የኢትዮጵያ ተቃዋሚ ፖለቲካ ድርጅቶች - አስጨናቂ ድረስ /ክጉለሌ/

የኢትዮጵያ ተቃዋሚ ፖለቲካ ድርጅቶች ህዳር 20 ቀን 2005 ዓ.ም.
በወያኔ ዘመነ ስልጣን የተቃዋሚ ድርጅቶች ወይም የወያኔ አጃቢዎች ብዛት በመጀመሪያው ዓመታት ከሃምሳ በላይ የነበሩ ቢሆንም
በአሁኑ ወቅት ወደ አስራስምንት አካባቢ ዝቅ ማለታቸው ይታወቃል፤
ሀ) ለመሆኑ በሃያ አንድ ዓመታት የወያኔ አገዛዝ ዘመን ምን ስሩ? የኢትዮጵያን ህዝብ ጠቀሙት ወይስ ጎዱት?
ለ) የ1997ዓመተ ምህረት ምርጫ ውጤት የነሱ የፖለቲካ እንቅስቃሴ ጥረት ወይስ አጋጣሚና ብሶት የወለደው?
ወያኔ አገሪቱን እንደተቆጣጠረ አራያነት ያለው ስራ ለመስራት ሞከረ፤ በዚህም መስረት በደቡብ ኢትዮጵያ የሚገኙትን ከሃምሳ
በላይ ብሄረስቦችን ብዙሃኑንም አናሳውንም አንድላይ በመጨፍለቅ የደቡብ ህዝቦች ዴሞክራሲያዊ ንቅናቄ በማለት ቀደም ሲል
ካደራጃቸው ብአዴንና ኦህዴድ ጋር በመጠርነፍ ኢህአዴግ ተሰኘ፦ ለማስገንጠል ያዘጋጃትን ኤርትራን ጨምሮ ወያኔ ባዘጋጀው
ዕቅድ መስረት በአዲሰ አበባ አፍሪካ አዳራሽ ለሚደረገው ስብስባ ላይ ለመገኘት ድርጅታችሁን አስመዝግቡ የሚል ድንገተኛ ጥሪ
አስተላለፈ፤ አጋጣሚውን ለመጠቀም የፈለጉ ግለስቦች ያለምንም ቅድመ ዝግጅት፤ የህዝቡን ፍላጎትና ይሁንታ ሳያገኙ
የብሄረስባችን ተወካዮች ነን በማለት፤ የተወስኑ ምሁራንን፤ ቦዘኔዎችንና አጋጣሚ ተጠቃሚዎችን(opportunists)፤ በሙሉ በወያኔ
ስልቻ ውስጥ ዘለው ጥልቅ ያሉትን በሙሉ ይዞ አለምን ጉድ ያስኘ ስብስባ አደረገ፦ በግዜ ሂደት ወያኔ አይጠቅሙኝም ያላቸውን
ከስልቻው እያወጣ ወረወራቸው፤በአካዳሚክስ ዕውቀታቸውና ልምድ ለዘለቄታው ጉዞ ድብቅ ፍላጎቴን ለማራመድ ይረዱኛል
ያላቸውን ደግሞ በጥንቃቄ መርጦ በመያዝ፤ ተቃዋሚነታቸውን ተቀብሎ ፅ/ቤት በመስጠት እንዳስፈላጊነቱ መንቀሳቀሻ በጀት
በመመደብ ተደራጁ ብሎ መርቆ ለቀቃቸው፦ ዓለምም ዴሞክራሲ በኢትዮጵያ መስፈኑን አረጋገጠ፤ ኢትዮጵያ የምትባል አገር
እስከወዲያኛው የመበታተንና ከአለም ካርታ የማጥፋት ምዕራፉ ተከፈተ፦
መለስም በድንገት ተስወረ ተቃዋሚዎችም የአጀብ ጉዞአቸውን ቀጥለዋል፤ይኸው ሃያ አንድ ዓመት አለፋቸው፦ቀላል ዘመን ነው
ትላላችሁ? እንደታደሉት እነደነ ጃፓን ቢሆንማ ኖሮ እስካሁን ሁሉም የጠቅላይ ሚኒስትርነት ቦታ ይዳረሳቸው ነበር፦ መለስ
እንኩዋን ስልጣን ስልችቶት መተካካት የሚባል ፕሮግራም ሊጀምር እንደ ነበር ደጋግሞ ገልፆልናል ባይታመንም፦ በዚህ በወያኔ
