Reflections on The Addis Seminar

Part I: Personnal Reflections on The Addis Seminar

And a river went out of Eden to water the garden; and from thence it was parted, and became into four heads. The name of the first is Pison: that is it which compasseth the whole land of Havilah, where there is gold; And the gold of that land is good: there is bdellium and the onyx stone. And the name of the second river is Gihon: the same is it that compasseth the whole land of Ethiopia. And the name of the third river is Hiddekel: that is it which goeth toward the east of Assyria. And the fourth river is Euphrates.
(Genesis 2:10-14 KJV) (The first book of the Old Testament) Emphasis mine.
 

Thank you Ethiopia and the Ethiopians                                             

When I received an invitation from the Ethiopian Government through the Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change (ENCDC) to participate in the Seminar organized at the beautiful Gihon Hotel in Addis Abeba, I was overwhelmed with alternating feelings. On the one hand, I felt honored to be invited by Ethiopian leaders and on the other hand I knew I should prepare myself for the  controversies.

These controversies started immediately after I informed some friends about the invitation and my consideration to attend.  Some told me it is “a historical mistake”, without explaining what a “historical mistake” is and why it is a historical mistake.  Some of the blind followers of Isaias Afwerki have already sentenced me to a capital punishment in absentia.  Others warned me about the bad intentions of the Ethiopian Government and especially the “Weyane’s” without substantiating  their allegations. “You better stay out of this seminar” was actually their advice.

Others stated that they were “shocked to hear that Habtom Yohannes was going to Addis Abeba”; as if I had ever promised them not to visit Addis anymore.  

Of course I considered their advices and warning seriously but at the end of the day my heartfelt conviction to remain myself & independent was overwhelming.  I am extremely happy and thankful that I went!

What I first did was, share the invitation with my beloved wife and children. The debate at the table was vivacious as always. We prayed to God to give us advice and debated all the issues vigorously.  I had an extremely tight agenda. It was not easy to undertake such a trip directly after the summer vacation and weeks of training. I discussed the issue with my directors and managers;  they were so generous and encouraged me to participate.

After all this, I was determined to go and liberate myself from the suffocating innuendo’s that were & still are pouring on the internet and the email boxes. When I saw the smear campaigns against Ethiopia, The Ethiopian Government, The  Weyanes (TPLF), ENCDC, EDA and so on, my determination to go became solid. Why is accepting an invitation to participate in a seminar a sin? Why does an individual need permission from whomever to participate in a meeting of his/her choice? You don’t have to occupy a presidential office to behave like a totalitarian leader. I have been reading many smear campaigns and unfounded allegations. I will try to explain why the smear campaigns are shallow; stay tuned and read the next articles.  

It was not my first time in Addis. But this is the first time that I visited Ethiopia on the invitation of the Ethiopian Government.                                                        

I have never seen the Ethiopian people as the enemy of the Eritrean people. Even during the armed struggle to liberate Eritrea, thanks to God, I could differentiate between the clique who oppressed the Eritrean & Ethiopian peoples and the masses: Eritreans, Amahara’s, Tigrawots (the same ethnic group as I am and with the same language / culture as I am), Afars, Kunama’s, Oromo’s, Gurage’s and the many other nationalities that were victims of the irrational rage of oppression. When PFDJ started to deport Ethiopians I was the first one to write “Ethiopians belong in Eritrea and they shouldn’t be deported from Eritrea”; published among others on Asamrino.com.

When I entered the Ethiopian Airlines in Frankfurt Addis the hospitality started to pour upon me and upon my friend who was a former comrade of Isaias Afeworki (not the jovial Adhanom Ghebremariam) and who still carries bullets and sicknesses in his body. He fought for independence and liberation since 1973 (Gregorian Calendar) ; and he is still continuing his struggle for liberty with determination.

At Bole Addis Airport Outside the Bole Airport representatives of the Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change (ENCDC) awaited us with an Ethiopian driver who speak Tigrigna like it is spoken in Tigray; a very lovely and helpful guy.

