BY FITSUM GETACHEW
There seems to lack an accurate and well documented account of how many Ethiopians or now owners of a foreign passport but are of Ethiopian origin exist in the world. There are reports that the estimate could be to the tune of three million! If so this constitutes definitely a huge number. This is definitely a result of Ethiopians have been flocking overseas for years for a number of reasons. In many cases, it was conflicts or war situations which forced or induced Ethiopians to flee their country or emigrate not hating their country.
During the imperial times, the numbers were insignificant also because those who went abroad went only for study. When they finished their studies they did return immediately, full of energy and enthusiasm to serve their country. There was a great feeling of patriotism that pushed those citizens to come back and join the meager professional working force. They knew their country lacked qualified nationals capable of making the difference in the administration and management of the affairs of the country in every imaginable field. What they saw abroad stimulated their emotions to bring back their newly acquired experience and knowledge to their compatriots.
However, thousands began to flee Ethiopia during the military regime of the nineteen seventies and eighties with the political turmoil. With the so-called Red Terror and White Terror epoch things even worsened. Thousands of youths faced ruthless persecution by either the regime or even their own peers who were at different poles in the political scenario of the days. The emotions were very intense and the rivalry was deadly. The escape of these youths took place through various gates. Ethiopians crossed the borders even on foot across the four corners of the country. There were those routes that were well known such as through Kessela in North West Ethiopia-Sudan border. Others crossed through Djibouti in the east. Still others used the Moyale-Kenya border route to leave the country in search of safe haven.
After the fall of the military regime and the establishment of the new EPRDF government in 1991, Ethiopians who felt excluded from the ruling coalition or opposed the new ethnic based government were once again forced to exile or face unjust detention. The government even seemed to encourage in derogatory words those who opposed it to flee overseas. For almost three decades the TPLF led system bred thousands of fugitives. When asked why those citizens chose to flee, their answer was it is because they were persecuted with false and fabricated evidence and in fact thousands have even disappeared during the three decade TPLF dictatorship.
This process continued for years and across all that time thousands of Ethiopians found themselves in foreign land including the US, Canada, Europe, the Middle East and even Australia etc. However, not all of the exiled were a result of political persecution because there were also those who found themselves in dire economic situation at home and had no choice but emigrate to foreign land in search of a new livelihood, new economic prospects.
In recent years, even young women were induced to travel to the Middle East in the so-called Arab labour market that requires neither specialization nor particular educational requirements. This phenomenon was even facilitated if not encouraged by the government and thousands of young ladies went to these Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Kuwait, UAE etc. where they engaged mainly in domestic chores and managed to send some money to their poor families at home.
Another huge source of immigration was the number of Ethiopians who chose dangerous and illegal routes of the Sahara Desert to the Mediterranean Sea and eventually to the beaches of Europe; or the one through Djibouti and Yemen crossing to the Persian Gulf countries. Scores would lose even their lives but all the same thousands continued to flock through these desperate routes also because stimulated by unrealistic expectations following the brokers and traffickers’ empty promises. Those aiming to southern Africa were also a considerable number pulled by those who have made it to reach the beaches of Johannesburg and Cape Town.
Today there are thousands more who join their families already stationed abroad and all this has added up to make the numbers very high. Those who had emigrated years before managed to gather their families using the ‘family reunion’ schemes of those countries. In many cases these people readily joined the working force of those countries. What is more, thousands have also left Ethiopia benefiting from so called DV lotteries the US government launched to meet its needs of better qualified and cheap foreign labour.
Hence, today there is a sizeable number of Ethiopian diaspora in foreign land principally in North America and Europe. Most of these people are very active participants of the Ethiopian political movements taking place at home and abroad. They actively take part in some of the events taking place in the country where they live. Whenever their associations call them for a certain mission or campaign they respond very actively and vigorously. Their networks are well organized and function effectively.
Since the change of government in 2018 the Ethiopian diaspora have proved to be a major force in Ethiopian political and economic environment when they act as one. When Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed traveled overseas to explain his plans for the future of the country, the diaspora showed him their full support and solidarity with enthusiasm. He said he was very much invigorated with their support.
Following the attack launched against the Northern Command in November 2020, the diaspora again condemned it and continued to voice their opposition to the support given to the terrorist TPLF by the US and other western governments. They created the now famous #NoMore movement platform and with extended and massive demonstrations, they presented this huge power and influence.
