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Ethiopian leader met by protests

October 11, 2011  

A chorus of critics demonstrated outside the Oslo hotel where Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was attending an international energy conference this week. He brushed off the criticism, while Norwegian leaders say they took up some of it with him.

Meles Zenawi (right) getting a briefing from a conference leader in Oslo along with Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg (center) and UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon. Protesters unhappy with the situation in Ethiopia demonstrated outside. PHOTO: Statsministerenskontor

“Norwegian and other countries’ organizations think they have a right to involve themselves in African countries’ politics,” Meles Zenawi told newspaper Aftenposten. “At the same time, I, as an Ethiopian, have no right to involve myself in Norwegian affairs. We have never accepted this double standard.”

He said that Norway can gladly “help us” in economic issues, “and say what you think.” But he warned outsiders from meddling in Ethiopia’s political processes.

Norway has donated around NOK 1.4 billion in aid to Ethiopia over the past six years, and Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg has worked closely with Meles Zenawi on a UN-backed effort to raise funds for measures to halt climate change. That’s at least partly why Meles Zenawi was in Oslo this week, to take part in the latest conference involving energy and climate issues.

While he was welcomed by his Norwegian hosts, Aftenposten reported how demonstrators outside the Radisson Blu Hotel in downtown Oslo were chanting “shame, shame, shame.” Most of the demonstrators were Ethiopian-Norwegians who are not at all happy with Meles Zenawi’s rule back home.

“This is a man who imprisons journalists and opposition groups,” Adam Mulualem Zerikun, one of the organizers of the demonstration, told Aftenposten. He accused Meles Zenawi of gathering all political power in an ethnic group that makes up only a small percentage of the population, of prohibiting aid organizations and impartial observerser into southern portions of the country and of turning Ethiopia into a dictatorship.

Meles Zenawi was unmoved. “If they don’t agree with the government’s politics, it’s natural they protest,” he told Aftenposten. He also stressed that Ethiopia has never been a colony and that’s why aid organizations aren’t allowed to get involved in political activities, including promotion of human rights.

After 20 years of rule, he has won international acclaim for boosting Ethiopia’s economy, but he’s also attracted criticism for a lack of progress on human rights and democracy. Most recently his government reportedly has used an anti-terror law to imprison hundreds of journalists and political opponents, including two Swedish journalists. Meles Zenawi insisted they were messengers for a terrorist organization.

Stoltenberg said he took up the issue of the imprisoned Swedes with Meles Zenawi on Monday, along with reports of murder and abuse of civilians in Ogaden. Yet he and government minister Erik Solheim also hailed the Ethiopian leader for promoting stability and growth in Africa.

“We’re working with Ethiopia to fight poverty,” Stoltenberg said. “Trade and investment are closely tied to improvement of human rights.”

Views and News from Norway/Nina Berglund
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  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=582661439 Ahmed Alinur

    Most African and Arab dictators were supported by the westerners, so supporting Meles is not a new thing when we see the trend. The western they just care about there people and interst not about the rest of the world. I have a dream Ethiopian all across the country will raise up and eliminate this merciless dictatator the time is coming we saw changes around the world why not in Ethiopia.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EBJ3ZBVDIQ5EDMSTDAVI5OTDME betiN

    The Norwegian gov’s assistance to Ethiopia is priceless (indispensable) and highly inspirational, particularly in the human develpoment aspect. There are many Ethiopians at higher learning institutions in all over Norway doing MSc and PhD. Norway’s involvement in development activities and partnership with Ethiopia is great and highly incouraging.

    The protest that we saw in Norway, organized by some Ethiopians were, I can say, driven by hate, without real understanding of the situation in Ethiopia. Most of the protesters who showed up there were motivated just to easy get their asylum cases resolved. They just wanted to demostrate their fake political stand! Otherwise only few did know what they were doing.

    Hope the partnership between the two sister countries will flourish more and for good in years to come.

