Inviting the devil to preach the Gospel Act of Louis Michel
By Geresie Bonkie
Novemeber 20, 2006

Ethiopians who attended the EU Conference on "good governance and development" November 17, 2006 in Brussels stood up and chanted opposition slogans when Ethiopia's tyrant Meles Zenawi began to speak. The bold and courageous action of the Ethiopians forced the dictator to wrap up his speech in about 4 minutes out of a scheduled 25-minute address.

In the past fifteen years, the TPLE/EPRDF self-appointed government has portrayed itself as the only party that could achieve democracy, development and peace but failed miserably. Above all, killed thousands of innocent citizens and was busy hiding its crimes on humanity. Under Meles dictatorship the courts became his private chambers, prosecutors became his mouthpieces, and judges are serving as his loyal butlers. Otherwise they will be jailed, harassed, and forced to exile. Just last month, his own appointed judges assigned to investigate his killings abandoned him fearing for their life shocked by the atrocities the regime is committing. What they brought to the world, in daylight is a drop in an ocean. If all the crimes committed by Meles Zenawi regime for the last fifteen years are investigated by international independent investigators, we are sure that the world would be shocked and it will be recorded at the top in the 21st century. All these events were happening under the watchful eye of United Nations and western countries who claim that they stand for human rights and democracy.

But, these western countries, including the United Nations, failed to deliver the fundamental objective and promise they stand for. Once again we Ethiopians have painfully witnessed the invitation of the self-crowned prime minister of Ethiopia, Meles Zenawi, invited by Mr. Louis Michel, European Commissioner for Development and Humanitarian Aid, to lecture on good governance. This was the same as inviting the devil to preach the gospel. Singing “Halleluiah” everywhere for Meles does not prove piety.

Under the regime of Meles Zenawi, for the last fifteen years, human rights abuse, corruption, poverty and disease became the sole identity of Ethiopia. The country went from the slide to the mud because of the deceit nature and doings of EPRDF government. The only difference we Ethiopians have noticed from the self-appointed EPRDF is its changing its empty, unpractical pile of words from democracy to good governance. When Meles Zenawi gangs killed hundreds of innocent citizens in Gambela, Tepi, Addis Ababa, Awassa and other places in Ethiopia, the Western countries, who are champions of democracy and human rights, turned their blind eye and deaf ear to all the atrocities committed. Since childhood we all remember when couple people were killed in some parts of the world how these champions of democracy and human rights condemned those acts and how the media was disseminating information to the whole world and exposing the evil act of the doers.

In the case of Ethiopia, when thousands are killed, democratically elected leaders jailed, students and the youth are languishing in concentration camps and death squads ,personally appointed by Meles Zenawi, killed hundreds of innocent citizens and critically wounded thousands, neither the west nor the United Nations are seriously condemning the world class criminal acts committed by Meles Zenawi. Instead, it is very sad and painful to see this world class criminal individual getting a free ride to the heart of Europe and USA to preach about democracy and development, and even to come to New York to attend United Nations meetings. As we all know, the sponsor of human rights declaration, the United Nations, is in New York, USA and the international court in Europe, Hague, the Netherlands where the authorities are rolling a red carpet and handing bouquets of flowers for the world class criminal Meles Zenawi. How many more has Meles to kill to get the attention of the western countries and United Nations?

The praised new breed of Africa, leader Meles Zenawi, has become the fiasco Prime Minister. Meles Zenawi has turned himself into the Devil and his gang will call it democracy, while they take care that they will pull every string the way they want. They are playing with the rules, not by the rules. That is why they are operating under the disguise of fake democracy and good governance to cheat the world. Nevertheless the western leaders, in particular the USA and Great Britain, have to examine their policies towards the inevitably dying regime of Meles Zenawi which is on its fast lane towards its end

Once again, we urge all peace loving people of the world and the world leaders to be part of the solution in the Ethiopian crisis, to stop supporting the dictator and stand with the people of Ethiopia and help to stop the reign of terror in Ethiopia. Meles has to stand trial in Hague and should be accountable for the atrocities he committed with his death squad. This is the responsibility of the whole world, not only Ethiopians.

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The writer can be reached for comments at gb3650@yahoo.com.