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By: Hibaq
Dualeh.
Jan 18, 2008
Albert Einstein once said “great ideas often
receive violent opposition from mediocre
minds”. The condition in which an individual
has the ability to act according to his or
her own will is a privilege many have fought
for centuries. Civil liberties are legal and
constitutional rights that protect the
citizens from government actions.
Regrettably, these rights are denied to the
Somali population in the OGADEN region and
mediocre minds like Abdullahi Khalif Gariile
oppose the only liberation force in the
region with the will to reclaim these rights
back to the people.
Gariile has
written several articles that were neither
impressive nor noteworthy. His most recent
article is titled “Fabricated stories; what
does Jeffrey Gettlemen want?” I think what
Gettlemen wants is obvious, and that is the
truth, something Mr. Gariile is sadly
unfamiliar with. When Gariile is not holding
the O.N.L.F responsible for the atrocities
committed in the region, he is forcing
someone else to take the blame for the
government. If acknowledging the truth and
notating the abuse the government has
inflicted upon the civilians it was created
to protect is a crime, than Gettlemen is
guilty and thus should be punished by
pseudo-intellectuals who think they know
more than they do. Congratulations are in
order Gariile!!!
Gariile has
convinced himself to believe the Meles
Zenawi regime is the legitimate government
by the people and for the people. Chapter
three of the Ethiopian constitution
guarantees fundamental rights and freedoms
that have been denied to the Somali, the
Oromo, and the Anuak populations in the
country. The chapter exclusively states “The
fundamental rights and freedoms specified in
this Chapter shall be interpreted in a
manner conforming to the principles of the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights”. The
current regime is notorious for their lack
of respect towards human rights; according
to the U.S state department “the
government's human rights record remained
poor and worsened in some areas.” Among the
human rights problems reported by the State
Department were:
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Limitation on citizens' right to change
their government.
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Unlawful killings, including alleged
political killings, and beating, abuse,
and mistreatment of detainees and
opposition supporters by security
forces.
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Poor prison conditions.
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Arbitrary arrest and detention of
thousands of persons; particularly those
suspected of sympathizing with or being
members of the opposition.
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Detention of thousands without charge,
and lengthy pretrial detention.
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Government infringement on citizens'
privacy rights, and frequent refusal to
follow the law regarding search
warrants.
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Government restrictions on freedom of
the press; arrest, detention, and
harassment of journalists for publishing
articles critical of the government.
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Government restrictions on freedom of
assembly including denial of permits,
burdensome preconditions or refusal to
provide assembly halls to opposition
political groups, and at times use of
excessive force to disperse
demonstrations,
According to
article 9 of the Ethiopian constitution, the
constitution is the supreme law of the land.
All laws, customary practices, and decisions
made by state organs or public officials
inconsistent therewith, shall be
null and void. Need I say more? Gariile
should do research before attempting to
argue for points that are beyond his
knowledge.
The
constitution goes on to state: All citizens,
state organs, political organizations, other
associations and their officials, have the
duty to comply with this Constitution and
abide by it; Assuming power in any manner
other than as provided by this Constitution
is prohibited.
Gariile,
please enlighten us by answering the
following question, and it is understandable
if you lack the means to do so.
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Based on
the evidence conveyed to you by the U.S
department of state, AND the Ethiopian
constitution, is the current regime in
Ethiopia certified to govern the people
of Ethiopia?
In my humble
opinion Gariile has yet to grasp the meaning
and concept of democracy. Democracy is a
system of government in which the PEOPLE
(not the regime) have ultimate political
authority. I suppose the poor thing is
confusing democracy with dictatorship, and
mainly why his arguments make sense to him.
I’m sure if he had known the difference, he
would never have attempted to publish
garbage and pass it off as knowledgeable
work. Only the uninformed would produce such
“work” and stand proudly behind it as if
though they produced something productive.
Tragic!
Moreover,
Gariile has an unhealthy fascination with
the O.N.L.F. In his mediocre mind, the
O.N.L.F is the enemy, and Zenawi is the
champion of democracy and freedom. He
accuses the O.N.L.F of killing the civilians
they swore to protect, and time after time
he fails to provide substantiating evidence
to support his weak and fallacious
arguments. I challenge Gariile to validate
his allegations with something other than
bias opinion, because I for one am getting
tired of his desperate attempts to get
noticed. There are other healthier ways to
get attention Mr. Gariile; making a fool of
yourself should not be at the top of your
list.
The O.N.L.F
are heroes, and God willing they will
achieve independence for their people!
Hibaq Dualeh.
hibaqdualeh@live.com
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