Soweto in Ethiopia

Soweto in Ethiopia

By Almaz Mequanint

Most of us
think that slavery on sugar plantations or in sugar factories is a story of the
past – yes, it is, but still the impact exists. In history, when slaves were
captured and traded, they had a significant market value to keep them in good
health and functioning. Not in this story.

Even
though Ethiopia is the only country in Africa that never had been colonized,
there were three towns colonized in the name of development. That brings us to
the question – what it was like to be a black employee of the three sugar
factories Wonji-1954, Wonji/Shoa-1960 and
Metahara-1968 under HVA International,
a Dutch giant corporation? HVA International had
squeezed every drop of sweat from all of its black employees, made huge profit
and dumped them behind mercilessly by paying an average wage of US$0.40 cents a
day (Revolutionary Ethiopia page 111, by Edmond J. Keller).

Are we
still reading about Wonji, Wonji/Showa
and Metehara victims? The answer is yes, As an
Ethiopian, given my deep roots in this country I strongly felt the need to
speak out. That is why I keep writing articles since 2003 to individuals, NGOs,
media, agencies and to the United Nations about the neglected
fluoride/asbestos, the segregation and discrimination victims of these three
towns, Wonji, Wonji/Showa
and Metehara.

In 2003, Ethiopia
and the Netherlands were questioned by a UN Special Rapporteur. The
Ethiopian government declined to comment. The Netherlands government and HVA
International denied that any human rights abuse, segregation or discrimination
took place despite all crucial evidence. HVA International also responded by denying its abuse and discrimination
to the editor of New Internationalist who published my article in 2003.

Until now
HVA International and the Dutch government continue to deny the reality of Wonji victims’ injuries, undermining the power of the poor
communities of these three towns. In 2012, my husband and I traveled to The
Hague to bring light to the sad story of the neglected Wonji,
Wonji/Showa and Metehara
fluoride/asbestos victims.

Why this
article is named “Soweto in Ethiopia?”

Ethiopia
and South Africa are different countries in many ways. When “SOWETO”
is mentioned historically, it brings to mind apartheid, “apartness”
in the Afrikaans (Dutch-based South African) language. HVA International, a
Dutch company, practiced apartheid for Wonji, Wonji/Showa and Metehara former
employees and their families. Black employees under HVA International suffered
exploitation, physical/mental abuse, discrimination, segregation and huge
environmental human rights violation. All those mentioned violations can give
full illustration of apartheid – total racial segregation by systematic
oppression.

Taking
advantage of the inefficient Ethiopian government labor and environmental
policies at that time, HVA International exercised discriminatory policies
against black employees and determined the rights of whites. In conclusion, HVA
International company’s policies meet the definition of apartheid through
systems that are institutionalized by rules/regulations and policies that bear
similarity to South Africa’s apartheid era.

Did Wonji, Wonji/Showa victims get
justice? No. HVA International carried out some of the most horrific human
rights abuses of modern times on Wonji victims and is
still denying it! So, for big corporations like HVA International to get off
the hook without prosecution is like us patting them on the back and telling
them: “Job well done!”

What kind
of support did Wonji, Wonji/Showa
and Metehara victims get? They got a donation of 550
wheelchairs from Free Wheelchair
Mission in 2007. Plus, the Ethiopian government resumed providing
fluoride-free drinking water in recent years after I brought some awareness
about their situation.

Do any
media paid attention to this sad story? Sadly but not surprising that this sad
story is given little sustained attention by the big news outlets. But New
Internationalist, OVI magazine, some Ethiopian blogs and local newspapers
published my articles. Last year the NCR Handelsblad
International editor got interested in this story and approached me in
Amsterdam but his boss rejected the idea as “too far away and too long
ago.” (See In
the eyes of Dutch NRC International Handesbald
newspaper.)

For us Wonji victims, speaking up and been vocal serves as both
the ultimate battlefield and the ground zero in the search of justice. We
wanted to force ourselves to be “present” at the crossroads of hope,
change and justice. This a is hard pill to swallow and
it breaks my heart knowing that we have the right to fight for our human rights
and it has been a long journey. All I know is that we, Wonji
victims, are willing to walk in the dense forest in the hope of finding some
clarity and justice at the end. Even if this justice/clarity ends up blinding
us, our voices will grow stronger than ever. Fortunately, our networking
online, via email Face book, Twitter blogs and other social networks will
create pervasive flow of information that serves as a disinfectant. Ultimately
this may be a venue to bring justice not only to Wonji
victims but to people around the world.

Why does
the Shibo Gibi (Fenced
Area) deserve to be called the “apartheid fence?” Because
no blacks were allowed to live side by side with the white Dutch citizens.
That fence separated the two communities even though a few educated black
employees were allowed after some years.

Is it
accurate to consider HVA treatment of its Wonji, Wonji/Showa and Metehara
Ethiopian employees as a form of apartheid? Yes. HVA International’s Dutch
white employees had the full rights and benefits denied to Ethiopian black
employees. For example, medical facilities, housing, drinking water,
recreational facilities and schools for white and black employees were
separate. After reading this story, we should not always be readers or
spectators. I believe each of us has a duty to push for what is
right, helping each other and becoming a vigilant society by setting standards
as to what we can tolerate collectively as citizens of this planet. Every
member of society has a duty to be vigilant and push for what is right to set
standards for abusive corporations.

While HVA
enjoyed to the fullest in billions of profits from sugar, Wonji
employees and their families suffer the bitter impacts of its production
without the Ethiopian government meaningful action to protect or prevent damage
of its’ citizens at that time and now turned deaf ears to fight for their
justice. Fortunately, the rapid and pervasive flow of information nowadays
comes to light via email and blogs, Facebook, Twitter or other social networks
serves as a disinfectant by bringing awareness to Wonji
victims.

Even
though years had passed since HVA International left Ethiopia for good, our
hearts are bruised everyday as we watch Wonji victims
of the fluoride/asbestos pollution die or suffer with no medical treatment! The
fact and the sad thing is big companies like HVA
International and the Dutch government can turn a blind eye to this issue.
These barbaric actions against innocent people must not be forgotten; their
voices are clearly heard beyond the apartheid fence SHIBO-GIBI!

Almaz
Mequanint