Dr. B, superb talk as usual.
America has demonstrated to the world the power of democracy. As America has been able to incorporate the people of planet earth as one people, Americans, governed by a democratic government of the people for the people and by the people so do we Ethiopians can create a similar government where every Ethiopian has voice and a skin in the game of life. Once a true democracy is achieved, the standard of living of every Ethiopian will grow by leaps and bounds, GDP and average income of Ethiopians will grow by 10-100x in a short period of time, brain drain with go down precipitously, the era of non stop and astronomical political and economic exodus of our people of all ages to other nations will end and most educated and wealth Ethiopians will come to home sweet home and all the elderly Ethiopians in their 70s, 80s, and 90s who are dying in record numbers in foreign land will return home to pass their precious wisdom to the future generation and age and die in dignity.
Current Ethiopia has a terrible health care system where the very sick will never come out off a hospital alive. The reason for the poor health care system are numerous. First is the poor quality of education due to the loss of the best health care professionals to foreign countries where pay and job condition is a lot better. Second is due to the politicalization of education where health care student are admitted to school not based on their grades and merit but because of their loyalty and servitude to TPLF led government.
Lastly, Ethiopia’s economy sucks. Very high unemployment rate, the very, very, very few jobs that are available are predominantly low paying that won’t even cover a monthly rent, close 25% of Ethiopians are homeless, atleast 25% of Ethiopians beg on a regular basis and for the past 25 years of TPLF rule about 20 million Ethiopians have been depending on food aid to survive and thousands have died due to starvation. A very terrible record INDEED.
All this fighting, if at all successful, at best will create the next dictatorship of Ethiopia. It could also create a situation similar to Somalia, Iraq, or Syria.
Why fighting is needed when there is a chance for peaceful transition. The next Ethiopian parliamentary election is just less than 3 years away. All fighting must stop and peaceful political parties in the country should be strengthened to gain public confidence and prepare to win seats in Ethiopian parliament.
I don’t fully comprehend what this well educated man was mumbling and grumbling. My attitude toward him and his group has been turned off since he decided to take everyone with him on pilgrimage to the known demon in Asmara. I have no problem with anyone who tries to come up with a united group to participate in the political discourse. My beef is who make up the congregation. Some of his tough guys in his united front are sitting on a dirty chair. Lencho must explain what happened in the 1990’s and will he ask the entire people of that country for forgiveness? To me nothing is worth more than a human life on this good earth. Innocent poor farmers were slaughtered in cold blood then that still makes me and many millions of harmonious Oromos feel ashamed. Those innocent peasants were butchered in such savage ways that the brute act made even that demonic Mengistu very jealous. What would Lencho say about that? One of those victims was a close relative of my dear friend who is not with us anymore. I remember when she called me that fateful day to tell me about the massacre. That usually bubbly friend was crying her eyes out. She was the one along with her then American husband who taught me the skills of how to navigate the concrete jungle of America. They gave me a valuable lesson where to look for jobs and how to present myself during job interviews. She was the first person I called one I got here in America in the early 1990’s. She was the one whose loved ones were butchered by the foot soldiers of Lencho. Some of you may try to tell me that such tragedy happened more than 2 decades ago and I(everyone) must move on. I say to you this. How dare you say that to me? Those were Almighty created priceless human lives. I and tens of millions of Oromos are demanding an admission of guilt and he along with everyone in leadersh role of OLF at that time to ask the family of the victims for forgiveness. Tigi, my friend is not with us anymore and she is with the Lord looking down on us. Who knows some of those who committed such heinous crimes may be living, walking among us. Someone knows who was who. So let the chips fall where they may and admit guilt then ask for forgiveness. Otherwise, one who committed a terrible crime is likely bound to repeat it. Again, human life is human life, a life created by The Almighty. None matches it on this Blessed Earth!!! Period!!!!
Obbo Tamiru Taye:
You nailed it, countryman!!! You hit it right between the eyes. I have been challenging every proponent of all forms violent struggle to tell me which rebel army turned out to be democratic immediately after overthrowing a sitting regime during the last 250 years since the American Revolution in 1776. Name one. These Berhanu’s in all, these OLF’s in all, these ONLF’s in all, these Jawar’s in all have one thing in sight. Overthrow the current regime and carve out a territory each will claim his own. Do you think Jawar and Ibsa will get along let along are willing to live in harmony with any other ethnic group? Jawar will slice away Arsi to call it his own caliphate, Ibsa will cut out some joint in Wellega to declare it his personal vassal. Then you and I will be invited to attend their monthly straw skirt party to choose their next virgin concubine. ONLF in all will sell the entire Ogaden to the demonic Wahhabis and live out the rest of their live in one of those Dubai’s penthouses from the proceeds of the sale. You pick a territory for poor Berhanu, I could not.
Tamiru Taye,
You must be the most stupid person on earth and/or a TPLF prostitute slave. Since when in human history had oppressed people liberated themselves from their oppressor without fighting. Slavery was abolished in USA because American slaves with their non slave partners fought slave owners and the government that supported slave based economy tooth and nail. Colonialism all over the world was defeated because brave, selfless and patriotic people from colonized countries fought bravely to the bitter end. Apartheid system in south Africa got destroyed because brave and patriotic south Africans fought courageously all the way to victory.
From the tone of your article I can confidently conclude that you are selfish, coward and unpatriotic. Your needs are met so you don’t give a damn about the over 90% of Ethiopians who are oppressed, raped, enslaved, made homeless and beggars, killed, impoverished, starved and forced to leave the country for political or economic reasons.
Dr. Berhanu is a very humble man. As a good professor he had studied USA democracy, the most successful democracy on planet earth, inside out. He wants to apply lessons learned from US democracy to mother Ethiopia and the in process make Ethiopia the most successful democracy and richest country in Africa. Your claim that opposition forces led by Dr. Berhanu is going to bring another dictatorship like TPLF is not only 110% wrong but also shows that you are very stupid or maybe insane.
