Letter to PFDJ's Sophia

By Kebede Anemut  Nov 20,2006

Dear Sophia, I read your article on the Sudan Tribune and it is interesting that you are so much concerned about human rights violation in Ethiopia. Why don’t you express the same concern when it comes to Eritrea? Is it because you believe Eritreans don’t deserve their rights protected or is it because you are a trusted member of PFDJ? Asmara’s mad man has committed more human rights violation than Meles Zenawi. Those arrested in Eritrea can never be brought to the court of law and can’t be visited by their families. They often arrested in metal containers of sweltering heat during the day and freezing cold at night. Did you hear about the ordeal Gospel singer Helen Berhane has gone through the last two years? She is now on a wheelchair? How about your journalists who died in prison? Don’t you feel sad for these people? There are thousands in prisoners in different dungeons who suffer without a single day in court or a single family visit. I would see you as a fair and balanced person if you have mentioned these human tragedies in Eritrea as you are so eager to bring any mishaps in Ethiopia. I would like to bring to your attention that I am not the fan of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. I have opposed his policies even before he assumed power. Despite my opposition, I was able to leave my country which would be unthinkable under Mengistu Hailemariam or under Issayas Aferworki of Eritrea.

Dear Sophia, human rights violation should be condemned wherever it occurs. It doesn’t have to be selective. Any sane person who really stands and fights for human rights wouldn’t hide rights violations in one country and “expose” such violations in another country unless that man/woman is inhuman. Like you worry about human rights violations in Ethiopia, you should be even more concerned about Eritrea because you are Eritrean. Why shed crocodile’s tear for Ethiopians when we know that you have been insulting Ethiopians using all sorts of nasty words. How come that you have become all of a sudden Ethiopia lover when you want to see Ethiopia dismantled from the map of Africa? I have all your articles in my file and you can’t deny it.

However, I very well understand you motive and it is as old as EPLF. I know the regime in your country is trying its best to destabilize Ethiopia and you are the major proponent of that scheme. We know the regime in Asmara is secular, but it wholeheartedly supported radical jihadists in Somalia mainly to open a second front in its war against Ethiopia. But, I advice you to remember the past and the most recent past at that. We Ethiopians will unite in the face of foreign aggression as we did so many times before. Although I don’t like Meles’ policies, I and many others indeed will stand with him if and when Ethiopia is attacked. Do you forget that your “unshakable army” was crushed in a blitzkrieg offensive in May 2000 and the sun that was condemned to sink once and for all by the order of  the mad man flickered deep into Eritrean territory, albeit momentarily?   

Victory to the Ethiopian Army!