Shameful Ethiopian Review: Ali Abdu their "Person of the Year"
Eremias Woldemikael
January 02, 2010
Ooops, they did it again! It looks like Ethiopian Review is the "Grinch of the year" that on New Year´s Day steals all our hopes for the future for the second time in a row. Have these people gone crazy or I have gone crazy myself? I can not believe it! Where are the Ethiopian and Eritrean Jesse Jacksons and Al Sharptons when we need them? I have never considered Ethiomedia and them as credible news sites, but they now have become beyond that.
After choosing Isaias Afewerki as a "Person of the year" in 2008, they have chosen Isaias´ Information Minister Ali Abdu as their person of the year for 2009 because he helped them in getting an interview with Isaias. They have chosen a man who has been known to be worse than Bereket Simon as their "person of the year." It is one thing to "deal with the devil" because one does not have a choice, but to put him in a pedestal as a person of the year to be emulated and honored as a role model by everyone is just insane.
I know many Eritreans and I will never forget Ethiopian Review's actions today, but I also hope that the good, peaceful, and freedom-loving people of Ethiopia will recognize Ethiopian Review for what they are. They may say that they are struggling for freedom, Justice, etc, but they are just another Haile Shawl; people who only care just about themselves and their power. These people care neither for Eritreans nor for Ethiopians. I do not believe anyone who adheres to the principles of Freedom and Justice for Ethiopians would ever deny that to Eritreans. Yet, Ethiopian Review is advocating precisely just that.
Ethiopians should seriously ask themselves if they want to be ruled by the likes of Ali Abdu and Issaias Afewerki because at least on an abstract level they would be the choice of Ethiopian Review for Ethiopia. Believe it or not Isaias was in the shortlist of Ethiopian Review's "person of the year" again. Have these people never heard of the plight of Eritreans at the hands of both Isaias´ and Ali Abdu´s regime not to mention the regime constant troubles with its neighbors and the international community at large. It was not for nothing that the UN Security Council decided to impose a sanction on it.
I can begrudgingly understand them overlooking the suffering of Eritreans to garner support from Isaias to achieve their goal. Endorsing the Eritrean regime's officials as people of the year, however, is utterly irresponsible and disgusting to many Eritreans as it should also be for many Ethiopians. It is outrageous to anyone who cares about human rights, freedom, justice or democracy. I can proudly join my Ethiopian brothers and sisters to demand justice and freedom from their regime, but I can never fathom anyone who admires my people's tormentors.
On a practical level, Ethiopians should also reconsider patronizing this website and the political organizations they support because; the type of Ethiopian leaders that would come through them would be predictably unpleasant. Yes, I am talking about EPPF and such organization that are sponsored by Isaias´ regime. I am not saying they are necessarily bad; just examine them carefully before you give them your support. As a person who has lived under and still has to deal with such leaders, I would not wish them on you. I wish better leaders for all of us (Ethiopians and Eritreans) than we have now, not worse. Moreover, all Ethiopians and credible news organizations should ask opposition leaders about how Isaias and Ali Abdu treat Eritreans. They should also ask if they find that acceptable. That is the easiest way to predict what kind of leaders those in opposition would be if they ever get to power.
It has become clear to me that the only reason these people exist is to oppose for opposition sake or to get power by any means necessary even if it means dragging their own country to a worse situation. They do not want power to do well or improve Ethiopia. They just want power for the sake of having it. I am glad they do not have power because they would have made Ethiopia worse.
I hope there are other Ethiopian news outlets and political Organizations who condemn injustice everywhere whether it is in Eritrea or Ethiopia or at least that hold back from openly endorsing leaders who repress their own people. We need Eritrean and Ethiopian organizations to condemn Ethiopian Review's actions.
We all understand the practical dilemma opposition press and political organizations face when they are forced to have to deal with unsavory characters in order to achieve their main objectives. For example, some Eritrean Opposition groups risk being labeled as traitors by Eritreans when they deal with EPRDF in Ethiopia. They have to also walk a fine line as freedom-fighting organizations when they are asked about their host government´s human rights records. On one hand, they do not want to loose the support of the neighboring government because they see it as the only practical way of struggling; on the other hand they have to keep their credibility and integrity as rights organizations. Often times, the response they have to give is that they do not interfere in the host government´s internal issues although they may not like what they hear. Ethiopian Review´s action today goes beyond such dilemmas. If they do not apologize to the People of Eritrea and Ethiopia and shape up, I call on all Ethiopians and Eritreans to boycott them and call on companies that advertise on their page to withhold their business.
Happy New Year to All my Habesha (all People's of Eritrea and Ethiopia.) people everywhere!