Bro you need to have an empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of those who are languishing in jail for years without due process, without a chance to have a lawyer represent them; those families whose bread winners had been killed b/c they disagreed with gov policy; those made homeless and destitute after their land/house/property had been taken by government without compensation; the over 20% of addis abeba homeless population and street beggars; the over 20% Ethiopians who go to bed hungry everyday. They don’t have the leisure to wait even one day let alone three years. As our brothers and sisters they deserve a solution to their unbelievable and severe misery ASAP(as soon as possible)
Aba Farda,
You are whining about not understanding what the educated Dr. Berhanu is talking out. Let me help you out my fellow countryman. Your don’t understand him because you are not smart enough and/or may be a bit retarded. Unfortunately, you are too old to go back to school.
Asmara was chosen as a base for patriotic ginbot 7 and other opposition forces not because they loved Issais or agreed with his policies, it is b/c it is the only country on planet earth that allowed them to have a base. For these history with judge him as being on the right side of history and Ethiopians will be grateful and appreciate him for years to come.
Now, I don’t know Lencho and what he did. However, if he did what you said he did he should face for the consequences on his crime and should not be allowed to hold government position. I will leave the issue to the upcoming free and fair court in the new democratic Ethiopia once the terrorist TPLF government is utterly and completely destroyed.
Your outrageous claim that patriotic ONLF will sell the ogaden region to a Wahhabi group in Dubia shows that you are out of touch, unreasonable and perhaps suffer from islamophobia. ONLF has a legitimate reason to fight the terrorist TPLF government and for that all patriotic Ethiopians should stand with them shoulder to shoulder all the way to VICTORY. Your don’t seem to have respect to our muslim brothers and sisters. As a Christian myself, I respect all muslim people. Most of them are good people who aspire to do the right thing every day. There are good and bad muslims as are Christians.
Truth:
Let me give you some very valuable advice. You mentioned that I am not smart. Let’s leave that to history. And you think that I am a bit retarded. You see, when someone has such affliction it is not because he chose to be so. It happened to him beyond his ability to ward it off. If you are a well bred child of our glorious people(You name any ethnic group) you don’t insult others with it. It saddens the Almighty Creator. But you know what? That is the culture the demonic Al-Toweel Isaias. From what I read in your comment, you are one of those who chose to lick the boots of Isaias and then scavenge at the dumpsite in Piccola Roma. That is your choice and you don’t even start to imagine how our very proud people look at you in contempt. In the meantime, I am going to ask you the same question I ask your organization G7, OLF, ONLF and all other groups that have camped out in Asmara. I am asking all of you to make every agreements and treaties, call it MOU’s, official you inked with Al-Toweel. Have all such documents posted on this and all other esteemed websites so all of us people you claim to liberate will read about them. There should not be any deals made behind the backs of any of those glorious people whose harmonious and peaceful coexistence is legendary. Put them all up here. Let’s see them. If you claim that such documents do not exist, then you are not leveling with all of us. It is the well documented history of Al-Toweel Isaias. Just ask the surviving leaders of EPRP. Ask your bosom buddy Lencho. Just inquire your former burger buddies still at the helm of the ruling regime back in the old country, Sebhat Nega in all. When all these groups were in dire need of assistance in the 1970’s, he had all sign a long term treaty with everyone of them. Eritrea can and must secede? He asked and they all said yes sir. That was unconditional and the hell with any opinion from the rest of the people of the country. You see. My proud Oromo people were feeding his entire people with all the grains and coffee Eritrea could not produce. That was for more than a century. We were not even given one minute to discuss the secession issue. Because he had the Sebhat Negas in all sign what he wanted, unconditional secession without any consultation with the rest of the Ethiopian people. Just ask them or you can read some of the memoirs written by some of them. If you say that no such documents exist then you are telling a story. You are not being truthful. Al-Toweel Isaias would touch anyone of you with a 14ft pole without putting your John Hancock on the dotted line on a strategic treaty only to his liking. And do not call Almighty created humans ‘retarded’. Those who used such offensive terms are only those Eyal-Al Souqs. That is children who were reared and grew up at the bazaars, unattended. They tend to grow sideways in stead of straight up. Our Amhara brothers and sisters call such individuals ‘balega’. You have the documents? If you do, then we can talk. Otherwise, I have dropped the mic and got it done!!!!
