An Open Letter to H. E. President JoeBiden (Kebede Daniel Gashaw From Sacramento, California)

October 1, 2021

H. E. The President of the United States The White House
Washington D C USA

Dear Mr. President: I find it very hard to write an open letter to a Democratic president in the year 2021. Largely because, as an American and a life long democrat that supported the Biden/Harris ticket and was very pleased on your success in replacing Trump. In addition, I and many other Ethiopian Americans fully supported the democratic revolution in seizing the House and the Senate. We have been very supportive of your presidency and had supported democratic causes in the current American politics. Our objective as Ethiopian Americans were making sure that Trump is out and a new democrat take his place in the whitehouse.

Much to our collective disappointment the situation at the White House and State Department turned against Ethiopia in support of a 27 year autocratic, corrupt, repressive, group that has been oustedfrompowerbydemocraticmeansandpopularsupport.
This group, which is being supported by your administration, has been declared a terrorist organization by our own CIA and the State Department some 30 years ago. Although, the US was instrumental in getting the group to power and seize control of the central government of Ethiopia on a one sided effort to help those that had the guns at hand not giving any consideration to other Ethiopian opposition parties that did not resort to guns and violence but pursued pure political struggles for over 17 years against the communist DERG regime. While the DERG, the communist military junta disintegrated after the fleeing of MengestuHailemariamitstitularheadforalmostthesame

number of years, fled for Zimbabwe with help from the US and Israel. The TPLF that took power did not win with straight war but met with a tired and exhausted and demoralized military after fighting for almost two decades over the Eritrean conflict, the Said Bare/Somali invasion and the conflict with Tigrean Liberation Front (TPLF). Never the less, the soldiers/ Ethiopian military just simply abandoned their posts and gave away their armaments and joined their families as civilians. While the civilians welcomed the TPLF and gave them food and shelter and allowed them to march towards Addis Abeba just because they felt they might be better than the DERG/Communists. Much to the dismay of all Ethiopians, the TPLF divided the country along Ethnic lines and linguistic classifications. Obviously, no one thought that they were committed to the liberation of Tigray province as Tigray was an integral part of Ethiopia where Ethiopians of every stripe and color fought the Italians and, the Turks, the Egyptians and other powers or surrogates of the time that wanted to divide Ethiopia along religious lines and in some cases bent on changing or converting Christian Ethiopians to Islam. So, with brute force, intimidation, and mass killings and imprisonments of anyone opposing them in every region of the country. They consolidated their power, controlled every aspect of the Ethiopian Economy, and committed massive crimes in dealing with any one considered part of the opposition. They imprisoned people for reasons unknown, for being suspected as an opposition member and in secret prisons, tortured men and women by pulling their nails out, breaking their arms, or legs, on the men, tying two litter bottles of water to their private part, gouging eyes out. Above all people that have been detained were taken away and have never been seen or heard from with the possibility of them being killed and buried in unknown graves any where in the country. These are documented facts about the 27 years of TPLFgovernment. Ms.
Rice and Mr. Bliken went to bed with them knowing full well that they were dealing with criminals, murders and corrupt individuals. The objective was to hire a mercenary or surrogate army that would fight Alshebab in Somalia. They got what they wanted and extricated US out of direct involvement in theconflict

with Alshebab. Ms. Rice and Mr. Blinken and their group paid to the TPLF untold amounts of money for their actions as surrogates. God knows what the individual Ethiopian soldiers were paid for their surrogacy other that being killed and their bodies being dragged in Somali streets, or maimed, wounded with life long consequences.Iwouldliketoseeaninvestigationconductedon
1) how much money was paid for the surrogacy, what was paid to each soldier that survived and returned home, 3) what was paid to the families of the soldiers that died in Somalia and if their remains were returned home to Ethiopia and 4) finally how much was paid to Meles and his group (TPLF) for their efforts and where were those funds deposited. The key question is as to whether those funds were deposited in the US or Europe and to this day the TPLF operatives use them to payoff their political supporters, lobbyists and powerful individuals in the US and EU. The Biden/Harris administration should take on these questions and make every effort to get the truth out that is hidden in plain sight.

A Brief History

Ethiopia since the end of World War II has played vital roles in world peacekeeping efforts under the United Nations. In most cases, Ethiopia was a bold faced supporter of the US and its foreign policy. Here are some examples:

• FACT ONE: Ethiopia under Emperor Haile Selassie was the only African nation that sent its troops to Korea in support of the UN peace mission (1951) and had its soldiers fight and die in the US led war against North Korea and China. NO other African Country including the Trump administration and now the Biden/Harris administration favorites, Egypt and Sudan were ever involved. . For that matter, any other Arab nation of the Arab league participated in any peacekeepingefforts.

