Susan Rise lough at Woyane 100% win

July 29, 2015

Susan Rise lough at Woyane 100% win summed up, her puppies are funny but, they are ‘our puppies’

If Ethiopians want to be free from tyranny; as the legendary Ethiopian Human Right advocate Obang Metho of the Solidarity Movement for New Ethiopia (SMNE) said ‘, we are on our own – no one is going to free us but ourselves’ Thus, we have been our own worst enemy to recognize — the problem of coming together for our freedom is within; so the solution. But, we first have to sort out the good, the bad and the ugly of those that disfranchise us posed as Ethiopian institutions from fighting back for our freedom.
We already wasted too much time in search of solution from outside and can no longer afford to waste more time to clean up within. Those that divided us not only in the name of ethnicity but, unity turn out to be our worst enemies. The question is what are we going to do about it?

by Teshome Debalke

Susan Rice laughing her hearts out on Woyane’s 100% Election win speaks volumes what the Obama Administration had in mind way before the President came to power. Susan Rise, the mastermind of US policy on Africa since she came in the picture during the Clinton Administration told us Woyane is a lapdog in many ways than one. She said more about what her boss summarized on his speech in Kenya and African Union and Press Conference in Addis Ababa.

In contradiction what he said about tribalism — tearing nations apart in Kenya that doesn’t institutionalized it kept silent in a country of Ethiopia where the regime institutionalized ethnic Apartheid that practiced it at village level.

It was mind-numbing to watch the hoax the President Obama’s Senior Security Adviser and the stanch Woyane apologist pulled her stunt on Ethiopians. A champion of TPLF under her late friend Melse Zenawi she admire as the most intelligent man, she summed up her pet project when she bursting in laughter on Woyane’s 100% election win in front of the White House press core briefing on the President trip to Kenya and Ethiopia. She couldn’t hold on her true feeing on the regime –the subject of her pet project.

In reality, the President doesn’t have full grasps of what he was saying and doing. His facts are skewed by his main Adviser Susan Rise in the State Department and the well positioned TPLF’s operatives Susan entertain to accomplish her project. For that, you have to give her credit on her successful mission of her pet project of TPLF – from inception up to the state power.

Every Ethiopian must see the historic video to believe the most insulting laugher on Woyane she defended tooth-and-nail throughout her official capacity — knowing the mercenary regime she helped in her entire political career is her ‘baby’ — killing so many of our people all these years to get it where she wanted it. As the saying goes “you break it you own it’ and, her whole life depends on the successes of her ‘baby’.

Therefore, her unexpected burst of laughter at her pet project Woyane came after she could no longer control her true feelings about the regime’s absurdity of 100% win — when a reporter ask her how could it be democratic election as her partner in crime Wendy Sherman declared it way before it happened.

Her arrogance and indifference to our people’s suffering on her pet project (Woyane) aside, after she composed herself back to her official talking point, she pointed out to the Administration’s official statement for the gathering journalists and said ‘we have some concern in the electoral irregularities process” – reveling her private knowledge of the real Woyane and her official talking point of her Woyane to the world.

Basically, she told the world, the regime in Ethiopia is my pet project I occasionally restrain not to abuse and kill lots of people. Otherwise, she underlined; the regime is our puddle to keep it around for a while and occasionally talk to it to take it easy on abusing and killing the people excessively to embarrass us.

That was exactly what the President was uttering on his Press Conference and every opportunity he got often contradicting himself from his previous statement—depending where and when he said it.

The real tragedy is; as far as Obama Precedency is concerned — the first African American President of the United State that benefited from the Civil Right Movement to make it possible for him to vote; not to mention to hold the highest position of power in the America is depriving the civil rights of Africans by siding with regimes that inflict pain and suffering. Instead, he tells Africans they need food and investment and civil right can wait until the economy grows with his help. It is equivalent of saying; Jim Crow Laws could wait until the economy grows to allow African Americans out of poverty to vote. It is as if he spit on the face of the Civil Right Movements’ leaders that got him where he is.

Quite honestly, no US President insulted the intelligence of Africans more than the African American President Obama — as ignorant of not knowing our democratic rights and economic development. He went further by playing along with staged drama of the TPLF led regime to convince us our future is brighter with an ethnic Apartheid regime.

It is indeed a tragedy how low expectation the President had on the people of Africa with unprecedented arrogance to the level of the 20th century colonialists –what a legacy to leave behind.

