Three Years After Meles

Meles was a transformational leader for Ethiopia. But his influence reached far beyond Ethiopia’s

boarders. He was a leader who deeply cared about the poor and less fortunate. Always showing signs of brilliance at whatever corner and whatever topic he turns out to be. He was an outlier amongst his peers with superior knowledge and deep understanding of local and international sociopolitical issues. Ethiopians will forever be grateful for all the sacrifices he made and for inspiring them to put their country back onto its glorious past.

His shortcomings, perhaps two things: first, having died in office, not being able to really call it quit and prove his opponents and naysayers he was not clinging to power, but rather trying to push this agenda and that agenda forward for the betterment of his people. I suspect in the grand scheme of things, he probably believed he had plenty of time. Unfortunately the unexpected death came too soon.

Second, failing to include strong willed people who don’t necessarily fully agree with his politics or policies; people who have their own vision on how Ethiopia should develop. The lack of ‘team of rivals’ in key posts and in his circle if you will. I assume he took a calculated risk of surrounding himself with a lot of Yes Men in favor of developmental expediency. Because, it was clear to him what was needed to be done and he needed people to do what he asks of them; minimizing and shortening the long zigzag path that a true democratic process often requires to reach a decision point.

This in hindsight however, in the absence of a visionary leader, has left us with a lot of Yes Men, who lack vision and a sense of clear direction; aside from their constant empty rhetoric of staying the course and implementing Meles’ policies to reach his goal of Ethiopia achieving middle income country. But, they have excelled at one thing for sure, labeling anyone who questions their ineptitude and lack of commitment as detractors of the grand vision. Thus far no one has been able to reframe that defensive argument and tell the Yes Men, no that isn’t so in a manner that resonates with the masses.

Three years without Meles Zenawi, Ethiopia is certainly still making a lot of positive progress, but not as much as it should. I say this because with some changes and genuine commitment, we could achieve so much more than what we are currently achieving both on the economic and democratic fronts. Ethiopia’s biggest problem is the lack of leadership and good governance.

One of the best things Meles did was telling us time and again that our country is poor and accepting that very fact and taking that understanding to heart was the foundation of it all. There is nothing more moving and captivating than watching Meles discuss about poverty such as in this video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T17u05ENHnw 

Let me finish by quoting one of the things he said, while speaking to thousands of people gathered at the Millenium Hall.  

“የሚሰሩ እጆች ይዘን

የሚያስብ ጭንቅላት ይዘን

የወጣቱ መንፈስ ይዘን

ስንዴ የምንለምንበት ግዜ መቆም ኣለበት!”

ጠቅላይ ሚንስተር መለስ ዜናዊ።

May his soul rest in peace.  

Cheers,

Daniel 

Aya (ኣያ)

MELES OUR HERO

Our Ibex, our Lion

Our Aesop, our Falcon

Our slave, Ethiopia’s God’s gift,

Africa’s lawyer, just and fair

A lion in the jungle, but,

Soothing, fresh, breeze in the air

You will be remembered by history

As the living brain in a mighty library

Marxist at heart, fighter for equality

Lifelong soldier, to eradicate poverty

A new breed of a rare shining light

Selfless public servant day and night

The sun’s morning ray –

the Milk-way start’s dust

The guardian Angel - of my people’s trust.

Melesey, you had it all

Love - Knowledge - Vision - Dreams - Courage

Everywhere you went - you reinvented Ethiopia’s image

You made us proud; now, we are addicted to reciting our identity

‘I am from the land’ we say-

where the scientific facts say “cradle of humanity”

where culture is richer than human imagination

‘I am from the land’ we say-

where pride defines our name, & nationalism proves our fame

Where the happy colors Green, Yellow & Red, wave on a peaceful horizon

MELESEY, Our HERO, may the mighty bless your name.

Whether you were at home or in a foreign land

Right there on your side, we always wanted stand

To lend you a helping hand, to achieve your goals

To lay beneath you - should you stumble and fall

to share your vision - to learn your aim & scope

to watch you smile – for your fruits of long awaited hope

MELESEY

You are the victor in our direction -The momentum in our velocity

The focus of our telescope & the center of our galaxy;

You are the hydrogen in our fusion – The mass in our weight

The nuclei of our joy & the sun in our light

You are the root in our flower – the neurons in our brain

the tune of our music - the frequency of our beat.