After we arrived at the Hotel we were welcomed by different Eritrean compatriots. In the evening Ethiopian officials, like General Mesfin Amare and Minister of Communication, Ato Bereket Simon and Ato Abraham Ghebremedhin welcomed us. In the evening Mr. Amha Domenico, the current Chairman of the Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change welcomed us. After that dinner and Ethiopian coffee was served. All in all more than 70 Eritreans from all over the world were present.  I am extremely grateful for the invitation, the hospitality and what I have learned from my Ethiopian an Eritrean friends. Thank you all.

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Part II: Addis Reflections on The Addis Seminar

“Society exists for the benefit of its members, not the members for the benefit of society” Herbert Spencer
To those who want to paralyze us in the name of Eritrean people, Hafash (masses), Sovereignty…
 
“The Great Aim of Education is not Knowledge, but Action” Herbert Spencer
To those “intellectuals” and “scholars” who are trying to bring a positive and lasting change in Eritrea from behind their luxurious desks in the West far from the borders of Eritrea…
 
In this part, I will try to invalidate some innuendo’s about the Addis Seminar of intellectuals and professionals. God willing, in the coming articles, I hope to address other related issues, including critical points about the Eritrean Political Parties, Intellectuals / Professionals, Eritrean National Commission for Democratic Change, Role of Journalists and so forth.


(Hidden)Invitations & Hidden Agenda’s

Nowadays it is not only Isaias and his cohorts that are rife with the theory of conspiracy and hidden agenda’s of the “Weyane’s” (TIgray People’s Liberation Front, the dominant party within the governing coalition EPRDF of Ethiopia); The Eritrean opposition is evenly (maybe worse) infected with this paranoia & debilitating disease.

There is a very good saying in Tigrigna that reflects the aforementioned attitude that is hampering the Eritrean people from strategizing an effective vision that would restore the dignity of Eritrea / Eritreans. The saying goes something like this: “Bizeben Wube zitsememes Wube kibel mote” (the one who became deaf during the reign of Wube will always think that Wube is still the ruler).

Isaias and his cohorts, and many in the opposition are partners in blaming the Weyane’s (The Ethiopian Government) for Eritrea’s predicaments. I am limiting this issue only to the Ethiopian Government since Isaias and his clique have different “foreign enemy” cards to mislead the Eritrean people from the real problems of the nation: home grown totalitarian monster that has been crippling the nation for twenty years.

The disability of the Eritrean opposition (political parties, civic societies and scholars/intellectuals) to come up with a sound alternatives to bring rule of law in Eritrea is also being blamed on the  “hidden agenda’s of the Weyane”.  

Till this day, I have seen no factual proof that supports the accusations  “the hidden agenda of the Weyanes”; as claimed by Isaias c.s and the opposition.

Let me start with the invitation for the Addis Seminar

I don’t see anything that is hidden about this! Many writers from the opposition camp have been writing baseless intimations and hollow statements.

The Ethiopian Government should be commended for the bold initiative to invite independent Eritrean opinion makers (scholars, intellectuals, professionals and other interested personalities) to Addis Ababa, to discuss issues of common interest. For somebody with an open mind, this is a very clear agenda.

I know some scholars, intellectuals, professionals and leaders of civic societies who have been complaining about the “unclear agenda” of the Addis Seminar, have been to conferences and meetings with less clear agenda than the Addis Seminar. Compared to the Addis Seminar, the conferences I am referring to were less participatory and unclear. At the end of the day, these conferences were hijacked. They were held in Addis Ababa but in the luxury of the West.

Others have published incestuous interviews to express their failure in attending the seminar. 

To those who are still repeating this baseless propaganda, let me tell them that the following were the agenda’s of the seminar; many of them were well known to the public before the participants reached Addis.

The agenda of the Addis Seminar of Intellectuals and professionals between 5 and 10 September were:

• The Present Situation in Eritrea (internal and external),
• The Situation of the Eritrean Opposition,
• What can we (Eritreans) do to bring about positive change in Eritrea?
• Ethiopian role so far towards Eritrea, Eritreans (the regime in Asmara, the opposition, Eritrean civilians.

The last point was added to the draft agenda by the participants, while the first three were suggested (and not put as fait-a-compli). The participants had full freedom to suggest, accept or reject any agenda points. The participants chose their own moderators. The participants had the choice to accept or reject the invitation. Many Eritrean individuals declined to accept the invitation and that is their right and many accepted the invitation and that is equally their democratic right. From what I observed and discussed with the organizers is that the invitation was all inclusive but not everybody could be invited. I know for sure that all invited were not only pro-EDA, pro-ENCDC or pro-Ethiopia.

