THE BRUSSELS ETHIOPIAN HISTORICAL MARCH!
Nightmare at
the Woyyane Embassy
By Wondimu
Mekonnen:
Introduction
The Woyyane
(The TPLF) is a terrorist
organisation[i]
that is holding Ethiopia at ransom. Since the these criminals came to power,
nothing changed in their wild behaviour. They were terrorists yesterday, they
are terrorists today and unless they are stopped now, they wouldn’t change
their behaviour in the future. The worsening brutality of the ethno-apartheid
Woyyane (i.e. ethnic based black on black apartheid) regime has left Ethiopians
with no option but to come together and resist tyranny of the worst kind in their
history. As crackdown on the opposition members, journalists, religious leaders
(both Christians and Muslims), and professional and human rights activists
steps up, resistance is also rising to next level to defend the existence of
oneself with more commitment and determination.
On 7th
November 2014, this was the cause for the call of all Ethiopians to meet up in
Brussels, the beautiful Belgian Capital City. The illegal and criminal abduction
of Andargachew Tsege, General Secretary Ginbot 7 from Sana’a Airport was meant
to scare-shock and silence the exiled community of Ethiopians to coil back into
their shells but that was a wrong calculation on the part of the Woyyane. It proved
otherwise.
The ethno-apartheid regime’s outrageous of
series of abduction has ignited the fury of Ethiopians. They have been
abducting the Oromo, the Ogadenese, the Gabellans from neighbouring counties. They
have now upgraded that to the abducting an international air transport passenger.
Will they get away with such blatant transgression of human rights? Their true
colour is now exposed. Apart from the abduction, their murder squad has also
been deployed in the cities of the World with diplomatic immunity. The recent
brandishing of gun and shooting at demonstrators in Washington
as we witnessed on 29 September 2014[ii] just a
good example. That man has murdered single headedly during the 2005 election
and before. Will we lie and day next day without resistance when they walk into
our kitchen and murder us in exile tomorrow? No! Living under the yoke of fear
is not life!
Protests and
resistance are growing day by day, taking lessons from past mistakes and
perfecting the means and methods of defending the Ethiopian interest, be it
inside or outside the country. Woyyane (The TPLF – Tigray Peoples’ Looting
Front) cannot continue governing by whining and dealing any more. The religious
division be over. The ethnic politics is long rotten and should be abolished. When
an Oromos is killed the Amara should protest. Ogadenese are our flesh and
blood. We needed to wake up from our hypnotic stupors and rise up for
resistance. Every ethnic group within the country are now aware the evil
tactics of divide and rule. No more ruling Ethiopia by iron feast! Brussels!
Thanks for hosting us!
Ethiopian Alliance in Europe
The November
7 Brussels demonstration in front of the EU Headquarters and the march to the
Woyyane occupied Ethiopian Embassy was organised by “The Ethiopian United Task Force for Justice and Human Right in
Europe” hereafter, “Task Force”, which is part and parcel of the global
movement of Ethiopians for justice and democracy. Unity is power! Ethiopians
are inching forward to create a formidable force to step up resistance to
survive!
Earlier, on
5th September 2014, the same Task Force held a very huge and successful
demonstration in London[iii], Europe
based Ethiopians in London, forcing the closure of Downing Street and creating traffic
jam. The media that was ignoring the cry of passive Ethiopians now became
alerted when their roads were jammed. We had to explain, peacefully and legally
about how the British taxpayers’ money has been used to keep dictatorship
breathing in Ethiopia. The Brussels demonstration is the 2nd in the
series of planned actions and demonstrations to expose atrocities committed by
the Woyyane regime in Ethiopia and even in neighbouring countries against
Ethiopians living there. An evidence of that includes, the abduction of Mr Sulub Ahmed and Ali
Hussein from Nairobi on 26 January 2014 (by the way theywere there to
negotiate peace with Woyyane), Okelo
Akuayi Ipola from Juba (South Sudan) in June 2014 and Andargachew Tsege from Sanaa
Airport (Yemen) on 22 June 2014[iv].
These acts are nothing but pure terrorism. When on earth can a terrorist can be trusted to become an
ally against terrorismof the democratic word?
Ethiopians
everywhere have risen up to expose the irony across cities of the world. The
Task Force’s objective is to transform those local actions into united global action
to bring the Woyyane on its knees and stop the murders, killings, maiming, abductions
and illegal imprisonment of citizens anywhere and harassing of refugees throughout
the world. Where did the Woyyane got all that power. For sure, that power came
from the money donated by West. To dry up the tears of mothers in Ethiopia, we
need to dry the source of funding of tyranny.
