OPPOSITIONS’ AND SUPPORTERS’ ENDLESS SMEAR CAMPAIGNS
PART 17
By
Mathza
Most of the oppositions’ leadership and their handful
supporters, particularly the minuscule vociferous Diaspora, and some individuals
obsessed with lust for power and hatred against Prime Minister Meles Zenawi have been and are
doing anything to get rid of him, the TPLF and the EPRDF. They are intimidated
and demoralized by his intelligence, capability, competence and the respect he
commands in the international community. Their hatred is limitless. In their
obsession and desperation to snatch power, they have crossed the line of
treason by compromising and endangering the sovereignty, security, territorial
integrity and national interests of Ethiopia. The following are examples
supporting this statement:
·
They condemn Ethiopia’s defense against jihadists;
·
They praise, congratulate, defend, encourage and
support—instead of denouncing—the atrocities committed by separatists and
jihadists;
·
They condemn Ethiopia’s reaction to such atrocities;
·
They collaborate and scheme with the
Eritrean
government which has been and is trying hard to destabilize and disintegrate
Ethiopia;
·
They belittle EPRDF's sound
government policies and strategies, which have proved successful;
·
They deny and ridicule the double-digit economic growth, a
remarkable progress and performance in socio-economic development in the last
five years; and
·
They unashamedly accuse the Prime Minister of being a stooge
of developed countries because of, among others, his success to mobilize foreign
assistance (For example: by not giving in to pressure from such countries to
allow foreign banks to operate in Ethiopia he not only shielded the development
of local banks but also saved the country from the devastating impact of the
current global financial crisis).
In short, these hate-mongers and anti-Ethiopia elements do not
care at all about Ethiopia and Ethiopians. Their only desire is to be in power
by any means—in the driver’s seat—without any concern on how that might impact
Ethiopia and its people, enie
kemotku serdo aybqel.
One of their tactics is a negative smear
campaign portraying the country's image and, in particular, it’s dedicated Prime
Minister with all kinds of monstrous adjectives and pictures. Among the methods
used include politicizing everything, outrageous allegations, lies,
exaggerations, wild generalizations, spinning, misinterpretation and spreading
rumors. Practically all of the writings of these-diehards are replete of
despicable descriptions and character assassinations, all intended purely to
bring down the government. This writing ferrets out examples of statements that
do not make any sense, are illogical, are concocted, or are not supported by
facts—purely intended to misinform and mislead readers, particularly the
Diaspora silent majority. It is a modest attempt to expose those bigots who have
been hoodwinking and continue to hoodwink the Ethiopians and the international
community. (In the future, there will be a series of matrixes like the one
below, each proceeded by the current two paragraphs).
Title/Source/Date
|
Author’s Statement |
My Comments |
1. Ethiopia - The sick betrayal of a
grouchy-old-man Hailu Shawel,
by teferi_7@hotmail.com,
nazret.com, 11/02/09
|
…Meles Zenawi, known to be the
most brutal and traitor in Africa who has slaughtered over 6 million of his
own citizens and threw many thousands into Nazi-style prisons and still
terrorizing the entire tolerant nation?… |
The writer is extremely furious at Eng.
Hailu’s
signing the
Ethiopian Electoral Code of Conduct and implementation guidelines as well as the joint council to handle
problems related to election disputes. In his 6 page write up he rambles
on and on denouncing and accusing Hailu of treason
and all kinds of wrongdoings. He rants about and attacks him left and right
using uncivilized and vindictive words and expressions. He calls him as well
as Lidetu and Ayele
opportunists and traitors. Apparently, the writer appears to be one of those cyber Diaspora
warmongers who wish to see the country in turmoil and the people suffering
and in the process usurp power. Mind you, they and their families are in
safe heavens thousands of miles away from the carnage they want to unleash
on the people of Ethiopia. Any sane person with good intentions for Ethiopia should
welcome the new development: a culture of democracy and political tolerance
that entails understanding, trust, respect, dialogue, consultation and
negotiation which were absent among the parties, particularly the
oppositions. What the four parties did is what the country badly needs:
devising means of ensuring free and fair national and regional elections. Their
civilized action is an essential input to peace, democratization and
development. These are among the critical preconditions for wiping out
hatred and suspicion, improving the pathetic standard of living of the
people and eradicating backwardness and hunger from the face of the country. |
2. Keep your eyes on the prize by yilma bekele,
ethiopianreview.com, November 4th, 2009
|
The last few years have shown the ‘Diaspora’ to be an agent of positive
change in the affairs of our homeland. So much has been accomplished in such
a short time.
