By Abebe Gellaw, July 16, 2009 (FEER) — World leaders, including President Barack Obama, have called for the immediate release of Burma’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi. But how many of them have even heard of Ethiopia’s pro-democracy leader Birtukan Mideksa, the 36-year-old politician and mother who is being held in solitary confinement, condemned to life in prison without due process?
Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi has been brutally efficient in eliminating his political rivals by killing, jailing or forcing them into exile. But because Ethiopia is seen as a “strategic ally” by the U.S., Mr. Obama failed to publicly speak out against human-rights violation by the Zenawi regime on his recent trip to Africa or even mention Ms. Mideksa’s name.
Unlike the Burmese military junta, the Zenawi regime is an ally of the U.S. and its European partners. The Bush administration used to refer to the Zenawi regime as a “linchpin” in the war on terror in the Horn of Africa. While the U.S. imposed economic sanctions against Burma in 1997, Mr. Zenawi has been enjoying a stream of financial and military aid from the U.S. and Europe since he came to power in May 1991 after a bloody power struggle with the dictator Mengistu Hailemariam. Since 2005, Mr. Zenawi has even attended all the G-8 summits and this year’s G-20 meeting in London, despite protests by Ethiopians in the diaspora and human-rights activists.
There’s a good reason why her countrymen call Ms. Mideksa the Aung San Suu Kyi of Ethiopa. In the run up to the 2005 national elections, the first contested election in the history of Ethiopia, Ms. Mideksa joined the Unity for Coalition for Unity and Democracy Party (CUD). Within a few months she was elected the party’s first vice president. Her party won a landslide victory in most of the places where there were foreign election observers. In the capital, Addis Ababa, the CUD had a clean sweep. Zenawi’s party could only win one single municipal seat. All the 23 contested parliamentary seats went to Ms. Mideksa’s party.
Before the count was completed throughout the country, Mr. Zenawi ordered a state of emergency and froze the count in the remaining districts. Local election observers in remote villages were chased away despite protests by foreign observers, most notably Ana Gomes, chief of the European Election Observation Mission to Ethiopia.
Supporters of the CUD who felt that the election was stolen started protesting. In June and November 2005, the ruling party killed 193 civilians including minors and wounded over 780 others. In a space of one week in November 2005, over 40,000 civilians were rounded up and were detained in harsh military camps.
Over 100 opposition leaders, including Ms. Mideksa, were arrested that same month and charged with “genocide” and treason. They were released after 20 months in jail in July 2007 after a mediation effort by local elders.
While touring Sweden in November last year, Ms. Mideksa refuted government propaganda that its high-profile prisoners were pardoned despite their guilt. She said legally speaking the so-called pardon was null and void as none of the prisoners committed the alleged crimes and the correct procedures were not followed.
As soon as she arrived home, the government launched a vicious propaganda campaign using state-controlled media against her. She was re-arrested in December 2008. Prime Minister Zenawi declared that the pardon granted to Ms. Mideksa was revoked and accused her of banking on support from “powerful friends in powerful positions” in the West. He then announced her life sentence.
President Obama, being of African descent, is in a unique position to influence the Zenawi regime and push for the release of Ms. Mideksa. Until leaders of the Free World take a firm stand against tyranny, regardless of strategic alliances, those who demand freedom will continue to suffer. Most Ethiopians believe Mr. Obama will one day speak out and support their struggle for freedom and dignity. In the meantime, Ms. Mideksa will continue to languish behind bars.
Mr. Gellaw is a Knight / Yahoo! international journalism fellow at Stanford University.
July 16th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
You idiot!
Once I make up my mind, no head of state or government will make me change it. Not even Obama, your God. I have said she won’t get released any time soon, not at least before the coming election. Then the party will consider her release only if she applies for pardon from both her conviction of the big crimes and the statements she has made in Europe. Applying for pardon is not enough; I want to see real remorse and anguish on her ugly face for the humiliation she has caused me. I am still reeling from it. Tell her to send a pardon letter to the Pardon Commission next year. I don’t want any elder or foreigner trying to win her release. If she refuses, then she will be left to rot in jail. I know she is too proud to do just that. Heeeeerrrrrrrrrreeeeeeeeeee. She won’t even get visitors.
