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By Teshome M. Borago
Many Ethiopians worldwide were caught off-guard when US President Joe Biden’s White House posted a “Happy New Year” or “Enkutatash” message to Ethiopians. After a whole year of Biden’s administration supporting and legitimizing insurrection in Ethiopia, the majority of Ethiopians thought Biden’s message was a “sick joke” (a favorite phrase of one of Samantha Power’s TPLF colleague.)
Ethiopians could not believe their eyes when the White House released the New Year statement. And online, many Ethiopians ridiculed Biden’s message and some posted that Obama “what you talking about?” famous GIF, expressing their surprise. After-all, the United States has been at the forefront of pushing sanctions on Ethiopia and giving a diplomatic & morale boost to both TPLF (in Tigray) and Egypt (on the hydro dam) which literally the whole Ethiopian population had to finance (because US blocked Ethiopia at the IMF and World Bank). In fact, after TPLF triggered the war, its leaders like Getachew Reda have repeatedly expressed gratitude for the US and EU. As the 2014 New Year approached, the most trending social media video in Ethiopia was a cartoon figure of three TPLF leaders singing the traditional “Abebayosh” song, asking Samantha Powers to bomb Ethiopia like Libya. So it is no surprise that even Ethiopian leaders like Col. Demeke Zewdu recently said “America is indirectly at war” with Ethiopia.
Biden failed Ethiopia repeatedly. After begging TPLF for peace between 2018-2020, the Abiy regime faced criticism from Ethiopians for recklessly imposing a ceasefire to give TPLF another chance and to appease the West. Again, Biden’s team including Secretary Blinken doubled down on criticizing Ethiopia, to justify TPLF’s rejection of the ceasefire. This is why most Ethiopians blame the West for all the post-ceasefire atrocities by TPLF since July (displacement of over million and slaughter of thousands) – which all could have been avoided.
Ethiopians did not want pledges of American food aid after US-backed TPLF insurrection commits so much destruction, Ethiopians simply wanted peace, and we can feed ourselves. After the historic peaceful transition in 2018, Ethiopians were only hungry for a new country that finally treats all her citizens equally, not for a war with any entity like TPLF that seeks to maintain the uneven rights of her citizens. Instead, not only US, even other Western countries like France cut off military deals with Ethiopia during the TPLF insurrection, WHILE they continue arming and financing Egypt and Sudan, whose militaries are at war with Ethiopia. The ongoing costly conflict and western sanctions have also damaged Ethiopian economy, impacting millions of lives. It seems the West is repeating what it does to Russia and other nations: claiming to wish peace for us while funding rebellion, and accusing us of mismanaging our economy while sanctioning us. And for those who scream about “American values,” the irony is Abiy’s government has advanced the first development of independent institutions, the biggest promotion of gender parity and the most neoliberalized and pro-Green economy in Ethiopian history. However, all of this did not matter for the racist and pro-war hawks in the US foreign policy establishment who just push a bulldozer indiscriminately wherever China does business, and indulge in perpetuating their bigoted pre-existing views that Africans are inherently and morally subhuman and uncivilized.
Nonetheless, though It looks like a long shot, if the Biden US administration really wants to turn the chapter on its disastrous foreign policies and genuinely wish Ethiopians a Happy New Year, here are 5 steps or ways to reform and reverse its negative role in Ethiopia (and the region.)
- Call for the disarmament of TPLF and all insurrectionists in Ethiopia. Push militants with global networks to pursue peaceful & legal ways. US must end its political support for coup agents in Africa, stop using “both sides” argument to legitimize rebellion, end US economic & military support (thru sanctioning Ethiopian economy and leadership) to TPLF.
- Substantially Increase direct investment and trade with Ethiopia. There were several more millions of Ethiopians surviving on food aid in 2018 than during the 1970s & 1980s. Some data also showed that Ethiopia had a huge trade deficit with US under the AGOA program. Instead of canceling the program, fix it as well as adopt the mid 20th century US policy in South Korea for Ethiopia: by providing direct/forex monetary support early, followed by promoting technical training, industrialization and entrepreneurship in Ethiopia.
- Stop geopolitical-based blockage of international financial institutional funds to Ethiopian projects.America blocking IMF and WB funds from supporting major infrastructure projects like the GERD has devastated Ethiopia’s economy and foreign currency reserves. Ethiopia can not even utilize her own waters because US and EU openly helped Egypt to maintain hegemony on the Nile. This has hurt not only Ethiopia, but also other black African countries upstream.
- Stop dangerously tilting the balance of military power in north & East Africa. Since US began providing billions of military technology, equipment & aid to Egyptian army and Air Force, Cairo has become the biggest warmongering state in Africa. This is how Egypt is in eastern Sudan right now. Unless US plans to provide the same amount of major weaponry to regional countries like Ethiopia, US is promoting power imbalance and endless wars. The western heavy weaponry aid to Egypt has also freed up Cairo’s military budget to invest in the development and purchase of small weapons, which most of them end up arming militants in Ethiopia, Somalia and the region.