God Bless Both Eritrea and Ethiopia.
PS: Compared to this undemocratic website, Nazret.com had a poll for its readers and the readers have chosen the principled lady-justice of Ethiopia, Birtukan Mideqsa as their role model. I guess there is hope for us after all.
After choosing Isaias Afewerki as a "Person of the year" in 2008, they have chosen Isaias´ Information Minister Ali Abdu as their person of the year for 2009 because he helped them in getting an interview with Isaias. They have chosen a man who has been known to be worse than Bereket Simon as their "person of the year." It is one thing to "deal with the devil" because one does not have a choice, but to put him in a pedestal as a person of the year to be emulated and honored as a role model by everyone is just insane.
I know many Eritreans and I will never forget Ethiopian Review's actions today, but I also hope that the good, peaceful, and freedom-loving people of Ethiopia will recognize Ethiopian Review for what they are. They may say that they are struggling for freedom, Justice, etc, but they are just another Haile Shawl; people who only care just about themselves and their power. These people care neither for Eritreans nor for Ethiopians. I do not believe anyone who adheres to the principles of Freedom and Justice for Ethiopians would ever deny that to Eritreans. Yet, Ethiopian Review is advocating precisely just that.
Ethiopians should seriously ask themselves if they want to be ruled by the likes of Ali Abdu and Issaias Afewerki because at least on an abstract level they would be the choice of Ethiopian Review for Ethiopia. Believe it or not Isaias was in the shortlist of Ethiopian Review's "person of the year" again. Have these people never heard of the plight of Eritreans at the hands of both Isaias´ and Ali Abdu´s regime not to mention the regime constant troubles with its neighbors and the international community at large. It was not for nothing that the UN Security Council decided to impose a sanction on it.
I can begrudgingly understand them overlooking the suffering of Eritreans to garner support from Isaias to achieve their goal. Endorsing the Eritrean regime's officials as people of the year, however, is utterly irresponsible and disgusting to many Eritreans as it should also be for many Ethiopians. It is outrageous to anyone who cares about human rights, freedom, justice or democracy. I can proudly join my Ethiopian brothers and sisters to demand justice and freedom from their regime, but I can never fathom anyone who admires my people's tormentors.
On a practical level, Ethiopians should also reconsider patronizing this website and the political organizations they support because; the type of Ethiopian leaders that would come through them would be predictably unpleasant. Yes, I am talking about EPPF and such organization that are sponsored by Isaias´ regime. I am not saying they are necessarily bad; just examine them carefully before you give them your support. As a person who has lived under and still has to deal with such leaders, I would not wish them on you. I wish better leaders for all of us (Ethiopians and Eritreans) than we have now, not worse. Moreover, all Ethiopians and credible news organizations should ask opposition leaders about how Isaias and Ali Abdu treat Eritreans. They should also ask if they find that acceptable. That is the easiest way to predict what kind of leaders those in opposition would be if they ever get to power.
It has become clear to me that the only reason these people exist is to oppose for opposition sake or to get power by any means necessary even if it means dragging their own country to a worse situation. They do not want power to do well or improve Ethiopia. They just want power for the sake of having it. I am glad they do not have power because they would have made Ethiopia worse.
I hope there are other Ethiopian news outlets and political Organizations who condemn injustice everywhere whether it is in Eritrea or Ethiopia or at least that hold back from openly endorsing leaders who repress their own people. We need Eritrean and Ethiopian organizations to condemn Ethiopian Review's actions.
We all understand the practical dilemma opposition press and political organizations face when they are forced to have to deal with unsavory characters in order to achieve their main objectives. For example, some Eritrean Opposition groups risk being labeled as traitors by Eritreans when they deal with EPRDF in Ethiopia. They have to also walk a fine line as freedom-fighting organizations when they are asked about their host government´s human rights records. On one hand, they do not want to loose the support of the neighboring government because they see it as the only practical way of struggling; on the other hand they have to keep their credibility and integrity as rights organizations. Often times, the response they have to give is that they do not interfere in the host government´s internal issues although they may not like what they hear. Ethiopian Review´s action today goes beyond such dilemmas. If they do not apologize to the People of Eritrea and Ethiopia and shape up, I call on all Ethiopians and Eritreans to boycott them and call on companies that advertise on their page to withhold their business.
Happy New Year to All my Habesha (all People's of Eritrea and Ethiopia.) people everywhere!
God Bless Both Eritrea and Ethiopia.
PS: Compared to this undemocratic website, Nazret.com had a poll for its readers and the readers have chosen the principled lady-justice of Ethiopia, Birtukan Mideqsa as their role model. I guess there is hope for us after all.
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