ዘመን የተፈጠሩ ልጆች እኮ ዩኒቨርሲቲ እየጨረሱ በስራ ላይ እየተስማሩ ነው፦ ተቃዋሚ ተብየዎች ይኸን የአጎብዳጅነት ተቃውሞ
በዉድ አገራችን ኢትዮጵያ ለተተኪው ትውልድ ማስተማራችውም ታሪክ ይቅር የማይለው ትልቁ አሳዛኝ ክስተት ነው፤
በኢትዮጵያ ምግባረ ብልሹነት እንዲስፋፋ ዋናው የወያኔ አጀንዳ መሆኑን አሁን ድረስ ተቃዋሚዎች አለመረዳታቸውም ሌላው
አስገራሚ ጉዳይ ነው፤ ረጅም ዘመን በማንቀላፋታቸውና አልቻልኩም መረረኝ ማለት ባለመቻላቸው የሃገራችን ችግር ዉስብስብና
አደገኛ ደረጃ ላይ እንዲደርስ ሆኗል፤ ከወያኔስ በምን ይለያሉ፤ ከተጠያቂነትስ እንዴት ያመልጣሉ፦ ማንኛዉም ዜጋ በሃገር ጉዳይ
ያገባኛል ብሎ የህዝብ ይሁንታን ካገኘ በሁዋላ ቸልተኝነት ማሳየት አይቻልም፤ ሃያ አንድ ዓመት ሙሉ ተቃዋሚ ነኝ በሚል ስም
ህዝብ የራሱን አማራጭ እንኩዋን እንዳይወስድ በማዘናጋት አገር የመበታተን አደጋ ላይ እስክትደርስ ድረስ ቁጭ ብለው
በማየታቸው ላደረሱት በደል ከፍርድ ማምለጥ አይቻላቸውም፦ ረጀም ዘመን በዋዝ ፈዛዛ የመለስና የወያኔ አጃቢ በመሆን
በማሳለፋችው፤ ችግሩ ስፍቶ ከቁጥጥር ውጭ በመሄዱና፤ ወጣቶች ሌላ አማራጭ እንዳይፈልጉ በማድረግ የወያኔ መሳሪያ ሆነዋል፤
ወጣቱ የስራ አማራጭ በማጣቱ በመከላከያ ስራዊትና በወያኔ የስለላ መዋቅር ውስጥ በመግባት በወገን ላይ ኢስብአዊ ተግባር
ለመፈፀም መገደዳቸው ሌላው አሳዛኝ ክስተት ነው፦ መለስና ኢሳያስ በፈጠሩት ስራዊት ቅነሳ ጦርነት ውስጥ ለደረሰው ዕልቂት
የጠየቀ የለም፤ መለስ የውጭ ምንዛሪ በቸገረው ቁጥር ሶማሊያ እያስገባ ለሚይስጨርሰው ወጣት ጠያቂ የለም፤ መለስ ዜናዊ ገና
ከመስረቱ ለተቃዋሚውች እቅጩን ነግሯቸዋል፤ የልጅነት ዘመኔን ጫካ ለጫካ ተንከራትቼ ያገኘሁትን ስልጣን እዚህ ቁጭ ብላችሁ
ለማግኘት አታስቡ፤ እንዲደነግጡም እኔ በሄድኩበት መንገድ መቀጠል የሚፈልግ ካለ መንገዱን ጨርቅ ያርግለት ብሎ ሌላ
አማራጭ ወይም የትጥቅ ትግል እንዳያስቡ ለማስፈራራት ሞከረ፦ ከዚህ በሁዋላ ችግር ፈጣሪ አለመሆናቸውን አረጋገጠ፤
ወዲያዉኑ አርባ ሁለት ያገሪቱ ምርጥ ምሁራንን ከአዲስ አበባ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ያለ ምንም ምክንያት በማንአለብኝነት ሲያባርር ሰላማዊ
የተቃውሞ ትግል ማካሄድ ይቅርና የሃገሪቱ የወደፊት ዕጣ ፈንታ ምን ሊሆን እንደሚችል አመላካች ሆነ፦ መልዕክቱ ግልፅ ነበር
ከእንግዲህ ትምህርት በኢትዮጵያ በቃ፤፤ ያልተማረ ያልተመራመረን ህዝብ መግዛት በሁሉም መልኩ ቀላል ስለሚሆን፤ አገርን
የመበታተን የመጀመሪያው ምዕራፍና የመለስም ትልቁ ስኬት ሆነ፤ ሃያ አንድ ዓመት አገር አጥፍቶ በብሄርና ቑንቑ ከፋፍሎ
