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Ethiopian Demonstration in New York: Circus or Serious Business?
Berhane Seyoum
Last week, we were told, Ethiopians "flocked" (never mind, they
were around 1800 out of the more than 80,000 across the US and Canada) to New
York to demonstrate their desire to reclaim Assab, in front of the UN.
The originators of the idea (Belay Abay et al,) I am sure, meant it to be a
serious demonstration of Ethiopian will to reclaim Assab. A stern warning to
the UN: give-us-Assab or else type. But, when one hears the reportage from
the site one wonders if it were a circus of sorts.
I speak, No! I speak
Obviously, it was not clear on who was to make a speech until the very end as
different parties who attended the meeting had different ideas on who was
supposed to speak. Apparently, the Amhara were under the impression that
their representative, Ato Wondayehu, representing AAPO (never mind the
Acronym, it is we own Ethiopia Amhara organization) would be the keynote
speaker. They were surprised to learn that the organizers nixed them and that
another person has been assigned. So much for solidarity, they moaned, in
their weekly radio. What a disaster, how can any respectable meeting be
successful without our representative speaking? Apparently, the organizers,
true to their masters, deposed from the Weyane leadership in Addis, were not
going to be outdone by the AAPO.
EPRP was unhappy, according to the reporter from the site. Well, you see Ato
Belay has not been in the ministerial portfolio under Haileselassie long
enough, to be considered trustworthy by most. He has not been fully educated
in being an Ethiopian (read their type). And then, since when they complain,
has he cared about Ethiopia? Isn't his aim, to reclaim land for Tigray? After
all he is Tigrian. They distributed leaflets against the meeting and so did
MEISON.
All the Church's men
It is no secret that the Ethiopian Church has been in the fold of the ruling
Kings for centuries. It lent legitimacy to the rabid kings in return for
enormous swats of land that it in turn used to exploit the poor farmer's.
That is history, but what was seen in New York was entire church choirs
attending the demonstration and singing. One wonder's what they were singing?
Peace to the Earth perhaps? The church's not only collaborated in
sending their choirs but also lent their podium for the organization and sold
tickets for the trip. So much, for the peace one would hope to get in the
Ethiopian church.
Pictures show a robed priest in the crowd, apparently joining them when they
ask for more war and chaos. The poor Oromo soldiers, back in Ethiopia,
apparently should be doing the prayers for peace for him.
And what were they Singing?
One lyric went like this: Key Baher Yeman new, Ye'egna new
Key Baher Yeman new, Ye'egna new
Meles Yeman' new, Enja batu
Roughly translated: The Red sea is ours, we do not know who owns Meles
While disowning Meles, would be their problem, the claim to the whole Red sea
should have raised some eyebrows in some corners. Now! It is no more Assab,
it is no more access to the Sea, it is the whole darn see they are after?
Well, one cannot claim there is a lack of imagination there. But, how exactly
are they planning to go about it? Let me guess, another war with Yemen,
Saudi-Arabia, Djibouti and well..Sudan and Egypt, maybe. Another 100,
000 dead?
The Ethiopian Intifadah
An obviously impressed interviewer from One Ethiopian radio was interviewing
one "learned" person, apparently, during the demonstration. This
person says, like the Palestinians, we will continue or fight with stones, to
end the Eritrean occupation of our sea-outlet. Hmm..Let us try and
build parallels here. The intifadah, was a reaction to an occupation of a
Palestinian land by Israel. Assab, was Eritrean territory and the Ethiopian
government, actually paid port dues until '98 when the war erupted. The
intifadah, is being carried out by Palestinians who live in the occupied
territory. Assab, at this point, does not have a significant Ethiopian
population, thanks to the fact that Ethiopia "elected" to use
Djibouti. Who is going to do the stone throwing? Are they seriously expecting
Eritreans, who have lost their lives defending Assab, turn around and fight
their own brothers?
And then, in the post-Sept 11 America, how far can one go threatening to
carry out an Intifadah if he does not have his way? It is ironic that this
statement was made in New York, site of the despicable attacks that propelled
public opinion against any form of violence to achieve political gain.
In summary, if there was anything one learned from the New York
demonstration, it was the very divided, squabbled nature of the exiled
Ethiopian politicians who could not even clearly demonstrate what they wanted,
leave alone make an impression on the UN
Berhane Seyoum is the sole
bearer of the responsibility for this article.
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