I don’t know much about this Berhanu and his entourage around the G7 yet but I hear a lot about the others so called ‘liberation’ fronts and their fronts. I hear a lot of things about them and I was never surprised by it. In fact, it justifies my expectations and the conclusions I had arrived about them for quite a while now. I have asked every one of you to tell even one armed group in modern history that turned out to be democratic after throwing a sitting regime since the American Revolution of 1776. In my book there has not been one. In fact what has been going on with such victorious armed group is this. They all parade themselves as the sole dispensers of human and democratic rights. While dispensing such Almighty enshrined rights, they hold the entire population hostage at the barrel of their guns and under various disguises (excuses) real or imagined. At the same time they would start amassing personal wealth they never start to dream about. Do you think I am wrong? Just look at the former freedom fighters of TPLF and others who used to rumble around them. They have formed what in the late 19th literary called ‘gilded’ dynasties. They are all of a sudden not ‘one’ millionaires but multi millionaires. I mean filthy rich. They have more than 5 million what they call cadres who are well pampered in luxury beyond the reach of the ordinary citizens. But what were these super millionaires of our days saying when they were in the bushes? ‘Mengistu and his entourage are enriching themselves while millions starve’. Right? Wasn’t that one of their battle cries? Well, well, well. Believe me I am not against an accumulation of wealth by individuals as long as such personal wealth is the result of hard work free of corruption and rent seeking. I am a stubborn believer in a free enterprise system with all it independent legislative and judicial institutions. Now this is one side of our contemporary history. One the other you will find so called ‘liberation; fronts. These fronts have been around for decades. Over the years they have been sponsored by different organizations and governments from where they managed to garner millions of US dollars in assistance. This was besides the military weapons they were receiving. The money they were getting was given usually to the man(men) on top. This has made the very few on top filthy rich. I am hearing now that these leaders especially the one of top have bank accounts in the Middle East and possibly Asia. They are involved in import and export businesses in various countries. One of the leaders was heard saying like ‘we have to learn from the past leaders. I don’t want to revert to pan handling at evangelical gathering in Scandinavia and USA’. I guess he was talking about former leaders such as Lencho’s in all who ended up living on very generous hand out from their missionary sponsors. And all of these ‘liberation’ fronts and ‘revolutionary’ parties do not allow to be audited. No one except one or two on top know how much money has been given by groups/organization and it was spent. If you ask for such independent audits you better say your prayers. You are as good as dead. Try that with Ibsa, Try that with EPRP. Try that with ONLF or even the G7. Dear countrymen!!! Ladies and gentlemen!!! This is the predicament that glorious people who produced us all is in. On one hand the people see its rulers enriching themselves beyond belief and on the other hand those smart alecs who are merchandising its misery to outside sympathizers are enriching themselves beyond comprehension after camping out in Asmara, Doha, Dubai and Riyadh. From the things I hear these ‘liberation’ fronts and other groups leaders are not even flying coach during traveling. Business class, baby!!! I hear things!!! I never give a dime for such merchants of people’s misery. Those of you who have done so, I encourage you to demand open and independent auditing of each and every one of these groups. You have the right to do so. It is your money, right? Just do it and you will find out what I am talking about. And do it from a safe place because these ‘wise guys’ are blood soaked hoodlums. I am done!!!!
Aba Farda,
Thanks for the reply and productive discussion. For the records we both agree that TPLF led government is composed of a bunch of thieves, looters, corrupt, undemocratic, criminal and oppressive creatures. They are despicable people soooooo much beneath the dignity our honorable people. Our people do not deserve such lowly, uncivilized, uneducated, power/money/devil worshiping prostitute scums. Their economy is a lot closer to slavery than free market capitalism.
To be honest with you I don’t even know what Al-toweel stands for. Regarding the relationship between patriotic ginbot 7 and the Eritrean government, Dr. Nega had elaborated multiple times. Dr. Nega, had said in public that the Eritrean government is not demanding anything whatsoever in return for giving the Ethiopian opposition forces some land and even money. According to Dr. Nega, Eritrean government’s main objective is to have a peaceful neighbor, not violent like TPLF who started a war with Eritrea(1998-2000) in order to loot and weaken rich Eritreans especially those in Ethiopia, to coexist and fairly trade with. I don’t think there are some treaties or MOUs between Ethiopian opposition forces and eri government. If there is, I agree with you that it should be a public record. Moreover, I will like to know where the Ethiopian opposition forces stand regarding the exact border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Currently, Eritrean government claims that Ethiopia is illegally occupying internationally recognized Eritrean land. Besides that what bonds the Ethiopian opposition groups and Eritrean government is their humongous hatred of TPLF, rightly so since all of them were brutally victimized by TPLF. It is all about the ancient proverb, “THE EMEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND.”
As you claimed, Issais is not a demon. I have no relationship with him or his government. In infact, I was for a long time a very vocal opponent of him. I considered him as a dictator who denied Eritreans freedom and economic opportunities. Over the past 4-5 years when I understood a lot more about the evil nature of TPLF, I started to put myself in Issais’s shoe. TPLF military leadership wanted to capture him and retake Eritrea during the war. My take is that Eritrea has been in a state of emergency existence since the 1998-2000 brutal war with Ethiopia. Consequently, the democratic aspiration of the Eritrean people has been suppressed. I remember, before the war their were lots of democratic activities in Eritrea. Just before the war started a new constitution was written in order to set up the ground work for free and fair democratic election. But, TPLF initiated war ruined all that. So, I don’t think Issais is opposed to democratic transition power in Eritrea. It just ain’t the right time, not when the country is in a state of emergency due to the no war no peace situation with Ethiopia and the very barbaric, opportunist, selfish and unpredictable nature of TPLF led government.
Obbo Truth:
First being first, you should profusely apologize to those very unfortunate groups of people for using their affliction, retarded, to insult others. If you recall, even President Obama, the most powerful president of the most powerful nation on this blessed earth had apologized for using the similar term a few years ago. Man up and apologize to them, not me, for it.
