EPRDF CHALLENGES FOR THE NEW MILLENNIUM: ARTICLE 39, KILILS, LANGUAGE AND THE ISSUE OF OUR SEA PORTS.

In my last open letter to EPRDF, I opined about several topics that challenge the EPRDF government as we begin the new Millennium. In a series of short articles, I would like to articulate my sincere opinion on what I feel about these topics

ARTICLE 39 MINUS SECESSION = TIMELY FEDERATION!

Don't get me wrong. The Right of Nations, Nationalities and Peoples has been fixed in stone and there to stay for good. These Nations and Nationalities have finally realized the fruits of their struggle for self determination and self rule.

The last 17 years have seen the tremendous empowerment of these peoples, the continued growth of their language and culture and our deeper appreciation of our diversity and beauty as we work our way out of the massive poverty and economic inequality that has ravaged our country for decades. Through it all, we have learned to live together with love and respect for the rule of law. More than ever before, we have become a close knit society.

It is, therefore, time to question the merits of a part of article 39 that has remained a thorn in many circles of God-fearing, flag waving, nationalist Ethiopians. That section is the one about secession. It is time for these Nations and Nationalities and Peoples of these different Kilils to start a dialogue about this issue, introduce bills in their respective parliaments and bring it all the way up to the Federal government for a decision of unity and hence, propose to rescind the word secession from the constitution. It is time for the EPRDF government to feel that the fruits of its struggle for the freedom of these peoples have finally ripened and allow the passage of such a bill with full unanimous support.

THE ISSUE OF FEDERAL LANGUAGE/LANGUAGES

Introducing a child to school with the specific ethnic language of the Kilil or the one the child was introduced to at home should continue to be the preferred language of instruction. Communication in a language common to all the Kilils is also the key element that brings closeness and understanding between the different ethnics groups in the Ethiopian society. To that end, Amharic has become the Federal language of choice. Just having it on paper and not implementing it in a productive fashion will not fulfill the intended purpose. It is my feeling that such a language must be taught from first grade on as a compulsory subject, right on to high school and college.

It is a documented fact that children can learn two or three languages without difficulty when these languages are introduced between the ages of 3 and 5. In fact it has been shown that any language or languages introduced at such an age, will positively impact the mental development of a child. It is my contention that not only Amharic, but also English, as the international language of choice, should be introduced at the same time and continued on to the later grades.

Such language-based ethnic barriers will then be broken to bring better understanding between peoples of different cultures and languages and lead to the removal of the concept of Kilils. This could finally lead to the removal of boundaries based on ethnicity and give way to geographic divisions of states.

THE ARGUMENT FOR A SEA PORT

Ethiopia is a land-locked nation. The historical premise as to how we came about to loose our ports is still a controversial issue among many circles. To deny this would be to bury ones head in the sand and refuse to look at the realities around us. Just this past year, our Shipping Lines lost over 26 million Birr. Many people are not even aware that we do have ships. These ships are leased to companies that use them to import and export products to Ethiopia and other countries. Our loss is partly minimized because of a law that forces these companies to exclusively use Ethiopian ships only to export our products. It is one thing to try to negotiate a deal with Djibouti or other neighboring countries for docking rights for our ships. But to down play the historical significance of Assab and ignore the need for negotiations with Eritrea to return Assab to the mother land would be to commit an irresponsible act that is detrimental to our country's economy. Ethiopia is a major power house in the Horn of Africa and deserves to have its sea ports back.

These issues are raised in all sincerity and love for my country. They are raised to encourage more debate on these and other issues that I strongly believe will lead to a more open society eager to get along with each other as we forge ahead to fight poverty and disease. It will also, in more ways than one, foster the essence of democracy and good governance in our country.

So, let us all work with a sense of unity and equality among our peoples and continue to challenge the EPRDF government to continue its commitment for democracy and good governance

AM I DREAMING OR IS THE DIASPORA IN DENIAL?

As some of you may know, there are quite a few of us in the Diaspora who frequent the so called chat rooms in Paltalk. Sprinkled between the religion rooms, love rooms and hate rooms are the political rooms where some of us cut our teeth and sharpened our tongues.

