Report Presented By:

Mr. Samuel Gebru

Worldwide Youth Ambassador of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

Presented To:

His excellency mr. Seyoum Mesfin

Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

August 7 – 14, 2006

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia

Worldwide Youth Ambassador of Ethiopia

Mr. Samuel M. Gebru, Ambassador

INTRODUCTION

            I would like to begin by thanking you, Your Excellency Ato Seyoum Mesfin, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ethiopia, for your invitation asking me to come to Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. As you know, my name is Samuel Gebru. I am a 14-year-old boy of Ethiopian origin that lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts in the United States. Before moving onto my proposed agenda for serving as the Worldwide Youth Ambassador of Ethiopia, I would like to explain another position that I hold.

I am the President, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of The Ethiopian Team. The Ethiopian Team is a legal, non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) youth-based organization based in Cambridge, MA, in the United States of America. We work for the development of Ethiopia by fundraising and supporting the programs of institutions through the efforts of the Ethiopian-American public. The Ethiopian Team was founded on April 2, 2005 as a small organization with only 13 members working on our first project, The Fistula Project, to benefit the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital. The Ethiopian Team finished The Fistula Project by sponsoring 11 women for treatment at the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.

In the future, The Ethiopian Team is planning an array of projects and events to benefit Ethiopian institutions in Ethiopia, such as schools, hospitals, and food centers. The Ethiopian Team is growing monthly, and our capacity is growing very well for a youth organization. The Ethiopian Team’s mission and goal is to one day build a big organization that is fully committed to the future of Ethiopia. Our motto, “A Commitment to the Future!” says it best, because if we are committed to the future, then Ethiopia can become a better place to live in. We are an organization that is totally run by kids with a little advice from our adult staff. We control all our affairs, including finance, projects, and events. Best of all, it is created by kids for kids to do this important work.     Our mission is to stage a war on Ethiopian poverty, health crisis, education crisis, food crisis, famine crisis and everything else that plagues Ethiopia.

To grow, we are working on getting more youth to join our organization from the Boston-area and all over the United States. We are trying to become a bigger organization by outreaching to different youth in cities across the USA to raise more money and to support more programs and institutions in Ethiopia. It is very important that we have productive and efficient members so that we can raise more money to help Ethiopian development activities. As always, since we are not a government, political, or religious organization, we do not discriminate on anyone based on their ethnicity, political opinions and religious beliefs. We are encouraging everyone, youth and adults, Ethiopians and Americans, to join our organization so that we can mobilize the youth much better.

I am well aware that I might have insults directed towards me; however, there is one thing that I want everyone that knows me to think about. In terms of my organization, I have never talked about politics and/or religion. First and foremost, our organization’s constitution prohibits it; and secondly, I am a person who knows when to talk about something – or in other words when to talk politics and when to talk development. In my organization there are people that support the CUD, EPRDF and independents that really don’t care or don’t know enough to decide. In my case, I have always supported the EPRDF, but have refrained from including my new job as ambassador with my existing job of leading a non-political and non-religious organization. I believe all the members of The Ethiopian Team can testify in support of this; that I have never included politics in any of my meetings and discussions with my organization. It is important for me to state the record clear and honestly.

OVERVIEW

Since the time of Emperor Haile Selassie I, there has always been some form of opposition to governments. Especially following the downfall of Derg leader Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam, some Ethiopians abroad have expressed their willingness to oust the current government, which is a legitimate and democratic government. The Ethiopian Elections on May 15, 2005 were hotly contested by the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) and opposition parties such as the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD), United Ethiopian Democratic Forces (UEDF) and Oromo Federalist Democratic Movement (OFDM).

Some Ethiopians in the Diaspora expressed their agenda of undermining a constitutionally empowered government and Election Board, which was mainly orchestrated by anti-Ethiopia elements. In June and November of 2005, Ethiopia witnessed two riots in Addis Ababa, where people, mainly unemployed youth, took to the streets in an attempt to oust Ethiopia’s Government led by Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The unemployed indoctrinated youth of Addis Ababa, desperate of jobs and money, were bribed into throwing stones, looting and starting fires in Addis Ababa. The intention of this treasonous act was to not only undermine Ethiopia’s government but to fan ethnic tensions and to create havoc in the country. The youth of Addis Ababa were emotionally abused by the behind-the-scenes masterminds (whoever they may be) to the extent that they carried out these riots under the guise of a “peaceful disobedience.” The result of this was death of many lives; keep in mind, one life is one too many.