Now, there is no blinking at the facts that the current regime’s politics stinks like one of my favorite journalists Dan Rather used to say ‘it stinks to high heaven it gagged the buzzard’. But on the development side there is a lot done during the last two decades to cheer for. You see. Members of my Itu clan do not have to carry their very sick for days to get medical help even a rudimentary one. Their children do not have to be agonized at their first day at school like I was in the very early 1950’s that no one is speaking their mother tongue there. I still remember that dreadful day just like it happened yesterday. It is all in Oromifaa now. When members of my Itu clan has issues to address at the local government offices they do not have to look for and pay a translator their hard earned money to resolve them. It is all Oromifaa now. That is why I believe the national question has been amicably answered. They did not even know that there is this thing called fertilizer other than the cattle dung that can bring the worked up soil on their farms back to life. As long as they can afford it is available around them. Quite a lot of them saw a vehicle for the first time in their lives zooming past their places of domiciles because there is an all weather road now connecting them to others far and wide. I have cheered for all these accomplishments. I repeat, many kudos for that!!!! My beef with the regime is its strong handed attitude towards any strong dissension. I have opposed in strongest terms the imprisonments of Obbo Eskinder, Geleta, Merera and many other prisoners of conscience. To be honest with you, I was not surprised by such despotic behavior. You see, most members of the policy making circle of the regime are those who used to raise the name of The Almighty in vain during their days in the bushes and I suspect they may still do that. They call it ‘dialectical materialism’. They are ‘former’ atheist Marxist Leninists, right? They have no Higher Authority as the Almighty The Creator’ to fear. Right? You think ISIS, Al Qaeda and Shabaab are fanatics. The ones sitting on the back of our glorious people are ten times as fanatics in what they believe that, we people the creations of the Almighty, are the direct descendants of some sea turtle or worm that was basking the vast oceans around us or that beautiful butterfly I used to marvel when was I a young boy. Such fanaticism goes the same for Isaias. These demonic elements can look at human lives no better than the life of a worm. So now, did you get where I stand about the politics in the old country? So the question is what can be done about it? That is where I defer from the groups you seem to defend. I am a staunch opponent of a violent form of struggle. Violence begets violence. This is not something I am making it up. History is fully behind me on this one. I do not want to see a military tank or an armored vehicle parked just outside the dingy hut where I was born. Armed struggle never took people out of poverty or successfully supplanted democratic governance (I am still struggling with the Nicaraguan experience) since the American War of Independence in 1776. In fact they all ended up being a perpetuation of bad governance. There is always an excuse for them. Now even you are telling me that the reason for lack of democratic governance in Eritrea is the 1998-2000 war that since Al-Toweel(The Tall) Isaias has reneged on all such Almighty enshrined human rights to keep the country safe. I hope you did not say that unless you meant it for amusement like the ‘Soup Nazi’ episode in Seinfeld sitcom of the 1990’s. First of all, Isaias himself started that war. He went to war with every other neighbor right after he yanked away a territory to call it his personal fiefdom in 1993. He even went to war with Djibouti, a country of one of the most docile and friendly people you can find any where. Then he met his real master in the battlefield in 2000 by the name of the Glorious People of Ethiopia. Boy, did he take a licking!!! He was lucky his cousin Meles was in charge on the opposite site. Nothing was standing between the mad-as-hell and rampaging Ethiopian people and Asmara. Calling the President Clinton during the wee hours begging for his intervention!!! That saved his sorry behind. As I suggested many times to him, he should erect a giant bronze statue at the center of Asmara(I am sorry Piccola Roma) for his closest late cousin Meles.
By the way, you are giving a different reason than the one Isaias himself told many international news outlets since 2000. He told all of them that every democracy we see around us is all fake. Democracy in the USA, Western, Asian and Latin American countries is all fake to him. He assured those journalists who posed such questions as the lack of human and democratic rights in Eritrea that his people will not see such systems of fair governance. When one of them pressed him how long such policy lasts, he told the journalist resoundingly ‘may be forever’. You see, I was not surprised by such demonic behavior. Marxism-Leninism is just like an incurable viral disease. It will not leave you and will go to the grave with you. The only remedy is an overwhelming and well grounded democratic governance founded through peaceful struggle. I am a peaceful man and there is nothing you can do about it. I have lived strongly believing in it up to this sunset of my Almighty Blessed septuagenarian age. I will keep on preaching about it until it is enough life for me on this good earth.
My insistence on the publication of all treaties or MOU’s between the Eritrean government and all Ethiopian opposition groups that are camping out there is a standing demand. I also insist that they should be independently audited of all their finances. OLF is going boing! boing! all over Asmara and Cairo to liberate my very proud Oromos right? Then it should be independently audited. The same goes for G7, ONLF and all others there. I have heard things and I am still hearing things about their leaders. I have asked one of those who I believe he is one of those who swears by OLF, about this requirement. I still remember his response or lack of it with blood shot eyes. That is confidential, I was told. Confidential, how? My main interest is where and how the money was and is being spent. I already have come to conclusion about the potential sources for such financial contributions(support). Like I said, I hear things!!!
What kind of audience they are ? just
Mingest Haile Mariams cadres .
What the people said is sick and tired
of Berhanus lies . Believe me 90% of
the participants are people from
Bete Tsehfet ( Eritrea Embassy ).
Brothers its a lost case , Gimbot 7 has
lost its credibility long time ago that
is why the Amharas distancing themselves
from totally Shabias controlled so called
movements.
የዶክተር ብርሃኑ ነጋ አስገራሚ ንግግሩን በጭብጨባ ታግዞ አደመጥኩት እንደኔ አስትያየት ያስጨበጭባሉ የምንላቸው ነገሮች በሙሉ መልስ ይሆናሉ የምለዉ እስካሁን ግ7 ትጠይቆ መልስ ያልመልስባችው ጥያቄወች ይመስሉኛል።
1ኛ-ግንቦት 7 ራሱን አደራጂቶ የተቋቋመ ድርጂት እንጂ በህዝብ የተመረጠ አይደለም ስልዚሀ የሌሎችን ድርጂቶች እጣ ፍንታ ላይ ለመወሰን ስልጣን የለዉም፡
2ኛ- በድርጂት ደረጃ እንጂ በብሄር ደረጃ ያሉትን አንቀበልም “ሌንጮ እና የአፋሩ ተወካይ ማንን ነው የሚውክሉት
3ኛ-በኢትዮጵያ አንድንት ስም ስለመነገድ -ባጠቃላይ የኢትዮጵያ አገራዊ ንቅናቄ የሁለት የተለያዩ አገሮች ስምምንት እንጂ የድርጂቶች ስምምንት አይመስልም ባንዴራው ይመስክራል በጃኖሳይድ ላይ ክታሳትፉና መገንጠልን አይነተኛ አላማቸው ካድረጉ ጋር የተደረገ ስምምንት ኢትዮጵያዊ አያስኝም፤ ክሻቢያ ጋር የሚሞዳሞድ ማን ነው ?
