Minority Diaspora Ethiopians and the Politics of Hate

Recently, the vocal minority in United States that is ranting and screaming under the banner of dis-functional Kinijit held a meeting to elect once again its leaders. First it was five people that were elected then they added 6 and made it 11 people now they are back again to the original number five. Elias Kifle captured the state kinijit was and is now on July 25, 2006 under the title kinijit in disarray. He identified lack of leadership as the major problem. You have it here in Ethiopian Review in black and white admitting that there is no leader capable of leading a handful of individuals to sit and debate in a civilized manner. Is kinijit really ready to lead Ethiopia ?

A quick review of the opposition web site exposes a group so consumed by its loathing of Prime Minister Zenawi, TPLF and EPRDF and opposition fails to offer any substantive information on where it stands on the issues of the day.

Every issue area on the opposition web site begins with statements followed by attacks on the Prime Minister and the EPRDF. In fact, more web space is devoted to attacking Prime Minister Meles and Tigray than to advancing Democratic ideas. True to form, the opposition constantly releases false propaganda that devotes fully half of its space to attacks on Meles.

Phrases like "woyane," "colonizer," and "genzeb wede kebele, tigre wede Mekele,” “neo-colonialist” “neo banda” “The enemy in our midst” fill the writings and demonstrations, which should have been devoted to advancing Democratic ideas.  Here is an example of hate based politics that deprives others from supporting or listening what EPRDF officials have to say. “Now that they have come out in the open to support the regime and facilitate the CRIME MINISTER’S ethnic based meetings in public forum, it is high time that their names be made public and published on the Ethiomedia so that the public at large would know the enemy in our midst. In effect, exposing these parasites would help safeguard our future plan of action that will be considered, whatever it might be, to free our people from tyranny “ . While EPRDF’s focus is  to  "...expand the pace and scope of programs...," "expanding health services," “ Electrifying villages” “constructing Dams” "building a network of roads, schools, telephone service  that link every corner of Ethiopia,"." This shows a government determined to pull Ethiopians out of the shackles of poverty, ignorance and disease. While the so called opposition and the minority vocal Diaspora Ethiopians focus on incessant attacks on Meles and members of the loyal opposition who have joined the parliament to strengthen the democratic process.

Out of curiosity, I also navigated my web browser to the government web sites in search of EPRDF’s further agenda for Ethiopia . Remarkably, I found a party that laid out clear positions on every political issue imaginable, while devoting almost no space at all to attacking the opposition or the day dreamer minority Diaspora Ethiopians, its positions, or its members. There are virtually no attacks and no hateful rhetoric, just clear, detailed positions on where EPRDF stand.

Kinijit is advancing two themes: that EPRDF is corrupt and evil, and that government in the form of Kinijit is the answer to the problems faced by Ethiopians today and in the future. While claiming to be the best choice for Ethiopia , Kinijit offers no solutions to the issues it raises. Instead, what one hears and reads is inflammatory speeches on internet video; it practices the politics of hate that obscure the inevitable truth: the "New Direction for Ethiopia” " under Kinijit has no direction at all.

I've been thinking about how often the word "hate" is used in a political context these days. It almost always comes from the minority Diaspora directed at Meles Zenawi. And more often than not, it's an _expression of hatred for the man himself, not the politician or his party. Sometimes it's so extreme as to result in comparisons of Meles  with Adolph Hitler. Since the people making or approving such comparisons are presumably intelligent enough to understand what Hitler represents, I have difficulty understanding how they see equivalent evil in Meles.

Of course, it would be inaccurate and unfair to say that all Diaspora Ethiopians express this kind of hatred. But enough do that it makes me wonder if hate has been elevated to the status of a moral value in our political discourse. Is it necessary to say you hate Meles, Tigray, and EPRDF in order to be accepted among Diaspora Ethiopians of a certain stripe?

I have a good friend, an intelligent and informed opposition supporter, whom I respect. Before the election last year, this friend closed an e-mail discussion about Meles and politics with the line, "God, how I hate that man!" That was something of a shock because I'd never before heard this person talk about hating another human being. Worse, I'm not even sure this person is a friend any longer. I supported EPRDF and opposed Kinijit and that seemed to be too much for this person to bear. There's been very little contact since then. Is this furthering democracy or dictatorship. From what we hear, and experience personally, Diaspora politics is designed to deprive others their democratic rights, to support dictatorship and not to allow democratic discussions or democratic plurality.

Some opposition supporters in Diaspora are not willing even to discuss points that might indicate Meles could be anything less than pure evil. There are no shades of gray, no nuance. They cling doggedly to every argument that supports their fixed opinions, no matter how tenuous or unreasonable it may be.

It's hard to discuss this without being labeled a Woyane, kemalam Tigre , or even a dreaded "colonizer,”.  In this new climate of highly personal hatred of Meles, it's very difficult to take any position short of outright hatred without being peremptorily assigned to the Meles camp. That's one of the things that worries me about hate having become a political value--it leaves no room for moderate views or compromise.

I believed that the most positive characteristics of a democrat in this day and age in Ethiopia for that matter any where in the world should be based on tolerance, respect for every individual and intelligent open-mindedness. Sadly, those values seem quaint in this atmosphere of hate, and Diaspora Ethiopians have diminished themselves by letting it happen.

This personal hatred of Meles, the people of Tigray and other nationalities that are beginning to assert their equality and power, has put Diaspora Ethiopians in a box they may have trouble climbing out of. How can they ever admit that someone so hated may have been right about something or may have achieved successes? The depressing reality is Diaspora opposition may be so committed to their hatred of Meles that they can only rejoice in Ethiopia ’s   failure and disgrace. Is their hatred of Meles so deep and personal that anything is acceptable to justify it?

The hate mongers vocal minority Diaspora Ethiopians are also fabricating news to use for their bankrupt propaganda. Let me mention the recent lies 1) Hailu Shawel's New Year message 2) the defection of embassy employees. Both have been found to be outright lie. Here is what one of the embassy employees posted in response to the lies of Diaspora Ethiopians.

“Defamation Serves Nothing . I have read the news posted on Ethiopian Media Forum, EMF on September 11, 2006. The posted piece consisted erroneous information and is completely a fabricated one.

I have of course been in USA for a couple of weeks on a vacation. However, as posted on the web-page, I have never tried to meet a lawyer to facilitate my asylum.

Let me use this opportunity to inform you all that I still work for my government and country at the same Embassy with a great dedication, commitment and integrity more than ever before . Mesfin Midekssa . Embassy of Ethiopia   Brussels , Belgium “

Recently in one of his outrageous lies Elias Kifle said “EPRDF is arming Tigrians through out the country”. This kind of unfounded allegation clearly shows that minority Diaspora Ethiopians bankrupt and desperate strategy. Little did they know that Ethiopia and Ethiopians know who is for Ethiopia and who is not?  The Nations and Nationalities of Ethiopia can no longer be fooled by remote control because they know and have witnessed what Diaspora interest is. - to grab power by any means necessary  including by allying with terrorist group like Sheba , ONLF , OLF  and Somali Islamic Courts. This becoming an Ethiopian.  The politics of hate and lie has no place in Ethiopia , and majority of Ethiopians at home and abroad have no respect for those who embrace it.

MA

Sep 12, 2006

Toronto, Canada