…Democracy, Rule of Law and respect for Human Right’ are
still the main demands today… |
The same write up was posted on ethiomedia.com under the title “Hailu Shawel: The ultimate betrayal.” The reason
or purpose is anybody’s guess. An agent of positive change—really!!! The writer does not say a word of the
Diaspora’s accomplishments in the so-called positive change. On the
contrary, the Diaspora has been a disruptive element since day one, i.e.
since the EPRDF took power. With all its endless demonstrations, pleading to
governments and international organizations to deprive Ethiopia of aids
badly needed to improve the lot of poor and suffering Ethiopians, its war
mongering, etc. it has not achieved any laudable accomplishments. If in his
own words “Democracy, Rule of Law and respect for Human Right’ are still the main demands today” where is the positive
change that he claims the Diaspora brought about? Isn’t he contradicting
himself? |
|
3. Ethiopia to develop biofuels to cut oil imports By Tsegaye Tadesse, ethiomedia.com,
November 5, 2009 |
Editor's note
- The following report sounds OK on the surface. But it is a field littered
with landmines. Ethanol is produced from grains and sugar crops while
vegetable oils are squeezed to produce biodiesel.
The report says what is being allocated in Ethiopia is an arid land. But
common sense tells us grains, sugar crops and vegetable oils don't grow on
arid lands. Are we missing something here? |
It seems that the
writer has purposely lumped two kinds of biofuel sources and told us “grains, sugar crops and
vegetable oils don't grow on arid lands.” This is true and relates to group
I. Group II which includes jatropha and castor
oil, particularly the first, can and are grown on marginal lands not
suitable for those in group I. The lands being offered and/or negotiated are
in the sparsely populated low lands. Therefore it
is evident that the two groups do not compete for arable land. The
good news is that 15 of the 68 investing in jatropha
have started production and one of them is set to start refining its oil into
biodiesel in 2-3 years. Note that the
government has no intention to produce ethanol from grain and sugar. The
ethanol being produced and planned to be produced is from molasses, a
byproduct of the sugar industry. In other words, there is no plan to produce
ethanol from sugar itself and therefore no sugar plantations and mills for
this purpose. |
|
4. Washington Update November 5, 2009, by Mesfin Mekonen,
ethiolion.com, 11/06/09 |
Our goals should include: …To establish a national Health Service for all
Ethiopians… |
The writer’s support for negotiations following the four parties’
agreement on the Electoral Code of Conduct is welcome. He has listed a number of goals (apparently
AEUP’s
goals), one of which is “To establish a national
Health Service for all Ethiopians…” Isn’t he advocating for something fait
accompli? The health service coverage is over 89%. According
to Dr.Tewodros Adhanom, the
Minister of Health, the number of health stations rose from 600 to 1,800 and
is expected to increase to 3,200 in about a year. The number of health
workers stands at 30,000, two for each kebele. The centers manned by
trained staff are scattered throughout the country and are within reach of
the inhabitants. So what is the goal of the writer and his party? They need
to spell it out if it is any different from that of EPRDF. Oppositions and supporters continue to tell us this and that
should be or should not be done. They are practically saying nothing new.
They are trying to impress us by supposedly introducing “original”
ideas which the government has already implemented and continues to plan and
implement. |
5.
Ethiopia may not reach anti-poverty
goals Posted in November 7th, 2009 by Editor
in Current News, AbbayMedia.com
|
Migiro [U.N. Deputy Secretary-General
Asha-Rose Migiro]
said Ethiopia’s 2009 economic growth is expected to be just 1.7 percent. |
As pointed out by nazret.com the statement in the middle column
is wrong. The following is what one reads in the opening speech by the U.N. Deputy Secretary-General Asha-Rose
Migiro
at the opening of the Regional Coordination Mechanism Meeting, Economic Commission for
Africa: “Africa’s growth is projected to fall from an average of over 5 percent in recent years to a paltry 1.7 percent increase in 2009.” In other words, the latter figure is for Africa, not for
Ethiopia. Knowingly or unknowingly UPI stated or implied that the figure was for Ethiopia.
Groups and opposition supporters who deny the validity of statistical
figures on Ethiopia cited by international organizations would
unhesitatingly accept it if it serves their objective. The writer
deliberately did this in order to misinform readers and score a political
point. He unashamedly titled his writing “Ethiopia may not reach
anti-poverty goals” with a view to make readers understand that this was the
title of the original article. |
6.