For weeks they flooded the streets of the capitals of the world making their voices heard, condemning the interference of some western countries in the internal affairs of their country back home. In this sense, they have helped raise the awareness of these western governments and people on the attacks and false narratives of the terrorist TPLF at the disinformation campaign of the west mainstream media. They have written various letters explaining their stance and opposing the damaging politics certain countries applied against their motherland. Whenever they were solicited to raise funds for a certain mission, they have acted immediately and effectively in unison and reliably.
Today the Ethiopian diaspora are seen as one of the most active forces highly engaged in the affairs of their country. The hundreds of thousands who flooded the streets of Washington and other capitals have proved to be a huge force that helps Ethiopia fight back against western imperialist intents.
No doubts the world has seen that the Ethiopian diaspora is a massive force to be reckoned with. It has shown how it constitutes a huge potential for the motherland if it is well exploited. It is not only a political, diplomatic force, but also a major economic force. At a time when the national economy is struggling due to the war the TPLF provoked and the devastation it has caused on the country, mainly in the two regional states of Amhara and Afar, the economic support that can be harnessed from the diaspora will be decisive to turn the tide and rehabilitate in a reasonably short time.
There is a huge lack of foreign currency in the country and the sanctions that some countries have imposed on Ethiopia have further exacerbated things. There is enormous pressure on Ethiopia today and thanks to the contribution of its diaspora things could have a new face. If the diaspora contribute regularly to the national economy, it could ease the pressure. The economic power of the Ethiopian diaspora could result a game changer just as we have seen in some other diaspora such as the Indian, Nigerian, Egyptian, the Philippines or Vietnamese to mention just a few, who have been taking active part in support of their countries’ economies.
The call of the Prime Minister to the diaspora to come back home has multiple intentions. The first and most important one is to change the narrative of the western media which have been actively campaigning against Ethiopia alleging that it is a country in shambles and with chaotic security problems and hence to avoid at any cost. But these narratives have been debunked even by other western tourists and visitors to Ethiopia confirming the falsehoods of the CNNs and BBCs etc.
The homecoming of these diaspora will further show to the world that nothing dangerous is developing in Ethiopia despite the situation in the north where the support of the west to the terrorist TPLF has not brought the desired results of deposing the legitimate government and replace it with the terrorists.
The other function of this homecoming is to familiarize the diaspora to the reality in their homeland and see for themselves what has been going on in the last several years.
There are so many members of the diaspora who have been away from Ethiopia for decades and know the country only through the media or through the accounts of others. But this time they can personally find out the situation and at the same time contribute their share in rebuilding the infrastructure devastated by the disgusting acts of the terrorist TPLF who had every intent to dismember and destroy the country! This must be shown to have failed miserably and the trajectory of Ethiopia will continue as a sovereign and compact country with its winning mentality.
The diaspora will see for themselves the kind of devastation TPLF has inflicted on their own country. They will also find out more about the internally displaced and those who need to be rehabilitated, both physically as well as psychologically. It is an enormous task that needs the collaboration of each and every citizen and a huge administrative preparedness and organisation. In this respect, the diaspora’s contribution could be crucial.
Already the diaspora has been key in overturning the narratives of certain media outlets in the west and protested loudly that their country cannot be colonized and the message has been picked up by other Africans and people of African origin because the media campaign on the part of TPLF and its allies has been intense and protracted, full of lies and invented stories with equally false videos.
The neutral world must know what it is all about. The diaspora will have a firsthand knowledge of how the terrorist TPLF committed all those atrocities that are now being collected and recorded so that the world will have to see and help bring about those who were behind such massacres and ignoble deeds never experienced even by the Nazis and Fascists in the nineteen twenties and thirties!
The west must know that those people they help are ‘enemies of humanity’ and not only Ethiopia! Let alone be put in government, these people who lead the terrorist TPLF are very dangerous to the entire African continent just as the Nazis and Fascists once were to Europe! They are a group of people totally intoxicated with the lust for power and warfare presenting as cannon fodder the entire youth of the Tigray region having poisoned them with false and delusional dreams and empty promises! They should be made accountable!
Therefore, the contribution of the Ethiopian diaspora in becoming the new mouthpieces of the Ethiopian people will have its positive effects soon. Their testimonies will be a game changer as we said earlier as their contribution in many senses not excluding the knowhow and experience to help it stand up again and be proudly self-reliant.
The Ethiopian Herald January 5/2022