Whereas governments are held accountable because they are the upholders of the law, the opposition forces must know that there is a fine line between a peaceful demonstration and a failed “Orange Revolution.”

RELATION TO YOUTH

For about 3 generations now, Ethiopia has experienced youth that defy the law for good or bad. During the Marxist era of Colonel Mengistu Hailemariam, it was understandable to rebel against his authoritarian rule on Ethiopia. Some might argue that it was also understandable to rebel against the rule of Haile Selassie I, nevertheless. Following the ouster of Mengistu’s government, a new political arena began to take shape in Ethiopia. At first, generally, all was well; however, in 1992 when some political parties walked out of the Transitional Government of Ethiopia, things took a turn. Outsiders convinced themselves that Ethiopia’s government was seriously undermined, and began to work with the anti-Ethiopia elements to carry out attacks trying destabilizing the nation. Although they have failed on trying to undermine our legitimate government they have made one major gain that I am determined to take back. This major gain is that some of our youth in Ethiopia and abroad that have literally been brainwashed into thinking that the EPRDF-led government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has created some police state as last seen with Mengistu. This is not true; however, some sick-minded Ethiopians in the Diaspora continue to paint a false picture as to how Ethiopia looks today.

I, personally, don’t need any instruction as to how Ethiopia has progressed. I have witnessed it four times in 1998, 2000, 2004 and now 2006. Many people still have the pictures of 1984-5 in their minds, with Ethiopians on the edge of starvation. Now for Ethiopian youth in Ethiopia and abroad, I have drafted a plan not to punish the youth of Ethiopia for the Addis Ababa unrest, but to educate them of their cultural values. When saying “cultural values,” I really mean changing their line of thinking, to be open-minded, to seek for the truth, and not to listen to someone tell a lie. What I have found is if youth, in general, are being lectured by an adult, it literally goes in one ear and walks out the other. The youth don’t listen when adults teach or lecture them something; it is when they are with someone their age they listen. I have had experiences where Ethiopian youth really get interested in Ethiopian history and culture when I tell them about it. For example, in the church I used to go to in Roxbury, a city near Cambridge, there was one day where the youth were told to learn about the Ethiopian Orthodox Church and her history. However, they didn’t want to learn until I decided to talk to them about what I learned from visiting Ethiopia. They were very fascinated as to what I had to say and went along and did their own research afterwards. This is the type of influence one has on another, especially if it is a youth-to-youth scenario.

MY PLAN

            As you may recall, in my original letter to you, Minister of Foreign Affairs Seyoum Mesfin, I described how there really isn’t any link between the government and youth. Especially when it comes to the youth of Ethiopia abroad; there isn’t anything being done with them to promote culture, history, democracy, or critical thinking. Consequently, I have developed a youth revival plan that I believe can have significant impact in promoting these goals. I feel as though if the government follows through on this plan, through me, there can be significant results with the Ethiopian youth residing abroad.

There must be a renaissance that should correct the present ignorance with one’s own history, culture, tradition and language. This present ignorance can come from ethnic hatred and the fanning of hatred as well as the ignorance of another’s culture. This renaissance, indeed, must include all Nations, Nationalities and Peoples of Ethiopia.

This must be undertaken in several steps and phases. Elders and religious leaders of all religions must be involved as should be consulted with.

For Ethiopia: Steps should begin in schools, churches, mosques and other religious places of worship. If that’s not possible, the steps should begin on the Kebele, Woreda and State level in this sequence. These steps should be to introduce the primary school students in Ethiopia their respective cultures and build up to other Ethiopian cultures to counter-ignorance. For example, in the early years of primary school the children can be taught about their specific ethnic group and as they gradually move up they can be introduced to other ethnic groups within Ethiopia.