ለወደፊትም ኢትዮጵያ በፍጥነት ወደ ነበረችበት እንዳትመለስ አድርጎ ሄደ፦ ይህ ሁሉ ሲሆን ተቃዋሚዎች አብረዉት አሉ፦
ሲፈልግ በየተራ እየጠራ ስልጣን ወይም ገንዘብ እያሳየ አጉምጅ ይላቸዋል፤ ሁሉም የሚንጠባጠብ ስልጣን አገኛለሁ በሚል ምኞት
የወጣትነት ዘመናቸውን ያለጠንካራ የተቃውሞ ትግል በዋዛ ፈዛዛ ጨረሱ፦
በዚህ መጥፎ ዘመን ለተፈጠሩት ልጆቻችን ቶሎ ማዳኛ መንገድ እስካልፈለግንላቸው ግዜ ድረስ ለወያኔ እጅ ቢስጡ ምን
ይደንቀናል፤ በተቃዋሚዎች ድክመት ወያኔ ያሻውን እያደረገ ይገኛል፤ ዩኒቨርሲቲ ሲገቡ በቅድሚያ የወያኔ አባል እንዲሆኑና ቅፅ
እንዲሞሉ ሲጠየቁ ተቃዋሚዎች ደርሰው ማስጣል ካልቻሉ፤ ከዩኒቨርሲቲ ጨርስው ሲመረቁ ኮብልስቶን እንዲያመርቱ ድንጋይ2
ፈለጣ ተሰማሩ እያሉ የወያኔ ባለስልጣናት ሲቀልዱ ኡኡ ብለው ህዝቡን አደባባይ ይዘው ካልወጡ፤ የኑሮ ዉድነት ስንጎ ይዞት
የሚላስ የሚቀመስ ቸግሮት ይህ ኩሩ ህዝብ አደባባይ ልመና ሲወጣ እሪ ያገር ያለህ ብለው አደባባይ ይዘውት መውጣት ካልቻሉ፤
በስንት መከራ አጠራቅሞ የስራትን ጎጆ በዶዘር ሲያፈራርሱበት ካልደረሱለት፤ የኑሮ ዉድነቱ አስቃይቷቸው አጠቃላይ የኢትዮጵያ
ህዝብ በሚያስብል ደረጃ በአገሩም ከአገሩ ውጪም ሲስደድ፤ በዚህ ሂደት ላይ ያስበው ቦታ ሳይደርስ ውቅያኖስ ውስጥ ሰመጡ፤
ኮንቴነር ውስጥ ታፍነው አለቁ ሲባል ምን ሲደረግ ካልተባለ፦ከስደት የከፋውም በአረብ ሃገራት በሴት ልጆቻችን ላይ
የሚፈፀመው ግፍ ካላስጮሃቸው፤ መድረሻ አጥቶ የወያኔ አሽከር ለመሆን ሲገደድ አማራጭ እንዲያገኝ ካላደረጉት፤ ወጣቱ የአገር
ፍቅር ስሜቱ ተሟጦ አልቆ ተስፋ ቆርጦ ራሱን ማጥፋት ደረጃ ላይ ሲደርስ እያዩ ዝም ካሉ፤ የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ በጨለማ ውስጥ
ሲዳክር እንደ ሙሴ መብራት ሆነው ከመከራው ካላወጡት፤ ምኑንና ማንን ለመቃወም ነው የተቃዋሚ ፓርቲዎች ተብለው
የተጎለቱት፦ በጋዜጣ ላይ ቀረርቶና ፉከራ ለማስማት ከሆነማ በተሻለ መልኩ የተቃዋሚዎቹን ድርሻ ጋዜጠኞች እየተወጡት ነው፦
ተቃዋሚዎች የትጥቅ ትግልን ሊፈሩት ባልተገባ ነበር ካልሆነም የሚታገሉትን ለመርዳት መጣር አስተዋይነት ነበር፤ለመሆኑ በ97
ምርጫ መለስ አዲስ አበባን ብቻ ሳይሆን በክልሎችም ኢህአዴግ ተሽንፈናልና ስልጣን ተረከቡን ቢላቸው ኖሮ ምን ያደርጉ ነበር?
እዉን ቤተ መንግስት ገብተው ሚኒስትሮችቸውን ሾመው የፌዴራልና የክልል አስተዳደራዊ መዋቅሮችን ዘርግተው ከሁሉም በላይ
