The meeting of EPRDF cadres and officials the whole of last week was concluded with an understanding that there are still elements of the opposition at large who are destabilizing the government. According to some participants, the officials told the cadres that they should be ready for a further action against the Kinijit supporters who collaborate with the diaspora to bring down the government.TPLF is continuing its repression unabated. The political space is completely closed. Civic organizations like CRDA are under serious threat. Surrogate bar association is formed. There is no free press.
Meanwhile, the prosecutor in charge of the Kinijit trial will finish presenting documentary evidence next Wednesday.
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Kinijit executive member Shaleka Getachew Mengste is having serious health problems. Doctors at the Police Hospital said that he has a life threatning testicular infection. Since imprisonment, Shaleka Getachew had undergone a surgery for prostate cancer.
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After this blog posted the financial problems of the families of many of imprisoned Kinijit members, some readers suggested that I make a call for Ethiopians in diaspora to sponsor families. I thought it is better for my security if a trusted volunteer/volunteers outside of Ethiopia take an intiative to create a fund for them. I may help in other aspects once the fund is created. Since Kinijit in NA has failed to fulfil its duties, let's think about other ways of helping the families of our heroes and heroines. Please put forward your suggestions.
Monday, July 17, 2006
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33 comments:
I am glad you are back. Your last paragraph about Kinijit NA brings out a pain that has plagued most of us lately. I will also include Kinijit International as they also seem to be failing their task miserably. I keep on hoping they will rise from the dead soon, but so far there is no clue they are alive. I am wondering if EPRDF's stolen financial largesse is in the works here muzzling the entire Kinijit NA and Kinijit International leadership. If they want to kill such rumor from getting its own life then they need to get up and do something worth the cause and name they have inherited. Why is this land so cursed with leaders at every level and every time?
seyoum solomon is busy trying to be the next foreign minster and solomon bekele is trying to be the next treasury. the jailed leaders are not in their mind!
last anon,
puleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeese! more like a huge shum shir is in order.
Let's talk about Zagol's suggestion!!!!!!!!!!!!!
"kebero besew ij yamer si'yizut yadenager" goes the eth saying. Zagol, for the sake of the struggle, you better refrain from defaming the leadership of NA support group. Critics is one thing but unfounded allegation and inuendo and witch hunting is destructive. How many families do you know that received help and how many that do not? Ho do you know if it is from errors of the NA support group leadership. Or, is it easy for you to attack what seems to be organized to do whatever they can in their capacity.
It is clear that the meager resources will spread so thinly to satisfy the needs of the needy family. With your good concious, how plausible is for you to accuse men and women who volunteerly working their best to execute their duty under difficult circumstances? Think before you spit out your venome and spread it to unsuspected and naive individuals. The enemy will do that most effectively for you. Or are you one of those who wants to go againist anything the NA group are doing?
last anon,
sup? why are you going ballistic on Zagol when you damn well know that you are so incompetent it is
pathetic.
I dare you, make our day and resign
your volunteer position. There are enough supremely qualified patriotic individuals who will gladly work for Mother Ethiopia.
You stop spitting venom! keberow
mengezem be enante ij amero ayawekem!
Giv'em hell Zag~
To the anonymous above:
I know most of what is happening with Kinijit in Ethiopia. I know what kinijit in north america(kinijit NA and International)does or doesn't vis-a-vis the struggle at home. people may work voluntarly. It is a very small sacrifice to make when one considers the number of Ethiopians who were gunned down fighting for freedom; or one considers the people that are incacerated by EPRDF. So don't try to tell me that I can't critisize them because they aren't paid for their work. That can't be a defense in a collective struggle for the freedom of our nation and ourselves.
I care about Kaliti and my priority is the release of these political leaders. Then the rest will be dealt after that.
I am in a place where the fight is taking place and may be I am touched by what is happening more than you. That makes me more sensitive and more critical. Kinijit in NA needs to put its money where it mouth is. Until it does, I will continue calling for self-initiatives. I don't like when people come up with a lame excuse like "the enemy may use the criticism" bla bla to defend a weakness.
I want to voice my suspecion that this blog is taken over by - Weyane.
Proof:
1)the english construction is so different to Zagols that you can easily trace it to another person.
2)The last blog was from a contributer and not zagol as stated; the current entry seems from the same person, yet not attributed to a contributer.
