Visit From Ethiopian Officials Brings Protestors to Campus

From the soil of Ethiopia to Howard University grounds, people rallied together to protest against Prime Minister Meles Zenawi' s senior officials presence on campus and the re-establishment of the one-party system.

"The election was framed, it was daylight robbery," Fekade Shewakenn, one of the originators of the protest, said. Prime Min. Zenawi won with 99.6 percent of the votes.

The protest on Howard University' s campus took place Saturday across from Cramton Auditorium. Red, green and yellow flags blew in the wind as Ethiopian senior officials breezed into Cramton behind barricades.

The purpose of the senior officials' visit to the auditorium was to hold a conference on its five-year economic plan. As a result, the Ethiopian community from the DMV area cameout to voice their concerns.

Shewakenn said that he was not allowed in Cramton due to his political views and writings criticizing the Ethiopian government. His works have been published on various Ethiopian democratic websites.

According to the 2010 Failed States Index, the report ranked Ethiopia as the 17th most failed state in the world.

"This government has been here for 29 years; it is a racist government," Meko Derby, one of the many protestors, said. "Rest of the Ethiopians does not believe in the government."

Protestors formed in front of the School of Business at 10 a.m. and left around 6 p.m.

News of the protest was broadcasted over Ethiopian democracy sites such as the ECADF, Ethiopian News and Views. The site not only called out the Ethiopian Zenawi, but Howard University for, " Providing a forum and space for the delegates of a violent dictator who suppresses his own people with an iron fist. " [It's] incredibly inappropriate,

and hurts the reputation of Howard University."

The site also said, " It also makes Howard University, which is known as a living symbol

of the determination of a people of African descent, to free themselves of oppression

and enjoy the fruits of life, liberty, happiness and prosperity as responsible citizens in an equal society, appear to be a tacit supporter of social injustice and human rights abuses in Africa."

But, Howard University is not the only university that has hosted members of a protested regime. The London School of Economics in London, England, hosted close family

members of Muammar al-Qaddafi in March.

Zenawi has been accused of running a racist regime against the people of Ethiopia and the ruling ethnic class controls of the land, the Tigray Peoples' Liberation Party. In addition, accounts of rape as a weapon and mass violence and torture have been placed with Zenawi as well.

"There is widespread of repression in my country," said Shewakenn. He referred to the ruling ethnic class as " ethnic tigneans." This term is often labeled with the TPLF. The

Abbay Media said that the TPLF ruling segment of Zenawi " hijacked this organization for their own personal interest." The TPLF also controls the Parliament, along with the

Ethiopian People' s Revolutionary Democratic Front.

The TPLF/EPRDF has also been accused of having a system where the welfare of large

sections of societies is ignored in budgetary allocations. The Sidama nation in Ethiopia is

suffering from this experiencing famine and drought.

Like other protests in Africa, the protests against the government in Ethiopia have been

fueled and inspired by those of Egypt, Tunisia, Libya, the Ivory Coast and elsewhere.

"I'm going to advocate for democracy," Shewakenn said.