Editorial: Honoring Almaz Mequanent, a Great Ethiopian Lady

By Tecola W. Hagos

�Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.� Matthew 13: 45-46

Almaz Mequanent is like the Biblical pearl of great worth that we Ethiopians should hold dear close to our hearts. Almaz waged a lonely, but a most honorable fight for the rights of much trodden and overlooked Ethiopian victims of HVA agro-industrial greed in Awash Wonji and Metehara Sugar plantations and processing industry. The mission that Almaz undertook is pure and unadulterated personification of civil responsibility and love of fellow human beings (not just Ethiopians). What Almaz did was an act of great selfless love that only a �mother� is capable of giving. To wit, recently, Almaz was able to deliver 500 wheelchairs to such victims of chemical discharges of Fluoride that disabled and deformed thousands of Ethiopians and their innocent children in Wonji and Metehara. Almaz did such incredible fete by working very hard contacting and organizing this monumental task of convincing manufacturers and organizations to denote that many wheelchairs to benefit disabled human beings in a far off land.

I write often about the political problems of Ethiopia and also audacious possible solutions to such problems in our website www.tecolahagos.com. I have also rendered my view in books and articles in print. Nothing I have done would come even close to one hundredth place in terms of real goodness in comparison to what this Ethiopian lady has done. For you people fighting over power, such as Meles Zenawi, Hailu Shawel, Berhanu Nega, Birtukan Mideksa, Getatchew Haile, et cetera and all of you political rats in camouflage hiding in the dark throwing political darts, learn a great lesson from the good hard working Ethiopian lady Almaz Mequanent that service is not predicated on personal acquisition of power. All of your pontifications, hollow rhetoric, college degrees et cetera will not measure up to one of the fingers of Almaz Mequanent in comparison in terms of real value to the people of Ethiopia.

The recent political skirmish between factions in Kinijit political organization demonstrates to me and to other concerned Ethiopians the degree of the political immaturity of the leaders of that political organization. The seemingly power struggle between two sets of leaders also demonstrate the deep seated political fault-line fizzer i.e. the shift of political power from the Anckober-Menilk II power structure (as represented by Hailu Shawel, Getatchew Haile, and their narrow ethnicist group) to the older and much more representative of the larger and far more legitimate Ethiopian political power structure that of King Lalibela and Emperor Zera Ya�cob by way of Yekuno Amlake (as represented by Birtukan Mideksa, Berhanu Nega and their ethnically diverse group). Nevertheless, the crude power seeking infighting within this one organization is illustrative of the serious malady that all Ethiopian politicians suffer�hunger for power as a short cut to ones own personal material success as opposed to power to be used in the service of the people of Ethiopia to improve the living standard of such a people.

I have written in several articles about the problems of lack of integrity of Ethiopian politicians. Even in our past history, if it were not for the tenacity and great patriotic faith of the leaders of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, Ethiopia would have fallen apart. Thus, what Ethiopia needs is a great core with characteristics selfless deeds of heroic Ethiopian personalities to benefit a traumatized community, and not a third rate political manipulation of ideologically diminutive men and women that we have been subjugated to follow for decades now.

I say to my fellow believers in the Ethiopia of our forefathers and the Ethiopia of our future that Ethiopia is the only country with a bright future in that part of the World. The sad reality of our political situation whether we are dealing with Meles Zenawi or sectarian ethnic based narrow minded political leaders or the politics of ideologically corrupt Diaspora �migr� of every kind are simply a short-lived passing phenomena, but what will carry us forward and help us survive as a people and a nation is the system of unity and our zeal for our sovereignty.

In my life, I have seen much, including heads of states, prime ministers and other officials rising and falling in power; I have observed individuals who betrayed their brothers and sisters for �thirty pieces of silver,� and in some cases for blood money much less than that. I am witnessing at this very moment thugs, totally irresponsible and mediocre Ethiopians, vying for political power. I say to Almaz Mequanent, thank you my good, honorable, and honest sister for your exemplary work in helping the victims of HVA Wonji and Metehara. May you prosper and further help Ethiopia as its leader in the near future. I for one will always feel quite comfortable to place Ethiopia in your caring hands in trust than in the self serving hands of all the politicians and intellectuals of Ethiopia. Thank you. Ω

Tecola W. Hagos

December 20, 2007

Washington DC

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