For the record; what the President referred as ‘facts’ about the Apartheid regime of Ethiopia are entirely fictions. It is almost impossible to believe, a person of his caliber and position of power he holds to reduce himself to the level of a typical corrupt and atrocious African dictator.

The democratically elected regime fiction can be summed up on President Obama’s speech on black voters’ suppression technics of the Republican Party last year at Al Sharpton’s National Action Network conference;

“What kind of political platform is that? Why would you make that a part of your agenda, preventing people from voting?”

But yet, the President that pride as a Constitutional scholar declared the regime ruling Ethiopia that controls the entire Media in the nation, the three branches of governments, the security force, the Election Board and that won by 100% is ‘a constitutionally elected democratic government’

On the security

Obama in 2011

“Societies held together by fear and repression may offer the illusion of stability for a time, but they are built upon fault lines that will eventually tear asunder,”

“[S]trategies of repression and strategies of diversion will not work anymore. . . . The status quo is not sustainable.”

But yet, the President in Addis Ababa said; Ethiopia is stable under a repressive minority ‘that offers stability and declared he will help sustain the ‘status qua’.

On Economic development;

Addressing the African Union in Addis Ababa, he said;

“If someone in public office is taking a cut they don’t deserve, that’s taking away from the people who are paying their fair share… It is important that not only low level corruption is punished but folks at the top if they are taking from the people.”

But yet, the President was praising the most corrupt regime that owns the economy by institutionalizing corruption. The ruling TPLF is not only corrupt in a traditional sense of the word that described dictators that embezzled public money but institutionalize corruption by owning the economy. For that the President praised the ruling regime for growing the economy by the double digits.

Frankly, whoever advise him on African policy issue must be his worst enemy to misguide him from a humble beginning of doing the right thing in his first term to sounding like a typical African dictator at the end of his Presidency.

Something doesn’t make sense and requires an in-depth investigation in what went wrong. Unfortunately, Western journalist accompanying the President sounded more like tourists on a safari trip than journalist taken for a ride by the ruling party staged illusion. Not once Western journalist inquired the extent the ruling party control the economy, the Media, the security apparatus and the internet, not to mention the hotels they staying, the transport and the bank service they are using to convert their hard currency.

It is the greatest illusion the ruling party pulled on the supposedly sophisticated Western journalists ever.

At the meantime, the ruling party apologists don’t seem to have any pride left not to feel ashamed when mocked as ignorant by the President and the same women (Susan Rise) that laughed at them telling them they are stupid to believe 100% win of the ruling party makes it democratically elected. The symbolic Prime Minster excitement when insulted in front of the world –agreeing to improve his regime’s behavior with the help of the same Administration that insults him is historic.

Though the regime apologists are beginning to accept they are not that dumb to say the regime is democratically elected regime by 100%. They are happy with the economy growing by double digit narrative from the same people that mock them as ignorant jackass as Susan Rise did on the election. As tragic as it is; grownups to believe — chronic corruption is a good thing when told by foreigners than another insult on their stupidity, there is no explanation short of they are repeating the saga of Fascist Italy Bandas’ culture practice it in great detail.

It reminded me Alfredo González-Ruibal’s book ‘Fascist colonialism: the archaeology of Italian outposts in western Ethiopia (1936-1941) revelation and the similarity of the nature of Bandas then and progressive Banda-ism’s narratives of the present. Here is a fascinating excerpt from the book;

“Besides, Italian fascism—as it is often the case with totalitarian ideologies—emphasized youth, progress and permanent renovation as paramount values. In line with this thought, a huge effort of modernization was carried out and Ethiopia was endowed with infrastructures, including some 3,500 km of roads. People, however, tend to forget that these infrastructures were built not out of a philanthropic impulse, but in order to control the country and facilitate its economic exploitation. Fascism not only constructed a powerful image of a progressive colonialism, but, as other contemporary colonialisms, it emphasized the humane side of the whole enterprise (Lauro, 1940).”

It goes on;

“The landscape of Benishangul-Gumuz is undulating and covered by a thick savannah and bamboo woodland. The local inhabitants are mostly swidden-cultivators belonging to the Nilo-Saharan family: the Bertha to the south of the Nile and the Gumuz to the north. During the Italian occupation, the north was comprised in the Amhara Region, and the south in the Galla and Sidama Region—the Italians dismantled the old administrative divisions in Ethiopia and created others based on ethnicity.”