3)Ethio Zagol 'said' last time that he is back in Addis, and yet did not mention about the last week or so - no clue to confirm that he was indeed out of town and now back
etc.
4)The current entry - did not give us any news except repeating what has been posted on other websites. But, uncharctersics of Ethio Zago, it defames Kinijit NA - on pure innuendos.
I think there is something fishy going on regarding Ethio Zagol.
The above is a suspesion.
The above pathetic mind, ppl are sick and tired of your kind of critics that is good for nothing.
You said... "There are enough supremely qualified patriotic individuals who will gladly work for Mother Ethiopia." Peeeew. You fail short of nominating yourself. In all honesty you can, if you are capable.
So, who stopped the capable ppl from doing what they want and able to do? Or, they have to be only in leadership position for their mind and soul to function.
Pathetic individulas like you are born to criticize whatever little other people are doing. Those who are capable and interested to do something are doing what ever they wish fit for the struggle.
"letekemach semay kirbu new" In your wild dream, you are already in Menelik Palace if you were in the leadership position. It is the fault of other people that stops you from throwing out the Woyane from its helm. Always blame others not yourself. If you are worth of anything, please present yourself and get involved as a person who is capable of leading.
As matters stand now, you or your favorites were not chosen because you are probabily with incapable and debilitated mind. You could have been just like others who gave their time and energy to make whatever they believe in succeed. Unfortunately, you are still in backbiting business, "ye wore quat"
You go Zagol!
The lamest excuse for incompetency
is to whine ad nauseoum how difficult things are. Then why don't they move over and let others
who will gladly pay the sacrifice
run Kinjit? There is an army of
KINIJITITES out there that can be
mobilized in a flash.
Zagol:
What you are doing is not critisism. It is inuendo. You have no fact for your allegation except saying that some ppl you know have not received help. It is not hard to predict what you will accuse them next. They have enriched themselves with money collected for displaced ppl.
I have not compared what the ppl on the ground sacrificed with what the ppl in support group sacrificed. There are few for sure who paid no less than sacrifice from the ppl inland.
The support group have enormous responsibility and they have to be beyond their emotion. They cannot be emotionally driven like you are freely doing as you wish. They are respected and trusted individuals. Trust, you cannnot buy with money!!
Dear Zagol
Kinijit NA is under heavy attack from UEDF and EPRP and are busy with structuring AFD. We will push
the Kinijit supporting commities to do this and it is their duty.An other much job is expected from NA commitee I.e to save Etiopia and save the prisoners.
TKu for the information Keep up!
I think the phrase, "...Kinijit in NA has failed to fulfil its duties..." is what has bothered some of you.
In my opinion, in terms of effective communication, it would have been better to say something to the effect of: "Kinijit NA is not doing enough in this regard," or "Kinijit NA must do more...".
After all, the message Zagol wants to convey is that people need help, Kinijit NA needs to do better and that people in NA should be aware of that.
Anything that might prevent the message getting through, such as people assuming that Zagol is 'attacking' Kinijit NA, is to be avoided.
On the other hand, like Zagol says, he is 'sensitive and critical', and that's quite understandable considering he is in the middle of it all. I think, as readers, we should be understanding of this. Let us understand that all of us say things out of frustration that maybe we should put in another way.
Thanks for your efforts, Zagol. As the last anonymous said, we here in NA will try to do better.
With all your usual inefficient and unproductive bla-bla you completly missed Zagol's urgent point on helping the families. As always and as we are witnessing now with these people mentioned above WORE, rebsha BITCHA, WOY ATSERU WOY ATASSERU!!! And you wonder why we are enslaved by a minority of thugs.
Please, others here, lets focus on finding a way to help these people.
Dear Zagol wherever you are keep up the good work.
Thak you Zagol For telling the truth.
It is unhelpful to defend the indifensible, incompetence of Kinjit NA. I wish I can write all the details! ( for the sake of the trailblazres in jail I will skip it).
But KNA has miserably failed- no accountablity, no public forums, few noisy and utterly weak people are the negotiators, No democratic principles,no auditing,ETcccccc
Why is it that , these gangs could not be replaced? is that kingship?
Where is the urgency vis-a-vis the huge task ahead?
Why all these cliqush mess while the heroes are in nazi like prisons -with little or no medical care?