I spent a good deal of my time in the last two and a half years, fighting for the release of the CUD prisoners. Day and night we labored. I formed friendships and forged alliances. I met Ethiopians from different ethnic backgrounds throughout the world and enjoyed chatting with them on the side. We exchanged information as varied as the Eritrean border issue, the justification of the Somalia invasion, and even how to mix different drinks. Some of them have become best friends.

Through it all, I tended to bring the conversation back to the prisoners in Kality. I always did it in a peaceful and accommodative style. To most, my inclusive politics was untenable and I was routinely rewarded with the Paltalk vocabulary called "bouncing" and sometimes "banned" for good. The availability of a few more laptops and a bit of computer literacy has allowed me to continue to monitor and challenge the mind-boggling lies and innuendos so frequently heard even in the best of these rooms.

The help for my mission came in the form of a high EPRDF official, who was a guest in one of my favorite rooms, Ethiopians Forum for Political Civility. This individual made it a point to afford me his time and real brotherhood to answer my questions regarding the prisoners. When they were finally released through the hard work of the "Shimagiles" and the governments' good will, I was fortunate enough to be in Ethiopia and thank some of those officials who I believed had some role in their release

Fast forward to the "9^th of September" in Washington, D.C. and the Ethiopian community is going nuts over the visit of the CUD "leaders". No sooner had they arrived in the land of the free and home of the brave, than rumors started circulating about the feud between Dr. Berhanu Nega and Eng. Hailu Shawel. The paltalk rooms were partitioned along personality supports and narrow political opinions. If you happen to be in the wrong room and mentioned the name of the wrong person, you get the boot in no time. The issue of KIC and KIL that has been simmering for months is in the front burner again.

In my case, it did not take one of these "respectable" rooms to show me the door when I said, "Ethiopia is ruled by EPRDF." I am serious. That is all I said. Yes, here in the land of the free and home of the brave. Last time I checked, EPRDF was still in power!. I got a similar treatment a few months ago, when I said PM Meles Zenawi would be one of my choices for the Best Leader of Ethiopia Contest. After the release of the prisoners, and after that fantastic Millennium outfit, the other names I mentioned are falling far behind.

Actually, I also said there is a CUD party in Ethiopia and any one wanting to be a member has to join that party, or have another party registered in Ethiopia. Technically speaking, it should be wrong to refer to the visiting individuals as CUD leaders. I did not go past the first paragraph when I was bounced for the second time.

Am I dreaming or is the Diaspora in denial? I gave up and went back to edit the Kinijit Manifesto, to make it a kinder and gentler document. I am on page five!. Stay tuned.

FREE ADVICE TO THE DIASPORA PRIME MINISTER, DR BERHANU NEGA.

Hey bro, I have not been into this politics thing as long as you. But, I have lived long enough in the US to know how democracy works. I have lived it every day for nearly 30 years. I think that should qualify me to teach you a thing or two about how "our" democracy works here. A few years stunt at a mid-level university in Manhattan oesn't quite give you the knowledge base to trample on our hard won freedom and the democracy that took centuries to build.

You see, I may have been successful in making a good living here in the US of A and may have been spoilt a bit by the democratic system. But I have no illusions about the reality in Ethiopia and my regular visit to see my poor relatives is a constant reminder about my commitment to see the continuation of the democratic process that I saw a flicker of in the 2005 elections.

I was sooo hoping for you to join the parliament and work hand in hand with EPRDF toward a path of good governance that would benefit everyone in Ethiopia. Your imprisonment was a huge blow to the progress of that process. So, we fought day and night, in our own little ways, to see you free. We are mighty glad that you are free.

But please do not misunderstand the euphoria, and the fanfare surrounding your visit to Washington, D.C. We were celebrating your freedom. We were celebrating the return toward that process that you so rudely interrupted when you refused to join parliament. We were hoping that the 20 months in Kality had thought you a thing or two about democracy, in addition to that big volume you produced. It is still sitting on my table top, half read.