The pulse of our breath - & the arteries in our hearts.

You are the line in our path – Alpha Omega of our being

During dawn and twilight - you are the shadow along our journey

The confidence in our drive  & the assurance in our stride.

You are the resiliency to our weakness - & the protector of our dreams

the feelings in our poem - the peace in our home

Our inspiration, the pendulum of our life - Our Hero, in all its meanings.

As you eloquently expressed it during our famine days

Today we return your heart felt tender words

Your departure has brought ‘the saddest time in our lives’

But you are the rain to our pain - and the cerebrum of our brain

the sun of our day - & the shining candlelight of our night

If I were a poet –

The dictionary would be my bible & I would memorize every word –

So I could write you, never-ending poems –

Until the ink in my pen saturates my entire papyrus

Or just like your revolutionary days

Until the forgotten lit cigarette burns my fingers…

But, even then, I would continue writing on the walls

With words & phrases that define you & moves others

Veracious & honest testaments

Even the deaf can sense their meanings

If I were a poet…

I would write you a poem with my blurry eyes,

As my tears would rain down my face

Spilling my passion and emotions on to my papers

Each word would carry immeasurable feelings.

I would write you a poem

For your genuine smile & your twinkling eyes

For your empathetic listening & ocean deep patience

For your articulate messages and world class intelligence

I would write you a poem –

For your kindness, humility and grace           

Your demand and quest for perfection

Never accepting anything less than our best

I would write you a poem –

Even for your clear and sharp glasses

Avid reader of those countless books.

I wish I were a poet –

I would write you a mesmerizing epyllion poem

Unequaled & lovelier than anything written before

I would be your G. E. Gorfu “Simple” yet magnificent 

I would be your Maya Angelou, perfecting my choice of words –

Clear & vibrant, like a morning dawn of an eastern horizon

I would be your Sibhat G/gziabhere, honesty & sincere –

Letting my thoughts flow unrestricted like an oasis - 

Emancipating from the abyss, & dripping through the end points of my fingers

Though, if I were a painter –

            I would be your Afewerk Tekle, and paint you a Canvas

            Larger than Ethiopia’s circumference

            A masterpiece of green yellow red & blue –

            that shines brighter than the rays –

            Perfect mix of all spectrum lights

            Even a blind man can feel,

            the wavelength of the happy colors.

I would want to be a choreographer though –

So I can create us unforgettable dance -

Allowing me to touch you and hold you close

Just like lovers, our fingers would fill in each other’s gaps

Resembling one, metaphorically synchronized & figuratively entwined 

As we lean & sway, we glide across the hall ever so effortlessly

Unrecognizable as two, impeccably inseparable elements

Just like Pluto, covalent bonds become history of the past

Our love, bond, and unity, sets a new standards!

Yet, I want to be a singer too! – Because I want to compose you a song –

Where the consonance defuses the dissonance

The cords & the notes everything would be in rhythm

I would write you a song one each for your tolerance & your perseverance

For your intellect, your strength and sea of knowledge

For your analytical ability and diplomatic persuasive ways

If I were a scientist -

I would be geologist and anthropologist

As I tenderly kiss your cultivated green leaves

I would step & walk your soil with grace -

While unearthing its inner beauty,

My body would shake (tremble) upon the touch of your embrace,

Knowing you represent pure love of my identity

You preach equality, proving we are all connected

Just first cousins of a one big family tree.

Yet, I would want to be a doctor and neurologist

So I can learn how to keep you alive for centuries

I want to trap your breath from escaping you to the heavens.

