Thursday, October 31, 2013

የመከነ ብዕር

ተስፋየ ገብረአባብ  እና የመከነ ብእሩ፡
ከቡርቃ ዝምታ እስከ የስደተኛው ማስታወሻ

ከጥቂት ሳምንታት በፊት አንድ ቅዳሜ ሻይ ቡና ለማለት አምስተርዳም ከወዳጆቼ ጋር በነበረኘ ቀጠሮ ላይ እንደአጋጣሚ ተስፋየም በመሃላችን ተገኝቶ ነበር።የባጥ የቆጡን ስናወራ፣ስለአዲሱ የተፋየ መጽሃፍ አንስቶ የውይይታችንን አቅጣጫ ቀየረው።በመሃሉ ተስፋየ፣ከመጽሃፉ ውስጥ አንዳንድ የማልወዳቸው ምእራፎች ቢኖሩ ትችቶቹን የምቀበል ስለመሆኔ አስረግጦ ጠየቀኝ?።እኔም መጽሃፋን ካነበብኩት በሁዋላ ለጥያቄው መልስ ብሰጥ እንደሚሻል ገልጨለት በዛው ተለያየን። አይደርስ የለም መጽሃፉን ለህዝብ ከመበተኑ በፊት ረቂቁን አነበብኩት። ረቂቁን አንብቤ እንደጨረስኩ ለተስፋየ ጥያቄ መልስ መመለስ እንዳለብ ወሰንኩኝ። ይሁንና በቀድሞው ዳኛ ወልደሚካኤል መሸሻ ተጽፎ የተሰራጨውን ጽሁፍ መውጣት ተከትሎ በዳያስፖራው አካባቢ አዋራው በመጨሱ ያዘጋጀሁትን ትችት በይደር ለማቆየት ወሰንኩ። በዚህ መሃል ተስፋየ ገብረአብየስደተኛው ማሰታወሻበማለት ያዘጋጀውን መጽሐፍ ባለፈው ሰሞን በነጻ አሰራጭቶልናል።

ወደ መጽሃፉ ትችት ስመለስበደራሲው ማስታወሻውስጥ ያገኘሁት ደራሲ ኢህአዴግን ያገለግል ከነበረው ከቀድሞው ማንነቱ ያልተፋታውን ተስፋየ ገብረአብን ነበር። የእፎይታ መጽሄት ዋና አዘጋጅ እና የቡርቃ ዝምታ ደራሲን የድሮው ተስፋየን በዚህኛው የስነ-ጽሁፍ ስራ ውስጥም ዳግም አገኘሁት።የድሮው ተስፋየ ስል ታዲያ ስነጽሁፍን ለፍቅር፣ለመቻቻል፣እና ለእውቀት ሳይሆን የቆዩና የሻሩ ቁስሎችን መቆስቆሻ፣ያልነበሩትንም በመፍብረክ የእልቂት ነጋሪት መምቻ መሳሪያ አድርጎ የሚጠቀመውን ማለቴ እንደሆነ አንባቢ እንዲያስተውል እፈልጋለሁ።የስደተኛው ማስታወሻየነዛ ስራዎች ቀጣይ እንጂ በይዘቱም ሆነ በመልእክቱ ጭብጥ አዲስ የስነ-ጽሁፍ ስራ ነው ለማለት የማያስደፍሩ የብዙ ምእራፎችን አካቶአል።ለዚህ የማቀርበው ምክንያት ሃያስያኑ እንደሚሉት የገጸ-ባህሪ አሳሳሉና የመልእክቱ ጭብጥ አመራረጥ እንዲሁም እንደ ደራሲ በዋነኝነት ማስተላለፍ በፈለገው መልእክት ላይ ነው።

በእርግጥም አንድ ፀሃፊ መፅሃፍ ሲፅፍ ብዙ አይነት አላማዎችን ይዞ ሊነሳ ይችላል፡፡የሚፈልገውን ሀሳብን እና ዓላማ በስነ-ጽሁፍ መልክ አንባቢውን በማስደመም የእኔ የሚለውን መልእክት ማስተላለፍ ዋነኛ አላማው ሊሆን ይችላል፡፡ሆኖም ከዓላማ ሁሉ ገዝፎ የሚታየውና የመፅሃፉን ዋጋ ከፍ የሚያደርገው ደግሞ መፅሃፉ በህብረተሰቡ ውስጥ ያሳደረው ወይንም ሊያሳድር የሚችለው ዘላቂ የሆነ በጎ ተፅዕኖ እና አዲስ ሃሳብ የማፍለቅ ችሎታው ነው፡፡ አንባቢውም መፅሃፉን ገዝቶ ሲያነብ ከደራሲው አንድ ቁም ነገር መጠበቁ አይቀርም፡፡ እናም የደራሲው ዋና ሚና የሚጠበቀውን አዎንታዊ ተፅእኖ ባማረና በተከሸነ ስነ-ጽሁፍ ለተደራሲው ማድረስ ነው፡፡የተስፋየ ገብረአብ የአሁኑን ስራ ከዚህ አንፃር ስንገመገም የምናገኘው መልእክት ሃሳዊነት እና ትንኮሳ አዘል ስነ-ጽሁፍ መሆኑን ብቻ ነው። በዚህ ፅሁፍ ለማየት የሞከርኩት በሁሉም አይነት መፅሃፍት ውስጥ ለኔ ገዝፈው የሚታዩኝን አውራ ጉዳዮችን ነው፡፡ከዚህ አንፃር ተስፋየ ርእስ እየቀያየረ አዲስ መጽሃፍ ነው ይበለን እንጂ፣እንደ ደራሲ የሚያስተላልፍልን መልእክት ትላንትም ሆነ ዛሬ አንድና አንድብቻ ነው፣ጥላቻ እና መቃቃር።ተስፋየ ስነ-ጽሁፍን የሚጠቀመው በፍራቻ እና ጥላቻ የሚመለከተውን ማህብረተሰብ ማጥቂያ መሳሪያ በማድረግ ነው። ምናልባትም በዓለማችን የኖቤል ተቃራኒ የሆነ ሽልማት የሚሰጥ ድርጅት ቢኖር አጓዋጉል ነገሮችን በመጻፍ በሰውልጆች መሃከል ጥላቻን በማስፋፋም ተሰፋየን አለምንም ጥርጥር የዓመቱ ተሸላሚ ያደርገው ነበር።