You seem to be preparing for something else. Whether you wrote it yourself or some one else did it for you, you were prepared for a speech of a life time. You were prepared to lecture us on the evil deeds of EPRDF and its leadership and you were doing it all in the name of democracy. Your unsuspecting audience was all wrapped up in the excitement of the moment to take note of your inflammatory words. Believe me they will hear it/read it again and again, until the cows come home if they have too, to digest it carefully and get the real message behind it. Let me quote a few sentences from that famous (sic) saber-rattling speech, mostly referring to the Prime Minister and EPRDF, that I believe left very little room for reconciliation, compromise and modesty:

" ...Ehadeg kinijitin lemaTifat wesino....EPRDF having decided to destroy

Kinijit"

"...eyetekoraru negirewunal.....He has told us with a chip on his shoulder"

"...yihinin hulu masiferaria alemeqebelachin asidenigiToachew ...scared of

our decision to ignore his numerous warnings"

"...yerasu maninet le democracy ginibata fitsum biqu yalihone....his own

persona disqualifies him for one fit to build democracy"

"....ketezefequbet Tiliq qijet wusT abano qesiqisoachewal...it has startled

them from the nightmare that they were deeply immersed in"

"...yemayigebachewun siliTan lemeyaz ke hizb yezerefutin genizeb

sayimelisu....having grabed the power they don't deserve and without

returning the money they embezzled from the people"

Forget gratitude, there is no respect for the government in these words. It was more like a revolutionary, back to arms kind of speech. Otherwise, how do you plan to sit down and talk to these officials?

The fundamental features of democracies include government based on majority rule and the consent of the governed, the existence of free and fair elections, the protection of political minorities, respect for basic human rights, equality before the law, due process, and political pluralism.

For your next speech, I advice you to revise it as follows. Be determined and confident. But get rid of the gutter language you seem so fond of coining. Elevate your speech to that of tolerance and accommodation. Tell your audience that you are very grateful for leaving Kality and hope to never go back there. Tell them that every one who worked for your release ought to be commended. Friends, family, "Shimagiles", the Diaspora, foreign nationals and nations AND the Ethiopian government. Yes the Ethiopian government, without whose good gesture you would not be here with us today. Tell them that a new chapter has opened in this Millennium and another opportunity has been handed to you to do it right this time. Tell them that you will form a new party or join an existing one to help continue the path toward building a system of good governance in Ethiopia.

If you do this, your speech will receive more standing ovations from the Diaspora, you will raise more money and you will then be in a position to build your party in Ethiopia to challenge the successes of EPRDF, fair and square. There is no other way of grasping that power that you seem so hungry for.

I am done, Sir. Thank you for your indulgence.

DR BERHANU NEGA, PRIME MINISTER OF THE DIASPORA, DELIVERS!

I watched it twice! It was long and deliberate. It was visibly forceful and emotionally charged. The audience in the hall seemed to love it and showed their repeated ovations.

It had a touch of typical American politics in its advocacy of democracy and won the sympathy of the crowd when he started off with the story of the 85 year Ato Biru and his two sons, Chala and Tulu, and how he was in prison for 8 years for allegedly hiding his two children who were supposedly OLF members. To add spice to his introduction, the injustice to Seye Abraha and Professor Asrat were thrown in.

This was followed by thanking the "Shimagiles", the Addis marathon runners and the Diaspora for their unrelenting support and struggle to help set them free. Even Anna Gomez, Donald Payne and Chris Smith were recipients of the message of gratitude. Do you see my blood boiling? Where are the other big players in all this? Where are the leaders of EPRDF and the other tireless brothers and sisters who labored day and night to make their freedom a reality? Do they get mentioned in passing?

The good doctor did not keep me wondering for too long. In his book, EPRDF and PM Meles Zenawi are anti-democratic forces who cheated and stole the 2005 elections to stay in power. He said that the PM told them in no uncertain terms and with a chip on his shoulder, that the democratic game was over, go home in peace and come back in five years for another fun game. The campaign of hate and ridicule was just beginning. He was just warming up. His emotional scale was getting a notch higher and the speed with which he was gulping the glass of water next to him was getting faster. No sweat coming from that big bold head though! Don't get me wrong, I am partly bold myself.