“Bhabha (1994, pp. 100-101) notes that colonial discourse had as a predominant strategic function “the creation of a space for ‘subject peoples’ through the production of knowledges in terms of which surveillance is exercised”. This space of subjection was much more physical than Bhabha’s text allows us to think. Although Italian efforts to enforce a strict racial divide were never totally accomplished (Sbacchi, 1985, pp. 167-168), attempts at segregation were obvious in the cities enlarged and refurbished by the Italians (cf. Schiassi, 1942), but also in settler farms, military bases and the smallest outposts.”

“By occupying the forts (the only substantial buildings in the whole region) and giving them new use, the Italians were presenting themselves as fighters against slavery and, at the same time, they were linking themselves to generations of alien rulers. As in Gubba, their rule was embodied in the historicity of the landscape and thus naturalized. The physical occupation of meaningful places was fundamental for the production of a colonial order based on the constant reworking of similarities and differences. The same appropriations occur elsewhere: in Asosa, the Italian buildings were erected beside the palace of Sheikh Khojele, paramount chief of Benishangul and slave trader (Abdussamad Ahmad, 1999, pp. 437-438). In Gondar, the capital of Ethiopia in the 17and 18 the centuries, the Italians designed a monumental and rationalist piazza which was connected by a landscaped avenue to the castles of the Abyssinian kings”

It is fascinating how TPLF apologists imitating fascism in great detail get excited when reinforced by strangers but, constipating not to tell the truth– their role is as bad if not worse than Fascist Askaris.

Fig. 14. Askaris belonging to the 4° Gruppo Bande di Frontiera, somewhere near Asosa. Most of them go barefoot and many have necklaces with Christian crosses over the uniform, probably because they are in a predominantly Muslim area (after Zorzetto 2003, p. 168)

As TPLF’s modern Fascism on Ethiopia in a cover of Ethnic Federalism and growth and transformation is becoming clearer; why its apologists are constipating to tell us the truth but, the whole truth and accept their role as modern Askaris in words and deeds is puzzling Ethiopians what to make of it.

Haile Selassie Gugsa (center) the symbol of Askaris of Italy accompanied by the occupying Fascists officers

We will explore in great detail the mind and soul of Modern Askaris (the Gugsa generation) and how they emerged to rule Ethiopia in the next article. Until then, all Ethiopians should be mindful of; anything and everything associated with TPLF is not kosher enough to touch it as the apologist confirmed by hiding their association with the regime in public.

But, since growth and development told by foreigners is the last hope of ‘modern Askaris’ to hang around, we should expect lots of confusions and noises on fake Medias. Special attention must be given to those drumming up empty Ethiopiawinet in public and doing Modern Askaris’ work in private.

As President Obama accompanied by Susan Rise visit Ethiopia surrounded by modern Askaris posed as Ethiopian, pay special attention with TPLF agents from Diaspora accompanying the Presidents’ entourage. Some come as investors and businessman to drum up growth and development to fatten their pocket. Others come as employee of the US government or Congressional Aid, and, the rest as leaders of civic society or Medias etc. But, all have one common goal of painting rosy picture–the TPLF led regime is the best thing since Fascist Mussolini led regime of Ethiopia — growing the economy by double digits and building infrastructure to help the people out of slavery and poverty. Modern Askaris are in civilizing mission of Ethiopians like the Fascist occupiers use to say.

Surprisingly, Ethiopians are shocked when President Obama was spiting the same narrative in Addis Ababa; thanks to Susan Rise and her TPLF handlers in Diaspora.

Ethiopians in Diaspora can do lots to help the struggle by exposing the Administration and TPLF agents in Diaspora agenda. More will be said soon on this subject to identify and expose them one-by-one.

At the meantime, the work of clandestine individuals posed as Media to disfranchise Ethiopians not to come together is underway. As expected, organizations that brought Ethiopians together are the main targets. Among them are the Ethiopian Satellite Television-Radio (ESAT) and Patriotic – Ginot 7 are the latest target.

Some have legitimate concerns to inquire for transparency. Others do it strictly on individual ambition– competing for lamlight and glory on the expenses of our unfortunate people’s expenses. And, of course, there are TPLF agents that make sure war of division and fear is sustained to preserve the regime. But, all have one common trend – undermine organization they deem a treat for their ambition. They should all be exposed and accountable.