ከአሜሪካ ኮንግርስ ወይንም ካዉሮፓ ህብረት መጋበዝ ኢትዮጵያዊ አያስኝም እዛም ቢሆን ታሪካዊ ጠላቶች አሉ
4ኛ- ግንቦት 7 ማኒፌስቶ የለዉም ወያኔ ሲወድቅ ብቻ ነው የሚታወቀዉ ለዚህ ነው ወቅታዊ ለሆኑ ጥያቄወች መልስ የማይስጠዉ።
5ኛ በተግባር ስለማሳየት ለትግሉ እንቅፋት ስላለመሆን- ትክክል!! በእውነት ግንቦት ስባት ስለዚህ ለመናገር ህሊና አለው? ይህን ነበር ግንቦት 7 ደጋግሞ የተጠየቀው ።መሬት ላይ እይተዋደቁ ያሉት እነማን ናቸው ስብሰባ ሰብሰባ ስብሰባ ንግግር ማሳመር እስካሁን በተግባር እየተደረገ ላለዉ ትግል እክል እየፈጠረ ያለ ግንቦት 7 ነው።
6ኛ- ስልጣን የሚገኘው በምርጫ ነው። ትክክል!! የተገለሉት በቂ አጀንዳ የላቸውም ይተባሉት እየተዋደቁ ያሉት ለስልጣን ሳይሆን ለህልዉናቸው ነው። ለስልጣን እማ ማን እንደሚቋምጥ ማንም አላጣዉም።
Dr. B, superb talk as usual.
America has demonstrated to the world the power of democracy. As America has been able to incorporate the people of planet earth as one people, Americans, governed by a democratic government of the people for the people and by the people so do we Ethiopians can create a similar government where every Ethiopian has voice and a skin in the game of life. Once a true democracy is achieved, the standard of living of every Ethiopian will grow by leaps and bounds, GDP and average income of Ethiopians will grow by 10-100x in a short period of time, brain drain with go down precipitously, the era of non stop and astronomical political and economic exodus of our people of all ages to other nations will end and most educated and wealth Ethiopians will come to home sweet home and all the elderly Ethiopians in their 70s, 80s, and 90s who are dying in record numbers in foreign land will return home to pass their precious wisdom to the future generation and age and die in dignity.
Current Ethiopia has a terrible health care system where the very sick will never come out off a hospital alive. The reason for the poor health care system are numerous. First is the poor quality of education due to the loss of the best health care professionals to foreign countries where pay and job condition is a lot better. Second is due to the politicalization of education where health care student are admitted to school not based on their grades and merit but because of their loyalty and servitude to TPLF led government.
Lastly, Ethiopia’s economy sucks. Very high unemployment rate, the very, very, very few jobs that are available are predominantly low paying that won’t even cover a monthly rent, close 25% of Ethiopians are homeless, atleast 25% of Ethiopians beg on a regular basis and for the past 25 years of TPLF rule about 20 million Ethiopians have been depending on food aid to survive and thousands have died due to starvation. A very terrible record INDEED.
All this fighting, if at all successful, at best will create the next dictatorship of Ethiopia. It could also create a situation similar to Somalia, Iraq, or Syria.
Why fighting is needed when there is a chance for peaceful transition. The next Ethiopian parliamentary election is just less than 3 years away. All fighting must stop and peaceful political parties in the country should be strengthened to gain public confidence and prepare to win seats in Ethiopian parliament.
I don’t fully comprehend what this well educated man was mumbling and grumbling. My attitude toward him and his group has been turned off since he decided to take everyone with him on pilgrimage to the known demon in Asmara. I have no problem with anyone who tries to come up with a united group to participate in the political discourse. My beef is who make up the congregation. Some of his tough guys in his united front are sitting on a dirty chair. Lencho must explain what happened in the 1990’s and will he ask the entire people of that country for forgiveness? To me nothing is worth more than a human life on this good earth. Innocent poor farmers were slaughtered in cold blood then that still makes me and many millions of harmonious Oromos feel ashamed. Those innocent peasants were butchered in such savage ways that the brute act made even that demonic Mengistu very jealous. What would Lencho say about that? One of those victims was a close relative of my dear friend who is not with us anymore. I remember when she called me that fateful day to tell me about the massacre. That usually bubbly friend was crying her eyes out. She was the one along with her then American husband who taught me the skills of how to navigate the concrete jungle of America. They gave me a valuable lesson where to look for jobs and how to present myself during job interviews. She was the first person I called one I got here in America in the early 1990’s. She was the one whose loved ones were butchered by the foot soldiers of Lencho. Some of you may try to tell me that such tragedy happened more than 2 decades ago and I(everyone) must move on. I say to you this. How dare you say that to me? Those were Almighty created priceless human lives. I and tens of millions of Oromos are demanding an admission of guilt and he along with everyone in leadersh role of OLF at that time to ask the family of the victims for forgiveness. Tigi, my friend is not with us anymore and she is with the Lord looking down on us. Who knows some of those who committed such heinous crimes may be living, walking among us. Someone knows who was who. So let the chips fall where they may and admit guilt then ask for forgiveness. Otherwise, one who committed a terrible crime is likely bound to repeat it. Again, human life is human life, a life created by The Almighty. None matches it on this Blessed Earth!!! Period!!!!
for the 100th time ‘beka’ berhanu the scoundrel.
Obbo Tamiru Taye:
You nailed it, countryman!!! You hit it right between the eyes. I have been challenging every proponent of all forms violent struggle to tell me which rebel army turned out to be democratic immediately after overthrowing a sitting regime during the last 250 years since the American Revolution in 1776. Name one. These Berhanu’s in all, these OLF’s in all, these ONLF’s in all, these Jawar’s in all have one thing in sight. Overthrow the current regime and carve out a territory each will claim his own. Do you think Jawar and Ibsa will get along let along are willing to live in harmony with any other ethnic group? Jawar will slice away Arsi to call it his own caliphate, Ibsa will cut out some joint in Wellega to declare it his personal vassal. Then you and I will be invited to attend their monthly straw skirt party to choose their next virgin concubine. ONLF in all will sell the entire Ogaden to the demonic Wahhabis and live out the rest of their live in one of those Dubai’s penthouses from the proceeds of the sale. You pick a territory for poor Berhanu, I could not.
