By Jason McLure, Jan. 8 (Bloomberg) — Ethiopia’s leading opposition politician is in her 10th day of a hunger strike after she was jailed for life on Dec. 29 following a dispute with the government, according to her mother.
Birtukan Mideksa, 34, has been taking only juice and water and is being held in solitary confinement in a windowless 3-meter by 4-meter (10-foot by 13-foot) cell in Ethiopia’s Kaliti prison, said her mother, Almaz Gebregziabhere, who visited her in prison yesterday.
“I didn’t recognize her because of how she’s changed,” said Gebregziabhere, 72, in an interview today at her home in Addis Ababa. “I begged her for the sake of her daughter to eat, but she didn’t.”
Prison officials have banned all visitors except Gebregziabhere and Mideksa’s 3-year-old daughter, Halle, from visiting her, Gebregziabhere said. Gebregziabhere, speaking in Amharic through a translator, said the family had been unable to hire a lawyer for Mideksa because those contacted on her behalf have turned her down as a client, fearing government reprisals.
Mideksa, a leader of the now-dissolved Coalition for Unity and Democracy party, was first jailed after Ethiopia’s 2005 elections, in which the CUD claimed victory. She and dozens of other opposition leaders were sentenced to life in prison, though they were released in 2007 after a pardon agreement with the government of Prime Minister Meles Zenawi.
She was re-arrested Dec. 29 after she rejected government demands that she make a public statement saying she had formally requested the original pardon.
‘Humane Condition’
Bereket Simon, an adviser to Zenawi, said he wasn’t aware of Mideksa’s fast.
“We have a prison system whereby we hold prisoners in a humane condition,” Simon said. “This is a case where she has said that she didn’t ask for pardon and the decision of the judiciary is being applied. At this point, I don’t think it requires intervention by lawyers.”
Simon also said the government wasn’t interested in potential mediation efforts by the independent group that negotiated Mideksa’s initial release.
Following their release in 2007, some former CUD leaders chose exile in the U.S. or U.K. Mideksa stayed in Ethiopia and formed a new party that planned to contest the 2010 elections.
“Look what has happened to her,” said Berhanu Nega, who along with Mideksa led the CUD movement in 2005, in a phone interview from Lewisburg, Pennsylvania. The government “will never allow any peaceful transition in that country.”
Call to Struggle
Nega, who was elected mayor of Addis Ababa in 2005 before his imprisonment, has called for armed struggle to oust Zenawi. Nega left Ethiopia after his release from prison in 2007 to teach at Bucknell University in Pennsylvania.
His new movement, Ginbot 7, has formed an underground network inside Ethiopia with the goal of overthrowing Zenawi’s Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, Nega said.
The U.S., which views Ethiopia as a key ally in the fight against terrorism, offered a rare rebuke to Zenawi’s government following Mideksa’s arrest, warning Ethiopia to avoid steps that appear to “criminalize dissent.”
Government opponents accused the state of rigging the May 2005 poll, sparking protests in Addis Ababa. A judicial inquiry after the election concluded that government security forces had killed 193 opposition supporters in the unrest.
To contact the reporter on this story: Jason McLure in Addis Ababa via the Johannesburg bureau at abolleurs@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: January 8, 2009 13:51 EST
January 8th, 2009 at 7:18 pm
There is not one lawyer brave enough to take this courageaous woman’s case in the whole of Ethiopia, i think this speaks volumes about us as people.
January 8th, 2009 at 7:55 pm
Yes Dr Berehanu! this is what we need from You. Most of us /Ethiopian People/ infront of behind of Ginbot 7.We trust You, You trust us.we are on the critical time to pay the maximum sacrifice for our beloved mother, Ethiopia. Hope, Woyane’s days are numbered.the spirit of G7 is upon our people in Ethiopia and Out side at large.You have to mobilize and use this huge power properly and wisely.I would like to say again that TRUST US! WE ARE INFRONT AND BEHIND OF GINBOT 7 .
January 8th, 2009 at 7:56 pm
nuna, what have you done as a citizen? lets all stop blaming each other and come together. i support and involved in www.ginbot7.org , have you?
January 8th, 2009 at 8:11 pm
It is disappointing to read such sorts of news. Where are the so called Hodam lawyers? Of course Bertukan excels the so called lawyers of Ethiopia, and she needs no lawyer. And this has also stopped being a legal matter. It is a political issue and should be resolved politically. We should cry in front of all funding agencies to use their leverage on woyane.We should all think for long term and final solutions. I opt for the G7 path, and You?