    • Anonymous

      It is surprising to see Norway of all the countries to support a tyrant to rub shoulders with world leaders.As for betin who is probably studying or is a spy in Norway belongs to Meles’s tribe and is not expected to say anything other than supporting his Master.I was at the demonstration myself and I am a citizen of Norway of Ethiopian origin.But we know there many incompitant students coming to Norway to study not because of merit but simply because they belong to Meles’s tribe.This was also highlighted by a Norwegian scholar that Ethiopian students are poor achievers and could not understand why they are here.It is clear their papers are faked by the ministry of education.Meles is a murderer and will be dealt by Ethiopians. I have to add that Norway has a poor and clueless minister in Erik Solheim who is uneducated and became a Minister as a result of horse trading between the labor party and socialist venstre.I am happy he and his party will have no role to play next time as Norwegians are tired of lazy socialists have too much say in their life.

    • Anonymous

      I am sorry, I don’t know what planet you live in. Calling for a democrcy and respect for human right is not hate. You must be one of the benificieries of the regime in Ethiopia who is completely blind to the facts.
      Distroying the countries institutions and go looking for Msc and Phd in Norway is not development.
      20 years on 30 billion dollar foriegn aid later, Meles shows is a few filthy rich cronies and millions of starving kids and begging for more.
      where is the sense of shame.

    • Anonymous

      The dictator Melise Zenawe is just in western countries to collect a money for to get more power oppress the already paralyzed Ogaden -communities in Somali region and i am warning the concerned countries to be attentive and be aware of where they want to pay their money.

  • Anonymous

    Meles Zenawi failed to realize that Ethiopia could only develop if it uses its human capital. The educated people of Ethiopia, the medical doctors, teachers and engineers are leaving Ethiopia and most of them immigrate to North America. Even the rest of Africa is benefiting from this brain drain.

    The reason for educated Ethiopians leaving their country is due to mainly for lack of freedom in their own country. Ethiopians known to return back to their country immediately after completion of their education in America but right now it is the reverse, most would like to stay in foreign country because their future back home is bleak.

    Universities and colleges in Ethiopia are not a place for all ideas to be discussed rather an idea of Meles Zenawi to be indoctrinated to the youth. It is like Gadaffi Green Book, Or North Korea’s ruler ideology. Such type of indoctrination will not bring any development to the Ethiopian people.

    The major part of any investment in poor countries like Ethiopia is human capital. However, the Meles regime would like to develop Ethiopia using foreign capital both finance and human capital. The quality of education in Ethiopia is going down the drain because regime incompetent cadres are in charge of universities and colleges

    China is now dominating Ethiopia with tons of cash and its own labor. Foreign land grabbers are buying our farm land by pushing away poor farmers. When you see all these I wonder how Meles Zenawi can contribute to the discussion of making all to be an efficient energy user. In fact Meles Zenawi is the worst abuser of our human and land capital.

    The protest he faced in Oslo yesterday is similar to other protests he faced wherever he traveled. Rather than playing the “colony card” he should free all those he jailed for using their right to express themselves. The right he has to express himself in Oslo is totally denied to our people back home.

    Speaking on foreign conferences is one thing to put in practice the idea without home grown educated force is another. It is time for Meles Zenawi to listen to the Ethiopian people before he is overwhelmed by popular Tsunami.

    Chasing away educated Ethiopians and replacing them by foreigners is the trademark of Meles Zenawi and all who care about Ethiopia including foreigners should speak up against his policy. This is nothing about interfering in others country. This is not NATO bombing Libya in the name of Libyans.

    • Anonymous

      55tedlaasfaw95, Thank you. You spoke the minds of millions of Ethiopians. Those you read on this forum in support of Dictator Zenawi are noting but Weyane supporters. Also, those who comment pretending to be Norwegian are the usual Weyanes. Shame on you “Addisalem” glorifying this murderer government. Erecting building all over Addis Ababa doesn’t mean the country is progressing. EFORT is a Mafia setup by the government that monopolies and run most of the countries infrastructure. They facilitate the selling of land pushing Ethiopians away from their own lands. Ethiopia is on the hands of the most ruthless people who will not rest until they sell off the entire country sparing Tegray.

      • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QLEVHBZKDGFGZ6AHL5PJH64WFU Adv Trek

        Fanuel7,

        So anybody who doesn’t share your opinion is government supporter and “mafia”…comedy!

        Be proud, you are true opposition (Communist Derg) party spokesperson.

  • Anonymous

    From the picture that I have seen on another publication, the protesters were not carrying the Ethiopian flag. They are Somali ethnics, with a secessionist agenda and ambition . Though the gentleman that was interviewed by Aftenposten may not share their political view, he may also have some axe of ethnic grievance to grind, as that is part of Ethiopia’s make of political reality. Under Meles Zenawi’s administration, there have been some marked improvements and success. Building infrastructure and improving the lives of rural farmers have been some of his remarkable achievements. Read IMF and World Bank reports to confirm these truths. Ethiopia has now become the fifth largest economy in Africa, on the way to become the third after Nigeria and South Africa, in the next few years. In a drought, which is the worst to affect the horn of African region in 60 years, Ethiopia and Kenya have shown a remarkable resilience in minimizing the effect. As a result, not a single pastoralist in the affected areas died of hunger or left his home. These two countries partnered with donor countries like Norway, and are assisting those in need to cover the food shortage. These all do not mean that Meles Zenawi is perfect. He needs to expand his political space to make it a bit more open than it is now. Free press should be strengthened and not threatened with a stifling “Anti-Terrorism” law. Judicial independence should be more evident than it is, currently. These reforms could come through engagement. Not by shouting and insulting the man, who the world credits to awaken Ethiopia from where it was left for dead, twenty years ago. Some of his justification for pulling back with this certain reforms have merits. The biggest one is National security. The country is surrounded by hostile nations and elements. Some human rights provisions come with a risk of opening a space and opportunity to those, who seek to harm and create havoc. This was evidenced, as it was pointed out in the United Nation Monitoring Group report, Eritrea, a country that is identified as the region’s distabilizer caught red handed, trying to smuggle its emissaries and bomb the Ethiopian capital. There fore, Ethiopia’s justification for curbing some human rights provisions based on such threats and concerns, could make sense. Overall, apart from the crushing inflation, which is partly caused by world’s economic crisis and instability, Ethiopia is doing much better than ever, under Meles Zenawi.

    • Ashagre Mengistu

      Shame on the proponents of EPRDF who talk on the gloomy record of the EPRDF who appropriated 99.4% of parliamentary seat and talk unashamedly about democrtic elections , consider all with a different view to be a terrorist and talk about press freedom, talk about the growing economy while millions are starving not even a tiny tolerence for a different view. Learn from your bumese dictator friends and release prisoner of concious before it is too late for your self otherwise you will be forced to take the Egyptian or the Libyan model.

      No justice no peace !

    • Anonymous

      Hi, Melez we know what is going on in Ethiopia. All of us know 99% of western aid went in to your pocket. 99% of Ethiopia high rank military are from Tigre province . 99% of Ethiopian people are poor only your family are rich. You military are killing innocent civilian in Ogaden rigion. Please stop killing.

      aran

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Melaku/100001761548887 Daniel Melaku

    Had he allowed protest back home, nobody would have bothered him abroad.

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Daniel-Melaku/100001761548887 Daniel Melaku

    Had he allowed protest back home, nobody would have bothered him abroad.

  • Anonymous

    I must also add that there are a lot of refugees from tigray region who seek asylum as Eritreans.They come and go as they please since they are resourceful(financed by the government of Ethiopia) to spy on refugees living here.We were ready yesterday to take their picture and give it to UDI,but they heard that inadvance and never showed up.

  • Anonymous

    The last statement summarizes it. Economic growth is critical for the improvements in human rights and over all democracy. Meles Zenawi has done a great job in growing the economy. There are issues he has been pushing that I do not agree with, but all in all he has done a good job. Diaspora Ethiopians are uneducated, misguided, and self centered to understand what is required to be democratic.
    I am vouching for Meles to stay one more term.