የመከላከያንና የደህንንቱን ስራዊት ተቆጣጥረው ስላማዊ ሽግግር ተደርጎ አገር እንመራለን ብለው ከልብ አስበው ይኾን፦ይኽን
የሚያስቡ ሳይሆን የሚያልሙ እንኩዋን ካሉ ቂሎች መሆን አለባቸው፦
በአንድ ወቅት በፓርላማ ውስጥ አሳፋሪ ትዕይንት አይተናል፤ በጀት አመዳደቡ ትክክል አይደለም በሚል ዶ/ር በየነ ጴጥሮስ
ለመለስ አቤቱታ ሲያቀርቡ ለኢዴፓ ከፍተኛ በጀት ሲመደብ ለኛ ድርጅት ግን አነስተኛ ነው በሚል፤ እንዴት ነው ወያኔ
በሚመድብላቸው በጀት እየኖሩ የወያኔ ተቃዋሚ ሆነው መቀጠል የሚችሉት፦ ለዚህም ነው መለስ እነዚህን ታማኝ ተቃዋሚዎችን
የሚፈልጋቸው፤ድፍን አስራ ስምንት ዓመታት ሙሉ መለስ ፈቅዶ ባስገባቸው ፓርላማ ውስጥ ሲሰድባቸው ሲሳለቅባቸው ሲፈልግ
ሲያስራቸው ሲያሻው መፈታት ከፈለጋችሁ የይቅርታ ደብዳቤ ፅፋችሁ ጠይቁኝ እያለ ሲቀልድባቸው ሲፈለግ ስደት እንዲሄዱ
ሁኔታዎችን አመቻችቶ ሲሽኛቸው፤በአጠቃላይ የፈለገውን ሲያደርጋቸው ኖሮ ተገላገሉት፦ በፓላማም ውስጥ የዉጭ ዲፕሎማቶች
በሚጋበዙበት ወቅት መለስንና ኢህአዴግን በማብጠልጠል ነፃነትና ዴሞክራሲ ያለ ለማስመስል በሚደረገው ድራማ ተዋናይ ሆነው
እንዲታዩና ዲፕሎማቶቹ የተሳሳተ ግንዛቤ ይዘው እንዲሄዱ ሲደረግ ተኑሯል፦አሁን ደግሞ የራሳቸውን ልጅ ሃይለማሪያምን
ተክሎላቸው ሄደ፦ሂደቱ ይቀጥላል የሚለወጥ ነገር የለም ብሏቸዋል፦ ተቃዋሚነታቸውን ቀጥለዋል፤ ዓለምም ልፍስፍሶች ሆነው
ነው እንጂ ጠንካራ ቢሆኑ ኖሮ መንግስት ከዚህ በላይ ምን ያድርግ በማለት እየተሳለቀባቸው ነው፦ ተቃዋሚ ስላለም ዲሞክራሲ
ስፍኗል በሚል የበለፀጉ አገራት እርዳታና ድጋፍ ይቀጥላል፦የኢትዮጵያ ህዝብ ስቆቃም ይቀጥላል፦ወያኔም የሚፈልገው ይኽንኑ
ነው፦
ተቃዋሚዎች እባክችሁን ከመጠየቅ ባታመልጡም የህዝቡን መከራ አታብዙት ወያኔን ከመለመን እናንተን መለመን ስለሚቀል
ይብቃቸሁ፤ፓርቲዎቻችሁን አፍርሱ፤ድርጅቶቻችሁን ዝጉ፤ የሃያላን መንግስታት አመለካከት አታዛቡ፤ የናንተ መኖር የወያኔ
ዓመታዊ በጀት እንኩዋን የሚታቀደው ግማሹ ከውጭ በሚገኝ ዕርዳታ መሆኑን ሃያ አንድ ዓመታት ሙሉ የተመለከትነው ነው፦
ወያኔ እርቃኑን የሚቀረውና ዕድሜውም የሚያጥረው እናንተ ሳትኖሩ ነው፦ የትጥቅ ትግል የሚያደርጉትን ባትደግፉም አትተቹ፤
ነገ መጠያየቅ ስለሚኖር፤ በአሁኑ ወቅት የሰራዊቱ አባላት በርካታወቹ ትግሉን የተቀላቀሉ ሲሆን በአጭር ግዜ ዉስጥ አብዛኛው
ስርአቱን ለመክዳት በዝግጅት ላይ መሆኑ ተረጋገጧል፦ ይቀጥላል
አስጨናቂ ድረስ /ክጉለሌ/
baschenaki44@gmail.com

