, there are true and honest individuals who are fighting the current government based on its human rights record and unrealistic approach in ruling Ethiopia. The basic freedom of speech, gathering and writing were all taken from the Ethiopian people. These groups of opposition truly are the heroes of the current movement. Their wish is nothing but a free Ethiopia!

Here is the dilemma we are facing - which one is which? The true and actual fighters against the government are still within the borders of Ethiopia. In this new century and long after the end of the era of Feudalism, some of the participants in the Ethiopian forums, especially those with Feudal attachments, continue to use ethnically degrading terms, such as “geltu ethnicity”, “yegered lij”, “yeshermuta lij”, “kemalam.”

When discussions are healthy, we will gradually build a political union and will certainly make quite a difference in the country and consequently on a global level. What is actually needed is the ability to justify our comments and the tolerance to see the opinions of our fellow brothers and sisters. A true and a concerned Ethiopian government will come to the surface, not because we merely engage in forums and chat lines, but because we work together as one in areas that are of great importance to the people of the country. All my experiences tell me that those who talk never walk the road towards a better Ethiopia. Today, the country is one of the poorest in the world. Tomorrow can only be better only if we have the strength to make it better. We never ever thought that the people would come to dis-trust those who are outside the country. Yes, in the same way that someone accused me of living in an air-conditioned apartment in this same Blog. But this much is true - we all have failed to substantiate our words with action. The defense of those who do not make neither financial nor other needed support is because they feel the government will abuse it. Lairs! Even if that was true, make your donation in any form and shape and feel good that you tried to help the people in any way you can. Speak no evil before you make an excuse for assisting the people. Have you ever thought of sending books; help for the orphanage; contribute to the irrigation system in the rural area; cash to build the children hospital? No! But you have a tendency to attack someone for merely speaking out his/her thought.

How Low They Can Go

The picture above was published in The New York Times in 1993. It was taken by a South African photographer named Kevin Carter, who was covering the humanitarian crisis in Sudan in the 90’s. As you can see in this symbolic image, a vulture, aware that a starving Sudanese girl is close to taking her last breath, is stalking her in order to feed its hunger. In 1994, Kevin Carter won a Pulitzer Prize for this picture. A few months later he committed suicide because of severe depression.

In the year 2007, it looks like Africa is facing different types of vultures - the human variety. In a way, one can argue that the human vultures are more inhumane than the real ones. At least the real vultures like the one in the illustration wait for the preys to die before they feed on them. They follow the natural order of things in that if they don’t, they will end up being preys themselves. These human vultures feed on people who are alive but are too frail and too powerless to help or protect themselves.

This is a story about human beings who barely fit that adjective, because they represent the worst in humans. They are the bottom feeders, both symbolically and literally in every sense of the word, who have no conscience whatsoever.

The story that was exposed recently by Gregg Palast, a remarkable American reporter for BBC’s NewsNight. Palast is a scarcely known investigative journalist in the US, but has reported on many important stories in the US, mostly about the scandals of the Bush Administration. These are stories which were not even skimmed over by the main stream US media, but very important in their relevance. They include the controversial events that took place pre-Hurricane Katrina and how the Bush Administration stole, yes you read it right, stole the 2004 presidential election using a tactic called “caging“, a term, incidentally, most people in the US will be very familiar with in the coming months. This “vulture funds” story, yet another winner for Gregg Palast, is a perfect example of the mainstream media falling asleep on the job in that even after it has been reported on in the UK, none of the major news agencies has made a mention of it in the US. There is your ‘liberal media’ hard at work for you. Palast, as he did many times in the past, connects the usual suspects - the Bush Administration and the Republican Party with some of the most despicable of characters with no conscience.

It is no secret that the Bush Administration has been a colossal failure in every area imaginable both domestically and internationally. However, one area it has been receiving much praise on, even from its ardent critics, is its handling of the issue in debt reduction policy for poor African countries so that they can fight poverty and the AIDS crisis. Even dedicated AIDS activists like Paul David Hewson AKA Bono have praised Bush’s effort to fight AIDS by helping reduce debts and in some cases by canceling them. As recently as last week, reporters have heaped huge praise on Bush for this very issue as well as allocating significant amount of money to fight poverty and AIDS in poor African countries.