 ተስፋያዊ የገጸ----ባህያርት አሳሳል፤

በስነ-ጽሁፍ ስራዎቹ ወደሳላቸው ገጸ-ባህሪያት ስንመጣ ተስፋየ እነዚህን ልቦለዳዊ ባህሪያት ከአንዱ ወይንም ሌላው የሃገራችን ብሄርሰቦች ጋር በማዛመድ የሚፈልገውን ፖለቲካዊ መልእክት ለማስተላለፍ ሲጠቀምባቸው እናያለን። ካለትፉና ከአሁን ስራዎቹ አንድ ሁለት ብለን የተወሰኑ ምሳሌዎችን እያየን ብንመርምር የቡርቃ ዝምታው አኖሌ፣እና የስደተኛው ማስታወሻ ጫልቱ ለዚህ ተጠቃሽ ምሳሌዎች ይሆናሉ። ሁለቱንም የብሶት፣የጭቆና ሰለባዎች ያደርጋቸዋል። እንዳውም በቡርቃ ዝምታ ከሰዉ አልፎ ግኡዙን ወራጅ ውሃ (የቡርቃ ወንዝ) ቂመኛ በማድረግ የቁጭት ስሜት ለመቀስቀስ ተጠቅሞበታል።ተስፋዬ በሌላ አንጻር ከነአኖሌና ጫልቱ በተቃራኒ የሳላቸው ገጸ-ባህሪያት በቡርቃ ዝምታ ነፍጠኛው አስናቀ፣ በስደተኛው ማስታወሻ ሳምሶን ዘለቀን አንድ ማህበረሰብን ወክለው ግፍ ፈጻሚ እና የአጥቂነት ገጸ-ባህሪ ሚና እንዲጫወቱ አድርኋቸዋል።ይባሱኑ በደሎቹ በድንገት ወይንም በአጋጣሚ የተፈጠሩ ሳይሆኑ ሆነ ተብለው ታስቦባቸው መደረጋቸውን ከታሪኩ ጋር እያንደረደረ ወስዶ መደምደሚያው ላይ ይነግረናል። በዚህየስደተኛው ማስታወሻላይ የተጠቀሰውን ብንመለከት ተስፋዮ የጫልቱን በደል አክርሮ በሚከተለውን መልኩ ይደመድመዋል፡

እኔን የጨቆኑኝ እነማን ናቸው?” ብላ አጥብቃ ራሷን ጠይቃ ነበር። ሳምሶን ዘለቀ፣ ሽንኩርት ነጋዴው ወይስ አክስቷ? መልስ አልነበራትም። …………………….. የሆነችውን አፍርሶ፣ ያልሆነችውን እንድትሆን ያደረጋት ማነው? ይህ ስርአታዊ ሽብር (systemic Violence) ስለመሆኑ ጫልቱ ግንዛቤው አልነበራትም። የተቸገረችበት ሌላ አቢይ ጥያቄ ከፊቷ ተደቅኖባት ነበር። ሄለንነቷ እንዲህ በንኖ ከጠፋ፤ ወደ ጫልቱነትም መመለስ ካልቻለች ማንን ነው የምትሆነው? ወይም ምንድነው የምትሆነው?” ገጽ 99

ታዲያ የመጽሃፉ አንባቢ ተስፋየ እንዲህ አይነት ትረካዎች ላይ ለምን አጽንኦት ይሰጣል በማለት ጥያቄ ቢያነሳ መልሱ አንድና አንድ ነው።በብሔረሰቦች መካከል ፍርሃት እና ጥርጣሬን መፍጠር የሚለው አንደኛውና ዋንኛው መልስ ነው። ተስፋየ የሚተረካቸው ትረካዎች ችግሩን ሌላ መልክ በመስጠት ውጥንቅጡ የወጣ ማህበረሰብን የመፍጠር አላማ አድርገው የተነሱ መሆናቸውን የበዙ ምክንያቶችን በመደርደር ማሳየት ከባድ አይደለም። እንዳውም በደምሳሳው ስነ-ጽሁፎቹ ፈጽሞ መፍትሄ አማጪነት ባህሪ አይታይባቸውም። እናም እንዲህ አይነት ሃላፊነት የጎደላቸው የፍብረካ ትረካዎች በአንዳንድ አንባቢያን ላይ የሚፈጥሩትን ስሜት ለመገመት ተመራማሪ መሆን አያሻም። የሚፈጥረው ስሜት በድርጊት ሲታገዝ ምን እንደሚከሰት መገመቱ ቀላል ነው። እዚህ ጋር መነሳት ያለበት ሌላው ጥያቄ ተስፋየ ይህን በብዙ ህዝብ ሊነበብ የሚችል ትረካ ጥሬ-ታሪክ ከየት አገኝ የሚል መሆን አለበት።በትረካው መጨረሻ ላይ እንደገለጸው የታሪኩ ምንጭ የእኔና የተስፋየ ወዳጅ ከሆነ የኦነግ አክቲቪስት ነው። ይሄ በራሱ የተስፋዬ ድርሰቶች ዓላማ ላይ ያለንን ጥርጣሬውን ውሃ እንዲያነሳ ያደርጉታል።የድርጅት አክቲቪስት በነገረው ላይ የተስፋየ ስነ-ጽሁፍ ታክሎበት የሚቀርብ ታሪክ በአንባቢ ዘንድ፤ በተለይም ራሳቸውን እንደተጠቂ በሚቆጥሩ አንባቢዎች ዘንድ፤ ምን ስሜት እንደሚፈጥር ሁላችሁም መገመት ትችላላችሁ። በእሳት ላይ ቤንዚን እንደማርከፍከፍ ነው፡፡

ተስፋየን በሁሉም መጽሃፎቹ ውስጥ የቀረጻቸውን ገጸ-ባህሪያት ልብ ብሎ ለተከታተለ የሚያገኘው አንድ የጋራ ባህሪ አለ።እውናዊም ሆነ የፈጠራ በሆኑት እነዚህ የተስፋየ ገጸ-ባህሪያት በጨቁዋኝነት፣እና በግፈኛነት የሚሳል አንድ ማህበረሰብ አለ።በአንጻሩ ሁልግዜ ተበዳይ እና፣ብሶተኛ ገጸ-ባህሪን የሚወከል ማህበረሰብ፣ቁርሾውን እና ቂሙን እንዲወጣ በገደምዳሜ ምክር ብጤ ይሰጠዋል።ስለ ገጸ-ባህሪያቱ ካነሳን በሁሉም የተስፋየ ስራዎች ላይ የሚቀርቡ የኤርትራ (እርሱ  እንደሚጠራቸው የአባት ሃገር) ሰዎች፣ ጀግንነትን እና ደፋርነትን የመሰሉ ባህሪያት አይነተኛ መለያቸው እንዲሆን ተደርገው ተስለዋልን። በተራራውን ያንቀጠቀጠው ትውልድ የአስመራ ልጆች በማለት የሚጠራቸው፣በየስደተኛው ማስታወሻ እንደ ኮለኔል እዮብ ያሉ መኮንኖችን የጀግንነት ወሰን ጥግ ላይ አድርሶ ለተደራሲው አቅርቧቸዋል። በገጽ 214-14 ላይ ሰለኮለኔሉ እንዲህ ብሎን ያልፋል፡-

