Zegabi

Taking the war on terror to Africa

2007-09-17T11:49:00.000-07:00

Here is an article from Newsweek International on US military expansion into Africa, what it has thus far meant for the Horn and its implications for the futrure...

Click here to read it.

How loyal is loyal enough?

2007-09-08T22:18:00.000-07:00

This week Time Magazine gave Meles Zenawi an excellent PR opportunity. The interviewer, either not having done his homework or intentionally*, left many opportunities to challenge Meles’ assertions. For example after Meles’s assertions on what is happening in Ogaden the interviewer stirred clear of mentioning specific evidence and eyewitness accounts that have been making the rounds in the media. The interview was very much about getting Meles’s message out than getting to the truth about what is happening in the Ogaden and in Ethiopia in general.

But that wasn’t all that surprising. We are used to Meles’s spin and perhaps can even understand his rationale; but what about that of his Ethiopian supporters? Do a quick reading of the pro-TPLF/EPRDF websites and this is what you will find: they contend that the New York Times and the Washington Post are unreliable; institutions such as Amnesty International and HRW are liars; the Red Cross, WFP, and MSF are just pure fabricators of news bent on destroying the good name of the Ethiopian regime, or worse, supporters of local armed movements. Everyone who says the Ethiopian regime is doing wrong are themselves wrong or biased. The only voice to be trusted is that of the [impartial?] EPRDF leadership. Loyalty has replaced any sense of rationality.

It is inescapable that the legacy of EPRDF will also be the legacy of its supporters. Ignoring what is happening or vocally supporting the EPRDF under some pretext as it commits these atrocities on Ethiopian-Somalis is to be party to its actions. It is even more so since you are perhaps the only group of Ethiopians that have sway on EPRDF's actions. Would Meles’s word be good enough for you if these reports were about areas that your families lived in? Would this unquestioning loyalty be the norm?

The response from the rest of the Ethiopian community, especially from those of us that are abroad has been disappointing to say the least. The abuses in the Ogaden are a test for all Ethiopians who believe in a shared identity. Where is the fervor of two years ago when many were gunned down in the streets of Addis? Where are the protesters, and the organizers that were holding signs and vigils at the White House? Where is the opposition? As Ethiopians, how each of us individually and collectively responds to the abuses of the government in the Ogaden will also be our legacy.

We have read reports of how thousands are going to the Airport tomorrow to welcome the Kinijit leaders. They certainly deserve a very warm welcome, but our brothers and sisters in the Ogaden need our presence and voice even more. Now is the time to fight for all the victims of EPRDF, to do all we can to stop what is happening in the Ogaden. As residents and citizens of the US it is our responsibility to make people aware about what is happening, to make people question the cozy relationship the US has with the brutal Ethiopian government. The time to show that we are loyal to the discourse of a shared Ethiopian identity is now.

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*This account of how governments and their lobbyists operate, including building their image by using “friendly” press, explains how this may have happened.

ICRC expulsion from the Ogaden

2007-07-24T13:26:00.000-07:00

The Ethiopian government has now graduated from expelling election observers and journalists to expelling the Red Cross. Why? Because they bear witness to its brutal and inhumane strategy of “starving out the enemy.” The TPLF’s conviction to sink lower at every opportunity would have been amusing if its consequences were not so dire for the Ethiopian people.

It seems at every turn the TPLF is copying from the Dergue play book.

Dagmawi writes:

Who could have imagined that what the Derg did in 1984 would be repeated again 23 years later. Lets have a great Millenium party in Addis Ababa while thousands of Ogadeni-Ethiopians huddle on the bare ground starving to death!

Redeem Ethiopia recently wrote:

Distracting Ethiopians and the international community with large expensive and year-long Millennium parties is now crucial. Mengistu attempted such a distraction with a large celebration of the tenth anniversary of the revolution ... Is Meles so inspired by Mengistu’s old strategies that he will do the same?

Related:
BBC
New York Times
Dagmawi
Last Post

And the Wonk is back!!!