For the Diaspora: Steps should begin in the organization of discussion groups in which I will attend all over the world. The youth and I would be able to talk about what they know, what they want to know and what they want to do to know about Ethiopia. From there, the youth can begin to organize themselves into networks and organizations where they would share experiences, encounters, thoughts, and promote democracy.

The Educational System of Ethiopia should and must require a class/course on Ethiopian History as well as the area’s respected ethnic group’s history. In addition to educating the youth there should be a wide range of low-skilled temporary jobs in Ethiopia so that the youth can become occupied and not become “servants” of anti-peace forces for some promise that will never become reality. This will and can produce youth that are productive, occupied, acquire some new skills and disengage in anti-peace forces. This will also train them in work ethics especially if the jobs are diverse in terms of ethnicity and gender because it will promote tolerance and backfire on the plan of anti-Ethiopian forces.

One of the main primary goals should be to have Ethiopian youth in Ethiopia and abroad connect with their past and have them rooted firmly in their historical foundation (s) so that their children and their children’s children will thrive in the history/culture of Ethiopia. However, as my good friend Dr. Paul B. Henze in Washington, DC describes it in his book ERITREA’S WAR, to learn about the current events of Ethiopia, one must go back to the history of the Ethiopian people. Today, the Amhara, Tigray, Oromo, Afar, Gambella and other nations all share equality under our constitution. Oppression will not be tolerated nor will corruption. Clearly anyone can infer that the political situation as well as the diversity in Ethiopia is a sensitive issue.

This renaissance that I like to call The Ethiopian Renaissance should also include ethnic pride amongst all nations, nationalities and peoples of Ethiopia; also “Ethiopianism” or “Ethiopiawinet” pride, self-value and self-worth. My priority while I hold this title as Worldwide Youth Ambassador of my motherland Ethiopia is to change the narrow-mindedness of our people abroad. The peaceful disobedience we know are from Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., exclude violence and any form of discrimination, including isolation of the perpetrators of repression. They worked day and night defining what is and what is not included in the peaceful disobedience to their followers and supporters inside and outside their respective countries. Note this: their fight was against brutal British colonialists and Imperial Racist America.

Dr. King’s strategy attracted people outside the main domain, the African-Americans, as seen in the “I have a Dream” speech and demonstration in Washington, D.C. Dr. King once said, “Violence as a way of achieving racial justice is both impractical and immoral. It is impractical because it is a descending spiral ending in destruction for all. It is immoral because it seeks to humiliate the opponent rather than win his understanding; it seeks to annihilate rather than to convert. Violence is immoral because it thrives on hatred rather than love.” These are powerful words that we, Ethiopians, can learn from.

According to Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., violence ends in destruction for all, brings humiliation instead of understanding, annihilation rather than conversion, and hatred instead of love. Interestingly enough, though unfortunate, the street violence of last year demonstrates these consequences of destruction for all, humiliation, annihilation and hatred. The destruction of public and private property, lives and emotions; and humiliation because of political views and ethnic backgrounds. Dr. King preached against violence so as to avoid the consequences as said above and demonstrated that he was there for only and only peaceful disobedience until the rights of the black Afro-American community were respected. He used to be there whenever there was violence to calm down the black community and stick to the peaceful plan. On the contrary, there was official declaration of a social isolation of a specific nation of Ethiopia, while the indoctrinated poor youngsters of Addis Ababa launched “an Orange Revolution gone wrong.”

The power players in my plan should be the Ministry of Culture and Tourism, Ministry of Education, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the positive Ethiopian Role Models, Private and Business Sector and of course myself. Positive Ethiopian role models can include Ethiopian child entertainer Ababa Tesfaye, various singers like Mahmoud Ahmed who have interesting life stories. The private and business sector can include the wealthy like Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Hussein Al-Amoudi and other hard-working men and women contributing to the economic development and poverty elimination in Ethiopia.

RECOMMENDATIONS

My lifelong goal is to have, in general, the Ethiopian Diaspora and the Ethiopian youth in the Diaspora, in particular, not only know about their country but also to change their mindset not to be closed minded like previous generations. I want to change the line of thinking of my generation, setting the stage for the future generations to come. I want to change them to be more practical, critical, deep thinking, to do away with poverty, build democratic thinking and institutions and last but not least but to network and share ideas and experiences.