በርግጥ በቀጣዩ ቅዳሜ ከኮሎኔል እዮብ ጋር በሰፊው ተገናኘን። ለረጅም ጊዜ በተደጋጋሚ እየተገናኘን ታሪኩን አጫወተኝ።እዮብ ያወጋኝ ታሪክ በርግጥም አስደናቂ ሊባል የሚችል የኢንተሊጀንስ ታሪክ ሆኖ አገኘሁት። በቀይ ኮከብ ዘመቻ ወቅት መረጃዎች ወደ ሻእቢያ እንዴት ይተላለፉ እንደነበር በዝርዝር ሲተርክልኝ በመደነቅ ነበር ያዳመጥኩት። በዚህ ቅፅ ዝርዝር ታሪኩን ልፅፈው ግን አልቻልኩም። በሰማሁት ታሪክ ውስጥ ከደርግና ከሻእቢያ ባለስልጣናት በህይወት ያሉ በርካታ ሰዎች ስማቸው ይነሳል። ስማቸው የሚነሳ ሰዎችን በማነጋገር መረጃዎችን ማዳበር እና ማረጋገጥ እንዳለብኝ ስላወቅሁ፣ ዝርዝሩን ለማዘግየት ተገደድኩ። ወደፊትየስለላ ስራበሚል ርእስ እተርከው ይሆናል...” ገጽ214-15.

ከዚህ በመነሳት የሚቀጥለው የተስፋየ መጽሀፍ በሻእቢያ የስለላ ታሪክ ላይ ሊያተኩር እንደሚችል መገመት እንችላለን።ይህ የሚሆን ከሆነ አለምዓየሁ መሰለ በራሱ ተስፋዮ ገብርአብ ላይ የሰራውን አስደናቂ የስለላ ስራ የመጽሃፉ አካል ቢያደርገው የመጽሃፉን ውበት እና ሚዛናዊ ጸሃፊነቱን ያሳየናል ብለን ተስፋ እናደርጋለን። ይህንን ካልሆነ ደግሞ ያው ተስፋየ ነው ብለን እናልፈዋልን።

የስነ ስሁፍ ምሁራን እንደሚሉት፤ ገጸ-ባህሪያት አብዛኛውን ግዜ የደራሲው ፍላጎት እና ምኞት ነጸብራቆች ናቸው። ባህርያቸውን የሚወስዱት ከደራሲው ፈጣሪያቸው ነው።ደራሲው ገጸ-ባህሪያቱን የሚፈልገውን መልእክት ለመናገር ይጠቀምባቸዋልና።የስደተኛው ማስታወሻደራሲ ተስፋየም ያደረገው ይህንኑ ነው፡፡ የጫልቱን ታሪክ ያነበበ ማንም በቁጭት ስሜት እንዲነሳ መገፋፋቱ አይቀርም።ስነ-ጽሁፍ ከባድ የሆነ ሃይል አለውና።ምናልባትም ለዚያ ይሆናል ከታሪክ ነጋሪው የበለጠ አጡዞ በጫልቱ ውስጥ ብቅ እያለ የሚያስደምመን፡፡ ይህም በገጸ-ባህርያቱ በኩል የራሱን የደራሲውን ፖለቲካዊ መልእክት እንድናይ ያደርገናል።

የስደተኛው ማስታወሻመጽሐፍ የተስፋየ ስደት ግለታሪክ፣ ሌሎች አጋጣሚዎች እና የአንዳንድ ሰዎች ትረካ ጭምር ተዳሷል። የስደት ተሞክሮዎችና ከስደት ህይወት ጋር ምንም ግንኙነት የሌላቸው ታሪኮች፣ በመጽሐፉ ተሸፍነዋል። እነዚህም ተስፋየ በተግባር የተሳተፈባቸው ድርጊቶች ብቻ ሳይሆኑ በሰሚ ሰሚ ያገኛቸውን መረጃዎችን ይጨምራል።ከዚያም ባሻገር በሰበብ አስባቡ ምክንያት እየፈለገ በመኮርኮም ታሪካቸውን በማኮስመን ስነ-ጽሁፍን ታሪክን የማዛባት ወይም የመደለዝ ተልእኮው መሳሪያ ሲያደርግ ይስተዋላል፡፡

የፍስሃጽዮን  ፖለቲካ ወይስ የተስፋየ ገብረአብ ፖለቲካ፣

ተስፋዬ በመጽሐፉ ውስጥየፍስሃፅዮን ፖለቲካበተሰኘ ርእስ ስር የማይገናኙ ታሪኮችን በመጠቃቀስ ታሪክን የማጠልሸት ሙከራ ሲያደርግ ይታያል። ተስፋዬ የስደተኛው ማስታወሻውስጥ አለምንም አመክንዮ የፍስሃጽዮንን ገድል በዚህ አይነት ሁኔታ ልናምነው እንችላለን ወይ? እያለ ሲጠይቅ ይስተዋላል። አንባቢ የእርሱንም ሃሳዊ የሆኑ ታሪኮች እንዲህ ቢጠይቅ ተገቢ ሊሆንም ይችላል። ይህን የምልበት ምክንያት የፍስሃጽዮን (የአቡነ ተክለሃይማኖት) ታሪክ ከስደት ማስታወሻ ጋር ሊያናኘው የሚችል አንድም ምክንያት አልታይህ ስላለኘ ነው።ያም ቢሆን ነገሩ ከታሪክ ግምገማነት አይን ይታይ ቢባል እንኳ፣ ተስፋየን በቅርብ የምናውቅ ሰዎች የታሪክ አጠናን ዘዴ ብቃቱ እንዲህ ላለ ስራ እንደማያበቃው አፍ ሞልቶ መናገር ይቻላል።ለዚህም በርካታ ምክንያቶች አሉን።አንደኛ ተስፋየ ሃሳዊ የፕሮፓጋንዳ ሰራተኛ እንጂ የታሪክ ተመራማሪ አይደለም ።ሁለተኛው በከዚህ ቀደሞቹ ስራዎቹ ሲገመገም ተስፋየ እንደ አጥኚ ሚዛናዊ በሆነ አይን ታሪክን ይመለከታል የሚለውን መከራከሪያ የሚያስተውን የበዙ ምክንያቶች አሉ። ሶስተኛው አንዳንድ ትረካዎቹ ላይ እንዳየነው የምንጭ አጠቃቀም ዘዴው መደዴ የሚባል አይነት ነው። ከነዚህ ምክንያቶች በመነሳት ተስፋየ ታሪክን የፈልገው ለመደለዝ ወይንም ማደፍረስ እንደሆነ እንረዳለን።