If I were a Neurologist, I would unzip my skull & let you in

to view the map of my brain & how much you occupy its residency,

If I were to let it out, it would stretch around the glob in search of your hug

Then I would imprison you, with in my embrace against my bosom;

As I close my eyes & sigh, a sign of speechless feelings –

           

But I want to be an athlete –

I would bear the pain to win a gold medal in your name

I would choose to be a runner-

so I can run & cover all the high & low lands

Where you have travelled too,

Increasing my pace, anxious to discover the next place

While my pulse, beats like Kebero & my sweat drips like the rain -

I would cross the centuries old flawless streams & rivers,

That has nurtured the ole’ mighty Nubians;

As it flow down north cleansing & baptizing everything on its way,

I would tell the Nile, no! no! no! you will no longer erode my land

First, you will pay your tribute here to my people at hand

Then, I would run nonstop brushing through the endless valley of vegetation,

Where the wind is in a peaceful harmony, against the slop & the water falls

I would rise to the mountaintop – to receive your words, from the blissful skies

You are my September’s Adey Abeba - ever so blossoming flower

You are the soul in our life - that blooms in infinite colors;

If I were gifted, I would write you a poem that becomes our national anthem

so the world could hear it sang, each & everyday -

As your shining GREEN YELLOW & RED happy colors lay

Horizontally, just & equally closer to the gods,

Way way high, up the mighty blue sky…

Humming a song, “WE ARE ONE”

It has been, and it will always be!!!

Although, our void is too deep to fill

A lifetime, too short for our pain to heal

our sorrow, too immense to cheer

Our Heaven, our Joy, is far and near

Our Heaven is far

        where it tends to our beloved dear

Our joy is near,

       Because, in millions his blossoming seeds are here.

I’m neither gifted nor a poet of a flawless biro

Just a lucky offspring to carry your torch – and call you my Hero

Your WORDS explain what you believe,

your ACTIONS shows what you weave,

your PASSION communicates to our soul

and your LOVE has pulled us all.

Your dreams are cultivated & kept deep

We are bestowed a nation to lead

and mighty promises to keep

Your vision and your nurturing deeds

Will sure ripe through your ever-

Promising seeds

With so much love in return, one out of many

Daniel Aug 2012

As For Me, Meles’ Ethiopia Reached Point Of No Return In 1996

Born in 1955 in the historic town of Adwa, Ethiopia (where the Ethiopians defeated the Italian invaders), Meles Zenawi was only 19 years old when he chose to trade his university life as an outstanding second year Medical Student at Addis Ababa University; to join the Tigrayan People's Liberation Front (TPLF) armed struggle in 1974. The war between the TPLF and its allies against the Derg lasted 17 years finally coming to an end with Meles and his Democratic Revolutionaries capturing power in 1991. Ever since, until his death in August 20, 2012. Growing up in Ethiopia, as a child, I would go to a café with my brother, where we would pay 25 cent of the local Ethiopian currency (Birr) for a tea and sit for about an hour to watch the news. On the way back to our residence with conviction from the core of his belief, my brother would immerse himself with thoughts in a distance future and would preach to me how, if I studied hard and commit myself to excellence, I too could someday grow to be Minister of Foreign Affairs, Prime Minister or any of the leadership positions that we would watch from the small Television screen that hang above the cashier. Paying 25 cent in order to remain inside and be able to watch the news from the one and only state owned channel ETV was something of a luxury for me. I can’t say if my brother’s advice ever soaked in or not, but a story in one of those evening news caught my attention and grew in me. In 1996 as a young child I learned something that I feel had impact on how I saw government and to some extent shaped my view on Ethiopia, public service, governance and the rule of law in general.

In 1996 we watched on the news seating Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Mr. Tamrat Layne who held the Prime Minister position previously being charged for multiple corruptions using his power for private gain including a multi million-export scheme. Seating Prime Minister of Ethiopia himself Mr. Meles Zenawi was testifying against the man who he picked as his Deputy Prime Minister Mr. Layne. As a child, to me this was more than I can comprehend, I never expected or knew that government officials at that level get charged; let a lone imprisoned just like any of the regular citizens. I cannot speak for others, but as far as my earliest childhood memories that I can remember, there were always respect and fear of authority. I for one, certainly never felt that regular citizens were protected and equally treated as people with power and authority; perhaps that experience had to do having spent a good portion of my early childhood where soldiers and people with guns were omnipresent. I remember one occurrence when two soldiers came to our house and I run and hid under the bed as far to the corner as I could. I still am not sure why I was scared of soldiers, as for those specific soldiers they must been family friends just visiting because my family were laughing at me for running and hiding under the bed.