This should move to another section, to Olanaa’s article.
Tamiru Taye,
You must be the most stupid person on earth and/or a TPLF prostitute slave. Since when in human history had oppressed people liberated themselves from their oppressor without fighting. Slavery was abolished in USA because American slaves with their non slave partners fought slave owners and the government that supported slave based economy tooth and nail. Colonialism all over the world was defeated because brave, selfless and patriotic people from colonized countries fought bravely to the bitter end. Apartheid system in south Africa got destroyed because brave and patriotic south Africans fought courageously all the way to victory.
From the tone of your article I can confidently conclude that you are selfish, coward and unpatriotic. Your needs are met so you don’t give a damn about the over 90% of Ethiopians who are oppressed, raped, enslaved, made homeless and beggars, killed, impoverished, starved and forced to leave the country for political or economic reasons.
Dr. Berhanu is a very humble man. As a good professor he had studied USA democracy, the most successful democracy on planet earth, inside out. He wants to apply lessons learned from US democracy to mother Ethiopia and the in process make Ethiopia the most successful democracy and richest country in Africa. Your claim that opposition forces led by Dr. Berhanu is going to bring another dictatorship like TPLF is not only 110% wrong but also shows that you are very stupid or maybe insane.
Bro you need to have an empathy. Put yourself in the shoes of those who are languishing in jail for years without due process, without a chance to have a lawyer represent them; those families whose bread winners had been killed b/c they disagreed with gov policy; those made homeless and destitute after their land/house/property had been taken by government without compensation; the over 20% of addis abeba homeless population and street beggars; the over 20% Ethiopians who go to bed hungry everyday. They don’t have the leisure to wait even one day let alone three years. As our brothers and sisters they deserve a solution to their unbelievable and severe misery ASAP(as soon as possible)
Aba Farda,
You are whining about not understanding what the educated Dr. Berhanu is talking out. Let me help you out my fellow countryman. Your don’t understand him because you are not smart enough and/or may be a bit retarded. Unfortunately, you are too old to go back to school.
Asmara was chosen as a base for patriotic ginbot 7 and other opposition forces not because they loved Issais or agreed with his policies, it is b/c it is the only country on planet earth that allowed them to have a base. For these history with judge him as being on the right side of history and Ethiopians will be grateful and appreciate him for years to come.
Now, I don’t know Lencho and what he did. However, if he did what you said he did he should face for the consequences on his crime and should not be allowed to hold government position. I will leave the issue to the upcoming free and fair court in the new democratic Ethiopia once the terrorist TPLF government is utterly and completely destroyed.
Your outrageous claim that patriotic ONLF will sell the ogaden region to a Wahhabi group in Dubia shows that you are out of touch, unreasonable and perhaps suffer from islamophobia. ONLF has a legitimate reason to fight the terrorist TPLF government and for that all patriotic Ethiopians should stand with them shoulder to shoulder all the way to VICTORY. Your don’t seem to have respect to our muslim brothers and sisters. As a Christian myself, I respect all muslim people. Most of them are good people who aspire to do the right thing every day. There are good and bad muslims as are Christians.
Truth:
Let me give you some very valuable advice. You mentioned that I am not smart. Let’s leave that to history. And you think that I am a bit retarded. You see, when someone has such affliction it is not because he chose to be so. It happened to him beyond his ability to ward it off. If you are a well bred child of our glorious people(You name any ethnic group) you don’t insult others with it. It saddens the Almighty Creator. But you know what? That is the culture the demonic Al-Toweel Isaias. From what I read in your comment, you are one of those who chose to lick the boots of Isaias and then scavenge at the dumpsite in Piccola Roma. That is your choice and you don’t even start to imagine how our very proud people look at you in contempt. In the meantime, I am going to ask you the same question I ask your organization G7, OLF, ONLF and all other groups that have camped out in Asmara. I am asking all of you to make every agreements and treaties, call it MOU’s, official you inked with Al-Toweel. Have all such documents posted on this and all other esteemed websites so all of us people you claim to liberate will read about them. There should not be any deals made behind the backs of any of those glorious people whose harmonious and peaceful coexistence is legendary. Put them all up here. Let’s see them. If you claim that such documents do not exist, then you are not leveling with all of us. It is the well documented history of Al-Toweel Isaias. Just ask the surviving leaders of EPRP. Ask your bosom buddy Lencho. Just inquire your former burger buddies still at the helm of the ruling regime back in the old country, Sebhat Nega in all. When all these groups were in dire need of assistance in the 1970’s, he had all sign a long term treaty with everyone of them. Eritrea can and must secede? He asked and they all said yes sir. That was unconditional and the hell with any opinion from the rest of the people of the country. You see. My proud Oromo people were feeding his entire people with all the grains and coffee Eritrea could not produce. That was for more than a century. We were not even given one minute to discuss the secession issue. Because he had the Sebhat Negas in all sign what he wanted, unconditional secession without any consultation with the rest of the Ethiopian people. Just ask them or you can read some of the memoirs written by some of them. If you say that no such documents exist then you are telling a story. You are not being truthful. Al-Toweel Isaias would touch anyone of you with a 14ft pole without putting your John Hancock on the dotted line on a strategic treaty only to his liking. And do not call Almighty created humans ‘retarded’. Those who used such offensive terms are only those Eyal-Al Souqs. That is children who were reared and grew up at the bazaars, unattended. They tend to grow sideways in stead of straight up. Our Amhara brothers and sisters call such individuals ‘balega’. You have the documents? If you do, then we can talk. Otherwise, I have dropped the mic and got it done!!!!