ከዛ ይልቅ ተሰፋየ ያተኮረው በታሪኩ ሂደት ላይ ሳይሆን አቡነ ተክለሃይማኖትን ጨምሮ አብዛኞቹ ሃገር በቀል ጻድቃን ለምን የአንድ አካባቢ ሰወች ሆኑ የሚለው ጉዳይ ነው ከመልእክቱ ጎልቶ የወጣው ክፍል። ለዚህ ደግሞ የዳኛቸው ወርቁ አደፍርስን በማናገር ምክንያቱን ለማጠናከር ሞክሮአል።ይቀጥልናም እራሱን ለመከላከል የሃገራችንን ደፋር ጸሃፍያንን ስም በማንሳት እነሱ የዛ አካባቢ ሰዎች ሰለሆኑ ዝም ተባሉ፣ሌላ ሰው ቢጽፈው ግን ሌላ ይባላል ለማለት ላይ ታቸ እያለ ምክንያት ፍለጋ ሲንከራተት ይታያል፡-

ከዳኛቸው ወርቁ በመቀጠል አቡነ ተክለሃይማኖትን የተቹ ሁለት ብእረኞች ብቅ ብለው ነበር። ፅጌ ስጦታው እና በእውቀቱ ስዩም። በአጋጣሚ አሁንም ሁለቱም ብእረኞች አማራና ኦርቶዶክስ በመሆናቸው አጃንዳው እንዳይጋነን አድርጎታል።ገጽ317


 እርግጥ ነው፣ ተስፋየ እዚህ ጋር የሳተው ቁም ነገር በደፋር ጸሃፊና በሃሳዊ ጸሃፊ መሃከል ያለው ልዮነት የሰማይና የምድር ያህል መሆኑን ነው።ደፋር ጸሃፈያን የሚጽፉት እውነትን ለመፈለግ፣ከተቻለም የተዛባውን ለማረም ነው። ሃሳዊ ወይንም ተንኳሽ ጸሃፍያን ግን ቁርሾን ለማስፋትና ታሪክ ላይ ውንብድና ለመፈጸም እስከሆነ ድረስ የመልእክታቸው ተቀባይነት ምን ግዜም በጥርጣሬ መተጽር ውስጥ መውደቁ አይቀርም።በኛ ሃገርም ታሪካዊና ታሪክ ቀመስ ልቦለዶችን ያስነበቡን ደራሲያን ጥቂት አይደሉም፡፡ በተለይ ደራሲ ብርሃኑ ዘርይሁን እና፣ ሃዲስ ዓለምአየሁ የስርአት ችግርን ነቅሰው በማውጣት ህብረተሰብ ወደፊት እንዲራመድ በስነ-ጽሁፋቸው ደፍረው አስተምረዋል። ህብረተሰቡን አቅጣጫ በማሳየታቸው፣ስነ-ጽሁፋቸው የሃገራችን ዘመን አይሽሬ ስራ ለመባል በቅቷል።

ሌላው ለአቡነ ተክለሃይማኖት የቅድስና ክብር የሰጠችው የግብጽ ቆፕት ቤተክርስቲያን ሲኖዶስ እንጂ ሌላ አይደለም።እንዲህ ለማድረግ ደግሞ ቆብጦቹ ረጅም የሆነ የማጣራት ስነ-ስርአት አላቸው።ወደ አሌክሳንድርያ ብቅ ካልክ በስማቸው የተሰየመ ትልቅ ቤተክርስትያን ስላለ ኤዛ ቋሚ ምስክር ታገኛለህ።በኋላም አምስቱ የኦርየንታል (ምስራቃውያን) አብያተ ክርስቲያናት የቆፕጥ ቤተክርስቲያንን ውሳኔ ተቀብለው በክብረ በዐላቶቻቸው መዝገብ ውስጥ አሰገብተዋቸዋል።

ባለበት የእውቀት እጥረት ምክንያት ተስፋየ አላነበበ ይሆናል እንጂ ከደርዘን በላይ እውቅ አለማቀፍ የጥናት ስራዎች እና የዱክትርና መሟያ ምርምሮች በጠቀስከው የፍስሃጽዮን ታሪክ ላይ ተሰርተዋል።ሁሉም ባይሆኑ አንዳንዶቹ ምክንያታዊ የሆነ ሂሳዊ ግምማቸውን ከአሳማኝ መላምት ጋር አቅርበዋል።እንደነዚህ ያሉ ጥናቶችን ለምን በፈረንጅ፣ በተለይም ጣልያናዊ በሆኑ የካቶሊክ እምነት ተከታይ ተጻፈ የሚል ትችት እስካሁን አልገጠመኝም።ልክ እንደ ፍስሃጽዮን ሁሉ አባት ሃገር ከምትለው ሰራዬ አካባቢ በወጡት አባ አውስጣቴዎስ (ቤተ-አውስጣቴዎስ) ላይም ብዙ ተጽፎአል። ታሪክ በባለሙያውና በትክክለኛው መንገድ ከተጠና ሁላችንም ያለፈ ጉዞአችንን እንድናይበት በር ይክፍታል እንጂ ጉዳት የለውም። በተስፋየ መጽሃፍ ውስጥ የሚገኙ ትረካዎች ግን አስፈላጊነታቸው እና ያላቸው የብቃት ደረጃ ጥያቄ ውስጥ የሚወድቁ ብቻ ሳይሆኑ የሃሳዊነት እና የትንኮሳ ባህሪ ስላላቸው ነው ከደፋር ጸሃፍያን ወይንም ከታሪክ ተመራማሪወች የሚለዩት።

ታሪክን በማዛባት ረገድ ተአማኒነት ይጎድላቸዋል ከምላቸው ጉዳዮች ውስጥ አንዱ ተስፋየ ስለ አጼ ቴወድሮስ አሟሟት እስካሁን ካነበብነውና ከሰማነው የተለየ አዲስ ታሪክ ይዞ ብቅ ማለቱ ነው፡፡ወርቂቱ የተባለች የወሎ ሴት ባላባት ገደለችው ከሚለው የታሪክ ውሽት በተለየ መልኩ፣ አሟሟታችው ላይ አዲስ ነገር ጭምሮ ብቅ ብሎአል። በይፋዊው ታሪክ ላይ የተዘገበው በገዛ እጃቸው ህይወታቸው ማጥፋታቸውን ሲሆን፣ይህንን በቦታው የነበሩ የናፔር ዘመቻ ተሳታፊ ወታደሮች ሳይቀሩ አረጋግጠዋል።እንዳውም አንዱ ወታደር በጻፈው ግለ-ታሪክ አስከሬናቸው በወራሪው የእንግሊዝ ጦር የክብር አቀባበር ተደርጎለት እንደነበረ የአይን ምስክርነቱን ሰጥቶአል። ይሁንና ተስፋየ የንጉሱን አሟሟት እንዲህ በማለት ጽፎታል፡-

