Charges against Ethiopian government rejected
One has to be either media-addicted or have too much leisure time to engage constantly in tit-for-tat polemic with him on every false accusation and barrage of criticism he hurls at the Ethiopian government.
However, I feel I must respond to his letter headlined ‘Let’s follow British lead on aid to Ethiopia’ (Irish Examiner, February 6).
First of all, facts and figures referred to by Mr O’Shea about post-election events in Ethiopia are inaccurate and prejudiced.
My greatest worry is that falsehoods repeated often enough could only be taken as truth if they are not addressed and corrected in time.
His accusations against the Ethiopian government of “human rights violation” are being used to misinform the Irish people that their taxpayers’ money is misused in Ethiopia, with the intention of triggering public pressure on the Irish Government to stop aid. In the end, it all boils down to ‘stop assisting the poor people.’ How can a person like Mr O’Shea, who claims to be a champion of the poor, pass what amounts to a death sentence on the very poorest people?
Subsequent to last year’s general election, the Ethiopian government has done nothing unconstitutional in its law-enforcement endeavours.
Even when the opposition political leaders appealed to their supporters to overthrow the constitutional order through street violence, describing the very constitution of the nation as a “worthless document less valued than the cost of the ink and paper it’s written on,” the government dealt with the matter as per the rules stipulated in the constitution, no more, no less.
Please, Mr O’Shea, stop behaving like a colonial viceroy.
Goitom Kahsay
Charge d’Affaires
Embassy of The Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia
1-3 Merrion House
Fitzwilliam Street Lower
Dublin 2
