There Will Never Be a New 'Ethiopia' – what Obang Metho seems to forget!

Dissociating common action and social solidarity from down to earth politics is essential in order to avoid terrible misunderstandings with dire consequences.

This concerns particularly a colonial relic like Abyssinia (fallaciously re-baptized ´Ethiopia´) whereby every oppressed and tyrannized nation counts in dozens and hundreds of thousands, and some in millions, the victims of the Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian cruelty that has been mercilessly adjusted on the subjugated nations of the Oromos, the Ogadenis, the Sidamas, the Afars, the Shekachos, the Kaffas, the Kambaatas, the Wolayitas, the Anuak, the Nuer, the Shinasha, the Gumuz, the Berta, and the Agaw ever since the Abyssinian colonial machine invaded their lands.

The present disastrous situation in Abyssinia and the extreme inhumanity by which the Amhara – Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian regime of Meles Zenawi has ruled the occupied territories of the aforementioned nations certainly demand a remedy. Genocides have been and are being perpetrated in Ogaden, in Afar Land, in Sidama Land, in Oromia, and in many other illegally occupied territories.

Do you know a genocide perpetrated against the Monophysitic Amharas?

No!

Do you know a genocide perpetrated against the Monophysitic Tigray?

No!

Why?

Because these two ethno-religious groups have formed an alliance in order to oppress, tyrannize and exploit the Amhara and Tigray Muslims, and all the aforementioned, subjugated, non-Abyssinian nations.

A genocide never happens against the rulers and the governing elite, even in case of regime change. The same ethno-religious group, the Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinians, who amount to just ca. 18% of the country´s total population, controlled the country under three successive regimes, pseudo-royal (Haile Selassie and his predecessors were all uncivil, barbaric and murderous thugs of lewd and low – not noble – descent), pseudo-communist (nationalizing the already nationalized – or rather non existent – economy does not make you much of a Marxist – Leninist) and pseudo-republican. Throughout the last 120 – 130 years, under any Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian regime, the decision making system was partially tribal, utterly undemocratic, and criminally inhuman.

Even worse, as crown of the premeditated genocide that will certainly find sooner or later its way to the Court of International Justice, the same criminal Abyssinian terrorist group, properly speaking Hitler´s Children in Africa, established out of severe falsification of History a bogus-historical dogma – that of the so-called ´Ethiopianism´ – that they tyrannically imposed on all the rest, who have totally rejected it as historically inconsistent and fraudulent, inhumanly racist, and absolutely alien to them.

The Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian tribes have been totally controlled by their elites and never showed the slightest sign, the least indication of a scholarly, intellectual, ideological or political challenge for the world´s most racist pseudo-dogma and elites.

The Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian tribes are historically guilty not only for having not shown any opposition to ´Ethiopianism´, the inhuman sewerage that was tyrannically imposed on subjugated nations in the most excruciating way, but also for having not expressed the slightest repentance, the least sorrow for what their bestial rulers imposed on other peoples.

First victims of a perverse, absolutely evil, and characteristically antihuman system, the Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian tribes took great pleasure in the sufferings of all the subjugated nations and ethno-religious groups; even worse, they actively participated in the multi-dimensional genocide, spiritual, cultural and physical, of all the tyrannized and terrorized, subjugated nations. Not only this, but they don´t even accept that these events took place, these acts were perpetrated, and this awful situation prevailed for more than 130 years in some cases.

They still believe that it is normal for an alien nation, the Amharas,

1 - to invade other nations, f.i. the Oromos,

2 - to impose another religion, language and culture,

3 - to reject the existence of the Oromo Nation, History, Culture and Religion (that are fundamentally different and definitely greater than the short Amhara History),

4 - to attempt to absorb the Oromo Nation within a fabricated term "Ethiopian" (that embodies Amhara Semitic culture and the grossest package of historical lies, while being usurped from the Kushitic Past of Ancient Sudan to which the Oromos are related but the Amharas are not), and in the process

5 - to unreservedly exterminate any Oromo who rejects this unacceptable and evil attitude and plan of the Amharas.