January 8th, 2009 at 8:23 pm
ብርቱካን ለስዬ አብርሃ የማንንም ዛቻ ሳትፈራ ለሃቅ ቆመች:: አሁን ግን ለዚህች ንጹህ ኢትዮጵያዊት የሚቆም ጠፋ - ወትሮስ ሱሪ የታጠቀ ወንድ ጠፍቶ አይደል ሴቷ እስር ቤት የገባችው?
ወይ ነዶ!!
January 8th, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Who is in prison? Is it the Ethiopian people living under dictatorship or Is Melese Zenawi and his cohort? A person like Birtukan, standing on the side of the truth, is never in prison. Birtukan Mediksa will always have the internal tranquility and peace in her. She is evenhandedly carrying the burden of millions of Ethiopians who are in prison, out side of Kaliti, deprived of justice in their own country. The hunger strike is her weapon on these despicable dictators who don’t hesitate to lie about their “rule of low”. It seems that she is convinced to die in prison than to see her wrights violated. What would the Ethiopian people do If she dies in prison? And what would these dictators do? Knowing that they caused her death with their narrow minded injustice, would they be able to sleep at night? OR would they still keep her corpus in Kaliti prison?
January 8th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Her hair style is good on the picture.
Poor Mideksa!Your life turned down when you boyco CUD and follow Brhanu nega a fake freedom fighter who want to exploit your poor political tendency.
Anyway let us see brahnanu Nega went to the jungle and fight for you visibly!in the coming few years.
January 8th, 2009 at 11:33 pm
ሃይሉ ሻውል ምነው ድምጹ ጠፋ :: አሁን ኢትዮጵያን ወክዬአለሁኝ ከሚል አንድ ፖለቲከኛ እንዲህ ያለ ቂም መያዝ ይጠበቃል?ትልቅ አንቱ ከተባለ ፖለቲከኛ ሌላው ቢቀር እንዴት እንደተፈታ ማብራሪያ ለምን አይሰጥም? መጥኔ!!!ን በግርግር ያድርገው ሃይሉ!!
January 8th, 2009 at 11:39 pm
ብርቱዬ, አንቺ ቢርብሽ እና አልበላም ብትዬ …ለወያኔ እጅ አልሰጥም ብለሽ ነው::መለስ ግን ከሁሉም ነገር የማይበላው ሃኪም ከልክሎት ነው::እላዩ ላይ የሰፈረበት 99 ደዌ በሽታ :: ስክዋሩ ደም ብዛቱ ኩላሊቲ ጨግዋራው :ማዲያቱ ምናምኑ…በአጠቃላይ ሰውዬው ዱለት ሆንዋል…ያንቺ ግን ምንም አይደለም!!ግዜው የውሸታሞች ነው::
January 8th, 2009 at 11:51 pm
i am sorry, Ethiopian great full women arrested, all Ethiopian people should be united & this woyane government break down
January 9th, 2009 at 12:20 am
መለስ ..ውሸት ..መለስ ውሸት..መለስ..ውሸት..መለስ..ውሸት..መለስ..ውሸት..መለስ..ውሸት..መለስ..ውሸት..
January 9th, 2009 at 12:42 am
Birtukan …she is our hero..we will never forget what you did and what you are doing for your people of Ethiopia. But Meles and his stupied servants you will pay the price. you will be hang infront us. Putting Birtiukan doesn’t stop us from fighting. We will fight you until the end. You might don’t know where we at, but you all will see soon. What goes around it comes around. May God Bless Ethiopia and MAY GOD BRING FIRE UPON THOSE WHO KILL AND SUCK THE BLOOLD OF POOR PEOPLE.
January 9th, 2009 at 2:09 am
Amazingly, too many tigray woyanes are invading this room. I am baffled as to how these scambag tigray woyanes try to defend the undefendable.
Meles Naziawi is not after Birtukan or Teddy Afro for that matter, he is after the idea of ETHIOPIANISM. Anyone who is assumed a nationalist, is the enemy of meles fashistawi. He will continue to prey nationalists until he sees no more threat to his crown! However I am sure we will get rid of these walking devil before he is doing to much damage.
Ethiopians from all walks of life are awake now, they are just waiting for the right time for action. The tigray woyanes will be burned alive and chopped like a cabagge when the judgment day arrives, which isnt at all far.
Both Birtukan and Teddy are the messaih of ethiopian freedom and justice, they are the herions of our time, they are the light of that dark land….they will for sure be free at last, its just a matter of time.