አጤ ቴዎድሮስ ራሱን ሲገድል አስተካክሎ ባለመተኮሱ ነፍሱ ሳትወጣ ጥቂት ተሰቃይቶአል። እንግሊዞች ደርሰው፣ መሬት ለመሬት እየጎተቱ ሲያንገላቱት ጭምር ቴዎድሮስ ህይወቱ ነበረች። ልብሱን አውልቀው ራቁቱን አድርገው በሚጠሉት ወገኖች ሲያስደበድቡት ግን የቋረኛው ንጉስ ህይወት አለፈች።ገጽ390

ይህ ምን እንደሚባል አንባቢ የራሱን ፍርድ ቢሰጥ የሚሻል ይመስለኛል።የስደተኛው ማስታወሻእኩይ ለሆነ አላማ ታሪክን የማንጋደድ ስራ ጥሩ ማሳያ ነው የምለውም ከዚህ የተነሳ ነው።በእርግጥም ደራሲው በተራ ቋንቋ ሃሳቡን በቀላሉ በመግለጽ የታሪክ መሰረት የሌላቸውን ክስተቶች እዚህም እዛም በማስገባት ትውልድን የማሳሳት ሃሳዊ ስራውን ተወጥቶበታል ማለት ይቻላል፡፡

የተስፋየ ሃሳዊ ብዕር በአንድ በኩል የሃገራችንን ታሪክ ማደብዘዝ መደለዙን ስራየ ብሎ መያዙን እንዳየነው ሁሉ በሌላ በኩል አባት ሃገር ብሎ የሚጠራትን ኤርትራ፣ በአሁኑ ወቅት ያለው እውነታ እየታወቀ አንድም ነገር ለማለት አለመድፈሩ ሚዛናዊ ሃቀኛ የሰ-ነጽሁፍ ሰውነት ጥያቄ እንዲነሳበት በር ይከፍታል።ተስፋየ በሆላንድ የመኖሪያ ፈቃድ ካገኘ በሁዋላ ለበርካታ ግዜያት ወደ አባት ሃገር ኤርትራ ቢመላለስም የነገረን ከተገመተው በታች ነው። አስታውሳለሁ፣ በቀደምት ስራዎቹ ስለኤርትራ ለምን አንዳልጻፈ? ስጠይቀው፣የሰጠኝ ምክንያትስለኤርትራ ምንም የሚያውቀው ነገር ስለሌለ ነውየሚል የነበረ።ሆኖም ተስፋየ በዚህኛውየስደተኛው ማስታወሻጥቂት ምዕራፍ ሰጥቶ ስለ አባት ሃገር ኤርትራ አንዳንድ ነገሮችን ለማንሳት ሞክሯል።ይሁንና ስለኤርትራ ትንሽም ቢሆን በጻፈባቸው ምዕራፎች የተገለጸው፣ በዐለም መናኛ ብዙሃን ከምናውቃት ኤርትራ ጋር የማይመሳሰል ነው።ይህ ብቻ ሳይሆንየስደተኛው ማስታወሻንበሻእቢያ የጦርነት ጅብዱዎች ገድል ዙሪያ እንዲያጠነጥን አድርጎታል። ይህ የኢትዮጵያን ፖለቲካ፣ ታሪክ እንዲሁም የህዝቦች ግንኙነት አሉታዎ ገጽታውን የማናር ትረካው፣ አባት ሃገር ኤርትራን ለመግለጽ ከተጠቀመበት ስልት ጋር ሲነጻጸር ጉልህ የሚዛናዊነት ችግር እንዳለበት ያሳያል።

ሲጠቃለል፣

የስደተኛውን ማስታወሻስራ ጥሩ መጽሃፍ እንዳይሆን ካደረጉ በርካታ ምክንያቶች አንዱና ዋነኛው የመልእክቱ ጭብጥ ሃሳዊነት እና ተንኩዋሸ ባህሪ ስነ-ጽሁፋዊ ፋይዳውን አሳጥቶታል።ይህ ብቻ ሳይሆን ጸሃፊው ባሳየው ሚዛኑን የሳተ የአጻጻፍ ስልት ስነ-ጽሁፉን አጠወልጎታል፡፡ የስደተኛው ማስታወሻላይ የተወሰነ ስነ-ጽሁፋዊ ውበት ብናይም ፣ጸሃፊው ለማስተላለፍ የሚፈልገው የፖለቲካ መልእክት፣ እንዲሁም ህዝብና ህዝብን አናካሽ በሆነው የአጻጻፍ ስልቱ ምክንያት የስደተኛው ማስታወሻ ከመከኑ የስነ-ጽሁፍ ስራዎች ተርታ እንዲመደብ አድርጎታል።

መስፍን አማን
(ከሃርለም፣ኔዘርላንድ

Monday, October 28, 2013

The USA – “A Thief Mother Never Trusts her Own Children.”


“And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul.
Rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hell.” Mat. 10:28