Wee all know those anti G7 are among the 4000 wuyane paid agents.No pays attention to what you say. Death to euyane !! VIVA G7
Please read that as: Al-Toweel Isaias would Not touch anyone of you with a 14ft pole
I don’t know much about this Berhanu and his entourage around the G7 yet but I hear a lot about the others so called ‘liberation’ fronts and their fronts. I hear a lot of things about them and I was never surprised by it. In fact, it justifies my expectations and the conclusions I had arrived about them for quite a while now. I have asked every one of you to tell even one armed group in modern history that turned out to be democratic after throwing a sitting regime since the American Revolution of 1776. In my book there has not been one. In fact what has been going on with such victorious armed group is this. They all parade themselves as the sole dispensers of human and democratic rights. While dispensing such Almighty enshrined rights, they hold the entire population hostage at the barrel of their guns and under various disguises (excuses) real or imagined. At the same time they would start amassing personal wealth they never start to dream about. Do you think I am wrong? Just look at the former freedom fighters of TPLF and others who used to rumble around them. They have formed what in the late 19th literary called ‘gilded’ dynasties. They are all of a sudden not ‘one’ millionaires but multi millionaires. I mean filthy rich. They have more than 5 million what they call cadres who are well pampered in luxury beyond the reach of the ordinary citizens. But what were these super millionaires of our days saying when they were in the bushes? ‘Mengistu and his entourage are enriching themselves while millions starve’. Right? Wasn’t that one of their battle cries? Well, well, well. Believe me I am not against an accumulation of wealth by individuals as long as such personal wealth is the result of hard work free of corruption and rent seeking. I am a stubborn believer in a free enterprise system with all it independent legislative and judicial institutions. Now this is one side of our contemporary history. One the other you will find so called ‘liberation; fronts. These fronts have been around for decades. Over the years they have been sponsored by different organizations and governments from where they managed to garner millions of US dollars in assistance. This was besides the military weapons they were receiving. The money they were getting was given usually to the man(men) on top. This has made the very few on top filthy rich. I am hearing now that these leaders especially the one of top have bank accounts in the Middle East and possibly Asia. They are involved in import and export businesses in various countries. One of the leaders was heard saying like ‘we have to learn from the past leaders. I don’t want to revert to pan handling at evangelical gathering in Scandinavia and USA’. I guess he was talking about former leaders such as Lencho’s in all who ended up living on very generous hand out from their missionary sponsors. And all of these ‘liberation’ fronts and ‘revolutionary’ parties do not allow to be audited. No one except one or two on top know how much money has been given by groups/organization and it was spent. If you ask for such independent audits you better say your prayers. You are as good as dead. Try that with Ibsa, Try that with EPRP. Try that with ONLF or even the G7. Dear countrymen!!! Ladies and gentlemen!!! This is the predicament that glorious people who produced us all is in. On one hand the people see its rulers enriching themselves beyond belief and on the other hand those smart alecs who are merchandising its misery to outside sympathizers are enriching themselves beyond comprehension after camping out in Asmara, Doha, Dubai and Riyadh. From the things I hear these ‘liberation’ fronts and other groups leaders are not even flying coach during traveling. Business class, baby!!! I hear things!!! I never give a dime for such merchants of people’s misery. Those of you who have done so, I encourage you to demand open and independent auditing of each and every one of these groups. You have the right to do so. It is your money, right? Just do it and you will find out what I am talking about. And do it from a safe place because these ‘wise guys’ are blood soaked hoodlums. I am done!!!!
Aba Farda,
Thanks for the reply and productive discussion. For the records we both agree that TPLF led government is composed of a bunch of thieves, looters, corrupt, undemocratic, criminal and oppressive creatures. They are despicable people soooooo much beneath the dignity our honorable people. Our people do not deserve such lowly, uncivilized, uneducated, power/money/devil worshiping prostitute scums. Their economy is a lot closer to slavery than free market capitalism.
To be honest with you I don’t even know what Al-toweel stands for. Regarding the relationship between patriotic ginbot 7 and the Eritrean government, Dr. Nega had elaborated multiple times. Dr. Nega, had said in public that the Eritrean government is not demanding anything whatsoever in return for giving the Ethiopian opposition forces some land and even money. According to Dr. Nega, Eritrean government’s main objective is to have a peaceful neighbor, not violent like TPLF who started a war with Eritrea(1998-2000) in order to loot and weaken rich Eritreans especially those in Ethiopia, to coexist and fairly trade with. I don’t think there are some treaties or MOUs between Ethiopian opposition forces and eri government. If there is, I agree with you that it should be a public record. Moreover, I will like to know where the Ethiopian opposition forces stand regarding the exact border between Ethiopia and Eritrea. Currently, Eritrean government claims that Ethiopia is illegally occupying internationally recognized Eritrean land. Besides that what bonds the Ethiopian opposition groups and Eritrean government is their humongous hatred of TPLF, rightly so since all of them were brutally victimized by TPLF. It is all about the ancient proverb, “THE EMEMY OF MY ENEMY IS MY FRIEND.”
As you claimed, Issais is not a demon. I have no relationship with him or his government. In infact, I was for a long time a very vocal opponent of him. I considered him as a dictator who denied Eritreans freedom and economic opportunities. Over the past 4-5 years when I understood a lot more about the evil nature of TPLF, I started to put myself in Issais’s shoe. TPLF military leadership wanted to capture him and retake Eritrea during the war. My take is that Eritrea has been in a state of emergency existence since the 1998-2000 brutal war with Ethiopia. Consequently, the democratic aspiration of the Eritrean people has been suppressed. I remember, before the war their were lots of democratic activities in Eritrea. Just before the war started a new constitution was written in order to set up the ground work for free and fair democratic election. But, TPLF initiated war ruined all that. So, I don’t think Issais is opposed to democratic transition power in Eritrea. It just ain’t the right time, not when the country is in a state of emergency due to the no war no peace situation with Ethiopia and the very barbaric, opportunist, selfish and unpredictable nature of TPLF led government.
