U.S. Should Deport Dr. Berhanu Nega
Adal Isaw
April 27, 2009.
Terrorism is “the calculated use of unlawful violence or threat of unlawful violence to inculcate fear; intended to coerce or to intimidate governments or societies in the pursuit of goals that are generally political, religious, or ideological.” This definition of terrorism is neither EPRDF’s nor Premier Meles Zenawi’s. It’s the definition of the U.S. State Department of Defense- a part of the executive branch of the American government, which the few and vociferous violent prone Ethiopian Diaspora love to solicit with deceit.
The unfolding of the recent terrorist plot in a civil manner is a testament to arduous and efficient democratic governance in Ethiopia. A government that adheres to the rule of law under the Constitution is truly alive, where similar plot two decades ago would have been dealt with deadly force head on. A country that bore a fascist regime which levied the price of a bullet on a grieving mother is now endowed with a government that justly treats the treasonous elements of its citizens for the sake of exacting the rule of law.
Not by our choosing, our country sits in the Horn of Africa-arguably one of the roughest neighborhoods in the world. Abutted by a rogue one-man state of Eritrea that exacerbates conflicts through out the region and a failed state of Somalia, it is extremely self-defeating for few of our citizens to choose a terrorist route to force a political change of their inkling. As is, we Ethiopians have handful detractors of states and non state actors, such as Egypt, Libya, the one-man state of Eritrea, and others helping Al-quaeda and Al-shebaab to curtail our development as a people; enough is enough.
Our livelihood should not again be jeopardized under the same political ploy of the likes of Ginbot 7. Those nations with interest, especially the U.S. and European Union should take a serious note to amend their diplomatic engagements, to completely and absolutely disassociate themselves from the violent prone Ethiopian Diaspora. U.S. and the European Union should come to terms and realize that the vociferous Ethiopian Diaspora is the basket case of intolerance and backward thinking. In cases of those Diaspora leaders who are openly advocating for violent means, the U.S. and European Union should deport persons of interest as soon as possible. In regards to this matter, the U.S. should take the lead for it has a compelling interest to keep in so doing.
The Ethio-American diplomatic engagement is dictated by U.S.’s counter terrorism plan and it is a must for the authorities in the State Department to look into this matter quickly and forward the name(s) to Department of Homeland Security for deportation. The persons of interest includes Dr. Berhanu Nega and the evidence is everywhere for documentation.
Consider what BBC World News documented on April 25, 2009: “…one of the most charismatic opposition figures at the time of the last elections in Ethiopia in 2005 and if all had gone well he would have become mayor of Addis Ababa. But he was arrested along with other prominent opposition figures and tried for treason, sentenced to life imprisonment, then pardoned and released. Along with several of his colleagues he travelled abroad after his release, but while most of the others have returned to Ethiopia and are now organizing themselves as a legitimate opposition party to fight next year's elections, Dr. Berhanu chose to stay in the US, saying that the situation in Ethiopia was such that the government could not be changed by constitutional means.”
It is thus public knowledge that Dr. Berhanu has convinced himself and his followers to pursue a terrorist plot in lieu of adhering to the democratic processes set forth for political contest under the Constitution of FDRE. It is also very apparent that, Dr. Berhanu’s choice of a violent route by forsaking an established democratic process in and it self fits the State Department’s definition of terrorism. The U.S. State Department of Defense should thus make good on its own definition of terrorism and forward the case of Dr. Berhanu Nega and his cohorts to D.H.S for deportation.
Dr Berhanu Nega is the lead person of interest for the simple fact that the recent terrorist plot in Ethiopia is his brain child, and the evidences can be compiled from several news articles and other ample sources. In fact, his self-incriminating depositions without oath can be found at ease in arrays. This is not at all a trial to draw guilt by association but a trial to find justice for an apparent criminal intent by Dr. Berhanu Nega, to unlawfully coerce and intimidate a government and its people to exact his political and ideological inkling. His deed is criminal and is defined as terrorism by whom else but by the U.S. State Department of Defense, which should make good on its own definition and recommend to D.H.S for the deportation of Dr. Berhanu Nega.
The U.S. should not be an adobe for violence prone individuals of the likes of Dr. Berhanu Nega. After all, under U.S. Code 1227, section (4), subsection (I), in reference to deportable aliens, an alien whose presence or activities in the U.S. the secretary of the State has reasonable ground to believe would have potentially serious adverse foreign policy consequences is deportable. The State Department should pursue the deportation process for Dr. Berhanu Nega sooner than later if it really wants to keep the Ethio-American counter-terrorism alliance as effective as it has been.
Ethiopia’s endurance will continue!!!