In the past, I have, perhaps too cynically or maybe out of just sheer irrational bias, been skeptical of Bush’s action regarding this issue, because it appeared to be somewhat inconsistent with the way he handled crises involving other poor people who needed immediate attention by his Administration. Hurricane Katrina comes to mind. Everyone knows that while New Orleans was drowning, Bush was playing guitar in Arizona. Let’s face it; the man is a prototypical psychopath with the competency level less than a county supervisor let alone a world leader.

So what was behind Mr Bush’s unusual generosity to the poor in Africa? Well, it looks like my suspicion was not so unfounded after all. As we did in the past, let’s follow the money. Yes, once again Bush’s buddies, just like they do in every other industry, are the beneficiaries of this latest heist. It appears that the money which is allocated to help reduce the debts of these nations, in some cases, never even reaches the people who need it. Through the usual Republican Party’s nefarious scheme of money exchanging from one crook to another, and a little help from some corrupt leaders, vultures like Paul Singer and Michael Sheehan, owners of what are euphemistically called “debt advisory” companies, divert money away from the needy into their own pockets.

Here’s how it works. A poor nation borrows money from a country willing to lend it. Unable to pay back the loan, the borrowing country defaults on the loan. The lending country, rather than losing the whole amount, will negotiate to collect a smaller amount of the original debt. However, before the deal is finalized, these ‘debt advisory’ companies owned by the likes of Mr Singer and Mr Sheehan jump in and purchase the loan from the lending country. The corrupt president of the poor country, instead of protesting the deal, is pacified and silenced through bribes by the vultures. The debt advisory companies then take this poor country to court and sue for the original amount plus interest. Where does the money come from to pay these companies? Of course, from funds allocated to fight AIDS and poverty in these poor countries by those jolly old fellas’, “salt of the earth” guys, G W Bush and his lapdog accomplice Tony Blair using US and UK tax payers’ money - yet another wonderful use of tax payer money to portray the two countries as nations filled with heartless and unsympathetic people. And what is the connection between Mr Bush, the Republican Party and these vultures, I mean besides their well documented basic lack of humanity? Yep, you guessed it, campaign contribution! In both the 2000 and 2004 presidential elections, Singer made a $300, 000 and $1.2 million in donations respectively to the Bush camp. As you will see in the video, Bush and Blair are being silent accomplices by allowing this travesty to take place.

It may not seem too fashionable to question or be suspicious of issues like this, since, at first glance, it may seem like a case of biting the hand that feeds you.  But it is extremely important to look behind the headlines when claims of extra ordinary generosities are made by people who have shown to be less than generous in the past. This is too important an issue to be left to the main stream US media.

So, which countries are being hounded currently by these vultures? Here is a list from the International Development Association (a World Bank Group) as of 2006. And yes, it includes Ethiopia.

Please watch the short video below by Gregg Palast. It is sure to leave you speechless.

Incidentally, I would like to encourage everyone to thank Congressmen John Conyers (D-MI) and Donald Payne (D-NJ), yes the same Donald Payne who is fighting an uphill battle in Congress for Ethiopians, in their effort to put an end to this disgusting practice.

And please send Mr Sheehan an e-mail and let him know how you feel about this.

Thank you!

The flag waving “heroes”

By Ketsela

I remember when many of the Ethiopian students were either studying political science or engaged in political discussion in the early 70’s. The discussion not only revolved around Ethiopia but included Africa and Black America. Other African student used to be amazed with this obsession of the Ethiopians. Age and economic opportunities changes many as we grow old. I guess it is true what they said “If you were not liberal in your twenties you don’t have the heart and if you are not a conservative in your 40’s you don’t have the brain”.

In many ways, if one looked the history of Ethiopia in the recent years, one can conclude that the country is far matured in the peaceful co-existence of its people, who seem to be aware of the good, the bad and the ugly of politics. Let me paraphrase my intentions without having a wave of criticism from readers. We as people and as citizens of the country should have been on a high level of awareness as compared to other African countries. Addis Ababa is the head quarter of Africa for having the African Union and the Economic Commission of United Nations. Unlike the many African countries’ coup d’etat, the first military coup lead by the Neway brothers did not result in mass massacre or riot in the country. Strangely enough, when the Derge came to power, it resulted in the same peaceful changes. Sometimes I wonder why these situations remain different within Ethiopia from other African government rebellious activities resulted in being a blood bath. Historically, the first coup in the continent was led by officers and non-commission officers of Nigeria. The entire Western world admired the so called democratic nature of Nigerian government and glorified their people and leadership during the first weeks right after their independence. Articles were written about the democratic nature of the country and how other Africans must look up to Nigeria as a mentor state. Lo and Behold! It did not take a long time before the honeymoon was over; and Nigeria became a killing field for the leaders including the famed Abubakar Tafewa Balewa and the many of ethnicities within the country. The same trends continue to flood the continent by soldiers of fortunes who danced on the lives of many. My friends don’t forget Idi Amen, Bokassa and others. Then of course the so called great leaders during independence who exemplified democracy but ended up to be brutal leaders who could be in the Book of Records for their terrorist acts like Obote, Kaunda and others and our own Mengistu too.