The Brussels Schuman Square Demonstration
The objective of the demonstration at Schuman Square, the roundabout at
the end of Rue de la Loi in Brussels,
was to demand actions to be taken to tame the brutal dictatorial
ethno-apartheid regime of Ethiopia, by the institutions
of the European Union (EU), such as the European
Parliament, the European
Council, the Council
of the European Union, the European Commission. Wining and dining with the aggressors is not the way to do
business. Quiet diplomacy does not work on Woyyane. Money talks!
These
terrorists come from the bush 23 years ago and still acting wild. They don’t
understand at all the meaning of peace, democracy and justice. It doesn’t exist
for them. They want to rule by gun and fear. The scare mongering and fear
factor goes beyond their own citizens. We
have witnessed recently how the Prime Disaster of
Ethiopia threatened BBC[v]
and CNN journalists with arrest if the journalists keep on putting their noses
in what they do.
The
European Union cannot claim ignorance about what is going on in Ethiopia with
regards to the gross violation of human rights in that country. Their own
investigation was reported back to them by the EU Human Rights Committee on 24
September 2014[vi], regarding the gross
violation of human rights and atrocities committed against citizens in Ethiopia,
with particular reference to the case of Andargachew Tsege, Zone 9 bloggers,
journalists, human rights activists, Muslim leaders, Oromos, Ogadenese[vii]
and political opponents. After all that deliberation, as the Chairwoman and Rt
Hon Anna Gomez said, the EU Governments are not really doing enough rather than
expressing “CONCERNS”. Woyyane is too uncivilised to understand the message
behind “CONCERNS”. Real and tangible action is what understands. Particularly
when it comes to money to goes on its knees. We are not asking to march European
army to protect the people from Ethiopia. Ethiopians can do that for themselves
if need be. What is needed here is to stop bankrolling a regime that terrorises
its people. However, EU and US Governments keep on sustaining the dictators in
the name alliance against terrorism. Well, although we don’t expect the West learns
lessons, Ethiopians just wanted to pay their attention to Burkina Faso. Comes
the day, not money or guns of EU or USA would save dictators from the wrath of
the people. The Woyyane came to power through blood shade; using money donated
by kind hearted people to feed the starving but used it to buy deadly weapons.
They will not be going anywhere as long as money keeps on pouring in from the
West. Do the West know that these guys Albanian type communists?
We have
learned that the human rights activists in the EU are so frustrated against
their own governments for non-action. Of the record, all the government
representatives admit that a quiet diplomacy is chosen with Ethiopia because if
the EU take serious action to stop the brutality, the regime would go into the
arms fold of the Chinese Government. Give me a break! The Chinese have already
been in Ethiopia, working with the tyrant regime very closely in every area,
including military, jamming of radios and televisions broadcastings, building
roads for quick deployment of the army, banning of the internet and the social
media, such as facebook, twitter and blogs. The TPLF (Woyyane) are unchanged
communists. They are much closer the Chinese Communist part than any democratic
parties in the world. However, the Chinese are not generous enough to bankroll
Woyyane for ever. They are there to obtain resources. If the EU and USA borrow
some guts from their historical ancestors, who were champions of democracy and justice
in their countries, rather than unconditional provision of dollars, pounds and
Euro in abundance to that regime, Woyyane would start respecting human rights
for the sake of aide money. We are saying stop giving away taxpayers money to
human rights abuser regimes. Is it too much to ask? Well, if that is too much,
then just they have to sit back and wait until 90 million Ethiopians flee into
exile and then knock at their doors seeking asylum, which many politicians are unashamedly
using as their election manifesto. Let the West stop giving away the tax payers
money to support a tyrants like that of Ethiopia and then no refugees risk pershing in the seas and deserts to reach here. Had
there been no murderous regime in power, Ethiopia is not a country to run from,
but to run to. That was the message Ethiopians wanted to deliver to the EU
Governments.
