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Ethiopian Diaspora Opposition: Their Ego and Self Deception


By Hindeya Mebrahtu, June 01, 2012

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam
The useless Ethiopian opposition keeps changing its faces but, it is an old idea with new faces.

At this point in time, the leaders of Ethiopian Diaspora opposition are no longer engaging in a battle to defeat and supersede EPRDF. Of course, they have tried it and they know well they have failed. Some of them have suffered slings and arrows at the hand of EPRDF during the armed struggle; and some of them waging their tail attempted to dance to the tune of EPRDF for apparently ulterior motives but denied of the dancing floor. While some of them are purely political entrepreneurs in pursuit of fame and money come rain or shine.

These so called leaders of the opposition don’t have any semblance of common ideology; and that is why they are characterized by frequent schism and black mail. The only thing that bound them together is their resentment towards EPRDF. As a result besmirching EPRDF and whatever it does has become their sole idiosyncratic enterprise. This is the only weapon they are left with.

These leaders, learned as they are, know too well the realities about today’s Ethiopia. They know the vast majority of Ethiopians don’t share their political values and beliefs; and that the people are happy riding with EPRDF. It has slowly downed on them that they are the alienated and isolated ones. And Isolation is an inch away from dissolution; and this is the reason I said they are not fighting to oust EPRDF. They are now forced to settle just to pursue the second rate and fleeting satisfaction of an accolade among their own peers through writing tenuous articles full of glib denials or by concocting stories of their heroic battles; battles that made possible the sale of tickets worth of five hundred dollars each for an admission to the Menelik palace for the imminent celebration of their victory.  This low they have gone.

When Ego is Behind The wheel

Given the long line of backlogs of problems left unattended by former governments and the insurmountable challenges of keeping the continuity of the country united as a nation when EPRDF came to power, it never occurred to these leaders of the opposition that EPRDF would one day succeed in laying the foundation that can overhaul Ethiopia from its abject poverty.

Now a wind of change is blowing in Ethiopia. However, these leaders of Diaspora opposition feel so much pain and agony over the news of burgeoning Ethiopian economy; this is so because they didn’t do it themselves in the past and they are not doing it now; and their prophesies and dreams of disasters have been shattered. The success stories of Ethiopia at the hands of EPRDF must have evoked in them a very deep sense of envy. This time around, they believe it is too late for them to make a detour to get back to their senses; and the last thing they need now is getting back their senses. Their ego is playing them a trick. It made them feel smaller and inconsequential in front of the impressive EPRDF performance.

All the clamors that we heard the last few weeks about Waldiba and the rancorous diatribe by Abebe Gelaw  in the meeting hall last week where Prime Minister Meles Zenawi was attending are nothing but testimonies of their fractured egos. Ego knows no logic or morality. That is why we daily witness their madness such as urging people not to fly Ethiopian and pleading with governments and international organizations not to fund Ethiopian development projects.

An ego centric person is always combative and desperately needs to pit with whom ever: friend or enemy. He wants to prove that he prevails. That is his end game. Merit, purpose, principle, ideology are not the concern of a person with an inflated ego. At times the ego’s urge to prove to the world that it exists reaches such pathological level it drives the person in to a dangerous adventure leading in to a perilous end. Such ego derives from a strong feeling of inadequacy. The megalomaniac leader of the tiny country bordering our northern part is a classical example; the Diaspora opposition leaders are even more so.

Alas, the ego of these Diaspora opposition leaders finds its enemy with EPRDF leadership particularly Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. Their ego can not match the formidable EPRDF leadership. The palpable Ethiopian economic development has divested the vacuity of their ideas and has turned them into ridiculously funny clowns; and every time they try to match they end up in ignominy. As a result they are in a state of despondency; and I believe constant depression and despair can vitiate one’s senility. That is why they couldn’t tell which is what between cowardice and heroism.

What is it about the obnoxious behavior of the run of the mill journalist’s tantrum in front of the statesmen at the Kennedy Center last week that warrant any adulation like any act of heroism? Are we all in the same page including the opposition leadership regarding the meaning of heroism? What is heroism? Is it not a state of fearlessness in the face of danger or a challenge that makes one shudder with horror? We call some one a hero if he stands out among the fearful. Did Abebe Gelaw face any danger when making that discordant wailing? He didn’t. But the opposition clubs have pampered him with a status of a hero for making a disagreeable noise that even doesn’t entail an hour incarceration. Some even allege that it was his right except he ended being a laughing stock. If they call such ridiculous act as heroism, what do they call Amoraw’s feat of deed that defied death. You see, we are not in the same page about the meaning of heroism.

These members of the opposition leadership who have proven themselves of having an infirm mind have diminished the respect an act of heroism deserves. In the kingdom of Ethiopian Diaspora politics, heroism finds its last refuge; that is why they are misplacing it. The expressions “ war is peace” and “ ignorance is strength” in the novel “1984” by George Orwell perfectly fit Ethiopian Diaspora politics. This much is their state of morbidity and abnormality.

We know the toxic Diaspora leadership covet political power in Ethiopia; and they find the future gloomy for such possibility. As a result they are everyday in lamentation and you can imagine the level of their frustration. These people need a break from the constant and recurrent desperation, frustration and depression. Some thing had to be invented for such a break if necessary. Abebe Gelaw’s banal remark as a matter of necessity deserved approbation from the opposition to break themselves off their depression. Such is the level of their invention and innovation.

Finally on a quick note, if the Diaspora opposition is going to remain bogged down to its position, we will take solace in one thing. That thing is EPRDF will use their position as an antithesis for its own analysis, synthesis and prescription.  After all isn’t it said “ What doesn’t kill me makes me stronger!”?

For any comment feel free to contact me at: hindeya34@yahoo.com

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