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AR33EKGW7WKFJDITS5KZTVQJLI Gosh D

      My friend and I were actually investigating the aid this bloodthirsty tyrant was getting and its quantitative relationship to the “economic growth” he never fails to get credit for.

      We found out that the “economic growth” reported for each year after his 2005 murderous assault were equal to the amount of aid he was receiving annually. With that kind of aid, even the thug he removed from power would still be here.

      That is why it is all the more ironic for the tyrant to say he does not allow “aid organizations” to get involved in political activities. The survival of the fascistic system he has erected in that country is completely dependent on economic Aid.

    • Anonymous

      What economic growth are we you talking about!

      According to UNDP’s HDI 2010 report, despite the follow of international aid, Ethiopia’s Human Development Index is very low (Rank 57). It is behind Sudan and Afghanistan.

      In Ethiopia corruption is epidemic and few and EPRDF inner circles are looting nation’s wealth and international aid.

      Under Zenawi’s regime human has no value, people are dying for starvation, and journalist who dare to break the silence are imprisoned and some times disappeare.
      If there is development let the international journalist report from Ethiopia particularly from Somali region

      Shame to Norwegian PM who allowed this tyranny to get international arena while the free world is praising Arab Spring

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_IOBE3G4CZIACYJ42EMTZ62FLFU Ibn

    It is very shame to see the PM of Norway—who deployed his own troops to Libya to remove the dictator. But regretteablly he shared aboard with one of the most crule and brutal dictators the world has ever seen. What is this? Meles did nothing to improves the lives of Oromos, Ogadenies, Sidamas, Anuakies, ….and other nationalities.

    -Millions of people (record number )are facing hunger in so called ‘highly growing’ economy of Africa.
    -Thousands of innocent people (especially the Oromos and Ogadenies) are burtally tortured in prisons and secret detation centers
    -Billions of dollars (mor than USD 8 Billion over the last decade) are smuggled out of the country by Tigrean controlled campanies
    -Security, Economy, communication, military, etc are all controlled and dominated by minority groups while the majority is highly subjected to discrimination and biased treatement
    -Critics and dissent are all imprisoned with false charges
    -Mass killing and rapes are prevalent in remote villages (e.g. in Gambela-Anuak, Ogade, Oromia)
    -Millions of hectars of lands (of Oromia, Gambella, South or at least not Tigray) are sold or given away to foreginers who would produce crops and flowers for international markers only using cheap labour of our people.
    -Jouranlists are treated as ‘terrorists’ just becasue they say ‘No’ to exploitation and harrassement by the minority!!!

    I bear witness here that Gaddafi, Mubarak, and Ben Ali of Libya, Egypt ,and Tunisia (reso.) never did what Meles did to our people!!! But rather they even let their people live more luxurious life than any government in Sub-Saharan Africa, let alone Ethiopia.

    So in what account does the Norwegian PM embrance Meles with his opne-arm???

    Just self interest? That is the Greatest SHAME I would live to see!!!

    I personally do not consider some constructions such as gravel roads, no better than high school colleges, and so on…as the real development indicators. After all they are built by the people’s tax money! Nothing is done by the Meles regime.

    The Meles regime could have been acclaimed if it had brought real democratic rights and human rights! Which are by far the most unthinkable issues in Ethiopia under the Meles regime.

    So Meles is a cancer…the more he stays in power, the more complecated the right issues!

    And by the way…there are minority groups who benefited from the Meles regime and I do highly see some them here on comment page! No one with balanced sight could acknowlege Meles!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_AR33EKGW7WKFJDITS5KZTVQJLI Gosh D

    Right after he murdered 193 people, wounded 750+ (in the streets and in their homes), this dictator was awarded billions of dollars worth of foreign assistance. I think it is dishonest for him to say “aid organizations aren’t allowed to get involved in political activities.”

    Aid organizations and foreign hand out is what is keeping him in power. If that is not involvement in politics, what is?

