The Resurrection of ESEPA on American Television
(Dima Wossene, Dec 14, 2006)
Hate, extreme dislike, revulsion….all these words have meanings in a world where rationale politics fail and people plummet into a reprehensible gut reaction that overwhelms their ability to reason. Politics within the Ethiopian Diaspora has lately based itself in this basic form of abhorrence as a result of anger and frustration. The frustration comes not from the un-fulfillment of basic needs of the poor people back home. It rather emanates from either unexplainable hatred of a band of guerrillas who unseated a mighty Derg and its ESEPA apparatus, or from the extreme lust for political power, or from an extreme greed to profit from the angry gut reaction of an audience, or all of the above.
The contentious Ethiopian election ended in violence that resulted in the tragic loss of many lives. This does not by any means absolve the ruling party for the bloody measures it took to curb the violence. There is plenty of blame that can go around all parties about the missed opportunities, the squandered possibilities and all the mishaps of the aftermath of the past election. Nonetheless the tragic event in the chapter of the fledgling democracy in Ethiopia left a scar in the Ethiopian people but many are trying to heal the wounds, dry their tears and come to terms with their losses hoping better days are ahead.
On the other hand the ESEPA cadres in America are replaying those tragic events over and over in a manner where we are being pushed to hate not only the ruling party but to hate our country and ourselves. They depict Ethiopians, no matter which particular group they target, as subhuman savages and beg the world to save us for each other. To perpetuate this self-hate ESEPA cadres are about to launch a Cable TV this coming new year.
The architects of this ESEPA ‘Hate’ TV are none other than Mulugeta Lulie, Tamagn Beyene, Ayalneh and some others. Incidentally a VOA operative named Solomon Kifle is also in the ranks of professionals of the ESEPA TV, albeit federal law prohibits him from such involvement while under the payroll of the US government.
The financier of ESEPA TV is none other the Eritrean Government through its Embassy in Washington and Shaebia agents that operate a pub in Alexandria Virginia. This ESEPA TV is registered as a for-profit business and the principal actors mentioned above are to draw regular salaries. ESEPA Cadres have leased an hour a day of air time from public access Cable TV. This ESEPA TV is ready to launch this coming January 2007.
The ESEPA cadres have been running around gathering pictures and video tapes of gruesome dead bodies and wounded individuals during the violence of the past election. They are gathering all sort of stories and picture that depicts Ethiopia as hell on earth.
There should not be any objection to a TV program that promotes principled opposition, political difference and critical analysis. But if a TV program is to trade on the ugliness our country and profit from it, then such evil and must be challenged.