As atrocities are stepped up, Ethiopians are rising up too,
united, to use every means available to them to get rid of tyranny. In line
with that, those of us, who were exiled to escape from persecution in our
homeland reached Europe, have the moral obligation to the people left behind to
become the voice for the voiceless millions of Ethiopians under the yoke of
repression. Protests and demonstrations are the only legitimate means available
to the Diaspora, and Ethiopians shall pursue vigorously their peaceful goal,
while others in the country would defend themselves by any means necessary. No
one condemns those who to took up arms in the country because they had no other
option to combat tyranny. There is no political space for the opposition to
struggle peacefully. Win election, you will be jailed for treason! Woyyane has
got total monopoly on power!
On 07 November
2014, Ethiopians from Norway, Switzerland, Sweden, Netherland, France,
Italy, Luxemburg, Germany and The United Kingdom travelled to Belgium to
join their compatriots living there with one mission on their minds. All
flocked to Brussels to pass the cry of their people, to hold EU Governments
responsible for lengthening the suffering of that nation, by ignoring people’s
cries and bankrolling their tormentors. Of course these voices are not in vain.
Peaceful struggle may not produce a quick fix, but slow and agonising. However
it is an indispensible part of overall struggle. These activities are bearing
fruits in the United Kingdom. International Human Rights organisations residing
in the UK, such as, Amnesty
International[viii],
Human
Rights Watch[ix],
the Frontline, Pen International, Reprieve,
Redress, are holding the UK Government responsible for the suffering of the
Ethiopian people by the supporting the human rights violators in Ethiopia. Giant newspapers, such as the Independent[x], The
Guardian[xi],
and The Daily
Mail[xii] are
questioning the government’s wisdom on the financing of the human rights
violators in Ethiopia with the tax payers money. This has forced the UK
Government, to withhold at least a token money of £2
million to fund
masters degrees for 75 Woyyane officials[xiii]. PM David
Cameron has written Prime Disaster Hailemariam Dessalegn his “concern” about
the arrest, disappearance of a British citizen Andargachew Tsege.[xiv]
The demonstration had media coverage. Belgian
journalists were there from the start to the end, with their cameramen and
reporters. We know about that because we talked to them. One of the wonderful
things about them was that two journalists this writer met did not need any
explanation about what is going on Ethiopia because they knew more than I knew
regarding human rights violations in Ethiopia. The two European ESAT teams were
there. The Amsterdam office came with journalists Fasil Yenelem, Afeworq Agidew
and their cameraman. The London office was represented by Metasebia Qetsela and
Wondimagegn Gashu. DW German Radio was reporting from the spot through Gebeyaw
Negussie.
The demonstration at Schuman
Square was well
organised and coordinated. The organisers made sure everything was executed
with precision. The messages were clearly heard and the posters were seen and
read by thousands of local people. Leaflets were distributed and briefings
given by activists to whoever wanted to know more. That noisy demonstration at
the EU offices was the biggest and loudest. EU staffs were attracted and came out of their
offices to find out what was going on. Pictures of Andargachew Tesege, Eskinder
Nega, Reeyot Alemu, Woubshet
Taye, Olbana Lelissa, Temesgen Dessalegn, Andualem Arage,Nathnael Mekonnen,
Mitiku Damte, Yeshiwas Yehunalem, Kinfemichale Deebe, Andualem Ayalew, Yohannes
Terefe, Zerihun Gebre-Egziabher, Abraha Desta, 5 Mulim leaders and many others prisoners were
displayed.
Around 3:00 p.m. two
petition letters were submitted to the office of Signora Federicia Mogherini - High
Representative of European Union for Foreign Affairs and Member of European Parliament,
Rt Hon. Mrs Ana Maria Gomes. Earlier, Yemi (Andargachew’s wife) and Bizuwork
(Andargachew’s sister) talked to official of EU, regarding gross violation of
human rights in general and Andargachew in particular.
One of the amazing images at Shuman Schuman Square was a
coffin carried by two Ethiopians. On it was written: “Justice is dead in
Ethiopia! Freedom is Dead, Democracy is Dead!”. The following short clip shows
how the demonstrator conveyed the message to EU. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y8Ba5XUQ3II&feature=youtu.be
. That coffin later was damped at the Woyyane occupied Ethiopian Embassy which will
be describe later.
Another sight the attracted onlookers the actions of four
Ethiopians youth in orange prisoners’ clothes. They kneeled down in the middle
of the road surprising the Police and the onlookers with crossed hands above
their heads symbolising the fact that that the whole nation was prison. That
symbolic action of the demonstrators attracted a large crowd, to watch them and
find out what was going on. Cars stopped, hooted their horns in support. Woyyane
is exposed at the most important place source of its mony! Its brutality was
exhibited both pictorially and symbolically like the youth did.