Ethiopia to stay in Somalia until AU takeover

Ethiopian Prime Minster Hailemariam Desalegn (L) speaks during a meeting with his Somali counterpart Hassan Sheikh Mohamud in Addis Ababa, Wednesday. — AFP

ADDIS ABABA — Ethiopian troops will remain in Somalia until African Union forces fighting Islamists can take over, Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn said Wednesday, as he met with his Somali counterpart.

“We are waiting for AMISOM (African Union Mission in Somalia) force to come and replace us, and until we get that assurance then we will be waiting there,” he told reporters.

Hailemariam, speaking alongside newly elected Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on his first official visit to the Ethiopian capital, gave no timeline for a pull out of troops.

Mohamud said that the Shabab is “literally defeated” – although many experts say it remains a potent threat – and also warned foreign fighters with the extremists to leave Somalia. “We have no relationship, and we do not intend to have one, with the foreign fighters in Somalia,” Mohamud said. “The only option for them is to leave the country.”

Ethiopian troops and tanks invaded Somalia in November 2011 to attack Al-Qaeda linked Shabab insurgents, capturing key towns including Baidoa.
At the same time, anti-Shabab Somali forces and a 17,000-strong AU force have been also battling the Islamists, and are seeking to link up with areas held by Ethiopia.

Addis Ababa – long seen as a traditional enemy of Somalia – is a controversial presence in Somalia. Ethiopia entered Somalia in a 2006 US-backed invasion, but was driven out three years later by a bitter insurgency.

War-torn Somalia has been in chaos since the fall of President Siad Barre in 1991. — AFP

