The Orange Tree thrown into the notorious Kaliti Prison in 2008 has borne millions of its kind that are now being felt across the globe. Hallelujah!
Our dream of the rebirth of Ethiopia as a blessed land of liberty, peace and freedom – where there shall be no more political prisoners – is insight giving hope for the present and future generations of Ethiopia.
Amen to no more prisoners of conscience!
The Orange Tree that was cruelly thrown to a narrow dark cell in solitary confinement for 170 days has truly multiplied to the dismay of those who wanted it to wilt and die.
Glory to God for He protects those of His choice to lead the noble cause of unity, democracy, and justice!
It is time for the millions of us to get our Orange Tree back so woud exude the scent of love, truth, forgiveness and mutual understanding across the society.
Birtukan Mideksa has an enviable record for forgiveness which is all the more reason to demand her immediate release for the sake of peace, truth and reconciliation at this critical time.
Tribute to martyrs
The politically-motivated assassination of Biyansa Daba is another gruesome act of evil by the ruling TPLF Party. The swift denial by the government spokesman, Shimeles Kamal, is another reminder that telling blatant lies is an officially sanctioned modus operandi of the brutal regime. These embarrassing official lies must stop. Independent probe into circumstances leading to the reported death is imperative.
Nothing more is important than express deep gratitude to our fallen martyrs and all those who had suffered in the aftermath of the outbreak of the Ethiopian in 1974. It is time to renew our resolve to advance the cause for which they paid the ultimate sacrifice or suffered in various ways under the leadership of coward Mengistu who fled the country after 17 years of misrule leaving the door wide open to let in Meles to assume power and do much worse than all his of his predecessors in ruining the interests of Ethiopia all and sundry and committing heinous crimes unprecedented in our long history.
Barren tree of Revolutionary Democracy
In the aftermath of the stolen election 2005, it is a matter of indisputable record that hundreds were killed in cold blood, tens of thousands were incarcerated and as many homes were left in grief for the loss of their loved ones. This gruesome act, by security forces under the direct command of Meles, unleashed on peaceful protesters has been roundly condemned by the international community. Even the Carter Center in its capacity as observer of the election belatedly after years of delay, put the blame for the atrocities on the ruling regime.
The point is that the present and future generations of Ethiopia owe a debt of gratitude to fallen heroes and heroines as well as to all those other victims affected in the aftermath of election 2010.
The sun is setting in the serfdom of the Meles regime. The double-digit growth of the economy claimed by Meles in his last annual address to his mediocre converts in parliament has been disproved by the IMF forecast of only 4.7%. To justify shortage and escalating cost of sugar, he credited his regime by saying the peasants are consuming the commodity for the first time, which is a laughable and desperate excuse.
All that glitters is not gold to the unemployed millions of Ethiopians, most of them young. The high-rise buildings lining the streets and the good roads soon to entail enormous maintenance costs mean little to the common man living in abject poverty. These constructions with borrowed money are typical of a dictatorial regime that cares about its own image for survival at the expense of setting aside all-inclusive economic development including especially human capital development.
The regime stands accused for, inter alia: 1) betrayal of vital national interests such as willful collaboration with the Eritrean despot to deny Ethiopia access to the Red Sea frontier which is a lifeline to her economy and essential barrier to her security; 2) massacre of hundreds and incarceration of tens of thousands of peaceful protesters of stole election thus bring grief and agony to as many families and friends; 3) payment of US$ one billion annual rent to Djibouti for the use of its harbor; 4) failure to bring to justice perpetrators of heinous crimes including genocide; 5) naked aggression of Somalia and the resultant heavy burden of compensation in the process of normalization of neighborly relations.
All in all, the TPLF regime has not delivered. Revolutionary Democracy has miserably failed only to be remembered as a reckless experiment.
The TPLF regime is like a proverbial tree that fails to produce fruit; the eventual fate of such a tree is to be cut.
The question now is what options are available to this obstinate TPLF regime:
Open the political space immediately and set the stage for a fair, free and credible election; to that end release Birtukan Mideksa and all political prisoners.
Agree to set up an independent commission of peace, truth and reconciliation and bring criminals to justice; and
Remain adamant with its reckless course of action of open invitation to an all-inclusive confrontation with the opposition; God forbid this catastrophic option for which generous donors of the regime would at least morally be held accountable.
This writer sincerely hopes that the Virginia Declaration: “We call upon all political parties, including the TPLF/EPRDF, to convene an all inclusive National Conference for Peace and Reconciliation, with a view to establishing a Transitional Government of National Unity that prepares the country for an unfettered free and fair election” will be respected by all stakeholders during and in the aftermath of election 2010.
Peace, truth and reconciliation are the only option that will avert catastrophic civil strife in our country and instability in the Horn of Africa.
Inter-ethnic group co-operation
It is time to opt for cooperation between and among all the 83 ethnic groups of Ethiopia on a scale seen during: the famous Battle of Adwa; the short-lived invasion of Ethiopia by Italian Fascist; the Ethiopian -Eritrean war of 1998 – 2000; the numerous military aggressions by external forces including Egypt, Turkey during the Ottoman expansionist Empire, and unfortunately our neighbor Somalia.
The Ethiopian regime in power is illegitimate. It is behaving as an occupying power – not as a government of Ethiopia run by her citizens.
Therefore there is need for all ethnic groups to cooperate at least symbiotically in order to stem the damage done by TPLF and save what is left of the ruins before it is too late.
Medrek as a beacon of hope
Medrek is increasingly seen as the last hope of Ethiopians in quest for peaceful change to democratic order and bloodless transfer of power. Any attack on Medrek such as by Author Tesfaaye Gebreab – suspect secret agent of either Isaias or Meles or both – amounts to subversion of national interests of Ethiopia and contempt for the intelligence of tens of millions of UDJP/Medrek supporters.
Medrek is a true representative of all ethnic groups with the broadest common interest. It is a model of a brilliant political solution for addressing multiple problems of Ethiopia.
The road ahead is rough and tough. But the struggle must go on while watching imposters with sheep’s clothing.
Ethiopians have only God and themselves to reclaim stolen election and determine their future as citizens of independent and democratic nation-state under the rule of law made by them.
In closing, this writer expresses his appreciation to all members of Medrek for their courage to face a tyrant on our home soil in order to advance the cause of peaceful change in a hostile political environment increasingly being exacerbated by TPLF/EPRDF as election 2010 is approaching.
Release Birtukan Mideksa and all political prisoners!
LONG LIVE ETHIOPIA!!! [email protected]
