But we were to return to the same subject, almost involuntarily, twice that same evening. His wife, who was writing her MA thesis at the time, was making the Ethiopian community in Israel her subject. Very unfortunately she was reaching to a conclusion that a large number of them were not truly Jewish. She was humble and shy when she shared with me her findings, but in her eyes I could visibly see that she was disturbed by the fact. I met her twice afterwards, and she decidedly avoided me. The third time we came back to the horrible subject was when my host spoke of the Ethiopian Eunuch in the Bible. To my surprise, the General commented that the Bible was not referring to the present Ethiopia, but to all the places that were below Egypt and including Yemen. While his intention was not at all holly, I couldn’t disagree with his assertion.

Why I am telling you this story? I met the General for the second time. This time we talked about Ethiopian politics. Given the level of poverty, the poor condition of the opposition parties, the complex problem of ethnic-consciousness imbalance, the HIV and malaria plague, the General believed that the best solution for the contemporary Ethiopian politics would be to support the present regime to stay in power for about 20 years - Independent of America’s interest in Somalia and the countries around it. The General has never been to Ethiopia and I wasn’t if he could be able to locate it on the map. He had with it a 21 page, double-lined summary about Ethiopia, possibly prepared by our government or the American Embassy in Addis Ababa.

Seven years later, right after the catastrophic election in Ethiopia, there was a seminar organized by a sociology Professor at the University of Göttingen, in Mahatma-Ghandi-Haus. Among the invited speakers was a prominent English Professor. This man argued, with a remarkable eloquence, precision and a plethora of facts, why the present government should stay in power - regardless of the gruesome condition. His argument, almost as if he and the General I met in Ramstein were reading from the same document, were line-by-line was backed by the very same words I heard from the General’s mouth.

This fact is not unknown for many of us. But needless to say we underestimate the implication. Often it is presented in the articles as if the foreign Diplomats in Addis exert a force on the government to exercise democracy. That is a big misunderstanding if not a deception. I believe the diplomats are interested in embellishing our government. They have their own concern and it is bigger than ours. To them, I mean. They cannot love us with an uninterested attitude. You have heard about the Ethiopia’s Partners Group. Well, there are no such things. There are only the British and the Americans and they never made secret of it. The EU, big and great as it looks, is not truly one. Often they have conflicting interests, but Ethiopia is not one of them. We are so to say, owner-less. So it pleases the British to claim us for the presence. Because of Somalia, Yemen and Sudan.

These unstable and flammable countries are a concern of everybody, but some countries are more concerned than others. That is why they are interested in us and that is why they want Meles to stay in Power. No matter what, you will not see another regime in Ethiopia until the surrounding countries are dealt with. And that is not happening now. And will all mathematical certainty, it will not happen quickly.

So the British gave our Prime Minster audience; credibility; tasks; place among the big heads. And, of course, money. You remember how Blair reacted in South Africa following the massacre in Addis? That same month and in the months that follow it, our Prime Minster has shook hands with the German Chancellor and President; and with a plethora of other western leaders, including Obama. None of them recoiled from him as did Blair. Do you think Blair was morally superior to the rest? Bad conscience is the answer. You may also recall that Britain was the first country to withdraw aid following the massacre, and the decision was made independent of the other EU members? Have you asked why?

Unless we take our fortune in our hands, there will come no salvation from the west. As far as they are concerned, we are alone. This generic, faceless, meaningless name “partners” is only a deception. A big deception as that. It is equivalent to the innumerable generic names used by the communists – proletarians, the working people, the poor, the farmers, etc. – to oppress, to deceive, to misuse.

I suppose the biggest mistake of the oppositions is in treating our diplomats in Addis as benefactors. I have witnessed on several occasions how the leaders of the oppositions, including the well educated and experienced ones, ingratiate themselves when they negotiate with the diplomats. In fact, for some of them a day is made if they merely exchange a few words with one of these faceless, nameless and detached diplomats, who enjoy the organic food and drink as well as the spacious compounds our country offers. It is painful. The Diaspora itself has been very shy so far. I can understand if some think that it is honorable to entirely ignore them and focus on our own affair. But considering the pliable strength of the opposition, we should not ignore them really.

If we want them to take us seriously, to accept us as equals, we should do to them what Leon Uris did to the British in Exodus. We should expose the fruit of their diplomacy, using images and videos. We should not relent to associate some of the names - Toni Bliar and Georg Bush, for instance – with May 2005. In my opinion, we shall win a great deal if we permanently post the terrible image of the massacre of Addis with a label “Inflicted by Toni Bliar’s Ally” or using a more expressive label than this. If all the Internet sits join hand and permanently display such images, we shall capture their attention. Believe me they will notice.

At last let me comment on Birtukan. You may remember how the lady ambassador at the US embassy treated Birtukan two years ago. It was shameful. We have also witnessed that not a single word or rebuke or complain has so far, at least in public, was heard from the powerful ladies of the world in her behalf. The Merkels, Rices, Clintons of the world have preferred silence.

In my opinion the problem of Ethiopian Democracy should not be addressed without addressing the problem of Birtukan. Any form of negotiation or reconciliation or preparation towards a fair election that does not immediately include her does not have the best of Ethiopians interest at heart. She is the emblem of freedom, justice, and peaceful struggle. Subsequently, a diplomatic task that disregards her as an essential prerequisite is a perilous deception and all genuine opposition should disregard it as well.

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The writer can be reached at leannney@googlemail.com