We then heard a series of self-congratulatory statements about how they are cold-blooded thinkers who were left with no choices but to head to Kality, with their head held high. A series of diatribes about the diabolic nature of EPRDF government in general and the PM in particular followed. He talked about how the PM trampled over every rule of law and lost the respect of the law-abiding world community. The government leaders were described as incapable and incompetent, the judiciary laughable, the government armed to its teeth ready to do harm on a whim. We were told that the government will be made accountable for holding power by force and for embezzling the people's money.

No. I was not laughing, because there was a sudden change of gear and a lecture on democratic values and the rule of law. How the eight point preconditions they had laid out before going to prison still hold. That the Diaspora should continue to help them achieve their goal of building a society that believes in a democratic and transparent culture.

And finally, the good doctor told us about respecting the rule of law and political equality. He ended up by warning us to beware of EPRDF which is hankered down to do an irreversible damage to the country before its own permanent demise. And for good effect he added, the alleged crimes committed by the Ethiopian government in Ogaden, in Oromia and in Gambella. It may have been payback time for AFD and Obang Metho.

His prescription: lay down low and fight with determination, confidence and modesty.

I am quite exhausted after this and would like to keep most of my questions for the good doctor for another time. But I would do you all an injustice if I did not throw in a few common sense questions.

Did you leave Ethiopia via Bale or Bole, Or is that a Fara question? Which party did you say you belong to or did you say you were going to establish one? Were you going to start a dialogue with the representatives of the Ethiopian government in the Diaspora or are you going to extend the same cruel remarks to them too? Are you planning to go back to Ethiopia to give the Olive branch to those officials you so ruthlessly attacked today or are you going to do it from the comfort of your office in Friendship College, or is it Neighborhood College? And finally, is this your personal opinion or is it supported by all the members of your delegation?

I am not done with you Sir! And no, I am not falling asleep either.

THE DIASPORA POLITICS CONTINUES TO BAFFLE ME.

Engineer Hailu Shawel, the previous Chairman of CUD finally arrived in Washington Dulles Airport among a confused commotion of supporters and a few detractors hoping to throw a rotten egg or two at him. He was well protected by Dulles police and even some of his party leaders were not able to get near him. He looked weak and fragile. His voice, however, carried some dignity. He was gentle with his words towards the other camp within his party, i.e. the Dr. Berhanu/Bertukan camp. It is rumored that he is on his way for medical treatment in a hospital in New York. God speed.

The DC Metro Kinijit Support Chapter had organized a large meeting at the Crystal Gateway Marriott in Arlington, Virginia and successfully raised funds through entrance fee of $30 and other generous donations. The hall was packed and the speakers were lined up one after another. Ato Brook Kebede, Ato Gizachew Shiferaw, Wzt. Bertukan Mideksa , Dr Hailu Araya and Dr Berhanu Nega, who were among the visiting delegation.

Engineer Hailu Shawel, who was supposed to be the leader of the delegation decided not to show up and the gathering proceeded without him. Is a coup d'etat in the works? Are they trying to do it in a gentler and kinder way?

Dr. Berhanu Nega's speech was rather long. But the audience was hungry for it and took it all in, with awe and many a standing ovation.

Now, don't get me wrong. Don't run off saying, here goes Washera supporting advertising the deeds of his Kinijit friends. To be honest with you, that was the furthest thing from my mind. Some thing, however, is deeply palpable in the air about the Kinijit supporters in the Washington, DC area in particular and probably in the Diaspora in general.

To be honest with you, I am getting worried a little bit. I did not find very encouraging statements from Dr. Berhanu's speech about joining or forming a party in Ethiopia to sit down for a dialogue with EPRDF. I did not hear a sentence or a word about thanking EPRDF for their release from Kality. The same old rhetoric of blame the government seemed to be getting amplified again.

A few nights ago, I had a dinner where I met the visiting delegation and took the opportunity to chat with some politicians in the room. The visiting delegation members were gentle and did not say much about politics. But some in the room lacked the willingness to find ways to start a dialogue with government representatives in the Washington area.