Running in circles

2007-07-21T17:18:00.000-07:00

The Ethiopian famine of 1983-1985, preserved in popular memory as a natural disaster of biblical proportions, most fiercely struck those parts of the country that harbored irredentist movements. In a stunning, but telling, rejoinder to international pity for the purportedly hapless Ethiopian government, the Ethiopian foreign minister told a U.S. charge' d'affaires that “food is a major element in our strategy against the secessionists."

David Marcus, Famine Crimes in International Law, The American Journal of International Law, Vol. 97, No. 2. (Apr., 2003), pp. 245-281.

Western diplomats have been urging Ethiopian officials to lift the blockade, arguing that the many people in the area are running out of time. “It’s a starve-out-the-population strategy,” said one Western humanitarian official, who did not want to be quoted by name because he feared reprisals against aid workers. “If something isn’t done on the diplomatic front soon, we’re going to have a government-caused famine on our hands.”

New York Times
July 21,2007

The Kaliti Apology Letter

2007-07-18T23:34:00.000-07:00

I am wondering why none of the media that has aligned itself with the Ethiopian opposition is not commenting on the apology letter. It seems people are not reading the letter carefully and are rather following the EPRDF spin on it. The letter publicized by Walta expresses regret for the CUD leadership's proposal to set up a transitional government to replace the current regime in a manner not stipulated in the constitution [the transitional government was supposed to include EPRDF]. In the same letter they agree that any change from here on would have to be made through the mechanisms provided for in the Constitution. The letter clearly stays away from words that are associated with force, or violence and simply says 'change'(lemelewet) rather than 'overturn' (megelbet).

The spinners at Aiga and Bereket Simon have of course seized upon the purposely vague wording [probably a result of days of negotiations] to make it look like the prisoners of conscious have agreed with the government's prosecutors. But that is clearly not the case.

Anyone listening?

2007-04-15T22:30:00.000-07:00

Addis Fortune has a bold editorial that touches on a broad range of issues including the capacity of opposition parliamentarians to participate meaningfully, the leadership vacuum among the opposition, the state of free speech in Parliament and in Ethiopia in general, the willingness of the public to participate in politics and policy, and the virtues of changing the way things are done. Read it here.

የቅኔ ውበት - yeQne Wubet

2007-04-08T20:29:00.000-07:00

The following are taken from የቅኔ ውበት - yeQne Wubet - a compilation of all the poems of Kebede Mikael.

የሠነፍ ልመና - Ye Senef Limena

2007-04-07T22:33:00.000-07:00

The following is taken from Ye Iwqet Bilichta - የእውቀት ፡ ብልጭታ

Somalia, Zimbabwe and US Media

2007-04-04T01:27:00.000-07:00

On March 29 when I turned on my car radio to listen to NPR, the news started with coverage of events in Zimbabwe. As usual the story wasn't good. The radio reported how Zimbabwean security had broken into the opposition headquarters and may have arrested the opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai; this coming just a few days after he had been arrested and beaten.

While this was a sad story that needed to be told, it paled in comparison to what a US ally started doing that very day in Somalia.

Starting on March 29 the Ethiopian army stationed in Somalia began new military operations in the capital that led to the death, injury and displacement of thousands of civilians. According to Somali media outlets Ethiopian forces were indiscriminately shelling residential areas. Quite conveniently this news was omitted from the headlines of US news outlets.

NPR for example didn't cover the events in Somalia until April 3rd*, even then omitting much of the detail that Somali News Outlets such as Shabelle Network were reporting. In the mean time it had carried stories on Zimbabwe on April 1 and April 2**. The BBC to its credit did a better job (atleast online). For those of us in the US, unless we sought out the news on Somalia on the web, there was little evidence of what transpired in Mogadishu over four days of heavy fighting.

It is outrageous that supposedly impartial media outlets omit and editorialize news to keep the names of loyal representatives of US power, such as Meles Zenawi, out of the spotlight. Such blatantly partial coverage, even of supposedly "remote" areas erodes trust in the institutions that are essential to the working of free societies.
_______________________
*Just to make sure that I didn't merely miss the coverage, I did a search on their website which yielded no results for Somalia during Mar 29-April 2.