Last week, Ethiopia’s new prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, made his first state visit to neighbouring Kenya, with which it maintains cordial, but largely security-related, bilateral ties. Indeed Kenya is one of the few countries that Addis Ababa, famously jittery to foreigners on its soil, allows free entry with a visa not required. However that is as far as the welcome extends, with a clutch of trade restrictions imposed on its southern neighbour, although in fairness most other countries are also affected. As a result, commerce volumes between the two countries remain well below potential, with unverifiable figures quantifying Kenyan exports to Ethiopia at about $5 billion, compared to $80 billion to Uganda. Hailemariam’s predecessor Meles Zenawi had been in Kenya months before his sudden death in August, to inaugurate a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project that would further open up trade between the two countries. The new premier’s visit was thus in part designed to reassure Kenya of Ethiopia’s continued support, the change of guard at the top notwithstanding. But Hailemariam also signed an agreement with President Mwai Kibaki that accords Kenyan firms special status, in essence allowing them to circumvent the considerable restrictions arrayed before foreign companies that seek to invest in Ethiopia. But like all agreements—even this one that was months in the making - the devil is in the details. Ethiopia sought to channel Kenyan investment appetite into manufacturing, hospitality and agriculture, which on the surface makes sense due to their ability to employ millions of Ethiopians and redistribute national wealth more equitably. Protectionist leanings But it was the sectors that were left out - financial services and telecommunications - that economists argue have the potential to create more of that national cake in the first place. Ethiopia, for historical reasons (its Marxist past), does not allow foreign firms to invest in these areas. But in a period where many African countries have been carrying out a raft of regulations as captured by regular 'Doing Business' indicators, Ethiopia lags behind on too many. The obstacles continue to exist mainly for political reasons. The state-owned telephone monopoly is extremely lucrative and also a useful tool of control, while the financial services sector is shallow in part because Addis Ababa prefers to choose who to fund, mainly groups with the right political connections. The outcome has been regrettable: Ethiopia remains one of the African countries with the lowest mobile phone penetration, while its companies remain uncompetitive as they cannot raise the capital to change their structure. (This latter concern also contributes to the official protectionist leanings). Three in every four Ethiopians—almost 60 million—struggle to eke out a living every day. Ethiopia is one of the few stable African countries not expected to reach middle income status by 2025, despite its high sustained growth figures. But with available data such as that showing that a ten per cent increase in connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa gives a 1.4 per cent bump in GDP, the country’s leaders would do well to consider allowing competition into this sector. It is also widely known that the private sector creates jobs faster—and more efficiently—than government. Opening up these areas would in theory create more jobs and strengthen national growth than the current model does, resulting in a win-win solution that appeals to both reformers and anti-reformers alike. For Hailemariam, whose technocratic credentials suggest he is more reformist-minded than the reconstructed Marxist he succeeded - this is a carrot that he could offer the conservative cabal that rules the country

Last week, Ethiopia’s new prime minister, Hailemariam Desalegn, made his first state visit to neighbouring Kenya, with which it maintains cordial, but largely security-related, bilateral ties.

Indeed Kenya is one of the few countries that Addis Ababa, famously jittery to foreigners on its soil, allows free entry with a visa not required.

However that is as far as the welcome extends, with a clutch of trade restrictions imposed on its southern neighbour, although in fairness most other countries are also affected.

As a result, commerce volumes between the two countries remain well below potential, with unverifiable figures quantifying Kenyan exports to Ethiopia at about $5 billion, compared to $80 billion to Uganda.

Hailemariam’s predecessor Meles Zenawi had been in Kenya months before his sudden death in August, to inaugurate a multi-billion dollar infrastructure project that would further open up trade between the two countries.

The new premier’s visit was thus in part designed to reassure Kenya of Ethiopia’s continued support, the change of guard at the top notwithstanding.

But Hailemariam also signed an agreement with President Mwai Kibaki that accords Kenyan firms special status, in essence allowing them to circumvent the considerable restrictions arrayed before foreign companies that seek to invest in Ethiopia.

But like all agreements—even this one that was months in the making - the devil is in the details.

Ethiopia sought to channel Kenyan investment appetite into manufacturing, hospitality and agriculture, which on the surface makes sense due to their ability to employ millions of Ethiopians and redistribute national wealth more equitably.

Protectionist leanings

But it was the sectors that were left out - financial services and telecommunications - that economists argue have the potential to create more of that national cake in the first place.

Ethiopia, for historical reasons (its Marxist past), does not allow foreign firms to invest in these areas. But in a period where many African countries have been carrying out a raft of regulations as captured by regular 'Doing Business' indicators, Ethiopia lags behind on too many.

The obstacles continue to exist mainly for political reasons. The state-owned telephone monopoly is extremely lucrative and also a useful tool of control, while the financial services sector is shallow in part because Addis Ababa prefers to choose who to fund, mainly groups with the right political connections.

The outcome has been regrettable: Ethiopia remains one of the African countries with the lowest mobile phone penetration, while its companies remain uncompetitive as they cannot raise the capital to change their structure. (This latter concern also contributes to the official protectionist leanings).

Three in every four Ethiopians—almost 60 million—struggle to eke out a living every day. Ethiopia is one of the few stable African countries not expected to reach middle income status by 2025, despite its high sustained growth figures.

But with available data such as that showing that a ten per cent increase in connectivity in sub-Saharan Africa gives a 1.4 per cent bump in GDP, the country’s leaders would do well to consider allowing competition into this sector.

