LETTER TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON FINANCIAL TIMES

THE DOUBLE STANDARD OF THE WEST

When terrorist attacked the London subway system the Blair government declared war on all perpetrators and went after the terror cells inside Britain and through out Europe in collaboration with EU member countries. They raided mosques and passed laws to prosecute those who harbored terrorist elements even jailed radical religious clerks who preached violence. Yet they provide sanctuaries, by financing, encouraging and have provided a political podium to spread their venom and propaganda. The recent terrorist attack on an oil field development site in the Ogaden region is a case in point. Immediately after the cold blooded murder of innocent Ethiopians the OPLF representative in London appeared on BBC to take full responsibilities. Now we Ethiopians are waiting what Blair is going to do. Is he going to apply the same standard and hunt down the hooligans in London and put them away for good and close their terrorist cells? Or are we going to see typical double standard when it comes to African lives. There should not be any ambiguity these guys are nothing but regular thugs who make a living prostituting our worst fears and deference’s.

These terrorists who continue to wreck havoc on poor countries of Africa under the guise of liberation fronts are nothing but a bunch of blood thirsty hoodlums. For the west to continue to let them have bases in their capital cities seems to be condoning death and destruction on the people of Africa. We are witnessing the west turning a blind eye when it comes to Darfur as compared to Kosovo. The double standard has to end.

Also poverty stricken Eritrea run by a tin pot dictator has become a heaven for and a conduit of every terrorist organization who wishes to destabilize every horn of Africa country. His days are rapidly approaching. The rope is being lowered and the noose is tightening around this leader’s neck and it’s only a matter of time. We should just watch hang himself.

The LRA civil war that continues to devastate Uganda or the brutal Sera Leon’s conflict that maimed and killed so many children were all born and nurtured in the west’s capital cities. Alquida itself is the brain child of the CIA which was financed and armed during the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan and look what a monster and a worldwide menace it turned out to be.

If democracy is to foster and grow in the developing countries, whether fair or not the ballot box should be the only means to challenge existing democratically elected governments, not through the barrel of a gun. The fairness of these elections should be left for history to judge. My hope is as these democracies reach maturity they will be more tolerant and fair, until then we should patiently wait by sticking to the ballot box.

So, the West and specially Britain should go after the leaders of the mastermindes of the Ogaden massacre by putting them in jail, close their offices and chase their followers out of the country. The rest of Europe and the US should do the same by going after these perpetrators of death and destruction and put them out of business. We are watching and waiting.

Demissew Gedamu

04/25/07