**It should by now be obvious that the coverage of Zimbabwe has nothing to do with human rights or democracy and everything to do with powerful western interests that want to see change in the land reform policies that Mugabe and Zanu-PF are pushing.

The morning lineup - follow up

2007-03-31T14:14:00.000-07:00

In the post titled the morning lineup I had listed the three Ethiopian national anthems that have been consecutively used since 1930. An anonymous commenter had remarked that Imperial Ethiopia's national anthem had accompanying anthems that were sang during taking down and raising the flag. He has kindly emailed me the lyrics which I reproduce below. Thanks A.

Ere Enasib Please

2007-03-29T15:00:00.000-07:00

Okay there is some a$$ at the Ethiopian review forum who has chosen to call himself Zegabi and post the most gruesome stuff.

Ethiopian Review better start having some respect for human life. What the hell are you thinking posting the pictures of these soldiers? And watch your language! It is almost as if the writer takes perverse pleasure in seeing dead Ethiopian soldiers. This is inhumane. A soldier goes where he is told. These are our Ethiopian brothers, caught in an unfortunate situation due to the policy blunder of Meles Zenawi. If anything one should be pained by what it means to be a soldier in a country where the government is in no way accountable to its people.

The Darfur Crisis

2007-03-28T10:38:00.000-07:00

Stephen Bronner has a good article on the Darfur Crisis and possible solutions. Read it here.

The Morning Lineup

2007-03-27T21:26:00.000-07:00

Last night, for some unknown reason, I was thinking about the morning lineup before classes start in my elementary school. It used to be that we sang the national anthem while the flag was raised and went to our classes. But then at some point it became necessary to sing L'Internationale before the national anthem. Thinking back now, I think it must have had something to do with the formation of the WPE. It was never fun, but the mind has a way of making even the most mundane routines into fond memories…

Tenesu enante ye rehab esregnoch
Tenesu yemidir goskualoch
Fitih bemigeba yibeyenal
Shal yale alem’im yitayal
Kengidih yalefew yibka
[…]
Internacionaaaaaal, Yesew zer yhonal!

Here is a midi file if you have forgotten how it sounded.

The funny thing about singing L'Internationale was that it made no sense to us. There was nothing in there that as Ethiopian children we could relate to. On the fourth line, when the song went “Shal yale alem’im yitayal”, all of my friends and I thought the song went “Shalala.” I didn’t realize what that was supposed to be until much later. We just thought that the writer was improvising for lack of better words.

Anyway, the song never stuck with the students. So eventually they had to get a microphone in front of the tape player and we stood moving our lips, lest we got a good whipping for unbecoming conduct (staying silent), as the speakers boomed the song of intenational socialism.

I always felt differently about the national anthem however. I loved the national anthem that I grew up with. Ityopia Ityopia Ityopia Kidemi always resonated with me and stirred emotions in me that are all too familiar to many Ethiopians. Our attachment has little to do with the regime that instituted it, rather it is the ideals of the song which are particularly Ethiopian that stir our emotions. The message was one that looks forward to a brighter future, dreams of equality, takes pride in our ancient history, embraces love of country and the valor of our forefathers. These same traits hold true of the current national anthem. Unfortunately, many don’t have the same attachment to it because they associate it with the current ruling regime. But listen closely to the words and its content is what any Ethiopian would want to see become reality.

Below are the lyrics and music of each of the Ethiopian national Anthems from 1930 and on.

The first one titled “Ethiopia hoy des yibalish be Amlakish hail be Negoosish” has been used from 1930 to the fall of the Emperor. According to nationalantems.info the music was composed by Kevork Nalbandian, an Armenian national living in Ethiopia in 1926. The writer of the lyric is not given; if you know it please post it here. The lyrics are as follows:

[According to our anonymous commenter, "the anthem was written by the great Ethiopian poet Yoftahe Nigussie." Tnx.]

