By Kirubeal Bekele
October 23, 2010
The following story is written by activist Kirubeal Bekele, Seattle (October 22, 2010)
First of all, we would like to express our appreciation to all Seattle Patriots who showed up for the fight at our Ethiopian Community Center tonight. The TPLF delegation and their agents in Seattle deliberately wanted to conduct their meeting at the brand new 1.6 million-dollar community center. The delegation headed by Aster Mamo was on schedule to address the hirelings but was cancelled in the final hour once they knew activists were coming to the center to expose the messengers of tyranny in Ethiopia.
The TPLF agents rented the meeting of the Ethiopian community, and the plan was to incite conflict among members. But activists decided to protest the presence against the ruling party which is wrecking havoc on Ethiopia. A decision was made that activists come with posters and pictures that show scenes from the crimes committed by the TPLF/EPRDF regime. When activists descended on the meeting hall, no one was there. They had already learned their lesson.
The next great thing that happened was that we established our organizing committee consisting of 10 people. They would set up an all-inclusive task force that would mobilize the Ethiopians to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the November 2005 massacre as well as to foil future intrigues that TPLF may bring to the Diaspora.
As a force that sows hate and division, TPLF has been bribing thugs that would infiltrate churches, mosques, community centers etc with the sole purpose of weakening the pro-democracy Ethiopian Diaspora.
This highly-funded TPLF campaign in the Diaspora is seen everywhere. They have infiltrated our churches, community centers, political organizations, and mass organizations. They have published local papers to organize dissent and division in the community and defame the good name of businesses and community servants.
That is why measures are being taken to set up and consolidate the anti-Weyane forum. We suggest all other states in the United States and all opposition organizations all over the Diaspora do the same. There is a big weyane offensive brewing up against us. We have to be vigilant and foil it before it is too late.
Seattle has once again proven a bone in the throat of any TPLF delegation that dares to set its foot in Seattle. In 2007, a delegation led by Addisu Legesse, then deputy to Meles Zenawi, was humiliated when his delegation came to Seattle and tried to address a meeting specifically for “Amhara nationals.” That was an insult for Ethiopians, and he had to go back home with an unforgettable lesson. The tradition has continued, and we hope other cities emulate the example as well.
Bravo Seattle Patriots!
Kirubeal Bekele
Seattle’s August 2006 protest against Addisu Legesse
“SEATTLE – Ethiopian Americans and friends in Seattle protested on August 24, 2006 against the visit to their city of Addisu Legesse, a deputy prime minister who was responsible for the death, torture and displacement of thousands of Ethiopians following the historic May 2005 elections won by the popular opposition Kinijit but aborted by the gunmen in power in Addis Ababa. Addisu Legesse was accorded a cold reception of an empty meeting hall when he visited San Jose earlier Tuesday. Following is the full text released by the protest organizers:
“We, Ethiopians and Ethio-Americans living in and around the greater Seattle area, received the news of the planned visit by the unelected current Deputy Prime Minister of Ethiopia, Addisu Legesse, with great dismay and utter disturbance. Addisu Legesse is directly and primarily responsible for the death, torture, and imprisonment of thousands of Ethiopians. Among the thousands of victims of Addisu Legesse’s government are elected officials, journalists, children, and elderly. While we are appalled by the brazenness of Addisu Legesse to show up in Seattle, we would like to express our outrage and also inform all those who care and concerned about human and civil rights that Addisu Legasse is not welcome to our city – Seattle.
“Accordingly, we respectfully request and invite that all residents of Seattle and beyond to join us in expressing our deepest and heartfelt rage over the so called Ethiopian Consulate General for hosting a known killer in our city. We also call upon Ethiopians and friends of Ethiopia to join us condemn extra-judicial killings, massacre, torture, and unjust imprisonment Ethiopians face in their homeland everyday.”