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Monday, August 06, 2007

Tim Clark Gets a Kick

The European Commission's Head of Delegation in Addis Ababa, Ambassador Timothy Clark, is to be transferred to another country two years before the expiry of the time he was designated to serve. According to sources, the commission's Brussels office made the decision after the Ethiopian government complained about Tim Clark's behaviour post election 2005. Ambassador Clark is expected to leave Addis Ababa shortly after the millennium celebrations.

Since the turn of 2006, Tim Clark tried too hard to mend his broken relationship with Meles Zenawi and the Ethiopian government. He applied pressure to Michael Elman, the commission's observer during the Kinijit trial, to change his preliminary report. He also failed to order an investigation when it was reported that a security agency which has close ties with the government had bugged the comission's office and spied on the diplomats including himself
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See this from Tom Porteous about Ogaden.

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Never liked the dude. He somehow was able to convince many leaders of Kinjit that EU would be fair and trust worthy partner in the development of democratic governance in Ethiopia. I hope they(them leaders) all learned not to trust or rely on the words of any Ferenj Bale silTan.
Good riddance!

Anonymous said...

To be fair to the man, he spoke forcefully and admirably about the extent and grossness of the human rights abuse in the immediate aftermath of the election violence, unlike other diplomats. Though we can debate about his approach to the problem, he has my respect for his outspokenness as I believe sometimes straight talking diplomat is to good have around, especially when world is determined to turn blind eye on the situation. Best wish on his new assignment!

Nat

Anonymous said...

On your "thought on Ogaden": What was it? Obviously, from the statement one could conclude that "your thoughts" were not positive. Write again, if you can, about this "thought" of yours. May be it is time you reconsidered your "thoughts".

Remember the last time the survival of the Ethiopian state was threatened; it came from the direction of the Ogaden(or there about). Even when contained, that threat succeeded in forever changing the religious, language and ethnic composition of Ethiopia. Today, we are here witnessing the simmering of an ancient wound, that refuses to heal.

Ogaden is urgent.

Anonymous said...

Come on ya'ol, how can EZ call the current regime "Ethiopian Government?" The Ethiopian people voted it out and it is no longer representative of the wish of the majority, hence it is not Ethiopian Government. It is a despotic Ethnocentric Clique who is waiting for its time to be barried six-feet under.

Please EZ spare us the grief. We do not like to see you registered as the regime's saviour, we want you to remain neutral, if you choose to abandon our struggle. Although we would have liked you to be on our side instead, but we can settle for neutrality.

You also say "Millennium celebration," you know that this coming celebration is the end of the 20th centry for Ethiopia and TPLF-WEYANE. The next Millennium does not begin until 2001; that is the right Millennium celebration for us Ethiopians and we will do it in Tegere free Ethiopia.

Anonymous said...

EZ,

I think Tim Clark should have gone long ago. He never had the guts to stand for what he believed in or at least for what he has seen. His departure would have no impact on the struggle for democracy and freedom in Ethiopia. Nothing!

As long as TPLF/EPRDF pays Ethiopian money for the greedy (mainly) white lobbysts, white governments would keep on discouraging the critics of our dictator. Meles is stupid and the whites know that he is their stupid friend so long as he is obedient. We can't afford to wait until they get tired of him. We are really tired of his stupidity, arrogance and corruption.

Don't worry about departing expatriates. They would always come back with their brief case full of the usual treachery and bait. We have to make Meles go as he is doing all those against his tyranny.

By the way, I was surprised to read a comment above which says "Tigre free Ethiopia". That is to say the least the most ridiculous thing I ever heard. Such a narrow thinking will take us nowhere except the open arms of TPLF/EPPDF as it is its well placed card. Don't be foolish, rather think as a human being created by God not as a member of a small artificial ethnic group but as a member of the human race.

If we want to contribute to the freedom of Ethiopia, we need to think big and wide beyond the borders of EPRDF's ethnic based politics.

Sanjaw!

Anonymous said...

No Loss to Ethiopia and Ethiopians I hope he will do thr right thing once he is outsied the grip of Melese and come out clean on what he saw and observed maybe then he could become a decent diplomat.

He was an enabler of Melese and he will always be viewed as that. What is sad these diplomats are not worth getting excited about all they care about is their comfort, they are remanants of the colonial mentality and do not think anyone of color has a right. Typical. Most likely the next ambassador would be the same... that should not be our concern since we have seen who they are and what they think. Our concern should be is how to keep our desire for a better Ethiopia moving forward.

Anonymous said...

wtf? has this comment board become the play area for 12 year olds?

Anonymous said...

EZ you are doing great and keep up
your great endeavor. Regarding those who are narrow minded should not have a forum especially they must not use EZ as their spring board. I really admire the Annuak Justices directors speech at the Oromo meeting. These are real Ethiopians whom we should give the chance and the previlege to enlighten us and not the narrow minded few.
Cheers - Satenaw

Anonymous said...

Tim Clarke was the one of the very very few ferengis who acknowledged the opposition leaders when they complained about votes being stolen. The others stood very quietly to see who would win first (by vote or by gun)before choosing their alliance. Those in "the know" would probably say that is good political practice but what about truth, facts and reacting to them in a decent way?
I feel the tone of your post is inconsiderate and disrespectful to someone who dared make a stand. He gave refuge to the kinigit leaders who were under persecution and speaking of his departure the way you have done is downright ungrateful and sends a message to others who would speak the truth "back off...we will only turn against you when you are down".I think the problem with us Ethiopians is that we expect someone else to fight our fight for us and do the dirty work but when they fail we applaud sitting right next to the person (whose no friend of ours btw)who is crucifying them.