An
award bestowed upon a leader is an award bestowed upon the people of
that country. An award given to a leader symbolizes the significance
of a relationship between the people of nations. Such awards herald
and exemplify the mutual benefits to be gained through cultural and
scientific exchanges. No leader of any country is unworthy of such
award, and the honor to accept the gift on behalf of the people and
himself/herself.
Being
a leader of a country such as Ethiopia is an exceptional honor. That
is because Ethiopia holds a special place in the world. No economic
hardship and no ugly images of war and political upheavals would
obliterate the wonderful traditions and the long history of the
Ethiopian people. Every person that rises to power and becomes a
leader inherits the extraordinary prestige and honor that the
country has attained through the courageous and brave deeds of the
forefathers. Thus, giving an award to a leader of a nation like
Ethiopia also becomes an exceptional honor, and organizations that
bestow such honor upon a leader are those who have attained national
and international recognitions for their contributions to the
cultural and scientific developments to society.
The
distinguished awards that organizations such as Tabor 100 gave to PM
Meles in the mist of political upheavals and economic crises would
certainly raise questions and suspicions about the motives of the
awards. Even though I read several articles on the subject matter, I
was not inclined to write about the affairs involving Tabor 100 for
personal reasons. I had decided to leave the ugly politics of
Seattle where it belonged. But an article by Mr. Abebe Gelaw has
attracted my attention and compelled me to change my mind to write
and clarify the issues that I have knowledge about. I decided to do
so in the interest of my good friends at Tabor 100, my fellow
country men and women and also in the interest of the present and
future leaders of Ethiopia. To those unfamiliar to the issues that I
am writing about, I would like to suggest to them to reader: �PM
awarded 'Crystal Eagle' twice in six months� (Abebe Gelaw,
September 23). Mr. Gelaw has done an excellent job researching and
analyzing the motives behind the awards and gifts to PM Meles by
organizations including Tabor 100. Mr. Gelaw has posed serious
questions. There must be true answers to them. I will try to
describe what I knew in the following, but that may not be the true
answers. Many political observers have pondered how organizations
that are politically inconspicuous and invisible even in the cities
and states they exist went out of their way to award a leader of a
country. There is a general feeling that the awards were meant to
undermine the struggles of the Ethiopian people who are determined
to bring fundamental changes by democratizing their political system
and governance. That was why many also believed that the
organizations had made conscious decisions to give prizes to the PM
knowing and realizing the grave social, economic and political
conditions in Ethiopia. The fact that the organizations saw economic
bonanza and mushrooming democracy in Ethiopia that the people did
not see was baffling and disturbing to Ethiopians.
In
his article, Mr. Gelaw wrote: �The PM has already received
coveted prizes from every sort of anomalous award giving bodies such
as an international fertilizer merchant, Yara International ASA, a
South Korean Christian college, Hannam University, and now a
little-heard of Afro-American business association called Tabor 100.�
Abebe Gelaw has raised an important question concerning Tabor 100.
The personal reasons and the ugly politics of Seattle that I tried
to ignore are inevitably revealed in this article.
Tabor
100:
First,
I would like to express the fact that I would never be able to
adequately describe Tabor 100 and the awesome jobs that its members
are doing. I would like to describe Tabor 100 briefly believing that
readers may get wealth of information about the organization on
their website. Tabor 100 was founded to carry on the legacy of Mr.
Langston Tabor, a father and a giant figure in the City of Seattle.
Mr. Tabor was the lone soldier in the days there were not many like
him. He worked tirelessly to open the door of opportunities of
equality to African-Americans. Tabor 100 was founded by Mr. David
Tyner, Mr. Carl Smith and a few other close friends of Mr. Tabor.
The father of Mr. Carl Smith, Mr. Sam Smith was another giant figure
who was the first African-American ever to be elected to public
office in Seattle and State of Washington. Mr. Smith served as a
City Council till his death. I knew Mr. Smith very well, and he was
a fatherly figure to me. When the City Attorney illegally and
unlawfully discharged me from my city job, Mr. Smith stood by my
side and defended my rights even while lying on his death bed.
I
heard about the new organization established in the name of Mr.
Tabor, and contacted Mr. Carl Smith to find out about the new
organization. Mr. Smith invited me to come to the Board meetings. I
went to the Board meeting where I was introduced to Mr. Tyner and
distinguished members of the Board. I invited me to join the
organization. I did and completed the forms and became member of the
Board. Even though Tabor 100 is a small organization, the
dedications of its members had quickly gained it recognition and
visibility. The Board is composed of influential individuals coming
from all walks of life. There are clergies, educators, public
servants and entrepreneurs. Right from the beginning, it was my wish
that the organization explore cultural and scientific ties with the
motherland. I was very pleased when the Board elected me to join the
sub-committee tasked to explore means to establish ties with counter
parts in Africa.
In
2001, the former City Attorney who destroyed my profession and
family life, and terrorized me for 12 years was running for the
mayoral position. He approached Tabor 100 asking our support and
votes! The Board gave him a chance to come to our meeting and speak
to the members. I did not object the idea respecting the principles
of the organization, but, I knew that it would not be possible for
me to sit and listen to that person. I did not attend that meeting,
and never attended the meetings of the Board ever since. I did it in
the interest of the organization and my good friends. I knew what
would follow if and when he became elected as mayor. It is more than
what I can explain here. So, I did what I thought would deny him
opportunity to complete the destruction he had started.
The
Unfortunate Award:
In
the minds of many Ethiopians, the action of Tabor 100 awarding PM
Meles is viewed as a �mischievous politics.� Considering the
current political situation in Ethiopia, the suspicions of
Ethiopians in regard to Tabor 100 and others seems justified.
However, knowing very well each and every member of Tabor 100, I
would like to express my honest opinions about the professionalism,
honesty and integrity and down to Earth nature of each member of the
organization. I have been to the offices and homes of many, and I
have known the families and friends if many. I proudly describe each
and every one of them true brothers, open and honest individuals who
are highly dedicated to the African-American communities and African
people.
It
was my hope that connections between Tabor 100 and their counter
parts in Ethiopia be established for mutual educational and
scientific exchanges and developments. I believe that aspiration
existed even after I left, and I would like to think that the
connections and ties, which I don�t know what, might have led them
to the giant step: awarding the PM. That would have been in good
faith to strengthen the ties they might have established with the
people. It may be hard to convince my readers to accept this
explanation after depicting the Board members as sophisticated
individuals capable of understanding the political implications of
such action. I still believe that they might have wrongly assumed
that the award was a good thing. If I am wrong, then, only an
explanation directly from the Board will put this matter to rest.
Finally,
it is my hope that Tabor 100 establishes a lasting relationship with
their counter parts in Ethiopia. I believe that there are enormous
cultural and scientific resources yet to be exploited and utilized
for mutual progress and development. It will be immensely satisfying
to see that happen.
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