Zenawi
July 16th, 2009 at 5:31 pm
weyane will collapse soon.
weyane will collapse soon.
Free our liberity lady
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
July 16th, 2009 at 5:42 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
weyane will collapse soon.
weyane will collapse soon.
Free our liberity ladylet’s get those cancer tigrains. let’s get them including agazzzi meles monkey I.
The EPLF also opposed the TPLF manifesto for independence on the grounds that Tigrai was an inegral part of Ethiopia and there was no justification for secession from Ethiopia. At this time, the EPLF was reluctant to support separatist movements in Ethiopia, not just as a matter of princople but for various other
motives as well…
July 16th, 2009 at 6:15 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
weyane will collapse soon. lets get all the tigrain from all part . we ethiopian must work with eritrean to get those tigrain.
victory to ethiopia.
.
The EPLF also opposed the TPLF manifesto for independence on the grounds that Tigrai was an inegral part of Ethiopia and there was no justification for secession from Ethiopia. At this time, the EPLF was reluctant to support separatist movements in Ethiopia, not just as a matter of princople but for various other
motives as well…
July 16th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
lets get all the tigrain from all part
. we ethiopian must work with eritrean to get those tigrain.
victory to ethiopia.
.
The EPLF also opposed the TPLF manifesto for independence on the grounds that Tigrai was an inegral part of Ethiopia and there was no justification for secession from Ethiopia. At this time, the EPLF was reluctant to support separatist movements in Ethiopia, not just as a matter of princople but for various other
motives as well…
July 16th, 2009 at 6:43 pm
The Ethiopian people and pro woyane groups like Aiga and Ben would like the immediate release of Birtukan for different reasons. The people would like their charismatic leader to be freed without any preconditions because she is a real leader not like some within her own UDJP who are fighting for future seat in the fake parliament.
Pro woyanes would like her to be released for face saving to cheat the masses for a coming fake election of June 2010. Birtukan has done her part and no need for her to join her UDJP that is busy fighting on how to better to collaborate in the coming fake election.
Pro woyanes are going to use her release to get a favor from Obama Administration to ignore the other crimes of Woyane.
Without free media and assembly and without releasing all political prisoners the release of one leader will not change the heart of Ethiopians to participate in the coming fake election.
The writer analysis though exposes Woyane it did not go far and call for all political prisoners to be free. The writer should have also commented on what Birtukan will or will not do after her release and the future of her party.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:05 pm
Is lady Liberty for Oromos’ emancipation? Then she can have my support. Enjoy it here:
Oromo’s End Goal (KAAYYOO) is Sovereign State of Oromia in a United State of Africa;
When we want to look at Oromo’s history, we just need to consider and ask the question: “who wrote it?”. Abesha Debteras who used to tell us that we came out of River? Some Oromo nationalists who tell us that we are from Mada Walabu and we have been colonized by Abyssinians? Some “modern” historians like prof. Shamsadin who do write that we are related to Meroe of north Sudan, and the name Ethiopia actually belongs to Oromos, not to Abeshas?…etc. Did Oromos “migrate” from south towards north or were we pushed from north (Meroe) towards south? I personally would like to leave history to historians.
But I am not too naive not to recognize that we Oromos were and are the indigenous people in the Horn of Africa, who were pushed by christian Europeans and moslem Arabs as well Turks from different directions and squeezed to our present national area. Additionally, we being originally Waaqeffataas, we tried to resist the BIG religions and we preserved our selves as Oromos our current geographical region. Let me raise certain questions: are the christanized and semetized Amharas and Tigarus biological Oromos or are they other cushitic nations like Agew? Are the islamized i.e arabanized Afars and Somalis also biological Oromos? I do ask these questions for there are certain historians who do consider Oromo as a stem for almost all other cushitic nations in the Horn.