- Promote in Ethiopia the same pro-unity and anti-nativism values you cherish at home in America. In recent years, Western media, diplomats and institutions have began intellectualizing and legitimizing the most tribalist and divisive movements in Ethiopia. They seem to believe segregation and Xenophobia are bad for America, but good for Ethiopia. But human beings are not animals to be segregated by tribe. Ethiopia is no more diverse than Ghana which has hundreds of ethnicities, and Ethiopia has no worse “colonial legacy” than America. For example, like the Menelik-led Shewans who conquered other Ethiopians, some of our pre-1800s southern Oromo ancestors conquered half the country. But this is not unique. Let alone the major ethnicities, the “small” ethnic communities at times had colonial/expansionist history among each other, which to this day fuel land disputes even throughout the south (SNNPR). Yet, None of this dark, contested and controversial past should be used by Western policy makers as an excuse to enflame pre-existing divisions. It should not be used as an excuse to promote the most fringe, separatist and nativist sections of Ethiopian society to shape our future. Ethiopia is and will remain a country of many minorities. The West must stop supporting those who advocate nativism and apartheid in Ethiopia. US can do this by financing and promoting post-ethnic and multiethnic non-governmental organizations and civil societies operating in the Ethiopian urban to spread their wings through out the country.
While American foreign policy failures in regards to the above 5 areas did not suddenly begin in 2018, their fruits have never become more clearer than during the last two years when Ethiopians finally began uniting their country for a common goal and shared identity. Its consequences had been exasperated by Biden’s foreign policy of backing TPLF, one of the most anti-democratic and divisive organizations in African history. It is never too late to change if Biden really wishes Ethiopians a Happy New Year.
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Joe Biden’s racist mind thinks we AFRICANS and or BLACK people are stupid and helpless people, and therefore it’s okay to make and throw his dirty and sick jokes at us.
What kind of good wish is when there is no condemnation of TPLF Terrorist who are massacring, robbing, looting food and properties and destroying what it cannot carry to Tigray what belongs to Amhara people ?
In fact inviting the walking evil TPLF Terrorist notorious criminals to the bargaining table as normal human beings is not at all good wish.
TPLF Terrorists are Terrorist that are not welcome in Ethiopia. TPLF-Terrorist must be punished for and held accountable for every crime and lives they massacred!!!!
What TPLF looted Amhara lives and properties must be compensated and returned back to Amhara and Afar TPLF-Terrorist victims.
TPLF bank accounts and properties must be ceased and used to pay TPLF victims the Afars and Amharas!!!!
Amhara and Afar regions must get more focus and assistance than Tigray from all Humanitarian Organization because TPLF has looted their food and properties !!!!
I am very surprised this article was written by our beloved author Obbo Teshome Borega. No it must be somebody else.
Lulu sounds mahibre erkusan . You will be a history like eritre and eritreans . We will destroy you all. dogs in the church, socalled mahibre kidusan must be dissolved. Eritrea will no more be a country from 2014 on ward
Teshome article is full of hotchpotch.
conservative Amhara
Afish merz silehone hakim kale indiredaash teyqi, TPLf is DEAD GAME OVER.
One thing that is not clear that the Liberation Fronts, including Eplf with their surrogates Ehapa, 90% Derg officials who worked for foreign entities have been in control of Ethiopia ( Wello and Tigray) location were chosen the market for famine, stop blaming former H/selassie government and as a result till this day you have turned the country upside down. Note, when l say Derg officials, l am not saying the army who sacrificed for Ethiopia who were manipulated by the Derg Officials who have been working for foreign entities who finally killed each other or escaped and gave Ethippia to Liberation Fronts.
Going back to famine, it is because of this evil agenda that famine in Wello and Tigray for market: to bring down government, to control the region, to sell poison grains and to gain power by Liberation Fronts and individuals. Liberation Fronts then use the famine to brainwash the population of Wello and Tigray against the innocent Ethiopians, king government and Wello and Tigrayans have grown to hate Ethiopians and former governments and embrace Liberation Fronts. This is how Liberation Fronts gained power and support from mistly Tigrayans. Most Ethiopians have grown in donor mentality, saying, ” we refused to give up our resources, the West refused us donatoons”. You cant say you are independent, if you are looking for a hand out. Ask yourself why people don’t grow food instead of recruiting in Liberation Fronts war against themselves and the country? Ethiopians have been tricked several times because of famine. Every Ethiopian must grow food! Especially Tigrayans must be food sufficient, by turning the land into farm instead of stealing land. Amara, Afar, government, must help Tigrayans towards this project. As long as foreign entity and Liberation Fronts are strangling Ethiopia, especially in this region this dream will not materialize. Dont ask for food donation or any donation, it is death sentence! Other African nation are already free from food donation. Foreigners dont like it because, they have no reason to get in their country as excuse to donate food. You can see war torn regions in the world, food donation is high commodity for foreigners.
