May 31,
2010 /Washington DC/
The 19th
anniversary of the downfall of the brutal military junta and the dawn of a new
era of peace, democracy and development in Ethiopia was colorfully celebrated
at the premises of the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington DC last Saturday, May
29, 2010.
The
historic day was commemorated on the morrow of the 4th Ethiopian National &
Regional elections wherein the
32-million-strong Ethiopian electorate spoke unambiguously of their determined
stand for the unhampered continuation of
the progress of peace, development and democracy by decisively voting for the
EPRDF and entrusting it with the bounden and huge task of an all-round
revitalization and nation-building through its renewal and renaissance venture
it has charted out since the on-set of the new millennium.
His
Excellency Mr.Tesfaye Yilma,
Charge d'affaires of the Ethiopian Embassy,
underlined the significance of the event as ushering in a higher vista and a
leap to a new venue for the Ethiopian people to exercise their hard won
democratic and human rights enshrined in and protected by the Ethiopian
constitution.
Mr. Tesfaye furthermore underscored that, the kernel of the
Ethiopian constitution, lies in that it dealt a crushing death-blow to the
hollow notion of supra-national identity imposed by preceding unjust polities
and implanted in its place the true identity, history and culture of all
nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia based on equality and justice
and a genuine recognition and acceptance of their struggle for
self-actualization, under the motto, of unity in diversity.
The Charge d'affaires on the occasion reminisced, the prevailing
strong bi-lateral ties between Ethiopia and the US which have continued for
over a century based on mutual respect, and dynamic partnership. As pertains
to the need for an active engagement of the Ethiopian Diaspora in injecting
their share in the on-going national drive, he urged them to diligently move
forward in promoting and safeguarding the national interest and to continue
playing a constructive role to bolster the march of the Ethiopian people to
extricate the nation from backwardness and grinding poverty and realize its
true place as one of the middle income countries in the not too distant future.
Representatives
from the Alliance of Ethiopian Civic Associations in North America and the
Eritrean community in the Diaspora pledged their support for the effort of the
people and government of Ethiopia by expressing their messages of solidarity
and congratulations.
A cultural
musical troupe played traditional songs of the various nations and
nationalities of Ethiopia on the event which was accompanied by entertainment
and a gala dinner served on the occasion. The event was amazingly graced when
the National Anthems of Ethiopia and the United States of America accentuated
by the two countries' National Flags were played animating the packed audience
of members of the Ethiopian Diaspora and invited dignitaries.