_____________________________________________________________
In the mean time, I urge every Ethiopian not to send cash in form of dollar and euro to ethiopia. Right now woyane is under a foreign currency crisis. You can convert your dollar or euro into currencies that woyane least needs such as latin american or scandinivian currencies, by doing so the recipient in ethiopia will collect the same amount of birr that he would if u had send him in the form of dollar or euro. If we all adher to this very simple, but effective, technique, woyanes foreign currency nightmare will cripple its network of gangstership and we will leverage our struggle for freedom and jsutice! If u are a geniune ethiopian pass this message to friends and family in the diaspora ASAP.
Victory for Ethiopia.
January 9th, 2009 at 2:09 am
………… didsa or dade woyane ….መለስ ሃሳዊ የተቀናቀነውን ቢያስር ጉልበቱን የጦሩን ብዛት ተማምኖ ነው እንጂ በትክክል ህግን ተጠቅሞ እንዳልሆነ እሱም አንተም ታውቁታላችሁ::ከፍ ሲል የትግል አጋሮቹን እንደገና በተቃዋሚዎች ላይ የሚያደርሰውን ያለው እስራትና ወከባ በትክክለኛ ምንነቱን ያሳየ የዘመኑ አምባገነንነቱን ያሳያል:: ንጹሃን ሰዎችን ያለወንጀላቸው ማሰቃየት የሚያስመካ ከሆነ :በራሱ ላይ ሃጢያቱን እየሰፈረ መሆኑን እወቀው::የ አለማችን ውሸታምና ዘላባጅ የሚናገረውን የማያውቅ :ራሱን የሚያታል አሳፋሪ ሰው ቢኖር አንዱ መለስና :መለስ ሃሰታዊ ብቻ ነው::ለሞተና በራሱ ዛቢያ ላይ ለሚሽከረከር አንድ ጭፍን ሰው በማጨብጨብህ የራስህን ምንነት ቁልጭ አድርጎ ያሳያል::ጊዜው ለውሸታሞችና ለ ፈላጭ ቆራጮች አይመችም::መለስ 19 አመት ሙሉ ሳያውቅ በደሃ ህዝብ ላይ የተፋውን መልሶ የሚውጥበት ጊዜ ሩቅ አይደለም:: አራምዳለሁኝ የሚለው የዘረኝነት ፌደራሊዝም አካሂደዋለውኝ የሚለው የይስሙላ ምርጫ ነጻ ገበያ ሁሉም ነገር ተይዞ ያለው በጉልበት እንጂ ትክክለኛ በህጉና በደንቡ እንዳልሆነ ሁሉም ሰው ጠንቅቆ ያውቀዋል::የአንድ ብቸኛ ፓርቲ ሞኖፖል ነጻ ገበያ: አሻንጉሊት ምክር ቤት:የይስሙላ ምርጫ:የዘመድ አዝማድ አመራር :ስርቆት:የዘር ፌደራሊዝም: የጣልቃ ገብ ጦርነት:የንጹሃን ግድያ :በሞቃዲሾ:አዲስ አበባ:ይሄ ሁሉ ተደምሮ ሰውዬው እስከ ዘቀጠ አመራሩ መቀ መቅ ገብቶ ለፍርድ የሚቀርብበት ግዜ ሩቅ አይደለም::ለአንድ መጥፎ አመራር መውደቅ ጦርነትን ብቻ አትጠብቅ:: በራሱ በትንሹ የጊዜ የ እድሜና የጤንነት ጉዳይም አለ::ውዱ ደሃ ካድሬ ያፍዋጭካትን ፉጨት :መልሰህ ራስህ ለመስማት ያብቃህ::መለስ ቆስጣውን ጠግቦ ለበላው አንተ አታግሳለት::ለ እውነት አውራ::መለስ ጣጠኛዊ የሰራቸውን መጥፎ ስራዎች ሁሉ እየተቀበልክ ካፉዋጨህ :ሰውዬው መል አኩ መለስ ሊባል ነው::አይሳሳትማ!! ከሁሉም ነገር ግርም የሚለኝ 19 አመት ሙሉ ሲጠየቅ አንድም ቀን አዎ ተሳስተናል ወይም ተሳስቼያለሁ የማይል ጉድ ነው::ሁሉም ነገር መለስ ጋር ስህተት የለም::ለዚህም ነው በአንድ ወቅት ኮንደሊዛ ራይት :ሰውዬው ሙልጭልጭና ውሸታም ህግን በሚፈልግ ጊዜ የሚያወጥኣ አጭበርባሪ እንደሆነ ያበሰሩት::ደሃው ካድሬ ሆይ ….አሁን መለስ ብሩን ልጁን ሚስቱን ይዞ እንደገና 3ኛውን ምሽግ በውጭ አገር ሊመሽግ ተዘጋጅትዋል::መጀመሪያ በደደቢት መሸገ::ለጠቀና 4 ኪሎ :እንደገና አሁን ለ 3 ኛ ጊዜ በውጭ ሊመሽግ እየተዘጋጀ ነው::ይብላኝ ለአነተ ደሃ ካድሬ:ወይ ከሱ አልሆንክ ወይ ከኮሚኒዩቲው አልሆንክ:: ብዙ የሚሸማቀቁና የሚያፍሩ ሰዎች ይታዩኛል የዚያን ጊዜ…..በተለይ ሼህ ቢንያም ከበደ የ አላሙዲ ፈርስት ዳት ካም ዌብ አዘጋጅ እና መሰሎቹ በጥቂቱ ይሆናሉ….መለስን ለፍርድ አንተን ለቁም ነገር ያብቃህ!!