Kinijit NA is busy being teletafi for OLF...have you guys read OLF chairman's comment this week to one of the Oromos party?
He ends his remarks by saying "OROMIYA WILL BE FREE"
When he is with Kinijit he talks about democrtizing Ethiopis for all Ethiopians. But when he is away from kinijit ppl, he advocates oromo's separation.
The sad thing is, he is running the so called AFD, i.e OLF teletafi.
We all know that both KNA and (Kinijit-International?) are being viciously attacked left and right by UEDF/EPRP and Woyanie surrogates. But that is not an excuse to go ballistic when their shortcomings are pointed out by people like ETH-Zagol. Obviously it is not realistic to expect KNA to respond to each and every allegation that is being thrown at it from all directions.
Now that said, we do expect a clear and an ambiguous communiqué from KNA regarding a lot of issues that is tearing apart the entire Diaspora movement even as we speak. We do have lots of questions that require honest to God answers. Questions such as: What is KNA currently doing towards the release of its jailed leaders? What is KNA doing to help the families of the prisoners to alleviate their financial difficulties? Where does KNA stand financially? Do we need to up our contribution to help out current financial shortfalls if any?
What is the deal with AFD (K-International didn’t do itself a favor by dropping this bombshell out of the blue)? Apropos AFD, we really truly need an explanation yesterday. We are really confused why it was necessary for CUD to abandon all its former principles and join the rank and file liberation fronts. I know KN has thrown out half hearted statements and explanations here and there regarding AFD, but it is my strong opinion that was woefully inadequate. Perhaps they could do town hall style meetings regarding AFD and put to rest all our nagging fears and suspicions about the alliance. The ultimate goal and advantage of AFD may be crystal clear to the people, who signed the MOU, but some of us are still befuddle by the noble concept of; how two people traveling in the opposite direction could board the same train, each hoping to reach his destination first.
If this site is blocked in Ethiopia, how do you read comments like this? How do you view to check you website?
Answer to the last anon...
There are many proxy services that are available to both surfers and site administrators.
Here is an example of a proxy:
http://securebar.secure-tunnel.com/cgi-bin/nph-freebar.cgi/110110A
Guys, honesty is the best policy. Why are you trying to distort events only to use it for attacking NA leadership? Those who are againist the NA leadership have not provided any plausable criticism yet.
First, both NA leadership and the International leadesrhip were chosen by the leadership in Kaliti. That is a fact. That means they are legitimate representatives not power mongers which some ppl want them to look like. The same group of people were also officialy elected by support group chapters met in DC in May.
The Kaliti group may have not nominated all of them, but those who have chosen by them were comfortable to add some more individuals to the International leadership.
If you have a problem with that, you do not have to support CUD. Compare the leadership election process of CUD with that of UEDF.
To give credit where it is due, NA kinijit have delivered important progress to the struggle. AFD is one of the important forum they delivered. Those who were caught by surprise are not happy. Interestengly, some of them feel so authoritative, that they can kick the leadership from left to right as they wish, and are furious why they were not consulted before AFD formed. They are shading chrocodile tears more than ever for imprisoned leaders and Ethiopia. You cannot cheat anyone!!
That means all websites that are supposed to be blocked are really accessible. Then the whole governmnet blocking makes no sense. I am sure the gov't technicians read this stuff and why do they bother blocking? On the other hand do websites claim they are not accessible in Ethiopia?
It looks that it is integral culture of ethiopians, unless the leadership is in prison or dead we do not appreciate them. Remember the mudslinging on Hailu Shawel and Brhanu Nega before the election
The anonymous that is concerned with blocked websites...
Hundreds of people in Ethiopia have stopped accessing the websites because they don't know about proxy servers. People like me would see the websites anyways because of the some of the softwares available. The government blocking of websites is to protect mass inflow of information.
some of the people who try to act as if kinijit in NA were doing its job should engage in the discourse in more than propoganda level. Propoganda is for TPLF, not to Kinijit. let me make the group accountable. If it has answers, it should respond.
-Is Kinijit in NA helping the families of the imprisoned leaders? It has been nine months since they were jailed and as far as I know, money reached the families only twice (the months of march and April). That may not affect the Hailu shawels or the Brehanu negas. It certainly deeply affects the Andualems and Tamrat Tarekegns. If kinijit's finance is so meagre that it can't help the families of the prisoners, let it make that clear and make itself accountable to the supporters who back it financially.