I am worried that these delegates too, may not find it extremely important to design ways of going back into the political dialogue with EPRDF in a peaceful and lawful way. I am worried that they may be lost in the Diaspora and fail to fulfill their obligations to further our struggle for good governance in Ethiopia. Among some circles, they have acquired a hero status for their time in Kality. It is not an easy position to be in and it may be a bit too early to judge them. But if they fail to deliver, they will be deeply resented and quickly loose that hero status.

I am also worried for the Diaspora Ethiopians. They appear to be hungry for a leader of their own to keep here in the Diaspora, that they can drive around in a stretch limo and worship them like celebrities.

The realities in Ethiopia do not seem to penetrate their jaundiced eyes. Let me share a sentence from an e-mail sent to me by a good friend of mine from Ethiopia, more of a Kinijit supporter than an EPRDF sympathizer.

"The Ethiopian Millennium turned out to
be a great show both for the country
and the EPRDF. Never have
I seen so much mass and neutral
happiness in my life before.
Politics had very little space in the
celebrations. As an example, and to
the credit of EPRDF, in a huge poster
of all the last 8 leaders of
Ethiopia (exhibited at Meskal Square),
there was a more-than-life size
picture of none other than
Mengistu Haile Mariam. The funny thing
that I noticed was that all the younger
generation 'kids' were more keen to 
having their pictures taken against
Mengistu's background than any body 
else's. I guess Haile Selassie may have
been the second favorite, and
Meneilk II the third. Perhaps only there,
was the political
element seen in the celebrations."

Not only does it prove wrong the gloom and doom wishers of the Millennium celebrations, but it also gives credit where credit is due. The government is becoming more credible every day, and for me, the day the prisoners came out cemented my confidence in it's willingness to go the extra mile to do good. The democratic path is clear; the candle is lit. Let us all protect it and use it as a guiding light to do the hard work of helping our people.

REMEMBER THE MESSAGE OF THE 9TH OF SEPTEMBER!.

Birtukan, Berhanu, Gizachew, Hailu and Brook, Welcome to America. The land of the free and home of the brave. Get some rest, visit with family and friends. Yes, rub shoulders with US congress people and celebrities. Enjoy the holiday food with loved ones. Treasure those incredible moments at the Dulles Airport, so mesmerizing described by Prof Al Mariam.

But don't be swept up by the euphoria and forget your mission.

Hanker down and begin the peoples' business. Begin by making a Millennium Resolution: To pardon, to tolerate, to treat your fellow human beings, with love, honesty, faithfulness and respect. Always respect the right of others to disagree with you.

You have achieved the status of stardom and that was unequivocally witnessed on your arrival at Dulles International Airport in Washington, D.C. You have become famous. You will raise a lot of many during your various appearances to address the Ethiopian community in the Diaspora. Convert that fame and fortune into political capital back home in Ethiopia.

Despite his well articulated homage to you, Professor Al Mariam would like to tell you and the American public that "democracy is a crime in Ethiopia. If you win elections fair and square, you go to jail." Prove him wrong! You are the product of a democratic process taking hold in Ethiopia. There is no going back. Kality is history. Don't let detractors and hate mongers like Prof Al mess up your victory, our victory. We want to tell the American public about our budding democracy. We want to assure them of our ability to resolve our differences without foreign interference.

We have begun a new Millennium. In no uncertain terms, the leaders in Ethiopia have told us that they will protect and nurture the democratic process that has began on their watch. Let us give them credit for their achievements and build on it.

During your stay in North America and especially in Washington, D.C., you will be expected to resolve the simmering problem between KIL and KIC. You will be asked about your stand on AFD. No issue is more important to your supporters and detractors than this. The mediators you sent out here to resolve the problem between KIC and KIL have interrogated over 250 people to get to the bottom of it. They ended up at the bottom and have never surfaced, muddying the water further. Please do not waste too much time and energy on this issue. You have enough information to be decisive. Be decisive and let the chips fall where they may!