January 9th, 2009 at 4:20 am
didisa thank you very much man. you have said it all. and yet here there are few neftegnas trying to tell us as if she is in hunger strike.KKKKKKKK
wey gooooood hunger strike ( mekeleja hone) how can neftegnas make hunger strike?. I coulde’nt belive my self when I heard this news.however
there are few poletitians who are trying to conffused our ppl as if mrs birtukan makes hunger strike. they told us this fake info from the day one she went to kality. and now it’s almost 10 days so how can she is still there? I don’t belive this caind of lie. any way she made a mistake and she got her self in prison. I am sorry for her poor poletics. I though she was smart but she is not. she is just rocky head like her bro the gumary birhanu nega thes two guys are the neftegnas genius poletitians. what a shame. any way GOD bless woyanne.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:17 am
Hunger strike is the weapon of the powerful. You can read how Ghandi became a strong man from hunger stike. The woyanes don’t know the benefit of making hunger strike. It may weaken the body but it strengths the mind. That is the truth of hunger strike. The woyanes are dying because they are fattening their body and killing their mind with “Choma”. Bertukan will come out triumphant after the strike. May God help you Birtukan. You are a torn in the gut of that monster Zenawi.
I am ashamed for the children of Zenawi.
January 9th, 2009 at 8:42 am
Dear Ethiopian forget about The ignorant Dedebit weyane cadres and continue the struggle in all ways.
January 9th, 2009 at 9:13 am
I can not imagine that Hailu Shawel and his eprp cultish group counts Birtukan’s arrest as an accoplishement to continue thier destructive goals.
But one thing they didnt realize is that the Aste Hailu Shawel and EPRP dirty propaganda would not get any more attention, as same as the weyane poor propaganda.
But most ethiopians who are depressed by the arrest of birtukan are not taken down by the situation, since we all have a huge path to support Ginbot 7 , a party that has a best leaders and a best principle to remove the weyane criminal groups.
Long Live Ginbot 7
January 9th, 2009 at 10:42 am
Toronto,
Thanks for your encouraging advice to support the struggle. I am and i will until i see the rule of law reigned in my country. However the little i am doing does not make me courageous, because i am doing it from a safe place, and it’s my duty to do so. I was asking about a courageous lawyer living in Ethiopia willing to give counsel to Birtukan. I don’t even think lawyers to counsel her because they have already closed the case.
January 9th, 2009 at 10:54 am
ታጋይ ኮማንዶ እንግሊዘኛህን አስተካክል መጀመሪያ
January 9th, 2009 at 11:55 am
I give credit to TPLF nertheless negative force/evil force in Ethiopia for its spy network both at home and abroad and its Agazi forces military and police force, teletafi and loyalist parties including UDJP to manage to work in its favour, while it causes disintegration, economic crisis, humanitarian crises and famine in Ethiopia and also manage cause strife with in Kinijit. Not only that UDJP being considered moderate and the others hardliners, as if being a hard liner is bad are receiving a barrage of insults by the supporters of UDJP, may TPLF supporters looking for the lesser of two evils. Not only that the the ambivalent media and western correspondents are fanning the arrest of W/t Birtukan leaving all those prisoners that endured or have died in the concentration camps, as if the arrest of W/t Birtukan is in line of the the national interest of Ethiopia and Ethiopians. We are just following the the home work assignment given to us by TPLF with the umbrela of EPRDF.
Ginbot 7, Ginbot 4, a conglomerate of movements of different agenda of Berhanu-Andargachew initiative , a split of split of Kinijit, stationed in Asmara, with the pretext of Eritrea wants Ethiopian Unity is untenable/ unworkable propagand ploy, a very long and costly venture leading to EPLF dominance. The best solution is let the EPPF work from its base in Ethiopia, supported by Ginbot 7, and TPFDM from its home base and Eritrean freedom fighters if there are any, from their own home base to bring freedom, territorial integrity. and sovereignty to Ethiopia.Then and there will be no ethnic conflict on boundries, whether major or minor.After the establishment of a democratic government with individual freedom highest in the agenda, followed freedom of assembly , etc., then economic development will follow along ecolocial zones not ethnic boundries.
