By Wondimu Mekonnen,
UK
London residents of
Ethiopia came out again on 2 December 2013 to protest in front of the Saudi
Arabian Embassy for the 2nd time in less than 10 days. Although we
are aware that some Ethiopians have been transported to Addis Ababa, there are still
tens of thousands of Ethiopian immigrants in captivity in that Kingdom, held in
subhuman conditions, without food, and sanitary for women. Horrendous news trickling
out to the rest of the world through various sources tells gross violation of
human rights in that Kingdom, targeting particularly Ethiopians as if Ethiopians.
The Muslim script quotes their Prophet saying: “"Leave the Ahbash
(Abyssinians or Ethiopians) alone so long as they do not disturb you, for no
one will recover the treasure of the Ka'ba, except Zul-Suwayqatayn from
Abyssinia.”
("ترك أهباش (أبيسينيانس أو الإثيوبيين) وحدها طالما أنها لا تخل لك، لأن لا أحد سوعدا ذو-سووايقاتاين من الحبشة. ف استرداد كنز (الكعبة، ما
Contrary to all that, the prophet’s
followers, the keepers of the faith, Saudi Arabian government and citizens targeted
Ethiopians and victimised, murdered the men and gang-raped the women. This is a
disgrace and the most shameful act of transgression against humanity on the
part of Saudi Arabia.
Ethiopians demanded to end the murder, the
gang rape and treat Ethiopians like human beings, rather than what their citizens
uttered in public beating up Ethiopians. The following link leads to a video showing
a tangible evidence of the vibrant demonstration in London.
Among the demonstrators there were guests
from other nations, who joined Ethiopians to show their solidarity with
Ethiopian victims in Saudi Arabia. One such Muslim demonstrator in solidarity
with Ethiopians spelt out how Islam owes Ethiopia, for she gave shelter and
protected followers of the Prophet from those who wanted to kill them. He led
the demonstrators in shouting the slogans in support of Ethiopian victims in
Saudi Arabia. He made a moving solidarity speech with Ethiopians, the country
that was the cause for his faith to survive. He pointed out that The Prophet sent his
persecuted men and women to Ethiopia, land of justice, who was ruled by a just
King. He said he himself worked in Jeddah, in the land where there is no
justice. He said Ethiopia shall overcome this disgrace because she stretches
her hands unto God. He concluded with a slogan “Viva Ethiopia!”
Another speaker
was our own brother, Obang Metho, the leader of Solidarity Movement for a New
Ethiopia, all the way from Canada. Obang, with his usual moving speech cheered
the crowed by expressing how happy he was to be among his compatriots voicing
for the voiceless victims in Saudi Arabia. He reminded the Saudis that
Ethiopians are human beings just like them and not dogs as they were seen uttering
on videos he watched while they were savagely beating up Ethiopians. He demanded
that Saudi learn how to treat human beings, particularly his unfortunate fellow
Ethiopians that ended up in their country for work but nothing else. He also
reminded the Ethiopian regime that it would be held responsible for the mess,
the national humiliation in reference to what had happened to our brothers and
sisters in Saudi Arabia. Ethiopians would have never left their country had the
regime was responsible enough to take care of its citizens rather than
persecuting them. He reminded all Ethiopians to stand together regardless of
their ethnic background, as humanity comes before ethnicity. He stressed that
no one would be free until everybody is free. Obang called for national reconciliation,
including the brutal regime itself, to get out of the quagmire we all found
ourselves in. He concluded his moving speech with “ኢትዮጵያ ለዘለዓለም ትኑር!”
Dr Bekele Gessesse, a well-respected
Ethiopian in London had to take off his clothes above waist in the chilling
December London cold weather, to share the pain and suffering of his brothers
and sisters in Saudi Arabia, regardless of the protestors attempt to prevent
him from doing so, fearing for his own health and safety (Flicker picture
IMGP350). He did it anyway and demanded that the Saudis stop that barbaric act
of murdering and raping innocent Ethiopians whom misfortune led them to that
Kingdom of Hell. He was fighting back his tears while speaking.
There was a very moving speech from our brave
sister, Hirut Mesfin, who was so much disgusted with Saudi Arabian act of
transgression against her brothers and sisters in Saudi Arabia. She alerted the
demonstrators on the fact that right then, about 30,000 Ethiopians had been robbed
of their possessions, dignity and hoarded by Saudi Police like animals, transported
to the dessert on the border with Yemen and left there unprotected in the open
air without water, food or any shelter. She also said the Saudi Arabians, as
members of the United Nations should be acting like one, responsible enough to
restrain themselves from carrying out such a barbaric act against humanity. She
demanded to stop the racial profiling. She demanded to stop practising slavery
and join the 21st century. She told Saudi Arabians that they had money
but lacked humanity. Hirut electrified the place with an emotional speech that
clearly spelt out that what had taken place in Saudi Arabia was “Holocaust 2013”,
carried out against Ethiopians. It was an act of genocide. The Ethiopians who
went there looking for work. And they did work for them as loyal maids and
servants. She questioned where the United
Nations was when such gross violation of human rights was perpetrated by one of
their member states against human beings! She also questioned the International
Labour Organisation on their silence when such inhuman act of barbarism was carried
out against migrant workers in Saudi Arabia.
The fight to rescue Ethiopians from murder, rape
and torture in Saudi Arabia continues until the last Ethiopian is taken out of
that hell on earth.
More pictures and videos can be seen at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/16899129@N08/