  • Anonymous

    The Meles regime has been in power fir over 20 years! The same person as executive president And an executive Prime Minister after that. The number itself is in itself a proof of lack of democracy! We’ve never seen one man ruling for two decades in any functioning democracy. And the truth is, in Democratic participation, we have moved back ward as compared to the pre 2005 election! Zenawi stayed in power due to the fact that he has been using the “Anti Terrorism” compaign card! It is true that Americans don’t want to get in to Somalia & bogged down again. So we are fighting as a proxy! Zenawi’s security exaggerates the ecistance of AlQaeda affiliates in Somalia to increase his own leverage. Ge uses this to silence dissent because he knows no one will care. Some of the people here commented that Terrorist organizations sponsered by Eritrea are plotting against the nation. That is a lie. In a leaked US embassy cable, it had been proven that Zenawi is killing his own people by making innocent people detonate bombs and publicize ad if they are victims of terror. He is the terrorist! On the Economic front, what us happening is all sham. Yes there new roads and infrastructure. The Chinese are funding and executing the projects through tied loans. The world knows that Chinese Are number one holders of sovereign wealth. They are “buying” Europe & America. They can’t spend the money on their domestic economy because they fear a hyper inflation. So they have to spend if elsewhere. The question should be what benefits did it bring to the general public. Literally nothing. Now Ethiopians suffer from the second highest inflation after Zimbabwe. Paper money is printed and distributed like nothing just to win the heart of the population who voted for opposition parties in 2005. Today people in towns and cities sleep with out food. It is true the aggregate GDP has grown. But who benefits from that? Today Ethiopian economy shows a severe income disparity that it was 10 years ago. Party affiliates own most of the businesses from transportation to import- Export to construction. Who checks whether there is a growth or not on a country ruled by tyranny? We’ll, one day get the job done by our selves. “injustice somewhere amounts to injustice everywhere” didnt work for us. Let’s own our problem and get rid of the tyrant.

  • Anonymous

    I don’t mind seeing Meles try to advance the nation. My one concern is that he has declared himself and his party and no one else to lead the nation. Should not that be decided by votes? Another concern is he has been in power for 20 years and going. If I had a chance I would want him to answer the following:
    1. What is being done to get back the 8.2 billion dollars illicitly transferred to banks in Europe and North America and bring the criminals before a court of justice? I am sorry that his own wife is implicated.
    2. Why is EFFORT [his party's dominant business conglomerate] not audited since it began to raise funds for the hungry in the mid-1980s?
    3. Why is he targeting journalists and any who challenge his rule [labeling them terrorists] for organizing or expressing their views?
    4. Why is he afraid to allow public demonstrations if he sure the public is behind him? I dare him to set a date for public demonstrations in the presence of international observers!

    • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QLEVHBZKDGFGZ6AHL5PJH64WFU Adv Trek

      Nonsense…Your entitled to your own opinions, but not your own facts.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_554QVDW55ZHVLRACLFOGO5LHTI Van der Sand

    How a brutal dictator who ruled its own people with iron fist for the last 21 years, will be a partner for peace and stability to” its donors” ? I’m lost. I do not see the logic here. While they advice us to protest and fan out our frustration peacefully, simultaneously they push us to use the alternative: The use of force to topple their brutal dictator by any means necessary.

  • Anonymous

    Helen

    Who is Meles Zenawi?

    Meles Zenawi is Ethiopian ruler for the past 20 years under his dual official titles of Prime Minister and party leader for the Ethiopean People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front. In the last elections in May 2010, he rigged out almost completely the opposition parties which were reduced to two parliamentary seats. Never mind that the same parties were said to have defeated him but denied of their victory five years earlier leading to mass protests and violently crushed by the regime.

    Prior to the May 2010 elections, the Meles government had effectively silenced its critics by waging on them a sustained attack for months.

    Back in the early 1990s, Meles Zenawi was hailed as one of a new generation of democratic African leaders that included Rwanda’s Kagame and Museveni of Uganda.
    Zinawi had in 1991 successfully led the Ethiopean People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front to triumph over the Soviet Union-supported Mongistu regime.

    The new crop of African leaders soon shed their ‘democratic’ credentials – Zenawi begun an agenda of ruthlessly cracking down on his critics, opposition and human rights activists.