During his testimony PM Meles was asked, why he picked Mr. Layne to be his deputy? Did he not know the man well? Meles responded saying something along the lines of, Tamrat was a comrade for many years, a man who went through so much struggle and fire. When fire couldn’t break him, I didn’t envision for comfort to be the one to break him. Since that day I have grown to believe more and more from the depth of my heart, everyman is equal and the true power belongs to the people and that in the court of law everyman was equal and responsible for his deeds. Because of Meles’ action on that day, I had the sense that, this man was honest and committed to do the right thing. He also indirectly instilled in me that what my brother preached to me was quite accurate, from there on I realized that Ethiopia had reached a point of no return, where picking up arms to fight for one’s views was no longer the preferred means of bringing change; it is a thing of the past. Ideas, pens and papers were the new tools of change in the new Ethiopia. Make no mistake I am not oblivious of to all the challenges and the path an infant democracy must go through.

When the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF) (one coalition body of Ethiopia’s ruling party the Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF)) leadership, then chaired by the late premier split into two factions in 2001, it did not surprise me to see some of those members join the opposition parties. It just confirmed with my belief that, for Ethiopians, when you don’t agree with the policy or have some other sociopolitical differences, Ethiopians has accepted and choose the democratic process and its slow bureaucratic maneuvers to bring about change when they see it fit. And this shift in thinking I believe is because of EPRDF's policies, with Meles’ at its helm, that created an atmosphere of a political playing field where parties could compute for their ideas. Was/is the playing field equally fair to all? Depending on which party one supports it is arguable. Let alone in Ethiopia where the democratic process is in its infancy, it is a naked truth even in some of the oldest democratic and considered by many as transparent democracies, political parties play tag of war in making the rules and regulations in favor of the ruling party every time they get the chance.  What is not arguable is under Meles' leadership Ethiopia laid its constitution and a system of law was embraced.

A system is what matters the most. Having established a system, as the law of Synergy and Aristotle would state, “a system is more than the sum of its component parts”.  As long as there is a reference point, the details can be amended and molded in due time. People can hold others accountable, modify rules and regulations, craft policies and convince others on how they believe is better way forward. From that aspect is where I can say, in my lifetime, aside from all those I read in history books, all the leaders I have followed thus far, I have not come across a leader whose contributions to his country and to the less fortunate citizens of the world has had more influenced than Meles. Meles defended the interest of Africa and refused to succumb to the Washington consensus one size fits all neoliberal policy when pressured. Meles didn’t just defend the poor’s interest; he proved it with results domestically, continentally and on the world stage. Meles’ policies are paving the way for Ethiopia to tackle and get out of its painful chronic poverty one visible step at a time.

I by no means would not imply everything was perfect under the leadership of Prime Minister Meles, for I believe that all humans have both strength and weakness characteristics. I can write about Meles’ accomplishments and short comings on economic development, democracy, human rights, cultivating generations of young leaders and so on. But, I am fully aware not everyone will have similar view on the late Premier’s legacy, as I do. Most of those subjects would be based on individualistic opinions & point of views. It sure is hard to provide tangible and factual information to back up one’s arguments, therefore, I like to focus on subjects that we have accurate information that cannot be manipulated by conformists or ignored by dissents. Factual information that may help us suppress our own personal feelings and attempt our very best to think logically and formulate our judgment based on internationally credible sources and their numerical reports.

The Economic Facts & Figures

Meles who held Master of Business Administration and Masters of Science in Economics is a respected world-class intellect. His capacity, the clarity of his message and his vision for an African Development can be seen in his PhD thesis paper, AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT: DEAD ENDS AND NEW BEGINNINGS. In his thesis, Meles explains the need for a paradigm shift from the western favored neo-liberal theory of economic policies to a democratic developmental state, where he argues the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and Western backed neoliberal economic prescriptions are not fit for African countries. Meles favored government intervention in the economy as long as the intervening actors are not in it to maximize their own wealth at the expense of the public. Meles walked the talk and proved it with international standards of measurement by leading and guiding the Ethiopian Economy to be one of the fastest growing economies in the world.

