The "my-way-or-the-high-way" syndrome of egocentric elements in the Ethiopian Diaspora

As a concerned Ethiopian and a dedicated visitor of the internet I have witnessed the ever increasing presence of Ethiopians in Diaspora on the cyber world.

Very few have a national agenda at heart and think twice before running their fingers over the keyboard. In this case for the last 8 years or so I have been following the rational and national engagement of Ben of Ethiopiafirst.com and Dagmawi of ENV for a better Ethiopia. I would like to take this opportunity to proudly raise my thumb up for a job well done by these patriots and seasoned Ethiopians including their contribution during the 1998 Eritrean aggression of Badme in undoing the propaganda machine of the then Visafric Eritrean website that was busy in defaming Ethiopia and Ethiopians through unfounded stories fabricated for western consumption.

On the other hand of the scale however we have some in the Diaspora who are still busy in running websites, paltalk rooms, blogs, and radios; and organizing demonstrations, petitions, etc with an entirely different motive and content. They wrongly think that there is no one to check the sincerity, honesty and quality of the contents and substances of their presence on the web or on the air or for that matter in the corridors of the power houses in North America and Europe.

I, for one, thought that this does not matter as long as it poses no national threat. Besides, time has a special trait of uncovering truths and drying out those who unsustainably flourish like mushrooms.

But what some people through websites and blogs are writing these days regarding the issue of the Council of Islamic Courts from Somalia is something that a rational person cannot afford to leave unchecked. These people are masterminding a game that confuses the threat of war and the action the Ethiopia should take with the question of democracy and human rights in Ethiopia. This annoying reality is what has motivated me to jotting down my refection.

Yes, one obvious thing is the fact that there is a problem of democracy and human rights violations in Ethiopia.

But another daunting reality is the fact that the Council of Islamic Courts has been preparing a lot with the support of Eritrea, Sudan, Egypt, Libya and even Djibouti to declare war on Ethiopia. And this council true to the past history of its leadership has indeed declared this war on Ethiopia more than a couple of times now.

It is evident that the subject of democracy and human rights is a menace to the survival of our country and people. But there is no doubt that its spatial, temporal, and substantial dimensions as well as its urgency are incomparable and entirely different from the war being imposed on our country. Needless to say, the solutions to these two different issues are also totally different.

The threat from the Islamic courts in view of the deep-rooted hatred the cliques of Shabia have towards Ethiopia and the strategic interest of countries like Egypt is undeniably troubling.

It is, thus, aching to read Prof. Al Mariam's article which tries to portray, in the effort of confusing than convincing, that such a threat is non-existent. He has indeed made his position and caliber questionable by writing this article.

There are people who consider themselves or rather try hard to be considered as contributing to the democratic engagement in Ethiopia while they, at any time and at any expense, wouldn't sleep until they see their nightmare of an Ethiopia full of bloodshed comes true. It is sad but we are already counting years since this has become the reality in the Diaspora.

A spearhead of the groups working for the demise of Ethiopia and Ethiopians is the Ethiopian Review website. This site is the pigeonhole of those elements in the Diaspora who make their day, yes day in and day out, by characterizing anything and everything that fails to fit their ego and their wild imaginations as Woyane. To be comrade-in-arms with these people the only qualification is to forget reading, discussing, analyzing and thinking positive. The only thing to do is to blame whatever bad is happening to Ethiopia and to Ethiopians on Woyane and to be active in fabricating stories and misinforming the people.

We have seen that the extent of their self-ego is so deep and large that some of them write and say things that are totally irreconcilable to what is expected at their age, religious responsibility and academic level.

Their tongue and fingers seem to talk and write about the betterment of Ethiopia and Ethiopians, democracy and peace, development and human rights and other good vocabularies. Nevertheless their heart is too narrow and shallow that their most inclusive world is not larger than their individual ego and their Ethiopia exclusively includes only their ethnic or economic or social of whatever group they have.

At least some of them have had the chance to pass through the experience of enjoying responsible and accountable working environment in the western countries, fortunately one would think. Unfortunately this opportunity and experience does not show up in their view of solving the ailments of our country and people in face of soft and hard enemies of the country.

National interest and real patriotism is nowhere to be found in these circles. Their ego is what drives them no matter how colorful and decorated their articles, their speeches or their websites or blogs appear to be. And no matter how noisy their radios and their paltalk rooms are.

The bottom line is, however, we are here to co-exist including these irrational egocentric elements as one people and one country. Hence despite the differences on the views of the approaches to use in dealing with different issues there should be no doubt that our unity is a must with regard to the overarching values, such as sovereignty, that make us one. It is time reconsider and redefine our positions and perspectives. Our unwitting postings on the cyber will go down to the annals of history. History and generations to come will judge us as HIM said decades ago in his speech in the then league of nations and cited by ex vice President Al Gore in his book Earth In Balance while warning the current generation from the perspective of the coming generations.