Unfortunately all the above groups narrate their version of the past Oromo history in order to instrumentzalize it to justify their version of future Oromo destiny, i.e what they wish and want to achieve for Oromos in the future:
- Abesha Debteras narrate that we Oromos are the new comers (immigrants) from some where (Madagascar, River…etc) just to justify their theory that most parts of Oromia originally belonged to Abyssina, so that it is legitinmate to have the future unity of the IMIYE at the cost of Oromo liberation.
- Pro Walabumma (pro independent) Oromia fronts of Oromo people narrate that Oromia was not part of Abyssinia, but became the colony of Abysinian rulers in the end of 19th century , so that it would be legitimate to fight against the colonialism and to separate Oromia from Abyssinia/Ethiopia.
- Those who do argue with “post-modern facts” that Oromo is the stem for even Tigarus and Somalis, who are culturally semetized biological Oromos, try to tell us that we are cushitic nations including the semetized ones like Tigrai, Amhara, Gurage, Silxe, Argoba and Harari are originally Oromos or Agews. With this theory, they want to suggest that Horn of Africa is Cushland, to whose unity Oromos should dedicate our selves.
As far as I am concerned, I do believe that the third version is a most probable truth. But considering the development of the various nations in to speaking different languages, I would like to accept that all language groups do deserve their national autonomy in the future Union of all cush people in the Horn.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:07 pm
Contd….
Other very important factors to be given attention in Oromo history are its Gadaa system (indigenous democracy) and its Waaqeffanna religion, which is the preserved representative of all African religions (monotheistic belief in one God). Gadaa system must be modernized and used in the areas it will be accepted as a home grown African version of democracy, instead of importing the non-functional westrn democracy, which usually is difficult to be excercised in Africa. Reviving Waagqeffanna in Oromia meanse a rennaisance of African religion asserting its self against the three major imposed religions aka Christianity, Islam and Judaisim, who used to demonize African religion as the work of Satan.
This way or that way, the reality on the ground now is that Oromos are under the yoke of national occupation/colonization/oppression. We Oromos are struggling now to free our selves from such slavery. Our spiritual organization (Dhaaba) aka OLF, the mindset we all Bilisummaa loving Oromos do have, is moving in every level to realize our emancipation. I think this liberation spirit moves now at three levels:
- at the level of the governing party OPDO to keep the status quo of a limited cultural autonomy i.e to hinder the back ward move to the status we were in till 1991, the time there were no Oromia as a state, no use of Afaan Oromo in Oromia, no limiterd cultural right which we do have now…..etc.
- at the level of OFU (Oromo Federalists Union) in MEDREK, the opposition movement which tries to achieve a genuine autonomy for Oromia in federal Ethiopia, Oromia as the national state being liberated from the current Weyane looting and lording.
- at the level of OLF proper to lead us to self-determination, be it per ballot or per bullet. I do include all rebel Oromo organizations organized under ULFO to be part and parcel of this level of Oromo liberation movement.
Leaving the study of our history to historians, we need to agree on our future destiny. Our destiny is to be determined by the liberation movement from status quo to freedom of Oromo people and to sovereignity of Oromo land. We need to determine our fate and be Abbaa-biyyaa (owner) in our land. To this END, we need to discern our own wish from the wish of our colonizers. We know that Abeshas want that we unconditionally accept their mantra about UNITY of the empire. This is the precondition they always put even to forge an alliance with Oromo political organizations against the fascist Weyane. But we Oromos should clearly articulate that our desire is to foster our national self-determination which can result to autonomous Oromia with in the Union of nations in the empire as well in the Horn or to independent Oromia with out the aspired union. There will be no compromise on our self-determination which is the key to our destiny.