And now comes Mr. Obang Metho, despite a recent genocide perpetrated by the same Amhara and Tigray Monophysitic Abyssinian rulers against the Anuak (Mr. Metho´s Nation), using Christian literature for his political purposes, to say that all the past was just a bad dream and that the only problem for today is just the Tigray dictator Zenawi.

Mr. Metho forgets that there are Tigray Abyssinians who reject the Ethiopianist ideology adopted by the tyrant Zenawi as sheer betrayal of the Tigray Abyssinian culture and as catastrophic absorption of the Tigray Abyssinian nation within the bogus-historical dogma that was fabricated by the Amharas for their own benefit.

In fact, the criminal dogma of Ethiopianism, in the name of which all the genocides have been perpetrated in Abyssinia over the past 130 years, has been rejected even by some among those who contributed to its formation, the Tigray Abyssinians who realized how disastrous the Ethiopianism is even for a ruling non-Amhara Abyssinian nation.

What to say about those who are ruled….

Mr. Metho thinks that he may become a minister under another ´Ethiopianist´ regime and that this will prevent a new genocide against the Anuak. This is not daydreaming; it is believing you are in the Paradise when you are surrounded by the Hell.

His initiatives are excellent as long as they promote social solidarity among the various tyrannized nations of Abyssinia. And their positive impact ends there.

Mr. Obang is strictly incapable of politics precisely because of his Christian idealism; it would be different, chaotically different, if Mr. Obang Metho provided us with a list of repentant Amharas who would

denounce all previous and present Abyssinian regimes´ inhuman acts, terrorism, oppressive policies and genocides,

recognize all the subjugated nations as such, and as equal to the Amharas,

admit to respect every nation´s desire to prosper independently from the rest and in peace with the rest,

admit to respect the Civil and Human rights of all the subjugated nations, particularly the right to speak and write their languages, educate their youth in their own languages, religious and cultural values, and old traditions, worship their traditional religions, exploit their natural resources, and elect their representatives and rulers without the presence (read: threat) of any foreigner, and

admit to respect any nation´s right to organize a referendum under the supervision of the UN to vote for secession from the country they have always considered as Hell.

Mr. Obang Metho may be a good Christian and an excellent idealist. But he is not believed as such by the Amhara who seem to support him today. With the same easiness and with their characteristic cruelty, they will imprison him tomorrow, if they come back to power by besotting a few Oromos and others, and by promising much to idealists.

Mr. Obang Metho seems to forget that the same Amharas have murdered Catholic priests in greater frequency, and with greater pleasure and method than Islamic extremists. Even worse for Mr. Obang Metho, none of them has repented for these acts thus far.

Mr. Obang Metho has a great advantage as regards the present regime of Abyssinia; he did not contribute to its rise in power. This is an incredible advantage for him.

What will happen if another Abyssinian regime, for which Mr. Obang Metho worked hard to help it rise to power, pursues the same Ethiopianist policies that are worse than Hitler´s governmental guidelines, and in the process continues the perpetration of spiritual, cultural and physical genocides?

Will then the idealist Mr. Metho just shut up, to save his position and his life?

Will then Mr. Metho simply ask sorry?

What will Mr. Metho say then, only "I made a mistake"?

Will he expect God to excuse him?

But God gave us a healthy and solid brain to judge, and the Christian Scriptures stipulate (Titus, 3: 10) that "A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject".

And this is precisely the point:

Has Mr. Obang Metho tried to admonish the unrepentant Amhara Monophysitic heretics?

I republish here Mr. Obang Metho´s call and invitation, promising to further expand in forthcoming articles.

Where Do We Go From Here?

By Obang Metho

http://www.anuakjustice.org/080813InvitationToOrganizations.htm

Invitation to Organizations Concerned About Ethiopia to Participate in a Symposium On:

"Where Do We Go From Here?"

Saturday, August 30, 2008

4:00 PM to 8:00 PM

Unification Church, 1610 Columbia Rd, NW, Washington D.C.