Change in Ethiopia was never encouraged or advised nor were these changes brought flood of human blood needlessly flow over the rivers of the country. The governments in Ethiopia before and after Haile Selassie systematically shut the people up by denying them world awareness in order to make life better for them and their surroundings. Our exposure to what a government must look like came during the Neway brothers coup. Imagine how we lived and survived by praising Haile Selassie in the book of prayers, in the national Anthem for being given to us by God. I am going to skip the Red Terror or the Mengistu Hailemariam era and leave it to those who witnessed the history at the time; but would further like to discuss the subject at hand in other issues.

What makes a country’s politics healthy and uniting? This is the burning issue of our current political venues right now and here. If you look back of the many African countries and snake through their political history who succeeded  to fight colonialism, you definitely will come to only one conclusion, and that is the presence of true, matured and honest political organizations, the grassroots’ work of the activists, and the support of the people. These are needed to make or break governments in power and their continuous oppression of the people. Time here is a factor. Political organizations are like children. They need to grow with discipline, trust and most of all to have a common objective amassed through the process of time. The most importantly factor at this juncture is the awareness of the general public of the existing problems. Temporary oppositions never last and never bring about a true movement to get rid of oppressive governments.

Let me bring the History of the many African fighters under colonialism. Many of them started from scratch to build an opposition; uniting themselves under one banner “for the freedom of their beloved people and countries and under common enemy”. They were all like us, many ethnic groups, few educated, nobilities, landless and discrimination of one nationality over the other. Different languages and religions but one enemy. Why then is ours different from these African Countries with all the resemblances. Yet unlike the new African countries we were ruled under Feudalism for so many years. People were ridiculed for their nationalities, languages, even their own proper nouns. I guess we lived under George Orwell’s “Animal Farm” that seemed to describe us better than this writer create words or sentences to illustrate the saying, “All are equal but some are more equal than others”. Admit it, particularly we Ethiopians never like to expose our problems, fear of ይሉኝታ. Imagine for a second and do some role playing, if you will as one of those oppressed nationalities that were ridiculed, made jokes of and act that role to feel the pain of being the other person nationality who is an Ethiopian too. Having the ‘different’ name from that nationality, acting like them and smelling like them. Then you will understand what they went through and what they are fighting for and understand which Ethiopia you are talking about. The pain that had been inflicted and the many visible scars are reminders to the oppressed Ethiopians to this very day. I better be calm and be collected and stick within the title.

I assume the most important thing for people to rise up and voice their grievances is the existence of a party and leadership. But leadership without the true and honest followers will never have a long lasting life to struggle along the people. Our problem is one and only one, we tend to hate leaders for a short span of time and then live with the same problems we temporarily opposed to dethrone them. Acceptance and assimilation penetrate us by the process of osmosis and we accept what “God has given us”.

Ah! The other major problem is our fear to either oppose or support the existing government. Radios, television and public forum are filled with loud mouthed so called spokesmen/women of our communities. These individuals live in denial of the democratic rights of others. “My way or the highway” is their motto. I remember in a campaign held for the USUAA (University Students Union of Addis Ababa) between Tilahun Gizaw and Mekonnen Bishaw, Tilahun told the audience about Mekonnen “He is politically my enemy but socially my brother”. There you are for a true and honest political argument for a healthy leadership. However, we Ethiopians tend to live with assimilation. There are many who speak out for and/or against the government who is ruling the country and yet we never question as to who these people were or are. Do we really know their motives? My suspicious nature always tells me that those who engage in public propagandas could be guilty in the same manner of the people they accusing. Readers, accept one thing and that is there are many amongst us who tortured and killed during the Derge era. Guilt has entrapped them so much they have to come by these means to act to be with us.

I am trying to bring to readers the healthiest of any political situation to groups and the need to have seeds sown for a better nutrition to our political life of a true democratic nature. The factors mentioned above need to be considered like farmer’s patience to wait until the fruits ripen. Of course without the tree rooted under the ground to hold firm there could not be any opposition that could last for a long and protracted fight.