-Is Kinijit in NA doing enough for the release of the prisoners? Hell no. I can't talk about the diplomatic attempts since I am far away. But in other areas what it does is woefully inadequate. A week ago I met a lawyer who used to work for Kinijit. According to him, the prisoners wanted the daily hearing to be observed by a professional lawyer. But kinijit NA refused to make payment for the trial observer. I also learnt that a team of professional lawyers who made a case analysis(legal briefs, analysis of evidence, law ... translation of the case and the evidences to english etc..) on the prosecutor's charge, they weren't paid.
Since people we so demotivated, now there is virtually none except family members and some who are "cherkachwin Tilew Yabedu Kinijit supporters" who are seriously following the trial and lobbying diplomats here. The trial is a sham trial of the century and we couldn't even make such patent failing of the governemnt, material for diplomatic offensive here.
Kinijit. org(run by some elements in the NA group) isn't making enough effort to create awareness of the ordeals of the prisoners. AI's report on Birhanu Nega's health is not posted. The condition of most of the prisoners is given least coverage on Kinijit's own website.
-Is kinijit in NA doing enough to support the struggle at home? NO! In fact, it is seriously affecting the advancement struggle here. Kinijit's various elements were working harmoniously here after the imprisonemnt of the leaders. But Kinijit in NA is adversely affecting the harmony favouring one element over the other; exporting the AEUP Vs. KD controversy that died down long time ago here; sending money to all sorts of groups that are virtually unaccountable to Kinijit just because some of the leaders in NA knew some of them personally.
-Is AFD adversely affecting Kinijit here? Yes
I still support the AFD but the support of one person or another is beyond the point when it seriously compromises the health of kinijit. The talk and the lobby is less and less about Kaliti and more and more about AFD. The fact that it wasn't defended propersly by those who signed it is making supporters of kinijit here very confused.
I fear with the way things are moving, the prisoners will be totally forgotten. The one rallying point and priority for all kinijit supporters should have been the ordeals of these men and women.
Dear ethiozagol,
You are doing an amazing job! You are one of the most reliable sources of information from home. Keep it up! With respect to helping the family of kinijit leaders, I am wondering if it would be possible to secure their bank account details. If so, regular deposits can be made into their accounts. An alternative is to get us the telephone number (and probably address) of the families that need to be supported so that we can send money through western union. We have to make sure the flow of money to these families is continuous. The best mechanism for this would be for groups of people in the diaspora to support different kinijit families. The same strategy is used by “Oxfam” and “World vision” to have an African child sponsored by families in the west. Under this scheme, a family in the west sends some amount of money regularly to a particular child (with a name and address) in Africa. Similarly, my friends and I (for example 10 or 20 of us) can support a particular kinijit family, while others support another family. This would make sure that the families are supported on a continuous basis because it becomes easier to pool our resources. I don't think collecting money once a year and sending to the families is the best option. Let me know what you think.
The sponsorship method is also mentioned by other readers. I also belive collecting and sending money once isn't a good option. Please contact me via this blogs e-mail address.
Send money to families? How then are we supposed to financee the fat lobbiests in Washibgton DC? Ask Solomon Bekele who is happy to pump $50,000 a month of hard earned diaspora money though he has no clue on what the lobby firm is delivering......
It appears that the above anonymous is the one who keeps asking Zagol to reveal how he is accessing the comment on this blog. Please Zagol make sure that you should not reveal on how you are accessing the internet to this person, as it jeopardise your security.
kokeb is right Ethio-Zagol,
God knows there are more EPRDF agents lurking as Kinijit supporters in cybers space these days than there are flies in a freshly dropped hores manure.
Zagol:
You put cold water on our hope. It seems that Kinijit's officials/leaders in homelnad who are not in prison are expecting the diaspora to lead the fight. I tell you this, that is far fetched expectation. They should not depend too much on diaspora. The diaspora gets energized by what is happening in the home land. If there is no action in the homeland to pressure the government, the diaspora responses declines. That is the reality you and other homeland people need to understand.
Dear EZ,
I appreciate, very much, your willingness to risk your popularity for the TRUTH. I know very well most of the problems going on with Kinijit NA. Most of these problems come from very few individuals ONLY (who are power driven and have forgotten the true cause). The majority are willing and trying to work day and night for the release of the jailed leaders and to help with the democratization process, but they are not being allowed to function as they should.
