ADDIS ABABA– Ethiopian Diasporas and friends of Ethiopia residing in Pretoria, South Africa held a public rally over the weekend to denounce the U.S. and its Western associates’ attempts to meddle in the domestic matters of Ethiopia under the ‘#NoMore’ movement. Holding slogans that displayed U.S. and EU hands off Ethiopia,’ ‘#NOMore’ and similar others, the campaigners protested outside of the U.S. Embassy in Pretoria.
A non-Ethiopian, who claimed to be involved in the rally as a sign of solidarity to Ethiopia, said Ethiopia is pursuing Africa’s struggle and it should be transformed to a Pan-African movement with the support of all Africans. “We are saying Africa is for Africans. We are very angry the fact that the Americans and Westerners are supporting a terrorist group instead of a democratically elected government in Ethiopia.”
Noting the U.S’s. attack in Libya and illegal sanction on Zimbabwe have caused immense public sufferings, the demonstrator emphasized that the former attempted to replicate the same evil act in Ethiopia. “The West has to respect the legitimately elected government of Ethiopia and Ethiopians who voted for it.”
“TPLF must accept defeat; they must accept the democratically elected government. Therefore, we are saying to U.S .to stop supporting terrorists with arms. It must also stop sending mercenaries there,” he added.
Another participant of the rally, who travelled 400 kilometers to Pretoria blamed the U.S. for supporting the terrorist TPLF group and not sanctioned its leaders for human rights violation. “Every time when they say stop the conflict, they are blaming the government of Ethiopia. Before this war started, the government sent community leaders, priests, and sheikhs to Tigray more than 10 times to negotiate peacefully. However, they attacked federal troops stationed in the state on November 3, 2020.”
He further noted that the U.S. is supporting the TPLF in that they don’t even condemn the invasion of Amhara State, the massacre in Kombolcha, Mai Kadra and others. “They are not just supporting TPLF; they are saying negotiate with terrorists.”
“By the same token, the West’s corporate media have been engaged in disseminating false information that TPLF is in the outskirts of Addis Ababa and that’s why we are opposed to these media lies and telling the world our capital is peaceful as always.” By the same token, numerous U.S. citizens who visited Ethiopia gave testimony that Addis Ababa is safe and urged international media to stop spewing false news.
The demonstrator also expressed discontent that the AU failed to demonstrate commitment to its ideals of seeking African solutions to African problems and barred foreign intervention.
BY BETELHEM BEDLU
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD DECEMBER 1/2021
