Monday, January 16, 2006
Gode Cheetahs Voice Their Objections!
Now, was that so hard to believe? What if we were to tell you that this was a recent headline in the Washington Post? Well it wasn’t, but other stories that were just as hard to believe have been making headlines…read on.
These days the Washington Post constantly reminds us that U.S. Forces are saving Cheetahs in Ethiopia [a
prelude to saving us all maybe?], while others remind us that the western “Reality TV” craze is now bringing hope to Ethiopians after the election unrest. We scroll through the news on Ethiopia and find it hard to believe that these are the news pieces American media feels are worthy of attention. But we can not take these stories for granted without pondering if there maybe something more sinister at work. It seems to us that while the former story’s motivation is to instill a sense that foreign military personnel are there for our own good, the latter story may be written to convince people that Ethiopians aspire to the teachings of the west [never mind that TV ownership is at 0.6% in Ethiopia].
Truth be told, during difficult times most Ethiopians draw hope and sustenance within the context of their own culture and identity. Thousands of years of local history is a testament that we probably have a lot to teach the world in this area than the other way around; and most certainly not via an Idol show.
But maybe we are seeing it all wrong…just maybe, we should take comfort in all this because, incase the viceroy in Addis has to leave, this may all mean that our saviors won’t be too far removed to assure "appropriate" leadership. For now, we know that the Agazi forces [pictured here, and apparently trained between saving cheetahs], have done their job well enough to buy time for other diplomatic endeavors to save the bankrupt Ethiopian regime.
Meanwhile on the Ethio-Eritrean Front...
Yared Tibebu recently wrote an article in The Sudan Tribune that the latest diplomatic machination of the U.S. is meant to overshadow the people’s internal struggle in Ethiopia by some agreement with Eritrea. Similarly a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations said:
These days the Washington Post constantly reminds us that U.S. Forces are saving Cheetahs in Ethiopia [a
prelude to saving us all maybe?], while others remind us that the western “Reality TV” craze is now bringing hope to Ethiopians after the election unrest. We scroll through the news on Ethiopia and find it hard to believe that these are the news pieces American media feels are worthy of attention. But we can not take these stories for granted without pondering if there maybe something more sinister at work. It seems to us that while the former story’s motivation is to instill a sense that foreign military personnel are there for our own good, the latter story may be written to convince people that Ethiopians aspire to the teachings of the west [never mind that TV ownership is at 0.6% in Ethiopia].Truth be told, during difficult times most Ethiopians draw hope and sustenance within the context of their own culture and identity. Thousands of years of local history is a testament that we probably have a lot to teach the world in this area than the other way around; and most certainly not via an Idol show.
But maybe we are seeing it all wrong…just maybe, we should take comfort in all this because, incase the viceroy in Addis has to leave, this may all mean that our saviors won’t be too far removed to assure "appropriate" leadership. For now, we know that the Agazi forces [pictured here, and apparently trained between saving cheetahs], have done their job well enough to buy time for other diplomatic endeavors to save the bankrupt Ethiopian regime.
Meanwhile on the Ethio-Eritrean Front...
Yared Tibebu recently wrote an article in The Sudan Tribune that the latest diplomatic machination of the U.S. is meant to overshadow the people’s internal struggle in Ethiopia by some agreement with Eritrea. Similarly a senior fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations said:
“Washington's leverage over Ethiopia [in its attempt to resolve the border standoff] is a promise to help Meles deal with a turbulent political situation at home and to persuade European donors to give back $375 million in aid they withheld over an opposition crackdown last year.”
In other words, Meles negotiates a peace deal with Eritrea and in due course the aid that ensures his stay on power gets reinstated.
Eritrea has responded to the latest U.S. offer to mediate much differently from how it responded to past attempts including that of the U.N. The reason could be that it either feels the U.S. has no choice but to pressure Ethiopia or that it would find itself in a more precarious situation if it refuses to talk to the U.S. which sees Meles’s removal as unacceptable. Recent talk of international sanctions from the U.N. is meant to further pressure Asmara, which is already at odds with the U.S. over the expulsion of USAID. Issayas just may have a guest that he can not refuse to see.
What Happens Next?
To restore international legitimacy to Meles, what happens locally is also important. The additional opposition members that have chosen to join the parliament lend more international legitimacy to Meles’s government. Once reelection takes place on the boycotted seats, Meles can change the parliamentary rules that have been controversial on recommendation of the western consultants he has promised to hire. Undoubtedly, the changes will only be symbolic, probably reflecting the new composition of The House. The western media will remarket Meles to the world as once more on the right path. Meles gets another pat, the west congratulates itself on reinstating Meles to the 'right path' and finally aid is reinstated.
But in all this one thing is overlooked, and that is the role of the Ethiopian people. Western governments seem to think that the only legitimacy that really matters is an international one. As long as public opinion in their respective capitals is willing to accommodate the support of a dictatorial client government, they will continue to do so. As the recent reports on Ethiopia suggest, the mainstream press in these countries lacks the moral authority to be taken seriously but unfortunately these are the outlets that form western public opinion. Despite all these however, the most important thing for Ethiopians to remember is that no matter what influences are backing Meles and Co., the key ingredient for long term rule is missing. The west, the press as well as the viceroy himself have overlooked that legitimacy is not for them to give. That is reserved for the Ethiopian People.
Eritrea has responded to the latest U.S. offer to mediate much differently from how it responded to past attempts including that of the U.N. The reason could be that it either feels the U.S. has no choice but to pressure Ethiopia or that it would find itself in a more precarious situation if it refuses to talk to the U.S. which sees Meles’s removal as unacceptable. Recent talk of international sanctions from the U.N. is meant to further pressure Asmara, which is already at odds with the U.S. over the expulsion of USAID. Issayas just may have a guest that he can not refuse to see.
What Happens Next?
To restore international legitimacy to Meles, what happens locally is also important. The additional opposition members that have chosen to join the parliament lend more international legitimacy to Meles’s government. Once reelection takes place on the boycotted seats, Meles can change the parliamentary rules that have been controversial on recommendation of the western consultants he has promised to hire. Undoubtedly, the changes will only be symbolic, probably reflecting the new composition of The House. The western media will remarket Meles to the world as once more on the right path. Meles gets another pat, the west congratulates itself on reinstating Meles to the 'right path' and finally aid is reinstated.
But in all this one thing is overlooked, and that is the role of the Ethiopian people. Western governments seem to think that the only legitimacy that really matters is an international one. As long as public opinion in their respective capitals is willing to accommodate the support of a dictatorial client government, they will continue to do so. As the recent reports on Ethiopia suggest, the mainstream press in these countries lacks the moral authority to be taken seriously but unfortunately these are the outlets that form western public opinion. Despite all these however, the most important thing for Ethiopians to remember is that no matter what influences are backing Meles and Co., the key ingredient for long term rule is missing. The west, the press as well as the viceroy himself have overlooked that legitimacy is not for them to give. That is reserved for the Ethiopian People.
// posted by Redeem Ethiopia @ 8:11 PM 