Obbo Truth:
First being first, you should profusely apologize to those very unfortunate groups of people for using their affliction, retarded, to insult others. If you recall, even President Obama, the most powerful president of the most powerful nation on this blessed earth had apologized for using the similar term a few years ago. Man up and apologize to them, not me, for it.
Now, there is no blinking at the facts that the current regime’s politics stinks like one of my favorite journalists Dan Rather used to say ‘it stinks to high heaven it gagged the buzzard’. But on the development side there is a lot done during the last two decades to cheer for. You see. Members of my Itu clan do not have to carry their very sick for days to get medical help even a rudimentary one. Their children do not have to be agonized at their first day at school like I was in the very early 1950’s that no one is speaking their mother tongue there. I still remember that dreadful day just like it happened yesterday. It is all in Oromifaa now. When members of my Itu clan has issues to address at the local government offices they do not have to look for and pay a translator their hard earned money to resolve them. It is all Oromifaa now. That is why I believe the national question has been amicably answered. They did not even know that there is this thing called fertilizer other than the cattle dung that can bring the worked up soil on their farms back to life. As long as they can afford it is available around them. Quite a lot of them saw a vehicle for the first time in their lives zooming past their places of domiciles because there is an all weather road now connecting them to others far and wide. I have cheered for all these accomplishments. I repeat, many kudos for that!!!! My beef with the regime is its strong handed attitude towards any strong dissension. I have opposed in strongest terms the imprisonments of Obbo Eskinder, Geleta, Merera and many other prisoners of conscience. To be honest with you, I was not surprised by such despotic behavior. You see, most members of the policy making circle of the regime are those who used to raise the name of The Almighty in vain during their days in the bushes and I suspect they may still do that. They call it ‘dialectical materialism’. They are ‘former’ atheist Marxist Leninists, right? They have no Higher Authority as the Almighty The Creator’ to fear. Right? You think ISIS, Al Qaeda and Shabaab are fanatics. The ones sitting on the back of our glorious people are ten times as fanatics in what they believe that, we people the creations of the Almighty, are the direct descendants of some sea turtle or worm that was basking the vast oceans around us or that beautiful butterfly I used to marvel when was I a young boy. Such fanaticism goes the same for Isaias. These demonic elements can look at human lives no better than the life of a worm. So now, did you get where I stand about the politics in the old country? So the question is what can be done about it? That is where I defer from the groups you seem to defend. I am a staunch opponent of a violent form of struggle. Violence begets violence. This is not something I am making it up. History is fully behind me on this one. I do not want to see a military tank or an armored vehicle parked just outside the dingy hut where I was born. Armed struggle never took people out of poverty or successfully supplanted democratic governance (I am still struggling with the Nicaraguan experience) since the American War of Independence in 1776. In fact they all ended up being a perpetuation of bad governance. There is always an excuse for them. Now even you are telling me that the reason for lack of democratic governance in Eritrea is the 1998-2000 war that since Al-Toweel(The Tall) Isaias has reneged on all such Almighty enshrined human rights to keep the country safe. I hope you did not say that unless you meant it for amusement like the ‘Soup Nazi’ episode in Seinfeld sitcom of the 1990’s. First of all, Isaias himself started that war. He went to war with every other neighbor right after he yanked away a territory to call it his personal fiefdom in 1993. He even went to war with Djibouti, a country of one of the most docile and friendly people you can find any where. Then he met his real master in the battlefield in 2000 by the name of the Glorious People of Ethiopia. Boy, did he take a licking!!! He was lucky his cousin Meles was in charge on the opposite site. Nothing was standing between the mad-as-hell and rampaging Ethiopian people and Asmara. Calling the President Clinton during the wee hours begging for his intervention!!! That saved his sorry behind. As I suggested many times to him, he should erect a giant bronze statue at the center of Asmara(I am sorry Piccola Roma) for his closest late cousin Meles.
By the way, you are giving a different reason than the one Isaias himself told many international news outlets since 2000. He told all of them that every democracy we see around us is all fake. Democracy in the USA, Western, Asian and Latin American countries is all fake to him. He assured those journalists who posed such questions as the lack of human and democratic rights in Eritrea that his people will not see such systems of fair governance. When one of them pressed him how long such policy lasts, he told the journalist resoundingly ‘may be forever’. You see, I was not surprised by such demonic behavior. Marxism-Leninism is just like an incurable viral disease. It will not leave you and will go to the grave with you. The only remedy is an overwhelming and well grounded democratic governance founded through peaceful struggle. I am a peaceful man and there is nothing you can do about it. I have lived strongly believing in it up to this sunset of my Almighty Blessed septuagenarian age. I will keep on preaching about it until it is enough life for me on this good earth.
My insistence on the publication of all treaties or MOU’s between the Eritrean government and all Ethiopian opposition groups that are camping out there is a standing demand. I also insist that they should be independently audited of all their finances. OLF is going boing! boing! all over Asmara and Cairo to liberate my very proud Oromos right? Then it should be independently audited. The same goes for G7, ONLF and all others there. I have heard things and I am still hearing things about their leaders. I have asked one of those who I believe he is one of those who swears by OLF, about this requirement. I still remember his response or lack of it with blood shot eyes. That is confidential, I was told. Confidential, how? My main interest is where and how the money was and is being spent. I already have come to conclusion about the potential sources for such financial contributions(support). Like I said, I hear things!!!
What kind of audience they are ? just
Mingest Haile Mariams cadres .
What the people said is sick and tired
of Berhanus lies . Believe me 90% of
the participants are people from
Bete Tsehfet ( Eritrea Embassy ).
Brothers its a lost case , Gimbot 7 has
lost its credibility long time ago that
is why the Amharas distancing themselves
from totally Shabias controlled so called
movements.