In order to keep things in perspective, let us look at the status of Ethiopia, under Meles and his EPRDF party. The following economic growth chart Eritrea, Kenya and the US has been highlighted not necessarily as a comparison but rather as a point of reference. It is worth noting that Eritrea was a state under Ethiopia prior to 1991 and was a war zone just like Ethiopia. Hence iin 1991 both were in a similar economic status. Kenya on the other hand, aside from some hiccups is considered as a stable and progressively developing African country both democratically and economically. The USA is one of the developed countries and has over 230 years of experience in the democratic process.

GDP Growth (annual %) Year 1992 - 20011 based on available data. Source the World  Bank.

Ranking of the 217	Country Name	1992	1993	1994	1995	1996	1997	1998	1999	2000	2001	2002	2003	GD̄P Ave Growth
7	Macao/Macau	13.30	5.20	4.30	3.30	-0.40	-0.30	-4.60	-2.40	5.70	2.90	8.90	12.58	4.04
12	Bhutan	2.08	3.19	3.51	6.04	6.19	5.40	5.57	6.87	7.52	6.99	8.92	8.58	5.90
15th	Ethiopia	-8.67	13.14	3.19	6.13	12.43	3.13	-3.46	5.16	6.07	8.30	1.51	-2.16	3.73
87th	Eritrea		13.45	21.22	2.86	9.26	7.91	1.77	0.01	-13.12	21.25	3.01	-2.66	5.41
113th	Kenya	-0.80	0.35	2.63	4.41	4.15	0.47	3.29	2.31	0.60	3.78	0.55	2.93	2.06
139th	United States	3.40	2.87	4.11	2.55	3.79	4.51	4.40	4.87	4.17	1.09	1.83	2.55	3.35
128th	World	2.10	1.77	3.29	2.87	3.36	3.81	2.32	3.29	4.19	1.69	1.99	2.73	2.78

Ranking of the 217	Country Name	2004	2005	2006	2007	2008	2009	2010	2011	GD̄P Ave Growth
7	Macao/Macau	26.88	8.54	14.43	14.38	3.33	1.72	27.04	20.74	14.63
12	Bhutan	7.97	8.77	6.85	17.93	4.67	6.73	7.44	8.41	8.60
15th	Ethiopia	13.57	11.82	10.83	11.46	10.79	8.80	9.94	7.30	10.56
87th	Eritrea	1.46	2.57	-0.96	1.43	-9.79	3.88	2.20	8.72	1.19
113th	Kenya	5.10	5.91	6.33	6.99	1.53	2.64	5.55	4.50	4.82
139th	United States	3.48	3.08	2.66	1.91	-0.36	-3.53	3.02	1.70	1.49
128th	World	3.99	3.46	4.00	3.94	1.33	-2.25	4.34	2.73	2.69

Since 2002 Macao, Afghanistan, Bhutan and Ethiopia in that respect, are the top 4 non Oil producing...with the highest GDP Growth rate, Ethiopia's averaged 10.55% 

The data is compiled from the World Bank Group (WBG) and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) websites, two of the most reliable international organizations. Real Gross Domestic Product (Real GDP) or GDP Growth is the measure of a country’s economic growth (it takes inflation into account), albeit some economist don’t feel it a satisfactory means to measure an economy. Perhaps; but as Winston Churchill would say, “…democracy is the worst form of government except all those other forms…” in the same token until economists agree on a better measurement to measure economic growth, the measurement and reports that followed this measurement should not be taunted as a joke where politicians accept or quote the report whenever it pleases them, but discredit it whenever it looks a positive result for their opponents. Mr. Tmesegen Zewdie, member of Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD) leadership, who was ridiculing the report and framing it as if it was manipulated lies by EPRDF, is a prime example here. Political party leaders, especially in developing countries such as Ethiopia where millions do not have the privilege, luxury or the ability to cross-reference the information, political leaders should accept it as moral duty to not purposely mislead their followers.