What do nations want to bring peace and serenity to their nation and a country?

Trust:

People never succeeded without the existence of a clean and true trust of one another. No political party or opposition ever succeeded in the absence of trust. When engaged in a fight with an establish oppressor, the opposing group has to have this factor as the only means of surviving the coming ordeals.

Equality:

Face it reader, we have a long way to come to terms with this subject and I am not talking of the written laws. None had made it in the past nor will they do in the future. Once in a while I tend to note on many Ethiopian sights የደሀ ልጅ የገረድ ልጅ ወይም የሸርሙጣ ልጅ I probably do not consider to be an insult as the reference was made to the many Ethiopians who live with us and made life better for themselves through what they have gone. Then the lack of psychological equality is the basis of our current problem. It took black America over 400 years to reach to this level and still need more

Common enemy:

Let me be perfectly clear, I am not talking the conventional enemy spear headed by some groups. A common enemy is supposed to be” common” without the fortune of alliance for one’s enrichment, recognition and power hungry individuals.

A Uniting Party of all Ethiopians

No! Readers, I am not talking about parties that emerge without the existence of a long period of time through thick and thin. Members have to go through a long up and down problems to be considered one and only one. No cause must be considered a uniting factor without the full understanding of the party, unquestionable dedication and concern to Ethiopia, and without the personal goals of members. A party is like a tree; it has got to start from the seed and roots to keep it up-right then the fruit of it will shine all over the tree.

Patience:

Oh! This is the only problem in the political life of Ethiopians that handicapped our political success. Successful political parties never consider time to be as friendly as many of us expect it to be. You win some and you lose some. And very importantly, one must not forget the many lives lost, although it may not be related directly to us but will still be a great loss to the loved ones. There has never been in the history of political struggle, a party which was created yesterday and succeeded today Many died for their conviction so that their children can live a better life. But I doubt such persons exist in this world at this time.

History is a record keeping experience, all it says is “history will always repeat itself”. And it does. The long historic struggles in the history of the world such as the Chinese Revolution, Lenin’s, Castro’s and many countries against colonialism fought and many lives were lost, a long journey was taken, and its fruits are now being witnessed for the future children of the country. In short, a political party needs a stage where every fighter is tested for his/her honesty, a time for patience and if necessary, the ability to work within the oppressive government to understand their weakness and strength and simultaneously build the organization of change.

The Thorn in The Horn

Just when you thought it couldn’t get any uglier, just when you thought it couldn’t possibly get any more gruesome, or the hubris couldn’t get any bolder, it does. It appears that Mr. Meles’ tyranny knows no boundaries…literally. The thorn in the horn, Meles Zenawi, has gone and invaded a sovereign nation. And for what? Well, the consensus seems to be that it is nothing more than a desperate attempt to divert attention away from the growing turmoil he faces inside the country. It is the classic example of a desperate dictator trying to rally support from the people using a scare tactic. The Jihadists are coming! You’d have thought Bin Laden was approaching the border.

History repeats itself once again. Joseph Goebbles, Hitler’s propagandist during the Second World War said,

“The people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders . . . All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism.”

However, this scare tactic seems to have fallen on deaf ears, thanks to the ever alert and politically astute people of Ethiopia. No one is being sold on this one. Much like the many other failed political moves by the tyrant, this one is also being analyzed accordingly. So much for the intelligence of the ‘new breed’ of African leader.

Unfortunately, the blowback to this irresponsible and senseless war will be felt for years to come. And who will be the on the receiving end of this reckless act that was done in the name of self defense? Once again, it is the innocent people of Ethiopia, whose only desire is to live in a peaceful democratic country, which respects the rights and sovereignty of its neighbors.

Yes, it appears that the Ethiopian Army has managed to drive the ragtag army of the UIC out of the capital. But it didn’t take a military genius to predict that. It’s like being shocked at the swift success of the US military in Iraq. Well, Mr. Zenawi, you may have won the battle, but the real war starts now. Just how long are you planning to stay in Mogadishu or Somalia for that matter? How long do you think before the weak Somali government led by Mohammed Ali Gedi can defend itself? How many of the young Ethiopian soldiers must be sacrificed for your sick adventure? Hmmm, all of this sounds so eerily familiar, doesn’t it? Let’s see, isn’t a similar tragic situation playing out just a few thousand miles across the Red Sea. Oh yeah, Iraq! Didn’t anyone tell Mr. Zenawi that this ‘exporting Democracy’ business started by the UCA (United Corporations of America) has failed miserably and can only lead to political and moral bankruptcy?