January 9th, 2009 at 12:33 pm
To commando,
Kill yourself, go and learn little bit of english. agases weyane.You are nothing but dirty condom, not comando. You tought you are smart, but no no…u know how to say neftgna neftgna….BUT YOUR MIND IS FULL OF GARBAGE…
January 9th, 2009 at 12:39 pm
COMMANDO PLEASE CAN YOU SAY GOD BLESS ETHIOPIA INSTEAD OF WOYANE IHAVE NEVER SEEN YOUR COMMENT WITHOUT BLESSING WOYANE WHY NOT YOUR COUNTRY MAN WOYANE IS JUST ORGANIZATION BUT COUNTRY IS FIRST YOU CAN SUPPORT ANY ORGANIZATION IDONOT HAVE PROBLEM WITH THAT
January 9th, 2009 at 2:20 pm
commando you are wrong to call birtkan neftegna iknow any body who stands for the truth is neftegna olf and zeregna according to woyane meles isnot diferent from mengistu so may allah bring agood leader for all ethiopian not only tigray and shabian god bless the poor ppl of ethiopia
January 9th, 2009 at 4:48 pm
ENOUGH IS ENOUGH -IF THIS CAN NOT UNITE US FOR DETERMINED STRUGGLE AND OUSTIUNG OF THE ETHNO-FACIST GROUP OF TPLF _WE PROBABLY DESERVE TPLF’s HEINOUS RULE
January 9th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
Aha,
What’s wrong are you jealous of a jailed woman for getting some attention? let’s be honest when known names such as leaders of a political group jailed is when other nameless and faceless prisoners get attention for the better. In this case all the camera lights are on the dictator and his cruelity because of Bertukan’s arrest, therefore don’t be jealous, just do your part togeter with others working tirelessly to bring the rule of law in the country.
January 9th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
woyane has been alooser and it isalways alooser by jailing birtukan they are diging their graves very deep so their daysare numberd that is why they are biting evry body like crazy dog
January 10th, 2009 at 2:27 am
I neither support the tactless move of your leader of UDJP or your other leader of Ginbot 7 a split of a split, nor I am I jealous. Jeolous of what?, but I revealing the lopsidedness of the media. We do not have to flare up emotionally when the leaders we support are scrutinized, you need to come with logical to counter my argument point by point. You should know you are playing into the hands of TPLF by focusing on rather by focusing on the situations I presented on the bias of the media and the lack of tactfulleness of UDJP leadership, knowing there is no freedom of speech, knowing there is no due process and knowing there is no 48 hr limit before one is charged and brought before court.
Also there is known leaders engaged in the peaceful struggle that did not get attention, not the nameless and the faceless individuals as you put it in the concentration camps.
January 10th, 2009 at 2:53 am
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFACE/ERASE TRUTH WHILE WITNESSES ARE STILL ALIVE!
http://www.abbaymedia.com/Amharic/Haken_Lemeshemtet.pdf
January 10th, 2009 at 11:21 am
Ethiopia
ethiopians@tecolahagos.com Saturday, January 10, 2009
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THE MORAL AND LEGAL DIMENSIONS OF PRESIDENT BIRTUKAN MIDEKSA’S IMPRISONMENT
By Teodros Kiros ( PH.D)
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The intricate legal dimensions of President Birtukan’s case was recently handled by two sparkling articles by distinguished legal scholars: Professor Alemayehu G.Mariam and Professor Tecola W. Hagos, published in Ethiomedia and Tecolahagos respectively. And Professor Mesay Kebede, in Ethiomedia and Tecolahagos, most powerfully articulated the moral dimension of Birtukan’s arrest and imprisonment.
I am most grateful to these scholars from whom I continue to learn.
My own modest contribution is in the area of moral philosophy, to which I will return momentarily, and on which moral edifice, I will seek to ground the complexities of the legal arguments so ably articulated by the two mighty scholars.
The legal arguments as presented by Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam are the following:
(1) President Birtukan did not deny asking for pardon, but when asked a question pertaining to the pardon in Sweden , she specified asking for pardon as a matter of due process, which the detainees did not do, and signing for a pardon agreement negotiated by the Shimagles. She denied the first, as a matter of fact, but admitted the second, and that the prime minister has no shred of evidence for arguing that she denied receiving a pardon.