Press Release: August 13, 2008

On Saturday, August 30, 2008, I, Obang Metho, and other peace loving Ethiopians, will be hosting a Symposium on: "Where Do We Go From Here?" This is the next step towards the formation of a Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia. All who are concerned about the future of Ethiopia should plan on coming to the event which will be held from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Unification Church at 1610 Columbia Rd NW, in Washington D.C. This will be an important opportunity for you to be part of this urgent discussion that you should not miss.

We are inviting civic organizations, individuals and the public to come together to offer solutions to the question, "Where do we, as Ethiopians, go from here?" Those guests invited to speak include representatives of human rights groups, academia, religious organizations, civic groups—including those for women and youth, humanitarian organizations and governmental entities, both Ethiopian and non-Ethiopian. Each participant will be given ten minutes to share their vision about where we can go as a collective society under the premise that no one is truly free unless all are free. Opportunity will also be given to the public for questions and comments.

No one person or organization will have all of the answers, but ideas generated by diverse people and groups can bring about greater answers than otherwise possible. However, this will not be the usual kind of meeting when people come in and talk with no follow up action required. Instead, this will be a continuation of the effort to bring all civic organizations under one umbrella. That umbrella is a Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia.

This kind of meeting is all the more critical because you and I cannot ignore the pain of suffering back home and not do anything about it. Therefore, I am calling this meeting as the next step in bringing together new groups and organizations to create a more powerful force to confront the destruction of Ethiopia, something that is now in full force under the hands of the dictator, Meles Zenawi. Enough is enough and we can no longer wait for any leader to free us. We have to free ourselves to survive as a people and as a nation.

A recent press release, posted on August 11,2008 from ActionAid entitled, "Horn of Africa at Tipping Point," warns that the country, as part of the increasingly unstable Horn of Africa, is in danger of collapsing into something catastrophic if nothing is done. They state, "With millions facing hunger and destitution, ActionAid is warning that the region is now reaching a tipping point with increasing numbers of people unable to cope. Altogether five countries – Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti – are affected. If nothing is done, the situation could easily become catastrophic."

Even though the crisis in Ethiopia is worse than in 2005 or in 2006, Ethiopians are less active than before. We understand the problem and the extreme hardship being faced by our people back home; but despite knowing this, many are failing to act. Our words, sympathy and anxiety mean nothing if they are not given life through meaningful action.

For example, in addition to hunger and inflation, there is severe repression of the press where people cannot speak up without the threat of serious punitive actions—like the arrest of not only Teddy Afro, but also of his attorney and a newspaper editor who reported on the story.

At the same time, many Ethiopians passively sit by listening to his music, but fail to speak out for him and others like him. Newspapers editors, journalists and political activists continue to be intimidated or locked up in prisons and jails throughout the country.

Websites are blocked. Radio stations are jammed. The work of Western human rights and humanitarian groups is restricted due to a new "charities law" recently passed, which makes it difficult, if not impossible, to do their work. Some have even left the country as a result, despite the ongoing critical need.

Human rights atrocities continue in the Ogaden and in the Afar region at the hands of the TPLF or Woyane as well as in other areas in the country. In Oromia, reports of disappearances, torture and the suppression of Oromo activists persist. The conflict between the Oromo and Gumuz festers along with new reports of conflict between the Guji and the Burji in the Southern Nations.

In both cases, some significant evidence points to the government as being the ones "stoking the fires" of the conflict. Instead of the government acting as peacemakers, they fail to take protective action on behalf of the victims or to investigate the case in order to hold the perpetrators accountable. Moreover, some reports allege that the government has disarmed one group while supplying arms to the other—not a new complaint in Ethiopia!

The border issue is simmering with more threats of violence between Ethiopian stakeholders and Meles-empowered encroachers. Zenawi has now also given over Ethiopian land to Djibouti and there are rumors stirring that he intends to give or "lease" arable land in Gambella to Saudi Arabia instead of to Ethiopians who are in the middle of one of the worst food crises in history!

