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Ethio Quest News
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"Unnecessary" Question of Ethiopians
By Dereje Hailu Kassa | 24, March 2009
" This writing is neither about the war in
Afghanistan, nor about the Canadian soldiers who
died there. It's rather about transparency and
accountability, above all a  respect for human being.
Why these things are eroded in my beloved country,
where an opponent's life is dispensable?....Home
Editor's blog
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Somalia: Arms race Vs Arms embargo
By Dereje Hailu Kassa | November 19,2008
" ...The first U.N. Security Council Resolution 733
which was adopted on January 23, 1992 a year after
President Siad Barre was toppled supposed to do
just that.  For anyone who closely follow the
situation in Somalia, it is clearly  understandable  that
what is lacking is not a new resolution, More
Aid helped to avert disaster
By Dereje Hailu Kassa
February 19, 2002 | The Toronto Star )
" In 1984 and 1985, the last time Canada and the
world listened to Khalif's kind of advice, 1 million
Ethiopians lost their lives." More

Dereje Hailu | November 2007

Selam!

Amid the rumbling and wrangling between the supporters and opponents
of the just passed Ethiopian Democracy and Accountability Bill, there is
another big problem, the outcome of which could dictate the path Horn
of Africa to take in the coming years turning to worst.

    Most experts have already
    categorized it, as ‘the third
    front on war on terror ‘,
    except the fact that, here the
    battle on the ground wasn’t
    joined ( at least not directly )
    by strong allied forces from
    distant lands, as it is the case
    in Afghanistan and Iraq.

The main actors of the killing and destruction field in the region are all
locals, the Somalis being the one paying heavy price with their dignity
and lives. Despite their advantage over other African countries on
linguistic and religious homogeneity; seventeen years later their greedy
leaders are still unwilling to find, a common ground to bring them
together so that they can face the challenges of today. Instead
succumbed to the tutelage of the two regional power trippers Meles and
Isayas.

Following the aftermath of the Sep. 11, 2001 terror attack, when the U.
S. Declared the war on terror by giving ultimatum: “either with us , or
with the terrorists”, the two were the first African leaders to jump on the
allies bandwagon, Isayas going as far as offering
the U.S. a military base at Asab or Massawa. Now six years later, Isayas
who recently began selling his ‘one Ethiopia ‘ slogan to those who
oppose the embattled Meles, while assembling the coalition of
fragmented insurgent groups against Ethiopia at the same time, and,
arrogantly unleashing them the same day Ethiopians celebrated their
Millennium, risks himself on collision course against coalition forces.

For the reckless Meles, who admitted that the military intervention in
Somalia was a mistake; the situation got more complicated when the
House unanimously passed a resolution, requiring him and his
government of making democratic reforms or face travel restrictions and
security assistance. No wonder why his Ambassador to the U.S. reacted
angrily to the extent of charging the House of allowing “itself to be used
by extremists in Ethiopian politics". One of those who testified in the
House in support of the bill was Dr. Berhanu Nega Mayor elect of Addis
Ababa, he told the House “the only way we could have a stable and
prosperous Ethiopia, that could be a source of stability in the region and
a stable and reliable partner to the international community in the struggle
against terrorism and extremism is, by democratizing the country and
providing basic liberty to its citizens.”

Whether this Bill is good or bad for Ethiopia or  jeopardize its security or
not, only time will tell. For now when all this is unfolding in Washington
D.C., I hope the stake holders remind themselves of what Lyndon B.
Johnson said 32 years ago from there: ” Let no one ever think for a
moment that national debate means national division. ” Even though its in
infant stage, one thing is certain:  the way politics is done in Ethiopia has
entered a new era.

As the quagmire in the Horn of Africa in general and Somalia in
particular, no one seems to know the way out of the mess.

Why?

Peace Be Unto You All!