Your freedom from prison is partly the work of the "Shimagiles" lead by Prof Ephrem. But, I am sure you will agree with me that thousands of your Diaspora supporters played a role in one form or other to that effect. Prof Ephrem lives only a stones' throw away from the capital. Let us supplement his group with additional member from the Diaspora and continue the dialogue.

Those of us who have lived long enough in this part of the world are well versed in the American way. Let us treat you to our hospitality, let us make your stay comfortable. Move out from the fancy downtown hotels and move in with us. Let go of those stretch limos and let us take turns giving you rides. Our subways are also decent. Be like us, live like us and listen to us!

IT IS TIME FOR EPRDF TO TAKE STOCK AND BE BOLD!

We live in exciting times, both at home and in the Diaspora. Despite the confusion and mind-boggling disillusionment of Diaspora politics, I see another window of opportunity for EPRDF to make a bold move. It is time to take stock of your achievements and start listening to what the people were saying to the opposition. It is time to scrutinize what the opposition groups were advocating to their supporters to move them away from you.

The former Kinijit leaders visiting the Diaspora supporters have achieved superstar status. Wherever they go they are received with unadulterated love and bouquet of flowers. The internal division within the leadership, which has becoming overtly conspicuous, does not seem to deter these hungry supporters, who want to see them, touch them, hug them and talk to them. They seem so eager and willing to open their pockets and doll out those hard earned dollars, even without any clue as to what agenda these leaders my reveal before their return back home.

If one is to assess the direction of that agenda from the speech made by Dr. Berhanu Nega in Washington, DC, then I have news for you. There is a lot of disappointment festering within that euphoric crowd, waiting to express it as soon as the reality on the ground hits home.

They are not angry that they were released from Kality after an apology, but they do want them to give due credit to all parties concerned, including the government. They are upset with the cat fight going on between the top leaders and the apparent lack of respect for the Chairman and his own lack of leadership. Although he is old and fragile, they are upset with the division that is fast becoming a reality within the visiting group and the supporters themselves.

What is the message for EPRDF from this disarray within the Kinijit leadership and the dissatisfaction of the Diaspora supporters? Is it another angry response using words that will deplete the vocabulary in the usual cadre propaganda manual? Is it going to be another message of hatred and intolerance? Are we going to resort to another round of detentions and imprisonments? I hope not on all counts.

The EPRDF leadership should take this opportunity to rally support through some bold measures. They should re-examine the message from the 2005 elections. The path for democracy has been charted. There is no turning back from our pursuit of freedom, liberty and democracy.

The single most important message of the 2005 elections is to show tolerance to the emergence of different parties and party programs so long as they fall within the purview of the constitution and are done peacefully, for all intents and purposes. The reconstitution of the election board and the steps initiated to make it completely free of government or party influence should continues unabated. The media should open up more and both written and televised venues should be freely available to all parties.

The nations and nationality issues have been addressed sufficiently and the steps taken in the last 17 years have proved the effectiveness of that policy. People in the various Kilils have been empowered far beyond their expectations. But it is now time to concentrate more on individual freedom and to take steps that would foster good interethnic and intra-kilil relations. It is time to visit the merits of article 39 and consider revoking the word "secession" out of the constitution.

The liberalization of laws regarding personal property and private investment has triggered a new wave of young entrepreneurs perusing a diverse set of business opportunities. This measure cannot be a half-done deal. We have to go all the way. No red line. The full potential of these young capitalists has to be exploited to the maximum. Unoccupied land has to be freely bought and sold and not just owned and parceled out by the government.

Our relationships with our neighbors have continued to divide us. There is no consensus on the solutions put forward about the problems with Eritrea. The jury is still out on the issue of our ports. It is time to publicly debate the validity of those voices that claim Assab to be part of Ethiopia.

I do not claim to be an expert in any one of these areas. But unless we open up such pertinent issues for public discourse, we are liable to repeat the same mistakes of 2005. A significant segment of our society is looking for an alternative. You can remain to be that winning alternative provided you take some new bold steps in this new Millennium.

May God bless you and help you to make the right choices.

Sep 23, 2007