The Ethiopian dictator drags the country into a regional war

[Ahmed_Guree]

Ethiopian Review

 

Nov 24, 2006

 

We Ethiopians are proud of our rich culture, long history, 3,000-year civilization, and keeping the country free of colonialists. Ethiopia is also known for not violating the territories of other countries. When Somalia had invaded Ethiopia more than twice in the past, both the Atse Haileselassie and Derg governments chased them out, but refrained from following the retreating invaders deep into the Somali territory. One time, a frustrated field commander had ignored Haileselassie's orders and followed Somali forces into the hinterland. He was severely reprimanded for it.

 

Under the Meles dictatorship, this long-held principle has been put aside. An Ethiopian regime for the first time in Ethiopian history has invaded another country--Somalia.

 

There is no valid reason for the arrogant dictator to pick a fight with the Somali Islamic Courts Union (ICU). The only reason that comes to mind is to divert national and international attention from his regime that is falling apart by the day.

 

Dictators thrive on conflicts and wars. In fact, they depend on ongoing wars to remain in power. With his military in turmoil, the economy in shambles, and rebel groups springing up through out the country, Meles seems to think that he can divert attention away from him and on to the ICU by accusing them of being Islamic terrorists and having affiliations with Al Qaeda.

 

Some of the recent actions the ICU took, such as shutting down private radio stations, shooting at protestors, and banning chat (khat) is indeed worrisome. (By the way, Khat is banned in the U.S., too). But is the ICU worse than the TPLF regime in suppressing freedom? What makes Meles more acceptable to the international community than the ICU?

 

Meles has rounded up ALL independent journalists in the country and threw them in jail. He has gunned down, strangled and beat to death unarmed protestors, as reported by the Inquiry Commission that was created by his own rubber-stump parliament. Every legitimate human rights organization in the world has condemned Meles as a brutal dictator and described his actions as state-sponsored terrorism. The European Parliament and the U.S. Congress have also condemned the brutal repression in Ethiopia.

 

On the other hand, what did the ICU do to Ethiopia? They didn't occupy Ethiopia. They didn't create concentration camps and detained tens of thousands of Ethiopians. They didn't loot the country's treasury. They have not done any thing other than trying to bring order back to Somalia's state of anarchy.

 

For Ethiopians there is no worse terrorist than Meles. He has been certified by the parliament-appointed independent commission as a mass murderer. In the past 15 years, he and his ruling family made Ethiopia a living hell for millions of her people. Now, he is leading the country into an adventurous war, in the process sacrificing the lives of thousands of young Ethiopians and spending millions of dollars that the country desperately needs for social services.

 

The world, and particularly the people of Somalia, need to know that this war Meles has started is a war between his Tigrean People Liberation Front (TPLF) and the Somali Islamic Courts of Union (ICU). It is a war of convenient intended by the Meles dictatorship to prolong its grip on power. It has nothing to do with protecting Ethiopia's national security.

 

It is terribly important for opposition parties, civic groups, religious leaders, and every Ethiopian to communicate this message to the ICU and to the world as soon and as clearly as possible in order to minimize the long-term damage this adventurous war could cause to our country.

http://www.ethrev.com/2006/nov/11242006_meles_drags_ethiopia_into_war.html

[Wiilo]

The November 2005 Massacre in Ethiopia

 

 

The shocking atrocities of Meles Zenawi and his henchmen

 

 

Photos complied by Yared Hailemariam

 

For presentation to the European Parliament on May 15, 2006

 

 

These are some of the Addis Ababa residents who were gunned down in November 2005 under the direct orders of Meles Zenawi. As the photos indicate, the victims where hit with heavy caliber bullets and sniper rifles. The photos were taken by the Federal Police and Addis Ababa Police Evidence Collection and Documentation Department. The police officers who sneaked out these photos have expressed willingness to testify against the Meles regime, according to Yared's testimony to the European Parliament.

 

PLEASE SEE THE IMAGES:

 

http://www.ethrev.com/2006/may/001NewsMay19_2006_atrocities_of_Meles.html

[Wiilo]

The war with Somali Islamists is TPLF's own making.

 

 

Isn't Meles the one who was operating from Mogadishu at the time when Siad Barre was fighiting us for his greater Somalia dreams?

 

 

Nebiyou from ER Forum

 

Nov 24, 2006

 

 

Just three days ago, the US said it would push for lifting the UN arms embargo and deployment of 'peace keepers' in Somalia. The EU rejected the proposal on the ground that it will open the door for a new regionwide conflict.

 

 

Two days later, Meles says he has comlpeted preparations and is ready for war. I don't think this is a coincidence. Meles acted instantly upon the order he was eagerly waiting for. I don't think I have to tell why he badly needs the war, as everone knows it. A possible new reason, I suppose is, the recent Inquiry Commission Report, because of which his standing in the face of his masters is at an all time low. The Somalia war is an opportunity to divert the attention of the Ethiopian people and the International Community.

 

 

No doubt, we cannot sympathize with the UIC for equally obvious reasons. However, the threat of their success is not as big as Meles is working hard to convince us. Isn't he the one who was operating from Mogadishu at the time when Siad Barre was fighiting us for his greater Somalia dreams? Of all the people on this planet, Meles should have been the last to pick this line of argument to cry in the name of Ethiopian nationalism. By the way, this is the kind of argument that amuses me when I hear from Meles!

 

 

On the greater Somalia issue, if the threat is indeed serious, why don't Kenya and Djibouti beat the war drum like Meles? Where are they standing now? Have we ever heard anything similar even from Somaliland?

 

 

Other than that, the rhetoric of greater Somalia is not equally entertained by all groups of the UIC, something that will not materialize, as Ethiopia is not the only party to be concerned with. One more thing: who said the ****** people will consent to this idea? We should be careful not to mix up the fight for self determination of the ONLF and the question of the ******i people with Sheikh Awey's rhetoric.

 

 

As it is now, the war is TPLF's own making to win external financing to lubricate its repression machinery, cover up the massacre it committed, keep the leaders and political prisoners in its notorious cells, drag the mockery trial indefinitely, and finally, justify more repression using this war as a pretext. Therefore, I can hardly find any reason why Ethiopians should die in this war.

[Miskiin-Macruuf-Aqiyaar]

We Ethiopians are proud of our rich culture, long history, 3,000-year civilization, and keeping the country free of colonialists. Ethiopia is also known for not violating the territories of other countries. When Somalia had invaded Ethiopia more than twice in the past, both the Atse Haileselassie and Derg governments chased them out, but refrained from following the retreating invaders deep into the Somali territory.

I don't see any difference between the writer of this article and Sanaawi he criticizes. I don't know why you are quoting his article, as though he is siding with Soomaalis. He is reinforcing the mythical, bogus history of his.

 

What did he write? 3,000 years of "civilization," what a crap!

 

And when he writes Amxaar's aren't known "violating" and occupying territories of others, perhaps he forget Soomaali Galbeed and Eratareeya, which they didn't acquire by but by ceded by of former ignorant colonial powers, especially Soomaali Galbeed. One already brought their freedom back. Soon, the other will follow, which almost happened before.

 

Soomaaliya did not invade Amxaaro/Tigreey land, they want their land back. Simple as that. We almost succeeded if it weren't Cubans and Soviets.