Ethiopia hoy dess yibalish
Beamlakish hail benegoosish
Tibaberewal arbanyotchish
Ayennakam ketto netsannatesh
Bertoo natchoha terarotchish
Ateférim ketelatotchish
Del adraguioo Negoosatchin
Yinoorellen lekebratchin.

The words for “Ithiopia, Ithiopia, Ethiopia Qidemi” were written by Assefa Gebre-Mariam Tessama and the music was composed by Daniel Yohannes Haggos. This was in use from 1975 to 1991/92.

Ityopia, Ityopia Ityopya Qidami
Be Hibrasabawinet Abbibi Lamlimi
Qal Kidan Gabtawal Jagnotch Ligochishi
Wanzotch Tararotchish Dingil Maretishi
La Ityopya Andinnat Lanasannatishi
Maswat Endihonu La kibir La zinnashi
Taramaj Wede fit betibeb Godana
Tataqi Lesira Lager Bilsiginna
Yajagnorch Innat Nesh Balijochish Kuri
Talatochish Yitfu, Lazalalam Nuri

(This one isn't complete, it stops right after Maswat Endihonu La kibir La zinnashi)

The last one which is currently in use was written by Melaku Mengesha and the music was composed by Solomon Lulu. It is entitled “Whedefit Gesgeshi Woude Enate Ethiopia" and has been the national anthem since 1992.

Yäzêgennät Keber Bä-Ityopp'yachchen S'änto
Tayyä Hezbawinnät Dar Eskädar Bärto.
Läsälam Läfeteh Lähezboch Näs'annät;
Bä'ekkulennät Bäfeqer Qomänal Bä'andennät.
Mäsärätä S'enu Säbe'enan Yalsharen;
Hezboch Nän Läsera Bäsera Yänoren.
Denq Yäbahel Mädräk Yä'akuri Qers Baläbet;
Yätäfät'ro S'ägga Yäjägna Hezb Ennat.
Ennet'äbbeqeshallän Alläbben Adära;
Ityopp'yachchen nuri Eññam Banchi Ennekura!

Source for anthems: http://www.nationalanthems.info/

Outside...

2007-03-02T09:30:00.000-08:00

I see your true colors shining through...

2007-02-27T00:10:00.000-08:00

Read a journalist's opinions on the Ethiopian regime, Somali conflict and Ethiopian diaspora here.

Some more related gossip is here.

BTW - The poster on the first link happens to be named Zegabi - mere coincidence, that is not me.

Chomsky on the War on Terror

2007-02-26T13:53:00.000-08:00

A year old, but still very good. Get it through itunes podcasts (free) or here.

Thoughts "in Exile"

2007-02-13T00:33:00.000-08:00

A few months ago, there were proposals flying around about creating an Ethiopian government in exile. That didn't pan out. Now priests of Ethiopian Orthodox Church based in the US have chosen to create a Synod in exile. Some people are also referring to Aba Paulos [The Patriarch in Ethiopia] as the "former" leader of the church. I am wondering what is next ... "Seferachin in Exile", "Ethiopia in Exile", "Democracy in Exile"? Irrespective of what one thinks of the Patriarch, who in their right minds thinks this solves anything? In fact, the result of the synod-in-exile has been to divide church goers and encourage resentment at religious leaders.

Vista anyone?

2007-02-07T01:33:00.000-08:00

I upgraded to Vista a few days ago and I like how the whole thing looks. I love the new search, applications seem to open and close faster etc. but I am pulling out my hair because there are no drivers for some of my peripherals. I can't transfer pictures from my camera, my printer doesn't work, even the TV shows I bought from itunes are giving me problems.

Arghhhhhhhhhhhh!

Ete e'mete ye lomi shita

2007-01-17T00:20:00.001-08:00

Remember singing Ete Mete with the neighborhood kids back when you were a kid?

Ete e'mete, Ye Lomi Shita
Ya Sewye, Min Alesh Mata
Minim Minim, Minim Alalegn
Tidarun Feto Liwsedish Alegn
Ayiwesdishim Tidarun Feto
Milolinal Gasha Torun Defto

You can now reminisce of those times to this rendition by Wudasse Band … Enjoy this one and check out youtube for more of their work.