In order to achieve this, not only do I and the government of Ethiopia need to follow up on my plan; we need to convert and not annihilate those who go against democracy and peace in Ethiopia. For instance, we need to either convert or prove wrong the reports issued by EU-EOM Ethiopia chair Ms. Ana Gomes and others.

“The good lady did not include the good rains we have had this summer as a reason for her conclusion on the elections, perhaps because she had no ‘recommendation’ that goes with it.”

-- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s letter to the Ethiopian Herald, page 24

We must promote peace within our country and region, with all our neighbors including Eritrea and now the Somali Islamic Courts Union and Transitional Government led by President Abdullah Yusuf.

This is why I must pull the following out of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s letter:

“The main question facing us Ethiopians, is where do we go from here? Whenever I am faced with difficult challenges, challenges that could potentially be of existential significance, the first question I ask is what would the average Ethiopian peasant do under such circumstances? I ask this question not for sentimental reasons but because I know of no other Ethiopians who are better masters of the art of overcoming existential challenges. Murderous foreign and local wars have taken place in this country. The peasant bore the brunt of each one of them, but always came out on top. Governments of all colours have come and gone, the hardy old peasant has outlived them all. Horrific famines of biblical proportions have come and gone, the peasant has survived them all. Hence, there is no greater sage to consult on such matters. So once again what would your average Ethiopian peasant do? Having lived with him/her for some 17 years I think I know.”

-- Prime Minister Meles Zenawi’s letter to the Ethiopian Herald, page 24

Without the peasant there isn’t Ethiopia. The peasants of Ethiopia deserve much respect, after all, it was a peasant movement, indeed, that toppled the Derg! The Ethiopian peasants are smart, conscious, critical thinking and smart. Although they have not probably received the west’s idea of a “formal education,” they have received the education that is above all. Their experience…their timeliness…their glory…the Ethiopian peasants are the true Ethiopian museums; because with them lie the true history of Ethiopia, not an outsiders interpretation.

Time and time again, I have always said this to many people in America: if we want to have a stable, economically prosperous, democratic country that can lead Africa into a new stage of politics that does away with brutal dictators and authoritarian regimes we need to have the cooperation of all. This “all” includes the government, people, Diaspora, friends of Ethiopia, private/business sectors, religious sector, humanitarian organizations and most importantly the youth. The youth, meaning my generation, are tomorrow’s leaders. When you, our leaders of Ethiopia today, pass away it will be incumbent upon every single Ethiopian youngster in Ethiopia and abroad to make sure that Ethiopia will be guided to become, as Minister Sufian Ahmed said a few months ago, a middle-income nation in 20 years. Perhaps, these 20 years can be decreased with everyone’s participation.

One thing that must be done is something I like to call a Revitalization of Ethiopian Expatriate Affairs. The Ethiopians in the diaspora have a tremendous amount of knowledge and skills that can contribute to the development efforts in Ethiopia. For instance, the founder and head of the Ethiopian North American Health Professionals Association (ENAHPA), Dr. Ingida Asfaw, contributes much of his talent, skills and knowledge he gained in the US for the betterment of Ethiopians in our country. The ENAHPA sends teams of their members to Ethiopia annually to work at hospitals, perform surgeries, teach, etc., which all is welcoming to our countrymen and women.

I believe that the solution to the backwardness and underdevelopment of our people and country should and definitely can be solved with the diaspora’s immense knowledge and skills. For example: many Ethiopians in the US hold degrees from Universities as well as contribute a lot of their time and resources toward American-based organizations; same in Europe. The Ethiopians in Europe have a lot of knowledge as well; they hold degrees and speak the language of their country of residences, i.e. English, German, Swedish, Italian, Greek, etc., and they can contribute to our country’s development efforts too.