Mr Zenawi, in his infinite wisdom using his own version of mathematical logic, and a tinge of his infamous arrogance, declared: “We have done more than half of our mission already. As soon as we complete the other half, and it won’t take us long, we will be out of there. So, they won’t have a target to fight against.” It reminded me of a quote by a professional baseball manager who said, “Baseball is 90% mental, the other half is physical.” So, when will Mr. Meles start saying ‘we will stand down when the Somali Army stands up’ or ‘we will not withdraw until our mission is accomplished’?

There is no justification whatsoever for this outrageous act. Even if one was to play along with this sick escapade and entertains Meles’ twisted notion of national interest, the invasion is as bizarre as the reason itself. Coupled with the weak rational that a few Moslem fundamentalists are a serious threat to the most militarily powerful county in the region, the idea of defending Ethiopia from the other thorn in the horn, the dictator in Eritrea, can hardly absolve Mr. Meles from the fact that he invaded a sovereign nation. If that were the case, the logical place to launch this mad attack would have been in the Badame front where everything started. Furthermore, if that was really the case, why didn’t Mr. Zenawi march all the way to Asmara when he had the chance? I mean the goal is pretty much the same, to protect Ethiopia’s interest right?

This is nothing more than a distraction, a ploy to destabilize the region by instilling fear on the people. He may think he is killing two birds with one stone, but little does he know that the birds have flown and only the doves are left. Yes Mr. Zenawi, the people want peace. Thanks to you sir, now Ethiopia is one of the more scorned nations in the world next to US and perhaps Israel. A few months ago, I wrote a piece about the similarities between the two tyrants, Bush and Zenawi. You can add this latest act of unprovoked war by Mr. Zenawi to the list.

Chereka

By Terengo

One Woman’s Odyssey to Save AIDS Orphans in Ethiopia

By Mimi

Like a pebble dropped in a pool, AIDS sends ripples to the edges of society, affecting first the family, then the community, then the nation as a whole.

Over 1.5 million lonely little girls & boys that face poverty, stigmatization, isolation, rejection and extreme sadness live in Ethiopia. These voiceless children live ignored in a country that has no national policy to provide care and support for orphaned kids, but so passionate it spent $ 2 million/ day and had $800 million dollars in defense budget during a senseless border dispute. The plight of these poor little souls, as they witness a government so cold-blooded, it rather blow billions of dollars for killing than on AIDS medicine to save their lives

Ethiopia does not have enough HAART . The highly active antiretroviral therapy/the triple drug cocktail that revolutionized the treatment of AIDS patients. The combined drugs decrease a patient’s viral load to below-detectable levels, reducing AIDS from a fatal disease to chronic or manageable disease. Due to the 10-year time lag between HIV infection and death, without the availability of anti-retroviral medications, orphan populations will continue to grow and a whole generation is in danger of being wiped out by AIDS.

Now, meet an angel who is Love and Hope to some of these abandoned children. A remarkable woman who has turned a personal tragedy into a rich generosity changing many lives.

Mrs. Haregewoin Teferra is that angel. A grief-stricken widow that turned her home into a makeshift orphanage to care for hundreds of AIDS orphans, after losing her own daughter to the epidemic. She runs the haven Atetegeb Worku Memorial Orphans Support Association AWMOSA named after the daughter she lost to AIDS. Since it has opened doors to AIDS orphans in 2001, AWMOSA has fostered over 250 kids.

Today, as we observe World AIDS day, let us consider ways to help these orphans Mrs. Haregewoin desires our help to spread Love and Hope to these needy children.

We can all be angels, if we tried. Let us be angels to the orphans. Please, visit Mrs. Haregewoin http://www.awmosa.org/ or e-mail her at atetegeb@ethionet.et .

The Stephen Lewis Foundation is gathering tax-exempt donations which will be used to benefit Haregewoin’s foster children. Stephen Lewis is the United Nations Special Envoy on AIDS in Africa. You can donate here

Please, support great non-profit organizations that are making a wonderful difference in the fight against AIDS

Worldwide Orphans Foundation
http://www.orphandoctor.com/wwo/index.html

Global AIDS Alliance
http://www.globalaidsalliance.org/

Medecins Sans Frontieres/Doctors Without Borders
http://www.doctorswithoutborders.org,/

http://www.msf.org/