    There is plenty of evidence, including the imprisonment of opposition leaders such as Birtukan Mideksa. One of Ethiopian’s most prominent independent newspapers, the weekly Addis Neger, was closed in November 2009.

    In May 2010, dictator Zenawi admitted to jamming transmissions from the Voice of America’s Amharic language service, accusing VOA of broadcasting “destabilising propaganda”.

    As in other dictatorships on the Continent, the ruling party, the Ethiopean People’s Revolutionary Democratic Front, and the state are becoming one – which allows the government to use the full weight of its power to eliminate or silence dissent and opposition voices.

    The true colours of the Zenawi dictatorship became clearer in 2005. When in that year the opposition protesters disputed election results and took to the streets, they were massacred in large numbers.

    Over 200 people lost their lives and hundreds injured. Scores of opposition leaders were imprisoned.

    In the May 2010 elections, however, the regime ensured neither fair competitive politics, nor protest would feature this time around.

    Finally the talk the Ethiopian dictator retiring from active politics has ended. On the contrary Meles Zinawi seems set to rule for another decade or more.

  • Anonymous

    A nice way of resolving the resolution !

    I hope Norway will provide an asylum card for most of the demonstrators because protesting in light of the sun open air used to be the best strategy and that would help as a proof. I saw many of the protesters were taking pictures so that they will submit it as a proof for their asylum cases.

    Anyway Ethiopia is better-off with PM Meles no msatter what!

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_P5XKRKZBEX3JJEZ7F5EANTIGFE Ayu Tt

    Humm…,!!! HAVING READ what you , the concerned citizens of Ethiopia: a country with back ground of Unique among African countries, the ancient Ethiopia which maintained its freedom from colonial rule with the exception of a short-lived Italian occupation from 1936-41; with -0.01 migrant(s)/1,000 population; with population of 90,873,739 (July 2011 est.); with poverty-stricken economy based on agriculture, accounting for almost 45% of GDP, and 85% of total employment. The agricultural sector suffering from frequent drought and poor cultivation practices; With ethnic groups: Oromo 34.5%, Amara 26.9%, Somalie 6.2%, Tigraway 6.1%, Sidama 4%, Guragie 2.5%, Welaita 2.3%, Hadiya 1.7%, Affar 1.7%, Gamo 1.5%, Gedeo 1.3%, other 11.3% (2007 Census); Most importantly with its indipendence : oldest independent country in Africa and one of the oldest in the world – at least 2,000 years (may be traced to the Aksumite Kingdom, which coalesced in the first century B.C.) and many more to say if need be,
    I SIMPLY SAT behind the keyboard to say:

    It is the common tragedy of all of us mentioned in the above respective tribal groups to see our country has become a country of only survival of the oppressors.
    Zenawi took only the first part of a maxim from Blaise Pascal, “Justice with out force is powerless; force without justice is tyrannical”. when he sets out even constitutionally unfettered counter-terrorism proclamation or what’s so ever; to undermine in every regards human rights of Ethiopians from every walk of life. This really MUST DEEPLY concern each and every of us. We should accordingly stand as “guarainship” of our Mother land.
    The ‘greener grass’ or any related reasons for why we are some where in the world do not abslove us from being RESPONSIBLE or atleast psychologically, socially, morally degraded and yet attached to and treated as poor but pure(indipendent) Ethiopia – “Promise land of Mamma Africa “.
    If we, the citizens choose silence, and keep quit and watch what is going on, for sure the mere calling of the name Ethiopia may symbolise a massive loss of human life, and country which we citizens abroad not want to look back. The bottom line is, watch out BEFORE it is too late!!

  • Anonymous

    SAM. NYC
    We can’nt afford to wait see ,The ongoing ATROCITIES happening in Ethiopia.As numerous reports make clear.Ethiopia continues to be ruled by one of the World’s most brutal Regimes.The OSLO Goverment and International Community must make ETHIOPIA a Priority and no Longer “WAIT AND SEE”