Where is our moral outrage or have we become numb to the pain of other human beings and to the evil being perpetrated on those created to represent the image of God? Will we not be judged for failing to stand up at such a time as this for the weak and vulnerable?

This is your opportunity to change the direction of our country. We must stand up and challenge these opportunistic policies and those individuals among us who are taking advantage of the open market on the exploitation of the weakest in our society. Those Hodamoch or opportunistic people are not only Tigrayan, they are found within most every ethnic group, organization and religious group. Without these Hodamoch or opportunistic people, the apartheid system of Meles would have never lasted this long. They have become the lifeblood of his evil system, but together we can confront them.

However, if we to are to be successful, we must focus on how we can bring justice, freedom, opportunity, equality and hope to Ethiopia rather than being fixated on blaming, accusing, attacking and insulting other groups—something that diverts our attention from our main goal.

I do not care who these groups are—you can call them Separatists, Liberation Fronts, Terrorists, Cessationists, supporters of the peaceful struggle, proponents of the armed-struggle or those in between. You can call them Muslims, Christians, radicals, Neftegna, Amhara Neftegna, or Oromo Neftegna, Shaebia, feudalists, barias, unemployed youth, anti-peace elements, freedom fighters or whatever you like, I do not care because these people are all Ethiopian and we must try to work with them or we will end up spending all our energy blocking each other rather than the focusing on the destruction of Ethiopia by Meles and his cronies.

In the same way, we lose momentum if we spend so much time defending ourselves or tearing down the work of others while leaving Meles alone. Instead, our main goal should be for us come together in a dialogue in one room and that day, TPLF or Woyane will know their vulnerability.

Consider the lesson of the ant found in an Anuak proverb that assures us that an army of tiny, little ants can kill an elephant. The same analogy applies regarding the collective efficiency of ants to defeat the slithering snake that is preying on the newly born chicks in a bird´s nest.

The snake quietly slithers into the bird´s nest to devour the vulnerable little chicks, but sometime, there are also others who occupy the nest—the tiny ants who end up saving the chicks by biting and covering all over the snake until the much larger snake is driven out from the nest. Their strength is their collective work and the collective force of the hundreds or thousands of ants will easily defeat the larger foe, not their individual ability.

Meles is not a formidable foe when we utilize our collective strength. As we do, we do not need the permission of Meles or his supporters—inside or outside the country—in order for us to come together. We also can do it at the time of our own choosing! This is not the same old game. The rules of operation have changed.

The rules of change means tolerating some degree of division as part of a process of sorting out the best ways to get to a common goal. New leadership, where the leaders put humanity before ethnicity, will automatically produce some inner tensions between the goals, values and tactics of these new leaders and those who believe in "Melesism"—also known as ethnic divide and conquer politics.

Meles uses Article 39 for his own advancement at the cost of the destruction of the country. People are supposed to think they have autonomy, but they are under the control of the TPLF. Meles does not want all the varied groups with their different approaches to have a dialogue and to come up with common goals. Yet, dialogue and compromise is the best means to be used to restore peace and harmony to Ethiopia.

Because of this, I, and others, God-willing, are determined to work as hard as possible to accomplish such solidarity. I repeat, by God´s will, we will try to make sure that all these political, civic and religious groups come together in the same room and have a dialogue for a lasting peace in Ethiopia. An atmosphere of peace is just the beginning of the road to building a future for a New Ethiopia.

Join this Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia—where all are respected, valued, equally appreciated and have opportunity. There is already solidarity building among civic organizations like the Ethiopian Solidarity Forum, Ethiopia-Sudan Border Affairs Committee; Oromo American Citizen Council, EHRCO, Ogaden Human Rights Committee, Coalition for H.R. 2003; Afar Human Rights Organization, Benishangul-Gumuz Human Rights Foundation, Anuak Justice Council, Gasha for Ethiopia, Solidarity Committee for Ethiopian Political Prisoners; Save Ethiopian Refugee International; Ethiopian Student Association International; Ethiopian Women for Peace and Development, Ethiopian Free Press Journalists´ Association; Ethiopian Common Forum in Norway; Ethiopian community in Kampala, Ethiopian National Congress, Holy Synod of Ethiopia Orthodox Tewahdo Church; Ethiopian Canadian Muslim Community Association, Ethiopian American Evangelicals for HR2003; Ethiopian Council of Elders, where leaders are emerging who are more than capable of seeing the purpose of solidarity and dialogue in bringing about lasting peace. The same is true in religious groups such as within the Ethiopian Muslims, the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, the Ethiopian Catholics, the Ethiopian Evangelicals, Ethiopian Pentecostals and others.