• FACT TWO: Ethiopia is the only nation that has participated by sending UN peace mission contingents to The Republic of Congo1960.
• FACT THREE: Ethiopia provided soldiers to the UN Assistance Mission to Rwanda in1994.
• FACT FOUR: In February 2010 Ethiopia provided five tactical helicopters to the African Union-United Nations Hybrid Operation in Darfur, theSudan.
• FACT FIVE: in 2012, Ethiopia was the largest troop contributor to the UN peace keeping force, over 8,300 soldiersforthemissiontoDarfurandAbyei,intheSudan.
• FACT SIX: Ethiopia has provided troops to the following UN led missions in various AfricanCountries:
o Burundi
o Central AfricanRepublic
o Liberia
o Coted’Iivoire
o Sudan
o SouthSudan
.
• FACT SEVEN: Ethiopia has never invaded any neighboring nation/country. Neighbors such as Somalia, the Sudan and Eritrea have invaded it during the Badme Conflict. It has responded forcefully and aggressively to maintain its territorialintegrity.
• FACT EIGHT: Ethiopia has been invaded by foreign forces such as the Italians (twice), Egyptians andTurks.
• FACT NINE: Ethiopia has defeated a much superior Italian Army in 1895/6 and again in 1935/7 with a much more superior and armed with airplanes and mustard gas and other hideous armaments. Once again, against Fascists Italy. This time, Ethiopia was supported by the UK (The UK was at war with Italy during the second world war). Its surrogate armies represented the British, from its colonies, India and theSudan.

The above facts are sufficient enough to show that Ethiopia has been a peace-abiding nation and a major subscriber to the notion of collective security. Especially for smaller countries or African countries. No other nation in Africa has demonstrated Ethiopia’s commitment to collective security, peace and respect for the territorial integrity of anynation.

A major example of Ethiopia’s belief in securing and protecting the territorial integrity of any African nation happened during the Biafra war to succeed from the Nigerian Nation (1967-1970). The leader of the Federal Government of Nigeria requested support from Emperor Haile Selassie for its fight against the Biafra State that was bent on declaring its independence fromNigeria.
Emperor Haile Selassie provided General Yakubu Gowon with fighter and bombers from its air force and high-ranking military officials that supported the effort of the Nigerian Federal Government. Biafra was defeated and Nigeria remained one nation. The secessionist leader of Biafra was Lt. Colonel Ojukwu. He fled the country after thedefeat.

Dear Mr. President:What would Abe Lincoln have done if the powers that be of the time, England, France, Spain or Germany had interfered in his fight against the colonies by supporting, aiding or abating the colonists? I am sure Abe Lincoln would have been resolute and would have reacted much the same way that the Ethiopian Government reacted to the actions of the murderers, criminals and traitors that are terrorizing people and other regional governments bordering Tigray.What was good for America then is good for Ethiopianow.

Ethiopians are very much upset about the Support and political cover and aid these criminals are being afforded against the wishes of over 100 million people. People, around the country are rising up and arming themselves arms and preparing to fight whom ever tries to interfere in the internal affairs of the Ethiopian Nation. I have never seen the fervor against what is perceived by manythattheUSissupportingthesecriminalsandtheEthiopian

people cannot understand why. Because these handful individuals have murdered Ethiopian Defense Forces in their sleep in their barracks and have left their bodies naked on the ground for wild animals to consume. The Ethiopian People will never forget these heinous acts. The same group plundered the economy of the nation, conspired against the central government by financing insurrectionists, criminals and saboteurs. For the life of them, the last thing the people of Ethiopia expected was threats, ultimatums, sanctions which have now beenmade effective.

I had welcomed your statement: “The United States is determined to push for a peaceful resolution of this conflict, and we will provide full support to those leading mediation efforts, including the African Union High Representative for the Horn of Africa Olusegun Obasanjo. We fully agree with United Nations and African Union leaders: there is no military solution to this crisis.” Unfortunately it shows a one sided effort to support the criminals that have continued to kill and maim and conduct atrocities in the Amhara and Afar Regions. Women and children have been killed, slaughtered like animalsindiscriminatelyandthisisdonewiththeuseofUNtrucks
that were allowed to go in with Humanitarian support that have been hijacked by the TPLF and used for their warefforts.

AS the founding member of the League of Nations and of the UN – Ethiopia has every right to expel any aid worker(s) found to be aiding and abating the criminals bent on destroying Ethiopia. The federal Governments actions against these saboteurs is justified, rightful and is supported by the people of Ethiopia. As a sovereign nation, Ethiopia has every right to take this action of expelling aid workers and other diplomats if she so chooses. The UN and the Secretary General can do at this time is respect the wishes of Ethiopia and negotiate to replace them by new individuals with specific tasks or responsibilities.