Organizations masquerading as oppositions that lack transparency shouldn’t be considered legitimate and credible organizations.

The million dollar question is; how could Ethiopians sort out the good, the bad and the ugly of those opposing TPLF tyranny but, at the same time undermine organizations that bring Ethiopians together?

If we notice lately, undermining ESAT and Patriotic – Ginbot 7 in public comes by a handful individuals posed as journalist – Media. No formal organization publicly and officially accused the two legal organizations.

The question remained; why formal organizations (political or civic) failed to put out their official stand one way or another to get to the bottom of the truth to expose vampires and TPLF agents from taking advantage of the confusion and the divide of Ethiopians?

In other words; why are formal political and civic organizations silent from such important issue of transparency?

For example; among the most visible ‘organizations’ we hear on the ‘Media’ from the respective representatives with alternative approach for united struggle; The Ethiopian National Transition Council (ENTC) is led by Ato Sileshi Tilahun according to Media report but not available on its official website and Shengo / የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ የጋራ ትግል ሸንጎ (ሸንጎ) led by Dr. Taye Zegye, according to media report but not available on its official website. And, according to the letter to President Obama posted on Shengo’s official website, Dr. Aklog Birara is Chairman, Diplomatic and Foreign Relations Committee of Shengo and on a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Kerry, Professor Achamyeleh Debela is ‘Chair, Law and Justice, Ethiopian People’s Congress for United Struggle (Shengo)’.

I. Ethiopian National Transition Council

According to its official website;

“The Ethiopian National Transitional Council (ENTC) is a recently established grassroots advocacy movement based in the Ethiopian Diaspora with the aim of campaigning to establish democracy in Ethiopia. ENTC was officially formed with a founding conference in Dallas TX July 1-3. For about 6 months prior to the formation, ENTC has managed to form more than 30 city chapters. Chapter representatives from all over the world have participated to form this council”

II. Shengo / የኢትዮጵያ ሕዝብ የጋራ ትግል ሸንጎ (ሸንጎ) consisting of 6 organizations as follows

• The Ethiopian People Revolutionary Party (EPRP) http://www.eprp-ihapa.com/ no Chairman is listed on its official website.

• Ethiopian Medhin Democratic Party (MEDHIN). http://www.medhin.org/ led by Prof. Seyoum Gelaye is listed as Chairman on its official website

• All Ethiopia Socialist Democratic Movement (MEDHIN) http://meison.info/ no chairman is listed on official website

• TAND http://www.tand-tesfana.webs.com/ No website no chairman listed

• Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners – Canada (SOCEPP-CAN http://www.humanrightsethiopia.com/ No chairman listed on its official website

• Tatek Ethiopia http://www.tatekethiopia.com/ no functioning website and no chairman listed

According to Shengo’s official website;

3.1 ሸንጎ አላማ

“3.1.1 በቀጣይ ውይይትና ድርድር ሁሉም ኢትዮጵያውያን የዴሞክራሲና የአንድነት ሃይሎች በአንድነት እንዲመጡና ትግላቸውን እንዲያስተባብሩ ማድረግ። ሰብአዊና ዴሞክራሲያዊ መብቶች ስለሚከበሩባት፤ ዜጎች በእኩልነት፤ በመፈቃቀድና በመተሳሰብ አብረዉ ስለሚኖሩባት፤ ሀገራዊ አንድነቷ ስለሚረጋገጥባት፤ የብሄሮች ባህልና ቋንቋዎች ስለሚከበሩባትና ስለሚበለጽጉባት፤ የእምነት ነጻነት ስለሚከበርባት፣ የመድበለ ፓርቲ የፖለቲካ ሥርዓትና ተሳትፎ ዕውን ስለሚሆንባት ዴሞክራሲያዊት ኢትዮጵያና ህዝብም የስልጣን ምንጭና ባለቤት ስለመሆኑ የሕሊና ንቃቱ ከፍ እንዲል በማድረግ የተቃዋሚውን አቅም ማጠናከር….”

Given the stature of the people involved in the two organizations they lack basic transparency of organizations worthy of the people of Ethiopia.