(2) President Birtukan also stated that the person who submits an appeal for clemency ought to have been either the concerned person’s lawyer, or family member. This duty was illegally assumed by the Prime Minister, who felt obligated to stand for the detainees as their lawyer and took the document to the board and the president.
(3) President Birtukan has the legal right to discuss, reflect and examine her condition at any time, any place, in the right manner, since the document that she signed did not precisely specify what she can and cannot say, regarding her condition. That is her legal right as a citizen, a person and a thinking human being.
(4) Assuming that she has violated the law, the person who threatened to arrest her, unless she retracts her statement should not have been the police commissioner. According to Proclamation 395/1996, Arts, 16 and 17, there is a lawful process by which pardon could be revoked. The lawful process was flagrantly violated, since she was denied her due process, which was taken over by a police commissioner, performing an illegality, under the said proclamation.
(5) Under the conditions, specified above, President Birtukan was arrested without a criminal charge.
Professor Tecola W. Hagos’s earlier article is similar in several of his important views with Professor Alemayehu G.Mariam’s arguments in (1) and (2) and most specifically emphasizes the human and democratic rights of freedom of thought, speech, and expression which is emphasized in (3). We may surmise Professor Tecola’s views in the following three points:
(1) Professor Tecola points out that the right to speak ones mind even includes the right to openly advocate the peaceful removal of Meles Zenawi from office. Thus, signing a pardon cannot possibly be used to muffle President Birtukan’s mouth. The Ethiopian Constitution itself grants her fundamental and inalienable rights of speech, expression and thought, thereby fully in agreement with Professor Alemayehu G. Mariam’s views in (1).
(2) It is Professor Tecola’s understanding that in discussing the pardon, President Birtukan, was making a fine legally analytic distinction between constitutionally supported processes (Due process) and an ad hoc improvised process mediated by a third party, the Shimagles, a point that Professor Almemayehu G. Mariam also sharply noted in (1).
(3) One could argue that President Birtukan might have played with fire, when she spoke her mind at the wrong time, in the wrong place and to the wrong authority, in this case, a relentless dictatorship, an instance of a lapse of judgment but excusable, as plainly stated by Professor Tecola.
Haimanot Lakew, also shrewdly noted the same point in a thoughtful article, “Magnanimity Should Have Been The Order of the Day” (Aiga Forum) Summarizing considerably, and with a sincere attempt of not sacrificing the technical legalities, I now move to articulate the moral dimensions of this perturbing case, by following the important lead most eloquently put forward by Professor Messay Kebedes’ eye-catching argument.
For Professor Messay Kebede, what is at issue is the moral status of the very idea of asking for pardon, when one is not convinced that one has committed any wrong, in light of the indisputable legal facts that Professors Almayehu G. Mariam and Tecola W. Hagos compellingly presented, with both concluding that President Birtukan did not commit a crime. According to Professor Messay Kebede, the intention then was not that President Birtukan committed a crime and that she must be punished by the rule of law, but that the Dictatorship wanted to humiliate her publicly.
Disagreeing with the view that it was a lapse of judgment, Professor Messay Kebede, praises the heroine for being true to herself by speaking conscience to power. For him, President Birtukan did not lack in judgment, she chose the path of the moral virtues, and presented herself as upright, principled, courageous and selfless.
To Professor Messay Kebede, President Birtukan is a moral heroine, the voice of principle, the path of resistance, the orchestration of revolutionary political action in the agora.
She has set a standard of moral greatness—an example to us all by presenting herself as a catalyst of change, and a barometer of what Dessalegn Asfaw, luminously called, “An inward struggle.”
Indeed, she is a moral figure that the regime attempted to silence by life imprisonment, by using her as a spectacle, and sending signs to the masses that the prize of courage is prison and torture, and that material comfort and government appointments are the rewards to the servile, docile and those who live only for bread.
President Birtukan has proved them wrong, and that we the Ethiopian masses must now assemble, protest and be vigilant citizens, working on our inner selves, and make Birtukan’s struggle our very own, our very moral fiber, and fight docility with moral action, comfort with suffering, alienation with vibrant moral life, fragmentation with Andent, and Ethnicity with Ethiopianity.
We must move on full speed and use the complex legal arguments as the justifications for the exercise of the moral virtues.
Now is the time, in which we can fight by the use of the moral edifice on which stand the legal defenses.
Teodros Kiros ( PH.D)
January 7, 2009
January 10th, 2009 at 1:09 pm
IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFACE/ERASE TRUTH WHILE WITNESSES ARE STILL
ALIVE!