We already have discovered the common ground of human rights which can provide a foundation in the formation of a Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia that could become a pressure group—a watchdog organization—that would hold other groups and institutions—political, governmental, economic, social, religious—accountable for respecting the God-given human rights of Ethiopians and of others in the Horn of Africa and in greater Africa.

This is the third event in the formation of a Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia in a series, starting with the previous two events, the first one being the meeting of diverse groups, "Human Rights for Ethiopians in the Next Millennium," held in Washington D.C. on November 17, 2007 when representatives from most of the regions within Ethiopia came together in unity. For more information, visit: www.anuakjustice.org/071120PressRelease.htm

The second event carried out was the Worldwide March for Freedom, Human Rights and Justice of May 15-18 which had four goals: 1) the commemoration of the lost lives of Ethiopians and the failed 2005 election, 2) a day of reconciliation and reaching out to others in informal ways, 3) a rally for a greater movement to achieve freedom, justice and equality in Ethiopia, and 4) a day of prayer for God´s help. For more info visit: www.anuakjustice.org/080525WorldwideMarchCommitteeFollowUp.htm

Now, the goal of this third event is to pull together the civic organizations, many of which already have leaders who demonstrate the vision, integrity, humanity and abilities we need in Ethiopia leaders of the future. It will be people such as these who will lay the groundwork for genuine freedom, justice, human rights, equality and civility in the country. As these civic leaders solidify their vision for the country, they will be in a position to impact a future event when political groups will be invited to join in a similar dialogue and strategy session.

This current event is not a political discussion, but it will be important for political leaders to be present if they want to learn from the people and the new emerging leaders within Ethiopian civil society about their vision and expectations for Ethiopia in the future. Politicians should not be left out of these important discussions and are warmly welcomed. This includes all types of political groups—liberation fronts, peaceful struggle groups, armed-struggle groups, separatists and others.

The Solidarity Movement for a New Ethiopia is like the spider web that is being woven in beauty and complexity and can be an image of the beauty and complexity of Ethiopian society like the garden of Ethiopia of which I have been talking for the last two years. In the center of that web is its strength—the solidarity of the people, for the people and by the people. It is a pan-ethnic and pan-Ethiopian movement where diversity is celebrated like the individual fibers of the net that hold the web together as one.

We can consider each individual fiber of the web to be like a tribe of Ethiopia. We can then see that each is an important part in what makes it beautiful and complete. We can also see that if one of those fibers is broken, it compromises the strength of the entire web. Its strength is collective and based on its completeness. The only way the web can capture the fly is if it holds together.

Like the web, the only way we Ethiopians can stop the enemy that threatens to destroy us as a people and as a society is if we are together in collective solidarity. An Ethiopian proverb states, "When the spider´s web is together, it is strong enough to tie down a lion!"

On August 30th, we will be strengthening the foundation for the transformation of Ethiopia and at its center must be our solidarity as Ethiopians and even more so as human beings. Do not be left out of this important discussion and please encourage new people you know to become involved.

The names of the speakers will soon be announced. Those who would like to be on the program should also contact us at the earliest opportunity.

Please note: Volunteers are needed to help. We encourage you to contact us for more information. We also appreciate any financial contributions you may be able to make to this event and the overall movement.

May God guide and help us to honor Him in all we do.

For more information please contact me by email at: Obang@anuakjustice.org

Note

Picture: Typical scenery of flood from the tyrannized and underdeveloped Anuak-Land. Freedom and Development will come outside the borders of the Hell 'Ethiopia' - only. http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79945