I dont understand, ifvwhat you listed anove is working for the foreigners that worked hard to bring down Ethiopua, is the most foolish to beg to do the opposite? Why should they, if it is working for them? Duh! Instead you have to do cleaning your own house, and do your own home work as l explained below. You can only negotiate by holding on and controlling your value that they need.
One thing that is not clear that the Liberation Fronts, including Eplf with their surrogates Ehapa, 90% Derg officials who worked for foreign entities have been in control of Ethiopia ( Wello and Tigray) location were chosen the market for famine, stop blaming former H/selassie government and as a result till this day you have turned the country upside down. Note, when l say Derg officials, l am not saying the army who sacrificed for Ethiopia who were manipulated by the Derg Officials who have been working for foreign entities who finally killed each other or escaped and gave Ethippia to Liberation Fronts.
Going back to famine, it is because of this evil agenda that famine in Wello and Tigray for market: to bring down government, to control the region, to sell poison grains and to gain power by Liberation Fronts and individuals. Liberation Fronts then use the famine to brainwash the population of Wello and Tigray against the innocent Ethiopians, king government and Wello and Tigrayans have grown to hate Ethiopians and former governments and embrace Liberation Fronts. This is how Liberation Fronts gained power and support from mistly Tigrayans. Most Ethiopians have grown in donor mentality, saying, ” we refused to give up our resources, the West refused us donatoons”. You cant say you are independent, if you are looking for a hand out. Ask yourself why people don’t grow food instead of recruiting in Liberation Fronts war against themselves and the country? Ethiopians have been tricked several times because of famine. Every Ethiopian must grow food! Especially Tigrayans must be food sufficient, by turning the land into farm instead of stealing land. Amara, Afar, government, must help Tigrayans towards this project. As long as foreign entity and Liberation Fronts are strangling Ethiopia, especially in this region this dream will not materialize. Dont ask for food donation or any donation, it is death sentence! Other African nation are already free from food donation. Foreigners dont like it because, they have no reason to get in their country as excuse to donate food. You can see war torn regions in the world, food donation is high commodity for foreigners.
Why do you have to bleam others while the probleme is the Amhara criminal elites? President Joe Biden is the person who brought America back.
It is surprising to sense some deep-rooted ethni sentiments in the comment boxes. Maybe these are tplf trolls, since tplf will never sleep as long as it exists. But I find the text of this writer (whoever he/she is) at least balanced – if we are to avoid further bloodshed and come to our sense – without the tplf, of course. tplf is the curse that started it all.
Is Tplf and foreign entities winning propoganda war against Ethiopia or most pro Aby groups are drinking the kool aid falsely saying have been saying, the government is wining, Tplf is buried, etc. If indeed once again, Ethiopia is to be made poster child for famine? If true, where is that Ethiopia winning against Tplf when it is spreading famine as alternative to military war that would create international out cry and declare the ousting of Aby? There is something, for sure. A while back, l have seen foreigners who posted fake clinic, and on foreign media raising fund, using ethiopian tigrayan people as tooll to collect money. Is there a region that fake foreign clinic entities that are controlling and coild thi be the area famine spot? Using Ethiopian lives for regime change.
The end of the neftgna, so called Ethiopian state is near. With or without America’s support Tigray will be free. Old Ethiopia is dead.
Through out the history, there is one big truth, which has revealed it self again and again. No Country, which has tried to disintegrate Ethioopia, escaped its severe punishment at the end of the day. It is a matter of time. That is so, because the allmighty God is with this precious land. Hence, it is better for our historical “friend“ USA, to think rational and stand on the side of ethiopian people including the innocent people in the tigray region, which are condemned to silent cry by the TPLF.
Stop bleedimg Ethiopia by supporting TPLF.
Stop discarding your “western moral values“, when it comes to developimg countries.
Stop being the “priest of satan“.
Do it! not for the sake of Ethiopia, but also to save America, from its no back downfall!!!!
Throughout history, there is one big truth, which has revealed itself again and again. No Country, which has tried to disintegrate Ethiopia, escaped its severe punishment at the end of the day. It is a matter of time. That is so, because the almighty God is with this precious land. Hence, it is better for our historical “friend“ USA, to think rational and stand on the side of ethiopian people including the innocent people in the tigray region, which are condemned to silent cry by the TPLF. Stop bleeding Ethiopia by supporting TPLF. Stop discarding your “western moral values“, when it comes to developing countries. Stop being the “priest of satan“. Do it! not for the sake of Ethiopia, but also to save America, from its no back downfall!!!!