Zewdu Mengiste was born in Bale. About three decades ago he used to be a journalist at Efoyta magazine. He has also worked at other newspapers like nation, Menelik magazines. He left his country during the controversial election in 2005 he worked at the Nation newspaper. He received Id as a journalist and observer from the EU. But when the government put pressure against a journalist he left my homeland.
In the UK he established a radio station called Lucy and runs a TV show entitled Zewdu show. He also worked as Chairperson of Leeds Ethiopian Community in the UK.HE has also worked in BBC, British Red Cross and Oxfam UK, among others.
He joined Ethiopian Diaspora Action Council and worked strenuously in the struggle against the dictatorial rule of TPLF led government. Currently, he is working actively in supporting the ongoing reform in the country. Ethiopian Press Agency has interviewed Zewdu on current activities of the diaspora and their expectation from the new government of the country. Have a nice read!
Could you tell me your opinion on the reason why foreign governments and international organizations are taking a stance against the government of Ethiopia in the fight against the terrorist TPLF?
Various governments and international organizations are aware of the assault by the terrorist TPLF against the Ethiopian National Defense Forces (ENDF). But based on the fake information supplied to them they used to claim that the federal government was launching an attack against the Tigray government. At an unprecedented level in history, the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) has convened more than ten times to discuss the issue of Ethiopia only. This is the result of our weaknesses in doing our homework. For instance, it is to be recalled that the federal government decided to pull out from Mekelle to allow farmers to do their farm work. Then journalists were allowed to enter Tigray and do their jobs. The international media like Channel 4 of Sky news was also allowed and reported from marketplaces, individual houses and churches, among others. The people say their houses were attacked by fighter jets. That is how the media reported. But such kinds of destruction are likely to happen in any war. So the government should have given an explanation for that. And further, the government should have taken the journalists to visit the areas like Maikadra where TPLF committed genocide and let them witness the truth.
Does it mean western countries have the wrong outlook of Ethiopia?
Europeans do not like Ethiopia for many reasons. First, it is not colonized. Second Ethiopia would be influential in Africa if it becomes strong economically and politically. If Africans rise up against whites they are going to become threats. Our friends from some African countries who live in the UK still think that they are under colony. When a white man shows up many of them panic, but we Ethiopians do not. The impact still exists. So it will be a threat if Ethiopia helps remove this stigma. This skews their view of Ethiopia. They want you to receive their donation. For instance, in the 2005 election, I was an observer of the election along with the EU delegation around Dessie town. Since EPRDF was convinced that it will win the election, they surrounded the city with a mechanized army. But until midday, it was the Coalition for Unity and Democracy (CUD). Then the EPRDF ordered to stop the counting. I asked my friends why they stopped counting. Then they told me that they are not aware of the reason. Yet they guessed that the CUD was sweeping the votes in many parts of the country. That time they did not report about it. But when I went abroad they told me that they cannot grant me asylum as Ethiopia is a country of freedom and democracy. They do this only because that government serves their interest. It was their puppet. For instance, the problem in Somalia was not our concern. It was only to serve their interest that the EPRDF led government sent its troops to Somalia. Now Abiy led government has refused to do so.
What were you doing as diaspora community members against the TPLF led regime?
During the reign of the TPLF led government, we used to rant at officials that visit foreign countries where ever they go abroad. Now we have changed that into how to help our country. By now Ethiopians and Ethiopian descendants are doing more public diplomacy works to the country. We are informing foreign media that their reports about Ethiopia are flawed. We try to show that shreds of evidence. We also push our MPS to stop pressure on our government. MPs also do that in UK. one can request MPs. By now we do not stay away from our embassy as in the past. We provide a lot of support and donation through the embassy. We have sent a donation for the COVID case, the rehabilitation of destruction in Ataye town.
USA and UK are putting more pressure against Ethiopia. What are you doing there against this?
In addition to speaking with MPs we have conducted large scale demonstrations in opposition to the stance of the UK government and we request the government to examine its policies towards Ethiopia by substantiating our claims with evidence.
There is the youth who are born there. So I have given them airtime in my show and made dialogues in English so that all foreign communities can understand the situation in Ethiopia. The youth also tell their friends, schoolmates and families of their friends.
What do you expect from the new government? How do you think should the diaspora continue to work with the new administration?
Our motive to come here is to find out the ways to work with the new government. For instance, the remittance from the diaspora is more than the forex that could be earned from the export of coffee and oilseeds. In addition, there are many high profile scholars in Europe and America who are interested to return home and work. One of the diaspora members is a well-known engineer. But he was denied permission to work in Ethiopia. We want the ways to be paved for the diaspora so that they can return and work at home.
In addition, we would like to work more in public diplomacy. For instance, if you take the supporters of TPLF they are doing their lobbying works with the money they stole from the Ethiopian people. So we Ethiopians have to work with commitment for our country. The government has to improve its investment policy.
How is the diaspora community operating by now? Is there unity among them?
We have seen the consequences of racism and differences. We are here representing no ethnic group but representing Ethiopia. When we do demonstration we do it in the name of our country, but not in the name of our ethnic group. We are working on eliminating ethnic mentality. The gaps that created this kind of feeling are being closed.
Thank you very much
You are welcome
BY ZEKARIAS WOLDEMARIAM
