Ethiopia Unite

Selam,  

Get your shai bay dabo and let us chat.

 

Peace to all humanity on the planet earth. 

If we are a human family, first, I need to get some things off my chest,off my mind, and off my heart. 

Human to human.

If you follow Ethiopia, you know what is happening. If you do not follow, all you need to do is a simple google news search and use filters to organize by date and read the latest developments on what is taking place in the East African Nation. Why this is of importance to me? 

I am Ethiopian by DNA, divine right, claim and my two Ethiopian parents. I was born and raised in the United States of America. Ethiopians are all over the planet and many still love, care, and pray for Ethiopia despite not being there.

My heart is broken for what is happening in Ethiopia. The political, economic and religious chaos following a two year war where Ethiopians killed other Ethiopians and an estimated one million people have been displaced and or killed as a result. As of present US Secretary Blinken stamped all factions involved in the war in Ethiopia to blame for extreme human rights violations, torture, rape, genocide, and torture of the Ethiopian people. The politics, the religion, the economics, the society is in shambles and is literally deteriorating before our eyes. 

After coming to America, living in the United States, having and raising two girls to adult women, my own father, relocated back to Ethiopia after a total of over 30 years. This was soon after the 2010 new year. He wanted me and my sister to follow. I had my first child who was an infant at the time and honestly, in retrospect, I did not know if moving to Ethiopia was the best idea for me.  

I remember in 2010, Ethiopia was boasting its new economy which, was being praised as one of the fastest growing on the continent of Africa. Many Ethiopian people who had left the country maybe 10-30 years prior, were, at least it seemed to me, mesmerized at the idea of economic growth for Ethiopia and began moving back as well.  The attraction of the Back to Ethiopia movement, seemed to me like the Gold Rush or the Industrial Revolution in the United States of the past.  It appeared in my opinion like everyone wanted a piece of the Ethiopian pie. Everyone wanted some injera and wot.  Including people who were not Ethiopian, such as China.  It was at the time I took interest in Ethiopia's loans from outside entities, and noted that as the country was developing, it was simultaneously going into deeper foreign debt.

In 2010, I was reading the news in contrast to everything I was hearing from Ethiopian people, moving and excited about returning back home and I was skeptical. 

I remember talking to a well-respected authority on Ethiopian culture and history, to get his opinion about the then, current state of Ethiopia and potential future.  I remember he explained the type of jobs I would be eligible to get with a Master's degree and it was under and not even comparable or close to equivalent to what I would be eligible to earn in the United States in the same position. 

I also remember talking to a past Professor of Political Science at the University I attended. I wanted his expertise and view on the new politics emerging and economic promises being made in Ethiopia for a progressive future for the country in 2010. He gave me a warning to watch when leaders make new political and economic promises for change, and I needed to watch to see if those promises manifest and ensure security and stability for the people. 

In 2010 a lot of promises were made in Ethiopia, and it appeared to excite many Ethiopians throughout the Diaspora that many returned back home. In 2023, the current state of Ethiopia paints another picture: The Ethiopian Orthodox Church has divided, Ethiopia has gone through another war were over one million were allegedly killed, the integrity of the state of politics and future economy is in foreign debt and questionable. Every facet of Ethiopian society has been dismantled. The religion, the politics, and the economy of Ethiopia are a hot mess.  All the pride we have as Ethiopians-tell the truth, Ethiopia is messy.  

The information being covered and the news coming out about Ethiopia presents different stories with different agendas and so authenticity and accuracy of the source becomes questionable.  My hope is to bring awareness to Ethiopia and to help protect a place I did not grow up in. When I think of the people of Ethiopia, it is easy to forget, but the reality is, the majority of the population are living in dire poverty. 

I will remember 1Ethiopia and a United Ethiopia. Despite the circumstances, I want to remember Ethiopia glorious past and remind one another we have a royal legacy that our ancestors fought and shed blood to protect from colonizers. Maybe some do not know or maybe some have forgotten but remember, Ethiopians of the past stood together and protected each other when foreign forces tried to take over. I refuse to accept a divided Ethiopia. I refuse to accept a war-torn Ethiopia. I refuse to accept an Ethiopia divided into regions and ethnicities. I refuse to accept that we are not brothers and sisters, and all our children of the Almighty God.  Before we are Ethiopians, we are humans, we are the extension of a supernatural divine Creator. 

We as Ethiopians need to show better. Do better.  What is happening in Ethiopia is happening at the hands of Ethiopians. Ethiopians against Ethiopian. It does not even make logical sense and we should be ashamed. Ethiopia is our country, culture and despite what region we descend from we are still one people and should be united.  What sense does it make to identify and segregate according to region and discriminate against one another? This is uncivilized, weak minded, ignorant and this is hate. 

Ethiopia claims to be a democratic nation representing democracy, but this is a false notion. I recently read an Op-Ed by a Professor of Political Scientist who provided insight into the Ethiopian situation. The United States is one of the most powerful countries in the world. It can only be this because the citizens, the population, the American people are united. They might have all kinds of issues, what country does not? The point is, America and its citizens function as a united entity. If the U.S. were to operate and perpetuated a system which offered privilege, favor, preference for a specific region the country would collapse because there would be conflict among a divided people. 

People are suffering in Ethiopia.  While people are hungry, lack basic education and health care, do not have access to food and clothes in Ethiopia, Ethiopia is focused on divide and conquer of the country and populatioin.  Instead the nation and people as a whole need to focus their attention back to unity, oneness and addressing the issues that really matter to the progression of Ethiopian society.

I grew up in America as an Ethiopian. I was born to two Ethiopian parents in America and was raised through the systems of the United States. In the home, I was surrounded by Ethiopian culture and traditions. Outside the home I was immersed in the American culture and traditions. I want to remember the Ethiopia of the past, the way I knew her growing up as a child searching for confidence, pride and identity in another country I was born in. 

I remember a united Ethiopian Orthodox church that showed me an ancient spiritual system dating back to antiquity.

I remember Lucy one of the oldest complete hominoid skeletons found in Ethiopia.

I remember the Queen of Sheba, also known as Makeda, who went to visit with King Solomon and had a baby, who became Menelik, first King of Ethiopia.

I remember King Menelik who went to visit King Solomon in Israel and returned to Ethiopia with the Ark of the Covenant. 

I remember the book of Enoch the Ethiopian, who did not experience death, but God "took" him to be with him. 

I remember the Ethiopian flag, green, yellow and red with the lion of Judah. 

I refuse to accept this illustration of a divided Ethiopia that is being painted. 

History can't be erased, hidden or forgotten.

I remember ancient Ethiopia. Unified Ethiopia. One Ethiopia. 1Ethiopia.