Like many societies in the world, Ethiopians have thousands of superb sayings that create unforgettable image in the minds of listeners or readers. One of them is the one I have used now to name my title here above; its Amharic original is “ሌባ እናት ልጇን አታምንም”; transliterated as ‘leba ennat l’juan attamnim’. This saying is used to express unexpected mistrust among any consanguine or friendly relationships, especially when dishonest relative or friend unreasonably distrusts their own people.
I hope my readers can prettily guess what I am going to say. Our mother, the self-
appointed Policewoman of our world, i.e., the United States of America is nowadays running short of her conscience and she is shamelessly trying to control everything, I literally mean everything. She wants to control your salon, your bedroom, and your private affairs; your love and hate, your mind, your toilet, your appetite, you’re everything. She wants to control every movement you go through; she needs to control every information you exchange even with your loved ones, like your wife/husband. Being deprived of at least the natural right, a right which other animals enjoy to the utmost degree, to defecate must be the worst curse imposed by the US upon the ill-fated citizens of this planet. Thanks to our indifference to know about CIA and its likes. Otherwise, if we happen to know all what it does, we could go doolally. The US doesn’t trust you even if you are her staunch partner. I am talking the public secret even all the ET beings well know.
This week Europe is under turmoil the kind of which has never been seen before. Unless CIA goes bloody insane, it is quite strange to spy 35 leaders of the world through hacking their emails and computer facilities. In addition, the private electronic addresses of more than 70 million people are said to be hacked. Hacking seems to be the fashionable act of the CIA without which it cannot survive. I am afraid if this restless CIA has hacked the ‘emails and phones of the dead’ that are believed to reside either in Heaven or Hell or maybe in the Purgatory. It is amazing. It is also queer and out of the expectation of the most illiterate citizens of our mother Earth to see such earthly stupidity. Adios privacy! Adios humanity! Alas for us, the downtrodden people of the world, if these children of the devil keep on implementing their treacherous schemes for more time in the future. Beseech the providence of the Almighty, guys!
The current global incidents show that man has become hostage of his own civilization! What is civilization then if the smaller ‘big brothers’ themselves get into the trap of the so called Big Brother, a.k.a, Uncle Sam? Why is the CIA along with, perhaps, its allies unusually overacting like this? What does all this triviality indicate? What is going to happen following the commotions we observe now? Does it mean we are approaching to certain finale? It is not bad to sense some sort of fishy circumstance wherein the Big Brother will have been losing its clench over this physical world. Before any pendulum stops working, the arm dangles fast; before a person dies, his heart beats fast remarkably; at the end of something, certain convulsions occur at the buffer zone of the incoming new and the outgoing old. Quite normal albeit alarming. The CIA never reacted in such a horrifying shamelessness, to the extent of spying the intimate friends of the US such as Angela Merkel and Francois Hollande. Personally, I was dumbfounded, with no words to express my mixed emotions. After hearing this espionage scandal, I couldn’t help controlling my cynic laughter, on the one hand, and on the other hand, I was gone to the ‘skies’ to refer the books I incidentally read times back, including, of course, the Christian Bible. I wondered a lot noticing that my readings and this time around happened to share significant similarities.
Similarities?  Oh! I sense some other similarities as well. Barack Obama, the son of Skull and Bones, and Hailemariam Desalegn of the in vitro son of the crooked ethnocentric TPLFites. Don’t you see any resemblance? What did Obama do after his election? Did he live up to his promises? How about the closure of Guantanamo? How about the so called Obamacare? Vain promises, ‘cause he is not decisive in the intrigue of the American politics. Who is behind Obama? Is he free, as free as his predecessor George W. Bush Jr.? Which one of them is a dictator – Bush or Obama? Whose tutee is Obama? Why does Obama’s aura most often seem to be in trauma? Why is he lagging behind his promises after five years of his presidency? Is it because he is black? Is it because he must respect the capricious interests of the few elect, the 1% richest people whose distraction in most cases is Jewish ancestry? What is the abracadabra of these minorities all over the world?
Who is H.D of Ethiopia? What is his say in the premiership of this impoverished nation? Isn’t H.D a simple house servant to obey the mini-secret lodge of the Tigrian bandits who are assigned by the grand lodge of the global Ashkenazi whose major objective is enslaving the entire population of this world and put them under one luciferian New World Order? Don’t you suspect any sort of collective leadership behind the curtain in the US? Don’t you know the collective leadership in Ethiopia whose members are invisible or abstract TPLFites the gubernatorial instruction and/or military command of whom is read and/ or implemented by their stooge H.D and their mercenary organ the so called Defence Ministry? Haven’t you sensed certain similarity? I have. They are one and the same except their difference in magnificence.
I personally do not think Obama is bad. By the same token, I do not think Hailemariam is either. They share similar fate though the latter is absolutely symbolic with no authoritative effect at all. Relatively speaking, Obama seems less symbolic and may play certain role under his presidential capacity, but not like the Ashkenazis such as the Bush family and other 100% white people in the line of American presidency; this might be caused by his half African blood.
As a matter of fact, there is an invisible government almost everywhere, most visibly in the US and Ethiopia. The root cause and motive of these hidden governments is one and the same: deprive the majority of their wealth and give it to the few elects of the voracious group these malicious governments stand for. To enhance their whimsical interests, the few control the majority and subjugate the entire population to feed the insatiate ego. To this end, they control all state machineries mainly the military, the security, the intelligence, the resources, and the whole economy; they also use different mechanisms to control the mind of the majority so that the goys become the speaking animals who are there to serve only the few elect who control the lion’s share of the wealth of the planet. This was the plan of the so called illuminate, call them the Knights Templar or the Freemasons or in any of the variables they interchangeably use here and there or now and then depending on situations and time. You cannot identify them by their race or colour or country or at times even religion. They are intact. They are highly secretive. They are cabalists and occultists. They have infiltrated almost all religions. They have succeeded in changing this world into hellish state following the prevalence of immorality; look the films, the music, and the art … most of which preach the kingdom of Mr. Satan through hedonistic approach. Take the German Bishop, for example. It is recently announced that he has constructed a villa worth of 42 million dollars. Though he is apparently old, he seems smart and elegant with no hair on his face. He might be one of them installed to spoil the already spoilt institution. All in all, apart from diverting especially the behaviour of the young generation from decency to vulgarism, they have controlled almost all resources and powers of the world; they appoint their men and women in the states they manage to seize the reins of the ruling apparatus, if possible in the name of democracy or if not possible in coup. They see no change as far as they achieve their selfish interests.
They don’t care what to say, they don’t care what to do, they don’t care what to be. As far as they get their interests fulfilled, they do not care about the procedures. Look Saudi Arabia, for example. This Arab country is absolutely undemocratic; women are considered subhuman, even less important than a camel or a goat. Women do not participate in any elections. Women never drive car. Women are sexual tools. Women are not eligible to be witnesses at any court, if the situation necessitates, the witness of two women is considered as the witness of one man. Women cannot marry non-Muslim, if they do, they will be killed, by the law or by any relative including her parents in the so called honour killing. Muslims cannot convert to other religions. People are beheaded every Thursday with no apparent crime that equals their death. We are observing the 6th century AD in Saudi. Surprisingly, we are also observing the US of the 21st century to be a strategic friend of such arrogant state in this amorphous world. What an idiocy! What an envying friendship!
All such ‘funny’ things mentioned herein happen in Saudi in the broad day light. America’s card of the so called democracy and human right doesn’t work there; no eyes, no ears, no sense of smell, no sense of touch, no sense of taste. As long as the lands of Saudi continue secreting the source of the petrodollar, there is no problem. If one dares to peer into the American democracy based on this mere fact, we can safely say that there is no genuine democracy even on the land of the US, no matter the sophistication of the rhetoric lubrication to make-believe the process; maybe we may give it a new name like ‘Financial Democracy Money can Buy’. Had there been a real democracy in the US, few people in the higher echelon wouldn’t have precipitated this country headlong into abysmal crisis. And moreover, I don’t think it is the will of ordinary Americans who are said to ‘have empowered their leaders’ through ‘fair and free’ elections to carry out incessant massacres everywhere, especially in the Pakistani Waziristan, by their merciless drones. I don’t think the majority of Americans are willing to pay the dearest price their leaders incur in terms of both human and material destruction. We can go on lamenting on hundreds of thousands of fallacies the American administration has been committing since its inception.
This is also the funniest of all worldly things; vain democracy effective only to see new faces in the White House. I can be corrected if I am wrong. With respect to Saudi, if we will have some more time, though I don’t expect so, the next morning immediately after the Saudis deplete their golden fluid, all sorts of cards will be shown to them to carry out ‘fair and free’ elections. How many standards does the US have? Double, triple, quadruple, so interesting! Yea, if you have the might, you are nothing but everything! Who said, ‘might is right’? – Napoleon or one of the French Louis’s? I forgot.
Well, this is the US But not the people. She has smart, hardworking, civilized but oppressed and suppressed people. It is a matter of relativity. We cannot seat the people of Ethiopia and that of the US on the same bench with regard to ‘who are more oppressed than the other?’ Due to obvious reasons, this would be totally unfair. Nevertheless, both people are under strain; under cruellest subjugation. But if we are forced to compare, that of the oppression of Ethiopians is like a hell, needless to comment on that of the US due to my limited knowledge.
Understandably, the land of the US is sanctuary to millions of hopeless citizens from all over the world; this has been the case as of the emergence of America as a state some 4 or 5 hundred years back. She is the country of all, not of the few as they may claim to be so. But now, unfortunately, the leadership is steering the ship towards her destruction. “ውሃ ሲወስድ እያሳሳቀ ነው፡፡ This is what I see, though I use only my two physical eyes to see. No third eye, guys!
We can ask ourselves thousands of answerless questions. Why should they spy at least their best friends – their ‘allies’, to use the word they love? Is it not surprisingly laughable? Why are American Authorities always in quarrel with the term ‘shame’? I do not think they know this word; neither do the TPLFites here in Ethiopia. Both are against truth and act in favour of lie. Why are people becoming poorer and poorer from time to time? Why are people becoming homeless? Why have ‘depression, foreclosure, homelessness, hopelessness, unemployment …’ become the fad of American media? And why does the administration use various scarecrows such as ‘terrorism’ and ‘national security’ to unscrupulously stifle the legal demands of the current generation? Who took away the wisdom of the so called Founding Fathers? Why do American authorities waste the money of the tax payers in vain to create battles everywhere like wildfire? Why do people get into manmade poverty in the US? How many people are committing suicide due to unusual way of life they are forced to lead?
What is the annual military budget? How much does the US spend on space exploration? How much does she spend on espionage? What is the amount of the debt the US owes to foreign creditors? What is the source of this entire enigma? When will all this head splitting puzzle end? No brain? No time to sit down and see things soberly? What is the cause of all this inebriety? Why do they extravagantly waste the resources of mother Earth? What is the advantage of breeding wars here and there? What is the benefit of proliferating enemies there and here? Who is responsible for the vanishing of Miss Love?
The time ahead is verily frightening. It seems most of us are blindfolded by the myths of the talk on the media, the so called mainstream media which is mostly owned by the an-eyed Big Brother. Let us wait and see what will happen. The time is not too far.