Video kept crushing ... here is the link.

Some years ago Gash Abera Molla (Shileshi Demisse) had produced a recording of some of these childrens' songs. A few were posted on Bernos a while back.

Sweet Ethiopia Radio Podcast

2007-01-13T01:27:00.000-08:00

Very nice programming ... Ethiopian music and more. It has been a long time since I heard "embua belew belew" (Dec 29 podcast), "Saba, Sabina"(Jan 5 podcast) etc... Check it out here - Sweet Ethiopia Radio Podcast.

Pentagon strategy, surrogate forces and tyrants

2007-01-12T20:37:00.000-08:00

The New York Times has some good news for all illegitimate governments around the world. It reports that the pentagon now sees using surrogate forces as a strategy to adopt globally. The blueprint is none other than the current Ethiopian government action in Somalia. This is bad news for home grown democracy movements anywhere.

Here is the piece.

A poem by Mengistu Lemma

2007-01-12T01:25:00.000-08:00

I found the above poem in Mengistu Lemma's Autobiography. I was surprised to see a reference to an English translation of it by Micheal Coke (1972) in the bibliography. A quick search led me to a very interesting blog, Just Thinking, which had posted the translation a few months ago. There is a funny story behind the poem discussed in the book. Enjoy the poem for now. The entry at Just thinking also has a short bio and interesting links on Mengistu Lemma.

Another favorite of mine (and with which many people are familiar) is his poem Basha Ashebir Be'Amerika which was posted at Aqumada in October 2005. I remember hearing Mengistu Lemma reading this poem on ETV. His reading gave Basha Ashebir Kelkay life, you can just picture him in his jail cell recounting his ancestry. (It must have been a rebroadcast of an earlier recording or probably a radio recording. It was one of those shows that ETV does where you see some picture on the screen as you hear the words.)

Enjoy!

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Info on his Autobiography from Aqumada.

Speech by Ana Gomes

2007-01-11T21:03:00.000-08:00

Speech by Ana Gomes, Member of the European Parliament, for the Ethiopian Human Rights Symposium (Atlanta, January 2007).

Video

Vicki as usual...

2007-01-09T21:03:00.000-08:00

Vicki Huddleston’s latest Op-Ed in the Washington Times from a few days ago reeks of too much spin. Her discussion of how the war came to be could just as well have been written by Meles Zenawi. Some of her claims though border on the ludicrous; for example, on [misguided] western analyst sentiments toward the ICU she says:

...[Analysts] pointed out that the Islamists had imposed order on chaotic Mogadishu, ignoring the fact that they had done so at gun-point.

Can you get any more ridiculous? Where was she when guns were being used to rob people in Mogadishu just 6 months earlier? Where was she when more than 190 people were gunned down by the thugs in Addis under her nose? Guns for killing civilians - O.K.! Guns for chasing away thugs - a BIG No! No! How does that work?

She believes that aid and peace keepers [armed with pepper spray?] are the key to solving the problems in Somalia once and for all. Many Somalis would tell you that the TFG is filled with questionable personalities, some that are outright thugs that had made people’s lives miserable. In addition the previously ousted warlords are coming back to Mogadishu. Under such conditions no amount of Aid or soldiers will make the TFG a credible entity to the average Somali. Obviously Ms. Huddleston has a habit of forgetting that governments need to be seen as legitimate entities by their people. The current trend does not bode well for Somalis, Ethiopians or US interests.

If a long term solution is what the US wants in Somalia, it would do well by encouraging the TFG to talk to the moderates in the courts [too late now?] as well as clan elders who have a lot more credibility with Somalis than the so called "government". The State Department would also do well to find counsel that understand the region better rather than relying on personalities with questionable grasp of what US long term interests are in the horn or how to achieve them.

Something on Somalia

2007-01-09T13:04:00.000-08:00

This article from Znet asks:

Why must the region that’s home to the world’s poorest 100 million people devote its meagre resources and depleted energies to an aimless and unending cycle of violence?