Regarding your statement earlier that indicated that the Amhara Regional Government has taken land by force from the Tigray region.

That is absolutely wrong and needs to be clarified. The former Governor of the Tigrai Province under the Haile Selassie Regime and the communist Military Junta have corroborated the fact that the Wolkait Tsegede and the Raya Region as well were part of what was known as The Begemder (Gondar) province and that those regions were never a part of Tigrai. The TPLF after taking power in 1991 consolidated its power all over the country. It took areas that were part of the Amhara Region such as Raya and Wolkait Tsegede by force and moved Tigrians to those regions, gave them land and financed their business for them including farms and gave them identificationcardsfortheareasthattheyweremovedto.

So to claim that Amharas are taking over land from Tigrai or occupying Tigrain land is a lie that has to be stopped. The Amhara Region is claiming what was theirs from the TPLF power mongers.

Mr. President Sir, I would like to talk about the political history between Ethiopia and the US to mention some facts here:
• Kagnew Station was a US installation located in Asmara (Ethiopia) (now Eritrea). It was established under an agreement with Emperor Haile Selassie’s government in 1943 and lasted until 1977. It served as the home of the United State Army, 4thDetachment of the second signal service. Its main purpose was as the cold war listening station.
• Mr. Kissinger was miffed by the fact that a small diminutive black person (Haile Selassie) beat him to the halls of the people in China to meet Mao Zedong. Kissinger was planning to announce that Nixon would be the first western leader to meet with Mao. Declaring the rapprochement between the US and China. That action by Emperor Haile Selassie mad Kissinger so mad that he turned against Haile Selassie. Started the US efforts to undermine Emperor Haile Selassie and led to his ouster and eventually hisdeath.

• The Ford and Carter administrations also had followed the same course as Kissinger and when the Military Junta known as DERG came to power denied them armaments that the country had paid fore and that led to Ethiopian joined the Eastern Block /Soviet Union. For 17 years that continued to be a fact. Thus, Kissinger, Ford and Carter lost Ethiopia to the Soviet Union and the EasterBlock.

Mr. President: Your administration might be the next one that would cause a major rift between the US and Ethiopia. That would lead to a similar situation as 1976/79. Your political advisors, Mr. Blinken and Ms. Rice are following the wrong path as they did with the TPLF gang. This time, they are making you loose a close allay of the US. The danger here is, not understanding the Ethiopian Psyche. Ethiopians are independent people and fiercely guard their land and territorial integrity. They pride themselves as friendly, welcoming and hospitable to all foreigners. But, fiercely guard their pride and independence to the last drop of their blood. They are not fearful of any nation and they are ready to fight with anyone to safeguard their territorial integrity. I have been here in Ethiopia as an investor for the last 10 years. I have never seen such a fierce belief that the US is in the process of trying to dismantle Ethiopia. They believe it and it is scary enough that I have to bring it to your attention. As an American, I am appalled by what is going on with the rhetoric against Ethiopia by the US andtheEU. If you continue to push Ethiopia, you will loose it for good and not only that other African countries are watching and listening and whatever happens to Ethiopia they would be on the list and start fleeing to other nations for equal treatment and asalternativeoptions. I urge you to reconsider your actions against Ethiopia and start a constructive discussion to safeguard the two countries relationship. Or else, your advisors are leading you to the worst disaster – the US losing African Nations inmasses.

Finally, I would like to bring to your attention a little known fact about US policy on Africa. Kissinger established this policy and it still exists in the state department documents.

The policy that is known as the Kissinger report states:“The Purpose of the (US) foreign policy in Africa was to reduce the population.”Leading to the shrinking of the population of Africa. If you are a true democrat and you have any fairness and decency in you – you need to get rid of this policy once and for all. Instead, I would suggest a foreign policy that states,The Foreign Policy of the US towards Africa will be based on equality, respect and views of mutual benefit that lead to economic development, trade and business relationships between ourpeoples.

Dear Mr. President: Finally, I would like to suggest some possible solutions to the current problems between Ethiopia andtheUS. I would like to suggest a task force led by Vice President Harris that would review the relationships between US and the Ethiopia, between the US and African Nations and to come up with concrete solutions that would enhance our relationships (US/Ethiopia) and the rest of Africa aswell.

I feel what I have presented to you is to initiate better dialog based on mutual respect between Ethiopia and the US. Please do regard it assuch.

With great respect, Kebede Daniel Gashaw
From Sacramento, California
Contact information:kgashaw@gmail.com