The question now becomes: how can the Ethiopian diaspora contribute to Ethiopian development and poverty elimination efforts? The answer, in my mind, is rather simple. By networking. What do I mean? When I say “by networking,” I mean when all the Ethiopian-Americans, Ethiopian-Europeans, etc., learn about their country and how she is growing; they can form associations and raise more money to fund school building as well as hospital building. Not even that, the Ethiopian businessmen and women in the Washington, DC area are very progressive; despite some opposing the government, we (the government) can still try to work with them on a mutually comfortable basis that serves the interests of our country people. How? Well, first, the formation of an “Ethiopian-American Chamber of Commerce.” Once that is established, the Ethiopian businessmen and women in the Washington, DC area can become united; and for the purposes of development they can actually form their own philanthropic group like what we see from businessmen like Sheikh Mohammed H. Al-Amoudi and Mr. William “Bill” Gates, Jr. Once they do this, they can support the efforts our rural and urban folk undertake to better their lives as well as better their children’s lives and so on.

However, this can only be done through revitalizing the diplomatic missions of Ethiopia abroad. For instance, the Embassy of Ethiopia in Washington, DC can revitalize its Ethiopian Community Department to include more officers/counselors as well as really connect with the Ethiopian-American public. I will give a scenario: an Ethiopian diplomat from the Embassy can go to different cities in the US hosting a significant amount of Ethiopians and teach the Ethiopians about the good news coming from Ethiopia – the development activities being undertaken. Once the Ethiopians in these cities, who are badly misinformed and/or uninformed at all from the positive development in Ethiopia, learn about all the excellent activities and projects being executed, they will be motivated to not only contribute to the efforts but spread the word. Let me tell you and all what Sheikh Mohammed H. Al-Amoudi once said:

“It is my belief that Ethiopians alone should determine their own destiny and only call on the rest of the world to complement their efforts” Further more he says: “Ethiopia is rich in natural resources, carries immense potential wealth in her subsoil and possesses well-known rivers, lakes and virgin lands. MIDROC Ethiopia will continue to venture into new areas”

This is 100% correct. Not only can the Mohammed International Development Research and Organization Companies (MIDROC) Group – Al-Amoudi’s investment arm – contribute to the development of Ethiopia, but so can other Ethiopians abroad. Since there are literally thousands of Ethiopian entrepreneurs in the US and Europe, as well as Middle Eastern/Arab countries, the government can work with them. However, first is first, the diplomatic missions of Ethiopia in all countries need to concentrate on connecting the Ethiopian diaspora, at a better and larger capacity than I. Another thing that I would suggest is to expand outreach by opening more Consulates-Generals and Consulates in cities worldwide that have significant Ethiopian population. Remember: the key to the door of Ethiopia’s problems lies within the diaspora and in particular the youth.

CLOSING

In closing, I would like to thank some people for this day. First and foremost I would like to thank my mother Amleset Berhe, who is also my top advisor, for giving me the knowledge I needed to respect, to seek, to learn, to ask, to obey, to be independent and to be open-minded and forward thinking. I would also like to thank the man behind the scenes of my appointment, my excellent friend, Ambassador Kassahun Ayele who was Ethiopia’s former Ambassador to America and now Germany. We were introduced in a symposium in April 2005 held by the Ethiopian Students Union in Boston. Ever since then we have excellent relations, even though he is now serving in Berlin. Ato Kassahun is the person who put a lot of faith into my vision and mission and subsequently recommended me to Your Excellency Seyoum Mesfin.

In addition to Ambassador Kassahun recommending me, I would also like to thank the former Ethiopian Community Counselor at the Ethiopian Embassy in Washington, DC, Ato Demeke Atnafu for his help in my process which consisted on gathering relevant information for the letter. In addition, I would also like to thank my Public Relations Ato Tedros Neguse who not only has been with me the whole step of the way since I got into the public arena, but also has advised me on my speeches, actions, public relations and other things as well. In relation to my organization I would like to thank all the Ethiopians and Americans in the Greater Boston-area for their support. These Ethiopians and Americans have supported The Ethiopian Team through publicity, donations/finance, their time, moral support as well as their advice and/or experiences that they had to share with us youth.

To these people, I say thank you. I also say thank you to all the people of Ethiopia that sacrificed their lives and/or risked their lives in the name of democracy in Ethiopia and ousting the iron-handed Mengistu government. Lastly, may all Ethiopians continue to look forward for the betterment of the future generations.

Samuel M. Gebru

Worldwide Youth Ambassador

Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia

For public use.

Samuel can be contacted by emailing: smgebru@gmail.com