Ethiopian Exile: a Microcosm of African Diaspora

DESPITE ETHIOPIA'S VAST NATURAL RESOURCES AND THE SUPPORT IT GETS FROM DONOR COUNTRIES ITS PEOPLE REMAIN STUCK IN THE DEADLY GRIP OF POVERTY AND DESTITUTION WHILE POUNDED BY ENVIRONMENTAL DEGRADATION AND BRUTAL TYRANNY. THE MILITARY DERG AND ITS SUCCESSOR EPRDF MADE THE COUNTRY A LABORATORY OF FOREIGN IDEOLOGY; TOOK THE WRONG APPROACH WITH THEIR POLITICS OF EXCLUSION, CLASS STRUGGLE, "RED TERROR", "ECONOMIC APARTHEID" AND ETHNIC POLITICS. THEY SET THE WRONG PRIORITIES, AND LACK THE NECESSARY VISION AND DIRECTION TO IMPROVE THE LIVES OF THEIR PEOPLE. THEY REFUSED TO LEARN FROM THEIR MISTAKES AND TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE MESS THEY PLUNGED ETHIOPIA INTO; INSTEAD THEY PREFERRED TO BLAME OTHERS AND USED FORCE TO SILENCE THEIR PEOPLE. AS A RESULT MILLIONS LEFT THE COUNTRY TO SAVE THEIR LIVES AND FOR BETTER OPPORTUNITIES. IN RECENT YEARS THIS WAVE OF MIGRATION HAS INCREASED TO THE MIDDLE EAST. OUR SISTERS ARE SUFFERING AS HOUSE MAID IN THE MIDDLE EAST BY THE THOUSANDS; MOST OF THEM STRANDED IN SLAVERY-LIKE CONDITIONS WITH THEIR PASSPORTS CONFISCATED BY THEIR MASTERS OR THE TRAFFICKERS. THE HEART-BREAKING STORIES, AND THE POLITICAL TRAVELOGUE OF THE MIGRANT'S JOURNEY EXPLAIN THE HARDSHIP, THE DETERMINATION, AND THE DIFFICULT CHOICES AFRICANS HAD TO MAKE RISKING THEIR LIFE WHILE RUNNING AWAY FROM TYRANNICAL REGIMES TO FIND BETTER OPPORTUNITIES AND ENJOY BASIC HUMAN FREEDOM SOMEWHERE ELSE. USING HIS EXPERIENCE AS A JOURNALIST FOR FOUR DECADES COVERING MAJOR EVENTS IN ETHIOPIA/AFRICA THE AUTHOR HAS PRESENTED A CLOSE-UP PORTRAIT OF ETHIOPIA AND MORE BROADLY THE HORN OF AFRICA AND THE CONTINENT AS A WHOLE. THIS BOOK ILLUMINATE'S THE ROOT CAUSES OF MASS EXILE, THE MAJOR PROBLEMS IN ETHIOPIA, AND HOW THAT LINKS BACK TO THE LACK OF FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION. IT VIVIDLY SHOWS THE YAWNING GAP BETWEEN AFRICAN PEOPLE AND THEIR LEADERS, EXPOSING THOSE WHO BEAR MORE ALLEGIANCE TO THEIR BANK BALANCES THAN TO THEIR COUNTRY, THE CONSTITUTION OR THEIR PEOPLES FUTURE. IT IS AN INVITATION FOR DISCOURSE, TO EXPLAIN, ENGAGE AND ENCOURAGE ALL THOSE CONCERNED IN THE FATE OF AFRICA TO WRESTLE WITH THE CHALLENGES FACING THE CONTINENT TODAY. DURING THE LAST FOUR DECADES ETHIOPIANS HAVE DISPERSED AROUND THE WORLD LIKE NEVER BEFORE. FROM THE WELL-EDUCATED TO THE RURAL PEASANTRY, ETHIOPIA CONTINUES TO HEMORRHAGE PEOPLE IN SEARCH OF BETTER LIFE ABROAD, YET NOT ALWAYS FINDING IT. THE FORCES THAT DROVE THEM AWAY AND STILL DO SO ARE CONVOLUTED, YET THE COMMON THREAD UNDERPINNING THEM IS TYRANNY; AND TYRANNY SURVIVES PRIMARILY ON THE ASHES OF FREE EXPRESSION. THE DARING PLIGHT OF ETHIOPIANS TO THE UNKNOWN TO ESCAPE TYRANNY, THEIR ARREST AT SEVERAL CHECK POINTS IN DIFFERENT COUNTRIES THEY CROSSED, THE HARDSHIP AND DANGER IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS, THE NUMBER OF LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS THEY HAVE TO BRIBE, THE AMOUNT OF MONEY THEY HAD TO PAY TO THE TRAFFICKERS AND HOW THEY GATHER INFORMATION THAT HELPED THEM TO CROSS ONE COUNTRY TO THE OTHER IS MESMERIZING. WHEN YOU READ THEIR STORY, IT WILL REMIND YOU OF WHAT AUTHOR EDUARDO GALEANO ONCE SAID ABOUT FREEDOM; "IT'S WORTHWHILE TO DIE FOR THINGS WITHOUT WHICH IT'S NOT WORTHWHILE TO LIVE." THEIR STORY IS DESCRIBED THROUGH WELL-CHOSEN DETAILS, MAKING IT RING THROUGH WITH A SENSE OF PLACE THAT TRANSPORTS THE READERS AND GIVE THEM VALUE AND CONNECTEDNESS TO THE ACTIONS; WHIRLING THEM OFF A MAGIC RIDE TO FARAWAY PLACES. THE RESULTING EXPERIENCE BEING THE NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE IN PERSON; THE ONLY THING LACKING IS THE CHANCE TO REGISTER AS REFUGEES. THE CHALLENGES FOR RULE OF LAW AND GOOD GOVERNANCE REFORMS IN ETHIOPIA/AFRICA HAVE OFTEN FAILED TO ADDRESS HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOCIAL INEQUALITIES. UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES, SOCIAL TURMOIL, MASS EXILE, AND THE PROBLEM OF REFUGEES HAVE BECOME A NEVER ENDING PHENOMENON. IT IS A MUST READ BOOK, TO SHARE THE HEART-BREAKING AND HEART-WARMING PERSONAL STORIES, EXPERIENCE AND WISDOM OF MANY PEOPLE REFERRED AND GRAPPLE WITH THE CHALLENGES FACING SOCIETY TODAY.