It is also widely known that the private sector creates jobs faster—and more efficiently—than government.

Opening up these areas would in theory create more jobs and strengthen national growth than the current model does, resulting in a win-win solution that appeals to both reformers and anti-reformers alike.

For Hailemariam, whose technocratic credentials suggest he is more reformist-minded than the reconstructed Marxist he succeeded - this is a carrot that he could offer the conservative cabal that rules the country.

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Ethiopia's last Jews prepare for the 'Promised Land' -AFP

"Once... you're in this halfway status of being internal refugees, you're certainly better off in Israel than being internal refugees in Ethiopia," said Steven Kaplan, professor of religion and African studies at Jerusalem's Hebrew University.

GONDAR, Ethiopia — It was one of the most daring operations in Ethiopian history: Israel's 1991 airlift of Ethiopian Jews, when nearly 15,000 people were crammed into a series of non-stop flights lasting 36 hours.

Clutching only a few belongings, in planes with seats removed to make more space, they left a nation their ancestors had called home for two millennia for a land they knew only from scripture.

More than two decades later, some 2,000 descendants and relatives of those Israel had identified as original Jews are set to join them in the Holy Land.

All that's left of Ethiopia's Jewish population, called the Falash Mura, or "wanderers" in Ethiopia's Amharic language -- is expected to move to Israel over the next 18 months, the end of an ancient chapter of Ethiopian history.

"It is God's promise to us to go to the Promised Land and fulfill his prophecy... but that doesn't change the fact that I am Ethiopian," said Gasho Abenet, 25.

Ethiopia's remaining Falash Mura live in Gondar in the north of the country, supported by the Jerusalem-based organisation The Jewish Agency for Israel, where many have waited for years to complete bureaucratic hurdles and win approval to move.

Many say they feel frozen in limbo, not quite at home in Ethiopia, eager to become Israeli, and suffering from a long separation from family members who have already left.

Many Jews in Ethiopia -- a small minority in a country where officially 62 percent are Christian and 34 percent are Muslim -- say they have been misunderstood and even discriminated against.

Housing rents are arbitrarily hiked, some say, and many report name-calling from those who do not understand or accept Judaism.

"It is difficult to live here in Ethiopia as an Israelite because we get insulted," 22-year-old Amhare Fantahun said.

For Gasho, it means never feeling fully at home in the land of his birth.

"The life that we are living here is a nightmare, we can never settle," he said, donning a black and white skullcap and a Star of David pin.

Despite their feeling of apparent transience, the history of Judaism in Ethiopia dates back about 2,000 years.

The precise roots are disputed: some say Ethiopia's ancient Jews -- called Beta Israel, or "House of Israel" -- are descendants of Jewish nomads who travelled first to Egypt, then on to Ethiopia.

Others say they are direct descendants of the Queen of Sheba and King Solomon.

The Falash Mura, descendants of the Beta Israeli -- many of whom were forced to convert to Christianity in the 18th and 19th centuries -- have observed a unique interpretation of Judaism for generations.

Practices include separating menstruating women from men and burying their dead in Christian cemeteries. They must learn Rabbinic law and Hebrew before moving to Israel.

In skullcaps and draped in prayer scarves, they gather every week in Gondar's makeshift synagogue, a corrugated iron shed painted the blue and white of Israel's flag, chanting verses from the Torah in Ethiopia's Amharic language.

The push to transport Ethiopia's Jews to Israel began in the 1980s, under Ethiopia's brutal Communist dictator Mengistu Hailemariam, who used Ethiopia's Jews as pawns and tried to trade them for weapons from Israel.

Many left Ethiopia illegally, travelling by foot to Sudan, where 20,000 people were eventually flown to Israel in Operation Moses in 1985, the precursor to the 1991 airlift from the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababa.

The airlift, known as Operation Solomon, came as Mengistu lost his grip on power.

There are about 130,000 Jews of Ethiopian descent in Israel today. By March 2014, the immigration of Ethiopia's Jews to Israel is expected to finish, closing an ancient chapter of Ethiopia's history.