The question is not whether they are good, bad or ugly which is a matter to be decided by the people of Ethiopia but, why are they not transparent? Why are they not operating as formal organizations with all the accountability and transparency that comes with it? And, why are we Ethiopians not demanding transparency?

If concerned Ethiopians don’t come together and demand all organizations without exception to be transparent to the people of Ethiopia; democracy will never see the day. Therefore It is the responsibility of every Ethiopians to demand basic transparency from all organization that involved in the public affair.

As we witness the unwarranted attack on ESAT that is exposing the regime like never before and when we see Patriotic – Ginbot 7 galvanize Ethiopians to end TPLF rule ; exploring who is behind Medias that are waging a propaganda war and demanding transparency from all organizations is the way to go to sort out the good, the bad and the ugly of organizations to clear the way.

For example; the one-man run Ethiopian Review is # 1 advocate against Patriotic – Ginbot 7 in the name of defending Ethiopian interest. He is also the main person with undisclosed role in the Ethiopian National Transition Council. The Council led by Ato Sileshi Tilahun repeatedly made statements in the Media; ENTC is on ongoing discussion with Patriotic – Ginbot 7 to join the Transitional Council while Elias of ER is slundering the movement. Why ENTC doesn’t revile its official stand on Patriotic – Ginbot 7 it claimed to talk with to bring abroad? The Chairman must put out the role of Elias Kifle and all the officers involved in the Counsel on its official website.

It worth to listen ESAT’s Yesamintu Engida interview with Ato Sileshi Tilahun 27 February 2013 Ethiopia (particularly 49 minute out). The charismatic Sileshi has done many things that should be appreciated by all but, failed to bring transparency in the organization he help found and chairs. For example, on the Joint conference organized held in July 2-3 of 2015 posted on Ethiopia Review (http://www.ethiopianreview.com/index/53136) is not available on all organizations’ official websites. -Ethiopian National Transitional Council (ENTC), Ethiopian People’s Congress for United Struggle (Shengo), Ethiopian Youth National Movement (EYNM) and United Ethiopian Muslims Peaceful Movement Support Group (UEM-PMSG).

On the same video Ato Sileshi talks about ENTC effort to bring all parties under one united force and claim he is on ongoing discussion with others including Patriotic – Ginbot 7 to join the alternative force while. But, the main person in ENTC Elias Kifle of Ethiopian Review attacks Patriotic – Ginbot 7 on its personal website. It is not clear what Elias of Ethiopia Review role is in ENTC to have exclusive right to post the Video of the conference not available on the organization official website while attacking Patriotic – Ginbot 7 ENTC chairman claims to talk to. The Chairman must clear up whether the attack is a coordinated effort by ER and ENTC. ENTC Chairman must practice what he preaches by reviling the responsible officers in his organization and on the criteria to bring together ‘opposition’ organizations.

At the meantime, Shengo list all its member organizations on its official website but, doesn’t demand transparency from each member organizations and itself to the public. None but one of the organization provide who the leader of the member organizations on its official websites. Likewise, Dr. Taye Zegye as a Chairman of Shengo have the responsibility to provide the officers of the member organizations and Shengo itself and the criteria to join Shengo on the respective organizations’ official websites.

The Chairman of Shengo must also explain the criteria to list ‘Media’ links on its official website and the reason it skipped the most important Ethiopian’s Media of all –The Ethiopian Satellite Television-Radio Network (ESAT) founded five years ago where the Shengo leaders come on to give interviews and promote the cause.

It is important to understand Ethiopians need transparency from all organizations and their leaders involved in their affaires. So far –looking at the official website of many Ethiopian organizations noting resembling transparency is observed. ESAT and Patriotic -Ginbot 7 pioneered transparency should be emulated not condemned.

All organizations must correct their lack of transparency including providing their leadership profile and their activities for the people on their official website in a reasonable time and failure to do so will expose them for further investigations.

At the meantime, the so called one-man run News Medias should be warned to be transparent and provide their Editorial Board and reporters name and background or officially declare they are discussion or opinion forums. Ethiopians deserve better than clowns masquerading as news Media to disfranchise our community. We expect dynamic and transparent organizations and Medias that stand for the public interest and leave the judgment for the people of Ethiopia.

The sooner organizations including Medias’ leaders understand transparency and accountability the sooner Ethiopians come together to end TPLF rule. What is not acceptable is those that teardown others who bring Ethiopians together from their hiding.