So how do the economic numbers fair up for Ethiopia anyway? Ethiopia’s economic growth from 1992 - 2011 averaged 6.8% per year, and that places Ethiopia the 15^th fastest growing Economy from a list of 217 countries since 1992. Eritrea takes 87^th, Kenya 113^th and the US 139^th. When looking into those other 14 countries whose average growth for the last 20 years is greater than Ethiopia’s, only three of them were non oil producers, and one of the three (Afghanistan’s) data is only available since 2002. Which means among non-oil producing countries, only Macao and Bhutan grew faster than Ethiopia in the last 20 years during the time period that Prime Minister Meles Zenawi and his party governed Ethiopia. Why should it matter if a country is oil producing or not? It should matter, because if a country does not have noticeable natural resources but continues to show a fast economic growth, the result should be attributed to the countries economic policies and strategies drafted and implemented by its visionary leader(s), their advisors and the commitment of the ruling party (following the fall of the Derg the first year under EPRDF notice Ethiopia's economic growth was negative 8.67 in 1992).  

What is even more impressive is that, Ethiopia’s economy has shown double digit economic growth consistently since 2004. The average Economic growth from 2004 – 2011 is recorded at 10.55% and that puts Ethiopia, the third fastest growing economy in the world right behind China and India. Some people have genuinely asked me, if it is true that the country is growing at such rate how come there are still so many economic problems such as the price of commodities being so high? The shorter answer is, the measurement is for the whole country so although the economy might have greatly improve on average that does not guarantee each town or city to show a noticeable change. In terms of Ethiopia considering that above 80% of the population live in the rural area, and if the economic progress is mainly driven from the rural, it is possible for the urban population not to feel the fruits of the economic growth as much.

The take away point here is, asking whether or not our respective families, village, town or city are they better off than they used to be? Have they been positively impacted by the country’s economic growth? The answers to those questions do not necessarily justify proving or disproving the country’s economic growth. Because there is an economic growth does not mean everyone will directly see the change. What is true is, every citizen will be either directly or indirectly better off as long as the economy is growing. Perhaps there is a road being built and that might mean nothing to an individual who does not have a car but it will mean something if that person eventually owns a car or if that individual is able to get to the market faster because of the road. Otherwise it would be like as asking, since the USA is high income developed country how come millions still live under poverty? A country’s economic measures take into account the averages, it does not account for each citizen.  Also is not unusual to hear people say before EPRDF there was no shortage of sugar or electricity or what have you. Let us not forget to consider that, it is not that the production of Sugar and Electricity is less than what was available then, it is rather because there is a higher standard of living and improved infrastructure there are more consumers of those products than they used to be.

Today, the percent of the Ethiopian population living under poverty has fallen to 29.2% from 45% when Meles and his party took power in 1991. Just so you keep some relevance in mind 50% of both Eritrean and Kenyan are living under poverty in comparison; and 15.1% of Americans live under poverty. Ethiopia’s child mortality rate had dramatically decreased by up to 40 percent & life expectancy has increased from 48 years in 1992 to 59 years in 2011. The school enrolment has reached 102% in 2010 compared to 26% in 1992. Many leaders including European Commission President José Manuel Barroso have credited Meles on making a viable stride for Ethiopia to achieve the United Nations MillenniumDevelopment Goals by 2015. African leaders continuously picked Prime Minister Meles to represent Africa on the world stage and defend its interests. In the words of New York Times writer Jeffrey Gettleman's words, Prime Minister Meles “played an outsize role in the region, and in the continent”. Beyond those factual data, the Prime Minister’s contribution in brokering a peace agreement between the two Sudans and other African countries were monumental.

The renowned professor Dr. Ephraim Isaac’s interview about Prime Minister Meles, gave people an insightful glimpse to how Meles was fully committed for Ethiopia’s peace and development, and interest in working with anyone who was committed to the same cause and purpose. Professor Isaac’s decades long recount says a lot about Meles’ character, humility and ability to see the big picture in the interest of Ethiopians. Even as Meles and his Ethiopian People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front (EPRDF) were with in months from toppling the Derg regime, Meles never closed the door on peace and preferred ending the war through negotiation, but as Meles likes to recite the saying, “it takes two to tango”.