The
march to the Woyyane occupied Ethiopian Embassy.
The Ethiopian embassy in Brussels
is about 15 good minutes walk from Schuman Square. At about 3:30 p.m., the
demonstrators started marching to the embassy. Although the demonstrators
marched through Parc du Cinquantenaire the noise remained deafening. From the front,
one can barely see the middle of the line, although the demonstrators were
walking in four lines, singing and shouting slogans. Those in the park were
stunned and were watching with wide opened eyes. Although the Police tried to
keep traffic disruption at minimum, truly speaking it did not help them much
due to a huge number of the crowed and long lines of well ordered marchers. The
roads leading to Avenue de l'Yser,
Avenue des Gaulois, Avenue des Celtes and Avenue
de Tervuren were blocked. Traffic was halted, trams stopped moving for almost
froze, and the residents of the quiet area shocked for witnessing such a noisy
protest along that line for the first time in their area. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iyM2nmQGApM&feature=youtu.be!
The former Ethiopian Embassy, now occupied by the Woyyane gangsters is
located on Avenue de Tervuren 62. When the front line of demonstrators
arrivedmarchers were confused confused because although there were flags of
other Embassies hoisted high on the buildinga, no Woyyane Ambasha flag to be seen
anywhere. The writing on the wall was small. Until the Belgium resident
Ethiopians arrived to guide no one where to look. The demonstrators were
shocked to find the Woyyane flag with Ambasha emblem in the middle was actually
brought down from its mast, left on the 2nd floor, still some parts
of it attached to the mast as could be witnessed from the following picture.
That was
incredible! Somebody had taken it down but failed to remove it from the mast
and left it as a trash! Well, so much for Woyyane, who had designated a “Flag
Day!” (ድንቄም “የባንዲራ ቀን”).
They dishonoured their flag with their own emblem on it. They reject it!
We don’t know what had happened, really. If somebody from the inside did it in
solidarity with us, we simply say “Good job!” Anyway, as diplomats keep
defecting, we will soon know the whole story when one of them defects from
Amsterdam. Just watch it.
After
all the demonstrators gathered at the Embassy gate, all that was left was to
storm the Embassy and try to hoist the true right flag on the mast. We did
expect one of the Woyyane thugs to come out and start shoot at the
demonstrators, but it did not happen this time. Leave alone coming out to
confront the demonstrators, they were nowhere to be seen. They shut the doors
and windows and remained out of sight. The demonstrators broke the Police barrier, and rushed to the front
door. Everyone poured in. Some demonstrators managed to pass the Police to
smash through the locked door. The Police wrestled with them. And yet, the
demonstrators had managed dumped the Coffin at the door reading “Justice is
dead in Ethiopia! Democracy is dead! Freedom is dead”, murdered by Woyyane
thugs. That was the message to be delivered and it was done with precision. The
Police did not remove the coffin. They left it there. More and more riot Police
arrived and joined the skirmish. An Ethiopian girl fought her way with the
Police, past the force and hoisted the true flag on the fence, which is only
about a couple of meters from the entrance door. Police bundled her back, among
the shouts and screams. Still be it for few minutes, Ethiopians still managed
to hoist the true flag by the Embassy building as it can be seen here in the
picture below.
Once points were successfully made, and Woyyane officials
buried themselves like a scared mice behind closed door, windows and curtain, only one thing was left. To avoid arrests, the
organisers begged the demonstrators to go back to their line. Interestingly,
that large crowed decided to listen to the organisers at once. Where the Police
failed to manage the large crowed with all that huge force, the organisers
managed to achieved it with simple instructions to move back.
Close to 4:30 p.m., the demonstrators decided to call it a
day. The nightmare at 62 Avenue de
Tervuren, was over in an hour battle with the Police. No one was
arrested or hurt.
The majority went straight to a meeting hall to discuss on
the next move and strategy. There is a unanimous agreement among the
demonstrators that European cities should not be safe to any Woyyane official
coming from Addis. The rest of the demonstrators rushed to the train stations
and Airport to travel back to the countries they came from.
The Brussels
protest has been a success. Our Brussels Task Force branch headed by Gebeyehu
Desta need to be commended for organising and catering for the needs of all
those demonstrators from all European countries.
The struggle continues until justice prevails in Ethiopia.
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