Ethiopian protest demonstrations in Europe and USA: Why are they morally imperative?
By Asebir Alemu

For many people who have not closely observed Ethiopian politics it might be difficult to understand the purposes of the series of public demonstrations which Ethiopians are staging in Europe and USA. Some may even think that as democratization comes from domestic processes within nations, such demonstrations in foreign countries do not contribute much the process of democratization in Ethiopia. This is generally true. The inside and outside distinction in the Ethiopian case is, however, very blurred. The challenge of democratizing an authoritarian state which is heavily financed by western nations and their financial institutions requires a sustained and coordinated struggle from both within and outside of the country.

Junior and mid level officials of the State Department of the USA who are in charge of charting US foreign policy on Africa are not happy about the political activism of the Ethiopian Diaspora in the United States. They, therefore, deliberately echo the idea that democratization comes out of domestic processes and try to downplay the role of the Ethiopian Diaspora in the politics of Ethiopia. The former US Ambassador to Ethiopia, Mrs. Aurelia E. Brazeal went even further and branded Ethiopian voices in the USA as “extremist” and “hatemongering”. Surprisingly, Mrs. Brazeal chose the exact vocabulary which Mr. Zenawi’s propaganda machine uses to demonize its critics within and outside of Ethiopia.

We should then ask why US diplomats in charge of Ethiopian policy are lukewarm about Ethiopian demonstrations in Washington D.C. and other European capitals. This is because Ethiopian protest rallies in the USA are reminders of the failure of US foreign policy in the Horn of Africa in general and in Ethiopia in particular.

The series of Ethiopian protests ranging from candle vigils to public demonstrations are morally relevant for several reasons which I would outline below.

Stop subsidizing repression is the main message of the demonstrations

The Ethiopian Diaspora is not asking Europe and America to take control of Ethiopia and democratize it. That is indeed out of the question. Ethiopians are protesting in Europe and America to demand the stopping of subsidizing repression by European and American powers in Ethiopia. Like subsidy in agriculture distorts the global agricultural market, subsidy that Europe and America provide to Mr. Zenawi distorts the process of democratization in Ethiopia. Once this subsidy is stopped, Mr. Zenawi will be obliged to enter into an earnest and all inclusive political dialogue with the Ethiopian opposition, including those who wage armed struggle against the regime such as Oromo Liberation Front (OLF), Ogaden National Liberation Front (ONLF) and others.

European and American subsidy to Mr. Zenawi is morally repugnant as four out of the ten bullets fired by Mr. Zenawi’s ethnic militia is paid by European and American tax payers’ money. This really makes the continued protests in Europe and America morally imperative. In fact, the Ethiopian Diaspora should strive more to get the attention of lawmakers and opinion makers within Europe and America to underline the fact that European and American tax payer’s money is used to pamper a cruel tyrant.


The failure of US foreign policy in the Horn of Africa

Mr. Zenawi, a leader of a minority regime in Ethiopia was picked by US foreign policy decision makers as an ally of the USA in its war against terrorism. Mr. Zenawi allowed US troops to roam the vast territory of the Ogaden as part of his partnership with the US. Despite this minor military partnership, US foreign policy in the Horn of Africa has failed in attaining its stated objectives, i.e. regional stability/security and democratization. On both counts, Mr. Zenawi’s intransigence greatly contributed to the failure of US foreign policy.

In the case of regional security, Mr. Zenawi’s refusal to accept the decisions of the Ethiopian Eritrean Boundary Commission (EEBC) has endangered regional security. The firm position of the Eritrean government regarding the implementation of the decisions of the EEBC and the continued belligerence of Mr. Zenawi to international rule of law has lingered insecurity in the entire sub-region. The approach of the United Nations Security Council and the USA which is targeted to appease Mr. Zenawi rather than putting pressure on the resolution of the boundary dispute may once again send the two poor nations into a dangerous war. The ineptitudeness of US foreign policy decision makers in charge of Horn of Africa to understand the complexities of the region was made crystal clear when Eritrea snubbed the much trumpeted mediation effort of the USA in January 2006. Some might wrongly think that the refusal the poor and tiny Eritrean head of state to receive and talk to the US Assistant Secretary of State for Africa, Mrs. Jendayi Frazer indicates the new nation’s diplomatic immaturity and its leader’s arrogance. The fact of the matter was, however, the US has failed to put the required pressure so that Mr. Zenawi allows the EBBC to resume its activities.

On the democracy front, Mr. Zenawi was a failure from the very beginning. The May 2005 elections were made relatively open because of the insistence of the European Union and other multinational donors. The massive violation of human rights and the clamping of the media and the opposition after the May 2005 elections is, therefore, a crystal clear testimony of US foreign policy failure regarding its democratic rhetoric.

The Ethiopian voices in Washington are annoying mid and junior level US diplomats in the State Department, as these “noises” herald their repeated failures to the wider audience within the USA including congressional lawmakers and the media.

Shunning Mr. Zenawi from the international stage

The other and equally important objective of Ethiopian protests in Europe and America is the revelation of the true colors of Mr. Zenawi at the international level. Wherever Mr. Zenawi travels in Europe and America, he should be haunted by the spirits of the young protestors which his ethnic militia slaughtered. Wherever Mr. Zenawi goes, the brothers and sisters of the fallen Ethiopians would remind him that his heinous crimes will never be forgotten. Whatever city which hosts the cruel tyrant would echo Ethiopian voices of reason. Whatever head of state that will be willing to honor Mr. Zenawi will be made know that he/she is dining and wining with a child killer. The Ethiopian protest rallies in Europe and America have greatly helped in tarnishing Mr. Zenawi’s carefully painted “image” by Western public relations companies and lobbyists as “reformer”, and “new breed of African leader”. The continued protests and revelations would lead to the shunning of Mr. Zenawi from the international stage which he likes and incessantly craves.

Finally, Ethiopians are not demonstrating to urge the US and Europe to send their troops and help democratize Ethiopia, they are just demanding the ending of “subsidizing repression”. If the international community is serious about human rights and peace in Africa, Zenawi and his staunch allies like Beshir of Sudan should be indicted by the International Criminal Court like Joseph Konny of the Lord Resistance Army. After all, they are all killers of children.

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