The Book of Wisdom, the Holy Bible, cf. 6: 1-12

Listen then, kings, and understand;
rulers of remotest lands, take warning;
hear this, you who have thousands under your rule,
who boast of your hordes of subjects.
For power is a gift to you from the Lord,
sovereignty is from the Most High;
he himself will probe your acts and scrutinize your intentions.

If, as administrators of his kingdom, you have not governed justly nor observed the law,
nor behaved as God would have you behave,
he will fall on you swiftly and terribly. …


Yiheyis Aemro

Sunday, October 27, 2013

AU is a shield for dictators

They, the so called Africans are plotting here in Addis Ababa to get a licence to oppress African people and exploit the continent’s resources without any consequences. Allowing with drawl from ICC is undermining justice and reinforcing violence and violation of Human Rights.

AU is nothing but a shield for dictators to abuse the power .they were given by the people, through their greed, Africa will continue to be exploited for resources while the children of Africa starve and slaughter each other  for crumbs. Africans who try to rise for change are killed and intimated. The images of Africans continue to deteriorate not because of history of colonialism but because the leaders suppress the people to be independent or the government that delivers more poverty while selling Africa wealth to highest bidders.

Prime minister Hailmariam Desalgn claims that Africa born organizations is too much concerned about African people than any others organizations .But in history of AU there has not been a single time that AU has raised its concern to stop the massacre of innocents, The plight of millions of refuges. most regimes in Africa have designed a political system that is sustained by corruption and repression and are not strong enough to tolerate dissent .AU rule for themselves and for Africa dictators not for the poor and for the innocent people. So how come, these organization can bring justice and keep the continents interest?

African criminal in powerful get protected by other African criminals in power, the fact that the union is African born organization that does not add up to or mean, it is in the interest of Africans, it is instead protect the interests of the most corrupt and powerful few .As far as I know there was and is not time that the AU has brought or condemned the perpetrator of atrocity to justice .In fact these killers were /are among the union whom they condemn to. Their courts are impotent to yield justice for voiceless and powerless and yet Prime Minister Hailmariam Desalgn theory shows how ignorant he is, it makes me think he has disconnected from facts.

African leaders want green light to commit atrocity on their own citizens by claiming that ICC is racist. Let’s see the atrocity committed in Sudan, in Liberia, in Ethiopia, in Uganda, in Libya and in all across the continent .these leaders are shameless, they talk about injustice these aging and corrupt autocrats who see their own citizens as their private garden.

They want send a message that they are discriminated and they are singled out etc. and yet they never treat their own peoples as human beings, they never work for their own people, they never get elected, they never solve injustice in the court instead their gun and prison are their tools .prison in Africa are full of people /kids, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers, young and old/.they simply are a shame of Africa ,they have no single moral authority to talk the injustice and the discrimination that they never had and have in their country legal system. They deny natural rights of their own people .Their jails are full of innocent people who want to stand against the injustice, they prosecute and kill the voiceless and the helpless their own other than their families and associates. They destroy families, they kill kids, rape women, deprive millions a right to live in their own land and they commit other countless atrocity against humanity, they consume the most resource of their land, they are greedy, selfish and corrupt and yet their millions citizens are starving and have not access of basic necessity like water, food, house/shelter /and school.

What I have said is in most Africa state there is a broken justice system, leaders who kill and destroy or commit atrocity in their own people and get away with it .who hold them accountable that is ICC .It is time for the  western nations and Americans to stand with the people instead of supporting armed criminal political regimes.


BAILE DERSEH MIHRETE

Friday, October 25, 2013

Ethiopia bans citizens from travelling abroad for work

Ethiopia's government has temporarily banned its citizens from travelling abroad to look for work, the state-run Erta news agency reports.

The foreign ministry was quoted as saying countless Ethiopians had lost their lives or undergone untold physical and psychological trauma because of illegal human trafficking.

The decision was meant to "safeguard the well-being of citizens", it added.
The travel ban will remain in place until a "lasting solution" is found.

Many Ethiopians try to reach Saudi Arabia, travelling via Yemen by sea
The ministry said the government had taken various measures to limit the suffering of its citizens, including setting up a national council and a taskforce to educate them.
But those measures had not been able to address the problem sufficiently, it added.
Employment agencies will also be barred from facilitating travel abroad.
The scarcity of work opportunities is a major factor fuelling emigration from Ethiopia, which has Africa's second largest population. Youth unemployment is officially estimated at more than 50%.