July 16th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Contd…
To forge our End Kaayyoo, we need to synchronize it with the international and continental developments. Now it is historical fact that Africa is developing gradually towards a federal arranglement aka United State of Africa. Oromos’ Kaayyoo then can only be to foster a State of Oromia in a United States of Africa, Finfinne being the capital of both Africa and Oromia. We hope that Abeshas come to their sense and accept this endeavour so that we will have Tigrai state, Amharai state, Ogadenia state, Oromia state….etc in a United States of Africa. At the time Abeshas accept this common Kayyoo, then all of us can be partners to foster it for common benefit. It is the acceptance of this common goal which may help to promote the needed alliance of pro-democracy Abesha forces like G-7 with the pro-liberty Oromo fronts like OLF against the current fascistic regime in the empire
No question, the optimal Karaa (way) to the above Kaayyoo is the very much desired unity (Tokkummaa) of Oromo people and of the Oromo political organizations for liberation (Bilisummaa). The current main obstacle on the way to our goal is Weyane. To get rid of this fascistic looting force, the following factors are necessary as chronoligically put, based on their importance:
- 1st, we need Tokkummaa of all Oromo organizations for Bilisummaa of Oromo people.
- 2nd, we can forge an alliance with all oppressed nations (excluding the dominant Abyssinians) who can move with us till our END.
- 3rd, we can have an alliance with Abesha democratic forces (of course not with dictatorial forces like AEUP and EPRP), who at least respect the freedom of Oromo people, even though they do oppose our effort to establish the sovereignity of Oromo land. The dictatorial Abesha forces accept and respect neither freedom of Oromo people nor sovereignitiy of Oromo land.
July 17th, 2009 at 7:56 am
She is may be Oromo, but she serves amharas (MInority)interest, not Oromos(Majority).
July 17th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Forget about your etincity, and fight for your people. Your people are suffering when you are full of big mac’s and fries. we shall stand united and fight this so called minority tplf’s. Ethiopia is for all of us, except few blood sukers tplf’s and their few supporter of other tribes. We stand united and destroy our entrnal enemies weayne from face of Mama Ethiopia.
July 17th, 2009 at 1:59 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains. let’s get them including agazzzi meles monkey. We must work with our eritrean brothers
to get those tigrain rats.
The EPLF also opposed the TPLF manifesto for independence on the grounds that Tigrai was an inegral part of Ethiopia and there was no justification for secession from Ethiopia. At this time, the EPLF was reluctant to support separatist movements in Ethiopia, not just as a matter of princople but for various other motives as well… [more excerpts will be posted later
July 17th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains. let’s get them including agazzzi meles monkey. We must work with our eritrean brothers to get those tigrain rats.
July 17th, 2009 at 2:37 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi meles monkey. We must work with our eritrean brothers to get those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 17th, 2009 at 2:39 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi meles
monkey. We must work with our eritrean brothers to get those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 17th, 2009 at 2:41 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi meles
monkey. We must work with
our eritrean brothers to get those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 17th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi meles
monkey. We must work with
our eritrean brothers to get
those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 17th, 2009 at 2:53 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi
meles monkey. We must work with
our eritrean brothers to get
those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 17th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
የኛይቱ ሳራ ፔለን (ብርቱካን) ያገር ልጅ ይውደዳት እንጂ ምን ዓይነት የፖለቲካ ፎርሙላና ይዘት እንዳላት ያስመስከረችበት የፖለቲካ መድረክ የለም ፤ እንደዚህ የተዝረከረከችና ሌላ የረሃብ መቅሰፍት ሊፋጠጣት የሚችል ሃገራችንን፣ ከዚህ ቀውስ ሊያስጥላት የሚችለው ሳራ ፔለን(ብርቱካን) አትመስለኝም ፡፡ የሃገር መምራት ብቁነቱ መወደድ ብቻ ዓይደለም ፣ጥልቅ ጥንቃቄንና አስተዋይነትን ይጠይቃል….. እንደኔ ምርጫማ ከሆነ አቶ ዓላሙዲ
ይህ ነው የማይባል የስራ ልምድና እውቀት እንዳላቸው ዓንጠራጠር፡ የዛሬ አስር አመት ገደማ ለሆነ መጽሄት የሰጡት
የፖሊሲና የእድገት ግምገማ እንዲሁም ለተለያዩ የዜና ምንጮች በሚያደርጉት ሃገር ወዳዳዊ ዓስተያየትና ዓመለካከት፣
ከምርጫው ተቀዳሚ እንጅ ተከታይ ዓያስደርጋቸውም……..ረጅም እድሜ ለሃገራችን የለውጥ አርበኞⶭ!!!!!