All the ones that are offended by the Kinijit NA's performance criticism, can you honestly tell me you are happy with what has been done to free the jailed leaders? It has now been eight months since the mass arrest of an entire leadership of a political party, something that has not been witnessed anywhere else in the world. There are civic organizations that are getting better results than the NA leadership, such as the group working to pass HR4423 (now
HR5680). If only you know how much resistance they have received from Kinijit NA leadership...if only you know how much resistance so many others involved in diplomatic work to free the prisoners are receiving from the NA leadership.
Can anyone tell me what has been done by Kinijit NA to remember last year's June massacre?
It is true that it is not a good idea to come public of inside problems, so that victimazation by EPRDF can be avoided, but there comes a time when enough is enough. We can not continue to cover up faults and failures of this magnitude just for the fear that Meles and friends will take advantage of the situation.
It has not all been negative. The AFD is something that the NA leadership should be proud to have created. I hope that taking some of the criticisms into awareness and making effort not to correct some of the mistakes done, this Alliance can trully mean the end of EPRDF.
EZ, You are one of the first ppl to make us aware of Dr. Berhanu's condition. You have written detailed account of "the trial" at other time. You helped us decide the authenticity of the original naming of the 6 ppl to make up the Kinijit International leadership. You have provided us with so much information that we could not have found anywhere else. You have written excellent pieces about Berhane Mewa ("The Man") and Berhanu Nega. All I can say is
KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK.
I would like to make a correction to the above post. I would like the third paragraph to the last to read like this, instead (omit 'NOT'):
It has not all been negative. The AFD is something that the NA leadership should be proud to have created. I hope that taking some of the criticisms into awareness and making effort to correct some of the mistakes done, this Alliance can trully mean the end of EPRDF
HI EZ i am sure i don't need to add to the deep felt gratitude that ppl feel for the way you work so hard to inform and educate your compatriots about the situation in Ethiopia, i say keep up the good work.
I thought the issue was to come up with ideas of how to support the families of the caged leaders and not trade insults to the delight of our oppressor.
I think the questions that EZ posed in such a forensic way require answers by KNA if it is a truly accountable organisation and if we start from the premise that we are all trying our very best to find a way to help our leaders then, we should view such questions as friendly criticims, KNA need to respond to them postively and stop being defensive.
EZ what i really want to ask you is this, we in the diaspora manage to send money to our families via ppl who travel to addis or some ethiopian running money transfer companies or if it is urgent via western union with no problems, so why can we not send money in the same way to the families of our cajed leaders.
i can see there are security implications but surely the families of the leaders are well known and even if they fear for their safety they can nominate a close family member to whom the money can be sent and they can confirm receipt of the money.
It is beyond me and i seek divine intervention to comprehend why it is beyond the wit of the KNA to do this it is not rocket science, if KNA is doing this then they should say so, if not explain why not
Also i am shocked and saddened that KNA refused to pay for a professinal lawyer to monitor the trial, surely they need to explain the rationale for this, the whole raison d'etre of a democratic institution is that it should be accountable to its members, all this talk about just because they were put there by our cajed leaders they can do whatever they like is bull excuse my french.
EZ, I accept that maybe for security reasons u cannot be too detailed about the best mechanisms to send money but at least try to give us a way through this muddle, the sham trial should be exposed at every turn and i say let's have as many international lawyers as possible.
Long live agere ethiopia.
Kinijit International has been a significant source of instability for Kinijit NA support group. Unfortunately, Berhane Mewa, the man, has not conducted himself well to get the trust of many of the support group. In any event, the Kinijt NA should put this confusion to end ASAP. Action should be taken either to reject it or accept it as organization.
To anan above,
Berhane Mewa has, singlehandedly, saved NA Kinijit from being destroyed by other power and siltan driven individuals, who have forgotten they are only in power temporarily until the jailed leaders are free. I have not seen anyone (outside Khaliti) who carries the spirit of Kinijit as he does. He, unlike the others I was referring to earlier, is a true fighter who is standing for the people of Ethiopia. He is principle driven and will always, always stand to defend the true leaders and to defend and carry out their mission. His hard work and dedication for Kinijit and Ethiopia will earn him a special place in Ethiopian history.
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