Rule of Law: In Diaspora land and Ethiopia.

Zeru Hagos 03/02/09

Ever since Birtukan Medeksa made the fateful mistake of appeasing the extremist in Diaspora, at her own peril, many have wondered what may lay ahead for her organization the UDJ. Now that she is legally a convicted person serving her life sentence, her organization is in peril with some fearing UDJ may lose its legal status. Unless UDJ convenes a congress to elect a new chairman/woman UDJ legal status could be in jeopardy. It is kind of "catch twenty-two" for UDJ! Elect a new chairman/woman and annoy extremist supporters or remain with status quo and continue to be led by a convicted chairperson! Worst, if you ask me, Birtukan’s organization is conspiring with other organizations in the name of MEDRK to hold a demonstration to overrule rule of law and bring lawlessness.  While I have been bemused by the extremists in Diaspora who have been calling all kind of demonstration to defame and undermine constitutional government in Ethiopia, I could not hide my bewilderment with UDJ and MEDREK taunting the system this early in their existence!

The extremists Diaspora by now have called three demonstrations in support of Birtukan. These demonstrations were supported and planned by many anti Ethiopian forces. Yet all three demonstrations everywhere failed to garner significant goers. The talk on the street in Washington DC and elsewhere in Europe is that GOD is with EPRDF. That is the weather on the demonstration day was either rainy or cold thus why people did not show up. As an EPRDF supporter I will take any help, be it from God or the silent majority, who have turn deaf ears to such forces who want nothing but destruction to Ethiopia. Indeed GOD must be watching Ethiopia if it rain hell on such demonstration day! But….

The main reason to the low attendance in such demonstrations is people are really fed up with Diaspora politics. People have started realizing giving ears to such forces has been at the expense of Ethiopia’s wellness. People start to realize calling demonstration in front of the white man house on the same day we remember our patriotic ancestors triumph over the white man at Adwa is simply not right! Ethiopians did not fight fascist Italians on empty stomach only to beg her independence 100 years later to be given on a sliver platter from another white man!  Oh how I am elated people have finally awakened to the destructive nature of the extremist! Thank you Washington DC.

On the other hand the new opposition hodgepodge called MEDREK seems not to have learnt a scant form the failures of Kinjit.  Kinjit was cooked in Washington DC with the blessing of the US government. It is rumored MEDREK, like Kinjit, may be sizzling under the bright sun of Addis with the blessing of westerners. And like Kinjit, MEDREK may also be in the works of publishing a manifesto to undo the constitution in the form of demonstration. The only difference this time is MEDREK manifesto is written by Siye Abrha not Negede Gobeze.

Negde Gobeze may have sealed the fate of Kinjit then when he encouraged Kinijt to follow the civil disobedient route when in fact Kinjit was in no shape or form to lead civil disobedient as we all know it. Kinjit instead of using constitutional means to settle their difference or grievance choose to incite fear and terror in the form of “Tigre wede Mekelle and Eqa wede Kebelle”. And as if that was not enough sin they continue to undo the constitutional government by force which w/ro Birtukan is serving life sentence today. So why is UDJ/MEDREK itching to repeat the same mistake? Did Birtukan from jail approve such act as a chairwoman?  Or UDJ has new leadership the law of the land is aware of?

The rule of law for the extremists Diaspora and the rule of law for legal oppositions in Ethiopia are different, in case people are confused. The extremists in Diaspora not only can call demonstrations against another poor country like Ethiopia, they can even cause the death of 70+ investors and peaceful citizens. That is what ONLF and its sympathizers did from London and that is what according to some reports terrorist from Minnesota did in Somaliland recently. In all cases western government did nothing except to shed crocodile tear. However legal oppositions in Ethiopia are governed by the constitution of the land. One should not be confused if Tamagn and Berhane Mewa can hold demonstration in Washington DC with their friends, DR Yacob or Siye the new gurus in Ethiopian opposition politics can do likewise in Ethiopia with impunity. Eyetestwale!

Birtukan and her lawyers will be well advised not to empower her supporters and organization to complicate her case. My unsolicited advice is come rain or shine to follow the constitution and avoid traps. Birtukan your supporters did not save you the first time, I know you think otherwise, and you are paying for your mistake, but do us and the nation a favor, disassociate yourself from the extremists in Diaspora who are swearing in your name and inform your colleagues in Addis not to use unconstitutional means to  release you from jail.  Just like the pardon process which you criticize for not following the constitution strictly, advised you supporters not to transgress the constitution.

Listening to PM Meles Zenawi interview on the subject matter, one can easily read the agony of the  Ethiopian government went through not to jail Birtukan. PM Meles government understands Ethiopia can do better without any distraction to build her economy and peace. But when you have western nations that pay no attention to their subjects who are day in day out conspiring to undo sovereign nations it is little wonder countries like Ethiopia have to stand guard from destructive forces from abroad. When seen against the legal opposition infatuation with the Diaspora, a Diaspora that is not governed by Ethiopia’s rule of law, the CSO law that passed in to law recently is a very wise move. Ethiopia’s democratic process can only move forward if and only if the extremists in Diaspora stop meddling in the life of the legal opposition forces in Ethiopia. And, legal opposition forces respect the rule of law no matter what.