July 18th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi
meles monkey. We must
work withour eritrean brothers
to get those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 18th, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Dear Birtukan,
Ethiopian ladies have already slept! But, one lady in my night life has warned one man that she could have made sanction or do something. But, I was wondering how her thinking was brilliant.
July 18th, 2009 at 6:49 pm
rahel,Ahhaa, you tigrain. we ethiopian comming after you soon
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi
meles monkey. We must work with
our eritrean brothers to get
those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 19th, 2009 at 1:30 pm
rahel,Ahhaa, you tigrain. we ethiopian comming after you soon
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10320
http://www.eppfonline.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi
meles monkey. We must
work with our eritrean brothers to get
those tigrain rats/monkeie
July 19th, 2009 at 5:37 pm
She cometed the crime she should pay the price rotin in preson
July 19th, 2009 at 8:44 pm
http://www.eppfonline.org/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
let’s get those cancer tigrains.
let’s get them including agazzzi
meles monkey. We must work with
our eritrean brothers to get
those tigrain rats/monkeie
Many things can be done; one important thing we can do is exposing Woyane’s cadres where ever we live. They are criminals in their own right. The cadres must be exposed for the world
July 20th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Last night in my dreams i saw the honourable judge bertukan mideksa with two bright streched wings like an angel runing after a two horn melese (devil) firing every part of his body that comes out from her wings till he get collapsed and changed to dust ,and get back taking many small childrens inside her wings and starts crying .She might be the next young mother of Ethiopia. Dont get me wrong i am not a dreamer it is reality
July 20th, 2009 at 9:35 am
Ahmed you finally admited the kate you chew make you hulusnat look at you how confuse and stupid you are and always will be , day dremer idot misrable lonly old shertam man fuck you ass hol
July 20th, 2009 at 5:19 pm
http://www.eppfonline.org/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
rahel,Ahhaa, you tigrain. we ethiopian comming after you soon
Many things can be done; one important thing we can do is exposing Woyane’s cadres where ever we live. They are criminals in their own right. The cadres must be exposed for the world
July 20th, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Meanwhile, private Alemeshet disclosed that the regime’s attempt to muffle the Eritrean mass media by expending millions of dollars has proven to be a futile effort and that the Ethiopian people in general and the Army in particular are able to follow the Eritrean media with clear frequency.
http://www.ethiopianreview.com/content/10352
July 21st, 2009 at 11:18 am
Cancer is killing ethiopia. The cancer is the tigrain virus. The virus is single stard RNA tigrains 11. the cancer must be destroyed before it kills mama ethiopia. Meanwhile, private Alemeshet disclosed that the regime’s attempt to muffle the Eritrean mass media by expending millions of dollars has proven to be a futile effort and that the Ethiopian people in general and the Army in particular are able to follow the Eritrean media with clear frequency.
http://www.eppfonline.org/
http://www.ginbot7.org/
July 21st, 2009 at 1:33 pm
Rahel you see you dont need no rocket science or big techneology to to quake woyannes camp .As primitive and backward as you are you along with all indigineous dedebits are born to beg and if it comes bigger to loot not to lead a village let alone a proud nation like Ethiopia you dont get no respond from me any more cos i am feeling i am getting low and lower every time i respond for your comment
July 21st, 2009 at 6:37 pm
Ahmed low life losser i always know you are big losser, you loss i won . give up brain dameg dirty animal chew your kate hulusnat more wako