J'Accuse!, By
Alemayehu G. Mariam, ethiomedia.com, November 9th, 2009
|
Reuters’ Barry Malone: “Most Western governments want
Meles
to continue because there is no alternative in the opposition…”
…For the past two decades, Western governments have been confounded,
hoodwinked, bambozzled, bluffed, duped, manipulated, seduced,
beguiled, flim-flammed and sandbagged by a master
of deception into believing that there is “no alternative in the
opposition”.
…Those genuinely in the opposition must accept responsibility for their
inability to come together and articulate a vision for the country… |
The writer is as usual fuming, this time because of Reuters’ Barry Malone’s statement in the middle column. That there is “no alternative opposition” is a fact. What are the Western governments supposed to do to confirm this fact? Generally, Ethiopian parties are groupings of
disgruntled elements. Some of them are organized and lead by former regimes’
officials with vested interest in maintaining the status quo of the archaic
system of governance. They and others have grudges against the EPRDF,
especially the TPLF, for depriving them power
and all the fringe benefits that came with it during past regimes. Most opposition parties have, by their own admissions,
statements, declarations, pronouncements, speeches and actions, shown they
are not capable and trusted; they are ill organized and undemocratic; and
have no notion of what it takes to administer a complex society such as
Ethiopia. The writer has, by his admission, confirmed this. He also
unintentionally admitted the success of the Prime Minister who, he claims, confounded, hoodwinked,
bamboozled, bluffed, duped, manipulated, seduced, beguiled, flimflammed and
sandbagged the Western governments. In other words, he is telling us the Western
governments are fools—of course not. The Western countries are simply
convinced that he is on the right track and doing well. They have been
rewarding the country for his job well done. |
7. Ethiopia opposition says food
aid kept from members, ethiolion.com, Wed Nov
11, 2009
|
"The government is trying to control what parties people join," Medrek's Gebru said. "Food aid
should not be used as a political weapon."
"Our members can't get on the food-for-work scheme,"
Gebru
Asrat, spokesman for the opposition coalition Medrek, told Reuters. "Only ruling party members can now
join the programme, so it forces desperate people
to leave the opposition." |
Did Ato Gebru
Asrat
speak on behalf of all opposition parties? It does not look like it. Government
interference in the freedom of people to be members of parties of their
choices is one among many accusations hurled at the government by some
oppositions. It might, at most, be based on few incidents by low-level
officials in the countryside. Time and again it has been proven that most of
the complaints are hyped or did not happen. The same applies to complaints
regarding jailed opposition party members most of whom were detained for
violating the law, including criminal activities. As to denying
food aid to the people – this cannot be
true. First, it is immoral and inhumane to deprive a person of food. Secondly, one
cannot expect EPRDF members who know what hunger means to deprive the
people of their most basic need. Thirdly, the government is not a fool to
arm the opposition with such deadly weapon against it. Whether the oppositions admit it or not, the EPRDF government is a resolute and dedicated government guided by very clear
principles aimed at improving the well being of the people. One would ask
why such a government took the initiative for formulating the electoral code
of conduct and its implementing strategy if it had, as alleged by Medrek, been using food aid as a political weapon? It
should be noted here that at the grassroots level it is the community that
decides who should be covered by the food-for-work program, not the
government. |
8. The West
Oppresses Ethiopia Through Zenawi Support
|
'No alternative in the opposition,' they [Western governments]
whispered anonymously. What a disgusting phrase to use in justifying support
for a ruthless dictatorship. |
What
a disgusting objection to Western governments’ admittance to the absence of
alternative opposition to EPRDF. Why is the writer so furious about them
stating a fact? The Western governments know the opposition parties are
mainly vindictive feudal and Derg remnants
and former members and supporters of EPRP and Meison who got together
to wrest power and take the country back to the former centralized
authoritarian governance. Some of them long for the good old days; most of
them are power-mongers; most of them lack the inkling of democracy; most of
them are groups of relatives and friends who do not necessarily confess the
same ideologies. The Western governments have observed the many unsuccessful
permutations and combinations that the parties went through to create united
fronts. There is no alternative—nil. There is also no alternative to the Prime Minister leading the country if the country is to
peacefully continue and accelerate sustainable development and improve the
standard of living of the people. At present, none of the oppositions are
viable.