The Eritrean Government of Isaias Afwerki c.s. never invited Eritrean intellectuals, professionals and other interested individuals to debate issues of common concern. It even never invited Ethiopian intellectuals and professionals for deliberations. Eritrean political opposition forces never invited Eritrean professionals, intellectuals and other interested individuals to discuss issues of mutual interest.
 The Ethiopian Government should not be blamed but commended for this bold initiative and I hope this will not be a one-time event.

“The Seminar Participants Represented The Eritrean People”

Thanks to the seminar in Addis, I (as simple Habtom Yohannes) had the opportunity to meet many wonderful Eritrean individuals.

I haven’t heard one of them saying: “I am here representing the Eritrean people or a segment of the Eritrean people”. I was astounded to read hollow articles stating that “you were there representing the Eritrean people and you should tell the Eritrean people what you all have been doing in Addis; I wonder if you can do that because you didn’t tell the Eritrean people when you were leaving”.

This is a decent paraphrasing of the following paragraph by a certain Ato Amare Ghebremariam Gebre   “Fellow seminar attendees, what do you say to those who say I care to my, personal pride and integrity, honor of my national sovereignty and educational independence when I deal with foreign subjects? Are not Ethiopians foreigners to you? I hope you will explain what you have been doing on behave of Eritreans in Addis when you come back and I wonder how you can do that because you did not tell them when you were

Leaving ”http://www.meskerem.net/SEPTEMBER%205%20ADDIS%20SEMINAR.pdf please read the contraction in terminus in his whole article but certainly in this paragraph. First he is talking about “personal pride, integrity, honor of national sovereignty and educational independence”; If I am correct this person was in Addis Abeba in July (30) 2010, to participate in the Hagerwi Waela. (National Conference). This Hagerawi Waela was extremely controversial and was held in Addis Ababa. May I ask him where his personal pride, integrity and honor of national sovereignty were at that time? Or did he found this lofty characteristics after his Addis Ababa visit and participation in the Hagerawi Waela of July 30 – 2010. In that case he should be thankful to the Ethiopian Government because without them that conference would have been impossible.

In the second sentence he is asking us to give him a statement http://awate.com/statement-about-the-addis-seminar about the seminar, at the same time he is telling us that we can’t do it because we didn’t tell the Eritrean people when we left to Addis. Are you and your likes interested in what we have to say or are you talking to yourself?

Those who are frankly interested can read the statement we (The participants of the Addis Seminar) published on the internet http://www.asmarino.com/press-releases/1171-the-addis-ababa-statement-of-eritrean-intellectuals-professionals-and-other-interested-individuals and can reach everyone of us to ask additional information. We have nothing to hide.

That I omitted to ask you, Ato Amare Ghebremariam Gebre for permission to go to Addis is just because I didn’t had your number. You know I am joking with substance. This whole saga about hidden agenda and invitations reminds me about the whole controversy regarding The Brussels Conference. Please read  an article I wrote then from Brussels: tp://maitemenay.com/home/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=57:the-brussels-conference-a-democratic-right-&catid=45:2010-09-27-03-52-10&Itemid=60

 This article was not written in defense of The Brussels Conference as such but it is written in defense of the right of every Eritrean, group of Eritreans, Foreigners and Ethiopians to organize a meeting in a venue of their choice and debate issues of their choice. This right is a universal right of every human being and nobody should tamper with it using silly excuses. 

I can’t represent the Eritrean people; I don’t have the capacity  and I am not elected by the Eritrean people or any group.  In this regard Isaias c.s are representing the Eritrean people by coercion and not because the Eritrean people elected them. The same goes for the Eritrean political opposition groups and civic societies. They are not elected by the Eritrean people, thus they can’t represent the Eritrean people. They can only talk on behalf of the constituency they pretend to represent and not the whole Eritrean people.
So please don’t shoulder us with heavy responsibility we can’t deliver. We are just simple individual Eritreans exercising our God-given right to accept invitation and participate in a meeting / seminar of our choice representing our conscience. May we?   

…to be continued

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