Selam Girma,
Re: http://www.abbaymedia.com/Amharic/Haken_Lemeshemtet.pdf
http://www.abbaymedia.com/Amharic/Haken_Lemeshemtet.pdf
Yes, I am impressed by the documentation/ records of events that Dr Berhanu Nega and his colleagues had kept, but was not surprised knowing how diligent Dr Birhanu and his colleagues are.
This exposes the hypocrisy surrounding the so called the ‘clemency/pardon’ process.
Of course, Birtukan is courageous and truthful, major assets in her favor as a promising leader!
I was invited to attend the Dinner Party organized by the UK support group in her Honor before Birtukan returned to Ethiopia from the EU tours.
In the brief encounter I had with Birtukan during that evening, I brought to her attention the issue we here in this Forum we were debating at the time that was distortedly posted on the Aigaforum tabloid website of Meles Zenawi’s MOF(Minstry of Foreign…), i..e, Did the Kinijit leaders sign as an apology as reported by the TPLF/EPRDF propaganda outlets?
Birtukan’s short response was exactly as in her famous ”Kale” statement.
As she was commenting, I got the impression that this is a person who would not mince her words. I said to myself, I see in Birtukan’s eyes and in her response someone who has credibility and who would stand up for what she believes in. She got through to me! Hence, my proactive campaigning for Birtukan’s release!
With respect to Dr Birhanu and his colleagues waiting up until now, I believe they were respecting the ‘elders’ even with all the flaws that were the features of how the ‘elders’ managed/not of the process that led the release of Kinijit leaders.
However, it is my take that Berhanu et al have finally decided to provide the details given the current crisis and the cowardly manners Pastor Daniel and the rest of the Shimagele group are behaving at present.
Therefore, I see the disclosure is appropriate and at the right moment.
Regards
Biri
——————————————————————————–
From: ggkd_eedn
To: Ethiopians-Forum@ yahoogroups. com
Sent: Saturday, January 10, 2009 8:00:15 AM
Subject: [Ethiopians- Forum] Re: IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFACE/ERASE TRUTH WHILE WITNESSES ARE STILL ALIVE!
Selam Birri:
Quiet impressing. Dr Berhanu et others have clearly documented it for
history. They should have told us all these before for there would be no
reprisal on them from ther egime. Anyway, Thanks to Birtukan for
exposing the lies and reveald to us the truth.
GK
— In Ethiopians-Forum@ yahoogroups. com, Biri Yaya
wrote:
>
> IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFACE/ERASE TRUTH WHILE WITNESSES ARE STILL
ALIVE!
>
>
> http://www.abbaymed ia.com/Amharic/ Haken_Lemeshemte t.pdf
>
> http://www.abbaymed ia.com/Amharic/ Haken_Lemeshemte t.pdf
>
> IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DEFACE/ERASE TRUTH WHILE WITNESSES ARE STILL
ALIVE!
>
January 10th, 2009 at 2:40 pm
http://www.eastafro.com/Post/2009/01/06/tplf-regime-heading-to-ultimate-demise-president-isaias-underscores-shabait/
TPLF regime heading to ultimate demise, President Isaias underscores - Shabait
Asmara, 6 January 2009 - In continuation of the interview he gave to the national media, President Isaias Afwerki said that despite attempts to prolong its stay in power through securing various types of external subsidy, the TPLF regime is heading to ultimate demise. He underscored that the regime’s political line characterized with the policy of divide and rule over the Ethiopian people continues to be exposed from time to time.
Indicating that the TPLF adopted the so-called Federal Constitution in 1995 in a bid to serve its narrow twin-purpose scheme, as well as prolong its stay in power, the President pointed out that it not only gave the existing natural differences in the country an institutional shape but also deepen them. The growing animosity and political, as well as armed opposition against the regime in various Ethiopian regions, including Tigray, is an outcome of such a reality, he elaborated
President Isaias went on to explain that following rejection by the Ethiopian people as a result of falling hostage to its own political line, the TPLF regime resorted to the policy of seeking external support. The fact that the regime became the servant of the US Administration is an ample proof of that, which nonetheless exposed the regime to even worse situation in every aspect, he added.
The President further noted that the Ethiopian economy is moving from bad to worse due the fact that the regime from the outset embarked on controlling and plundering the country’s economy rather than promoting economic development. In this respect, he pointed out that at a time when a quarter of the Ethiopian population is suffering from famine, the TPFLF regime’s claim as if the country has registered economic growth is but sheer joke.