Looking forward, what is expected of Prime Minister Hailemariam Dessalegn?
First congratulations to Ethiopia, Ethiopians and all friends of Ethiopia on witnessing the very first peaceful transition of power to a new leader for the first time in its modern history. I hope that, PM Hailemariam continues to prioritize development and democracy.  Ethiopia and its leaders must remain committed to work for the majority of the citizens, as that is the definition of democracy. Neither do I expect nor do I believe Prime Minister Hailemariam should try to fill in anyone’s shoes. He has the people’s confidence that he will lead the country in his style and pave his own path the best way he knows. May you find the purpose to continue and the love to endure. Leaders must not succumb to outside pressure if it does not serve the majority of Ethiopians. Democracy is indeed not free and must be guarded. Free Press is one of the pillars of democracy but it must not be bestowed on self-claimed journalists who do not adhere to journalistic ethics. Individuals who blur one’s opinions and deliver them as facts. The deliberate lies & distortion of facts must stop. We all have the right to our opinions but not the right to purposely mislead others. Most Ethiopians do not have the luxury and the resources, to cross reference news information. Therefore individuals who knowingly mislead such vulnerable citizens should be condemned and hold accountable for their actions by all. The public more than any other entity must be vigilant and protect its own rights from those who propagate ill-conceived motives.

The time has come when the truth must not be suppressed, the silent majority should no longer remain on the side of the fence, because our personal rights & liberty are not violated yet; an infringement or violation on fellows rights should be seen infringement and threat to our own rights. We should stand for the free expression of others as long as it does not mix facts and opinions. Opinions/views should be delivered as opinions and facts should be delivered as such. Whether the publics like it or not, that should be a choice to be left for the public.

What is our part then?

It is fine to try to communicate to others from ones point of view, but that is no match for facts and figures, that is why when speaking to fellow brethren who’s view of PM Meles Zenawi that different of those that I hold, I try to stick to facts and figures to make my case. Because PM Meles’ accomplishments and legacy speaks in a manner that I or anyone else could ever eloquently communicate. For any open minded individual who cares about the status of Ethiopia and the livelihood of Ethiopians, the late premier's legacy is as clear as the morning sun. Meles I believe was Marxist at heart, who believed in equal opportunity for all. He dedicated his whole life not only for the betterment of his fellow country man, but for the betterment of those less fortunate. Great are those who stand for dignity and for the betterment of others. 

Perhaps this quote from a poem can communicate the message and the life of PM Meles -
“In the event of my demise when my heart can beat no more

I hope I die for a principle or a belief that I had lived for
…
I loved all who were positive in the event of my Demise”.

For further reading please check out the following links from where I have cited some of this information.

Cheers,
Daniel

http://search.worldbank.org/data?qterm=ethiopias+growth+statistics

http://search.worldbank.org/all?qterm=gdp+growth

http://data.worldbank.org/country/ethiopia

http://www.economist.com/node/21560904?fb_ref=activity

http://www.economist.com/blogs/dailychart/2011/01/daily_chart?fb_ref=scn%2Ffb_ec%2Fafricas_impressive_growth&fb_source=home_multiline

http://allafrica.com/stories/201209051123.html

 http://www.africanidea.org/reflections_mz.html

http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/ethiopian-prime-minister-meles-zenawi-countrys-longtime-ruler-dies-at-age-57/2012/08/21/f822f0e8-eb87-11e1-9ddc-340d5efb1e9c_gallery.html#photo=12

http://www.ethiopianreporter.com/interview/297-interview/7546-2012-08-25-09-13-00.html

http://www.thereporterethiopia.com/Business-Opinion/monetary-mystification.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/22/world/africa/meles-zenawi-ethiopian-leader-dies-at-57.html?_r=2&hp&

http://www.one.org/us/mdg/

http://www.aigaforum.com/articles/Meles-Zenawi-and-Democray.pdf