Readers who looked at the picture attentively may have noticed the absence
of the Prime Minister. The picture is captioned “Meles Zenawi
a[t] G20 Summit in London.” It appears the writer purposely cut him out. At
the right side of the picture the right shoulder visible is likely that of
the Prime Minister. What a cheap act! This is an indication of why the
Western countries admit there is no alternative. |
9.
Why Hailu Shawel chose a shameful
defeat By Captain Woldemikael Dagnachew, ethiopianreview.com,
November 15th, 2009
|
…human rights are systematically violated, resulting in the disappearance
and death of over 6,000,000 Ethiopians since TPLF seized power without being
elected by the people & for the people of Ethiopia…
…This time, it is do or die time for the opposition.
TPLF’s
drama must end or be stopped with blood and sweat if at all necessary… |
6,000,000
Ethiopians dead and disappeared! This is nothing but “bere wolede.” Was the writer
thinking of the six million Jews killed by the Nazis during World War II and
concluded they were Ethiopians? By this count the whole Ethiopian population
would have been wiped out during the Derg
era as the actual number of people killed during the current government is
miniscule in comparison to those during the Derg
era. The above figure was cited by another writer (see item 1
above: Ethiopia - The sick betrayal of a grouchy-old-man
Hailu
Shawel, by teferi_7@hotmail.com, nazret.com,
11/02/09). I ignored it as something not worth commenting upon because it is
a pure fabrication. Now I see the usual tactic of echoing the same false
information (“over 6 million”) with the mistaken thinking and hope that it
will eventually stick as factual information. If citing such an incredible
figure does anything at all it will end up discrediting the writers. |
|
10. WORLD LEADERS MEET FOR GLOBAL WARMING AND CLIMATE CHANGE TO INSTIL
SHOCK WAVE AND FEAR THROUGH PEOPLE’S BLOOD VEINS AND MILK CITIZENS’
HARD-EARNED MONIES THROUGH VARIOUS TAXES, by Capt. Woldemikael Dagnachew, nazret.com, |
…the evidence [for “Global Warming”] is at best
circumstantial… The earth has warmed and cooled many times in the past, this
is a continual cycle, but what governments are attempting is to alter nature
just to feed their greedy pockets and all at our expenses… …I shall be glad when this baseless obsession with
the mythical hot air affect finally becomes just another one of history's
great follies, which this generation can rightfully laugh at us for taking
so seriously… … unproven theories of human-caused global warming… …. Climate Change has always happened and mankind has adapted to
either hot or cold changes… … The hoax of global warming has captured the attention of the
gullible news media, which now serve as minions to the hucksters. Global
warming controls will not save the planet and provide a better future for
the children… This new and big Ethiopian dam [Gilgel
Gibe]…It would be a disaster in this climate change period…is fatally flawed… |
Apparently, the
writer is of the school of thought, a minority, who deny that there is
global warming. Based on his repetitive and forceful assertion of the myth
and hoax of global warming, it seems that he is more Catholic than the Pope.
He ridicules the majority who do believe in the danger of global warming.
These include world leaders and governments, national and international
institutions, scientists and demonstrators demanding tough measures
currently converged in Copenhagen, Denmark, to support and/or participate in
adopting solutions and strategies to the destructive climate change
threatening our earth. He tells us
that what is happening is the continuity of the warming and cooling cycle of
the earth. May be, but there is one crucial difference. In all those past
cycles the current destructive action of man— fossil fuel-based power
plants, factories, mining, transport and shipping, massive deforestation,
intensive cultivation, incredible population density, etc.—was not there. It
was purely a natural phenomenon, with practically zero man-made emission
levels compared to the present. The following
quote from A Brief History of Ice Ages and
Warming says it all: “Approximately every 100,000 years Earth's climate warms up temporarily. These warm periods, called interglacial periods, appear to last approximately 15,000 to 20,000 years before regressing back to a cold ice age climate. At year 18,000 and counting our current interglacial vacation from the Ice Age is much nearer its end than its beginning.” The last sentence contradicts the writer’s and his school of thought’s theory. The earth’s temperature is increasing fast instead of cooling. The writer, like
some of his likes and foreign advocates with ill intentions towards
Ethiopia, objects to the building of dams and generating electricity in
Ethiopia. In his own words, building the Gilgel
Gibe dam “It would be a disaster in this climate change period.” I am
not sure what he meant by this. Anyway, the natural phenomenon that he said
was what was happening is an evolutionary process and its effect should not
be felt for countless generations to come. |
PART 16: Click here to read Part 16