Under Ethiopia's Emperor Haile Selassie, departure for Israel was blocked as he said the country would lose a key cornerstone of its heritage.

"Haile Selassie said, 'If we did that we would lose one of the key elements in the Ethiopian tapestry. They represent a tradition that we all think we're descended from,'" said Stephen Spector, author of a book about the airlift.

But for Israeli ambassador to Ethiopia Belyanesh Zevadia -- who was born in Ethiopia and lived in Israel for 28 years -- the end of the returns to Israel merely marks a new chapter in relations between the two countries.

"Maybe (we are) losing the culture, the Jewish culture," she said. "But there are so many of them coming back and investing here... so we are building the bridge between the two countries."

Gasho said the heritage lives on in other ways too, even though most of the Falash Mura have left the country.

"We Jewish who are living here in Ethiopia, we taught our wisdom and knowledge," he said. "Our culture is well understood throughout the community... learning, metallurgy, handcraftsmanship, it is all passed on," Gasho added.

At Addis Ababa's transit centre, where the Falash Mura gather before boarding a flight to Israel, new shoes and clothes are passed around as children play table tennis and table football under the beating afternoon sun.

Despite not knowing what to expect when they reach Israel, there is a sense of happiness from those about to leave Ethiopia for good.

"I am going to miss Ethiopia, of course, but this is life, so I have to go to Israel, and that is the path decided for me," said Malefeya Zelelu, 84, who waited in Gondar for 14 years before being approved to leave.

"I am now going to be an Israelite," he added, smiling widely.

Ethiopian News Dictator Dead Zenawie awarded by his mentors - in Amharic - Monday, November 26, 2012 - YouTube

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Ethiopia supports peaceful solution to conflict between Palestine and Israel

Ethiopian Prime Minister with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine Dr. Riyad Al Malk

Hailemariam expresses Ethiopia’s wish to find peaceful solution to conflict between Palestine, Israel

Source: ENA

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn expressed Ethiopia's desire to find peaceful solution to the conflict between Palestine and Israel. While holding talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Palestine Dr. Riyad Al Malki here Monday, Hailemariam said Ethiopia supports ongoing efforts to bring about peace between Palestine and Israel. He said Ethiopia supports Palestine’s demand for self-determination. The Palestinian Minister told journalists after the discussion that Palestine urges the international community to impose seize fire between Palestine and Israel.

Ethiopia, US look to strengthen ties after election

Ethiopia’s PM Hailemariam Desalegn meets with a top US official.

ADDIS ABABA: With a new leader in Ethiopia and American President Barack Obama re-elected, the two countries are looking to bolster their relationship.

Ethiopian Prime Minister Hailemariam Desalegn held talks here with visiting United States Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman on bilateral issues.

It comes as tension has been rising in the East African country over the future of politics after Desalegn replaced late Prime Minister Meles Zenawi in August as PM.

The Prime Minister told Sherman during Wednesday’s meeting that Ethiopia “was keen to further strengthen the existing co-operation with Washington, particularly in the areas of economy, security, human rights and democracy.”

Desalegn also expressed hope that the visit by Sherman, the State Department’s third-ranking official, “would further boost co-operation and development assistance the US was providing to Ethiopia.”

Sherman said later that the discussions with the Prime Minister were successful and affirmed that the existing bilateral co-operation would continue to be strengthened.

Analysts in Ethiopia told Bikyamasr.com that they are watching the relationship between Washington and Addis Ababa closely, wondering which direction the Obama administration, now without fears of an election backlash, will react to the ongoing reports of human rights abuses in rural areas.

“It is very interesting to see how, if they do, the relationship will change,” Monica Teneti, a former journalist and now political consultant to the European Union, told Bikyamasr.com. For her, she is hopeful that pressure will be put on Desalegn and the government to change policies.

“I think what we could see is a more forceful president on the international stage. Obama really has a chance to live up to his calls for hope and change that many people in Ethiopia have wanted for a long time. It will be vital for Obama to make an impact,” she said.

While it may be too early to call on the role the second-term presidency of Obama will have on Ethiopia, it appears Washington is not going to go about business silently, as evidenced by the top foreign affairs officials.

Ethiopian News in Amharic - Saturday, November 03, 2012 - YouTube

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