As regards the Eritrean-Ethiopian border issue, President Isaias underlined that the TPLF regime has been totally defeated and that the issue has undoubtedly reached legal conclusion. He asserted that although the regime in pursuit of its narrow interests sought to foment animosity between the people of Eritrea and Tigray, the people and Government of Eritrea, provoked by the regime’s perpetration of crisis and obstacles, did not at all manifest animosity towards the Tigrayan people. The President declared that as both peoples are destined to coexist together, relations with the people of Tigray would play significant role in fostering sound relations and mutual prosperity in the future between the people of Eritrea and Ethiopia as a whole. He further asserted that Eritrea’s relations with all political forces in the region, including that of Ethiopia is aimed at creating conducive ground for promoting peace and cooperation at the regional level.
On Djibouti’s current smear campaign and the declaration of war against Eritrea on the part of the country’s President, President Isaias reiterated that Eritrea would under no circumstances engage in squabbles and that it sees no reason to resort to war. “We would only like to tell them: you have declared war and you have a debt,” he stated.
Regarding the TPLF regime’s invasion of Somalia, the President underlined that the subsequent massive acts of destruction to life and property the regime committed in that country by far exceed the atrocities perpetrated by the Haileselassie and Mengistu regimes. In this respect, he pointed out that the two-year old invasion did not bear any outcome other than destruction and utter failure. President Isaias further cited the huge inhumane crimes committed against the Somali people, about which the world media did not give due coverage owing to the pressure applied by Washington. And as such, both the TPLF regime and the US Administration are liable to face justice for these enormous crimes, he underscored. The President stated that Eritrea has the obligation and trust to play due role towards restoring normalcy to Somalia and promote peace in the region.
Concerning Sudan, President Isaias said that Sudan is currently at the cross roads due to complicating external interference. He also stressed that as Sudan’s engulfment in endless turmoil would not benefit its people, Eritrea and the region as a whole, the Eritrean government has not only been involved in constructive engagement but also advocating the need for extending the necessary support to Sudan so that it may not fall into such a scenario. The President further affirmed that Eritrea would continue to work for the benefit of the people of both countries and the region.
Commenting about the so-called Sana’a Forum, President Isaias stated that the game is being played by the TPLF alone and that Sudan and Yemen have only nominal presence in it. He added that the whole affair is not only a manifestation of the regime’s illusion and total bankruptcy but also represents one of its failed foreign strategy.
January 10th, 2009 at 2:55 pm
Protest at the Ethiopian Embassy in Stockholm/ Sweden
http://hornofafrica.de/
January 10th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
COMANDO YOU CHANGE YOUR NAME TO DIDISA AS IF THE OROMOS LIKES WOYANNE AUTHORITHERIAN MAFIA RING YOU ARE FOOLING YOURSELF
January 10th, 2009 at 9:43 pm
DANGER Agazzzi Cyber WAR
DANGER Agazzzi Cyber WAR
www.aigaforum.com” has been reported as an attack site. steal private information, use your computer to attack others, or damage your system.
Agazzzi cyber war .
weyane carde losing their mind. Don’t visit http://www.aigaforum.com. is attack site. Agazzzzzi cyber war. Agazzzi gainst civilization.
shame on Agazzzi
This website at “www.aigaforum.com” has been reported as an attack site.
Attack sites try to install programs that steal private information, use your computer to attack others, or damage your system.
So my advice to fellow Ethiopians, do not go and visit the woyane website /aiga forum/ and put yourself and your friends at danger and damage your and your friends computers.
For more information, Look the follwing link and image and see yourself.
Seeing is believing
http://www.geocities.com/tgizew/aiga.bmp
January 11th, 2009 at 10:04 pm
ጸጉር መሰንጠቁንና ውሀ መውቀጡን ትተን : የፊታችን ረቡዕ የተዘጋጀው አለም አቀፍ ሰላማዊ ሰልፍ ላይ በመሳተፍ ተቃውሞዋችንን ለአለም ሕዝብ እናሰማ::ሴትዋ ልጅ ወያኔን ሳትፈራ በረሃብ አድማ ስትሰቃይ እኛ ውጭ ተቀምጣን አፍ ማላመጡ ለኢትዮጵያም ይሁን ለብርቱካን አይጥቅምም:: ወያኔዎች እንደሆነ ሱሪ በአንገት አውልቁ ማለት ከጀመሩ ቆይተዋል:: ምን እስኪሆን ነው የምንጠብቀው????????
January 15th, 2009 at 12:16 am
ayeeeee mdre denqoro,weyane bicha aydelem yalew opdo ale afarm ale…….etc lelochun yepoletica partiwochna meriwochun menaqachuh eko new,emtgermu yemuhran denaqurt,belu enihe meda enihe feres