Human rights activists also say a significant number of those classified as economic migrants flee the country because of political and economic oppression or ethnic discrimination by the state.

Many Ethiopians try to reach Saudi Arabia, travelling via Yemen by sea and entering the kingdom illegally. Thousands of others head for South Africa, Israel and Europe.
They often end up being smuggled, trafficked or subjected to mental and physical torture. And once they reach their destinations, many require humanitarian assistance or face a wide range of abuses from employers.

BBC News Reuters

Thursday, October 24, 2013

SLAVERY IN ETHIOPIA

SLAVERY IN ETHIOPIA

The Global Slavery Index has revealed that Ethiopia fares amongst the highest 12 countries that have reduced a part of their population to slavery.

The report states: when considered in absolute terms, the countries with the highest numbers of enslaved people are… India, China, Pakistan, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Russia, Thailand, the  DR Congo, Myanmar and Bangladesh. Taken together these ten countries account for 76% of the total estimate of 29.8 million enslaved people. The index goes to define modern slavery as follows:

“What is modern slavery?

In 2013, modern slavery takes many forms, and is known by many names: slavery, forced labour or human trafficking.

‘Slavery’ refers to the condition of treating another person as if they were property – something to be bought, sold, traded or even destroyed.

‘Forced labour’ is a related but not identical concept, referring to work taken without consent, by threats or coercion.

‘Human trafficking’ is another related concept, referring to the process through which people are brought, through deception, threats or coercion, into slavery, forced labour or other forms of severe exploitation.

Whatever term is used, the significant characteristic of all forms of modern slavery is that it involves one person depriving another people of their freedom: their freedom to leave one job for another, their freedom to leave one workplace for another, their freedom to control their own body.”

In Ethiopia close to 680,000 people are considered to be victims of modern slavery. Human trafficking is a flourishing business controlled by the ruling regime. Thousands of Ethiopian women are trafficked to the Middle East, Libya, Yemen, etc .to a horrible state of domestic slavery. Thousands of children are sold via the adoption racket and most of these children are not even orphans. Early marriage is widespread and underage girls and boys ply the prostitution market which is favoured by the regime in place. Freedom is an illusion in modern day Ethiopia and prisoners are not only tortured but forced to work in the labour camps like Zwai, Dedesa, Bir Shlelko, etc. Child labour is also rampant all over the country. Modern day slavery flourishes in Ethiopia and SOCEPP exposes and denounces this situation in no uncertain terms.


 INJUSTICE ANYWHERE IS INJUSTICE EVERYWHERE
SOCEPP, POSTFACH 51213, BERLIN 13372,Germany.
SOCEPP, 30 RIGA COVE, WINNIPEG,MB R2P 2Z7,CANADA

E MAIL: SOCEPP @AOL.COM 

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

Ethiopia: Torture in the heart of Addis, even as leaders gather in gleaming AU building

Human Rights Watch
Many journalists and diplomats who attend events in Addis Ababa’s gleaming new African Union building are probably unaware that it rests on the site of one of Ethiopia’s most notorious prisons. While that prison was torn down in 2007, its legacy of torture and abuse continues today at the heart of the capital.

Over the past year, I have spoken to dozens of people who were held in a detention centre called Maekelawi in central Addis. They described dire conditions and a range of abusive interrogation methods to extract information and confessions.

Since 2011, scores of high-profile individuals have been detained in Maekelawi under Ethiopia’s draconian anti-terrorism law, including journalists and opposition politicians, and held for months under the law’s lengthy pre-charge detention period as their “cases” are prepared for trial.

“Getachew,” a 22-year-old ethnic Oromo, was snatched from his university dorm, driven hundreds of kilometres to Addis Ababa, and locked up for eight months in Maekelawi. His parents were never informed of his whereabouts; he was never charged or given access to a lawyer; and never appeared before court. He was ultimately released on condition that he would work for the government.
Like Getachew, many of the people detained in Maekelawi over the past decade are political prisoners — arrested because of their ethnicity, their real or perceived political opinions and actions, or journalism work. Voicing peaceful dissent or criticism of government policy is increasingly risky.
In a new report, ‘They Want a Confession’: Torture and Ill-Treatment in Ethiopia’s Maekelawi Police Station, Human Rights Watch documents how the police who run Maekelawi have tortured and ill-treated detainees during investigations. Former detainees held in the facility since 2010 described how investigators slapped, kicked, and beat them with batons and gun butts. Some were held in painful stress positions for hours upon end.

Some are held in solitary confinement for days or months. Getachew said he was held alone and shackled for five months: “When I wanted to stand up it was hard,” he told me. “I had to use my head, legs, and the walls to stand up.”
Those held in Maekelawi’s two worst detention blocks, nicknamed by residents Chalama Bet [dark house] and Tawla Bet [wooden house], described particularly dire conditions.
To make matters worse, investigators use access to basic facilities and needs to punish or reward detainees. Even access to the toilet can depend on the whim of the police, as Getachew explained: “I was only allowed to use the toilet once a day, although after two or three months, I was allowed twice… They want to get something, and either they get some evidence or they don’t.”
Access to daylight is also restricted; one person said that he was taken outside for just a few minutes three times in 42 days in the dark cells. Several former Chalama Bet detainees complained of lasting vision problems.

Detainees have also been denied access to their families and legal counsel, particularly those detained on politically motivated charges.

Former detainees described being forced, often while being verbally abused and beaten, to sign statements and confessions for crimes they did not commit. Sometimes the confessions are presented in court as evidence or used to put pressure on those released to support the government and ruling party, as in Getachew’s case.

Most recently, the prosecution submitted statements gathered in Maekelawi from prominent members of the country’s Muslim community who were charged under the anti-terrorism law in 2012 for organising peaceful protests. There is credible information that several of the defendants were mistreated in Maekelawi, making their statements questionable.

The fate of those passing through Maekelawi’s gates is largely unknown to the outside world. Tackling the regular abuses of the rights of political prisoners’ right in the heart of the capital requires first acknowledging the violations and then making a commitment to address the culture of impunity among security forces.

Ethiopia’s leaders should publicly state that torture and other ill treatment is prohibited, and should take concrete steps to hold to account those found responsible for these abuses.

Most important, the Ethiopian government should ensure that no one is ever arrested for exercising their basic rights, including by peacefully expressing their political opinions.

That means urgently overhauling Ethiopia’s draconian civil society and counter-terrorism laws. But change is unlikely to happen unless key regional actors such as the African Union, the African Commission on Human Rights Peoples’ Rights, and Ethiopia’s foreign donors make their concerns known.

Turning a blind eye to the abuses in the centre of Addis Ababa should no longer be an option.

Laetitia Bader is an Africa researcher at Human Rights Watch.